At 97, Mahathir vows one final fight against graft-tainted govt

At age 97, veteran leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he was determined to fight one final election to oust a government he said was led by "criminals", even if it could mean teaming up once again with long-time rival Anwar Ibrahim.
Mahathir, who served Malaysia for more than two decades in two stints as prime minister, is leading one of several opposition coalitions looking to unseat the graft-tainted Barisan Nasional (BN) – led by incumbent prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob – in an election on Nov 19.
In the previous polls in 2018, Mahathir came out of retirement and joined forces with Anwar to oust the BN government as it faced corruption allegations over the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal.
Mahathir promised to hand over the reins to Anwar but their multi-ethnic coalition collapsed in just 22 months due to infighting, paving the way for BN, led by Malay nationalist party Umno, to return to power as part of another alliance.
Analysts say the votes of the country's majority ethnic Malays are expected to be split in the coming election between various Malay-centric parties that have emerged amidst the turmoil, including Mahathir's.
In what he said would likely be his final election foray, Mahathir vowed to fight "against bad Malays, criminal Malays… against the Malays who had destroyed this country."
Several Umno leaders are facing graft charges brought against them by Mahathir's administration, including former prime minister Najib Razak, who was jailed for 12 years after being found guilty in September in a case linked to 1MDB. Najib denied wrongdoing.
Race and religion are divisive issues in multiracial Malaysia, where ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities form a third of the electorate.
Opinion polls suggest the election will be tightly contested with no single party or bloc likely able to win a simple majority.
Mahathir said he would not work with Umno, citing corruption allegations against the party he once dominated.
But he did not dismiss the possibility of working with Anwar's alliance, although he said the parties would need to have a discussion on who would be prime minister after the election.
"We don't agree that any one person should, even before the results come in, claim that he is the candidate for prime minister," Mahathir said.
Anwar in an interview with Reuters last week ruled out working with Mahathir and other coalitions, citing "fundamental differences."
The pair's rivalry has dominated politics for decades, after Mahathir as prime minister sacked and jailed his then-deputy Anwar in 1998, accusing him of sodomy and corruption.
Anwar was released in 2004, rising to become opposition leader, but was re-imprisoned in 2015 on another sodomy charge, and has consistently said that all the accusations against him were politically motivated. He was pardoned in 2018 after the election win that removed Umno from power for the first time in Malaysia's post-colonial history.
Last election?
In what is likely to be his final election, Mahathir does not see his age as a hindrance in winning the support of first-time voters – the youngest of whom, at 18, are nearly eight decades his junior.
"I feel that the youth of today are much more mature than the youth of the past... I think they will look not just at age, but also at capability," Mahathir said.
Mahathir's alliance is not a major player and is not expected to win a significant number of seats.
Nevertheless, he was "reasonably confident" that his alliance could still come out tops, and purge the government of corruption, implement business-friendly policies, and restore the nation's standing as an "Asian Tiger" economy.
The nonagenarian said he had no desire to be prime minister but would do so if asked to serve again.
Mahathir, who is running against four other candidates in his island constituency, Langkawi, said he would retire if he lost.
"I don’t see myself being active in politics until I’m 100 years old," he said. "The most important thing is to transfer my experience to the younger leaders of the party."


5,000 contract civil servants in Selangor absorbed into permanent positions, says MB

A total of 5,000 from the 7,000 Selangor government contract civil servants have been absorbed into permanent positions so far, says Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.
Amirudin said the number showed the high rate of absorption into permanent positions for contract civil servants in the state, in line with the recommendations of the state Public Services Commission.
"Most of those absorbed are experienced individuals from various positions including administrative and diplomatic officers who are largely absorbed into permanent positions at the federal level," he said when met after an event in Shah Alam yesterday.
Amirudin also said the Public Service Department (JPA) had stopped the implementation of the circular of the Permanent Appointment for Contract Civil Servants Policy, adding that permanent appointments through the circular are no longer a practice in most states.
"I think there is a misunderstanding about the circular… Other states did not cancel the circular nor did they implement it. That is the initial feedback, but allow me to get (more information) from JPA," he said. On June 13, Amirudin said the Selangor government would review the decision to cancel the policy of appointing contract civil servants who have served for more than 15 years to permanent positions, adding that the decision would be announced by the state secretary.
Cuepacs had in a statement expressed regret at the Selangor government’s decision on the cancellation of the policy, describing the move as drastic and denying the contribution of government contract employees.


China's Shenzhen extends Covid curbs but stops short of full lockdown

Some districts of China's southern tech hub Shenzhen extended curbs on public activities, dining out and entertainment venues on Friday, but city officials stopped short of a full lockdown as they try to rein in rising Covid cases.
Restrictions in the central business district of Futian and Longhua, home to a major campus of electronics maker Foxconn, have been extended until Sunday, while residents in several areas across the city were asked to work from home if possible.
Most of the city's nearly 18 million population is now subject to Covid controls.
On Thursday evening, officials sought to quell rumours that the city of nearly 18 million would undergo a full lockdown as it did for a week in March, and said people could leave and return to their homes with a 24-hour proof of testing.
So far, authorities have largely avoided shutting down offices and factories.
On Friday, officials reported 87 new locally transmitted Covid-19 infections in Shenzhen on Sept 1, up from 62 a day earlier. Of those, eight were outside quarantine areas.


Vile attack against me, says Zahid after leaked phone call with Anwar

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has denied holding any conversation with his PKR counterpart following the party’s general assembly, in the wake of an audio recording of a discussion with Anwar Ibrahim revealed by MalaysiaNow earlier today.He said he was shocked and disappointed by the sharing of the clip, calling it a vile and malicious political move.“It only confirms the continued efforts to weaken and destroy Umno,” he said in a statement on Facebook.“As Umno president, I would never challenge let alone turn my back on any decision made by the Supreme Council and the general assembly.”The audio recording, excerpts of which have been making the rounds on social media, was of a four-minute phone conversation between the two leaders believed to have taken place shortly after the Umno general assembly.At the assembly, Zahid had sought his party’s mandate to cut ties with Bersatu, led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, at the next polls.He later declared that the motion had been unanimously accepted.The phone call had seen Anwar congratulating him on his speech while telling him that there was still work to be done.In his statement today, Zahid said he believed more “malicious games” would be carried out to further belittle and destroy Umno.He also said he had instructed his officer to lodge a police report to facilitate an investigation into the matter.


Tracker dog detected ‘something’ behind resort, cop tells Nora Anne inquest

The Coroner’s Court in Seremban was told that the tracker dog used in the search and rescue (SAR) operation to locate Nora Anne Quoirin had detected “something” in the bamboo grove behind the house where she stayed with her family, a day after the teenager was reported missing on Aug 4 last year.Corporal PD Manimaran from the Tracker Dog Unit (K9) of the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) however said he was unsure whether the German Shepherd had picked up Nora Anne’s scent from her clothing, about 50m from Sora House.“After we took the dog to the back of the house, the dog stopped at the bamboo plant area as if it picked up something near the fence.“The dog continued to bring me forward and up and down the hill outside the Dusun Resort until it lost track of the scent,” Manimaran, the 10th witness in the inquest to determine Nora Anne’s cause of death, said when questioned by deputy public prosecutor Nuralis Mat.Nuralis is also the inquest coordinating officer.Manimaran, who had been with the Pulapol K9 unit since May 2018, said he participated in the second SAR operation on Aug 7, 2019, which was focused in the river area of the resort.This was based on rumours that a girl had been spotted bathing in the river. However, he said there were no positive findings.“On Aug 13, 2019, I brought my dog back and searched the area around Sora House based on the belief of Nora Anne’s mother that her child would not go far from the resort.“However, there were no positive indications,” he added.KLIA Police K9 Unit handler sergeant S Simon, the ninth witness, earlier told the court that given Nora Anne’s physical description, it would be difficult for her to have crossed the area surrounding the resort, including the location where her body was found on Aug 13.He said he himself had experienced difficulty during the SAR operation, slipping several times.When questioned by the family’s lawyer S Sakthyvell, Simon said he and his search dog were involved in the SAR operation which lasted a total of four days: Aug 6, 8, 11 and 12, 2019.Nora Anne, 15, went missing a day after she and her family arrived in Malaysia for a two-week holiday at a resort in Pantai, about 60km south of Kuala LumpurOn Aug 13, 10 days after she went missing, her body was found near a creek in a ravine about 2.5km from the resort where she and her family had been staying.Preliminary surgical reports found no criminal elements in the teenager’s death.Nora Anne, who had a disability, was said to have died from gastrointestinal bleeding due to prolonged hunger and stress.


Zelensky wins Erdogan's Nato backing after securing US cluster bombs

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday secured Turkey's crucial backing for Ukraine's Nato aspirations after winning a US pledge for cluster munitions that could inflict massive damage on Russian forces on the battlefield.
Washington's decision to deliver the controversial weapons – banned across a large part of the world but not in Russia or Ukraine – dramatically ups the stakes in the war, which entered its 500th day Saturday.
Zelensky has been travelling across Europe trying to secure bigger and better weapons for his outmatched army, which has launched a long-awaited counteroffensive that is progressing less swiftly than Ukraine's allies had hoped.
He called the latest US arms package "timely, broad and much-needed", tweeting that it "will provide new tools for the de-occupation of our land".
But US President Joe Biden admitted that supplying Ukraine with weapons that are capable of covering several football fields with hundreds of multiple small explosives was "a difficult decision".
"And by the way, I discussed this with our allies," Biden told CNN. "The Ukrainians are running out of ammunition."
No immediate Nato membership
AFP teams on the ground have seen both Ukraine and Russia use their existing stocks of the weapons, whose use humanitarian groups strongly condemn.
They warn that many bomblets go undetonated, potentially endangering civilians for years to come.
Defending the US move, national security adviser Jake Sullivan argued there was "a massive risk of civilian harm if Russian troops and tanks roll over Ukrainian positions and take more Ukrainian territory".
Russian officials issued no immediate response.
Zelensky has been also pushing hard for membership of Nato, arguing that Ukraine had turned into Europe's last line of defence against Russia's aggression.
The White House said membership would come in the "not too distant future", but not at next week's summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius.
Kyiv "still has further steps that it needs to take before membership", Sullivan said.
Kremlin watching 'closely'
Zelensky's talks in Turkey – a strategic member of Nato on uneasy terms with the West – were being watched closely by the Kremlin, which has tried to break its international isolation by cultivating strong relations with Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan has tried to portray himself as a neutral mediator, substantially boosting wartime trade with Russia while supplying Ukraine with drones and other weapons that helped keep Kremlin forces from seizing Kyiv in the first weeks of war.
But while reaffirming his longstanding call for both sides to enter peace negotiations, Erdogan risked drawing the ire of Russian President Vladimir Putin by delivering unequivocal support for Ukraine's Nato aspiration.
"There is no doubt that Ukraine deserves membership of Nato," Erdogan told a joint media appearance with Zelensky in Istanbul.
"I was glad to hear that the president said that Ukraine deserves to become a Nato member," Zelensky added in his own remarks.
The messages threatened to tear at Erdogan's ties with the Kremlin, which warned ahead of the meeting that it would be watching the outcome of Zelensky's visit "very closely".
Erdogan said he will personally be able to brief Putin on the negotiations when the Kremlin chief makes his first visit to Turkey since the invasion next month.
The Turkish leader said he and Putin would discuss possible prisoner swaps, which Erdogan has helped to arrange in the past.
Erdogan added that he would push Putin to extend a deal that Turkey and the United Nations brokered last year under which Ukraine was able to ship grain to the global market.
The deal will expire on July 17 unless Russia agrees to its renewal.
'Progress' on nuclear inspections
The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said on Friday that it was "making progress" on inspecting several areas of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine, after claims it had been mined.
Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of planning a provocation at the Russia-controlled site, raising alarm over the threat of radioactive disaster at Europe's largest nuclear plant.
Ukraine's military this week claimed "external objects similar to explosive devices" had been placed on the outer roof of the third and fourth reactors at the site.
Officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had been able to "complete the tours of the cooling ponds and other places", Rafael Grossi said in Tokyo.
They had "not seen any indications of explosives or mines", he said, although he added IAEA officials had not yet been able to visit the facility's rooftops.
Rescuers on Friday found a tenth body in the rubble of buildings in Lviv after the biggest Russian missile attack on civilian infrastructure in the western Ukrainian city since the invasion, its mayor said.
The strike also wounded 42 people, including three children, Ukraine's interior ministry said.


Umno meets RoS over no-contest motion

Umno has met with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) and provided an explanation for the passing of a no-contest motion for the posts of president and deputy president during the party’s general assembly.
Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said he and three others had met RoS director-general Mohd Nawardi Saad and his deputy at the agency's headquarters in Putrajaya at 11.30am yesterday with documents prepared by lawyers.
"The meeting was to clarify that there was no violation of the meeting rules or the Umno constitution with a majority of more than 90% of the delegates present agreeing to motion number eight, namely for the positions of the president and deputy president of Umno not to be contested in the elections this time around," he told reporters in Shah Alam.
Ahmad said the meeting was set following the move by two Umno members, who on Jan 20 lodged complaints with the RoS for a review of the additional no-contest motion for the top two posts which was approved during the 2022 Umno general assembly held earlier this month. Ahmad said additional documents would be submitted to the RoS this Thursday for further review, and that he hoped the RoS would be able to give an answer or decision on the issue as soon as possible.
It was previously reported that complaints were submitted over the no-contest motion by Kuala Nerus Umno division member Muhammad Aizat Fikri Mohd Nasir and Seremban Umno division member Muhammad Fiqri Firdaus Muhammad Rom, who hoped that the RoS would be able to determine if there were irregularities involved.


Health ministry explains different needle colours for Covid jabs

The health ministry today said different needles may be used during injection procedures including the vaccination process as they serve different needs.In a statement, it said needle colours signify bore size, with blue needles used to aspirate liquid from vials while needles with a smaller bore size – red or orange – are used for inoculation to ensure less pain and bruising.It also said different needles are needed to prevent cross-contamination between patients.“Importantly, the vaccine drawn from the vial and given to the patient is unchanged,” it added.Yesterday, after watching television coverage of Muhyiddin Yassin receiving his first Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine shot, some parties on social media had alleged that the prime minister might have been given another type of liquid as the colour of the needles changed from blue to orange during the vaccination process.


Apex court dismisses Zahid’s bid to consolidate 12 CBT charges into 3

The Federal Court today dismissed former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s appeal to consolidate his 12 criminal breach of trust (CBT) charges into three in his trial involving funds belonging to Yayasan Alkalbudi.A three-member bench led by Chief Judge of Malaya Azahar Mohamed, in ruling that there was no contravention of Section 153 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Code, said the section was not a mandatory provision.“We therefore agree on this issue with the Court of Appeal that it is not mandatory for all 12 charges of CBT to be amalgamated or consolidated into only three,” he said in dismissing Zahid’s appeal.Section 153 (2) states that when an accused is charged with CBT, it is sufficient to specify the gross sum in respect of which the offence is alleged to have been committed and the dates between which the offence is alleged to have committed, without specifying particular items or exact dates, and that the charge may be deemed to be a charge of one offence.Azahar said it was also not sufficient for Zahid to say that he was prevented from getting a fair trial without showing in what way he was so deprived.“On the complaint that the charges preferred against him (Zahid) would create an adverse perception, we find no merit. The court will decide on all these charges based on admissable evidence in court,” he added.Adverse perception was not a factor to be taken into consideration by the court, he said, adding that adverse publicity would not affect Zahid’s right to a fair trial.He said it was submitted by Zahid’s counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik that in the event of a conviction in all 12 charges, Zahid would be punished separately for the 12 charges as compared to only three.“In our judgment at this stage, it is not relevant for us to consider the question of sentencing,” said Azahar.He said sentencing is generally a matter of judicial discretion for the trial court to consider based on established principle of sentencing after taking into account all relevant factors, including mitigating factors advanced by the accused, and for the court to take into account the circumstances of the case.Azahar, who presided with Federal Court judges Mohd Zawawi Salleh and Hasnah Mohammed Hashim, in unanimously dismissing Zahid’s appeal, found that there was no merit to the appeal.Zahid lost his bid in the High Court to consolidate his 12 CBT charges while the Court of Appeal had also dismissed his appeal, prompting him to file the appeal in the Federal Court.He had pleaded not guilty to a total of 47 charges, 12 of which were for CBT, eight for bribery and 27 for money laundering, involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.On March 19, the prosecution concluded its case in the trial after calling 99 witnesses to testify.High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered the prosecution and defence to file their written submissions on May 28 and fixed June 28 to 30 and July 1 and 2 for the hearing of oral submissions.


Mahathir tells what he proposed to Agong, says Anwar rang him up

Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said that he does not see the possibility of any new government under the present circumstances, adding that he prefers a council similar to the National Operations Council (Mageran) set up decades ago to restore law and order in the aftermath of the 1969 riots.The former leader said he had suggested this during his audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong today, adding that it was better than having an election during the pandemic.“I pointed out that elections would be dangerous because we had seen what happened in Sabah, so that’s what I told him,” Mahathir said.He said he believed a Mageran such as the one formed in 1969, led by then-prime minister Razak Hussein, would be effective, and that it would empower opposition leaders to be part of the administration.“We have ideas, but if we are outside the government and have no power, it’s difficult for us to implement them,” he said.Mahathir said he had also offered to lead any Mageran if one is formed.“Since I was there, I offered my services,” he added.However, he said the idea was shot down by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.Anwar’s phone callMeanwhile, he confirmed that Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim had contacted him prior to the royal audiences granted to political party leaders this week.“Anwar rang me up. He seemed unable to suggest anything that we can do to solve the problem that we face now,” he said.Mahathir also said they should write to the Agong to follow up on the joint memorandum to the palace seeking an audience on the emergency.“So I wrote (to the Agong). I don’t know whether Anwar wrote or not. The Agong actually replied to my letter, and at the same time expressed his desire to see me and other political leaders as well,” he said.Mahathir added that his conversation with Anwar had not been on anything substantial.


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Walk the talk, Anwar's govt told on human rights

The Society for the Promotion of Human Rights (Proham) today urged the government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to stand by its reformist principles in tackling human rights issues, even as it joined the chorus of concerns raised over the home minister's recent remarks on a controversial detention law resisted by Pakatan Harapan (PH) during its time in the opposition.
In a statement, it said it was concerned about Saifuddin Nasution's defence of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 or Sosma, which it said had long been recognised as an act that does not fulfil the minimum standard of human rights.
"Among others, it allows for detention without trial," it added. "It is disappointing that Saifuddin also indicated no intention of reviewing the act."
Saifuddin had said on Dec 13 that Sosma allows the court process to take place, comparing the law with its predecessor, the Internal Security Act.
He also said, among others, that arrests under Sosma are only done on "reliable intelligence and evidence".
Proham also voiced concern about the enforcement of the Independent Police Conduct Commission Act 2020 in June next year, saying the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission bill proposed in 2019 should be restored.
"The new government should at least call for a dialogue with the civil society groups working on this effort, given its controversial nature that also goes against the spirit of the 'reformist' government," it said.
It also urged the government to play a proactive and progressive role as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, and to review and update the National Human Rights Action Plan according to Malaysia’s pledges to the council, its commitments in the Universal Periodic Review and other documents related to human rights.
"We would also like to highlight that Malaysia remains far behind in its obligations to international human rights treaties with only three ratifications. We are among the lowest in signing them in the Southeast Asia region.
"Now is the time for the new government to walk the talk and stand by its reformist principles guided by human rights and democracy to advance human rights protection in the country," it said.


Businessman acquires hotel firm that was subject of Zahid’s corruption trial

A company owned by a businessman friend of PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim has acquired a five-star hotel chain that was the subject of a deal gone awry five years ago involving Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.Petra Group, which is owned by businessman Vinod Sekhar, announced that it had completed the purchase of a 51.5% stake in Riyaz Hotels & Resorts, placing it under Petra Riyaz which will operate a “range of lifestyle-oriented hospitality brands” in Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.“The value of the combined hotels and resorts is close to RM300 million,” the company said in a report published on a website run by Petra Group.This comes as a rare move at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has ravaged the tourism and hotel industry, causing many big players including five-star hotels to shut down and lay off tens of thousands of workers in the last year.Just last week, the five-star Hotel Istana in Kuala Lumpur announced that it was ceasing operations from September, saying it had considered all options but was left with little choice.“Even as a quarantine hotel, we are incurring monthly operational losses,” it said in a letter to its staff, adding that business had been affected by stiff competition even before the pandemic.The hotel sector had lost over 80% of its business since the first lockdown under the movement control order in March 2020, with industry players saying more than RM6 billion was lost last year and bigger losses expected this year.“The tourism and hotel industry is arguably one of the most impacted industries and has not seen any signs of recovery to date. It can no longer sustain; its survival is highly dependent on control of spread that would enable the relaxation of travel restrictions domestically and eventually internationally,” the Malaysian Association of Hotels, an umbrella body for hotels in the country, said in May.Zahid’s corruption trialThe Riyaz hotel chain was the subject of a corruption trial involving Zahid, who is facing 47 corruption charges linked to Yayasan Akalbudi, a foundation under him.It is said that in 2016, Zahid, who was then the home minister, was involved in a negotiation arranged by his daughter Nurulhidayah Ahmad Zahid, to discuss the sale of 60% shares in the hotel chain.Testifying at Zahid’s trial last year, Ri-Yaz Group managing director Shaheen Shah Sidek, now the CEO of Petra Riyaz, said group chairman Abdul Rashid Manaf had proposed selling off his stake to save the company, a deal which would also involve Nurulhidayah taking over a bank loan the company had taken with Rashid as the guarantor.Shaheen said following a meeting with the bank at Zahid’s office in Putrajaya, Nurulhidayah informed him that she would pay the loan’s outstanding amount of some RM8.6 million through her lawyers.The bank later agreed to restructure the loan, but things hit a snag when Rashid refused to remain a guarantor for the loan as required by the bank.Shaheen had told the trial of requests from Nurulhidayah and her father Zahid for the RM8.6 million to be immediately returned as the money belonged to a foundation.He said he was shocked by the request, adding that he did not know that the money was from a foundation.Zahid’s lawyer had suggested to the court that the money was meant as an investment on behalf of the foundation, and that the deal fell through as it was felt that the purchase was not profitable.The court previously heard that the purchase of the stakes was made without the knowledge of its board of trustees.Muhammad Fazli Zulkifli, an investigator with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, said he believed the decision to use RM8.6 million from its funds was because Zahid’s daughter had an interest.“Based on our investigations and other witness statements recorded, the investment was done without the knowledge of Akalbudi board of trustees and because Zahid’s daughter, Nurulhidayah, had an interest in the investment and the payment was done by Akalbudi,” Fazli told the trial last year.In 2019, Zulkifli Senteri, a trustee and former director of Yayasan Akalbudi, said he had never been notified of any meeting, nor had he been briefed on the activities, financial statement or expenditures of the foundation throughout his 15 years there.


Govt aware of volatile job market despite higher tax projection

The government says it is aware of the volatile job market despite the higher projection of income tax revenue for 2021.In his winding-up speech for the Finance Bill 2020 in the Dewan Rakyat today, Deputy Finance Minister II Mohd Shahar Abdullah said the government projects a 1.8% increase in employment rate next year and a decline in unemployment from 4.2% to 3.5%.He said the matter had been taken into account in determining the new tax range of 30% for income tax.“Income tax is collected from those who have jobs,” he said.During the debate earlier, Wong Chen (PH-Subang) had questioned the projected income tax revenue which exceeds the total revenue collected in 2019 at a time when the country is battling the Covid-19 pandemic.But Shahar said the government’s projection takes into account the performance for each quarter throughout the year.He said gross domestic product contracted by 17.1% during the second quarter before increasing albeit slowly to 2.7%.“We cannot only look at internal and external demand,” he said. “It also depends on the perception that stakeholders are politicising the economy.”Adding that the matter hinges on current economic indicators, he said Bank Negara Malaysia had reported that the country must take into consideration the perspective of local as well as international ratings agencies.“Local agencies are more in touch with what is going on in our country,” he said.


PM notes Agong’s views, says follow-up steps to be guided by constitution

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today acknowledged the Agong’s views put forth in the wake of a special meeting of the Malay rulers yesterday, saying all subsequent steps will be taken in accordance with the Federal Constitution.“During previous audiences with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the prime minister informed and advised His Majesty about the path to managing the Covid-19 pandemic, the enforcement of emergency ordinances, implementation of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, economic stimulus packages and financial aid, Parliament sittings, the National Recovery Plan and other related matters.“Following the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s views, the government will take all subsequent steps based on the Federal Constitution and the laws of the country,” said a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office.Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said yesterday that a Parliament sitting should be held as quickly as possible, to allow the emergency ordinances and National Recovery Plan to be debated in the Dewan Rakyat.His statement, which came in the wake of a special meeting of the Malay rulers at Istana Negara, was echoed by the rulers themselves who said in a separate statement that they saw no need for the emergency period to extend beyond its scheduled deadline of Aug 1.The state of emergency was declared in January amid a spike in Covid-19 infections which also saw the enforcement of the second movement control order across large parts of the country.Under the emergency declaration, Parliament and state assembly sittings have been suspended.Putrajaya said on June 4 that it was considering a hybrid system for Parliament proceedings involving a combination of physical and virtual attendance by lawmakers.


TNB gives checklist of suspects behind high electricity bills

Water purifiers with heating and cooling technology have been identified as one of the causes of higher electricity bills, says Selangor TNB retail chief Ismail Lathifi Teh.He said electrical appliances with cooling systems such as refrigerators, air conditioners and water purifiers consume a lot of electricity to maintain a constant temperature, especially during the current hot weather.“During hot weather, machines with compressors will use more energy to maintain a steady temperature.“So if we keep opening the refrigerator door or take chilled water from the water purifier in our homes, more electrical energy consumption is required to maintain the cold temperature,” he told Bernama today.Giving the example of household water purifiers, he said whenever chilled water stored in the tank runs out, more water flows into the tank and the compressor is kept running to cool the water.“As more water is filled, the compressor cooling system will continue to operate resulting in more electricity consumption,” he said.Meanwhile, to reduce the power consumption of air conditioners, Ismail advised consumers to utilise the timer function and to set the temperature at 24 to 26 degrees Celsius.“Consumers are encouraged to use the timer so that the air conditioner is switched off early in the morning or from 2am onwards when the room has cooled down. Thereafter, switch on the fan to maintain the cool temperature,” he said.He also urged consumers to service their air conditioner units regularly so that they operate more efficiently and economically“I have received complaints from consumers that they do not use air conditioner but their electricity bill has increased substantially. They forget that other electrical appliances also consume electricity,” he said.


Court denies Syed Saddiq's bid to impeach witness credibility

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today rejected Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s application to impeach a key witness’ credibility in his criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering trial.
The Muar MP had sought to impeach the testimony of Rafiq Hakim Razali, the former assistant treasurer of the Bersatu Youth wing, following discrepancies between the latter’s witness statement and his oral testimony in court regarding the procedure for the withdrawal of RM1 million from the wing's bank account.
Judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid said Rafiq Hakim’s statement, which was not tendered in court, could not be used to impeach his credibility.
"I agree with the submission advanced by the prosecution that the statement which the defence sought to rely on is not a witness statement defined under Section 402(B) Criminal Procedural Code (CPC).
"Therefore that statement cannot be used as a basis to impeach the credibility of the witness," he said. Section 402(B) of the CPC states that in any criminal proceedings, a written statement by any person shall, with the consent of the parties to the proceedings, be admissible as evidence to the like extent as oral evidence by that person.
On July 7, counsel Gobind Singh Deo, representing Syed Saddiq, said the court could use its discretion to allow the defence to start proceedings to challenge Rafiq Hakim's credibility as the document referred to, namely the witness statement, was not tendered in court by the prosecution.
However, deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said if the defence wished to challenge the credibility of the witness, the latter's witness statement would have to be tendered in court and used as an exhibit.
After Azhar delivered his decision, Gobind told the court that they would seek a fresh bid to obtain Rafiq Hakim's statements, which were recorded by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in 2020 during its investigation.
Wan Shaharuddin however objected, saying there was no longer a need to challenge the credibility of the 13th prosecution witness as he had admitted to the court that there were some small discrepancies between his oral testimony in court and his written witness statement.
Azhar then set this Friday for the prosecution and defence to make further submissions before he gave his decision.
Syed Saddiq, 29, was charged as the then youth chief, entrusted with the control of Armada funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim with criminal breach of trust of RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing.
He was also charged with misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq Hakim to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018.
He also faces two counts of engaging in money laundering activities through two transactions of RM50,000, believed to be the proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.
He is accused of committing the offence at a bank at Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru on June 16 and 19, 2018.


18 killed after truck crashes into broken-down bus in India

At least 18 migrant workers have died after a truck crashed into their bus in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.Their 1,300km-long journey from Haryana to their home state of Bihar was cut short when the bus broke down in Barabanki district.Some of the workers were still in the bus while others were sleeping next to it when the accident happened in the early hours of Wednesday.Police told the BBC that the bus was “overloaded beyond its capacity”.Yamuna Prasad, superintendent of police in Barabanki, said some of the passengers decided to sleep next to the bus while the driver went to look for a mechanic to fix the vehicle.“It’s an unfortunate incident. The bus probably broke down because it had about 140 passengers when its capacity was just 65. We are assisting the families,” he said.Prasad said the bus had no openable windows because it was air-conditioned. So when the bus broke down, the aircon also stopped. This forced some of the passengers to get down from the stifling heat and sleep on the road.At least 30 people, some of whom are critically injured, have been admitted to hospitals in Barabanki.Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences and announced 200,000 rupees (US$2,686) as compensation for the families of the victims, and 50,000 rupees for those who were injured.People from Bihar often go to more prosperous states like Haryana and Delhi to find work.Migrant workers often use trains and buses, cheap modes of transport in India, to go home when they get a break from work.


5 things to know ahead of July 26 special Parliament sitting

A special parliament sitting will be held for five days from July 26 to allow the government to lay the emergency proclamation and ordinances promulgated by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah during the emergency before the house in the first time it convenes since January.Members of the opposition have criticised the lack of debate, saying the sitting will be like a mere briefing on the part of ministers.Here are some points of explanation obtained by MalaysiaNow from government sources ahead of the sitting which will begin on Monday.1. What is the difference between the special parliament sitting and an ordinary session?* In general, the duration of each annual session of parliament is known as the parliamentary term.* The termination period of a parliamentary term is known as prorogue, where the parliamentary session is prorogued to a new term.* A council conference during a parliamentary term is known as a meeting.* Standing Order 11(3) states that if the prime minister informs the speaker of the house of a matter of importance or of public benefit, a meeting or special sitting must be held if the council is in adjournment, that is before the house is prorogued.* This special session differs from an ordinary session as it must be held before the regular session, the dates of which are set in the calendar.* Special sessions also have no notice period, unlike regular sessions which have notice periods of 28 days.2. What is the difference between the rules of procedure for the special session and the regular session?* According to Standing Order 11(3), for special parliament sessions, the prime minister will determine the order of business according to his discretion.3. Can MPs bring a motion to the house for debate, and will it be rejected or accepted?* According to Standing Order 11(3), the prime minister determines the order of business which will only involve:a) the tabling of the emergency declaration and ordinances;b) the tabling of the emergency declaration (2) dated Dec 12, 2020, regarding the Gerik by-election and the tabling of the emergency declaration (3) dated Dec 12, 2020, regarding the Bugaya by-election in Sabah;c) the briefing of ministers under Standing Order 14(1)(i).4. Can MPs debate the issues tabled during the special parliament session?* The tabling of the emergency proclamation and ordinances for this special session means that the documents will be placed on the tables, and will not be debated or called to vote.* According to Article 150(3) of the Federal Constitution, the English word for “tabling of the emergency proclamation and ordinances” is “laid” (laid before both houses of Parliament), not “tabled”. These would only be debated and voted on if the term used was “tabled”.5. Can MPs ask questions during the briefing by ministers?* MPs are allowed to ask questions only after each briefing session ends, limited to the issues raised in the briefings.


Documents were de-classified or 'mementos', says Trump lawyer

Donald Trump's indictment on federal charges of mishandling secret documents is a politically motivated prosecution based on de-classified files and personal "mementos," one of the ex-president's lawyers argued Sunday, days before his scheduled arraignment in a Florida court.
Trump is facing 37 charges, including violations of the Espionage Act, making false statements and conspiracy regarding his mishandling of classified material – the most serious legal jeopardy the rebellious Republican has faced. His arraignment is set for Tuesday, at a federal court in Miami.
His lawyer Alina Habba argued Trump had done "nothing wrong" and would not take a plea deal to minimize fallout from the case as he seeks his party's nomination for the 2024 election.
"He would never admit guilt, because there was nothing wrong with declassifying documents," Habba told talk show "Fox News Sunday".
"This is completely politically motivated. It's election interference at its best."
Habba also portrayed Trump's opposition to federal agents searching and seizing materials in his Mar-a-Lago home as frustration over officials going through his personal effects.
"He has every right to have classified documents that he declassified... things that are mementos, things that he has a right to take," she said.
"So if I'm someone with documents that I have a right to have as the president who left the White House, do I want people rummaging through my personal items? No."
But the US attorney-general under Trump, one-time ally Bill Barr, said his former boss faces "solid counts" filed by the Department of Justice and that Trump is not a victim of a witch-hunt, as the former leader repeatedly insists.
"The idea that the president has complete authority to declare any document personal is... ridiculous," Barr told Fox.
If even half the indictment is true, "then he's toast," Barr added. "It's very, very damning."
'Still a secret'
The charges each carry up to 20 years in prison.
In its indictment, the Justice Department described evidence including an audio recording from a July 2021 meeting that Trump, who was no longer president, had with an author, a publisher and two of his staff – none of whom had a US security clearance – in which Trump showed them what he called a "secret" and "highly confidential" document.
"This is secret information... See as president I could have declassified it," Trump said according to the indictment. "Now I can't, you know, but this is still a secret."
A defiant Trump attended Republican events Saturday, telling a GOP convention in North Carolina that the legal attack against him was being waged by "crazy lunatics."
"The baseless indictment of me by the Biden administration's weaponized department of injustice will go down as among the most horrific abuses of power in the history of our country," he said.
The twice-impeached Trump, who turns 77 Wednesday, handily leads the Republican race to see who will challenge President Joe Biden in 2024.
An ABC-Ipsos poll released Sunday highlighted the country's political polarisation over the indictment, finding that 48% of Americans think Trump should have been charged, while 47% believe the charges are politically motivated.
The poll of 910 random US adults in the aftermath of the indictment also shows a solid majority 61% find the charges very or somewhat serious, while 28% say the charges are not too serious or not serious at all.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said the city will have a press conference Monday to address security surrounding Trump's court appearance.
All Miamians will "be able to express their First Amendment rights," he told Fox, adding: "We're going to make sure that there is no disorder."


Daily caseload drops to 2,500 as another 6 deaths logged

Another 2,579 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,445,897.There were 6,055 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,360,061.There are now 50,294 active cases, of which 48,924 or 97.3% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 34 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,258 (2.5%) have been hospitalised.A total of 78 are in ICU with 50 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 52.3%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 10.4%.Another six deaths were reported, none of whom was brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,542.


Beijing now counts more local billionaires than New York City

The Big Apple has been pushed into second place behind Beijing as the world’s billionaire capital, and that’s before an extra New York state tax hike pushes even more of the mega-rich to board their private jets and fly out for good.The Chinese capital of over 21 million has exactly one more billionaire than NYC with its total population of over eight million. A hundred billionaires to 99, according to Forbes’ recently released list.The number of billionaires worldwide increased 32% to 2,755, or 660 more than a year ago, as many cashed in on a surging stock market.Beijing saw an uptick of 33 billionaires during the worldwide pandemic, while NYC’s tally increased by only seven says Forbes.But rather than Beijing growing more billionaires, many say it is New York’s soaring taxes and dwindling quality of life that are fuelling the flight of its richest.“I personally know countless millionaires and billionaires who have left,” said Ronn Torossian, founder and CEO of 5W Public Relations, who is considering moving and relocating his 200 employees from Manhattan to Miami.Manhattan supermarket magnate John Catsimatidis, worth US$3.3 billion, agreed: “New York is being destroyed. I was in Palm Beach, Florida, last weekend, and I met more millionaires and billionaires who have moved there recently than you have hair on your head. The key is they stay in Florida enough days each year to avoid New York taxes.”He warned, “New York will continue to go downhill, and our billionaires and wealthiest will just get up and leave unless the city improves.”While he continues to contemplate a run for governor, he told The New York Post he’s also considering moving his official residence out of state to reduce his tax bill.“Billionaires can buy a new corporate jet and live in Florida, and easily fly back and forth between New York City and Miami with the money they save by moving to lower-taxed states like Florida,” he explained.While Beijing just edged NYC billionaires in total numbers, its mega-rich fall far behind in net worth: Big Apple moguls are worth US$550 billion combined compared to Beijing’s $490 billion.Former Mayor Bloomberg was once again NYC’s wealthiest person, and the world’s 20th richest, with US$59 billion. TikTok tycoon Zhang Yiming, with a US$35.6 billion fortune, was Beijing’s top billionaire, and 39th in global rankings.The City That Never Sleeps will probably keep hemorrhaging its rich as safety becomes a growing concern says the Post.“Wealthy people are now afraid to walk the streets in New York,” said Torossian. “A few of my hedge fund friends moved quietly to Palm Beach and won’t return.”Michael Heller, founder and CEO of Talent Resources, a fast-growing digital “influencer” marketing agency which works with celebrities and brands like Dunkin’ Donuts, ditched his home in lower Manhattan six months ago and moved with his wife and five-year-old son to London’s Notting Hill.He calculates the move, even though London is one of the most expensive cities in the world, will save him millions, and it’s a lot safer than Manhattan.“I am not a billionaire today, but I could be someday,” said the former New Yorker.


New cases hover just over 5,000

Another 5,097 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,619,577.Another 5,352 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,522,045.Meanwhile 510 are in the ICU, including 423 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 258 are in need of respiratory assistance including 171 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 5,097 cases reported today, 84 (1.6%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 5,013 (98.4%) are in Category One and Two.


Up to EIAC to investigate cartel claims, says top cop

Top cop Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani today said the police would leave it to the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EIAC) to investigate claims of a cartel and other forms of misconduct by members of the force.Speaking at a press conference, he welcomed the investigation, saying a letter had been written to the agency to investigate allegations of a cartel in the police force.“Our hands are off (the investigation),” he said. “We will let the third party conduct a thorough investigation.”He also said there would be no compromise on any form of misconduct within the police force.“I will make sure that in every step we take, we will uphold integrity.“We will not compromise, we will not tolerate,” he added.Allegations of a cartel surfaced after comments to that effect by Acryl’s predecessor, Abdul Hamid Bador.Hamid had said the cartel involved young police officers who sought to tarnish his image.“There are attempts to humiliate and topple me.“I would like to advise them, please stop the outrageous act,” he said in an interview with Malay daily Sinar Harian on March 17. “They must realise that the police force is not ours, and not our playing field.”


PH announces 14 names for Kedah, Langkawi candidate 'to be decided later'

Pakatan Harapan (PH) yesterday announced its list of candidates for 14 parliamentary seats in Kedah in the 15th general election (GE15) on Nov 19.
Kedah PH information chief Ismail Salleh, who made the announcement in Sungai Petani last night, also announced the nine PKR candidates who were named the day before.
The five seats announced last night will be contested by candidates from Amanah (four) and DAP (one).
They are Muaz Abdullah (Padang Terap), Mahfuz Omar (Pokok Sena), Latipah Mohamad Yatim (Sik), Johari Abdullah (Baling) and DAP candidate Zulhazmi Shariff (Jerai).
However, the coalition did not announce the name of the candidate for the Langkawi seat.
Kedah PH chairman Mahfuz Omar, when met by reporters after the event, said the PH candidate for Langkawi would be decided later, and declined comment on why it was not announced with the rest.
"We will inform you later, before the nominations,” he said.
The following is the list of PH candidates for 14 parliamentary seats in Kedah: 1. Mohamed Fadzil Mohd Ali - Jerlun2. Aizuddin Ariffin - Kubang Pasu3. Muaz Abdullah - Padang Terap4. Mahfuz Omar - Pokok Sena5. Simon Ooi Tze Min - Alor Setar6. Azman Ismail - Kuala Kedah7. Zulkifly Mohamad - Pendang8. Zulhazmi Shariff - Jerai9. Nor Azrina Surip - Merbok10. Latipah Mohamad Yatim - Sik11. Mohammed Taufiq Johari - Sungai Petani12. Johari Abdullah - Baling13. M Karupaiya - Padang Serai14. Saifuddin Nasution Ismail - Kulim Bandar Baharu


1MDB gets US$1.4 billion injunction against Jho Low and dad

1MDB and one of its subsidiaries have obtained an ad interim injunction from the Kuala Lumpur High Court to prevent fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low from transferring or dissipating any of his assets in Malaysia amounting to US$1.03 billion.Jho Low’s father, Larry Low Hock Peng, was served with a similar injunction from the same companies for the amount of US$401.5 million.1MDB counsel Siva Kumar Kanagasabai said judge Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz allowed the injunction to be enforced until the inter-partes application was disposed of.“The ad interim injunction was granted on the same terms as the ex-parte order. The court set May 25 for the hearing of (the) inter-partes application,” the lawyer told the media after the proceedings which were held online yesterday.1MDB and the subsidiary, Global Diversified Investment Company Limited (formerly known as 1MDB Global Investments Limited) were represented by counsels Wong Chee Lin, Dhanyaa Shreeya, Kong Xin Qing and Tommy Lim while M Puravalen, Chong Mun Fong and Wong Hong Yi acted for Jho Low and his father.On March 15, Hayatul allowed a Mareva injunction by 1MDB and Global Diversified, the first and fifth plaintiffs in 1MDB’s suit against Jho Low, his father as well as several other individuals.A Mareva injunction is a temporary order which restrains the defendant from disposing of assets until the determination of the case between the plaintiff and the defendant.The injunction also limits Jho Low and his father from spending more than RM20,000 a month each for living and legal expenses. If they require more than this amount, they will need to get prior written permission from the lawyers of 1MDB and Global Diversified.On May 7, 2021, 1MDB and its four subsidiaries – Global Diversified, 1MDB Energy Holdings Limited, 1MDB Energy Limited and 1MDB Energy (Langat) Limited – filed a US$3.7837 billion suit against Jho Low, his father, his mother Goh Gaik Ewe, his sister May Lin, his younger brother Taek Szen and his associate Eric Tan Kim Loong.


Zafrul appointed Selangor Umno treasurer

Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz has been appointed as the treasurer of Selangor Umno.
The Selangor Umno liaison committee, in a statement, said its chairman Megat Zulkarnain Omardin also appointed Abdul Mutalif Abdul Rahim as the state Umno liaison secretary and Mohd Zaidi Md Zain as the state information head.
The appointments were made at the first meeting of the state Umno liaison committee yesterday.
According to the statement, a stand was reached by Selangor Umno at the meeting to continue supporting the Unity government.
It also said that Selangor Umno would set up a state-level unity government committee to hold joint programmes with the state government leadership.
It said it would also continue negotiations with Selangor Pakatan Harapan to determine the distribution of seats for the coming state election.
The meeting also unanimously agreed to request that the top Umno leadership defend former UMNO president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is serving time in jail, because of his huge contribution to the country and a memorandum was signed to that effect.


Zelensky vows victory as 100 days of war pass in Ukraine

Ukraine’s president vowed victory Friday even as Russian troops pounded the east, and the United Nations pushed to get tens of millions of tonnes of grain out of the country and avert a global food crisis.More than 100 days since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine on Feb 24, thousands of people have been killed, millions sent fleeing and towns turned into rubble.The advance of Russian troops has been slowed by a fierce Ukrainian resistance which repelled them from around the capital and forced Moscow to shift its aims towards capturing the east.“Victory will be ours,” Zelensky said in a video speech.Later, in his nightly address, he dismissed the Russian army.“At first it looked threatening. Then dangerous… And now probably just a bitter smile. Because what’s left of it?… War crimes, shame and hatred,” he said.But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “certain results have been achieved”, pointing to the “liberation” of some areas from what he called the “pro-Nazi armed forces of Ukraine”.The West has sent ever more potent weapons to Ukraine and piled on ever more stringent sanctions, with the European Union on Friday formally adopting a ban on most Russian oil imports.Putin’s alleged girlfriend, former gymnast Alina Kabaeva, was also added to an assets freeze and visa-ban blacklist.At the same time, the United Nations said it was leading intense negotiations with Russia to allow Ukraine’s grain harvest to leave the country.‘No problem’ to export grain“I am optimistic that something could give in,” said Amin Awad, the UN crisis coordinator for Ukraine, voicing hope for a “breakthrough.”Putin in a televised interview late Friday said there was “no problem” to export grain from Ukraine, via Kyiv- or Moscow-controlled ports or even through central Europe.He said this could be done from the Russian-controlled ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk, or the Ukrainian-held port of Odessa, as long as Ukraine “cleared” the waters around it of mines.Russian troops now occupy a fifth of Ukraine’s territory and Moscow has imposed a blockade on its Black Sea ports.The UN has warned that especially African countries, which imported more than half of their wheat consumption from Ukraine and Russia, face an “unprecedented” crisis caused by the conflict.Food prices in Africa have already exceeded those in the aftermath of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings and the 2008 food riots.On Friday, Putin met the head of the African Union, Senegalese President Macky Sall, at his Black Sea residence in Sochi.Sall told Putin that African countries “are victims” in the conflict.After the meeting, Sall said he was “very reassured”, adding the Russian leader was “committed and aware that the crisis and sanctions create serious problems for weak economies”.France’s President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, declared Putin had made a “historic” error in starting the war.But he said he should not be “humiliated,” to leave room for diplomacy.Putin’s troops are now concentrating in the Donbas, in the east, where some of the fiercest fighting is centred on the industrial hub city of Severodonetsk.Media driver killed“For 100 days, they have been levelling everything”, Lugansk regional governor Sergiy Gaiday said on Telegram – though, he added, Ukraine was pushing the Russians back.A driver transporting two Reuters journalists in eastern Ukraine was killed and the two international news agency reporters lightly wounded, a company spokesman said.The agency said the group was travelling “in a vehicle provided by the Russian-backed separatists and driven by an individual assigned by the separatists”.The French foreign ministry also on Friday said a French volunteer fighter in Ukraine had been killed in combat.In areas around the capital Kyiv, which Russian troops retreated from at the end of March, some residents are still in desperate need.At an aid distribution point in Horenka, northwest of Kyiv, a tearful Hanna Viniychuk, 67, said she had come for some basic necessities after losing her home to Russian bombardment.“I’m grateful for this help,” she said.‘Nothing to come back to’Ukrainian troops were still holding an industrial zone in Severodonetsk, Gaiday said, a situation reminiscent of Mariupol, where a steelworks was the south-eastern port city’s last holdout until Ukrainian troops finally surrendered in late May.The situation in Lysychansk – Severodonetsk’s twin city, which sits just across a river – also looked increasingly dire.About 60% of infrastructure and housing had been destroyed, while internet, mobile network and gas services had been knocked out, said the city’s mayor Oleksandr Zaika.“The shelling is getting stronger every day,” he said.In the city of Sloviansk, about 80km from Severodonetsk, the mayor has urged residents to evacuate as bombing intensified with water and electricity cut off.Student Gulnara Evgaripova, 18, recounted heavy bombardments as she boarded a minibus to leave the city.“The situation is getting worse,” she told AFP.Ekaterina Perednenko, a paramedic, said: “I am scared that there will be nothing to come back to.”


Sorry.


Why nicotine belongs in the Poisons Act

The Consumers Association of Penang urges all MPs to support the Poisons Board in retaining nicotine as a controlled substance in the Poisons Act.
We urge the government to pass the generational endgame (GEG) bill to prohibit tobacco and vaping for anyone born after 2007 without any changes to the original content. The call for GEG is grounded in current events and scientific evidence.
Allowing electronic nicotine delivery systems and heated tobacco products would undermine the objective of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to de-normalise smoking and tobacco use. Currently, nicotine is categorised as a Group C poison which requires a licensed pharmacist or a registered medical, dental or veterinary practitioner to sell any form of preparation containing nicotine under the Poisons Act 1952.
The way forward to curb future nicotine addiction among future generations is by emulating the Australians. From Oct 1, 2021, all nicotine vaping products such as nicotine e-cigarettes, nicotine pods and liquid nicotine, are classed as Schedule 4 (prescription-only) medicines. Hence, a person cannot buy any of these products without a doctor's prescription.
Accidental nicotine poisoning among children is on the rise in Malaysia. The Universiti Sains Malaysia-based National Poison Centre reported 66 calls of vaping-related poisoning between January 2015 and August 2022. Most of the cases involved children aged between one and four years old, the youngest being four months.
With thousands of e-liquids variants flooding the market sold by 3,300 known retailers, it is impossible to monitor the nicotine concentration of each bottle or brand. According to the Malaysian Vape Chamber of Commerce, there are more than 97% of e-liquids with nicotine in the local market.
Studies in Europe have shown that many of the samples obtained from the market are in excess of 10% of the stipulated amount of nicotine.
Is the health ministry dancing to the sales pitch of addictive drug dealers?
Mohideen Abdul Kader is president of the Consumers Association of Penang.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Devoid of kids, toy stores find new lease of life online

Bereft of their usual crowds of children and parents in the wake of the virus-induced lockdowns this year, toy stores have jumped on the bandwagon and made the shift online, a move that has immensely benefited those who were able to make the leap.Toy shops, traditionally a hub of activity, were dealt a heavy blow when Covid-19 hit earlier this year. While other industries were adversely affected as well, the dependence of the toy industry on the demand of a particular demographic – children – brought with it a unique problem.While adults themselves may be willing to venture out of their homes, many are reluctant to risk exposing their children to the crowds associated with stores and malls.This, and the non-essential nature of toy shops, has seen even the most popular among them deserted for the greater part of the year.Checks by MalaysiaNow of big toy shops in malls found no children at all and very few adult customers browsing through the shelves.Kuala Lumpur-based toy retailer and distributor Janie & Joe told MalaysiaNow that the number of visitors to their physical outlet had dropped significantly during the pandemic. They estimate that their current crowd is about 30% of its pre-pandemic norm.It was going online that saved them.During the peak of the movement control order which saw all non-essential businesses shut down, their online business continued to see strong sales.“Our own website as well as our Lazada and Shopee stores were very busy,” they said.“This helped off-set the loss of sales from physical retail.”Even now, when their brick-and-mortar store has reopened, their e-commerce platforms continue to see strong demand from customers.It turns out that going digital has made all the difference for these stores.Ian Lim from Ty Malaysia agreed that the number of visitors to physical retail stores had dropped due to the pandemic.“It definitely affected us in certain channels like airports,” he said, adding however that improvement was seen in other platforms such as convenience stores, petrol marts, mall road shows and online stores.Other measures that helped them survive included enhancing their social media presence and interaction with customers, developing online sales channels, opening up new retail channels and striving to provide good service at the retail stores that remained open.Janie & Joe told MalaysiaNow that compliance with health SOPs is an additional consideration for them.Due to hygiene concerns and the need for physical distancing, for example, they no longer put toys on display for children to play with at the store.“Fortunately, many parents continue to shop online for toys while families have been staying away from shopping malls,” they said.“Some parents do come to our shop to get toys, but a fair number now shop online instead.”For them, Covid-19 has served as a valuable lesson on the importance of e-commerce.“We pivoted our entire business this year to respond to the pandemic. We have reallocated our resources and reassigned our staff to work on our online e-commerce business,” they said.


PM receives honorary medical doctorate from Japan university

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was today awarded an honorary doctorate in medicine by Nihon University, one of the oldest private universities in Japan, in appreciation of his efforts and contributions in the fight against Covid-19.Ismail received the honorary doctorate from Nihon University president Dr Naoto Kato at the university in Itabashi, one of the cities in the metropolis of Tokyo, during his six-day official working visit to Japan.Expressing his appreciation for the honorary degree, Ismail said it was not only for him but for the entire Malaysian Family which had stood in solidarity with the government in facing the pandemic.“Indeed, the award is a great recognition not only for me but for the entire Malaysian Family – we have proven our ability to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic in our own way,” he said.Ismail said when the pandemic was declared in early 2020, he was entrusted, as the defence minister at the time, with the responsibility of leading the security cluster and chairing every special meeting of ministers in the fight against Covid-19.From then on, he said the country’s strengths and assets were mobilised together with government agencies, including health and security forces, as frontliners, in an integrated effort to combat the threats of the pandemic.“The war against Covid-19 is a big and challenging one,” he added.On Malaysia’s experience in fighting the pandemic, Ismail said all of the factors that could lead to the spread of Covid-19 had been identified and promptly tackled.He said the government had to act sternly at the early stage by imposing the movement control order (MCO), during which time the people were not allowed to leave their homes except for important or urgent matters.“We are fighting an invisible enemy which is all around us. Every war must be won and the lives of the people of the Malaysian Family must be saved,” he said.Ismail also said that Malaysia was close to winning the war, adding that this was proven by the reopening of its international borders on April 1 and the relaxation of most of its SOPs for Covid-19 from May 1, including the abolishment of physical distancing and the wearing of face masks only in indoor settings, which also allowed all economic sectors to fully reopen.“This is the result of an effective health strategy and the implementation of the MCO. The full support of the people also enabled us to flatten the Covid-19 infection curve,” he said.Ismail said Malaysia was also recognised by several international agencies such as Bloomberg and Nikkei as among the top five nations in the world to have succeeded in controlling the spread of the pandemic.Meanwhile, Kato in his citation acknowledged that Ismail had played a central role in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and had given top priority to the people’s life and health.This contributed significantly to the building of trust in international medical collaboration and improvement of technology in remote diagnosis and treatment as well as functional recovery training, he said.“Such achievements are highly regarded by the people of Malaysia,” said Kato.


PH rejects Muhyiddin’s offer of reforms in exchange for support

The three leaders of Pakatan Harapan (PH) have rejected the cross-party agreement offered by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in exchange for support from MPs across the divide at the upcoming confidence vote.Instead, they said they would be able to offer a better deal than the series of reforms promised by Muhyiddin.“We are confident that we can offer a better plan, especially in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, reviving the economy, as well as saving the people and livelihoods,” said a statement issued by Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Guan Eng and Mohamad Sabu.Muhyiddin had listed seven items in his proposal for a cross-party agreement to avoid a collapse of the government which he said could risk a power vacuum that would be disastrous in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.Among others, he pledged to channel equal allocations of funds to all MPs across the political divide, enact an anti-hopping law, limit the prime minister’s tenure in office, and ensure a balanced representation of MPs from the government and opposition in the Special Parliamentary Select Committee.Muhyiddin also promised to implement Undi18 to allow those who reach 18 years of age to vote at the next election.However, the PH trio described the offer as a “bribe”, accusing him of undermining the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and repeating their demand that he step down.“Moreover, when Muhyiddin said ‘there is not a single MP who can prove that he has the majority support from MPs in the Dewan Rakyat’, he has clearly turned his back on the role and powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the head of state as stated in in the Federal Constitution, in particular Article 43 (2)(a),” they added.


Two plots of land in Penang valued at RM300 million, court told in Guan Eng graft trial

The director of a real estate valuation company told the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today that two plots of land in Bandar Tanjong Pinang, Penang, which were transferred to Ewein Zenith Sdn Bhd and Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd by the state government, were valued at RM300 million.
GE Tan Valuers Sdn Bhd (GETVSB) director Tan Gaik Eng, 71, said his company received a call from Ewein Land Sdn Bhd (ELSB) which asked for the valuation of the land located at Lot 702 in the northeast district, Penang, around June 2013.
Ewein Land is a subsidiary of Ewein Bhd, which was owned by late property developer Ewe Swee Kheng.
Ewe, who should have been called as the 15th witness, died after reportedly falling from a luxury condominium unit in Jalan Kelawei, Penang, on Oct 5, 2021.
The 30th prosecution witness said he received a report from the George Town Valuation and Property Services Department as a guide for his company to conduct the valuation of the two plots of land, in addition to streamlining the prices in terms of location, form and size of the land as well as the plan of the land itself.
"I prepared a valuation report for ELSB stating that Lot 702 was valued at RM135 million in December 2013 based on the justifications stated.
"In June 2015, my company was again contacted by ELSB to value Lot 713, and we used the same valuation method before issuing a report for the plot with a price of RM165 million in 2016," he said, reading out his witness statement at the trial of former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng.
During cross-examination by Lim's lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, the witness said he did not know that the two plots of land were earlier valued at RM80 million by two George Town JPPH officers.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib told judge Azura Alwi that the prosecution’s main witness, Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB) director Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, was not present in court for cross-examination as he was on medical leave for four days until Aug 12. Lim, 61, faces an amended charge of using his position as then Penang chief minister to solicit RM3.3 million in bribes as an inducement to assist Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd (CZBUCG) owner Zarul in securing the project worth RM6,341,383,702.
Lim was accused of committing the offence at the Penang Chief Minister’s Office, Level 28, Komtar, George Town, between January 2011 and August 2017.
In the second amended charge, Lim is accused of soliciting a bribe of 10% of the profit from the company as gratification for securing the project.
The offence was allegedly committed near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City in March 2011.
Lim, the former DAP secretary-general, also faces another two charges of causing two plots of land worth RM208.8 million belonging to the Penang government to be disposed of to two companies linked to the state’s undersea tunnel project, allegedly at the Penang Land and Mines office, at Level 21, Komtar on Feb 17, 2015, and March 22, 2017.
The trial will continue on Nov 23.


Charge of cannibis cultivation against singer Yasin maintained

The Petaling Jaya Sessions Court was today told that the charge of cultivating 17 cannabis plants against nasyid singer and composer Muhammad Yasin Sulaiman will be maintained in accordance with Section 6B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Asnawi Abu Hanipah said this followed the chemical report obtained by the prosecution yesterday, which confirmed that the plants were indeed cannabis.“As such, we would like to request a new date for remention to enable the submission of the necessary documents to the defence team,” he said at case mention proceedings before Sessions Court judge Jamaludin Mat today.Lawyer Ariff Azami Hussien represented Yasin.The court then fixed July 6 for remention.Yasin, 47, was charged with cultivating 17 cannabis plants at his residence at Casa Indah Condominium in Kota Damansara at 5.30pm on March 24.The charge, framed under Section 6B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, provides for life imprisonment and whipping of not less than six strokes of the rotan upon conviction.Meanwhile, magistrate Zhafran Rahim Hamzah also fixed July 6 for mention of the singer’s charge of trafficking 214g of cannabis.The charge, framed under Section 39B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under Section 39B (2) of the same act, provides for the death penalty or life imprisonment, with whipping of not less than 15 strokes for the latter upon conviction.


MCO everywhere but Sarawak from Jan 22

The entire country except for Sarawak will come under movement control order (MCO) beginning Jan 22, Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced today.The MCO in Kedah, Perak, Pahang, Terengganu, Perlis and Negeri Sembilan will continue for two weeks until Feb 4.Speaking at a press conference on the MCO, Ismail said the decision was made in light of the increasing number of Covid-19 infections across the states.“From risk assessments and on the advice of the health ministry, the government agreed that the MCO should be enforced in these states to curb the spread of Covid-19,” he said.The MCO was initially implemented in six states: Penang, Selangor, the federal territories (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan), Melaka, Johor and Sabah.The MCO in these states will continue until Jan 26.Pahang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan were placed under conditional MCO while Perlis and Sarawak were put under recovery MCO.Kelantan came under MCO on Jan 16. The movement restrictions in the state are expected to end on Jan 26.


Almost 100,000 out of a job since October, says minister

Nearly 100,000 workers lost their jobs or were sacked due to the conditional movement control order (CMCO) enforced on Oct 14, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.Human Resources Minister M Saravanan said ministry data showed that the number of workers in question according to the Employment Insurance System under Perkeso had reached 99,696 as of Nov 27.However, he said 120,296 out of 372,934 job seekers also found work during the same period.“The country went through seven months of MCO to curb the spread of Covid-19,” he said.“From June 10 onwards, the CMCO allowed more economic sectors to reopen although business has not been operating at optimum levels.”He also spoke of the government’s stimulus packages designed to cushion the impact of the pandemic on the economy and labour market.He was responding to Ahmad Jazlan (BN-Machang) who asked the ministry to state the number of jobs jeapordised after the CMCO and the impact on the employment industry and labour force in general.Saravanan said according to a survey by the statistics department, workers in the aviation, hotel and tourism industries had been heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.Based on the same survey, he said the highest unemployment rate of 5.3% or 8,261 individuals was recorded in May.“The labour market can be seen as recovering with the drop in unemployment rate to 4.9% (7,732 people) in June and 4.7% (7,451 people) in July.“It remained unchanged at 4.7% (7,416 people) in August.”The latest figures show an unemployment rate of 4.6% (7,375 people) in September with an expected drop to 4.5% in December, he added.“This is forecast to continue to next year.”


Two 'Malay professors' say in the dark about declaration of support for Anwar

Two individuals whose names were listed in a recent declaration of support for PKR president Anwar Ibrahim have denied any knowledge of its nature, saying they were made to understand that it was a declaration of support for a transparent election process to choose the best leader for the country.
Ishak Yusoff, the former deputy head of the economic cluster under the National Council of Professors, said he was never informed about stating his support for any individual to become the prime minister.
"As a former pure academic, I take a non-partisan stand in politics and have never stated open support for any individual as prime minister or any party," he said.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Mujahid Ahmad Zaidi, the deputy vice-chancellor of the National Defence University of Malaysia, said he supported in principle the movement towards political stability, economic recovery and general well-being.
"I was not there during the declaration session and was in no way involved in the declaration itself," he said.
"I have never issued a statement of support for any political party leader or favoured any political party. I did not know that my name had been included in the declaration of the G70 Malay professors."
Both Mujahid and Ishak said they had asked for their names to be removed from the list.
The G70 group had convened a media conference in Petaling Jaya to issue the declaration of support for Anwar as prime minister.
The declaration sighted by MalaysiaNow showed the names of some who had been close friends with the PKR chief from his days in Abim, or the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia, as well as lecturers from the International Islamic University where Anwar was president before his removal in the wake of his dismissal from the government in 1998.
"After due consideration of the prime ministerial candidates, we are of the opinion that Anwar Ibrahim is the only figure with the authority, experience and integrity to lead a pluralistic society based on Islam as the federal religion, as well as to restore the country's reputation in the eyes of the world," said the declaration.
The National Council of Professors later distanced itself from the statement, which was seen as an effort to boost the PKR chief's rating among Malay voters ahead of the Nov 19 polls.


Negotiations ongoing for proposed PJD Link project, Selangor assembly told

The Selangor legislative assembly sitting was told today that discussions are still ongoing between the federal government and the company awarded the project for the proposed construction of the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) highway.State Infrastructure and Public Facilities, Modernisation of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman Izham Hashim said the state government through its 34/2020 State Executive Council (MMKN) meeting had taken note of the project presentation from the Malaysian Highway Authority on the proposed PJD Link project.“MMKN at the same meeting considered and agreed in principle to the proposed PJD Link project and set the conditions under which the project is to be implemented which is in accordance with the application processing procedures by negotiation under Section 20A, Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172).“The concessionaire needs to carry out an environmental impact assessment and a social impact assessment for the implementation of this project, including holding public engagement sessions with local residents involved in the proposed alignment,” he said in response to a question by R Rajiv (PH-Bukit Gasing).Rajiv had asked about the status of the proposed construction of the PJD Link highway in Petaling Jaya as well as the status of the approval already given to the proposed construction company.Izham said the proposed privatisation of the PJD Link highway project was notified at the Cabinet meeting on Aug 4, 2017 and the proposal was agreed to in principle by the Cabinet through the build-operate-transfer method subject to further negotiations on technical and financial proposals.“The federal government also determined that negotiations with the company can only be started after the company receives policy approval from the Selangor government on the proposed implementation of this project,” he added.


Ireland locks down for second wave, Germany smashes record daily high

Ireland became the first European country to enter a second national lockdown and Germany’s daily cases leapt to a record high as the second wave of coronavirus spread gloom across the continent on Thursday.As a Covid-19 surge gripped European countries ahead of the onset of winter, Spain added to the list of disquieting statistics when it became the first country to pass a million cases.Many European authorities have been reluctant to reimpose harsh lockdown measures, after previous restrictions caused deep recessions and widespread bitterness.But Ireland’s five million people have been ordered to stay at home for six weeks, with non-essential businesses urged to shut up shop.Irish authorities have also imposed a strict 5km travel limit, limited bars and restaurants to takeaway only and extended a ban on visits between households.“It’s devastating to see us locked down again… during our busiest line-up for the Christmas period,” Dublin antique jeweller John Farrington told AFP this week.The novel coronavirus has killed at least 1,126,000 people since emerging in China late last year, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP. Global GDP is expected to contract 4.4% in 2020, the International Monetary Fund said.Germany, once a European success story for its virus response, leapt to a record 11,287 new infections in 24 hours, soaring past the previous high of just over 7,800 set last Friday.Faced with the sharp rise, authorities have toughened anti-pandemic measures, such as banning large gatherings and making face masks compulsory on certain streets in Berlin.In a symbol of Germany’s woes, Health Minister Jens Spahn – a chief ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel who has been praised for his calm stewardship during the pandemic – tested positive and went into home isolation.‘Months of agony’Spain announced 16,973 cases, taking it to more than a million since its first diagnosis on Jan 31, in the Canary Islands.Spain, home to around 47 million people, is only the sixth country worldwide to cross the million mark after the US, India, Brazil, Russia and Argentina, according to the AFP tally.Meanwhile Britain, with Europe’s largest death toll of 44,000, said more than a million people in the north would be banned from mixing with other households, prompting opposition leader Keir Starmer to warn of “months of agony” ahead.The county of South Yorkshire, which includes the city of Sheffield, will enter into “very high” alert or tier three restrictions for at least four weeks from Saturday, the UK government announced.The decision will affect around 1.4 million people, taking the number under the very toughest restrictions to 7.3 million – or 13% of England’s population.In France, major cities including Paris were virtually deserted on the fifth night of a curfew affecting some 20 million people from 9pm. The number of patients in intensive care in France has surged past 2,000 for the first time since May.Elsewhere in Europe, Poland’s prime minister said he wanted “red zone” lockdown measures to be extended to the entire country amid a record spike in infections.And the Czech government said it would curb movement and close shops and services to battle a huge spike in cases. The latest European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention data showed the country had by far the most new cases and deaths per 100,000 inhabitants over the past two weeks.Wednesday also saw the first reported death in a vaccine trial – a volunteer in clinical trials in Brazil developed by Oxford University.It was not clear if the victim had received the vaccine or a placebo in one of a series of trials to bring a much-anticipated vaccine to market.“Following careful assessment of this case in Brazil, there have been no concerns about safety of the clinical trial, and the independent review in addition to the Brazilian regulator have recommended that the trial should continue,” Oxford said in a statement.


12 highway concessionaires agree to open toll payment system

A total of 12 highway concessionaires have agreed to implement an open toll payment system that will start this September, says Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi.
These are the Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE), Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP), Western Kuala Lumpur Traffic Dispersion Scheme Expressway (SPRINT), Shah Alam Expressway (Kesas), SMART Tunnel and Maju Expressway (MEX).
The open toll payment system will also be implemented at the Sungai Besi Expressway, New Pantai Expressway (NPE), Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (Akleh), Guthrie Corridor Highway, Penang Bridge and Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (BKE).
"So far, these are the highway concessionaires that have agreed to implement the open payment system. Negotiation is still underway with the others and we hope that more will come forward to participate," he said in Subang yesterday.
Nanta said discussions with the highway concessionaires took a long time because it was important to examine the security risks that would be incurred by credit or debit card users for toll payment. "We want to make sure that no security issues occur, so we cannot rush the implementation," he said.
The open toll payment system is a government initiative to provide payment options for users besides paying in cash, using radio frequency identification or RFID, Touch 'n Go cards and SmartTAG.
On efforts to upgrade the routes of several highways, Nanta said these were ongoing including the widening of Johor’s Pasir Gudang and Sedenak highway routes, involving an allocation of RM525 million under Budget 2023.
"Preliminary works have been done and we leave it to PLUS to implement it fully," he added.


Drive-thru vaccination centre for the disabled coming soon, says minister

A drive-thru vaccination centre (PPV) for persons with disabilities (PwDs) will be set up to speed up the immunisation exercise for the group, says Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun.She said the drive-thru PPV is expected to begin operating next week at a location in the Klang Valley, in collaboration with the private sector via Senator Ras Adiba Radzi.“This (drive-thru) is an alternative to facilitate and expedite the vaccination exercise for the disabled community,” she told reporters after reviewing the implementation of the PwD vaccination programme at the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB) complex in Kuala Lumpur.Rina said based on data from the Social Welfare Department (JKM), 195,395 PwDs had registered for vaccination through the MySejahtera application from a total of 577,000.She said many had yet to register for vaccination, adding that her ministry wasworking with NGOs and other related associations to speed up the registration process for the disabled community.Rina said the ministry through JKM had also submitted the names and basic details of 446,000 PwDs registered in the Disability Information Management System to the relevant parties to ensure that they would not be sidelined in getting the vaccine.To facilitate registration, MAB has also set up a special call centre at 03-2272 2677 and to date has received 1,900 applications, she said.She added that the PPV at MAB is expected to be able to administer 200 doses of vaccine daily with the involvement of 20 JKM volunteers to assist paramedics and doctors on duty.The second phase of vaccination under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme which will reun until August targets 9.4 million senior citizens, members of vulnerable groups and PwDs.


Umno and Pejuang, too, reject PM’s bipartisan proposal

Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Pejuang and Umno appear to be on the same page, rejecting Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s call on opposition parties to support him in exchange for carrying out reforms long fought for by the opposition.Pejuang in a statement described Muhyiddin’s cross-party agreement offer as a form of bribery, saying it was a desperate attempt by the prime minister to remain in power.“He has no right to make such an offer even if he has the legitimacy as prime minister, let alone after losing the support of the majority,” Pejuang president Mukhriz Mahathir said in a statement, hours after Muhyiddin dangled seven reforms which he said he would carry out in exchange for the commitment of opposition parties that they would not allow the government to collapse in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.The stand was similar to that of Umno, whose president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi described Muhyiddin’s proposal as an open act of bribery.Zahid, who himself is facing multiple charges of bribery and corruption, said Muhyiddin’s offer was also an admission that he had lost the legitimacy to remain in the top post.Muhyiddin in a speech this evening had listed seven items in a proposal for a cross-party agreement to avoid a collapse of the government which he said risked a power vacuum that could be filled by “kleptocrats” while disrupting efforts to battle the Covid-19 pandemic.Among others, he pledged to channel equal allocations of funds to all MPs across the political divide, enact an anti-hopping law, limit the prime minister’s tenure in office, and ensure a balanced representation of MPs from the government and opposition in the Special Parliamentary Select Committee.Muhyiddin also promised to implement Undi18 to allow those who reach 18 years of age to vote at the next general election, which he pledged to call by the end of July next year subject to the Covid-19 situation.


Seat allocation for PN parties in Melaka polls to be finalised soon, says Bersatu

Negotiations on seat allocation among Perikatan Nasional (PN) component parties for the Melaka state election will be finalised soon, says Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin.He said Melaka Bersatu chief Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen, who is also the state PN chairman, had drawn up strategies to mobilise the party machinery at the grassroots level together with other component parties to face the election.Hamzah said Bersatu and the PN component parties would intensify the existing outreach programmes in all 28 state constituencies, including the Gerai Prihatin Rakyat initiative which had received a good response from the people.In addition, he said the Bersatu Supreme Council meeting held yesterday had discussed the party’s preparations to face the Melaka election.“Bersatu is ready to face the Melaka election with thorough preparations,” he said in a statement today.The Melaka state assembly was dissolved on Oct 4 after four state assemblymen announced they had lost confidence in Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali and withdrew their support for him.The four assemblymen were Idris Haron (Sungai Udang), Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor), Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu) and Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas).The Election Commission will hold a special meeting on Oct 18 to discuss the implementation of the state election including the date for the issuance of the writ of election, nomination day, polling day and the electoral roll to be used.


More concern over economy than corruption, analysts say on govt's anti-graft drive

Analysts are predicting a lack of traction for the government's anti-corruption drive, saying the people are more concerned about the economy and cost of living amid the ringgit's drop in value against the US dollar.
"The people want to know what Anwar will do to restore the economy," political observer Azizi Safar said, referring to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim who is also the finance minister.
"They also want to know what he will do to bring down the cost of living and the price of daily necessities. For them, this is the more important issue."
Anwar, whose government has been seen as cracking down on corruption since taking over late last year, said on June 12 that those who steal will be put in jail regardless of party or status.
"The nation is rich, but there have been huge losses, so what we need to do is stop this plundering of the people's wealth.
"It doesn’t matter if (you) wear religious headgear, a coat or anything else. Whether (you are) a Tan Sri or Tun or from any party for that matter, if you steal money, we will shove you into my (old) cell in Sungai Buloh (prison). It's still vacant," he said.
Several members of the opposition have also entered the cross hairs, including former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin who was charged with corruption earlier this year.
On the ground, however, concerns have been raised about the cost of living and the performance of the ringgit, which fell to RM4.60 against the US dollar on June 20 and has been on a downward trend since January.
Reports meanwhile said that foreign investors had sold their shares for nine weeks in a row.
Azizi, the former executive secretary of Penang Barisan Nasional, said the government had yet to implement a targeted subsidy programme despite promising to resolve the matter within two weeks.
"Anwar's talk of fighting corruption is being seen as the political rhetoric of an election campaign that never ends," he said.
Analyst Azmil Tayeb meanwhile said there had been no significant changes in terms of the economy.
"Anwar should be bringing up the government's economic achievements in his tours so that the people know what his administration has done," he said.
Veteran political observer Zin Mahmud meanwhile acknowledged that prioritising good governance was important, adding that it should always be put into practice.
"Right now, though, the prime minister's priority should be tackling current challenges like the economy, technology, security, and the environment," he said.
"The prime minister needs to spend more time in his office looking for ways to fix the problems that the country is facing."
Zin, a former senior editor of Utusan Malaysia, also said that Anwar should focus on the cost of goods, in addition to investments and the currency exchange.
"He should also have a vision in place for science and technology.
"Technology is more important than Madani," he added, referring to the government's catchphrase.


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