Cops get statements from judge, legal officer over 'leaked judgment' in Rosmah case

The police today confirmed that they had recorded the statements of two individuals in relation to the alleged leak of judgment in Rosmah Mansor’s corruption case.
Sentul district police chief ACP Beh Eng Lai said the individuals were a High Court judge and a legal officer.
"We have identified 10 witnesses that we will call up, and the remainder will be asked to provide their statements soon," he said when asked to comment on the investigation.
The Chief Registrar’s Office of the Federal Court lodged a police report on the matter on Aug 27, after the alleged judgment was published on a news website that had also carried what was purported to be a leaked draft of Najib Razak's SRC International appeal judgment.
The alleged document went viral on social media and was subsequently used by Rosmah’s defence counsel as a basis to seek the last-minute recusal of High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.


15,000 troops from National Guard mobilised for Biden inauguration

The Pentagon said Monday it has authorised 15,000 National Guard troops to be deployed for Joe Biden’s Jan 20 inauguration amid fears of more violence by supporters of President Donald Trump.Already 6,200 are on the ground in Washington, and a total of 10,000 are planned by the coming weekend, said General Daniel Hokanson, chief of the Defense Department’s National Guard Bureau.Another 5,000 could be deployed by the day of the inauguration, he said.They will come equipped with riot gear and weapons, but so far they have not been authorised to arm themselves while on the streets of the US capital, he said.For the moment their mission is to support local police in communications, logistics, and security, he said.Authorising the National Guard to deploy in a law enforcement role, armed and empowered to make arrests, would be a “last resort” if the security situation got out of hand, Hokanson said.The Pentagon and the Guard have been criticised for a slow response on Wednesday when the US Capitol was besieged by thousands of Trump supporters attacking an undermanned and unprepared Congressional security force.But Pentagon officials say they were summoned late and did not immediately have with them the required riot gear.“They did not anticipate that level of violence,” said Hokanson.Earlier Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, anticipating the possibility of tension around the inauguration, called for people to stay away from the city.“We are asking Americans not to come to Washington DC for the 59th presidential inauguration on Jan 20 and to instead participate virtually,” she said.


Anwar faces biggest test in latest comeback as PM candidate

Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) choice of Anwar Ibrahim as its candidate for prime minister is no surprise to those who follow Malaysian politics, but comes this time around as the veteran politician is in his 70s, leading an opposition that is far from the united front through which it came to power three years ago.Anwar has been a candidate for prime minister since the 1999 general election with the exception of 2018 when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was fielded instead.But this would mark his first time leading a coalition without a political ban or a cloud of legal battles – at least not as of this month, when PH announced him as its PM candidate.Anwar was first presented as a PM candidate in the 1999 general election, a year after he was booted out of the Barisan Nasional government where he had been groomed as the successor to Mahathir, the prime minister at the time.As was the case in 1999, he now approaches a general election after missing his best chance to occupy the top post.With more than four decades of experience in party politics, Anwar appears alone among his contemporaries in that he is yet to have tasted power in the seat of Putrajaya.Over the years, Abdullah Badawi, Najib Razak and Muhyiddin Yassin, all of whom he served with in key Cabinet positions at one time or another, have occupied the top seat.One analyst said PH has no leader other than Anwar as its rallying point.“Although he is clouded with negative perceptions, he can still gain enough support compared to other leaders in PH. It’s the best choice PH has at the moment,” academic Azmi Hassan told MalaysiaNow.While Azmi did not go into specifics on these negative perceptions, there has been growing criticism of the PKR leader’s recent gestures with Umno leaders such as Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Najib, all three of whom are seen as aligned in their opposition to the Perikatan Nasional government.The revelation of a phone conversation between Anwar and Zahid has raised further questions on how far the opposition leader will go to clinch the top post.Still, Azmi is confident of Anwar’s ability to mobilise support from across the PH vote banks.“It is the best choice for PH and maybe one of the better choices for the people when they go to the polls,” he added.Hisommudin Bakar, whose think tank Ilham Centre has studied Malaysian voting trends over several general elections, agreed that naming Anwar as its PM candidate was the best move for PH.But he added that issues facing PH, as well as the trend of support for the coalition, might not be the same as it was in 2018 when Najib’s 1MDB scandal and other matters held sway over the electorate.“The level of support may not be as high as the last election,” Hisommudin said.If the election proceeds amid the Covid-19 pandemic, he said, there would also be an impact on voter turnout.Hisommudin said Anwar would still struggle for support in areas beyond constituencies dominated by the non-Malays.Among the Malays, there is still strong resistance to Anwar as prime minister, he said.He also noted that PH’s image had been battered by its failure to fulfil its election promises, such as for toll-free highways.“They need to be careful this time and draft a doable manifesto, not just bring in populist elements to attract voters,” he said.Hisommudin said Anwar’s charisma had also taken a beating from his persistent claims of having the necessary numbers, and what is seen as a fixation on the prime minister’s seat.“Nominating a PM candidate alone will not have any major impact that will guarantee victory for PH in the next election,” he said.He said failure by Anwar and PH to address this would be disastrous for the coalition, and, beyond that, could be the final nail in the coffin of Anwar’s PM ambitions.Siva Selan contributed to this report.


China lifts sweeping visa curbs on foreigners

China will once again start issuing a range of visas to foreigners as of Wednesday, the country's embassy in Washington said, a major easing of travel restrictions in force since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The move marks the latest step towards reopening China to the outside world, as Beijing gradually breaks with the strict zero-Covid strategy that defined its pandemic response until a few months ago.
In addition to new travel documents being reviewed and approved, visas issued before March 28, 2020 that are still valid will once again allow entry to China, said the embassy notice posted Monday, translated by AFP from Chinese.
The updated policy will also allow for the resumption of visa-free travel for those arriving in cruise ships to Shanghai, as well as for certain tourist groups from Hong Kong, Macau and countries within the Asean regional grouping, the notice said.
China received 65.7 million international visitors in 2019, according to data from the UN World Tourism Organization, before the pandemic led the country to seal itself off from the rest of the world.
While most other countries began fully reopening their economies and welcoming international travellers earlier, China only began emerging from its strict Covid containment policies in late 2022, after rare demonstrations against President Xi Jinping's signature zero-Covid strategy broke out across the country.
Those protests in late November expanded into calls for more political freedoms, with some even calling for Xi to resign, turning into the most widespread opposition to communist rule since the 1989 democracy uprising that the military crushed.
Reversal
In early December, Chinese authorities effectively ended the regime of mass testing, lockdowns and long quarantines – but the abrupt reversal led to a sudden spike in Covid cases.
Beijing announced in late December that inbound travelers to the country beginning Jan 8 would no longer need to quarantine, but kept in place visa restrictions on foreigners.
At the time, Beijing said it would "continue to adjust its visa policy for foreigners visiting China in a scientific and dynamic manner in accordance with... the epidemic situation."
It also then resumed issuing Chinese passports for "tourism" or "overseas visits of friends."
With cases surging in China around the New Year, several countries – notably Japan and South Korea – reimposed restrictions on Chinese visitors, provoking a tit-for-tat as Beijing issued its own limitations.
As cases waned in China, both sides subsequently eased those restrictions.
The announcement that China will resume issuing visas to foreigners comes as the country's rubber-stamp parliament wrapped up an important session in Beijing, during which Xi was confirmed to a third term as president and his close ally Li Qiang became premier.
Li on Monday admitted that achieving the country's economic growth target of "around 5%" would be "no easy task."
China posted just 3% growth last year, missing its stated target of around 5.5% by a wide margin as the economy strained under the twin impact of strict Covid policies and a property crisis.


Floods isolate Australian wheatbelt towns, Singapore joins rescue efforts

Hundreds of properties in Australia's southeast, scrubbed and cleaned two weeks ago after major flooding, were inundated again on Thursday as officials issued fresh evacuation orders while Singaporean rescue specialists arrived to aid relief efforts.
Rural towns in the southwest of New South Wales (NSW) state are the worst hit in the latest deluge after heavy rains over three days through Monday unmoored houses and submerged roads and bridges, turning entire towns into islands.
In Forbes, a rural town of about 8,000 residents in the state's wheatbelt, the Lachlan river has flooded the main streets and people were being rescued in boats, television footage showed.
"This flood caught people by surprise... The (speed) of water coming through is unbelievable," said Jeff Nicholson, who manages the Forbes bowling club and has lived in the town for 64 years, told Reuters by phone. "This one here now is a one in a one-hundred-year flood."
Officials predicted the Lachlan river would peak soon at a 70-year high of just under 11 metres (36 ft) for the second time in as many weeks.
"We only just finished the damage assessment and the clean-up here. Two weeks later, we're back into major floods," NSW emergency services' Chief Superintendent Ashley Sullivan told ABC television from Forbes.
Further west, residents in parts of Condobolin, with a population of around 3,000, have been ordered to evacuate.
To help with relief efforts, 18 flood rescue specialists from Singapore reached Sydney on Thursday, authorities said, who will join a team from New Zealand and hundreds of Australian defence personnel already deployed to the worst-hit regions.
Help has also been sought from the US for the relief operation, which authorities have flagged will be the biggest flood rescue exercise in New South Wales' history.
The damage from the latest flood could cost "billions of dollars", Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said.
"The bill is really racking up and that's before we look at the immense cost of road and infrastructure repairs which lies ahead," Watt told ABC radio. "The worst thing is that this isn't over yet."


Singapore blogger told to pay US$100,000 for sharing article linking PM to 1MDB

A Singaporean blogger was ordered Wednesday to pay almost US$100,000 in damages for defaming the prime minister by sharing an article on Facebook linking the leader to the 1MDB scandal.Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had accused Leong Sze Hian of spreading false claims about him over the article related to the money-laundering scandal at the state fund.Critics say the case is the latest example of the tightly-regulated city-state’s government being heavy-handed and seeking to silence dissent online.Singapore’s leaders have frequently turned to the courts to take on critics, ranging from political opponents to foreign media outlets, and insist such action is necessary to protect their reputations.High Court judge Aedit Abdullah found in Lee’s favour, and ordered Leong to pay him S$133,000 (US$99,000). Lee had sought S$150,000.Leong’s lawyer Lim Tean described the verdict as a “wrong and deeply flawed decision”.The premier took the stand at the start of the trial in October and accused Leong of making “malicious and baseless” allegations, which had undermined the government’s “integrity and honesty”.The article that Leong shared, originally published in a Malaysian news portal, alleged that Lee was the target of an investigation in Malaysia over 1MDB.Billions of dollars were looted from the investment vehicle in a scandal that involved former prime minister Najib Razak and his inner circle.Leong’s lawyer Lim had argued the libel suit was unnecessary as authorities had already denied the allegations, adding the prime minister had “picked on the defendant when there are many others” who had shared the defamatory article.Rights groups frequently accuse Singapore authorities of resorting to tough laws to silence criticism.In 2019, authorities introduced a law against online misinformation, which empowers ministers to order the blocking of social media posts they deem false, sparking criticism that it would chill free speech.


LinkedIn gives staff week off for well-being

Professional social network LinkedIn is giving nearly all of its 15,900 full-time workers next week off as it seeks to avoid burnout and allow its employees to recharge, the company told AFP Friday.The Microsoft-owned firm said that the “RestUp!” week starting Monday is meant to give employees time for their own well-being.“There is something magical about the entire company taking a break at the same time,” LinkedIn said in reply to an AFP inquiry.“And the best part? Not coming back to an avalanche of unanswered internal emails.”During the week, LinkedIn will provide employees who may feel isolated the option of taking part in daily activities such as volunteering for worthy causes through “random acts of kindness,” according to the company.“A core team of employees will continue to work for the week, but they will be able to schedule time off later,” LinkedIn said.Major technology companies were among the first in the US to adopt working from home last year to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, and most have yet to fully reopen their offices. Twitter has extended remote working indefinitely.LinkedIn does not expect employees to begin returning to its offices until September, and plans to make it standard practice to let them work from home as much as half of the time.Microsoft in mid-2016 bought LinkedIn for US$26.2 billion in cash, stepping into the world of social networking and adding a new tool for its efforts to boost services for business.


Powering on despite Covid at remote Sarawak village

Like hundreds of thousands of students throughout the country, Adam Sinjan was forced to make the shift from the physical to the online classroom when Covid-19 hit.Whenever he needed to submit his homework online or do any of the other tasks required by his teachers for home-based teaching and learning, he would take a picture of the information and walk out to a nearby hill.There, he would stand and wait for his phone to detect a signal.This search for mobile coverage, while tedious, was often necessary due to the patchy and limited connection in Adam’s village of Kampung Sapit in Sarawak where, despite the best efforts of teachers and students, it was difficult to stay in touch throughout the pandemic period.Many of Adam’s fellow students remained at the school hostel throughout the academic year. But when the order was made for schools to turn to remote learning, back in the village the 16-year-old was left wondering how he would cope.Kampung Sapit, a Bidayuh village located at the foot of the Ulu Padawan hills near the Sarawak-Kalimantan border, is one of many remote settlements in which remote learning was a problem throughout the pandemic period.Several villagers rest on the porch area outside their home in Kampung Sapit, located over 1,200 feet above sea level.Over the years, small improvements have been made in terms of accessibility by road. But the villagers still make do without electricity or water supply.For the most part, they rely on diesel-driven generator sets to power up their appliances although some have solar power. For water, they depend on what they get from the mountain and through other villages.The village is only accessible by road – a narrow, winding path through the hilly terrain. Basic amenities are few and far in between.Paulina, a mother of six, uses solar power in her home. The problem for her is the constant shortage of power supply.“During the rainy season, solar power doesn’t always cater to our needs. Electricity is very limited here,” she told MalaysiaNow.Even on the best days, there is not enough to keep a refrigerator going in her house. Simple things like charging a phone need a set time.“It’s hard, especially for the schoolchildren,” Paulina said.A villager rides his motorcycle past a row of flags put up ahead of the Sarawak state election on Dec 18.But for Adam, waiting for a signal out on the hills, none of this is enough to dampen his ambitions.His house has no electricity at all, but he makes do with what he has. At night, he revises his lessons by candlelight. Sometimes he uses a kerosene lamp or a battery-powered light.“But it’s difficult because if I read the book, I need to write down notes,” he said.“That’s why I prefer to do it in school.”While Adam is determined to do what he can, others are less motivated. The lack of internet connectivity, compounded by the shortage of power supply, has caused many students in the village to lose interest in their studies.Even when they do manage to attend their classes, the lag caused by their circumstances means that they also miss out on many other parts of their lessons.An aerial view of Kampung Sapit, where the flags of political parties have already been strung in preparation for the Sarawak election.Samak Willie and his wife do everything they can to ensure that their three children obtain a good education despite having to work on the farm.But during normal times, this is not easy, and things have only been made worse by the pandemic which shut large parts of the economic and social sectors for long periods over the past two years.“Small farmers like us have to be careful with our spending because Covid-19 requires us to buy things like hand sanitiser and face masks,” Samak said.These are luxuries that the family can ill afford, but they do everything they can to juggle their expenses.“I just have to make sure that my children go back to school,” Samak added.Kampung Sapit lies within the Mambong constituency, one of 82 to be contested in the state election on Dec 18.When asked about the upcoming polls, Samak said he hoped whichever candidate wins keeps his or her promise to continue developing the village.“I can see some improvements,” he said. “We have benefitted from the construction of the access road.“Before it was built, we had to walk about eight hours, crossing a number of bamboo bridges, just to reach the nearest shop to buy sugar.”


‘Reforms’ were made, says ex-minister in charge of Jakim

The former minister in charge of Islamic affairs under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration struck a defiant chord when asked to respond to suggestions that he made no reforms to Jakim, the federal-controlled Department of Islamic Development.Mujahid Yusof Rawa pointed to the “Rahmatan Lil Alamin” (Mercy for the Worlds) slogan he had promoted during his time as minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, saying the concept had been a major success when it was adopted as a national policy.Mujahid, who is the vice-president of Amanah, said the concept received Cabinet approval on Oct 25, 2019, adding that it also received the consent of the Malay rulers.When pressed if this meant a reform of Jakim, Mujahid said:“The question has been answered. My actions speak louder than words.Mujahid Yusof Rawa.“You missed the train,” he told MalaysiaNow.Jakim came under scrutiny following the revelation of a little-known condition imposed on businesses looking to get halal certification.This was after MalaysiaNow reported of a bakery which refused to write “Merry Christmas” on a cake ordered by a customer, citing Jakim’s rules.Jakim later confirmed that greetings connected to religious festivals would not be allowed to be used as promotion or display at premises which are certified halal.A former director-general of the Institute of Islamic Understanding (Ikim), the government’s top Islamic think tank, had described the rule as illogical and ridiculous.Syed Ali Tawfik Al-Attas also said Jakim had strayed far from its objective, and questioned the absence of reforms promised by the previous government when it was in power for 22 months.“Where are the reforms that Malaysia was so looking forward to when the new government came in?” Syed Ali asked.He also said the cake episode showed the state of ignorance among the Muslim masses, drawing comparison to medieval Europe.“We are back to 10th-century Europe, where everybody was just waiting for the church to issue an edict on what we can and cannot do, what we can read and what we can say.”In the run-up to the 2018 election, PH leaders had questioned the huge annual allocation for Jakim, with some even calling for the department to be dismantled as matters of Islam should be under the jurisdiction of the Malay rulers.When asked for his response, Mujahid referred to a video clip released in late 2019, which he said summarised the reforms under him.In the video, Mujahid claimed achievements by the PH government in matters of judiciary, Islamic propagation and media, haj management, halal certification, mosque management, education and human capital.The video however did not mention any specific reforms to Jakim as claimed by Mujahid.


Chinese citizen journalist jailed 4 years for Wuhan virus reporting

A Chinese citizen journalist was jailed for four years for her livestream reporting from Wuhan as the Covid-19 outbreak unfurled, her lawyer said Monday, almost a year after details of an “unknown viral pneumonia” surfaced in the central China city.Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer, was sentenced at a brief hearing in a Shanghai court for allegedly “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” for her reporting in the chaotic initial stages of the outbreak.Her live reports and essays were widely shared on social media platforms in February, grabbing the attention of authorities, who have punished eight virus whistleblowers so far as they defang criticism of the government’s response to the outbreak.Beijing has congratulated itself for “extraordinary” success in controlling the virus inside its borders, with an economy on the rebound while much of the rest of the world stutters through painful lockdowns and surging caseloads a year on from the start of the pandemic in Wuhan.Controlling the information flow during an unprecedented global health crisis has been pivotal in allowing China’s communist authorities to reframe the narrative in their favour.But that has come at a serious cost to anyone picking holes in that storyline.“Zhang Zhan looked devastated when the sentence was announced,” Ren Quanniu, one of Zhang’s defence lawyers, told reporters confirming the four-year jail term outside Shanghai Pudong New District People’s Court on Monday morning.Her mother sobbed loudly as the verdict was read, Ren added.Concerns are mounting over the health of 37-year-old Zhang who began a hunger strike in June and has been force-fed via a nasal tube.“She said when I visited her (last week): ‘If they give me a heavy sentence then I will refuse food until the very end.’… She thinks she will die in prison,” Ren said before the trial.“It’s an extreme method of protesting against this society and this environment.”China’s communist authorities have a history of putting dissidents on trial in opaque courts between Christmas and New Year to minimise Western scrutiny.The trial comes just weeks before an international team of World Health Organization experts is expected to arrive in China to investigate the origins of Covid-19.Another lawyer said Zhang’s health was in decline and she suffered from headaches, dizziness and stomach pain.“Restrained 24 hours a day, she needs assistance going to the bathroom,” Zhang Keke, who visited her on Christmas Day, wrote in a note circulated on social media.“She feels psychologically exhausted, like every day is a torment.”Zhang was critical of the early response in Wuhan, writing in a February essay that the government “didn’t give people enough information, then simply locked down the city”.“This is a great violation of human rights,” she wrote.The court said she had spread “false remarks” online, according to Zhang Keke.Rights groups have also drawn attention to her case.Authorities “want to use her case as an example to scare off other dissidents from raising questions about the pandemic situation in Wuhan earlier this year”, said Leo Lan, research and advocacy consultant at the Chinese Human Rights Defenders NGO.Zhang is the first to face trial of a group of four citizen journalists detained by authorities earlier this year after reporting from Wuhan.Previous attempts by AFP to contact the other three – Chen Qiushi, Fang Bin and Li Zehua – were unsuccessful.


'Democratic move' to contest on another party's ticket, says Pahang BN chief

Maran incumbent Ismail Abd Muttalib has the right to run on any platform he wants after being dropped from representing Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 15th general election (GE15), says Pahang BN chairman Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
Describing the decision of the deputy housing and local government minister to contest on a Perikatan Nasional (PN) ticket as a "democratic move", Wan Rosdy said BN could not prevent seat holders who are not nominated from taking such action.
"It's up to him (Ismail). We can't stop him because he wasn't nominated (to represent BN).
"If he feels he deserves to defend the seat he once held, we can't do anything because we're a democracy," Wan Rosdy told reporters in Kuala Lipis today.
On Tuesday, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that the Maran parliamentary seat would be contested by Pahang unity, social welfare, women and family development committee chairman Shahaniza Shamsuddin, replacing Ismail who has been the MP there since 2004.
The announcement that Ismail would contest for PN was made by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang at a ceremony in Marang, Terengganu, last night, even though PN had earlier named Fazil Azmi Nadzri from PAS as a candidate for the seat.
Ismail is also expected to hold a press conference with Pahang PN chairman Saifuddin Abdullah this evening.
GE15 will be held on Nov 19, with tomorrow as candidate nomination day and Nov 15 for early voting.


Pope, Queen Elizabeth join vaccine drive as UK tops 3 million cases

Pope Francis and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth on Saturday became the latest high-profile figures to join the global vaccination campaign against the coronavirus, as the UK reported it had surpassed more than three million cases since the pandemic began more than a year ago.Almost 1.9 million people worldwide have now died from the virus, with new variants adding to soaring cases and prompting the re-introduction of restrictions on movement across the globe – even as some countries begin mass inoculation campaigns.Pope Francis urged people to get the vaccination, calling opposition to the jab “suicidal denial” and saying he would get inoculated against the virus himself next week when the Vatican would begin its campaign.“There is a suicidal denial which I cannot explain, but today we have to get vaccinated,” the pontiff said in segments from an interview with Canale 5 due to be broadcast in full on Sunday.Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip received their Covid-19 vaccinations on Saturday, Buckingham Palace said, in a rare public comment on the private health matters of the long-serving monarch.A source told the domestic Press Association news agency that the queen, 94, and Philip, 99, were given the injections by a royal household doctor at Windsor Castle.More than 1.5 million people in Britain have so far received virus jabs, as the biggest immunisation programme in its history rolls out with priority given to the elderly, their carers and health workers.Countries across the globe are following suit, starting up massive vaccination campaigns with several coronavirus shots approved so far, including those by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna and domestically made jabs from Russia and China.Britain, which has so far administered two types of vaccines, is racing to inoculate as many people as possible as a new variant believed to be more contagious pushes infections and deaths to unprecedented levels.British health authorities on Saturday said the country had recorded over three million coronavirus cases since the pandemic began last year, after the government announced another 59,937 new daily cases.The country also recorded another 1,035 fatalities from the virus, taking the total death toll to 80,868, one of the highest in Europe alongside Italy.The US – the world’s worst hit country – also logged a record new daily virus caseload, adding 290,000 new cases within 24 hours Friday according to Johns Hopkins University. A day earlier the US recorded a daily record of nearly 4,000 deaths.Tighter restrictionsIndia will launch one of the world’s most ambitious coronavirus vaccination drives next Saturday, aiming to reach 300 million people by July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.The vaccine will be free for the country’s population of 1.3 billion, and Modi said the Jan 16 start would be “a landmark step” in fighting the pandemic.India is the second worst-hit country with more than 10 million cases, though the death rate is one of the world’s lowest.Fears have been rising over new virus variants that emerged in Britain and South Africa, but BioNTech brought some relief on Friday, saying its vaccine was effective against a “key mutation” found in the strains.Soaring infections are forcing governments once again to introduce restrictions that helped slow the spread of the virus last year, but battered the global economy and disrupted business, sports and cultural events worldwide.France will extend its Covid-19 curfews to a further eight departments, Prime Minister Jean Castex said Saturday, citing a “tough and necessary” response even as some local officials opposed the restrictions.“Everybody is conscious of the epidemic not weakening or that on the contrary it is growing stronger in some areas,” Castex said.After a rise in cases, Burundi will close its land and lakeside borders from Monday and impose a seven-day quarantine on travellers arriving by plane, officials said.New British strainOn Saturday the streets of the Australian city of Brisbane were quiet as its more than two million residents were ordered back into lockdown, after authorities detected a single infection of a new strain from Britain, which is thought to be more infectious.“Quite surreal, like something from a movie set,” local man Scott told AFP in Brisbane’s deserted downtown.“It’s necessary. Hopefully we will get through the next few days without any cases, that will allow us just to start to get back to normal.”In China, where the original coronavirus first emerged in late 2019, authorities also tightened restrictions on two cities near Beijing to stamp out a growing cluster.The new week-long stay at home orders affecting about 18 million people in Shijiazhuang and Xingtai come as cases spike ahead of the Lunar New Year, when hundreds of millions criss-cross the country to visit family and friends.On Saturday Beijing’s National Health Commission said authorities had so far given out more than nine million vaccine doses, but warned the upcoming holiday would “further boost the risk of transmission”.China also said Saturday that preparations were still ongoing for a WHO mission to Wuhan to investigate the origins of Covid-19, following a rare rebuke from the UN body over a delay to the long-planned trip.“As long as these experts complete the procedures and confirm their schedule, we will go to Wuhan together to carry out investigations,” National Health Commission vice minister Zeng Yixin told reporters.


Quarantine-free air travel between Penang and Singapore for the fully vaxxed from March 16

The Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) by air between Malaysia and Singapore has been expanded to include the Penang-Singapore route from March 16 onwards.Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said in a statement today that the governments of Malaysia and Singapore had reached a mutual agreement on the expansion of the VTL initiative.“This VTL initiative will allow fully vaccinated travellers between Penang and Singapore and vice-versa with participating airlines under the VTL without being required to quarantine upon arrival,” he said.Wee said the Penang-Singapore VTL would commence with four flights per day, shared equally between participating airlines operating in Malaysia and Singapore.“The sale of VTL air tickets will begin as soon as possible,” he added.The VTL was initiated between Changi Airport and KLIA on Nov 29 last year. It had served 82,906 arriving passengers from Singapore as of Feb 28, 2022.Wee said the VTL initiative played an important role in strengthening flight connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore while contributing to economic and commercial recovery between the two neighbours, particularly in the tourism sector which had been heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.Further information on conditions for pre-departure and entry to Malaysia can be accessed at www.imi.gov.my while details on requirements for the VTL to Singapore can be reached at https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg.


We can’t afford to break up, Mahathir says on gathering forces ahead of GE15

Dr Mahathir Mohamad expects that the parties that are against Barisan Nasional (BN) will band together to form a new political coalition ahead of the 15th general election (GE15).The Pejuang chairman said calls had already arisen from the opposition bloc for the formation of such a pact, following the realisation that divisions had allowed what he described as a party embroiled in corruption to win the recent state elections.“We cannot afford to stand divided because it is clear that this is what caused us to lose, as well as a drop in our support.“BN only managed to get the support of 53% in the state election,” he added.“Even with 53%, it controls two-thirds and has the right to amend the state constitution.”Although the government was formed through a minority vote, he added, BN eventually obtained a two-thirds majority.At the Johor state election on March 12, a total of 1,426,573 out of 2.5 million voters or 54.92% turned out to vote.The state fell to Pakatan Harapan (PH) at the 2018 general election which saw the coalition led by Mahathir winning 36 seats at the legislative assembly. BN won 19 and PAS, one.However, the PH government was toppled after Bersatu’s exit from the pact at the federal level in February 2020.When asked if Pejuang would look for “new partners” for the coalition, Mahathir said several names had been suggested by party leaders for deliberation.He said this was because Pejuang’s cooperation with its “old partners” had left long-term effects.On calls for the 15th general election to be held early, he said holding an election without fully preparing for one would only make some quarters happy.He added that the results of an election held in haste would not be good for the country’s administration.“The country and the people, especially, must be given enough time to consider what to do.”Calls for an early election have been spearheaded by Umno leaders who have upped the pressure on Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to dissolve Parliament throughout the party’s ongoing general assembly.


New infections at 2,300 again as death toll up by 9

Another 2,328 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,787,308.
There were 2,618 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,719,910.
There are now 31,164 active cases, of which 29,761 or 95.5% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 19 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,305 (4.2%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 79 are in ICU with 44 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 63.9%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 21.2%.
Another nine deaths were reported, including three who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 36,234.


Najib etched in history as a criminal, says Dr Mahathir

Dr Mahathir Mohamad today continued his attacks against Najib Razak, this time saying the Umno leader will be immortalised in history books as a criminal convicted of stealing billions of ringgit.“It is impossible that Najib and the crimes he committed would not be mentioned (in history). The human instinct is such that something, when repeated many times, will be accepted.“I am not the only one who mentions Najib’s name and his link to crime. History books will mention Najib so that future generations will know him as a criminal who stole billions of ringgit as confirmed by the courts,” Mahathir said in a blog post.Najib was sentenced to 12 years’ jail and fined RM210 million after he was found guilty of seven charges related to the misappropriation of funds from SRC International, an entity linked to 1MDB.The sentence was upheld by the appeals court late last year, with the panel judges describing the crime as a national embarrassment.Mahathir, 96, who in 2018 led an opposition alliance to victory to topple Najib’s nine-year rule and bring down Umno’s 60-year stranglehold on the government, said Malaysia’s founding fathers were always synonymous with some national achievement.He said Tunku Abdul Rahman was known for his contribution towards the nation’s independence, followed by Abdul Razak Hussein, Najib’s father, who was credited with development.He said when Razak died, Najib was an unknown.“Unfortunately, Najib chose to be linked closely with crime. Unlike his father, Najib saw power as an opportunity to enrich himself.“Such is the scale of his crimes that the whole world knows Najib and the crimes he committed.”Mahathir also mocked Najib’s “Malu Apa Bossku” tagline again, calling it an attempt to justify his crimes by saying there was no shame in stealing.“The idea that there is no shame in crime goes against human values and Malaysian society. If not rebutted, society will be ruined.”


Zahid’s aide was in charge of cheque books, defence tells court on CBT charges

The High Court in Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s graft case was today told that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case in all 12 criminal breach of trust (CBT) charges against him involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds as his former aide had control and custody over the cheque books of the charity foundation as well as the former deputy prime minister.Defence counsel Hamidi Mohd Noh said the issuance of all 52 cheques in the 12 CBT charges was linked to Zahid’s former executive secretary, Mejar Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly, who is the 90th prosecution witness (SP90).“For the 12 CBT charges, SP90 is the prosecution’s most important witness because at the material time, she managed the financial affairs of Yayasan Akalbudi, particularly on making payments for Yayasan’s account.“Mejar Mazlina had full control, possession and custody of all cheque books belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi and the accused, and she was the only one who held the keys to the drawer where the cheques were kept. Even the accused did not have the keys.“It is SP90’s evidence that she had also been managing the accused’s personal matters, particularly the accused’s personal finances including his personal cheques. These tasks were taken upon the handing over of duties from Rosnah (the accused’s previous executive secretary) to SP90,” he said in his submission at the end of the prosecution’s case before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.Hamidi said it was thus safe to infer that the accused himself had neither the liberty nor the access to prepare the relevant cheques.“A close scrutiny of the circumstances on how and why the cheques were issued will show that criminal liability cannot be attached to the accused,” he said.The lawyer also said that of the 52 cheques, 44 were related to credit card charges.Hamidi further submitted that there was no criminal liability on the part of the accused in respect of the 32 stamped cheques used for the credit card payments.He said his client did not put the stamped signatures on all 32 cheques, and there was no evidence that the stamp was in the accused’s possession although unequivocal evidence said SP90 did so.“Culpability must be attached to SP90 as she had negligently stamped the cheques. Despite her evidence that the accused had given consent (which was challenged), her evidence on this point and others where she tries to implicate the accused does not inspire confidence.“There is a further reason why the evidence from SP90 where she said the accused consented to the stamp being used for the cheque purposes cannot be credible. The reason is the prosecution did not produce any authorisation for the bank to clear its cheques with stamped signatures instead of them being handwritten,” he said.Zahid, 68, is facing 47 charges – 12 of CBT, eight of corruption and 27 of money laundering-involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.For the 12 CBT charges, Zahid is alleged to have used the funds to make payments for personal credit card bills, insurance policies and licences for his personal vehicles, besides remittances to a law firm and contributions to the police football association under Section 409 of the Penal Code.The defence will continue with its submissions tomorrow.


New York charges ‘AntiVaxMomma’ over US$200 fake vaccine cards

New York prosecutors on Tuesday charged 15 people in a fake vaccination card conspiracy masterminded by a woman known as “AntiVaxMomma” – a case that highlights the black market for false proofs of inoculation against Covid-19.Jasmine Clifford, a 31-year-old from New Jersey, is accused of selling approximately 250 forged cards through her Instagram account @AntiVaxMomma, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office said in a statement.Starting in May this year, Clifford – a self-described entrepreneur with several online businesses – allegedly began charging US$200 for the fake cards, prosecutors said.Clifford also conspired with 27-year-old Nadayza Barkley to fraudulently enter the names of at least 10 individuals into New York state’s database of vaccinated residents, for which they charged an extra US$250 fee, the DA’s office added.The state’s “Excelsior Pass” initiative provides digital proof of vaccination though a unique QR code that users download on their phone via an app.Barkley was charged, along with 13 individuals who purchased the cards, all of whom are believed to be essential workers, including in hospitals and nursing homes, according to the prosecutors.“We need companies like Facebook (Instagram’s parent company) to take action to prevent the fraud happening on their platforms,” said Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance.“Making, selling, and purchasing forged vaccination cards are serious crimes with serious public safety consequences,” he added.The arrests come as states step up vaccine requirements in attempts to slow the spread of the hyper-contagious Delta variant.New York is requiring all “public-facing” healthcare workers to get vaccinated from September, and all of the state’s tens of thousands of employees to show proof of vaccination or face weekly tests.In New York City, people going to indoor venues such as restaurants, gyms and shows must show proof of vaccination – either digital proof or a paper vaccine card.The US, unlike most European countries, does not have a single, unified app containing the users’ vaccination status but several states have launched their own digital verifications.Critics say the paper card is extremely easy to forge and open to widespread abuse.US Customs and Border Protection said on Aug 13 that its officers in Memphis had confiscated more than 3,000 forged cards this year.


The real winner in Melaka polls

Taking a backseat view of the recent Melaka state election, one would conclude that Barisan Nasional (BN), in particular Umno, had made a strong political comeback and Pakatan Harapan, namely PKR, was the biggest loser.While it is true that PKR was indeed the greatest loser, we cannot label BN as the greatest victors although it may seem so.For one, we cannot discount the low voter turnout, which was the lowest in history with only a 66% turnout compared to 85% previously.An estimated 29% of Chinese and Indian voters opted to stay away, while about 34% of others also did not come out to vote.The best reason for this would of course be fears of the Covid-19 pandemic.On paper, Umno seemed victorious, winning 18 of the 20 seats it contested, but in fact the party lost an estimated 4% of support among Malay voters.The only reason Umno won so many seats was because they were handed to them on a silver platter by Pakatan Harapan due to their political shortcomings and Anwar Ibrahim’s dismal leadership.BN’s coalition partners MCA and MIC also actually lost ground marginally, from about 10% to 8%, and neither achieved any gains in terms of popular votes.So, on close scrutiny of the state electoral results, the party which gained the most ground was Muhyiddin Yassin’s Bersatu.Bersatu in fact gained about 6% in vote share to 155 overall, which was not only concentrated on the Malays, but spread across all communities.Malay support alone for Perikatan Nasional is estimated to have increased by about 17%, achored around Bersatu.A large portion of this support was reportedly from the younger voters who viewed Bersatu as the best alternative to offer them the opportunities and security they seek.Bersatu has positioned itself well as a party with a solid political foundation and able to meet the aspirations of younger voters.Also, political observers have taken their hats off to Bersatu for going the extra mil and naming Mas Ermieyati Samsudin as their chief Mminister candidate.This endeared the party to women voters and demonstrated the liberal and open spirit practised by the party leadership.So, in conclusion, to say that Umno is winning over the hearts of voters based on the Melaka polls would be an incorrect conclusion.Bersatu was in fact the party which gained the most ground and looks poised for a strong electoral victory in the next national polls.No matter what, Umno is still riddled with accusations of corruption and power abuse and this is not something the voters can sweep under the carpet.The best alternative is clearly Bersatu, and the voters, especially those coming in soon under Undi18, realise this.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Canada to require warning labels on individual cigarettes

Canada will soon require that health warnings be printed on individual cigarettes and cigars in a further crackdown on smoking, the country's addictions minister announced Wednesday.
The messaging, to be phased in starting Aug 1, will include lines such as "Poison in every puff," "Tobacco smoke harms children" and "Cigarettes cause cancer."
Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett said tobacco use continues to kill 48,000 Canadians each year. The new labelling rule is a world first, she said, although Britain has flirted with a similar regulation.
"This bold step will make health warning messages virtually unavoidable and, together with updated graphic images displayed on the package, will provide a real and startling reminder of the health consequences of smoking," Bennett said.
The Canadian government noted that some young people, who are particularly susceptible to the risk of tobacco dependence, start smoking after being given a single cigarette rather than a pack labeled with health warnings.
In 2000, Canada became the first country to order graphic warnings on packs of cigarettes – including grisly pictorials of diseased hearts and lungs – to raise awareness of the health hazards associated with tobacco use.
Smoking has been trending down over the past two decades.
Ottawa aims to further reduce the number of smokers in the country to 5% of the population, or about two million people, by 2035 – from about 13% currently.
According to government data, almost half of the country's healthcare costs are linked to substance use.


Malaysia 25th biggest contributor to UN peacekeeping missions

Malaysia ranks 25 out of 123 countries in terms of participation in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions as of March 31, the Dewan Negara was told today.
Deputy Foreign Minister Mohamad Alamin said this made Malaysia one of the largest contributing countries in the number of members to UN peacekeeping missions, involving 859 officers and personnel including 98 women in five UN peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, Western Sahara, Abyei Region, South Sudan and Congo.
"Malaysia's involvement in peacekeeping forces reflects the country's commitment to the multilateral system and showcases Malaysia's concern to ensure peace and security at the global level.
"In addition to that, Malaysia has also played an active role in the UN and has been elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council four times in 1965, 1989 to 1990, 1999 to 2000 and 2015-2016," he said when replying to Senator Paul Igai who wanted to know Malaysia's role in peacekeeping and global security since becoming a member of the UN.
He said Malaysia consistently participated in open debates and briefings at the UN Security Council despite no longer being a non-permanent member of the council to share views and highlight the country's position on issues considered by the council.
He said that through Malaysia's membership in the UN, the country will continue to play an active role in the international arena by participating in the drafting of resolutions at the UN General Assembly.
He said this is to ensure that the country's views and stance and interests at the international level are always highlighted and defended in line with Malaysia's foreign policy.


PAS president has audience with Perak ruler

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had an audience today with Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak at Istana Kinta in Ipoh.The car ferrying the Marang MP arrived at 10.50am.Hadi was granted the audience by Sultan Nazrin after writing to the palace on Dec 10 seeking an audience to update the ruler on political developments involving PAS.On Dec 11, Perak PAS commissioner Razman Zakaria had apologised to Sultan Nazrin for a mistake by three Perak PAS assemblymen who did not show up for an audience after being summoned on Dec 8.Besides Razman, who is Gunung Semanggol assemblyman, the other two were Mohd Akmal Kamarudin (Selama) and Mohd Khalil Yahaya (Kubu Gajah).Perak was plunged into a political crisis after its menteri besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu lost a motion of confidence at the state legislative assembly on Dec 4. He resigned from the post the next day.Kota Tampan assemblyman Saarani Mohamad from Barisan Nasional was sworn in as the 14th menteri besar of Perak on Dec 10.Saarani is also Perak Umno chairman.Razman and Akmal were state executive councillors when Faizal was MB.Saarani appointed five assemblymen in his initial exco line-up, four from Umno and one from Bersatu, but none from PAS.


Court ruling on right to use 'Allah' only for Sarawak, says PM

The court's decision to give Christians the right to use the word "Allah" along with three other Arabic words in their religious publications is specifically for the state of Sarawak, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today.
Anwar said the government and the home ministry had filed an appeal against the decision after losing the case.
"This is in the case of Sarawak only… the ruling is not applicable elsewhere like in Melaka, Penang or Selangor... we need to understand this," he told reporters after an Aidilfitri celebration with the police force at Tanjung Minyak today.
Yesterday, the Malaysian government and the home ministry withdrew their appeal against the Kuala Lumpur High Court decision ruling that Christians can use the word "Allah" and three other Arabic words in the publication of religious materials for educational purposes.
The notice of termination of the judicial review appeal filed on April 18, stated that both appellants did not wish to proceed with the appeal which was submitted on March 12, 2021, and dismissed the entire appeal at the Court of Appeal without an order as to costs.
On March 10, 2021, the High Court made the decision after allowing a judicial review application filed by a Sarawakian Christian woman of Melanau descent, Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill.


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Sarawak to remain under CMCO

Sarawak today announced that it would remain under conditional movement control order (CMCO) despite the MCO to be enforced across the rest of the country.The state disaster management committee in its daily statement on the Covid-19 situation said the current CMCO would continue until May 17.However, it said SOPs would be tightened, for example to prohibit dine-in activities.SOPs for Hari Raya were announced by the Sarawak Islamic Council, which said celebrations would only be allowed among close family members on the first day.Sarawak recorded 512 new cases today, half of which were detected in Miri alone. It also recorded two deaths, taking the state’s Covid-19 death toll to 211.It has logged a total of 36,321 positive cases so far.Yesterday, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the MCO, previously implemented in certain areas, would be extended across the entire country until June 7.He said the government had decided to implement tighter measures in order to curb the virus spread in light of the recent increase in Covid-19 cases.Malaysia has been experiencing a spike in Covid-19 infections with daily numbers well above the 3,000 level, passing 4,500 on May 8.


US prisoners use toothbrush to dig hole, go for pancakes

It was almost a clean getaway: two American inmates dug their way out of prison with the help of a toothbrush – only to be arrested hours later at a pancake restaurant.
The two men, identified as John Garza, 37, and Arley Nemo, 43, were reported missing from the Newport News Jail Annex Monday evening in the state of Virginia.
They used makeshift tools made from a toothbrush and a metal object to take advantage of what the sheriff's office called a construction flaw in a wall of the prison to gain access to unsecured reinforcement bars used in construction.
Using the reinforcement bar, they punched a hole through that wall and scaled another to make their escape.
But their taste of freedom was brief, as they were arrested in the wee hours of Tuesday at a branch of a pancake restaurant chain called Ihop in the nearby town of Hampton.
The sheriff's statement did not say if the men were inside or outside the restaurant when they were caught.
"I'm thankful for the citizens who observed Garza and Nemo at the Ihop and notified law enforcement. It reinforces what we always say, 'see something, say something,' Sheriff Gabe Morgan said.
Garza was in custody on charges including contempt of court and probation violations, while Nemo was in for offenses including credit card fraud and forgery, the statement said.
The sheriff's office would not reveal exactly how the men exploited the flaw in the prison's construction.
"Due to the fact that this weakness presents itself throughout the facility, and until all weaknesses are identified and secured, we will not discuss the situation further for security reasons," the statement said.


Tennis stars told not to serve Melbourne hotel mice while in Covid quarantine

Many of the tennis players in Australia for the Australian Open tournament are undergoing hotel quarantine in Melbourne and several of them have not been shy about making their dissatisfaction known.Yulia Putintseva, the world number 28, demanded to change rooms after spotting a mouse but said her new room is also infested, says ABC.The 26-year-old is among more than 70 players and their entourages confined to their hotel rooms for 14 days after Covid-19 positive cases were found on their flights into Australia.Victoria state police minister Lisa Neville encouraged players to “minimise interaction” with the mice, saying: “As I understand it, there may have been some feeding going on. Hopefully the pest control work now done will have fixed the problem.”She also said 10 people in total who flew into Melbourne for the tournament have now tested positive for coronavirus, with two players and a support person being new cases on Wednesday.Kazakhstan player Putintseva, who was one of the first players to complain about hotel quarantine rules for the Grand Slam event, again used social media to post a video she recorded of a mouse in her room jumping out from behind a cupboard.Putintseva says she has lost sleep because of the rodents scampering around, and also expressed frustration about being unable to open any of the windows in her room, posting, “We need fresh air to breathe,” on Instagram.There has been confusion over the infection numbers with several positive test results later reclassified by authorities as “viral shedding” from previous infections, meaning they are not contagious.The allowances given to travelling players compared to residents is also causing upset at the year’s first major tennis tournament.Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley said a “tightrope” was being walked, but that the safety of Victorians would not be compromised.“I do understand the players. This is a new experience for them, and I don’t think anyone expected what the 14 days would be like but they are adapting to it,” he told ABC News Breakfast.“At the beginning, it was pretty challenging, but it’s got a lot better, I think the majority of the players understand and accept it. There is a minority struggling with it but we are going to do whatever we can to make it better for them.”


Nepal calls elections again amid pandemic crisis

Nepal’s parliament was dissolved for the second time in five months Saturday and new elections called for November as the Himalayan country battled political turmoil alongside the coronavirus pandemic.President Bidhya Devi Bhandari made the order after declaring that neither Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli nor Sher Bahadur Deuba, leader of the opposition Nepali Congress, had a majority to form a new government.Political rivalries between the communist prime minister and his former Maoist allies hit a new peak as the country battles a severe coronavirus wave with acute shortages of oxygen and vaccines.Authorities have been reporting about 200 deaths a day, but experts say there are a lot more and the United Nations has launched an emergency Covid-19 appeal saying that Nepal is at “breaking point”.Bhandari dissolved parliament in the early hours of Saturday after a new breakdown in talks.“The president… has dissolved the current House of Representatives and fixed the first phase of general elections on Nov 12 and the second phase on Nov 19,” his office said in a statement.Oli was reappointed the prime minister only last week as no leader could muster a majority after the veteran communist lost a vote of confidence.The 69-year-old had a month to win a new vote of confidence in parliament but the president called on other parties to try to form a government as Oli struggled to win support.Bhandari, who hails from the ruling party and is considered close to Oli, has been criticised for agreeing so quickly to Oli’s recommendation for a new election.Chandrakanta Gyawali, a constitutional expert, said the president has “derailed from the spirit of the constitution” by giving in to Oli so easily.“This decision could be challenged in the court again. The prime minister has repeatedly attacked the constitution,” Gyawali said.In December, Oli dismissed the legislature and called elections, accusing members of his Nepal Communist Party of blocking his moves.After nearly two months of protests, the Supreme Court reinstated parliament, saying Oli’s move was unconstitutional.Oli became prime minister in 2018 and secured a two-thirds majority of parliament through a merger between his party, the CPN-UML, and a former rebel party, CPN (Maoist Centre).Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal has turned against Oli again however, setting off the hostilities.


Russia says West trying to confuse the world over Nord Stream culprits

The Russian embassy in the US said on Wednesday that a report the US knew of a Ukrainian plan to attack the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines was part of a coordinated Western attempt to confuse the world over the truth.
The Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing leaked information posted online that the CIA learned last June, through a European spy agency, that a six-person team of Ukrainian special operations forces intended to blow up the Russia-to-Germany project.
"The coordinated campaign of the West, led by the US, to confuse the international community is sewn with white threads," Russian diplomat Andrey Ledenev was quoted as saying in a post on the embassy's Telegram messaging channel.
"The reason for the proliferating theories and versions, supported by the notorious 'confidential' data of the local intelligence community, is simple to the point of banality."
Several underwater explosions ruptured the Nord Stream 1 and the newly built Nord Stream 2 pipelines that link Russia and Germany across the Baltic Sea in September 2022.
The blasts occurred in the economic zones of Sweden and Denmark. Both countries said the explosions were deliberate, but have yet to determine who was responsible. Those countries and Germany are investigating.
The Kremlin said in February that the world should know the truth about who sabotaged the pipelines and that those responsible should be punished after an investigative journalist said US divers blew them up at the behest of the White House.
Russia has repeatedly said the West was behind the blasts affecting the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines last September - multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects that carried Russian gas to Germany.


Give authorities space to probe Azam’s case, says PM Ismail

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has urged all quarters to give the authorities the space to thoroughly investigate the allegations on share purchases involving Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki.Ismail said investigations were being conducted by various parties, including the Securities Commission (SC) and MACC itself, proving that the government was not keeping quiet on the matter as alleged.“I am always informed and keep tabs on issues related to MACC. Action has been taken and the impression given that the government is keeping quiet is wrong. MACC is an independent commission with its own procedure to handle such matters.“Let’s wait for the investigation to be completed. We cannot jump to the conclusion that Azam is guilty. We have to be fair to all and only take action after the investigation is completed,” he said at a press conference in Kota Marudu today.Ismail was commenting on a statement yesterday by the Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council asking for Azam and Anti-Corruption Advisory Board chairman Abu Zahar Ujang to be immediately investigated by an independent body and temporarily relieved of their duties until the investigation is complete.The prime minister assured that he would not compromise on people involved in wrongdoings, adding that he wanted all quarters to be fair and consistent on such matters.“We must have confidence in our system. Let MACC and the Securities Commission investigate first.“Previously, there was a Penang chief minister who was investigated, (but) no one suggested that he take leave. We have to be consistent and should not practise double standards,” he said.Ismail also said the government would ensure that there was no interference in the work of MACC as it is an independent body.


Amanah says can work with Umno in Terengganu to topple PAS state govt

Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Terengganu chapter, led by Amanah, is open to working with Umno in the next general election (GE15) to prevent a PAS victory although its leader Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad maintains that any cooperation of the sort will not amount to a collaboration.“Even though we are not under the same umbrella, our differences are not so significant. We are not attacking Umno, Umno is not attacking us either,” he said in an interview with The Malaysian Insight.He added in the report that such a move, which might include swapping seats in the election, would be better described as an “understanding”.“I think we have an advantage; we can communicate, and there may be opportunities for understanding for us to focus on certain seats,” he was quoted as saying.Terengganu has been under PAS rule since GE14 in 2018, when the Islamist party ousted Barisan Nasional, winning 22 of the 32 seats in the state legislative assembly.Amanah, a PAS splinter, was formed by a group of leaders who left after the June 2015 party election, citing ideological differences.The group rebranded the existing Malaysian Workers’ Party, on condition that it would not work with Barisan Nasional and Umno.It currently holds 11 seats in the Dewan Rakyat.Speaking to The Malaysian Insight, Kamarul said there was “room” for discussions as long as the interests of Terengganu PH and Umno are aligned.“We have the same goal, which is to save Terengganu from PAS,” he was quoted as saying.


Federal Court hears Najib's review bid to quash SRC conviction

The hearing of Najib Razak's application to review the Federal Court’s decision upholding his conviction, 12-year jail sentence and fine for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds begins today.
The former prime minister is seeking to overturn the decision by a five-member bench of the Federal Court led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat on Aug 23 last year, or for a re-trial of his appeal.
Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abdul Rahman Sebli is chairing a five-member panel comprising Federal Court judges Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, Rhodzariah Bujang and Nordin Hassan.
Meanwhile, Court of Appeal judge Abu Bakar Jais has been co-opted to be on the bench by virtue of Article 122 (2) of the Federal Constitution in the interest of justice.  Najib, 69, is represented by lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, while ad hoc prosecutor V Sithambaram is acting for the prosecution.
This is Najib's final attempt via court proceedings to set aside his conviction.
The former Pekan MP has also filed a petition seeking a royal pardon for his conviction in the SRC International case.
Najib, through Messrs Shafee & Co, also filed a petition Jan 5 to the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
The petition was filed at the office of the High Commission of Geneva via digital submission, seeking release or retrial following the the Federal Court appeal hearing which he claimed had serious defects and was contrary to the rules of international justice.


Traffic smooth along major highways ahead of CNY

Traffic flow along several major highways is reportedly smooth and under control ahead of Chinese New Year celebrations tomorrow.A PLUS Malaysia spokesman said as of 11.35am today, traffic heading north and south on the highway was smooth as people had taken the opportunity to return to their hometowns in stages since Friday.Meanwhile, a Malaysian Highway Authority spokesman said the traffic flow on the East Coast Expressway (LPT) 1 and LPT 2 in both directions was also smooth and under control, including at the Sungai Besi and Skudai main toll plazas.“There was a tree falling incident at KM31 Kulai-Sedenak northbound but only the emergency lane was affected,” he said.Traffic updates can be obtained through the Plusline toll-free line at 1-800-88-0000 and its Twitter site www.twitter.com/plustrafik or the LLM line at 1-800-88-7752, as well as on Twitter at www.twitter.com/llminfotrafik.


Daily vaccine jabs hit new high

The highest daily vaccination rate yet was recorded under the National Covid-19 Immunisation programme yesterday, totalling 521,923 doses.Prior to this, the highest number of daily doses was 507,050, recorded on July 22.The Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee said of the total vaccine doses administered yesterday, 333,621 were for first-dose recipients while 188,302 doses were given to second-dose recipients.Selangor recorded the highest vaccination rate yesterday, totalling 130,187 doses, followed by Kuala Lumpur (85,187 doses), Sarawak (38,977 doses) and Perak (32,311).Cumulatively, the committee said a total of 17,839,476 doses have been administered in the country so far.


PH won’t contest under same banner for Sarawak polls

Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) today announced that the coalition’s component parties will not contest under the same banner at the state election on Dec 18.Speaking at a press conference in Kuching, Sarawak PH chairman Chong Chieng Jen said parties would contest under their respective banners.“DAP will use its rocket logo while PKR and Amanah will use their party logos,” the Sarawak DAP chairman said.Chong said the decision was made at a special meeting of the PH leadership in the state on strategies to face the coming election.When asked about seat allocations for PKR, he said PH had finalised the distribution of seats.“It has already been broken down, long ago. It was agreed – 47 seats.”Early this year, Chong said that Sarawak PKR would contest 47 seats, DAP 26 and Amanah nine.The 47 seats to be contested by PKR were: Opar, Tanjung Dato, Pantai Damai, Tupong, Satok, Batu Lintang, Asajaya, Serembu, Tarat, Tebedu, Sadong Jaya, Simunjan, Lingga, Beting Maro, Balai Ringin, Bukit Begunan, Engkilili, Batang Ai, Saribas, Layar, Bukit Saban, Kalaka, Krian, Daro, Pakan, Meluan, Ngemah, Machan, Nangka, Dalat, Tellian, Balingian, Tamin, Kakus, Katibas, Belaga, Murum, Jepak, Bekenu, Lambir, Marudi, Telang Usan, Mulu, Bukit Kota, Batu Danau, Ba Kelalan and Bukit Sari.DAP’s 26 meanwhile were Tasik Biru, Padungan, Pending, Kota Sentosa, Batu Kitang, Batu Kawah, Stakan, Mambong, Kedup, Bukit Semuja, Simanggang, Repok, Meradong, Bukit Assek, Dudong, Bawang Assan, Pelawan, Pelagus, Bukit Goram, Baleh, Tanjong Batu, Kemena, Samalaju, Piasau, Pujut and Senadin.Amanah’s nine seats meanwhile were Demak Laut, Samariang, Muara Tuang, Gedong, Sebuyau, Kabong, Kuala Rajang, Semop and Jemoreng.


No decision yet on dissolving assemblies for PH-led states

There has been no firm decision yet on whether the three Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led states will dissolve their state legislative assemblies following the dissolution of Parliament.
PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim said although the three states were still tied to an earlier decision by the PH Presidential Council not to dissolve their state assemblies, they had been told to hold detailed discussions with their component party leaderships to find common ground on the matter.
"Discuss again in detail with the party leadership for a joint decision to be made," the PKR president told reporters after the PH Presidential Council meeting in Petaling Jaya yesterday.
The council had previously decided that the three states under PH, namely Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang, would not dissolve their state assemblies if the 15th general election (GE15) were to be held this year.
However, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the dissolution of Parliament on Oct 10, paving the way for GE15 after obtaining the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.  On Oct 11, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the request by Penang DAP to review the decision not to dissolve the Penang state legislative assembly would be discussed during the Presidential Council meeting.
On negotiations between PH and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) on forming an alliance in GE15, Anwar said things were positive so far and that talks would continue. "At the moment, cooperation with Muda would be an electoral pact as I do not think the Registrar of Societies would approve (any new membership in PH) now," he said.
Asked whether he would contest the Tambun parliamentary seat in Perak, Anwar said: "Tambun is among the seats I am considering, no final decision yet."


‘Spare the rod and spoil the child’ the wrong approach to problem students, experts say

Experts have sought to discourage the use of punishments as a way to resolve long-standing disciplinary problems among students, saying this will only result in further rebellion among those exhibiting negative behaviour.Those who spoke to MalaysiaNow said it would be more productive to address the root of the problems instead of simply responding to their manifestation.This follows reports of several students at a secondary school in Kelantan who, after completing their SPM examinations, displayed foul language in messages written to their teachers on the back of their uniforms. They were said to have been charged in court under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955 which carries a maximum fine of RM100.Other reports meanwhile said another student, upon finishing his SPM papers, was caught throwing some of his books into a river in an apparent celebration of having completed his exams.These accounts sparked an angry reaction among some on social media who said disciplinary action should be taken against the students.One of the suggestions put forth was for the public use of the demerit system, which would see the sum of merit points chalked up by students throughout their academic career made available to prospective employers or universities.But Putri Afzan Maria Zulkifli, an early childhood practitioner, said punishments should not be seen as the way forward in handling disciplinary issues.“Making rules stricter or attending to disciplinary issues with stringency is not a long-term solution.”She also spoke of a gap between tackling a matter on the surface level and reaching its root cause, saying disciplinary issues are a long-standing problem in schools.She said there is often a lack of positive relationship between teachers and students as the pressure to finish the academic syllabus and deal with the necessary paperwork can hinder the development of good ties.Without a good relationship, she said, there is no trust.“Making rules stricter or attending to disciplinary issues with stringency is not a long-term solution,” she told MalaysiaNow. “It will only make them more rebellious.”Instead, she said the education ministry should raise awareness among teachers, policymakers and parents on the importance of bringing up children with good values and ethics, adding that grownups would need to play a collaborative role in helping problematic children.She also urged the ministry to relook the teaching of Islamic and moral classes, questioning the extent to which lessons are “functional”.“Are these subjects being taught just for the sake of passing exams?”Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, president of the Parent Action Group for Education, agreed that punishments would not solve disciplinary issues.She told MalaysiaNow that such acts are a sign of underlying problems with mental health, saying these students do not know where to seek for help.She said professional counsellors could play an important role in helping the students.“Ensure that counsellors are properly and professionally trained to handle such issues from start to finish,” she said. “They should be full-time specialists, not part-time teachers.”Putri meanwhile said a proper support system should be in place so that students can share their problems.“Scientifically, when a child shows a behaviour, it is the result of an unsettled emotion. So the behaviour that we are seeing in these teenagers could be just that.”But both she and Noor Azimah agreed that while teachers can do their best to help problematic students, the ultimate responsibility for instilling good values in children lies with the parents.“The parents’ role cannot be overemphasised,” Noor Azimah said. “It is the parents who are responsible for moulding children with values. Teachers merely play a supporting role.”


Langkawi is not Batu Puteh, Dr M responds to Johor sultan

Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said allowing land reclamation by Singapore was a more serious disservice to the nation than abiding by the decision of the International Court of Justice declaring Pulau Batu Puteh as belonging to the republic, in a response to the Johor ruler’s criticism of Malaysia’s decision not to appeal the ruling.Mahathir also dismissed Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s comparison of the disputed island to Langkawi, which is also the parliamentary constituency represented by the former prime minister.He said unlike Batu Puteh which is claimed by Singapore, Langkawi has not been claimed by Thailand, or made the subject of an international legal case where two nations had agreed to abide by the outcome.“On the other hand, the Johor government stated that it did not claim Pulau Batu Puteh as belonging to it.“Later, Malaysia claimed that Pulau Batu Puteh belonged to Malaysia. This was then disputed by Singapore, hence the controversy,” he wrote.Last week, Sultan Ibrahim criticised Mahathir’s decision that the Malaysian government would not appeal against the 2008 ruling by the ICJ that Batu Puteh, also known as Pedra Branca, belonged to Singapore.“Was Johor’s sovereignty not important to the government at the time? Why were we treated like a stepchild state?“How would Kedahans feel if Malaysia lost Langkawi to Thailand?” he had asked in a Facebook post.Earlier this month, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced a special task force to study Malaysia’s options in its claim over Batu Puteh.The 8,500 sq m island made up of granite rocks was awarded to Singapore in 2008 after both governments agreed to take their claim to the ICJ.Sultan Ibrahim said the task force must find out the reasons behind Mahathir’s decision to accept the ICJ ruling and not to pursue a case review, adding that it was related to the country’s sovereignty.But Mahathir reminded in his post that Malaysia had undertaken to abide by any decision by the ICJ, and said negotiations over the matter had been futile.“A nation with dignity must honour its promise. If a nation does not honour its promise, no country will enter into any agreement with it, and it will become a pariah state,” he added.Mahathir cited land reclamation by Singapore near Johor waters as an example of Malaysia’s sovereignty being undermined.“If sand is sold for reclamation and to expand another country, it is no different than surrendering parts of the country to another nation.“Today we sell lorryloads and shiploads of water and sand to another country for its expansion.“Or we sell the seashores to be reclaimed, owned and occupied by others,” he said.Mahathir, who has a rocky relationship with the Johor palace, had several times criticised an agreement for Johor to sell raw water to Singapore, saying the city-state has shortchanged Malaysia.Mahathir and Sultan Ibrahim had also traded barbs over the controversial Forest City project, a mega development involving four articifial islands aimed at attracting Chinese home buyers.


Hike in chicken price due to higher feed costs, says minister

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi says the hike in cost of imported chicken feed is among the major causes of the recent increase in chicken prices.He said to remedy the situation, his ministry had held engagement sessions with major chicken farm owners in the country and discussed with the agriculture and food industries ministry about implementing a fixed price for standard chickens.Through this effort, he said the price of standard chickens had been fixed at RM7.90 for the 2021 Aidilfitri Festive Season Maximum Price Control Scheme (SHMMP) which would run from April 21 until May 20, compared to RM7.50 last year.“There are several factors involved in the chicken price increase but the most significant is the hike in cost of chicken feed since January this year, namely imported maize and soya,” he told a media conference when announcing the Aidilfitri SHMMP for this year.The scheme announced involves price controls for 12 items in four categories, namely chicken, chicken eggs, meat and sea produce.According to Nanta, price control has been implemented at every level in the chicken distribution chain from farms to retail shops.“This (price control mechanism) does not burden the traders because all stakeholders in the chicken distribution chain have obtained their respective profits,” he said, voicing hope that fixing the chicken price will reduce the grouses of the people.He added however that the price control only involves live chickens, standard chickens and super chickens during the Aidilfitri festive period.“The prices of chicken parts which have been cut, such as the breast, leg and thigh are not controlled,” he said.Nanta also warned traders against raising the price of chicken or other items above the maximum level.“We encourage them to sell at a lower price than fixed in the 2021 Aidilfitri SHMMP.“We will first advise the traders who raise prices. But legal action will be taken if they are stubborn.”Nanta was reported to have said that his ministry, through the two-day Anti-Profiteering Operation 8.0 (Ops Catut 8.0) from April 15, had issued 24 notices to wholesalers suspected of obtaining excessive profits.Ops Catut 8.0, which was implemented following a drastic hike in the price of chicken, also issued 16 notices to livestock farmers for the same offence.


Former Mara Inc chairman faces 22 counts of bribery over Aussie property deal

A former Mara Incorporated Sdn Bhd (Mara Inc) chairman is facing 22 charges of receiving bribes totalling RM33.45 million from controversial property purchases in Melbourne, Australia.Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Azam Baki confirmed the arrest of the former chairman, aged 65, at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya at noon today.“He will be taken to the Special Corruption Court at 9am this Friday to face 22 bribery charges under Sections 16(a) and 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009 as well as Section 2(4) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.“The suspect is alleged to have received bribes of RM33.45 million from the purchase of properties by Mara Inc in Australia,” he told Bernama today.According to MACC sources, investigations into the case began after news portal The Sydney Morning Herald reported last year that a Malaysian living in Australia had been charged with bribing a foreign officer in relation to the sale of the Dudley International House student dormitory in Melbourne to Mara Inc.Australian newspaper The Age also claimed that a group of wealthy Malaysian officers had overpaid by A$4.75 million (RM13.8 million) for an apartment block in the city in 2013 and that the difference had been channelled to several people.Dudley International House is a student dormitory bought by Mara, an agency that provides scholarships to Malaysian students furthering their studies overseas.Mara Inc also owns a 12-storey building in Swanston Street, Melbourne that was purchased in 2012 with media reporting that it had suffered losses of almost RM60 million in that transaction.Mara Inc owns another building on Exhibition Street.The combined value of all three properties in Melbourne reaches RM300 million.


Opec+ discussing deepening oil production cuts, sources say

Opec and its allies are discussing deepening oil production cuts, possibly by as much as one million barrels per day, three sources told Reuters on Friday as oil prices fell towards US$70 (RM320.42) per barrel and market analysts spoke of a new supply glut.
Opec+, which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia, pumps around 40% of the world's crude, meaning its policy decisions can have a major impact on oil prices.
Three Opec+ sources said cuts were being discussed among options for Sunday, when Opec+ ministers gather at 2pm in Vienna (1200 GMT). Before then, Opec ministers will meet at 11am on Saturday.
The sources said cuts could amount to one million bpd on top of existing cuts of two million bpd and voluntary cuts of 1.6 million bpd that was announced in a surprise move in April.
If approved, it would take the total volume of reductions to 4.66 million bpd, or around 4.5% of global demand. Earlier, two Opec+ sources said they did not expect the group to agree further cuts.
Western nations have accused Opec of manipulating oil prices and undermining the global economy through high energy costs.
In return, Opec officials and insiders have said the West's money-printing over the last decade has driven inflation and forced oil-producing nations to act to maintain the value of their main export.
"We will never hesitate to take any decision to achieve more balance and stability (on) the global oil market," Iraq's Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani said on arriving in Vienna.
The surprise output announcement in April helped to drive oil prices about US$9 per barrel higher to above US$87, but they swiftly retreated, under pressure from concerns about global economic growth and demand. On Friday, international benchmark Brent was trading around US$76.
Last week, Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz said investors who were shorting the oil price should "watch out", which many market watchers interpreted as a warning of additional supply cuts.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, however, subsequently said he did not expect any new steps from Opec+ in Vienna, Russian media reported.
The International Energy Agency expects global oil demand to rise further in the second half of 2023, potentially boosting oil prices.
Analysts at JP Morgan, however, said Opec had not acted quickly enough to adjust supply to high levels of US fuel output.
"Demand growth continues to be robust. Rather, there is simply too much supply... The alliance waited too long to reduce supply. The alliance – or at least some members – would likely need to cut more," analysts from JP Morgan said in a note.
Rapidan Energy Group analysts put the chances of a further cut at 40%.
"Ministers are determined to avoid a repeat of 2008, when a sudden collapse in global economic and financial stability sent crude prices from over US$140 to US$35 in six months," they wrote.


Thailand to lift tourist quarantine for Phuket

Thailand on Friday announced plans for an experimental quarantine-free model in ultra-popular beach destination Phuket, as the kingdom attempts to resuscitate its pandemic-battered economy.Thailand has imposed massive restrictions visitor arrivals in order to stem coronavirus, but discouraging tourism has led to its economy recording the worst performance since the 1997 Asian financial crisis.The impact has reverberated across the country’s services sectors – bruising entertainment, retail, hotels and restaurants.Thailand’s tourism tsar announced Friday that Phuket – renowned for its sandy beaches and sapphire waters – will be used as a testTourists who have been vaccinated will be allowed to travel there without mandatory hotel quarantine.Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the “Phuket sandbox model” would begin some time from July onwards.Foreign visitors will be required to have had two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, a certificate signifying negative test results, and to download a mobile tracking application.Yuthasak also confirmed that six tourism-reliant cities will have slashed quarantine times for vaccinated travellers beginning next month – including beach resorts Krabi, Ko Samui and Pattaya.Arrivals will undergo a seven-day quarantine period and will be permitted in areas around their hotels – a marked difference for current visitors who are required to stay confined to their rooms for two weeks.The plans still require final approval by the government.Some 40 million tourists were expected to arrive in 2020, but only 6.7 million managed to enter the kingdom, according to data from the tourism and sports ministry.Thailand’s tough approach has kept the coronavirus largely in check – the kingdom has registered about 28,500 cases in a population of 70 million.


Highway developer issues stop-work order after car hit by concrete slab

The developer of the Sungai Besi-Ulu Klang Elevated Expressway (SUKE), Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas), has issued a stop-work order following today’s incident in which a wall slab from the ongoing highway construction fell and hit a car along the Middle Ring Road 2 in Bandar Tasik Selatan.In a statement, Prolintas said it would cooperate fully with the authorities in the matter.“The SUKE emergency response team is already at the scene to control traffic and remove the parapet wall and the car involved (in the incident).“Any inconvenience caused is much regretted and SUKE will ensure that all aspects of safety are prioritised and improved from time to time,” it said.The driver of the car, a 25-year-old woman, escaped with injuries to her left hand when the concrete slab fell and hit her car at about 5.45pm.


Putrajaya announces extensions, benefits for contract doctors, promising comprehensive plan on the way

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today announced a two-year extension of contract for medical officers, dentists and pharmacists once they have completed their compulsory service, calling it a short-term measure to address the problems recently highlighted while the government drafts out a more comprehensive, long-term solution.He said the Cabinet had also agreed to extend by up to four years the services of contract doctors who have been accepted for specialisation in their fields.“The government greatly appreciates the contribution of doctors on the front line of the Covid-19 war and will remain committed to ensuring that the welfare and career paths of contract medical, dental and pharmacy officers are given due attention and fairness,” he said.His announcement came in the wake of demands for the authorities to resolve the plight of contract doctors who have yet to be absorbed into permanent positions.Health Minister Dr Adham Baba recently said that the issue would be brought to the Cabinet, urging doctors in the current contract scheme to remain patient.In his statement today, Muhyiddin said the health ministry had presented a proposal on the matter to the Cabinet on July 14.He said the Cabinet had agreed to extend the benefits enjoyed by permanent officers such as full paid study leave and sponsorships in order to ensure equal treatment.Other agreements include the improvement of facilities or benefits offered to contract medical officers, dental officers and pharmacists such as special leave and assistance with the fare for returning to their home towns.“These decisions will also give the government space to finalise the study on the ongoing reforms to the health system, examine the existing provisions in the Medical Act 1971 and formulate a long-term direction for healthcare services,” he said.


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