Opening statements to kick off in ex-Goldman banker’s 1MDB corruption trial

Opening statements are expected to take place on Monday in the US corruption trial of a former Goldman Sachs banker charged with helping to launder hundreds of millions of dollars looted from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund.Roger Ng, Goldman’s former head of investment banking in Malaysia, stands accused of conspiring to launder money and to violate an anti-bribery law. He has pleaded not guilty and Ng’s lawyer has called him a “fall guy” for one of the biggest financial scandals in Wall Street history.The trial in Brooklyn federal court could last up to six weeks.Prosecutors are likely to argue that Ng helped two co-conspirators – his former boss, Timothy Leissner, and businessman Jho Low – launder funds embezzled from 1MDB and used some of the stolen money to bribe officials in the Southeast Asian country to win business for Goldman.Leissner, a former partner for Goldman Sachs in Asia, in 2018 pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money, and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), in part by helping to pay US$1.6 billion in bribes. He is expected to testify as a government witness against Ng.Ng’s defence is expected to argue that he had no role in the scheme perpetrated by Low and Leissner, and that he even warned Goldman management not to trust Low. Ng’s defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo has said Leissner falsely implicated Ng in the scheme in an effort to minimise his punishment.Leissner has not yet been sentenced.The scandal stems from some US$6.5 billion in bonds that Goldman helped 1MDB – launched by former prime minister Najib Razak to spur economic growth – sell from 2009 to 2014. But around US$4.5 billion of that money was embezzled, according to US prosecutors.US authorities say Goldman earned US$600 million in fees from the deals. The bank in 2020 paid a US$2.3 billion fine, returned US$600 million in ill-gotten gains and agreed for its Malaysian subsidiary to plead guilty in US court as part of a deal, known as a deferred prosecution agreement, with the Department of Justice.The trial could shed light on how Goldman responded to warnings of possible corruption, but the bank is unlikely to face material damage.Low, who was indicted alongside Ng in 2018, has not been arrested by US or Malaysian authorities. Putrajaya has said he is in China, which Beijing has denied.


The people’s ‘olive branch’ to power-hungry politicians

To the seasoned politicians who are in the race for the country’s top jobs: We, the people, would like to reiterate that since the Covid-19 pandemic continues to linger and the numbers seem to be exponential, now is not a good time to carry on with your political ambitions.You seem obsessed with the number of MPs who will be on your side while we are dead worried over the number of cases, which hit 660 just yesterday.Already struggling with the immeasurable loss of income and jobs, those hardest hit will face even tougher times as the semi-lockdown or CMCO (conditional movement control order) kicks in.To the politicians who are offering “olive branches” to one another in order to cement their positions, we the people, are unable to profit anything from your deals.Yes, our democratic practices are not the best that they could be. Illegal backdoor governments and constant switching of allegiances among politicians is nothing to be proud of.But what matters the most now is for all of us to come together to fight the invisible enemy that is Covid-19. This is the real war, and the country will be even worse off if we allow the power-grabbing episodes to continue.We must heed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s advice for all of us to stay vigilant and obey the guidelines put in place for us by the health ministry and World Health Organization in order to bend the curve again.I am sure the people can read between the lines of the Istana’s refusal to meet any politicians for the time being.It is up to us to chart the country’s direction. We have done it before and we must be able to do it again.Good luck, Malaysia.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Iconic Penang ferry service to stay afloat

The iconic Penang ferry service will continue, Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said today.He said the federal government had approved an allocation of RM30 million for Penang Port to take over the ferry service.“I confirm that the allocation, as previously approved, will be channelled in two instalments, the first being the RM15 million for 2021 included in the allocation that was approved under the Supply Bill 2021.“Preparations will be made to channel the remaining RM15 million. The government will ensure that Penang Port continues with the Penang ferry service which is iconic and of heritage value,” he said when winding up the debate on the Temporary Measures for Government Financing (Coronavirus Disease 2019 [Covid-19][Amendment]) Bill 2020 in the Dewan Rakyat today.Issues related to the Penang ferry service were raised by Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan) during the debate session on the bill.Earlier, the Penang Port Commission had announced that the Penang ferry service, which has been operating for 126 years, would be replaced by speedboats from Jan 1.


Sorry.


China rejects claim of late 2019 illness at Wuhan lab

China on Monday dismissed as “totally untrue” reports that three researchers in Wuhan went to hospital with an illness shortly before the coronavirus emerged in the city and spread around the globe.Since infecting its first victims in the central Chinese city in late 2019, the pathogen has afflicted almost every country in the world, killing more than 3.4 million people and pummelling national economies.Beijing has always fiercely fought the theory that it could have escaped from one of its laboratories.Citing a US intelligence report, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that the trio from the Wuhan Institute of Virology were affected as early as November 2019, suffering from “symptoms consistent with both Covid-19 and common seasonal illness”.China disclosed the existence of an outbreak of pneumonia cases in Wuhan to the World Health Organization (WHO) on Dec 31, 2019.Asked about the reports on Monday, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian described them as “totally untrue”.He told reporters that, according to a statement from the institute, it “had not been exposed to Covid-19 before Dec 30, 2019, and a “zero-infection” record is kept among its staff and graduate students so far”.The coronavirus was, however, taken to the lab for study, according to Chinese authorities.The theory that the killer virus leaked from a Chinese lab was fuelled by, among others, the administration of former US president Donald Trump.But in March, after a four-week stay in Wuhan, a joint study by the WHO and Chinese experts deemed such an explanation “extremely unlikely”.Experts favour the generally accepted theory of the natural transmission of the virus from an animal – probably a bat – to humans, through another animal that has not yet been identified.Some believe, however, that WHO specialists did not have enough space to work freely during their investigation in Wuhan.


The cost and benefits of holding pandemic polls

Some 15 million Malaysians are eligible to vote in the next general election which Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has pledged will be held by July next year, presenting an unprecedented challenge to the authorities in ensuring that sufficient measures are taken to safeguard voters in the event of pandemic polls.Election Commission (EC) secretary Ikmalrudin Ishak said the last gazetted electoral roll before the dissolution of Parliament would be used when the 15th general election (GE15) is called.“The current total of registered voters is 15.36 million,” he told MalaysiaNow.Traditionally, polling has been held at venues such as schools which are easily accessible to voters given their proximity to local communities.But concerns over Covid-19, especially the more transmissible Delta strain, mean authorities will have more on their plate than locations for polling.Crowd control and the enforcement of SOPs such as the use of face masks and observing physical distancing will also need to be taken into consideration.Then there’s the cost of holding a pandemic election.Ikmalrudin said conducting a general election during the pandemic would be pricey, especially if the long-awaited Sarawak state election is held at the same time. Nevertheless, preparations are underway.The EC has already consulted with the relevant authorities on reviewing its safety plans and guidelines, he said, listing agencies and ministries including the National Security Council, health ministry, National Disaster Agency and police.Muhyiddin had said in a special address on Friday that GE15 would be held by July 2022, subject to the pandemic situation.He also offered in exchange for support a cross-party consensus involving seven items including the equal allocation of funds for MPs across board, the enactment of an anti-hopping law, a cap on the prime minister’s tenure in office and a balanced representation of MPs from the government and opposition in the Special Parliamentary Select Committee.“A government that has full support in Parliament will be able to plan and implement structural reforms for economic recovery and strengthen Malaysia’s competitiveness.”The offer was rejected by opposition bloc Pakatan Harapan as well as Umno and Pejuang.While Muhyiddin had stressed the uncertainty involved in switching governments during the pandemic, economist Madeline Berma said not holding an election would be a gamble of a different kind.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, she acknowledged concerns about holding an election during the Covid-19 crisis but said the long-term socioeconomic benefits and political stability would outweigh the cost of conducting pandemic polls.“The present government does not have the majority in Parliament to design and implement structural reforms such as taxation reforms, green finance and forcing adaptation to post-pandemic mega-trends,” she said.“Structural reforms are varied and take time to bear fruit. A government with a razor-thin majority in Parliament does not have the time to do so.”She spoke of a need to increase efficiency, flexibility and resilience, saying such reforms go beyond the provisions of the National Economy Recovery Plan or Penjana.“Those are mostly short- and medium-term and suitable for addressing immediate problems such as livelihoods and putting food on the table,” she said.“The fiscal stimulus packages are highly commendable but we need long-term solutions to solve structural problems that existed pre-Covid.”She said reforms are also needed for taxation, the labour market, the product market and the public sector.“Our economy is currently based on a labour-intensive, export-oriented model that leads to a reliance on low-cost foreign labour, low labour productivity, graduate unemployment and low income, and inhibits competitiveness,” she said.“A government that has full support in Parliament will be able to plan and implement structural reforms for economic recovery and strengthen Malaysia’s competitiveness.“RM1.2 billion (for an election) is the price Malaysia has to pay for a government that will have a strong mandate in Parliament, to bring our country to new economic heights in the post-pandemic era.”


More evacuees allowed to go home as flood situation improves in 4 states

The overall flood situation in four states has improved, with fewer evacuees recorded at relief centres in Pahang, Melaka, Sabah and Negeri Sembilan last night.In Pahang, the state disaster management committee secretariat reported a lower number of evacuees as of 8pm, with 933 victims at 27 centres compared to 954 people at 29 centres earlier in the evening, in the districts of Temerloh, Pekan, Maran, Bera and Rompin.However several roads remained closed, including Jalan Bohor Baru in Bera, Jalan Ibam-Kampung Aur (Rompin), Jalan Teluk Ganchong Lepar (Pekan) and Jalan Serengkam (Maran).The publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my website reported that the water levels of Sungai Bera and Sungai Serting in Bera as well as Sungai Pahang in Kuala Sungai Chini, Pekan continued to exceed danger levels.In Melaka, the number of evacuees dropped to 408 people from 108 families at 8pm, compared to 418 people from 111 families at 4pm.State civil defence force director Cuthbert John Martin Quadra said the affected victims were from Kampung Belimbing Dalam in Alor Gajah and Kampung Parit Penghulu Benteng, Kampung Lanchang, Kampung Tersusun Rambai Jaya and Kampung Parit Putat Benteng in Jasin.He said the situation in Melaka Tengah had fully recovered and all evacuees were allowed to return home.In Sabah, the number of evacuees dropped to 202 people from 50 families compared to 281 people from 63 families earlier in the evening.Two more centres were closed, one each in Sandakan and Paitan, after the evacuees were allowed to return home.A total of 23 centres had been closed in Sabah as of last night, including several others in Kota Marudu, Pitas, Telupid and Beluran.A total of 182 evacuees from 46 families were still at six centres in Telupid while one centre in Paitan had 20 people from four families.In Negeri Sembilan, the Social Welfare Department (JKM) Disaster Info application showed a drop in the number of evacuees as of 8pm, with 69 individuals from 17 families at three centres, compared to 221 individuals from 59 families in the evening.In Johor, the last centre in Mersing was closed, leaving four districts still affected by floods.Johor health and environment committee chairman R Vidyananthan however said that the number of evacuees rose slightly to 4,065 as of 8pm compared to 3,985 people in the evening.“Segamat continued to record the highest number of evacuees with 2,464 people, followed by Muar (809), Tangkak (739) and Batu Pahat (53),” he said in a statement.He said Sungai Muar in Buloh Kasap, Segamat; Sungai Muar in Kampung Olak Sepam, Muar; Sungai Muar in Panchor, Muar and Sungai Gemas in Muara Sungai Gemas, Segamat, which are still at danger levels, showed a downward trend.However, Sungai Muar in Bukit Kepong, Muar, which was at danger level showed a rising trend while there was no change to Sungai Plentong, Johor Bahru, which likewise remained at danger level.


MACC opens probe on RM10 million offer claim for MP to switch parties

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has opened an investigation paper on allegations that Sekijang MP Natrah Ismail was offered RM10 million to switch parties.Johor MACC director Azmi Alias said several witnesses have been identified and the process of recording statements is ongoing.“MACC opened an investigation paper to confirm a complaint on a RM10 million bribery offer involving the Sekijang MP to switch parties, as reported on the Ops Johor Facebook page.“Several witnesses have been identified and the action of tracing (witnesses) and recording statements is ongoing,” he said in a statement.“Anyone with new evidence or information should contact MACC for further action,” he added.PKR’s Natrah had lodged a report with MACC regarding an alleged attempt to entice her to switch support to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.


Najib and wife to inspect close to 12,000 items of jewellery

The High Court today said former prime minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor, alongside Lebanese jeweller Global Royalty Trading SAL, may inspect 11,991 pieces of jewellery confiscated by police three years ago.The items were seized during police raids linked to investigations into Najib at the Pavilion Residences in Kuala Lumpur, in the aftermath of the 2018 election. They are currently being kept in 90 boxes in a vault in Bank Negara Malaysia.Judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin said the three parties might inspect the jewellery either between July 12 and 15, or Aug 2 and 6, with case management fixed on June 1.Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin said it would take four to five days to complete inspections of the jewellery, based on simulations by the prosecution, Bank Negara and investigators.“Inspecting each box will take about 15 to 20 minutes, but this will still depend on the method of inspection by a third party. So we estimate about four boxes will be inspected in an hour,” he said.Bank Negara had also advised the parties against staying in the vault for more than five hours due to the oxygen level, he said during the hearing on the prosecution’s application to forfeit the luxury items from Obyu Holdings, the company which owns the property where they were seized.The company is owned by Bustari Yusof.Najib and Rosmah, represented by lawyers Syahirah Hanapiah and Iskandar Shah Ibrahim, and Global Royalty, represented by David Gurupatham, are challenging the forfeiture application.Gurupatham said Global Royalty’s representative Samer Halimeh is currently in the UK and would seek a special pass to travel to Malaysia in the face of Covid-19 restrictions.In 2018, police seized close to 12,000 pieces of jewellery, 27 luxury cars, more than 400 watches and hundreds of handbags in several raids on various properties linked to Najib, said to be worth more than RM115 million, as part of investigations into the 1MDB scandal.On July 25 last year, Najib and Rosmah inspected 306 handbags, 401 watches, 16 watch accessories and 234 pairs of glasses, among the items seized in the raids.


Indian state re-opens some schools in wake of hijab dispute

A state in southern India re-opened some schools on Monday that had been closed following protests last week over female students not being allowed to wear hijabs, or head-to-toe burqas, in class.The issue, widely seen by India’s Muslim minority community as a bid to sideline it by authorities in a Hindu-dominated nation, comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prepares for elections in key states.Police stood guard as students in pink uniforms, about a dozen wearing hijabs, entered a government girl’s school where the issue first flared in Karnataka state’s district of Udupi, about 400km (248 miles) from the tech hub of Bengaluru.Authorities have banned gatherings of more than five people within 200 metres (650 ft) of educational institutions in the area, which have begun classes from primary to high school, although higher grades and colleges are still shut.The move came after a state court, which has set a hearing of the matter for Monday, told students not to wear any religious clothing, ranging from saffron shawls to scarves or hijabs, in classrooms until further orders.“Whether wearing of hijab in the classroom is a part of essential religious practice of Islam in the light of constitutional guarantees needs a deeper examination,” the court said in an interim order last week.The issue was spotlighted following protests last week after some schools refused entry to students wearing the garments, deemed to have fallen foul of a Feb 5 order on uniforms by the state, which is ruled by Modi’s BJP.The party derives its support mainly from the majority Hindu community, which forms about 80% of India’s population of roughly 1.4 billion, while Muslims account for about 13%.Ayesha Imthiaz, a student in Udupi, said it was humiliating to be asked to take off the hijab before class.She felt her “religion had been questioned and insulted by a place which I had considered as a temple of education,” she told Reuters on the weekend.An official in the coastal district of Udupi, Pradeep Kurudekar S, told reporters authorities would wait for further orders from the court or the government to resume all classes.The issue prompted expressions of support for Muslim girls and women from the US government and Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai.


Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan announces divorce

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan announced Saturday that he is splitting with his wife of 15 years, film-maker Kiran Rao.The A-list couple released a statement saying their break-up had been agreed but they would raise their son together and still work on joint projects.“In these 15 beautiful years together we have shared a lifetime of experiences, joy and laughter, and our relationship has only grown in trust, respect and love,” they said.“Now we would like to begin a new chapter in our lives – no longer as husband and wife, but as co-parents and family for each other.”Khan and Rao met while shooting a film in 2001 on which Rao was the assistant director, and they married in December 2005.The 56-year-old actor, whose film about wrestling, “Dangal”, made him the top Indian star in China, was divorced from actor Reena Dutta in 2002.“We began a planned separation some time ago, and now feel comfortable to formalise this arrangement, of living separately yet sharing our lives the way an extended family does,” Khan and Rao said.“We remain devoted parents to our son Azad, who we will nurture and raise together. We will also continue to work as collaborators on films, Paani Foundation, and other projects that we feel passionate about.”Khan and Rao, 47, thanked their family and friends “without whom we would not have been so secure in taking this leap”.“We request our well wishers for good wishes and blessings, and hope that – like us – you will see this divorce not as an end, but as the start of a new journey.”Khan, a Muslim, is an activist for humanitarian and political causes and said in 2015 that growing “intolerance” against Muslims and intellectuals in India had led to Rao, a Hindu, suggesting they leave the country.He has been working on a remake of the 1994 Hollywood hit “Forrest Gump”, titled “Laal Singh Chaddha”, which is provisionally due for release at the end of 2021.


Nearly 2,000 weekly dengue cases recorded

The number of dengue fever cases reported during the 18th epidemiological week (ME 18) from April 30 to May 6 increased by 10.2% to 1,956 cases, from 1,775 during the previous week.
Health director-general Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said two deaths due to dengue fever complications were also reported during the week.
He said the cumulative number of dengue fever cases reported so far is 38,933 cases compared to 13,650 cases for the corresponding period last year, an increase of 185.2%.
"A total of 24 deaths were also reported compared to seven during the same period in 2022," he said in a statement.
He said 87 hotspot localities were reported this week compared to 103 in the previous week with 49 localities in Selangor, followed by Penang (19), Sabah (seven), Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (five).
Three each were reported in Kedah and Perak, and one in Johor.
Meanwhile, in terms of chikungunya surveillance, Radzi said three cases were reported in ME 18, one each in Kedah, Melaka and Johor.
"This brings the cumulative number of chikungunya cases to 127.
"A total of 1,029 blood samples and 41 urine sample were tested for zika surveillance, and the results were all negative," he said.


‘Monster’, ‘young boy’: ex-UKSB admin explains code names for Zahid in ledger

A former administrative manager at Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) told the Shah Alam High Court today that the words “monster”, “young boy” and “yb” in the company’s ledger referred to former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.David Tan Siong Sun, 47, said this during examination-in-chief by lead deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran, when he was referred to the ledger in Zahid’s corruption trial.The ledger contains the details of payments made by UKSB to several individuals between 2014 and 2018.When Raja Rozela asked Tan whether he named Zahid in the ledger, the witness replied: “No.”Tan, the 17th prosecution witness, said that he used several code names such as “z”, “zh”, “yb”, “young boy”, “mon” and “monster” for Zahid.“The reason I used the code name ‘monster’ was because at (the time) I entered the ledger, I was eating the Mamee Monster snack,” he said.The 15th prosecution witness, former UKSB director Harry Lee Vui Khun, had earlier told the court that “KJ” and “bomoh” were among some of the words recorded in the UKSB ledger, which was presented at the trial of the former deputy prime minister.Tan said he also used code names because he was worried that the ledger might be exposed to other people.Raja Rozela: Does anyone (else) know about the code names?Tan: Nobody, only me.When reading from his witness statement, he said he kept records of all the payments made to Zahid from 2014 to 2018 for his personal record because the amount of cash involved was huge.“I prepared a ledger using Microsoft Excel on my personal laptop. I’m not an accountant by training, so the ledger was just a simple record of money in, money out,” he said.He added that the main entries in the ledger were the amount available for each month, the amount withdrawn, and the name or nickname of the intended receiver.“The individuals named in the ledger include ministers, politicians and government servants. Usually, I would key in the entries daily but on some busy days, I would write down on a piece of paper first before keying in the details in the ledger later in the day or the next day,” he said.Zahid, 69, faces 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million from UKSB for himself as then home minister, to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the one-stop centre service in China and the foreign visa (VLN) system, as well as to maintain the contract agreement to supply the VLN integrated system to the same company by the home ministry.On another seven counts, he was charged with obtaining for himself S$1,150,000, RM3 million, €15,000 and US$15,000 from the same company which had official links with his official duty.He was charged with committing all of the offences at Seri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights Kajang between October 2014 and March 2018.The hearing before judge Mohd Yazid Mustafa continues.


Delhi trapped under blanket of toxic air 2 days after Deepavali

India’s capital was blanketed by toxic air on Saturday as pollution levels remained dangerously high for a second day after revellers defied a fireworks ban during a major Hindu festival and farmers in nearby states burnt stubble.New Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 456 on a scale of 500, indicating “severe” pollution conditions that can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing diseases.The AQI measures the concentration of poisonous particulate matter PM2.5, which can cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases such as lung cancer, in a cubic metre of air.On social media, some residents complained about the hazardous conditions in Delhi, which has the worst air quality of all world capitals, with an annual spike often early in the winter.“The pollution in Delhi makes it very difficult to live in this city. Or at least live here for too long,” resident Pratyush Singh said on Twitter. “We’re breathing smoke everyday. Media will talk about it. Leaders will say they are fixing it. It’ll go away and come back next year.”Toxic air kills more than a million people annually in India and takes an economic toll on the country’s populous northern states and the capital city of 20 million people.The current pollution levels in Delhi were the result of fireworks on the night of the Hindu festival of Deepavali on Thursday and from stubble burning in the surrounding farm belt, according to the federal Ministry of Earth Sciences’ Safar monitoring system.Farmers in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana set alight the stubble left after harvesting at this time of the year to prepare their fields for the next crop.The situation is expected to improve in Delhi from late Sunday onwards, but the AQI will remain in the “very poor” category, which can trigger respiratory illness on prolonged exposure, Ssafar said in a statement on its website.


Daily caseload tops 1,500 as another 6 deaths reported

Another 1,518 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,518,965.There were 1,125 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,461,671.There are now 21,589 active cases, of which 20,599 or 95.4% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 23 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 941 (4.4%) have been hospitalised.A total of 26 are in ICU with 14 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 59.0%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 5.8%.Another six deaths were reported, including three who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,705.


Motion for vote of confidence in Anwar tabled in Parliament

A motion for a vote of confidence in Tambun MP Anwar Ibrahim was tabled at the Dewan Rakyat today to confirm his legitimacy as prime minister.
The motion was brought by Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof at the first meeting of the first session of the 15th Parliament and seconded by the other deputy prime minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
In tabling the motion, Fadillah said that in view of the global economic outlook where a recession is expected next year, it was important for the government to have the support of all members of the Dewan Rakyat.
"This will strengthen the confidence of investors, the business community and the people (in the government)," he said, adding that Anwar’s leadership and the government should be supported for the well-being of the people and the country.
Anwar was appointed as the 10th prime minister on Nov 24 after the 15th general election resulted in a hung Parliament, with no coalition having the numbers needed for an outright majority.
Fadillah, when tabling the motion, also expressed appreciation to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and the Malay rulers for their consent to Anwar’s appointment as prime minister.
He said the government was committed to upholding the mandate given by the people and actively working to prepare the country to face political, economic and social challenges and changes.
Fadillah said the administration of the government would be based on the principles of good governance, justice and social equality, including reform efforts in certain fields.
"The unity government pledges with full commitment to continue to stabilise the political climate, prosper the economy, unite all Malaysians, and uplift Malaysia’s dignity in the eyes of the world," he said.
As such, he said all members of the Dewan Rakyat should take a stand and pledge their undivided support to Anwar in discharging his duties and responsibilities.


I’m not alone, says Annuar in defending criticism of ‘quit PN’ move by Zahid

Annuar Musa today defended his criticism of attempts by certain top leaders of Umno including its president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to quit the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, but said he is not alone in voicing opposition to such a move.Speaking at a press conference a day after he was sacked as the Barisan Nasional secretary-general, Annuar who is federal territories minister said such attempts were at odds with his position as a Cabinet member.“In Umno, there are many who prefer not to speak openly. But today and yesterday, I was contacted by many friends in the Cabinet and the leadership who share the same sentiments about what is going on.“I hope and pray that they will play their own roles because the Supreme Council is the highest decision-making body apart from the Umno general assembly,” he said.But Annuar at the same time said he understood that there are sensitivities involved among Umno members on its ties with Bersatu, the breakaway party co-founded in 2016 by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.He said his differences with Zahid on the future direction of Umno were due to his stand that individual interests should not take precedence in the party.“Issues connected to personal matters should not be the main agenda. Prioritise the party and the people, not individual problems that should be addressed personally.”Annuar said the Muafakat Nasional charter between PAS and Umno is not exclusive to the two parties, but was formed with the intention of cooperation with others for the sake of Malay-Muslim unity.Zahid, former president Najib Razak and Umno leaders aligned with them have been urging PAS to quit PN, a call the Islamist party has so far resisted.Annuar said there were individuals within Umno who had meetings with DAP leaders to discuss plans to scuttle the 2021 budget last month.He said some of these individuals were in the party’s Supreme Council as well as in leadership positions.But he said he has full trust in the Supreme Council, which will be meeting tonight to decide whether Umno should quit the PN government.“I cannot speculate, but I have full trust in the integrity and wisdom of the (Supreme Council) members,” he said.Annuar today also confirmed the authenticity of a letter from Zahid in October expressing support for PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim’s plan to topple Muhyiddin.The contents of the letter, which was addressed to the palace, were first revealed by MalaysiaNow.The letter was co-signed by Najib, stating their backing for Anwar to be the prime minister.


No PN candidate for Arau yet as BN drops Shahidan

Perikatan Nasional (PN) has yet to announce a candidate for the parliamentary seat of Arau for the 15th general election (GE15).
PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, when announcing the candidate line-up tonight, said the candidate for that seat would be announced at a later date.
Barisan Nasional, which also announced its candidate line-up tonight, had dropped the incumbent Shahidan Kassim, replacing him with Rozabil Abd Rahman.
Yesterday, Shahidan had announced on Facebook the immediate closure of the BN operations room in Arau.
Pakatan Harapan meanwhile has announced Fathin Amelina Fazlie as its candidate in the constituency.
Shahidan, a four-term MP for Arau, defended his seat at the previous general election with a majority of 4,856, defeating Abd Rahman Daud of PKR and Hashim Jasin from PAS.
He is one of a number of Umno leaders vocal against their president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who were dropped as candidates for the Nov 19 polls.
Others include Annuar Musa, Zahidi Zainul Abidin, Halimah Sadique and Mastura Mohd Yazid – all ministers and deputy ministers in Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's government.


No Danajamin loan for Capital A after top duo refuse to be guarantors

AirAsia Group Bhd which recently rebranded itself as Capital A Bhd today announced that it is unable to proceed with its acquisition of a RM500 million club facility under Danajamin Nasional Bhd’s Prihatin Guarantee Scheme as its founders will not act as guarantors.Capital A said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia that it would not be proceeding with the club facility as it was unable to accept and/or fulfil certain conditions including a joint and several guarantee from Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun.It also said that it could not meet Danajamin’s requirement for it to regularisation plan and obtain approval to remedy its consolidated shareholder equity to above RM40 million and 25% of its share capital exclusing treasury shares, or to obtain an extension of time to provide the regularisation plan from Bursa Malaysia for the matching tenure of the Danajamin club facility.“Capital A is exploring other available debt financing alternatives with acceptable terms suitable to the operations and financing requirements of the company,” it said.Capital A as AirAsia received approval from Danajamin on Oct 5 for an 80% guaranteed loan of up to RM500 million under its Danajamin Prihatin Guarantee scheme.This was part of the government’s economic stimulus packages to cushion the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.AirAsia was classified as PN17 on Jan 13 after Bursa Malaysia dismissed its appeal to extend by 18 months its clearance period ending Jan 7.Speaking on Jan 28 at the launch of Capital A, though, Fernandes brushed aside the label, calling it “an accounting issue”.“The solution has nothing to do with liquidity,” he said. “PN17 was caused by a lease which we never paid, so it shouldn’t be in the profits and losses.“It’s related to accounting and structuring, which mentions the consolidation of a RM5 billion deficit. If you remove these two factors, we would not be classified as PN17.”


Najib remains Pekan MP pending review of Federal Court verdict, says speaker

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun today confirmed receipt of additional documents on Najib Razak's application for a review of the Federal Court's decision to uphold his conviction and sentence, reiterating that the former prime minister remains as Pekan MP until this bid and his petition for a pardon are settled.
In a statement, Azhar said he had received a letter from Najib's lawyers Messrs Shafee & Co dated Sept 7 regarding the request for a review of the court's decision.
He said he had also received a copy of another letter from the law firm dated Sept 6, stating the apex court's receipt of the review application.
"Taking into account the petition for a pardon made before this, as well as the application above, Najib's status as Pekan MP at this time does not change.
"It will only be finalised once both the petition for pardon and the review are completed," he said.
The Federal Court on Aug 23 dismissed Najib's final appeal against his conviction and 12-year jail term for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.
The conviction and sentence, imposed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 28, 2020, were also upheld by the Court of Appeal on Dec 8, 2021.
In his application for a review of the top court's decision, Najib is asking that its move to dismiss his application to recuse Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, along with its decision on Aug 16 dismissing his application to adduce additional information and the disqualification of judge Mohd Nazlan Ghazali in the High Court trial, be set aside.
Najib, who is currently serving his sentence in Kajang Prison, is also seeking a stay of execution of his conviction and sentence pending the hearing of his review application.


Four days and counting without power or water at Shah Alam apartments

Residents at the Perdana flats in Section 13, Shah Alam, have been struggling to deal with the aftermath of the devastating floods which hit the neighbourhood after continuous heavy rain on Saturday.Their clean-up efforts however are hampered by the fact that they have been without electricity supply or water for the past four days.“We have no food,” foreign worker Masud Alam told MalaysiaNow. “We can only hope for help from outside.”Masud, who works at the Aeon in Section 14, shared the first floor of one of the flat units with four friends.When the floods hit, the water level rose to about one metre, submerging the units on the ground floor.Murky brown water left by the floods fills the swimming pool at the Perdana flats in Section 13.Checks by MalaysiaNow found that Tenaga Nasional had succeeded in restoring power to some of the apartment blocs.But hundreds of cars, motorcycles and bicycles are sitting stranded in the parking area, and many residents are still sitting in the dark at home.Sumiati, an Indonesian worker who has been living in Malaysia for nine years with six of her family members, said they have been without electricity and water since the weekend.“The floods started receding on Sunday but we could not begin cleaning our home as there was no water,” she said.Sumiati grieves to see their home in shambles and their belongings spoilt by the flood waters.“My home was always clean and tidy before this,” she told MalaysiaNow. “Now, I cry when I see how things are.”Help has been coming in from many quarters but some of the contributions like rice and oil cannot yet be of any use as they have no gas or kitchen space to cook.Now, they are wholly dependent on the food packets given by volunteers and members of the public.“I’m grateful that Malaysians are so kind-hearted,” Sumiati said. “So much help has been pouring in.”Section 13 was one of the worst-hit areas in Selangor, which was badly affected by the massive floods.At the Sri Acapella serviced apartments meanwhile, water is still four metres deep in the basement parking area.Residents have been trying to pump the water out using several small pumps.One of them said the lifts remain out of service as well.For them, and thousands of others affected by the floods in the area, the main concern for the next few days will be how to get basic household necessities.


Two more MPs pull support from UK PM over ‘partygate’

Two lawmakers from Britain’s governing Conservative Party pulled their support for Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday over a damning report that detailed a series of alcohol-fuelled lockdown-breaking parties at his 10 Downing Street office.A day after the report was published, describing a boozy culture in Downing Street during Covid-19 lockdowns, Conservative lawmakers John Baron and David Simmonds said they could no longer support the prime minister.Their voices add to a growing list of Conservative lawmakers who have called for Johnson to resign over what has been dubbed ‘partygate’, despite the prime minister’s repeated apologies.Baron, first elected in 2001, said he was withdrawing his support because he believed Johnson had “knowingly” misled parliament – a charge the prime minister denies but which is being investigated by a parliamentary committee.“Given the scale of rule-breaking in number 10, I cannot accept that the prime minister was unaware. Therefore his repeated assurances in parliament that there was no rule-breaking is simply not credible,” he said in a statement.“Having always said I would consider all the available evidence before deciding, I’m afraid the prime minister no longer enjoys my support – I can no longer give him the benefit of the doubt.”Simmonds, who was elected in 2019, said Johnson had lost the confidence of the public. “Accordingly it is time for him to step down so that new leadership can take forward the important work of the government,” he said in a statement.More than 15 Conservative lawmakers have publicly called for Johnson to quit since the reports of lockdown-breaking parties began to steadily drip into the media. But Johnson has refused, saying he still has work to do in government.To trigger a confidence vote in Johnson’s leadership, 54 Conservative lawmakers in parliament must write letters calling for one to the chairman of the party’s 1922 Committee.The letters are confidential, so the chairman is the only person who knows how many have actually been submitted.


Nagaenthran well with no Covid symptoms, say Singapore prison authorities

The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) has confirmed that Malaysian Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam who was scheduled to be hanged today for drug trafficking tested positive for Covid-19 on Nov 9, and will receive medical attention.Nagaenthran, 33, had appeared at the Court of Appeal on Tuesday for a last-bid attempt against his death sentence when the court was informed that he had tested positive for Covid-19.According to SPS, an antigen rapid test and a PCR test were administered to Nagaenthran on Nov 8, which showed negative results.“He was brought to court at noon of Nov 9, 2021. Upon receipt of his positive PCR test result later that afternoon, SPS immediately informed the court and Nagaenthran was isolated,” SPS said on its website.In view of the situation, the Court of Appeal granted a stay of judicial execution with immediate effect until all pending proceedings conclude.SPS said Nagaenthran will receive medical attention and proceedings will resume on a date to be fixed, after he has recovered.“Nagaenthran is well and asymptomatic. He did not report any illness prior to his court hearing. He is not vaccinated as he had opted not to receive any Covid-19 vaccine,” said SPS.SPS said it had informed his family and will continue to provide the with the necessary support.As of Nov 9, it said, several prison inmates and staff from Institution A1 where Nagaenthran is housed had tested positive for Covid-19.Affected housing units in Institution A1, the prison institution, have been locked down to prevent any further spread of the virus.SPS said Nagaenthran had only transient contact with two staff who had tested positive.Given the number of cases in the community during this phase of the pandemic, it said, more cases of infection are expected to arise in the prisons as well. SPS also said it had taken steps to ensure that the situation remains under control.As of Nov 7, 97% of eligible inmates have received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine and 90% have completed both doses.Meanwhile, 99.5% of prison staff have completed both doses of vaccine, said SPS.SPS said it will continue with its safe management measures to safeguard the health and safety of the inmates, staff, visitors, and partners.“Staff and partners entering prison facilities must undergo antigen rapid tests twice weekly, while external personnel entering prisons on an ad hoc basis are required to undergo an ART prior to each entry into prisons,” it said.


Perak sultan grants audience to Anwar

Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah today granted an audience to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at Istana Kinta in Ipoh.
The audience began at 10.50am and lasted about an hour. The car carrying the prime minister was spotted leaving the palace at noon.
The audience with Sultan Nazrin Shah was the first for Anwar, who is Tambun MP, since he was sworn in as the country’s 10th prime minister on Nov 24.
Anwar is scheduled to go on a walkabout at the Tanjung Rambutan market and join the congregants to perform the Friday prayers at the Muhammad Al Fateh Mosque in Taman Jati in his constituency before returning to Putrajaya.


US military hid airstrikes that killed dozens of civilians in Syria, report says

The US military covered up 2019 airstrikes in Syria that killed up to 64 women and children, a possible war crime, during the battle against Islamic State, the New York Times reported on Saturday.The two back-to-back airstrikes near the town of Baghuz were ordered by a classified American special operations unit tasked with ground operations in Syria, according to the report.The newspaper said that US Central Command, which oversaw US air operations in Syria, acknowledged the strikes for the first time this week and said they were justified.In a statement on Saturday, Central Command reiterated the account it gave the newspaper that 80 people were killed in the strikes including 16 Islamic State fighters and four civilians. The military said it was unclear if the other 60 people were civilians, partly because women and children could have been combatants.In Saturday’s statement, the military said the strikes were “legitimate self-defence,” proportional and that “appropriate steps were taken to rule out the presence of civilians.”“We abhor the loss of innocent life and take all possible measures to prevent them. In this case, we self-reported and investigated the strike according to our own evidence and take full responsibility for the unintended loss of life,” Central Command said.The number of civilians among the 60 fatalities could not be determined because “multiple armed women and at least one armed child were observed” in video of the events, it said, adding that the majority of the 60 were likely combatants.Central Command said the strikes took place while Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were under heavy fire and in danger of being overrun and the SDF had reported the area clear of civilians.The Defense Department’s inspector general launched an inquiry into the March 18, 2019, incident, but its report was ultimately “stripped” of any mention of the bombing and a thorough, independent probe never took place, according to the Times. The newspaper said its report was based on confidential documents and descriptions of classified reports, as well as interviews with personnel directly involved.An Air Force lawyer present in the operations center at the time believed the strikes were possible war crimes and later alerted the Defense Department’s inspector general and the Senate Armed Services Committee when no action was taken, the Times said.


New infections at 679 as 6 more deaths reported

Another 679 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 5,025,581.
There were 923 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,976,060.
There are now 12,670 active cases, of which 11,991 or 94.6% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0%) are at quarantine centres while 645 (5.1%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 34 are in ICU with 21 in need of respiratory assistance.
Another six deaths were reported, including one who was brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 36,851.


Ex-CJ says harmony between palace and govt a thing of the past

Former chief justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad says Malaysia’s system of constitutional monarchy operated harmoniously for four decades with both the executive and the Malay rulers carrying out their duties within their respective boundaries, but that this changed during the administration of Dr Mahathir Mohamad who introduced amendments that curtailed royal powers.Hamid said the real reasons behind the landmark amendments to royal powers pushed by the Mahathir government were unclear.“The persons who know best why the amendments needed to be made are Mahathir and Anwar Ibrahim,” Hamid said in a recent analysis on the relationship between the government and the monarchy in the last year, which also criticised the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for various actions deemed as political interference.Anwar, who was Mahathir’s deputy prime minister in the 1990s before his dramatic sacking in 1998, was among the strongest advocates of curtailing the powers of the Malay rulers.Abdul Hamid Mohamad.The changes included a constitutional amendment where any bill passed by Parliament would automatically become an act after 30 days, even if it did not receive the consent of the Agong, as well as the establishment of special courts to try sultans in criminal and commercial cases.Hamid, who retired as chief justice in 2008 after five decades of service in the judiciary, had himself presided over a special court involving then Negeri Sembilan ruler, the late Tuanku Ja’afar Tuanku Abdul Rahman, where he instructed the former Agong to pay US$1 million to the plaintiff, a commercial bank.Hamid’s comments are part of a lengthy 11-page essay criticising the actions and statements by Malay rulers in the last year, including during the recent power vacuum which ended with Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s appointment as prime minister.He said the Malay rulers had survived the post-World War onslaught on monarchies experienced by countries such as India and Indonesia which discarded their feudal rulers.He said this was due to Umno leaders during the British era who fought in defence of the Malay rulers, culminating in their retention in a constitutional monarchy system after Merdeka.“The constitutional monarchy system ran smoothly for about 40 years with the rulers and government in mutual respect and each performing their respective duties laid out by the constitution. The government consulted with the king wherever needed. The king followed the government’s advice wherever required,” said Hamid.But he said this arrangement changed with the constitutional amendments that effectively made it incumbent on the rulers to heed the advice of the government.He said the palace resistance to heeding the government’s advice was shown last year when the Agong refused to declare a state of emergency recommended by then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.Read: Ex-CJ says palace acted outside constitution, giving perception of interference in politicsHe said this was followed by several instances in which the Agong went against his powers and constitutional authority.Hamid compared this with the refusal of the palace to give consent to bills passed in the Dewan Rakyat, saying this was why the powers of the Malay rulers were curtailed.“Sometime around 1984, problems arose over the king’s refusal to sign a bill that had been passed by Parliament, causing amendments to Articles 40 and 66 to be made,” said Hamid.“The years 2020 and 2021 saw actions (by the palace) that were outside the constitution, which caused simple matters to become complicated,” he added.


Sorry.


Pandemic taking a toll on workers’ rights, say lawyers, activists

Fear of losing their jobs is causing workers to become increasingly concerned about their legal employment rights which, according to lawyers and activists, are being violated in many cases.Bar Council president Salim Bashir said the business and industrial sectors depend on the country’s economic health to operate successfully and are being negatively affected by the downturn in the global economy, draining the financial resources of industry players.He said without positive finances, company owners cannot protect the positions of their employees which is resulting in many layoffs.“But many retrenched employees are now aware of their legal rights and the compensation that can be claimed from employers,” he told MalaysiaNow.He said workers’ concern for the rights which protect them was driven by the inability to pay their bills and support their families.“The situation would be even worse for them if they were fired from the company without having access to the rights and compensation that should be given to them by law.”Salim advised employees to be aware of their rights by seeking legal advice and to complain to the human resources ministry if they are mistreated.The Social Security Organisation (Socso) Employment Insurance System (EIS) revealed in June that the country’s unemployment rate increased by 42% for the first quarter of this year due to the pandemic.The EIS also showed that more than 18,000 people over 45 lost their jobs after the movement control order (MCO) was implemented.In its report, “Employment Outlook, The Impact of Covid-19 on Loss of Employment”, EIS revealed that the pandemic has had a disastrous effect on many businesses. With an average 37% decrease in demand, 42% of companies cannot operate as usual.Other findings are that the unemployment rate is expected to reach 4% by 2021 compared to 3.2% during the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and 3.7% during the economic downturn in 2018.Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) deputy president S Arutchelvan told MalaysiaNow they are getting reports of more employment rights violations than before the pandemic and need to open another hotline centre to ensure they can provide more effective services for those struggling.He said the Employee Complaint System hotline was launched when the government implemented the MCO in March, and through PSM’s webinar forum, they found that the average employee felt their job and rights were increasingly threatened.Arutchelvan said many are still confused over their right to claim under job subsidy schemes and employee insurance schemes. This uncertainty results in many employees being taken advantage of by their employers or worrying about being taken advantage of.“Awareness is now higher than usual because employees feel increasingly threatened,” he said.“However, due to fear of losing their jobs, many are submitting to various rights violations such as forced salary deductions, forced leave and so on.”


California inmates paid millions in pandemic unemployment relief scam

California prisoners including high-profile serial killers and murderers on death row received hundreds of millions of dollars in pandemic relief funds in one of the biggest frauds in the US state’s history, prosecutors said Tuesday.Investigators alerted to reports of illegal unemployment claims made from prisons under Covid-19 relief schemes discovered tens of thousands filed in the name of inmates, Sacramento County district attorney Anne Marie Schubert told a press conference.“Hundreds of millions of dollars – that may well amount to upwards of a billion dollars – having already been paid in their names… it will be one of the biggest fraud of taxpayer dollars in California history,” warned Schubert, who is chairing a task force into the “behemoth” scheme.A confirmed figure of US$140 million already paid to 20,000 inmates is merely a “snapshot” based on state prison data for March to August, with the true cost of the fraud potentially many times higher.More than US$420,000 alone was paid to some 130 death row inmates, including notorious serial killer Wayne Ford, who murdered four women before handing himself in to a California sheriff’s office in 1998 with a severed breast in his pocket.Scott Peterson, convicted of killing his pregnant wife and unborn son, and “Yosemite Killer” Cary Stayner also received payments.“Quite frankly, the inmates are mocking us,” added Schubert, who sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday co-signed by nine district attorneys.Many of the claims used prisoners’ real names, addresses and social security numbers to obtain debit cards sent to homes across California and other US states under pandemic unemployment relief schemes.The fraud was possible because, unlike other states, California did not cross-check lists of inmates against unemployment claims made for lost income since the coronavirus lockdown began in March, Schubert said.A newly formed California task force carried out a partial cross-check within the last month, and found payments had been sent to “rapists and child molesters, human traffickers and other violent criminals in our state prisons”.Highlighting further dysfunction in California’s Employment Development Department under the pandemic relief scheme, other fraudulent claims had been made under fake names including “John Doe” and “Poopy Britches”, Schubert said.Newsom responded with a statement later Tuesday calling the fraud “absolutely unacceptable” and pledging to “direct as many resources as needed to investigate and resolve this issue speedily”.Vern Pierson, president of the California District Attorneys Association, told Tuesday’s press conference that the fraud is taking place in “essentially every (prison) institution.”“It is open and notorious within the correctional facilities, being discussed about how ‘everybody’s getting paid and we need to get ours,’ things along those lines.”


Bank officer confirms almost US$670 million transferred into Najib’s personal account

A bank officer told the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday that almost US$670 million in five transactions was transferred into Najib Razak’s personal account between 2011 and 2013, including two transactions from Prince Faisal of Turkey Al-Saud.Ambank (M) Bhd SWIFT unit manager Wedani Senen, 48, said the transactions involved the former prime minister’s bank accounts, ending with the number 694.The 29th prosecution witness said a sum of US$20 million was deposited into Najib’s account number 694 by Prince Faisal in two transactions on Feb 24, 2011 and June 14, 2011.She also confirmed that on Oct 30, 2012 and Nov 19, 2012, US$4,999,988 and US $24,999,988 was transferred from Blackstone Asia Real Estate Partners – a company owned by Eric Tan, an associate of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low – into Najib’s account.The court was also told that US$620 million was transferred into Najib’s account from Tanore Finance Corp on March 22, 2013.Wedani said this when reading from her witness statement at Najib’s trial for the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion in funds from 1MDB.During the morning proceedings, Labuan Financial Services Authority (LFSA) Business Policy Unit legal specialist Mohamed Fairudz Mohd Hanif, 38, confirmed that two companies, Good Star Limited and PetroSaudi International Limited (PSI), which received US$1.83 billion from 1MDB between 2009 and 2011, were dissolved in 2014 and 2015, respectively.Good Star Limited, owned by Jho Low, was dissolved on May 2, 2014, while PSI, owned by Saudi-national Tarek Obaid was dissolved on April 8, 2015.Fairudz said LFSA received this information from the Seychelles Financial Services Authority (Seychelles FSA) after an application from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to obtain information from four offshore countries for the 1MDB case.“Those countries were the British Virgin Islands, Seychelles, Curacao and Cayman Islands. MACC, which was representing the Malaysian government, applied to the LFSA to obtain information on Good Star Limited and PSI which were registered in Seychelles,” he said.The 28th prosecution witness said that after that, he sent a letter dated Aug 10, 2018 to the CEO of Seychelles FSA and its supervision manager. A reply from the Seychelles FSA was received two months after the application was made.He said according to the Seychelles FSA, the two companies on the Seychelles FSA company register had the same business address and used the same agent, Vistra (Seychelles) Limited, formerly known as Offshore Incorporations (Seychelles) Limited.In earlier proceedings, former 1MDB CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi told the court that US$1.83 billion in 1MDB funds was injected into PSI and Good Star Limited.Najib, 68, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Monday.


WHO announces second hub for training countries to make Covid vaccines

The World Health Organization said on Wednesday it has set up a hub in South Korea to train low- and middle-income countries to produce their own vaccines and therapies, and is expanding its Covid-19 vaccine project to a further five nations.The new training hub comes after the UN agency set up a technology transfer hub in Cape Town, South Africa, last year to give companies from poor and middle-income countries the know-how to produce Covid-19 vaccines based on mRNA technology.The new hub outside Seoul will provide workforce training to all countries wishing to produce products such as vaccines, insulin, monoclonal antibodies, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press briefing.“Currently, bio-manufacturing training facilities are located mainly in high income countries…, putting them out of reach for many lower income countries,” he said.The facility in South Korea is already carrying out training for companies based in the country and will now accommodate trainees from other countries, the WHO said.The WHO also said five more countries – Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Serbia and Vietnam – will receive support from its mRNA technology transfer hub in South Africa.The countries have been vetted by a group of experts and proved to have the capacity to move to production stage relatively quickly, WHO said.Last week, six African countries – Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia – signed up as the first on the continent to receive the technology to manufacture mRNA vaccines at scale and according to international standards.On Wednesday, Tedros said that so far 20 countries had expressed interest in getting training on developing an mRNA vaccine by the South African hub.The WHO said it is currently prioritising countries that do not have mRNA technology but already have some manufacturing infrastructure and capacity.


Daily cases top 4,200

Another 4,262 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,707,402.Another 4,985 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,620,147.Meanwhile 383 are in the ICU, including 284 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 198 are in need of respiratory assistance including 135 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 4,262 cases reported today, 78 (1.8%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 4,184 (98.2%) are in Category One and Two.


Kabul airlift gathers pace as harrowing stories emerge

The emergency airlift from Kabul of both foreign nationals and Afghans who worked with them is gathering pace as more detail of the desperation and fear driving the rescues emerges.Here is a round-up of the latest developments:Biden says evacuation ‘difficult’, but vows exitUS President Joe Biden said Friday he could not guarantee the outcome of emergency evacuations from Kabul.“This is one of the largest, most difficult airlifts in history,” Biden said in a televised address from the White House, adding that the US had evacuated more than 13,000 people.“I cannot promise what the final outcome will be, or… that it will be without risk of loss.“But as commander in chief, I can assure you that I will mobilise every resource necessary” to conduct a thorough evacuation, he said.Reaching airport ‘a challenge’Access to the Kabul airport is proving a “big challenge” for foreigners and vulnerable Afghans fleeing the Taliban takeover, warned Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg, who called on the hardline Islamists to let Afghans leave the country.“We have more planes than we have people or passengers because the process of getting people – especially Afghans – into the airport and processed is now the big, big challenge,” he said.European countries step upMore than 1,600 people have been brought to safety so far by German armed forces from the Afghan capital, German government spokesman Ulrike Demmer said.A German civilian was wounded by gunfire on his way to the airport, though his life is not in danger and he is to be flown out of Kabul soon, she added.The German government is planning to deploy two helicopters to support the evacuations, including from “dangerous situations” or to pick people up from remote locations.The UK said it has evacuated 1,615 people since Saturday – including 399 British nationals and their dependants, 320 embassy staff, and 402 Afghans.A Spanish commercial plane carrying 110 people – mainly Afghans who worked for the Spanish embassy in Kabul and their families – landed in Madrid Friday afternoon, the government said.But Defence Minister Margarita Robles said on the radio Friday that one family “lost their daughter in the press of people” as they were boarding the plane, meaning “she stayed in Kabul”.The case showed that “the situation at Kabul airport is simply dramatic”, Robles added.Spain’s airbase at Torrejon de Ardoz can house around 1,000 people and will be a hub for Afghan refugees being taken in by EU member states.Switzerland said it would send a plane to the Uzbek capital Tashkent on Saturday to repatriate Swiss and other evacuees from Kabul.Italy said it had evacuated around 1,000 people while more were still waiting at the airport in Kabul.Some 103 Afghans were due to arrive on Friday night at Rome’s Fiumicino airport on a charter plane from Kuwait, it said.Finland said Thursday it had so far evacuated 34 people, with more Afghan local staff now inside the airport ready to be flown out.Denmark evacuated around 320 people from Kabul on Thursday, according to the Danish defence and foreign ministers.Dutch Foreign Minister Sigrid Kaag said a plane with around 180 people aboard is due in the Netherlands later Friday, without giving a breakdown of nationalities.Kaag said 700 Dutch nationals are still in Afghanistan needing evacuation. The number does not include Afghans who worked for the Netherlands and must be evacuated.In France, a fourth evacuation plane landed Friday evening carrying around 100 people, 99 of them Afghans, bringing the country’s total to more than 550.Czech recalls ‘demanding’ flightA Czech army pilot returning from Kabul recalls how there was barely any air traffic control, no refuelling and take-offs “at own risk” in the escape from Afghan capital.Identified only as “Major M M” on the Czech defence ministry website that published his account of the flight, the pilot brought 62 people to Prague from Kabul on Wednesday.“I have done a few non-traditional flights, but this one was demanding and damn long,” the pilot, who joined the armed forces 20 years ago, said Thursday.His Airbus carried Czech soldiers, Afghan interpreters and their families, as well as four Afghans whose return had been requested by neighbouring Slovakia.Afghan footballer falls to deathAn Afghan footballer who played for the national youth team fell to his death after trying to cling to a departing US plane, the country’s sports authority said.It confirmed the death of Zaki Anwari in the mayhem that erupted at the airport.GoFundMe raises millionsA GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the evacuation of 300 vulnerable Afghans fleeing the Taliban has raised over US$6 million, according to figures published Thursday.The creator of the fundraising page, New York-based Tommy Marcus, asked for funds to organise flights out for Afghans who risk being targeted by the Taliban.


Apandi explains role in Jho Low talks

Former attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali today attempted to clear the air over recent reports that he had represented fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho in discussions with the authorities on an offer to settle his 1MDB-related charges.
In a short response to MalaysiaNow, he said he had merely facilitated the talks.
“Yes,” he said when questioned about the matter.
In a separate statement, Apandi said he had been approached by law firm Kobre & Kim from Washington DC, seeking his assistance to arrange for a meeting with the attorney-general at the end of May 2022.
“I arranged a series of meetings whereby representatives from Kobre & Kim came to Malaysia,” he said.
“At the meetings, which took place at the AGC (Attorney-General's Chambers), the government of Malaysia was represented by the AG and his officer, and a senior officer from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
“The purpose of the meetings was to discuss the repatriation of monies allegedly siphoned by Jho Low from 1MDB.
“After the said meetings, which at that material time, looked positive, it was aborted and called off by the AGC suddenly, for reasons best known to them.”
Financial daily The Edge earlier reported that Apandi had represented Low in discussions with the Malaysian authorities on an offer to settle his 1MDB-related charges.
It said Low had offered Malaysia RM1.5 billion, which was rejected.
This came two days after MalaysiaNow reported that Low had failed in a bid to negotiate a deal with Putrajaya that would have allowed him to travel to the US to settle his cases there.
"He made the request but failed to fulfil the conditions we set, including the return of the money which he siphoned off from 1MDB," a government source familiar with the talks involving Low's lawyers as well as Apandi had told MalaysiaNow.
Apandi, who served as attorney-general from 2015 to 2018, had cleared then prime minister Najib Razak of wrongdoing in the 1MDB scandal.
Najib was later convicted and sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment and a RM210 million fine, with one of the charges linked to the scandal that has triggered investigations in several countries.
When contacted about MalaysiaNow’s report on the deal with Jho Low, he had refused to confirm or deny the talks, or respond to queries about his role in the matter.
"Sorry. The information, if any, is confidential," he had said in a short reply to MalaysiaNow.
Meanwhile, the AGC confirmed that Low, through his representatives, had attempted to engage with the government for a settlement this year.
“In these attempts, Jho Low’s representatives met with agencies of the government of Malaysia, including the AGC.
“All offers for a settlement from Jho Low’s representatives were rejected by the AGC,” it said in a statement.


France to widen Covid vaccine drive to 12 to 18-year-olds

France will start offering Covid-19 vaccines to all young people aged 12-18 years starting on June 15, President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday.During a visit to the village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie in southern France, Macron also noted that 50% of French adults have now received at least one Covid vaccine jab, calling it “truly a turning point” in the country’s inoculation drive.Vaccine supplies have increased sharply recently, prompting officials to open up appointments to all adults earlier this week, several weeks ahead of schedule.With the country just beginning to bounce back from a severe third wave of infections, Macron’s government is keen to quickly expand the vaccine coverage to slow the spread of variants.But Macron urged people to remain “extremely careful and vigilant” and said wearing face masks outdoors would still be required in several regions for the time being.The 43-year-old president, who caught Covid last December, announced Monday that he and his wife had also had the jab.Later Wednesday, Health Minister Olivier Veran told TF1 television that the vaccination programme for teenagers would not be compulsory, but on a voluntary basis and with the agreement of parents.Starting the vaccinations for adolescents now would make it easier to avoid schools closures at the beginning of the next academic year in September, he added.The country is emerging from its third nationwide lockdown, with restaurants and cafes now allowed to serve clients outside. Indoor dining is due to resume from June 9.Pressure on hospitals has eased, with the number of Covid patients in intensive care falling steadily in recent weeks, with 2,754 serious cases as of Wednesday, down from more than 6,000 in late April.Macron was in Saint-Cirq-Lapopie to launch a nationwide tour ahead of next year’s presidential election, as well as regional elections set for later this month.


Rumours swirl as Trump is warded with Covid-19 diagnosis

News that US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for Covid-19 has triggered an explosion of wild rumours, misinformation and conspiracy theories on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.With the president now a patient at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda, Maryland, the rumours are bound to intensify and get wilder.Every political persuasion has their own theories about what the truth may be.Top rumour is that Trump doesn’t really have the virus at all but is faking it to dodge the next presidential debate, or even get the election postponed.Others are also sure that Trump is faking it but for other reasons.“I mean, honestly, do we know this is real? Do we know this isn’t some election ruse where he claims he’s cured himself with some obscure drug that his company coincidentally makes?” tweeted attorney Ken White.From the other side come allegations that he was deliberately exposed to the virus at Tuesday’s debate against the Democrat nominee Joe Biden.“I’m just going to say what we’re all thinking. Trump was fine until the debate, where they set up microphones & podiums for him. Incubation period is usually 2-3 days. He tests positive a couple of days after the debate. I put nothing past the left. NOTHING,”  tweeted former Republican congressional candidate DeAnna Lorraine. “Does anyone else find it odd that no prominent Democrats have had the virus but the list of Republicans goes on and on?”Several federal Democratic politicians have actually tested positive but how many eager re-tweeters are aware of that or even care?Twitter says it is working to limit views of certain tweets and retweets but there are millions of them spreading almost as many conspiracy theories.Facebook says it is constantly monitoring for misinformation around the president’s diagnosis and has started applying fact checks to some posts.Many people are concerned that bad actors, such as Russia and Iran, will use this situation to promote their own conspiracy theories and provoke tensions to sow chaos among Americans.If chaos is the desired result, it already seems to be happening.With the president now in hospital there’s going to be so much mud-slinging and so many opposing conspiracy theories that the whole country needs to be on high alert when scrolling social media feeds.They say we’re in the information age, but it would be wise to remember that this is also the age of misinformation.


Malaysia can’t keep increasing debt level, finance minister says

Malaysia’s ability to increase its level of indebtedness is limited compared to developed nations with much lower debt service ratios, Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said today.
He said the country’s ratio of debt service payments to revenue reached 16.3% in 2021 and, based on  Budget 2022, is expected to exceed 18%.
“This means that for every RM1 of government revenue, almost 20 sen is used for paying interest on debts, and this is apart from the ability to repay the principal amounts on loans taken by the government,” he said during the minister’s question time at the Dewan Rakyat.
Tengku Zafrul was responding to Ahmad Maslan’s (BN-Pontian) query on whether Malaysia’s debt level was still manageable and, if there was still room to borrow, why the government did not continue doing so to assist the people.
The finance minister said a country’s ability to increase its borrowing does not depend solely on the ratio of debt to its gross domestic product (GDP), and that the most important factors are debt capacity and debt sustainability.
He said Malaysia’s debt-to-GDP ratio was only 63% compared to developed countries like Japan and Singapore which have a ratio of 263% and 133% respectively.
“In addition, Malaysia’s tax-to-GDP ratio is around 11%, lower than other countries such as the Philippines (18%), Thailand (17.2%) and Singapore (13.3%),” he said.
On average, Tengku Zafrul said, the ratio of tax to GDP for Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries exceeds 33%.
“This means that even if the countries’ economy recovered in 2022, economic growth would not generate the additional revenue necessary to cover the debt increase,” he said.


Don’t repeat points already raised, judge tells lawyer in Najib’s SRC appeal

Court of Appeal judge Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil today reminded Najib Razak’s lawyer not to repeat the same points in the hearing of the former prime minister’s appeal in his RM42 million SRC International Sdn Bhd case.In asking Harvinderjit Singh to summarise his submissions, Karim said many of the points had been dealt with by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah in his submission.“You are repeating it again and again. It is better that you use it to relate to the criminal breach of trust (CBT) case against Najib, rather than you bring this thing to us that has been done before by Shafee. Please make us clear.“Actually you are repeating. I know you are emphasising the points to bring it to our attention, but we are fully aware that this is the Court of Appeal. Better focus on other points,” said Karim added.Harvinderjit then resumed his submissions before Karim, who presided over the appeal with Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera.Harvinderjit earlier submitted that the prosecution had been selective in charging Najib with CBT in relation to the RM42 million SRC International funds when investigators had issued red notices for the arrest of three others for the offence.He said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had sought Interpol to issue the red notice to former SRC International director Suboh Md Yassin, its former CEO Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil and another individual identified as Redzuan Adam Shah.“Some time in June or July 2018, red notices were issued against the three of them for CBT amounting to RM50 million.“Having taken that position, the prosecution suddenly decided to charge Najib,” he said, adding that the three men were said to have fled overseas after the May 9 general election in 2018.Here, Karim said the public prosecutor had the discretion to do so.Harvinderjit also said that Suboh and Nik Faisal were the signatories of SRC International and Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd, not Najib.The Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 28 last year sentenced Najib to 12 years’ jail and fined him RM210 million after finding him guilty on seven charges of CBT, money laundering and abuse of position, involving RM42 million in SRC International funds.The hearing of the appeal continues.


Is BN ready, analysts ask amid calls for early GE

Analysts warn that Barisan Nasional (BN) must be fully prepared to face a general election as calls persist for early polls despite nearly a year remaining before Parliament must be dissolved next July.
Among the strongest proponents of an early election has been Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who leads BN lynchpin party Umno.
Similar calls have also been made by party leaders aligned with those in the court cluster.
Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is an Umno vice-president, has however maintained that he will only consider dissolving Parliament to pave the way for the 15th general election (GE15) if conditions are favourable to BN.
Political analyst Azizi Safar said Ismail had spoken well as the most important element of the Umno-BN election machinery was the women's movement looking into voter sentiments.
"To win an election, parties need to obtain the support of the majority," he said.
"So the most important part of the election machinery are those who campaign for the support of voters. To what extent has this been done?"
Azizi also questioned BN's execution of face-to-face programmes with the people, and the level of its campaigns through other mediums such as social media.
"Have explanations been given to the people of the current issues?"
He said such sessions had been held three years after the 13th general election, to explain matters such as 1MDB and the goods and services tax.
Nevertheless, he added, the political situation now was very different.
"Heading towards GE15, the issues that need to be tackled by government parties are the bread-and-butter issues," he said.
"The fact of the matter is, in the current government there are parties that might clash with one another come GE15.
"The old approach to campaigning can no longer be used."
Azizi, a former Penang BN secretary with experience in the operation of election machineries, said a number of components were involved, such as the special machinery for election operations, the machinery that is constantly in motion, and the machinery that functions specifically during the election period.
Election machineries can also be divided according to component parties, where Umno's would be the main pillar in the areas it contests.
The same would then apply in areas contested by MCA and MIC.
"Each parliamentary constituency will have a regional coordinating committee comprising all of the component parties and the Friends of BN," Azizi said.
"Campaign coordination between BN parties is done at this stage."
BN's machinery is known for its effectiveness in mobilising the movement of voters during elections.
Its women's wing is particularly efficient in persuading voters to head to the polling stations.
Such tactics worked well in Umno's favour at the Melaka and Johor state elections.
Political analyst Ahmad Atory Hussain meanwhile played down BN's chances if the coalition makes good on its vow to go solo in the upcoming general election.
"It's all empty talk," he said. "The reality is that Umno will have a hard time winning with a comfortable margin if it does not work with Perikatan Nasional.
"Umno today is not as strong as it was before GE14. It is weak, divided and confused."
If Umno would work with PN and Pejuang to face the opposition bloc led by Pakatan Harapan, he said, it might stand a chance of winning the people's confidence.
He said the biggest obstacle to cooperation between Umno and PN had been Zahid, who is facing criminal charges, and Najib Razak, who began serving his jail sentence on Aug 23 after losing his final SRC International appeal at the Federal Court.
With them out of the picture, he said, party members and voters might find a renewed confidence in working with other Malay parties.
Azizi meanwhile said that the most suitable time for an election would be after the 2023 budget is approved in Parliament, in mid-December.
He said BN would benefit if the election is held after the budget is passed.
"The finance minister is from Umno, and the government will prepare a lot of goodies for the people in the budget," he said.
"For me, the best time for GE15 would be after Chinese New Year next year. No later than that."


Thailand denies army forcing back Myanmar refugees escaping air raids

Thousands of people tried to escape from Myanmar to Thailand over the weekend after Myanmar warplanes attacked their villages near the border.The villages being bombed were held by Karen ethnic guerrillas who had attacked a military post in the wake of the Feb 1 coup by Myanmar’s army.Thai authorities on Monday denied forcing back over the border more than 2,000 refugees who had fled the air attacks.However, a local official said it was government policy for the army to stop refugees at the border and deny access to outside aid groups.Mark Farmaner, head of Burma Campaign UK, told Reuters that thousands of people had been forced to return to the Ee Thu Hta displacement camp on the Myanmar side of the border. Another activist group gave the number as over 2,000.Video shot by a Karen villager and published by Reuters showed refugees boarding boats under the watch of Thai soldiers.“Look, Thai soldiers told villagers to go back. Here, see old people have to go back. Look there, there are lots of Thai soldiers,” a Karen villager is heard saying. Authorities stopped Reuters reporters from accessing the area.Thichai Jindaluang, governor of Thailand’s Mae Hong Son province, told reporters the refugees were not being pushed back and that they were in a safe place on the fringes of the border.“Thai authorities will continue to look after those on the Thai side while assessing the evolving situation and the needs on the ground,” foreign ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said.Human rights groups and the European Karen Network criticised the Thai government.“Thailand’s heartless and illegal act must stop now,” said Sunai Phasuk, senior researcher on Thailand for Human Rights Watch.Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Monday the government was prepared to accept refugees and denied claims that Thailand was supporting the Myanmar junta.


New Aussie govt looks to Southeast Asia as it deals with ‘difficult’ China relationship

Australia’s new Labor government will put greater focus on relations with Southeast Asia and climate change, an issue crucial to its Pacific neighbours, as it navigates ties with a more assertive China.Relations between Canberra and Beijing have deteriorated in recent years, with China imposing trade sanctions on Australian products in response to policies and decisions such as Australia’s call for an investigation into the origins of Covid-19 and its 5G network ban on Huawei. Incoming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged there will be no major change in China policy under his government.On Monday, Albanese said the relationship with China “will remain a difficult one”, while Australia’s alliance with the US was “our most important along with our relationships in the region and our multilateral commitments”.Albanese and new Foreign Minister Penny Wong will face an early test of diplomacy as they fly to Tokyo for a meeting of leaders of the Quad grouping of the US, India and Japan on Tuesday.Wong, born in Malaysia, is Australia’s first overseas-born foreign minister. She has served in Labor administrations that held closer ties with Southeast Asian neighbours such as Indonesia.Australia will be taking new commitments on Southeast Asia and the Pacific to the Quad meeting, Wong said in emailed comments on Monday.“We have always understood the importance of Southeast Asia. We know that while we are all very different, our countries face many shared challenges,” she said. “We all need to work together to address the reshaping of the regional order, pandemic recovery – and as (Indonesia’s) President Widodo said directly to our Parliament, climate change.”Labor says it also wants to work with Asean.The Quad meeting agenda will cover Ukraine, stability in the Indo-Pacific and Pacific island countries and climate change.The Quad is expected to announce an initiative to crack down on illegal fishing in the Pacific, using satellite tracking technology, the Financial Times reported on Saturday.This aligns with Labor’s pledge to boost aerial surveillance of Pacific island nations’ enormous exclusive economic zones, to help recoup the US$150 million lost each year to illegal fishing.Pacific island leaders have responded quickly to the new government, welcoming Labor’s pledge of more climate financing, which was seen as missing in Australia’s outreach to the region while China increased its influence.China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, is expected to arrive in the Solomon Islands midweek to sign a controversial security pact that had roiled the Australian election campaign, and other deals including a fisheries agreements. The Solomon Islands government and Chinese foreign ministry did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.China’s state-owned Global Times newspaper said on Monday Albanese’s attendance at the Quad was a test, “especially on whether it could get rid of the shadow of previous [prime minister] Scott Morrison’s anti-China strategy”.Richard McGregor, senior analyst with the Lowy Institute foreign policy think tank, said Albanese was unlikely to reset Australia’s relations with China.“The Quad will reinforce those countries’ tough China policies, and then his second job is the Pacific Islands Forum, which likely follows after Wang Yi’s sweep through the region,” he said. “That is about competition, not about kissing and making up.”Pacific leaders will soon meet for the Pacific Islands Forum, although a date has yet to be announced, with implications of the Solomon Islands security pact a key issue amid concern over rising tensions between the Washington and Beijing in the Pacific.


Mat Sabu’s son freed of drug abuse charge

The High Court today acquitted and discharged former defence minister Mohamad Sabu’s son, Ahmad Saiful Islam, of a drug abuse charge made against him two years ago.Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah allowed the appeal by Saiful, 33, to quash the conviction and eight-month jail sentence imposed by the Magistrate’s Court in Kuala Lumpur on June 24 last year.Sequerah in his judgment said the taking of only one bottle of urine had left open the possibility of contamination as the same sample was used by both the police for the screening test and the chemist for the confirmatory test.“I find that the failure of the police to abide by the guidelines in omitting to take two bottles of urine has rendered the conviction flawed,” he said.The judge said that the Inspector-General’s Standing Order F103 (IGSO F103) and health ministry’s guidelines require the use of two empty and clean plastic bottles to collect urine from drug abuse suspects.“The suspects should be given the option to choose the two bottles. One of the bottles is for screening purposes by the police while the second sample should be sent to the hospital for a confirmation test after the first bottle is confirmed positive for drugs.“The second bottle must be properly sealed and secured… health ministry guideline No. 6/2002 requires at least 30 millilitres of urine sample in one bottle,” he said.Sequerah also said it was evident that the presumption under Section 37(K) of the Dangerous Drugs Act needed to be rebutted on a balance of probabilities which was of a higher standard than merely to raise reasonable doubt.“That being the case, there is a more compelling reason why the process of taking the urine sample must be conducted with strict compliance with procedure, which in this case are the guidelines and the possibility of contamination of the sample being minimised if not obliterated altogether.“Therefore, the prosecution has failed to prove the case against the appellant and this appeal and the conviction ought to be set aside. The bail amount of RM9,000 is to be returned to the appellant,” he said.Lawyers Nicholas Kow, Nasar Khan and Emile Ezra Hussain represented Saiful while deputy public prosecutor Izalina Abdullah appeared for the prosecution.Saiful was charged with using a THC-type drug at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur at 2.05am on Jan 5, 2019.On June 24 last year, magistrate Mohamad Aizat Abdul Rahim sentenced him to eight months’ jail after finding that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt on the prosecution’s case.The court ordered Saiful to serve the jail sentence from June 24 last year and to undergo a two-year surveillance under the National Anti-Drugs Agency after completing the jail sentence.On July 2 last year, Saiful filed an appeal against the Magistrate Court’s decision on the sentencing.The court allowed his application to stay the execution of the jail sentence pending his appeal in the High Court.


Beijing attacks ‘bad-mouthing’ BBC as disputes with Britain heat up

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) came under fire from Chinese officials and social media users on Friday in an escalating diplomatic dispute.This comes the day after Britain’s media regulator revoked the UK TV licence of Chinese state media outlet CGTN, the English-language sister channel of state broadcaster CCTV, after concluding that China’s ruling Communist Party had ultimate editorial authority over the channel.London and Beijing have been at loggerheads for months over China’s crackdown on dissent in former British colony Hong Kong, concern over the security of Huawei technology and the treatment of ethnic Uighurs in China’s Xinjiang region.China’s foreign ministry issued a statement accusing the BBC of pushing “fake news” in its Covid-19 reporting, demanding an apology and saying that the broadcaster had politicised the pandemic and “rehashed theories about covering up by China”.The BBC, the world’s oldest and largest national broadcaster, said its reporting is fair and unbiased, Reuters reports.Separately on Thursday, Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported that London had in the past year expelled three Chinese spies who were there on journalism visas.“I highly suspect that the BBC has been closely instigated by the intelligence agencies of the US and the UK. It has become a bastion of the Western public opinion war against China,” Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Communist Party-backed tabloid the Global Times, said on Twitter.The foreign ministry’s criticism of the BBC was among the top trends on China’s Weibo social media platform on Friday.“BBC shall not become Bad-mouthing Broadcasting Corporation,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Twitter.BBC broadcasts, like those of most major Western news outlets, are blocked in China although it has correspondents based there.“The BBC has long been stationed in Beijing yet has always held ideological prejudice and broadcast fake news from its platform, deliberately defaming China. After so many years, it’s past time that we took action,” one Weibo user said, calling for Beijing to expel the BBC.BBC coverage of Xinjiang came under heavy criticism after it reported on Wednesday that women in internment camps for ethnic Uighurs and other Muslims in the region were subject to rape and torture.China’s foreign ministry said the report had no factual basis. The Global Times said in an editorial on Friday that the BBC had “seriously violated journalistic ethics”.


High Court dismisses Indira's bid to start contempt proceedings against top cop

The Ipoh High Court today dismissed an application by M Indira Gandhi to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the inspector-general of police (IGP) and three others for nonfeasance.
Judicial commissioner Bhupindar Singh Gurcharan Singh Preet made the decision after hearing submissions by both parties, and dismissed the application with no order as to costs.
Indira filed the application over alleged failure of the police to arrest her ex-husband and return her daughter who was abducted by him 13 years ago.
When met outside the court with her lawyer L Pavitra, she said she would file an appeal against today's decision.
Indira, 46, filed a suit on Oct 28, 2020, naming the IGP, the police, the home ministry and the government as the first to fourth defendants. In her statement of claim, she said the IGP had deliberately and negligently disregarded a mandamus order issued by the Federal Court by failing to investigate or take appropriate action to return her youngest child, Prasana Diksa, who is now 14 years old.
She said that the IGP, the home ministry and the government had a role to play in making decisions or ordering the police to execute the committal warrant against Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, formerly known as K Pathmanathan, as ordered by the Federal Court on April 29, 2016.
She also contended that the actions by the defendants had directly caused her to be  separated from her daughter until today, in addition to causing Riduan to flee.
She is seeking RM100 million in general, aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as a declaration that the IGP had committed the tort of nonfeasance in public office, and that the home ministry and the government are vicariously liable for the tort of nonfeasance committed by the IGP.
Prasana was taken away by Riduan when she was 11 months old, shortly after he converted to Islam.