Japan PM promises no more war as ministers visit controversial shrine

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged to never again wage war on the anniversary of Japan's World War Two surrender, while members of his cabinet marked the date with visits to a controversial shrine, moves set to anger China and South Korea.
With the Yasukuni Shrine seen as a symbol of Japan's past militarism, Tokyo's ties with China are already particularly strained this year after Beijing conducted unprecedented military exercises around Taiwan following the visit there by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier this month.
During the drills, several missiles fell in waters inside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone.
The anniversary commemoration's links to Yasukuni, a site that honours 14 Japanese wartime leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal, as well as war dead, saw Kishida face a tricky balancing act on Monday.
On the dovish side of the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), his task was to avoid irking international neighbours and partners while still keeping the more right-wing members of the party happy – particularly after the killing of former premier Shinzo Abe last month.
Kishida sent an offering to the central Tokyo shrine without visiting, Kyodo news agency reported. He also sent offerings to Yasukuni during festivals last year and this spring.
"We will never again repeat the horrors of war. I will continue to live up to this determined oath," Kishida told a secular gathering elsewhere in Tokyo, also attended by Emperor Naruhito.
"In a world where conflicts are still unabated, Japan is a proactive leader in peace," he said.
Footage on broadcaster NHK showed the shrine being visited early on Monday by several cabinet ministers, including Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi. Earlier the site was visited by Koichi Hagiuda, the head of the LDP's policy research council and a key ally of Abe.
"It is natural for any country to pay respect to those who gave their lives for their country," chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said earlier on Monday. "Japan will continue to strengthen its relations with its neighbours, including China and South Korea."
A group of lawmakers that normally visit en masse on Aug 15 said last week they would not do so due to a recent surge in coronavirus cases.
Abe was the last prime minister in recent memory to visit Yasukuni while in office, in 2013 – a visit that outraged both China and South Korea and even drew a rebuke from its close ally the US.
The US and Japan have become staunch security allies in the decades since the war's end, but its legacy still haunts East Asia.
Koreans, who mark the date as National Liberation Day, resent Japan's 1910-1945 colonisation of the peninsula, while China has bitter memories of imperial troops' invasion and occupation of parts of the country from 1931-1945.
Kishida has pledged to substantially increase Japan's defence budget, citing the increasingly tense regional security environment, but made no mention in a recent speech of one of Abe's dreams – revising the country's pacifist constitution – although he has spoken of it before.


New infections hover at 1,000 as another 3 deaths reported

Another 1,054 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,452,835.There were 4,107 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,388,491.There are now 28,777 active cases, of which 27,361 or 95.1% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 14 (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 1,328 (4.6%) have been hospitalised.A total of 74 are in ICU with 41 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 55.9%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 10.0%.Another three deaths were reported. Total deaths now stand at 35,567.


Fahmi denies PKR offer of membership to Khairy

PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil, who is also Pakatan Harapan communications director, denies that the party had issued a letter of offer for former Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin to join as deputy president.
"It is a fake letter circulating on social media, please be aware," Fahmi, who is also the communications and digital minister, said in a Twitter post.
The offer letter purportedly issued by the PKR secretary-general’s office and signed by Saifuddin Nasution Ismail asked Khairy to give an answer within seven days from the date that the letter was issued.
Khairy was sacked from Umno earlier this year for breaching party discipline.


Flood crisis shows importance of being prepared, expert says

Nor Syaima Rozman was spending a quiet Saturday at home with her family when water from the nearby Sungai Klang began to overflow due to the rain that had been falling steadily all day.By 6pm, the water level in her house had reached knee level. She and her family rushed to pack some basic necessities and clothing before moving to a neighbour’s house further uphill.But by 8pm, the flood waters had reached that house too.“We moved out to a two-storey warehouse,” Nor Syaima told MalaysiaNow. “There were 50 of us including the neighbours’ families. We stayed there until 4am.Nor Syaima Rozman, her family and others from her neighbourhood were stranded overnight at a warehouse after flood waters covered the area.“We had children with us, disabled people and senior citizens. There was no food.”Nor Syaima was among the thousands of people displaced by the floods in Selangor and the greater Klang Valley. As of Dec 20, more than 32,000 in the state had been evacuated to 162 relief centres, with Klang recording the most victims at 18,858.In Taman Sri Muda, Bukit Lanchong and Hulu Langat, which bore the brunt of the floods, houses were swept away and cars abandoned by the roads.While floods are an annual occurrence in Malaysia, particularly in the east coast, the massive torrents over the weekend caught the authorities off guard.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Norhazlina Fairuz Musa Kutty of the National Defence University said government agencies had not been expecting such major flash floods in the Klang Valley.“The problem is familiar but we did not take it seriously,” Norhazlina who is attached to the university’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief research centre said.“We think that flash floods come and go quickly but now we see that the effects are the same as that of the floods caused by the monsoon season, which could go on for days.”Hazlina, whose research focuses on civil-military urban disaster management in the Klang Valley, said interviews with various government agencies had revealed that personnel were prepared for the monsoon season in the east coast, but not the unexpected flash floods in urban areas.Such disasters are more complicated in urban areas which have higher levels of population density than rural heartlands, she said.The Klang Valley floods have been attributed in part to the unusually high rainfall on Friday, when an average one month’s worth of rain came dumping down in just one day.Zaini Ujang, secretary-general of the environment and water ministry, said such a phenomena occurs about once every 100 years.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he attributed it to monsoon flow factors and a low-pressure weather system.Hazllina meanwhile said it was important to always be alert to the possibility of flash floods.She suggested that the government follow in the footsteps of Indonesia by creating a consortium comprising agencies and NGOs to handle the relevant assets.“Those agencies require new assets but the issue is the maintenance of those assets along with the existing ones,” she said.“Under a consortium, funds could be channelled to it. Each agency can allocate part of their budget to it. The money will be used for those assets and their maintenance.”While a disaster law would help ensure better enforcement in management, she said, responsibility should not be placed on government bodies alone.One of Nor Syaima Rozman’s neighbours who is disabled was placed in a plastic tank meant for collecting water as she could not make her way up the stairs.This is where the concept of total defence or pertahanan menyeluruh (Hanruh) comes into play.Hanruh is part of a comprehensive security system that brings together communities, state and non-state actors.Again, she referred to the situation in Indonesia which has what is known as the Bela Negara doctrine.“It starts from preschool,” she said. “Everything they do, whether it’s cleaning the streets or unclogging the drains, they do for the country. This idea has been assimilated into society.”She gave the example of Acheh, which, although behind Malaysia in terms of development, is prepared for disaster at a community level, she said.“When it comes to responding to disasters, we depend 100% on the government,” she added.Hazlina said it is also important for people to be self-reliant for the first 24 to 48 hours after disaster strikes, while waiting for aid to arrive.Back in Puchong, Nor Syaima was finally rescued by members of an NGO who made the trip to the warehouse by boat.Now, she and her family are assessing the damage to their house, sifting through what remains of their possessions.Thinking back, she said, the flood had been unexpected.“We had no emergency bag – we didn’t think of it,” she said. “But we may need one some day. We might also need a store, somewhere safe to keep our belongings.”


Forex losses a bigger national embarrassment, says Najib in potshot at Dr M

Najib Razak today questioned remarks by panel judges when delivering their decision in the Court of Appeal describing the RM42 million transactions into his bank accounts as a “national embarrassment”.Instead, the former prime minister took aim at Dr Mahathir Mohamad, referring to the foreign exchange losses which took place during the veteran leader’s first term in office, saying these were a bigger national embarassment.“If you talk about national embarrassment, there are other scandalous issues, for example the scandal surrounding the foreign exchange which led to losses of about RM31 billion.“Isn’t that a much more colossal national embarassment?” he asked during a joint virtual press conference with his lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, hours after losing his appeal to overturn his conviction for seven charges of power abuse, criminal breach of trust and money laundering related to the transfer of RM42 million from SRC International to his private bank accounts.Delivering the judgment today, Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, one of the three appeals court judges who unanimously maintained the High Court’s verdict on Najib, referred to a defence argument during the trial which said that loans totalling RM4 billion from the government’s Retirement Fund Inc (KWAP) to SRC International, from which the RM42 million to Najib originated, were approved in the name of national interest.“There was no national interest when RM42 million was transferred into Najib’s accounts, only national embarrassment,” Karim said as he read out the judgment brief.The remark also drew criticism from Shafee, who said it was “unnecessary”.Najib said he had always promoted national interests during his political career.“Of course, I am very very disappointed with that,” he said on the judge’s remark.He said under his leadership, the total assets of the country grew from RM800 billion to RM2 trillion.“Therefore I created a lot of wealth for the country.”Although Najib did not name Mahathir, it was clear that he was referring to some US$10 billion losses allegedly incurred by Bank Negara Malaysia between 1987 and 1992.In 2017, as Mahathir led mounting opposition against Najib over revelations surrounding the 1MDB scandal, the Barisan Nasional government at the time established a royal commission of inquiry (RCI), which grilled Mahathir among others.Najib said the RCI to investigate the losses was not followed up on by the Pakatan Harapan government which came to power in 2018.“A loss of RM31 billion was classified as ‘no further action’,” he added.Meanwhile, to a question on whether he is planning to contest the next general election, Najib said there were several considerations to take into account.“We will cross that bridge when we come to it.“There are political considerations and personal considerations to be made,” the Pekan MP said.


Govt scraps approved permit requirements for food imports

The government has agreed to dispense with approved permit (AP) requirements for food imports, effective immediately, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.With this, he said the importation of food was now open to all quarters to ensure an adequate supply of food in the country.Speaking to reporters in Putrajaya, he said the decision was made at a Cabinet meeting today.He added that further details would be announced by the agriculture and food industries ministry.“But we agreed that there will be no more APs for foodstuffs,” he said.“Previously, there were APs to import beef and cattle but from today, these are no longer required and anyone can import whatever food items to ensure sufficient supply.”This comes amid concerns that Malaysia could face a food crisis due to factors such as inflation, the increase in oil price, extreme weather conditions, the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.According to Bernama, Malaysia has been importing over RM50 billion in basic foodstuff such as rice (30%), beef (78%), lamb (nearly 90%) and cabbage (60%) on an annual basis.Ismail said he had also ordered the agriculture and food industries ministry to prepare short- and long-term plans to avoid a food crisis.“We know that the whole world is worried, not just us alone, about the effects of the armed conflict which could cause a food supply shortage.“The agriculture and food industries ministry has also been asked to take immediate measures over the rising cost of living in this country,” he said.On reports that a chicken farming industry cartel was planning to close its farms this weekend to protest a delay in subsidy payments of 60 sen on the price of chicken, Ismail said the delay had been caused by certain procedures.He added that the ministry had been asked to speed up payments.


Trial of officer charged in George Floyd’s death to begin

Minneapolis residents braced for the opening on Monday of what is sure to be one of the nation’s most closely watched trials in years – that of the white policeman charged with killing George Floyd, a black man whose dying struggles were captured on a video seen around the world.Jury selection begins at 8am, though final debates over the exact charges against Derek Chauvin – the now former city officer who used his knee to pin a pleading, gasping Floyd by the neck to the pavement for nearly nine minutes – could yet delay the proceedings.For now, Chauvin is facing second-degree murder and manslaughter charges. He has been released on bail and will appear in court.Floyd’s death laid bare already sore racial wounds in the US, sparking months of sometimes violent protests against racial injustice and police brutality, both in the US and abroad.Lawyers for both sides face the difficult task of finding jurors who, in the intensely publicised case, have not already made up their minds about Chauvin’s guilt.The process is expected to take up to three weeks, with arguments slated to begin on March 29.But protesters already gathered near the courthouse on Sunday, with many holding up “Black Lives Matter” placards and demanding “justice for George Floyd”.Chauvin’s case promises to be extraordinary: it will feature star attorneys, be held under tight security and be livestreamed.It will also be watched as a potential marker of change in a country that recently elected its first black vice-president, but where police officers historically have often escaped punishment for abusive acts.It will feature gripping testimony, as foreshadowed Sunday by Benjamin Crump, a prominent civil rights attorney representing the Floyd family.“You look at the video, and you hear him say 28 times, ‘I can’t breathe,'” Crump told ABC’s “This Week.”“The public is begging the police to take the knee off his neck. They say his nose is bleeding; he can’t breathe; he is going unconscious – you’re going to kill him.”Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, social distancing rules mean seating will be limited, with the Floyd and Chauvin families given only one seat a day.Despite intense global interest, only two reporters will be allowed in each day.The Minnesota attorney-general’s office brought in Neal Katyal, a former US acting solicitor general who has argued cases before the Supreme Court, to help with the prosecution.Ashley Heiberger, a former police officer who now works as an advisor on police practices, said: “The fact that a police officer has been charged criminally for an abusive use of force, that in and of itself is an outlier.”“It’s even rarer for them to be convicted.”The circumstances surrounding 44-year-old Chauvin’s case, however, are so troubling that “to the best of my knowledge, no police officers or police organizations came out and defended his action,” Heiberger said.Three other police officers involved in Floyd’s arrest – Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao – face lesser charges and will be tried separately.All four officers were fired by the Minneapolis Police Department.Floyd’s arrest was prompted by accusations that he tried to pass a counterfeit US$20 bill in a nearby store.‘Exactly as he was trained to do’Chauvin, a 19-year veteran of the force, was released from prison on bail in the fall and is expected to plead not guilty to the murder and manslaughter charges.“Chauvin acted according to MPD policy, his training and within his duties as a licensed peace officer of the state of Minnesota,” according to his lawyer, Eric Nelson. “He did exactly as he was trained to do.”According to Nelson, Floyd died of an overdose of fentanyl.An autopsy did find traces of the drug in Floyd’s system but said the cause of death was “neck compression”.It will take a unanimous verdict by the 12-member jury to put Chauvin behind bars for what could be a long prison sentence.A hung jury could give rise to another wave of anti-racism demonstrations.The authorities have mobilised thousands of police officers and members of the National Guard to provide security and the courthouse has been surrounded by concrete barriers and barbed-wire fencing.Outside, thousands of protesters marched around the courthouse on Sunday, bearing a replica coffin covered in roses and a banner printed with Floyd’s last words: “I can’t breathe.”Several told AFP they worry Chauvin will walk free.“I hope that our legal system allows all evidence to be presented and that we get a conviction, but I don’t expect it,” said Billie Jean Vanknight, a 43-year-old black woman.Prospective jurors have been presented with a 16-page questionnaire.“How favorable or unfavorable are you about Black Lives Matter?” is one of the questions.“Have you ever watched video of George Floyd’s death?” is another. “If yes, how many times?”


Ex-Pakistan PM Khan's supporters vow to block his arrest on terrorism charges

Supporters of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan gathered outside his home on Monday to stop police arresting him on anti-terrorism charges related to a weekend televised speech.
Police filed charges against former cricket star Khan on Saturday over what they said was a threat in the speech in which he spoke about police torture of an aide who faces sedition charges for inciting mutiny in the military.
"We will not spare you," Khan said in the speech, in which he named the police chief and the judge involved in the case against his aide. "We will sue you."
Police cited that comment in a report seen by Reuters.
"The purpose of the speech was to spread terror amongst the police and the judiciary and prevent them from doing their duty," police said in the report.
Dozens of supporters gathered outside his home on Monday chanting slogans against the government and the police.
"I had called to take legal action against them (police officers and judicial magistrate)," Khan said, adding the government had nevertheless registered a terrorism case against him.
"All these things show that we don’t have rule of law in Pakistan," he said, adding he has 16 cases against him, in addition to this latest terrorism case.
"They will have to run over us before they can reach Khan," supporter Sher Jahan Khan said outside Khan's hilltop home overlooking the capital, Islamabad.
"If Imran Khan is arrested... we will take over Islamabad with people's power," a former minister in Khan's cabinet, Ali Amin Gandapur, threatened in a post on Twitter.
Later in the day, a court granted Khan three days of pre-arrest bail, Khan's lawyer, Babar Awan, told reporters, after which the protesters began to disperse.
Khan was prime minister from 2018 until April this year when he was forced to step down after losing a confidence vote in parliament. Since then, he has been campaigning for new elections.
Khan appeared at the main gate of his home to wave to supporters, according to a tweet posted at the official page of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Khan was not available for comment but Fawad Chaudhry, a spokesman for the PTI, dismissed the accusations against Khan as politically motivated, telling reporters they were being used to block Khan from leading anti-government rallies.
The use of anti-terrorism laws as the basis of cases against political leaders is not uncommon in Pakistan, where Khan's government also used them against opponents and critics.
Khan rose to power with what political analysts said was the support of the military and he won election on a conservative agenda that appealed to many middle class and religious voters.
But analysts said Khan fell out with the military after a dispute over the appointment of a spy chief.
Khan denied ever having military support and the military, which has ruled the country for more than three decades of Pakistan's 75-year history, denies involvement in civilian politics.


Vegetable prices spike in flood-hit Pakistan as food crisis looms

Vegetable and fruit prices have soared in markets across Pakistan as devastating rains ruin crops and disrupt supplies, an early sign of how the worst floods in decades are creating food shortages at a time of financial crisis.
Pakistan's 220 million people are already facing rampant inflation, with consumer prices up 24.9% year-on-year in July. The economy is in turmoil, with fast-depleting foreign reserves and a record depreciation of the rupee against the US dollar.
That leaves the country particularly vulnerable as it counts the cost of extreme monsoon rains through August that have killed more than 1,100 people.
Damage to homes and infrastructure will run into billions of dollars, while losses in the key farming sector have yet to be fully assessed.
In the eastern city of Lahore, close to the border with India and far from the worst floods in Sindh province, prices of some vegetables have tripled.
"Last week, I sold onions for 90 rupees a kg and today the government price is 300 per kg," said vegetable seller Ahmad Ali. The Pakistani government sets prices for some fresh produce, although traders often ignore the guidelines.
Tomatoes and onions are among the most common ingredients in Pakistani cooking, and tens of thousands of tonnes of each are consumed each month.
"The supply of vegetables and fruit to Lahore is getting lower day by day because of the flood, rains and destruction to roads," said Malik Salim Awan, a supplier at Lahore's fruit and vegetable market.
"Before the current scenario, we were receiving over 100 trucks (of fresh produce) daily. Now, we receive 10 to 15 trucks only," Awan said.
Officials say that more than two million acres (809,371 hectares) of agricultural land have been flooded, destroying most standing crops and preventing farmers from sowing new ones.
Warehouses emptying
Hundreds of kilometres (miles) from Lahore, people must clear up flooded homes at the same time as worry about where the next meal will come from.
"Tomatoes were 60 rupees a kg, and now they are more than 200... even the price of flour is double now," said Sain Bukash Husain, 20, whose home in the village of Garhi Yasin in the southern province of Sindh has been badly damaged.
"What can we do?"
Sindh, with a population of 50 million, has been hardest hit, with 697mm of rain thus far in the monsoon period, or 466% above the 30-year monsoon average. Pakistan as a whole has seen nearly 190% more rain than the 30-year average.
In Dera Ismail Khan, in central Pakistan along the Indus River, warehouses storing vegetables are already emptying out.
The government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scrambling to secure supplies.
"The rice crop has been washed away," Sharif told reporters after visiting northern Pakistan. "Fruit and vegetables are gone." He said flood waters had swept away 700,000 livestock.
Pakistan's agrarian sector powers the economy and feeds the people, accounting for more than a fifth of the country's output, employing up to 40% of the workforce and producing goods worth around US$80 billion annually.
Commerce Minister Naveed Qamar said on Wednesday that the government was close to an agreement to import vegetables and other edible goods from Iran and Afghanistan, and an urgent request had gone to the cabinet to approve it.
"Prices are up already. If you go to buy onions you wouldn't get it. If you go to buy tomatoes you will get it at a much higher price," Qamar told a news conference, citing the fallout of the floods.


Johor health department to act against contract doctors who join strike

The Johor state health department (JKNJ) is likely to take disciplinary action against contract doctors in the state who participate in a strike expected to take place nationwide from today.
JKNJ director Dr Aman Rabu however said that action will only be imposed if the contract doctors fail to heed the advice given to them against participating in the strike.
He said hospital directors in each district have also been advised to ensure that their officers are present to carry out their duties.
"Our services are running as usual, that's our guarantee. If it (the strike) happens, action will be taken against those who take part, as directed by the health ministry," he said at a press conference in Johor Bahru yesterday.
Also present was Johor state health and unity committee chairman Ling Tian Soon. He said so far, the department had not received any information on whether there would be a strike among contract doctors in the state.
Meanwhile, Ling said the Johor government was always ready to listen to the complaints of contract doctors and convey their wishes to the health ministry, even though it was not within the state’s jurisdiction to do so.


STPM results out on Aug 18

The Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) results for 2021 will be released on Aug 18, the Malaysian Examinations Council announced today.
In a statement, it said STPM candidates would be able to collect their result slips at their schools from 12 noon onwards.
Both school and private candidates can also check their results via short message system (SMS) by typing STPM<space>No.K/P<space>Roll Number and sending it to 15888.
This system will be activated from 11am onwards until 12 noon on Aug 28.
Checks can also be made online at http://stpm.mpm.edu.my/stpmK, from 12 noon onnwards on Aug 18.


Walk-in jabs for senior citizens extended nationwide

Walk-in vaccinations for senior citizens aged 60 and above will be extended throughout the country from next week, National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.The direct vaccination approach which began in the Klang Valley on July 17 allows people in the group to walk into any vaccination centre in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor for their Covid-19 shots.Khairy said the current statistics at the national level have seen 95% of senior citizens registered to receive Covid-19 vaccine jabs.In a media conference on the development of PICK today, he said the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) had decided to extend walk-in vaccinations from the Klang Valley to all states.He said the move was to help each state achieve the threshold value of 40% of the adult population receive both doses of vaccine by Aug 31.Towards this objective, Khairy said PICK had set two criteria in delivering vaccines to all states which are outbreak control and states with low rates of vaccination.“We want to ensure that states with low rates of vaccination are assisted towards achieving the 40% threshold value,” he said.On the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines, Khairy said to date the country has received 11.34 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, 2.41 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 14.4 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine.He also said CITF would be discussing the need to procure additional Sinovac doses in the meeting of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply this Friday.On allegations that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine manufacturer would be raising its prices, Khairy said the government’s negotiation with the manufacturer for purchase in 2022 would commence.“We have not finalised the procurement required by Malaysia including the selling price,” he said.


Questions over fate of smoking endgame bill after govt delists nicotine

Despite assurances by the prime minister, questions linger over the fate of the generational endgame bill, meant to curb the smoking habit among the youth, after the health ministry's move to delist liquid or gel nicotine as a poisonous substance.
Anwar Ibrahim said in the Dewan Rakyat on April 4 that the Tobacco Products and Smoking Control Bill, championed by former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, would be tabled during the Parliament session in May.
He also apologised for the delay caused by calls for a review of the bill by a special parliamentary committee.
But public health group Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy also noted Anwar's remarks that a ban on vape and cigarettes would be "drastic action" and difficult to implement.
"Since that is fundamentally the cornerstone of the GEG policy which is to ban the use of cigarettes, vape and e-cigarettes from generations born from 2007 onwards, does that mean the GEG component has been removed from the bill?" Galen CEO Azrul Mohd Khalib said.
The move to exempt liquid or gel nicotine – the main ingredient for vape products – from categorisation as a controlled substance under the Poisons Act came despite unanimous objection from the Poisons Board.
Public health expert Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar acknowledged Anwar's comments on the difficulty of controlling the smoking habit, saying no country had succeeded in this regard with the exception of Bhutan in 2010.
But while Bhutan became the first country to prohibit smoking and the sale of tobacco products in public places, the ban crumbled after a decade, when the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic forced policymakers to legalise the sale of tobacco once more.
Nevertheless, Zainal said the government should control the use of cigarettes and vape to reduce addiction and harm to health, including through taxation.
He added that nicotine should have been delisted only after the GEG bill was tabled and approved.
"Right now, the government has opened the floodgates for nicotine, vape and other related products.
"Everyone, including children, will be able to access and use nicotine, which will eventually lead to nicotine addiction," he said, urging the government to postpone its decision on delisting nicotine until the GEG bill is passed into law.
Vaping is often seen as an alternative to smoking for those looking to kick the habit.
But a report published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in December 2021 said vaping significantly increases the risk of chronic lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema.
Co-author Jonathan Grigg, a professor in paediatrics and respiratory disease, said vaping should only be used to help those trying to quit smoking.
"Vapes should not be used by children, young people or non-smokers," he said.


TikTok users protest proposals for US ban at Congress

A group of TikTok content creators descended on the US Capitol Wednesday to protest against calls for a ban on the popular Chinese-owned video-sharing app, amid fears that it presents a national security threat.
Lawmakers and government officials have complained that TikTok's parent company ByteDance is able to pass users' data to the government in Beijing and are calling for it to be removed from app stores unless it is sold to a US firm.
Supporters argue that the platform is no more prone to data breaches than any other apps that collect personal information and that lawmakers should be working to firm up privacy laws rather than spoiling their fun.
A group of around a dozen teenagers, teachers and business owners rallied at Congress to discuss their opposition to a potential ban and draw attention to the benefits of TikTok on their lives and livelihoods.
Some in the crowd said they had been flown to Washington by the company, US media reported.
"I kind of built my business on TikTok, so this poses somewhat of a problem for me and my business," aspiring soapmaking entrepreneur @countrylather2020 told her 70,000 followers in a video recorded after she arrived in the capital.
"Are there other platforms out there? Absolutely – I'm on them. But none of them have the reach that TikTok has."
The app – which recently revealed it has 150 million US users – is already outlawed on all federal and some state government devices and is blocked by several public universities, but lawmakers and President Joe Biden are weighing a total ban.
The company's CEO Shou Zi Chew is due to testify in Congress on Thursday, where he is expected to tell the House Energy and Commerce Committee: "ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country."


Better for Amanah to merge with DAP, analysts say on PKR tie-up proposal

Analysts say a suggestion that Amanah work with PKR will not succeed in attracting the Malay vote to Pakatan Harapan (PH), adding that the PAS splinter will have a bigger impact if it joins forces with DAP.Awang Azman Awang Pawi of Universiti Malaya said PKR already has Malay and Islamic elements through several of its main leaders.If DAP works with Amanah, he added, Malay concerns about the Chinese-majority party will be eased.“DAP could give Amanah the posts of deputy or vice-presidents, or a place on its Supreme Council,” he told MalaysiaNow.“If this happens, it could dilute the ‘Chinese-ness’ of DAP which is frequently the target of perception and propaganda manipulation by its political foes.”His remarks are in sync with those of Sungai Pelek assemblyman Ronnie Liu, who called for DAP to link up with other parties to become an entity that represents all races.Most recently, he said that party would need rebranding to discard DAP’s Chinese image.The suggestion for ties between PKR and Amanah surfaced after PH’s defeat at the Melaka election last month, which saw Barisan Nasional forming the state government with a two-thirds majority of the 38 seats contested in the polls.PKR did not win any seats while DAP saw a drop in the number of seats held by its representatives.Some observers attributed the defeat to PH’s failure to bring in the Malay vote, leading to the call for PKR and Amanah to join forces for this purpose.PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said the proposal could be implemented but would need to be discussed first, while the Amanah leadership flatly rejected it.Amanah was formed in 2015 by former PAS leaders who met defeat in the party elections that year.The PH component party which was part of the coalition at its historic victory in the 2018 general election champions progressive Islam as its ideology.Awang Azman said those in the middle class see DAP as a mainly Chinese party which needs to prove that it represents all races in Malaysia.‘Amanah will sink’But Ahmad Marthada Mohamed of Universiti Utara Malaysia said a merger of DAP and Amanah would be difficult to implement given their differences in ideology.“It would benefit DAP in terms of image but Amanah would be straying from its founding principles,” he said.He added however that Amanah would need to consider the prospect of merging with other parties in the interest of its survival.In terms of the Malay vote, Marthada said Amanah would have zero chances if Umno, PAS and Bersatu team up at the 15th general election.He said PKR was a good alternative given that the party has support from the Malay voters which Amanah is also looking to tap.“If you look at the situation in detail, Amanah has no grassroots support,” he said.“Basically, voters support PH. They don’t support Amanah.”On how the Chinese would react if DAP merges with Amanah, Awang Azman said those who were unhappy would need to accept the reality of pluralism in Malaysia.“PH’s problem is convincing the Malay voters,” he said. “Just 10% of the Malay vote is enough for PH to win.”


134 deaths as new cases dip to 16,840

Another 16,840 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 1,095,486.Selangor recorded 6,092 cases, Kuala Lumpur 2,114, Kedah 1,281, Johor 1,104, Negeri Sembilan 1,079 and Sabah 1,066.Perak recorded 810 cases, Penang 689, Kelantan 656, Melaka 581, Pahang 540, Sarawak 450, Terengganu 258 and Putrajaya 100.Perlis recorded 13 cases and Labuan seven.Active cases stand at 183,706 with 1,055 in the ICU and 532 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 12,179 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 902,921.However, 134 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 8,859.


Govt appoints new MCMC chairman

Mohamad Salim Fateh Din has been appointed as the new Malaysian Communications and Multimedia (MCMC) chairman for a term of two years, effective March 1.
His appointment was announced by Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil in a Facebook post today.
"I believe his appointment will help us in the effort to overcome all communication infrastructure issues, including for the 3% of the population who have yet to get access to the internet, to address the digital gap and drive Malaysia towards a golden digital decade," Fahmi said.
Salim served as an MCMC board member and interim chairman from June 2022 to January 2023.


Sorry.


Australia's former PM Morrison defends secret minister roles

Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday defended taking on extra ministerial roles without his cabinet's knowledge during the Covid-19 pandemic, saying it was "an unprecedented time" and that the powers served as a safeguard.
Labour Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday Morrison had sought to centralise power and that he would seek legal advice from the Solicitor-General, Australia's second law officer, on the arrangements.
Morrison's actions to make himself health, finance and resources minister between 2020 and 2021 have also drawn criticism from his Liberal party's coalition partner, the National party, and former Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, as undermining Westminster parliamentary traditions.
Morrison, who lost office in a national election in May, said in a radio interview on Tuesday he didn't make the arrangements public because they were a safeguard only and the ministerial powers for health and finance were not triggered.
"We had to take some extraordinary measures to put safeguards in place," he told radio station 2GB, likening it to having two keys on a nuclear submarine.
Morrison said it was an "oversight" and "regrettable" that the finance minister was not informed his role had been duplicated.
The resources minister role he took on in 2021 was different, he said, because he had used the power to stop approval for a gas drilling project off the coast of Australia which was opposed by local communities.
"I sought to be the decision maker on that one because of its importance," he said.
He said the powers in those three portfolios were not overseen by cabinet.


Time for Umno to play nice and listen to the Agong

The rakyat are so sick of how political alliances keep changing so quickly at the Perak state government because we’re worried this same nonsense is going to spread to Parliament and possibly cause yet another change in the federal government.We were lucky the last federal government change took place quickly enough for measures to be implemented at the national level to curb the impact of Covid-19.But when changing political alliances in Sabah forced a state-wide election, unfettered personal contact during campaigning and voters having to travel to and from Sabah resulted in a major Covid-19 outbreak from which we have yet to recover almost three months later.Why is it political parties refuse to learn from this disaster despite publicly acknowledging that they caused the latest Covid-19 infection wave? Was it really necessary to have a no-confidence vote against Perak Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu?We’re lucky that the MB graciously resigned instead of triggering another state election like in Sabah. But the political parties who engineered his downfall don’t know when to stop and are still causing so much unease for the rakyat.I say enough is enough. It’s time for Umno to play nice with its Perikatan Nasional alliance partners Bersatu and PAS. Please follow the Agong’s advice and put the rakyat’s interest first. Once Covid-19 has been brought under control, you can resume your endless politicking.Opposition parties Amanah, DAP and PKR should also stand down from stirring up animosity that will surely shatter the already fragile governments we have at both state and federal levels.Maybe Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was right in seeking to have the Agong declare a national emergency – it would definitely have put a stop to all this unnecessary politicking!The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Singapore woman jailed 5 months for lying to Covid-19 contact tracers

A woman who was hospitalised with Covid-19 failed to tell contact tracers that she had met a man who was not her husband at least five times while infectious.The man later contracted the disease and she called him when he was exhibiting symptoms and asked him not to tell anyone about their meetings.For hindering health ministry officers in their work, 65-year-old Oh Bee Hiok was given five months’ jail on Friday, CNA reports.She is the first person to be sentenced for such an offence in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic.The court heard that Oh was admitted to hospital last February with a high fever and was confirmed to have Covid-19.An epidemiologist spoke to her for the purposes of contact tracing and activity mapping, and Oh deliberately left out relevant information from her replies.Reports noted that she was also defensive and not forthcoming, so that the officer had to warn her that it is an offence to conceal information.After this, the ministry began investigations and discovered multiple meetings she had had with a 72-year-old man, her close friend Lim Kiang Hong while she was infectious.In court Oh admitted that she deliberately withheld relevant details as she wanted to keep her meetings with Lim private.She told the court she did not want her family or Lim’s family to find out they were going out so frequently because she was concerned they would spread rumours about them having an affair.Deputy public prosecutor Jane Lim asked for the maximum six months’ jail, saying, “Her actions led to a significant waste of public resources. Multiple people were needed to ascertain activity mapping because she was not forthcoming.”District judge Marvin Bay said contact tracing is essential to the country’s fight against the pandemic and “we are only as strong as our weakest link”.When sentencing Oh to five months’ jail, he said, “While I understand her motivations and desire to maintain the secrecy of her meetings with Lim, these are self-serving and selfish reasons within the pressing public interest need to control the pandemic.”He added, “The court must send a clear message that any act of withholding information likely to mislead contact tracers is totally unacceptable.”


AstraZeneca jabs to be given on a voluntary basis, says Khairy

The government has agreed for the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to be given to the public on a voluntary basis at specific vaccination centres, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.Khairy, who is in charge of the country’s vaccination programme, said the AstraZeneca jabs would only be administered to those who register for appointments at these centres.“We would like to announce that the AstraZeneca vaccine will not be used in the regular vaccination programme,” he said at a press conference in Putrajaya.“We will open special vaccination centres for the AstraZeneca vaccine.”He said the decision was made in light of public anxiety over the vaccine.“We do not want to waste this vaccine which is both safe and effective,” he said. “But we understand that science and facts cannot overcome public fear and the fake news that has been circulating about this vaccine.”He said the first 268,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine would be given to residents in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur as daily cases are still high in these states.“The case numbers in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur are still very high, so we have decided to divert the 268,600 AstraZeneca doses there.“I spoke to the Selangor menteri besar yesterday for Selangor to come up with appropriate centres in the state, and also for us to look at centres in Kuala Lumpur,” he said.“The decision was made by the health minister and I, taking into consideration control of the outbreak.”He added that those aged 18 and above would be able to register under a special booking system that would be opened for appointments.“This will be done on a first come, first served basis,” he said. “We will not limit it to those under Phase Two.”


PayPal to let UK users buy, hold and sell cryptocurrency

PayPal on Monday said it will this week begin to allow users in Britain to buy, hold and sell cryptocurrency through the online payment platform for the first time.The expansion into the hot digital money trend follows similar moves by the payments giant in the US earlier this year.The US firm said its new service would allow UK-based customers to choose from four types of cryptocurrency: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash.They will be available both via the PayPal app and its website, with the expansion set to start this week and be available to all eligible customers within the next few weeks.A new cryptocurrency tab will be added to its platform, showing real-time currency prices, PayPal said.“The pandemic has accelerated digital change and innovation across all aspects of our lives, including the digitisation of money and greater consumer adoption of digital financial services,” said Jose Fernandez da Ponte, of PayPal.He added the firm hoped the new offering would “help people in the UK to explore cryptocurrency”.“We are committed to continue working closely with regulators in the UK, and around the world, to offer our support and meaningfully contribute to shaping the role digital currencies will play in the future of global finance and commerce.”In April PayPal-owned mobile payments service Venmo began letting users in the US buy, hold or sell cryptocurrency using its app.That followed PayPal itself in March allowing people there to use cryptocurrency to make purchases from millions of merchants that use the financial platform for online transactions.


3-year-old first Covid case in Langkawi tourism bubble

A three-year-old child tested positive for Covid-19 in Langkawi on Sept 26, the first virus case in the domestic travel bubble since its launch on Sept 16.Kedah health director Dr Othman Warijo said the child, from Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, arrived in Langkawi with its parents at 7.30pm on Sept 24 on a flight from klia2.He said both parents were fully vaccinated, had tested negative for Covid-19 and were not close contacts with any positive cases.“The results of their RTK-Antigen tests at klia2 before their departure for Langkawi were confirmed to be negative,” he said, adding that the child had shown no symptoms prior to the family’s departure for the resort island.“The child also wore a face mask the entire time at klia2, on the flight, and while in Langkawi.”In a statement, he said the child developed a fever on Sept 25 and was brought for treatment the following day and confirmed positive for Covid-19.“Investigations found that aside from the parents, three family members who are locals were also close contacts.“All five were swabbed and told to quarantine themselves for 10 days. The swab test results for all of them came back negative,” he said, adding that there was a possibility that the child had contracted the virus before leaving for Langkawi.The case has been classified as Import B (cross-state case).Othman said this was the only positive case reported so far among tourists in Langkawi, with no spread among family members or locals.“The patient is experiencing mild symptoms and is being monitored by the Langkawi Covid-19 assessment centre,” he said.MalaysiaNow previously reported that hotels and resorts in Langkawi had received thousands of bookings following the government’s announcement the resort island would reopen to visitors as part of a travel bubble scheme to restart the tourism industry.The Langkawi Tourism Association said hotels registered with it received some 6,000 bookings, and expected to make about RM24 million in the first three days from Sept 16 with the arrival of some 24,000 tourists.


‘Covid-19, high-profile court cases bigger considerations for PM despite Malay rulers’ stand’

Prominent social critic Chandra Muzaffar does not see the call by the Malay rulers to reconvene Parliament as a rebuke of the Perikatan Nasional government, saying the prime minister had already given a specific timeline when announcing the National Recovery Plan a day earlier.Chandra also said while the two statements issued separately by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Malay Rulers’ Conference appeared not to carry any explicit endorsement of the government’s efforts to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, there were stronger factors that would influence Muhyiddin Yassin in deciding to reopen Parliament.“I think his main concern would be the vaccination programme. If it meets its target, by 40% or 50% immunised by October, then I think he would want to proceed. On the other hand, the situation is not looking good. He may have reasons to postpone some of the goals,” Chandra told current affairs programme Consider This on Astro Awani last night.Following a special meeting of the Conference of Rulers yesterday, both the Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, and his fellow Malay rulers issued separate statements recommending that Parliament reconvene and the state of emergency end as scheduled on Aug 1.The meeting followed Sultan Abdullah’s audiences with more than a dozen political leaders from both sides of the divide.A day earlier, Muhyiddin laid out Putrajaya’s post-Covid-19 recovery plan which among others targets Parliament’s reopening by September or October subject to the pandemic situation as well as the outcome of the massive vaccination programme.Chandra Muzaffar.Chandra said it was not unusual for Muhyiddin as the prime minister to have political considerations, pointing out a fractured Umno.“Any prime minister would be concerned,” he said, adding that there were at least three factions in Umno who “don’t see eye to eye on every issue”.Chandra said there were also high-profile court cases of personalities in Umno, the outcomes of which would be known by October.“This must weigh heavily on the PM’s mind. This may be why he suggested October as the date to reconvene Parliament,” he added.Former prime minister Najib Razak and current Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, both of whom are facing jail-time and political bans over scores of corruption charges, have been at the forefront of attacks against Muhyiddin in recent months.Their opposition grew louder in the aftermath of Najib’s conviction on seven charges related to the 1MDB scandal, where he and Zahid in October last year wrote to the palace expressing support for PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim’s bid to topple Muhyiddin.Chandra said those facing charges would have their own motive in pressuring the government to reconvene Parliament.“This is one of the reasons why a couple of people are pushing for the reconvening of the Parliament,” he said.Chandra said those calling for the Dewan Rakyat to reconvene should be truly committed to the democratic process and sincere in wanting national issues debated and discussed.“Now if they want to use the Parliament for other purposes, because they have other motives, maybe motives related to court cases, their own future and so on, it would be sad.“This is something that’s very real in Malaysian politics. There are all these nefarious agendas,” he said.


Bali-bombing terror group planned fresh Indonesia attack, police say

The extremist group behind the Bali bombings was planning a fresh attack during Indonesia’s independence day celebrations this week, police said Friday, citing militants arrested in a crackdown that netted dozens of suspects.Indonesia’s counter-terror squad rounded up 53 suspected extremists in nearly a dozen provinces across the world’s biggest Muslim majority nation over the past week, authorities said.Some suspects admitted that their organisation Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) – a terror outfit behind the 2002 Bali bombings – had been planning an attack during the Southeast Asian nation’s independence day holiday earlier this week, they said.“JI was planning a terror attack on independence day, according to some suspects,” national police spokesman Argo Yuwono told reporters in Jakarta on Friday.Yuwono did not elaborate on the alleged plot but said police seized weapons and ammunition from the suspects, who were initially arrested on charges linked to fundraising for the group.JI was nearly dismantled by authorities after bombs ripped through nightclubs on the holiday island nearly two decades ago, killing over 200 people including scores of tourists in Indonesia’s deadliest terror attack.But the organisation has been rebuilding and its spiritual leader Abu Bakar Bashir was released from prison this year after serving time on terror-related charges.“This operation was aimed at dismantling and exhausting JI,” a counter-terror official who asked not to be named told AFP.“They’ve been growing again by recruiting, raising money and beefing up their logistics and weapons.”The outlawed JI has ties with Al-Qaeda and has been implicated in other attacks over the past two decades.It has also sent jihadists to fight in conflict-wracked Syria and Iraq, and may be planning to send recruits to Afghanistan after the Taliban’s recent toppling of the country’s US-backed government, the official said.The Taliban victory could supply renewed vigour for Southeast Asian terror groups, analysts said.“In the short run, the biggest impact will be psychological and in terms of morale,” said US-based security analyst Zachary Abuza.“It reaffirms local militants’ commitment to the cause. If the Taliban can defeat a US-backed apostate puppet regime, then so can they,” he added.Indonesia, which has suffered numerous terror attacks since the Bali bombings, is home to dozens of extremist organisations, including some loyal to the Islamic State (IS) group.In March, an IS-inspired Indonesian couple blew themselves up at a church in Makassar on Sulawesi island, killing themselves and injuring dozens.


Daily caseload still hovers at 1,300 as another 2 deaths reported

Another 1,330 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,516,319.There were 1,881 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,458,999.There are now 21,630 active cases, of which 20,659 or 95.5% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 25 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 924 (4.3%) have been hospitalised.A total of 22 are in ICU with 11 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 57.6%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 4.9%.Another two deaths were reported, including one who was brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,690.


Singapore reports ‘preliminarily positive’ case of UK virus strain

One of the community cases reported in Singapore on Wednesday has tested preliminarily positive for the B117 strain, a potentially more contagious strain of the Covid-19 virus that is circulating in the UK.In its full data released late last night, the republic’s health ministry said it involved a 24-year-old male Korean national, who is a work permit holder working at Azur, Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, 75 Airport Boulevard.The ministry said his job entails delivering pre-packed meals to air crew and hotel guests although he does not interact with diners at Azur.It said the man, labelled as Case 59028, tested positive in a pooled swab during rostered routine testing (RRT) on Jan 2, and was tested again two days later at which point he had started to develop acute respiratory infection symptoms.His individual test results came back positive for Covid-19 on Jan 5, and he was taken in an ambulance to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, it said.“His serological test result has come back negative, indicating that this is likely a current infection. He has also tested preliminarily positive for the B117 strain, and is pending further confirmatory tests,” said the ministry.As at noon Wednesday, the republic reported a total of 31 new cases, two in the community and 29 imported, bringing the total tally to 58,780.The two cases in the community, including Case 59028, are currently unlinked.Of the total new cases, 30 were asymptomatic, and were detected from the ministry’s proactive screening and surveillance, while one was symptomatic.Singapore which closed its last coronavirus cluster, a migrant worker dormitory, on Nov 24, 2020, now has three clusters with one linked to the NewOcean 6, a bunker tanker operated by Palmstone Tankers & Trdg Pte Ltd in the Port of Singapore.


BN confident of winning 18 seats to form Melaka govt

Barisan Nasional (BN) believes that it can win 18 of the 28 seats up for grabs in the Melaka state election to form the state government on its own.BN election director and deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan said this confidence was based on studies conducted by the party during the campaign period, in addition to data which showed that voters had consistently voted for BN from the 11th to the 14th general elections.“If possible, we want to win 20 seats… we will try to retain the 13 seats (won in GE14) and our target is to add five more seats, making it 18 seats.“But if we can cross the line with 15 seats (for a simple majority), we will be thankful for being able to form the government on our own.“To have a stable government, we must form the government on our own strength. This is so that we won’t continue to be held to ransom with constant threats of withdrawal (of support). As long as such a situation persists, the government will not be stable,” he said in an exclusive interview with Bernama today.BN is contesting all the 28 seats in the upcoming election with Umno standing in 20 constituencies, MCA in seven and MIC in one.In GE14, Umno won the Kuala Linggi, Tanjung Bidara, Ayer Limau, Lendu, Taboh Naning, Asahan, Sungai Udang, Pantai Kundor, Ayer Molek, Rim, Serkam, Merlimau and Sungai Rambai seats.Asked if BN was willing to form a coalition government with other parties if it could not get a majority on its own, Mohamad said the party is prepared to explore cooperation with any party, not just Perikatan Nasional (PN).“We are open to cooperating with anyone… not just PN. Why is it that others can cooperate with all but Umno is not allowed? Let’s not shut the door tight,” said Mohamad, who is Umno deputy president.Mohamad also said BN had taken a bold step in fielding young candidates in this election to meet voters’ aspirations.“I did not want to indulge in rhetoric by saying we wanted to promote young leaders but still fielding familiar faces. If we did this, young people would desert Umno. (Then) other parties like DAP, PKR, Bersatu, PAS would entice them. Umno would be left in a cave – we cannot allow this.“So this state election shows that Umno is truly transforming the party. This is what I’ve done. True, this is a big gamble but this is the face of Umno I want to project,” he added.Asked about BN’s chances in the hot seat of Tanjung Bidara, he said: “It’s a tough fight. I’m not saying the seat will go to Bersatu.”Tanjung Bidara is seeing a three-cornered fight involving Melaka Umno chairman Ab Rauf Yusoh, Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin of PN and Zainal Hassan of Pakatan Harapan (PH).On the Asahan, Duyong and Gadek seats which are witnessing six-cornered fights, Mohamad said the situation gives BN an advantage.Asked about the Muafakat Nasional (MN) charter involving Umno and PAS, he said although the two parties are not cooperating in the Melaka polls, they could still work together in the future, including on matters concerning the unity of the ummah.The state polls were called following the dissolution of the Melaka state legislative assembly on Oct 4 after four assemblymen withdrew their support for Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali.PN and PH, the other two coalitions in the fray, are also contesting all the 28 seats.Polling is on Nov 20.


Still work to be done before Parliament dissolved, says minister

There is still much to be done and every individual in the government has the responsibility to work with the leadership of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Communications and Multimedia Minister Annuar Musa says.
Annuar said the government was focused on working to achieve its agenda of helping the Malaysian Family, especially as they face the current crisis of the rising prices of goods.
"Our main focus now is to continue to work and serve the people. Everybody has taken the responsibility to work together with the prime minister and government and to focus on how we can help Malaysians in general during this difficult time.
"When the time arrives, and the time is right for the prime minister to dissolve Parliament, then of course we can go back to the people. But for now, the prime minister is very committed and making efforts to help Malaysians as they go through tough times," he told reporters in Serdang yesterday. Annuar, who is also Ketereh Umno chief, was commenting on Ismail's statement that his government was always prepared to face any possibility, including holding the 15th general election early, should Perikatan Nasional (PN) wish to withdraw its support. PN is made up of Bersatu, PAS, Gerakan, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) and the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).
Meanwhile, though, Annuar said there was no issue of PN withdrawing its support for the government.
Although there were reports that the PN coalition planned to withdraw its support, he said PN was still  part of the government.
"Despite the various reports, one thing certain is, PN is still very much a part of the government. This is not an issue anymore," he said.


Police deny stopping Christmas celebrations in KL

The police today denied the obstruction of Christmas celebrations in the capital city in the wake of a TikTok video which went viral on social media, claiming that the police and military personnel had prevented people from celebrating the occasion.In a statement, Dang Wangi district police chief Noor Dellhan Yahaya said personnel from the district headquarters had gone on rounds to ensure adherence to health SOPs under Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan.“The teams were mobilised to certain locations that had attracted crowds to prevent activities that could cause difficulty in observing physical distancing and compliance with the instructions of the health director-general,” he said.The one minute, 34 second clip had shown police officers in the Bukit Bintang shopping district in Kuala Lumpur, making rounds and speaking to several individuals. Sirens can be heard in the background.Some of the officers were armed with guns while others spoke through loudspeakers, warning pedestrians against gathering in groups.“Keep walking, you are forbidden from gathering,” an officer can be heard saying.“The police and the army prevent the celebration of Christmas,” the caption accompanying the video, uploaded by user @jamalali866, read.But Noor Dellhan denied that the army had been involved, saying the police had gone with the support of personnel from the general operation force and not the military as claimed in the video.He also urged the public to continue adhering to the SOPs set by the National Security Council in order to curb the spread of Covid-19.“Failure to do so could result in action under the rules and regulations currently in force,” he said.


Putrajaya to allow rehiring of migrant workers in 4 sectors

The government today announced that employers will be allowed to rehire foreign workers in four sectors, namely the restaurant sector, cargo, wholesale and retail, and cleaning and laundering.In a joint statement, Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin and Human Resources Minister M Saravanan said the plan to rehire foreign workers is included in Putrajaya’s Labour Recalibration Programme for undocumented migrants.They said the government had agreed to include undocumented workers from several categories in the plan, namely those who have registered for the rehiring programme but have not completed the registration process and have yet to receive a temporary pass, those who have fled but have not been reported by their employers, and those with valid travel documents from their country of origin.They said private employment agencies licensed under the Private Employment Agencies Act 1981 would also be involved to help expedite implementation of the programme.“However, employers still need to go to the Malaysian Immigration Department for matters such as the collection of biometric details,” they added.Saravanan previously said the government was considering rehiring foreign workers for certain sectors in the country, adding that employers were facing difficulties as locals were not keen on working in the plantation, agriculture, manufacturing and construction sectors.He also said his ministry was concerned about the challenges employers face in finding employees willing to work in the dirty, difficult and dangerous (3D) industry.However he assured that locals would always be prioritised for job vacancies in this sector.


Don’t go over the top, designers urged in fashioning traditional outfits

For the fashion-conscious, there is perhaps no greater embarrassment than in appearing left behind: as seasons come and go, so too do outfits and designs amid relentless pressure to keep up with the times.But newer is not necessarily better, a local historian and cultural icon said, even as Malaysians hurried to finish their Hari Raya wardrobes ahead of the festive celebration this week.This is especially the case for those looking to put a new spin on traditional outfits, national laureate Siti Zainon Ismail told MalaysiaNow.Commenting on the trend by mostly young designers of modifying or “modernising” traditional clothes, she said there was nothing wrong with being creative.However, she urged them to be culturally sensitive and appreciative of the aesthetics of Malaysian culture when creating their designs.“Traditional clothes have their own aesthetic values accompanied by modesty and grace,” she said.“But today’s young generation often does not pay attention to the question of modesty which is an important part of every culture.”“Traditional clothes have their own aesthetic values accompanied by modesty and grace.”A recent example of designs that sparked heated debate were the “Baju Melayu Pendek” and “Wira Jubah” created by local high fashion label Behati.Part of the label’s Raya collection for 2021, the outfits had featured a twist on the original versions. Both featured an oversized cut while the baju Melayu was accompanied by cropped pants.Their designer, Kel Wen, was heavily criticised online with some accusing him of “butchering” Malay culture and outfits meant to portray the modesty of Malay Muslim men.Kel Wen however defended his designs, saying he was “introducing new variations” of the traditional Malay outfits which he himself had worn since childhood.“I’m introducing new variations of it as a designer according to today’s fashion,” he said.Siti said attempts to redesign traditional clothing could sometimes cross a line, going from an expression of creativity to undermining the value and aesthetics associated with the outfits.She added that as Hari Raya is celebrated only once a year, Malays should take the opportunity to follow customs and to dress traditionally when visiting other families and obtaining blessings from their elders.Traditional outfits are sometimes a tricky business in Malaysia where, in 2018, renowned fashion designer Rizalman Ibrahim also came under fire for his “Bollywood-inspired” Raya collection.Both he and actress Izara Aishah, who was featured in the project, were criticised for their use of Indian cultural aspects, among others.Some in the fashion industry agreed that certain standards must be maintained when it comes to traditional outfits.“It’s okay to be creative with designs but know your limits.”Shasha, who works at a boutique in Shah Alam, said clothes like baju Melayu must be “decent”.“Baju Melayu should be worn with long pants to ensure decency, especially on Hari Raya,” she told MalaysiaNow.“It’s okay to be creative with designs but know your limits. Traditional attire must represent modesty.”The owner of another boutique in Shah Alam also said that creativity has its limits.“To me, it’s not right because baju Melayu and baju kurung are traditional outfits, so you should follow how they were years ago,” she said.“Designers can be creative, but follow the cutting to keep the outfit traditional,” she told MalaysiaNow.This doesn’t mean that they are against new versions of a design.But Siti said designers should appreciate the original version before creating new ones.“We need to respect our culture and tradition. We shouldn’t attempt to destroy it.“There is nothing wrong with creating a new design but don’t forget the old one which has historic values.”


17 sue factory over water disruption

Seventeen people have filed suits at the High Court against a factory suspected of causing odour pollution at Sungai Gong in Rawang which led to an unscheduled disruption to water supply in several areas in the Klang Valley.The suits were filed online by their lawyer Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz, who told reporters at the court lobby yesterday that his clients were seeking general damages, specific damages, exemplary damages, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.He said his clients had taken into consideration the hardships faced due to the water disruption, especially by housewives, traders and heads of households.The first plaintiff, Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia president Ibrahim Ali, was also with Khairul.About five million people in seven areas in the Klang Valley had their water supply disrupted after four water treatment plants were shut down due to the odour pollution on Thursday.Sungai Gong is a tributary of Sungai Sembah which flows into Sungai Selangor. Sungai Selangor supplies raw water to the four treatment plants, namely Sungai Selangor Phase 1, 2 and 3 and Rantau Panjang.On Saturday, police arrested four owners of a factory suspected to have caused the pollution.Water supply to most of the affected areas has been restored.


Two Russian planes rerouted after attempting to enter Canadian airspace

Two Russian flights attempting to enter Canadian airspace on Monday were rerouted by the Federal Aviation Administration, after the planes identified themselves as “humanitarian” flights, Canadian air-traffic control service said.Canada banned Russian planes from entering its airspace starting on Sunday as part of severe sanctions imposed on Moscow in response to its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.But the same day, an Aeroflot AFLT.MM flight AFL111 violated the ban after declaring itself as a humanitarian flight. Under normal circumstances, Canada’s air-traffic control service Nav Canada does not have the authority to deny airspace access to an aircraft declaring itself a humanitarian flight.The other Russian planes that attempted to enter Canadian airspace had departed from US airports.Nav Canada along with regulator Transport Canada has issued a directive to all air traffic control units to deny all identifiable Russian airplanes access to their airspace. The only exception to this ban is a prior approval by Transport Canada.In the event an emergency has been declared, NAV CANADA is required to direct the aircraft to land at the closest airport, and notifying the regulator.


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Toyota customers in Asia, Oceania face risk of data leak due to setting error

Toyota Motor Corp said on Wednesday that information on customers in some countries in Asia, excluding Japan, and Oceania may have been left publicly accessible from October 2016 to May 2023 because of a setting error in the cloud environment.
Customer information that may have been accessible externally included names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and vehicle identification and registration numbers, the company said.
The incident follows its announcement earlier this month that the vehicle data of 2.15 million users in Japan, or almost the entire customer base who signed up for its main cloud service platforms since 2012, had been publicly available for a decade due to human error.
Toyota said the latest issue was discovered after it launched a broad investigation following the earlier incident.
"As we believe that this incident also was caused by insufficient dissemination and enforcement of data handling rules... we have implemented a system to monitor cloud configurations," Toyota said.
It said the company had also investigated whether there was any third-party copies or use of its customer data and found no evidence of such use, adding vehicle location and credit card information were not included in the incident.


BBC boss says won't step down as presenter's removal sparks sports coverage chaos

The BBC's director-general Tim Davie said he will not resign after the publicly-funded broadcaster's sport service was decimated on Saturday by a backlash to Gary Lineker's removal as Match of the Day host.
"Everyone wants to calmly resolve the situation," Davie said in a BBC interview.
Lineker was forced to "step back" from his duties presenting the flagship Premier League highlights show after accusing the UK government of using Nazi-era rhetoric in tackling illegal immigration.
The BBC said on Friday that England's fourth highest goalscorer of all-time had breached guidelines on impartiality and the corporation would seek "an agreed and clear position on his use of social media" before an on-screen return.
However, the decision caused chaos to scheduled sports programming across the BBC's television and radio output.
Former England strikers Ian Wright and Alan Shearer were among the pundits who refused to take up their usual roles on Match of the Day, followed by the programme's commentators.
As a result, the longest-running football television programme in the world was aired for the first time without a presenter, pundits or even commentary in a shortened 20-minute highlights package of six matches from the English top-flight.
Weekend preview show Football Focus and results programme Final Score were also pulled from the schedule, while BBC Radio 5Live's coverage was disrupted.
When asked if he should resign over the crisis, Davie replied: "Absolutely not."
"I think that my job is to serve licence-fee payers and deliver a BBC that is really focused on world-class impartial landmark output, and I look forward to us resolving this situation and looking forward to delivering that.
He added: "To be clear, success for me is Gary gets back on air and together we are giving to the audiences that world class sports coverage which, as I say, I'm sorry we haven't been able to deliver today."
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he hoped the stand-off can be "resolved in a timely manner."
Lineker is a freelance broadcaster for the BBC, not a permanent member of staff, and is not responsible for news or political content so does not need to adhere to the same strict rules on impartiality.
The former Leicester striker was in attendance at the King Power Stadium to watch his home town club lose 3-1 to Chelsea, but did not speak to reporters.
Some Leicester fans showed their support for Lineker with placards reading: "I'm with Gary, migrants welcome."
'Immeasurably cruel'
The row was sparked by Lineker's response to a video in which Home Secretary Suella Braverman unveiled plans to stop migrants crossing the Channel on small boats.
Lineker, the BBC's highest-paid star, wrote on Twitter: "This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the '30s."
The Conservative government intends to outlaw asylum claims by all illegal arrivals and transfer them to other countries, such as Rwanda, in a bid to stop the crossings, which totalled more than 45,000 last year.
A YouGov poll published on Monday showed 50 percent backing the measures, with 36 percent opposed.
But rights groups and the United Nations said the legislation would make Britain an international outlaw under European and UN conventions on asylum.
The BBC's move sparked a wave of criticism from politicians and public figures, many of whom accused it of buckling to demands from Conservative lawmakers.
Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer said the BBC "got this one badly wrong and now they're very, very exposed", while a petition calling for Lineker to be reinstated has attracted over 190,000 signatures.
The issue has brought to a head years of debate over BBC impartiality, which intensified after Britain voted to leave the European Union in 2016.
The Lineker row comes at a particularly heated period after allegations that BBC chairman Richard Sharp facilitated a loan guarantee for former prime minister Boris Johnson while applying for the job.


On loyalty to passion and passion for upholding loyalty

When I was younger, I was placed at a boarding school. Teasing and bullying is the norm in any environment filled with developing adolescents. But there, I experienced the brunt of blind passion from youths my age as I questioned the religiosity of fanatical Muslims.My comprehension of my own belief was challenged by the rise in number of terrorist attacks by IS extremists in 2015. Perhaps it was naive of me to have directed my questions at my classmates. Perhaps it was also justified that my character became associated with the negative understanding of the term “atheist”. After all, we were young and the passion in the backlash I experienced was a defence mechanism of their belief.That was not an isolated experience for me. As I ventured into the erratically turbulent climate of politics and the accompanying socialisation, I was exposed to stories of cultural wars between individuals and their communities. Scholastic context was common, but age varied. A few friends recollected their experiences with antipathy due to the sin of questioning and supporting.Their stories were of borderline abuse and harassment which, unfortunately, was carried out by the school’s voices of authority. The detriment of fanaticism by the scholars themselves worsened to a deplorable state of guilt by association. Distant acquaintances of my friends became the target of harassment themselves because they knew my friend’s friends.I am aware of how political youngsters my age can have a civil and lengthy discussion on politics over which they disagree but become enraged at one another for wasting the middle lane in Dota 2. The suppressed desperation for dominance that could have ended in a tiring coup d’état of elderly politicians is channelled into hatred for each other, projected by shouting matches through the microphone. Their ability to compartmentalise their feelings into those of cordiality and bursts of anger amused me.I was also in awe of their passion for making rights out of social injustices while struggling not to make frustration the sole push. The elderly were privileged. They secured conviction through herd politics, but they lost the passionate thought process of assessing the social injustices they caused. For these privileged folks, accountability is only an alternative.Focus is achieved as light passes through an aperture. A narrow slit focuses light on a subject while a wider aperture brings focus on the bigger reality. To focus only on a subject would blur the rest, but to focus on everything would exhaust the sight.The narrow slit is not just an analogy of the mind and experience of youths, just as the wide aperture does not only correlate to the aged. I could name youngsters who are passionate yet lack the ability to scrutinise their passion as reality – but I would do the youngsters an injustice if I did not name idealistic old people as well.Political youngsters who may be civil in discourse reflect their ability to meet the other party halfway. This reflects their ability to acknowledge the validity and understand the conceptualisation of differing arguments.But they will not always be able to civilise themselves when their passion overloads. The pathological manifestation of passion and perceived reality does not characterise youth alone, as old age carries a parallel narration.But experience validates the passion held. The firm stand of the elderly is a product of time gained through experience. Their resistance to change is due to the standardisation of their past radicalness. They have mastered the nuances of political conduct along with the accompanying capability of alterations in political ethics. Their passion is for resistance, just as the youth’s is for change.But why must conformation on the validity of experience be the standard in considering a political player?Indecisiveness should not be viewed as a sign of weakness, but of growth, just as how persistence in an ideology is not always a value deserving of a spot in the political arena. A persistent stance should not be viewed as a sign of character when it in fact embodies fanaticism.The fanaticism of the old authorities is just as bad as the youngsters’ passionate defence of premature beliefs. Youth is not the only deserving convict in the misdemeanour of leading with ignorance. The ignorance of the youth is from a lack of experience, while the elderly are ignorant due to an overload of experience and attachment.Cleansing oneself from the attachment to preconceived notions and personal, yet collective, experience, is a step beyond the trap of intellectual laziness. The urgency of delimiting oneself in contemplating themselves and the opposers is for both the young and the old.Indecisiveness should be understood as allowing oneself to seek alternatives in understanding reality instead of a simple surfacing trait of volatility. Persistence alone should not be valued without the effort of limiting its encroachment into fanaticism.Sociological and political discourse should be a ground of mediation between the opposite ends of a spectrum. The detriments of worn-out politicians who refuse to let go of dominance deserve to be magnified for the viewing of all, just as the flaws of the youth have been.Beyond the differences in how the two generations materialise their power dynamic, their differing acts and stands should be understood from their loyalty to passion and their passion for upholding loyalty.Criticism should only be thrown in the hope of its reliance in bringing about acknowledgement and awareness of faults. Critical jabs only as attacks to disassemble radical mechanisms have been saturating the sustenance of political consumers. As we observe the rise of movements from conflicting individuals and collectives, we can only wish for the intertwinement of directions towards securing the best for the people.Until then, semoga kita terus berbakti.


New infections top 4,700 as death toll remains unchanged

Another 4,711 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,914,557.
There were 3,120 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,843,468.
There are now 34,609 active cases, of which 32,956 or 95.2% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 1,586 (4.6%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 67 are in ICU with 47 in need of respiratory assistance.
No new deaths were reported, leaving the death toll unchanged at 36,480.


Knickers to that: new Swiss army recruits to get gender-appropriate underwear

Switzerland is to allow female soldiers to wear women’s underwear for the first time in an effort to boost recruitment, local media sources report.Currently, new recruits of both sexes are issued with standard uniform men’s underwear.The panties trial, beginning next month, will provide two different sets of female underwear for warmer and colder months.Women make up about 1% of the Swiss armed forces, but the country hopes to increase that figure to 10% by 2030.Marianne Binder, a member of the Swiss National Council, said that offering women more suitable underwear would encourage more to apply to join the military.The current Swiss army uniforms were first introduced in the mid-1980s, Swissinfo reports.“The clothing is designed for men, and if the army is really to become more feminine, appropriate measures are needed,” Binder said.Up until now, women have only been issued baggy men’s underwear, often in larger sizes, which can be uncomfortable.Army spokesman Kaj-Gunnar Sievert said that clothing and other items issued by the military were becoming outdated.He told Swiss news website Watson that the new “functional underwear” for female recruits would consist of tighter and more tailored “short underwear” for the summer and “long underwear” for the winter.Sievert said earlier this week that changes were being considered in relation to other supplies, such as combat clothing, protective vests and backpacks. “The focus will be on fit and functionality,” he said, adding that sizes were until now quite restricted.Swiss Defence Minister Viola Amherd also welcomed the move, saying that “compatibility” needed to be improved.In these days of gender fluidity, some are wondering if soldiers who do not identify with their assigned sex at birth may be able to ask for different or both sets of uniform knickers.


Daily caseload inches past 2,400 as 9 more deaths reported

Another 2,421 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,996,964.
There were 2,826 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,936,207.
There are now 24,053 active cases, of which 22,258 or 92.5% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0%) are at quarantine centres while 1,698 (7.1%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 97 are in ICU with 62 in need of respiratory assistance.
Another nine deaths were reported, including three who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 36,704.


B40 families still struggle with unemployment, online learning, UN-backed survey finds

A recent survey by United Nations agencies has revealed that families in the B40 or lower-income bracket continue to struggle with unemployment while their children are losing interest in school due to difficulties in online learning.The fourth edition of the “Families on the Edge” survey, conducted by Unicef and the United Nations Population Fund involved 500 low-income households in Kuala Lumpur. The project was carried out over 10 months, from May 2020 to March this year.It revealed that unemployment among heads of participant households remained at 12%, 2.5 times higher than the pre-crisis baseline. The unemployment rate among households led by females meanwhile was 16%.Households led by females and those with disabilities had recovered to pre-crisis levels in February and March although their earnings remained low at RM1,300 and RM1,200 respectively.The survey was conducted through phone interview as well as face-to-face sessions with 50 selected heads of households including single mothers.“Previous survey rounds found that low-income families appeared to be disproportionately affected by the crisis across a wide range of outcome areas with female-headed households and households headed by persons with disabilities reporting the deepest negative impacts.“However, our research also confirmed that government policy responses have played a critical role in mitigating the worst of these negative effects,” the study said.It said the BPN or Bantuan Prihatin Nasional had played an especially critical role in providing partial compensation for reductions in household incomes.But while other forms of government assistance such as Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat and EduTV had been shown to make critical contributions towards easing financial burdens, the survey showed that more than half of participating households were struggling to cover essential expenses.It said 60% of respondents were unable to buy enough food for their families while 50% were unable to pay utility bills, mortgages or rent on time.The survey also showed that 25% of participants had reported continuing to cut down on meals while roughly 33% said it was difficult to give their children enough money to buy food at school.When it came to studying from home, the survey showed that only 35% of households had access to computers or tablets while the majority – 88% – had to rely on smartphones to access content provided by schools.While the EduTV programme had been helpful, they said, 40% of respondents reported limitations in their children’s understanding of the content.Some 80% of parents said their children struggled to focus while 60% said their children had lost interest in studying.Given their chronic financial struggles and lack of employment opportunities during the pandeimc, the majority of respondents – 80% – believed their financial situation would either remain unchanged or deteriorate over the next six months.Only 37% of unemployed heads of households in the survey believed they would secure a formal job in the near future.


Canadian MP caught naked during telework for second time in a month

A Canadian MP has stepped down from some of his duties and said he is seeking “assistance” after being caught on camera urinating during a video conference in Parliament, a month after appearing naked in another virtual session.“Last night, while attending House of Commons proceedings virtually, in a non-public setting, I urinated without realising I was on camera,” MP William Amos wrote on his Twitter account Thursday night.“I am deeply embarrassed by my actions and the distress they may have caused anybody who witnessed them,” he added. “While accidental and not visible to the public, this was completely unacceptable, and I apologise unreservedly.”In April, the MP was caught standing naked between the flags of Canada and Quebec, his private parts hidden by his phone, while connected by video to a Question Time session in Parliament.Amos, a member of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party, also claimed that was an accident.In the most recent episode, he was caught urinating into a coffee cup, the Conservative opposition said in a statement.“This is the second time Amos has been caught exposing himself to his colleagues in the House, and the House of Commons, virtual or otherwise, must be free of this type of unacceptable behavior,” said conservative MP Karen Vecchio.“This is a pattern of behaviour from Amos and it’s now clear that Trudeau’s Liberals failed in their duty to ensure a safe work environment following the first incident,” she hammered in a statement.Amos, 46, announced he was “temporarily” stepping down from some of his parliamentary duties while continuing to represent his constituency. He added that he would seek “assistance” but did not specify what that would be.


Anwar sworn in as PM

Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Anwar Ibrahim has been sworn in as Malaysia’s 10th prime minister.
The Tambun MP took his oath of office, loyalty and secrecy before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur at 5.06pm today.
Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah was also in attendance.
Sultan Abdullah consented to Anwar’s appointment in accordance with Article 40(2)(a) and Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution.
The swearing-in ceremony was held after His Majesty deliberated the views of his fellow Malay rulers, who convened a special meeting at Istana Negara earlier today to make the best decision for the interests and well-being of the country and the people, five days after the official results of the 15th general election (GE15) were announced.
Anwar, 75, wearing a black baju Melayu and gold-embroidered samping, was accompanied by his wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is Bandar Tun Razak MP.
After taking his oath, Anwar signed the instruments of appointment which were then attested by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali.
The ceremony was witnessed by Attorney-General Idrus Harun, Chief of Defence Force Affendi Buang, Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani, Dewan Negara president Rais Yatim and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun.
Among the political party leaders present were PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, Upko president Wifred Madius Tangau, Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman cum Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan.
For the first time in the country’s history, the national polls last Saturday ended in a hung Parliament after no party obtained a simple majority of 112 seats in the 222-seat Parliament to form a new government.
PH won the highest number of seats at 82, followed by PN (73), BN (30), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (23), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (six) and Warisan (three).
Parti Bangsa Malaysia and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat won one seat each, while two others were won by independents.
Taking heed of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree for all parties and coalitions to consider forming a unity government to end the political turmoil, they finally agreed to support the government led by Anwar.


Money matters weigh heaviest during MCO, survey shows

Financial activities are the most challenging under the government’s partial lockdown, a new survey shows as the second instalment of the movement control order (MCO) enters its third week with daily Covid-19 numbers still in the four-figure range.The survey, conducted by the UCSI Poll Research Centre, showed that 61.4% of respondents find their financial situation to be the most challenging aspect of the MCO, followed by social interaction (51.6%), mental health (49.2%), work (48.9%) and the purchase of groceries or necessities (24.5%).The bulk of respondents (74.8%) said the MCO was challenging but manageable, 17.8% said it was no problem at all and 7.5% said they were unable to cope.When asked about their ability to cope if the MCO is extended, 74.3% of respondents said it would be challenging but manageable, 12.2% said it would be no problem at all, and 13.5% said they would not be able to cope.The survey was conducted among 951 people from Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, and Penang.The MCO, which first ran from March to June last year, was reinstated on Jan 13 following a fierce spike in number of cases.It was initially implemented in six states but later extended to cover the entire country except for Sarawak, which remains under recovery MCO with the exception of three districts – Sibu, Selangau and Kanowit – which came under MCO on Jan 16.Under the so-called MCO 2.0, only critical services and a number of businesses categorised under five essential sectors are allowed to stay open.The UCSI poll showed that respondents aged 25 and below, and 56 and above, appeared better able to cope with the movement restrictions than those in other age groups.Nearly 72% of respondents aged 25 and below said the MCO was challenging but manageable while 7.9% said they were unable to cope with it at all.Just over 73% of respondents in the next age group – 26 to 39 – said they could manage while 8.4% said they could not manage; nearly 80% of respondents aged 40 to 55 said they could manage while 6.6% said they could not; and just over 73% of respondents aged 56 and above said they could manage while 5.4% said they could not.In terms of location, respondents living in urban areas said they were coping with the MCO better than those who live in semi-urban and rural areas.When asked if they agreed that the spike in numbers was due to a lack of adherence to SOPs, 68% said yes, 18% said no and 14% were undecided.