Sarawak livestock traders brace for low-key Eid

In normal years, Aidiladha or the Feast of Sacrifice in Sarawak is a noisy affair as animals are rounded up for slaughter as part of traditional sacrificial rites.The meat is then shared out among the less fortunate, many of whom only eat such food once a year thanks to the generosity of others.This year, though, celebrations in Sarawak are decidedly muted as daily Covid-19 cases throughout the country continue in the five-figure range and fears of the more transmissible Delta variant haunt the Bornean state.Religious authorities had also announced a ban on animal sacrifices as part of efforts to discourage large gatherings which could spark a series of new clusters.This, coupled with the continued closure of state and district borders, has taken a heavy toll on small-time animal farmers such as Syed Razuan Syed Ali.Syed Razuan, who comes from Kuching, said his sales had plummeted by about 90%.Syed Razuan Syed Ali has several hundred sheep and cattle on his farm, but the market is bad and selling them will be difficult.“We were already having a difficult time when the state announced that people were not allowed to participate in the sacrificial rites,” he told MalaysiaNow.“Such restrictions have placed many small livestock farmers like us in a deeper financial crisis.“We had products ready for sale, but with all these restrictions, small livestock traders like us cannot breathe because we do not have the capacity to accommodate more animals.”It’s not just the farmers who are feeling the pinch, he said. Everyone involved in the sale of the animals, including producers, local traders, transporters and exporters, has been affected as well.But with the highly transmissible Delta strain already detected in the state, such constraints may be set to stay for a while more.A worker checks on one of the goats at Syed Razuan Syed Ali’s farm.Just on Wednesday, Sarawak health authorities said another 76 cases of the variant had been detected, bringing the total number of Delta cases discovered since mid-June to 93.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah previously warned that variants such as the Delta strain could spread in just 15 seconds through airborne transmission.“The Rt (infectivity rate) of a normal virus is between 2.5 and 3, but that of the Delta variant and other variants that we have identified is between 5 and 8. That means if 100 people are infected, the virus can spread to 500 to 800 people in a short period,” he said.And with the Covid-19 crisis still hammering at the economy, small-time traders such as Syed Razuan are increasingly at the short end of the stick.Syed Razuan Syed Ali at one of the sheds which house his livestock.Livestock prices have experienced a drastic drop, to the point where farmers are barely able to cover their basic necessities.At Syed Razuan’s farm in Matang, some 20km away from Kuching, about 300 cattle and sheep are still waiting to be sold. With prices so bad, they might remain there indefinitely – and this is not cheap.“To raise a sheep costs us about RM600 a day,” he said. This does not include medication, salaries for workers, or logistics.Demand, too, is a problem.“Many customers had to cancel their bookings for livestock for this year’s sacrificial rites after the announcement was made,” he said. “Almost 90% of them cancelled.”Now, he is depending on the few customers he has left.“But this will take a few days because of restrictions,” he added. “We are struggling now.”


Malaysia remains at lowest tier of US human trafficking report

Malaysia has remained at Tier 3 of the US' Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report for 2022, with US authorities saying Putrajaya does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so.
In the report, the US Department of State said the government had taken "some steps" to address the issue trafficking, such as amending the anti-trafficking law and the Employment Act to include a wider definition of forced labour.
It said Putrajaya had also convicted more traffickers than during the previous reporting period and issued more freedom of movement passes for identified victims in government-funded shelters, in addition to adopting a five-year national action plan against forced labour.
"However, the government continued to conflate human trafficking and migrant smuggling crimes, which impeded law enforcement and victim identification efforts," it said.
"Anti-trafficking investigations declined, and the government did not prosecute or convict government officials allegedly complicit in trafficking crimes."
The TIP report for 2022 covers government efforts undertaken from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
Countries are ranked by tier, with Tier 1 as the highest of four. Placements are made based on the extent of government efforts to meet the minimum standards of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act 2000 (TVPA).
Tier 1 countries are those whose governments fully meet the minimum standards of the TVPA while Tier 2 countries do not but are making significant efforts.
Tier 2 Watch List countries are those whose governments do not fully meet the minimum standards but are making significant efforts to do so, and for which the estimated number of victims of severe forms of trafficking is very significant or is significantly increasing and the country is not taking proportional concrete actions.
They also comprise those in which there is a failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons from the previous year, including increased investigations, prosecutions, and convictions of trafficking crimes, increased assistance to victims, and decreasing evidence of complicity in severe forms of trafficking by government officials.
Countries whose governments neither meet the minimum standards nor make significant efforts to do so are placed on Tier 3.
Governments of countries on Tier 3 may be subject to certain restrictions on foreign assistance, whereby the president may determine, among others, not to provide US government nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related foreign assistance as defined in the TVPA.
Malaysia has been on Tier 3 for two years now, since 2021. It was on Tier 2 Watch List for the previous three years, from 2018 to 2020, although it was ranked on Tier 2 in 2017.
Prior to that, it was again on Tier 2 Watch List from 2015 to 2016.
The 2022 report said that as in previous years, Putrajaya did not adequately address or criminally pursue credible allegations from multiple sources alleging labour trafficking in the rubber manufacturing industry and palm oil sector.
It said the failure to address trafficking in these sectors had allowed abusive employers to sometimes operate with impunity.
"Because of inconsistent identification efforts, authorities continued to inappropriately penalise trafficking victims for immigration and 'prostitution' violations," it said.
"Poor interagency coordination and overall inadequate victim protection services, which discouraged foreign victims from remaining in Malaysia to participate in criminal proceedings, continued to hinder successful anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts."
The report recommended, among others, that Malaysia increase its efforts to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, including household workers and workers in the palm oil and rubber manufacturing sectors.
It also suggested that the government train the relevant officials, including police, labour inspectors, and immigration officials, on SOPs for victim identification that include information on trafficking indicators.
It said labour protections should be increased, alongside law enforcement capacity to investigate and prosecute trafficking cases and prohibit employers from retaining passports without the employees' consent.
"Eliminate recruitment or placement fees charged to workers by recruiters and ensure recruitment fees are paid by employers," it added.
"Reduce prosecution delays, including by providing improved guidance to prosecutors on pursuing trafficking charges, and increase judicial familiarity with the full range of trafficking crimes, particularly forced labour.
"Increase efforts to identify trafficking victims among People’s Republic of China (PRC) workers on PRC government-affiliated infrastructure projects."
The report said ongoing corruption related to processes for foreign nationals to work in Malaysia increases the cost of migration and consequently increases migrant workers’ vulnerability to trafficking through debt-based coercion.
"Corrupt immigration officials facilitate trafficking by accepting bribes from brokers and smugglers at border crossings, including at airports. Some government officials profit from bribes and direct involvement in extortion from and exploitation of migrants," it said.


Widow, teenagers acquitted of murdering Cradle Fund CEO

The Shah Alam High Court today acquitted the widow of Cradle Fund CEO Nazrin Hassan and two teenagers accused of his murder four years ago.High Court judge Ab Karim Ab Rahman said the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the trio.According to Bernama, he said the court also found that the situation at the time did not show that the conduct of the three had inflicted injuries resulting in Nazrin’s death.He also said that the prosecution had failed to prove that there was a murder at the time alleged in the charge.Samirah Muzaffar and the teenagers, now aged 19 and 16, were accused of murdering Nazrin at his home in Mutiara Damansara between 11.30pm on June 13, 2018 and 4am the following day.Indonesian national Eka Wahyu Lestari, who remains at large, was also charged with his murder.Hearing of the case began on Sept 6, 2019. The prosecution closed its case on Feb 14 after calling 57 witnesses.The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutors Mohd Asnawi Abu Hanipah, Tengku Intan Suraya Tengku Ismail and Nur Sabrina Zubairi.The defence team consisted of lawyers Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Rahmat Hazlan, LS Leonard, S Suresh, Savreena Kaur and Zahria Eleena Redza.


Concern over parents going into debt to buy their children homes

Concern has been raised about what appears to be a rising trend of parents doing whatever it takes to secure a house for their children, even before they are grown, including taking out a mortgage and being tied to multiple loans.
On social media, couples are openly discussing their financial plans to purchase assets and establish nest eggs for their children well before they hit adulthood.
This in turn has caused concern among financial experts, real estate agents and members of the general public, sparking an exchange of opinions and debate.
Family financial expert Fazli Sabri said it was unfair to expect parents to scrimp and save in the current economic climate just to ensure that each of their children has a house for the future.
"They must ask themselves, is the ultimate goal of parents to secure houses for all of their children?" he said.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Fazli said there were three financial bases that should be fulfilled before parents move on to other considerations such as the purchase of homes.
Number one on the list is to have enough savings for emergency situations.
"We don't know what will happen in the future," he added.
"The second is to make sure that their children have social protection, whether in the form of insurance or takaful.
"And third most important is having enough funds for their children's education."
If all of these fundamentals are met, Fazli said, it would not be a problem for parents to begin looking at other matters such as real estate and property.
Rising house prices
A couple in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, who spoke to MalaysiaNow said they had decided to buy gold bars from the bank to be used as house deposits for their four children who are still in university and secondary school.
The couple who asked to be known as Zakiyah and Ismail said they were worried that their oldest child would not be able to afford a home even though he will be able to enter the workforce in a few years' time.
"I can't afford to buy four houses," Ismail said. "But house prices are going up. My children will have the same problem, only worse.
"Houses in the affordable range are all far away from Kuala Lumpur, and we don't want our children to live that far."
Zakiyah and Ismail both work as pharmacists at a private hospital.
So far, they have managed to secure two houses for their children in Bangi, Selangor. For these, they pay RM4,230 in monthly loan instalments – RM2,115 per house.
"To get the other two houses, I will try to obtain a loan through our second EPF account," Ismail said.
"It's okay if we don't have any money to retire on. As long as the children have a house."
In the UK, a report by Halifax said one bank had found that a third of parents help their children secure their first home, leading to concern among experts that this will damage their own finances.
Fazli said strong financial support for children would not be a big issue if parents could afford to buy them houses or real estate assets.
But he cautioned that the youth should learn to be disciplined and manage their finances correctly.
"They need to know how to spend wisely," he said. "How to pay house instalments and bills, and so on.
"Parents can help, but at the same time they should teach them sound financial lessons. For example, they pay the deposit and their children pay the monthly loan repayments."
This way, Fazli said, children could develop a sense of financial responsibility and manage their own money without depending on their parents' support.


Prince Andrew being sued by alleged Epstein victim for sexual abuse

An alleged victim of deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein filed a lawsuit against British Prince Andrew on Monday, accusing the embattled 61-year-old royal of sexually abusing her at Epstein’s New York City mansion and elsewhere when she was under the age of 18.The lawsuit, filed by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, comes almost two years to the day that Epstein died mysteriously in a New York jail while he was awaiting trial on conspiracy and child sex trafficking charges.“If she doesn’t do it now, she would be allowing Prince Andrew to escape any accountability for his actions,” Giuffre’s attorney David Boies told ABC News, referring to the approaching statute of limitations for the alleged crimes committed.“Virginia is committed to trying to avoid situations where rich and powerful people escape any accountability for their actions.”The lawsuit seeks punitive damages and accuses Andrew of sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.“Twenty years ago, Prince Andrew’s wealth, power, position, and connections enabled him to abuse a frightened, vulnerable child with no one there to protect her. It is long past the time for him to be held to account,” the lawsuit states.Reached late Monday, a spokesman for Andrew said there would be no comment on the suit.“I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me. The powerful and the rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions. I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but one can reclaim her life by speaking out and demanding justice,” Giuffre said, via her lawyers, in a statement to ABC News.“I did not come to this decision lightly. As a mother and a wife, my family comes first. I know that this action will subject me to further attacks by Prince Andrew and his surrogates. But I knew that if I did not pursue this action, I would be letting them and victims everywhere down,” the statement said.In a 2019 interview with the BBC, Andrew denied the allegations. “I’ve said consistently and frequently that we never had any sort of sexual contact whatever,” the prince said.Giuffre, now a 38-year-old mother living in Australia, first accused the prince of sexual abuse in 2014, when she alleged that she was directed by Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, now in custody in New York awaiting her own trial, to have sex with Andrew on three occasions in 2001, in London, New York and the US Virgin Islands.Her claims were met then with vehement denials from Maxwell and from Buckingham Palace on behalf of the prince, the second son of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.Since that time, Giuffre’s lawyers contend they have made multiple attempts to engage with Andrew or his advisers in discussions about her allegations in an effort to avoid litigation. But those efforts, Boies said, have been ignored.“Since 2015, we’ve been trying to have a dialogue with Prince Andrew or his lawyers,” Boies said. “We have given him every opportunity to provide any explanation or context that he might have. We’ve tried to reach a resolution without the necessity of litigation. Prince Andrew and his lawyers have been totally non-responsive.”Boies told ABC News on Monday that it is his hope that the lawsuit will finally lead to Andrew agreeing to answer questions under oath.“It’s one thing to ignore me. It’s another thing to ignore the judicial process of the state of New York and the US,” Boies said.“If Prince Andrew does not take seriously the rule of law in this country, he is being very ill-advised. The court will take it seriously.“If he doesn’t take it seriously, it is at his peril.”


Daily caseload drops again to 2,600

Another 2,641 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,788,860.Another 2,808 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,717,422.Meanwhile 253 are in the ICU, including 211 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 106 are in need of respiratory assistance including 74 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 2,641 cases reported today, 57 (2.2%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 2,584 (97.8%) are in Category One and Two.


Flood evacuees in Terengganu, Kelantan on the rise

The number of flood evacuees in Terengganu and Kelantan continued to increase today, while in Johor and Perak the number remained unchanged and dropped in Pahang.
In Terengganu, the number of evacuees rose to 40,456 from 11,097 families compared to 39,311 from 10,937 families last night. They are being housed at 299 relief centres in eight districts, according to the state disaster management committee (JPBN) secretariat.
Kemaman has the most evacuees at 9,147, followed by Besut (8,536), Hulu Terengganu (5,893), Dungun (4,419), Setiu (4,352), Kuala Nerus (3,597), Kuala Terengganu (2,777) and Marang (1735).
According to https://publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my, six rivers in Terengganu are still above the danger level including Sungai Kemaman at Rumah Pam Paya Paman in Kemaman, Sungai Telemong in Kuala Ping in Hulu Terengganu, and Sungai Nerus in Kampung Langkap in Setiu.
In Kelantan, the number of evacuees rose to 31,487 from 9,055 families this morning, compared to 31,313 from 9,005 families last night. They are are at 140 relief centres in eight districts: Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Tanah Merah, Kuala Krai, Machang, Pasir Puteh, Kota Bharu and Bachok.
Meanwhile, in Johor, the number of flood evacuees remained at 48 from 15 families with two relief centres still open in Segamat.
The evacuees, from Kampung Seberang Batu Badak and Kampung Batu 5 Segamat, are being accommodated at Balai Raya Kampung Batu Badak and Dewan Komuniti Kampung Tasek.
The Irrigation and Drainage Department reported that the water level at Sungai Muar in Buloh Kasap, Segamat, was at the warning point (8.63m).
In Perak, the flood situation remained unchanged with 54 evacuees from 17 families still at SK Sungai Tiang Darat and Dewan SMK Abd Rahman Talib. The water level of Sungai Bidor in Changkat Jong is still above the danger point.
In Pahang, the flood situation in Kuantan continued to improve with 221 people from 62 families still at three relief centres this morning, compared to 484 from 113 families at five centres yesterday.
The water level of Sungai Keratong, Rompin, is still above the danger point but with a decreasing trend.


Daily cases hover just below 3,200

Another 3,198 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,795,233.Another 3,200 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,723,599.Meanwhile 215 are in the ICU, including 185 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 105 are in need of respiratory assistance including 65 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 3,198 cases reported today, 39 (1.2%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 3,159 (98.8%) are in Category One and Two.


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From tourist hotspot to haunted house for Batu Pahat bus station

In the middle of the town of Batu Pahat stands an old building that could have come off the set of a zombie movie.Quiet, dark and abandoned, even the sound of the wind falls to a whisper around it.Once upon a time, the Batu Pahat bus station in Jalan Rugayah was a bustling hub of activity, full of people coming and going.It also functioned as a shopping centre and a hangout spot for locals, housing a jumble of stores selling everything from clothing and stationery to school supplies and musical instruments.After school, students would spend their afternoons at the three-storey complex at which a number of tuition centres had also set up shop.Now, though, much has changed.Many of the shops in the Batu Pahat bus station have closed down, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.The only people around are the two guards who man the ticket counter inside. On the second and third floors, the atmosphere is eerily quiet.Nothing but a gaping hole is left where escalators once ran through the centre of the complex, and the stairs and elevators appear shaky at best.A trader who asked to be known as Saiful said the complex was supposed to be undergoing restoration works.“But it’s been four years now and nothing has changed,” he added.“The tenants have all left because there are no visitors and yet the rent is still high.For Saiful, who has run a shop selling traditional medication for nearly 40 years now, this is a sad development.Saiful mans the till, waiting for customers at his small shop at the Batu Pahat bus station.MalaysiaNow understands that the project to overhaul the complex, worth almost RM24 million, started under the supervision of a contractor close to Umno. Work was expected to be completed within one or two years.Monthly rental at the shoplots there runs to as much as RM4,000.Lacking a train network or airport, Batu Pahat is reliant on its bus system. In its heyday, the bus station saw thousands of travellers passing through on a daily basis.“But look at it now,” Saiful said. “There’s not even a single worker in sight. How much longer are we expected to wait?”Saiful’s wife who goes by the moniker Kak Min shares his scepticism about those responsible for governing the area.“They should think about the state of the traders here,” she said. “This bus station is the image of Batu Pahat. When it deteriorates to this state, how are the traders supposed to make a living?”A gaping hole the size of a car, filled with garbage, is all that remains of the escalator system in the complex.Another trader, Ati, took a more humorous view of the matter.“Who says this place is empty? It’s full of lizards and cockroaches,” he said, laughing as he spoke to MalaysiaNow at his mobile phone repair shop.But he, too, is worried about the safety of the building.Overhead, the ceiling is riddled with holes, while the floor is covered in moss and fungus. Parts of the walls meanwhile have begun to crumble, and garbage is everywhere.Ati, too, remembers a time when things were very different.When he first opened his shop more than 18 years ago, he had to weave his way through crowds of visitors in order to get in.Few if any of the shops on the upper levels remain open as tenants have taken their business elsewhere.“Now, no one is here,” he said. “Even the workers do not come. When asked, they said it would be a year. After that, another year.“Projects like this, if you do a proper job of them, they can be finished in a year or slightly more.”Rickety and decrepit, the old building is surrounded outside by the noise and colour of other shoplots where business still thrives.Ati said many of his friends who once rented shoplots in the complex had moved to other such malls.At the old bus station, a handful of counters are still open. But many operators are believed to have closed shop due to the economic downturn during the movement control order.MalaysiaNow has reached out to the Batu Pahat Municipal Council and the contractor of the project for a response.


Agong calls for cooperation under national vaccination programme

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah today called on the people to work together in playing their roles to protect themselves and society through the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.He said efforts to fight the pandemic should be shouldered by all quarters in the spirit of brotherhood, including through close cooperation between the government and the people.“I have full confidence that all of our attempts and efforts through the Community Empowerment Programme and the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme will enable us to rise again together to build a brighter future for our beloved country.“Let us come together to continue the agenda to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and play our parts to protect our country,” he said in a royal address in conjunction with the launch of the Community Empowerment Programme on RTM today.Sultan Abdullah said during the first wave of the pandemic early last year, Malaysia had managed to flatten the curve of daily Covid-19 infection thanks to the efforts of various quarters and cooperation from all Malaysians.However, he said the country then experienced a shocking spike in Covid-19 cases, which led to more challenging tasks for frontliners and national health facilities, hence the change in the people’s philosophy of life.As such, Sultan Abdullah praised the government’s efforts to formulate the Community Empowerment Programme which sees the involvement of community leaders and people from all walks of life in preventing infections and reducing the number of Covid-19 cases.“Apart from that, an initiative known as ABC-19 (Covid-19 Eradication Agent) will also see the involvement and mobilisation of various entities to empower the community,” he said.He also expressed gratitude for the government’s hard work in securing access and bringing in vaccines to protect the people from Covid-19 infection.


Health experts move to ease fears over ‘Made in China’ vaccine

Just over a week ago, 200 litres of a vaccine that could help turn the tide in the country’s battle against Covid-19 arrived amid tight security at KLIA in Sepang, Selangor.The vaccine – enough for more than 300,000 doses – arrived in a plane bearing the livery of the national flag and was welcomed upon touchdown by senior ministers including Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Hishammuddin Hussein and Khairy Jamaluddin, the minister in charge of Malaysia’s vaccine procurement.But despite numerous assurances of the vaccine’s safety and efficacy, public concern remains over the CoronaVac jabs by China’s Sinovac.Some, known colloquially as anti-vaxxers, would shun any and all vaccines to begin with. For others, though, the concerns are more specific.Some have reservations over the efficacy rate of the Chinese vaccine. Several clinical trials overseas have concluded that the CoronaVac jab is about 50% effective – significantly lower than the vaccine created by US firm Pfizer and its German counterpart BioNTech, Moderna and Russia’s Sputnik V, all of which are over 90% effective.Others are concerned about the vaccine’s origins, demonstrating the strength of the stigma attached to the “Made in China” label.The prime minister himself recently sought to allay concerns over brand names, saying every vaccine administered would have received approval from the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency or NPRA.“They (the vaccines) have all been tested and approved, and I am confident that when the immunisation programme is properly implemented by the management committees, it will give us a lot of advantages,” Muhyiddin Yassin said on a visit to Perlis on Friday.Several clinical trials overseas have concluded that the CoronaVac jab is about 50% effective – significantly lower than Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Sputnik V.Health experts, too, are reassuring the people that there is little to worry about as far as the Chinese vaccine is concerned.Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Subramaniam Muniandy, acknowledging the relatively low efficacy rate of 50%, said nonetheless that published data has also shown that the vaccine is about 84% effective in preventing hospitalisation, and nearly 100% effective in preventing severe illness and death.“There isn’t as much data for the Sinovac vaccine as there is for Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson,” he told MalaysiaNow.“But as this is a more ‘traditional’ vaccine, side effects are likely to be similar to those of known vaccines.“Certainly nothing of concern has come to light yet,” he said, adding that based on currently available data, the Sinovac jab is an effective vaccine.“People should take it if offered.”High stakesCoronaVac’s arrival in Malaysia followed that of Pfizer-BioNTech, more than 300,000 doses of which landed the week before. This was part of Malaysia’s total order of about 13 million doses, enough to cover 20% of the population through a two-dose regime.Putrajaya has also ordered vaccines from China’s CanSino, Russia’s Gamaleya and the Covax facility, with Khairy saying on Feb 17 that the government would also sign a procurement contract with the US’ Johnson & Johnson.The national vaccination programme kicked off on Feb 24 with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The health ministry has granted conditional approval for the vaccines by Sinovac and AstraZeneca.Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO of the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, said vaccines in Malaysia must undergo scrutiny and obtain approval from the NPRA.In order to obtain approval, a candidate vaccine must successfully complete its clinical trials, especially Phase 3 which looks at efficacy and safety.“No human vaccine can be approved and licensed without successfully going through Phase 3. Not being able to do these clinical trials in Malaysia is not a barrier to the use of vaccines in this country,” he added.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said if the CoronaVac shot has successfully gone through clinical trials elsewhere, possesses robust data demonstrating high levels of safety and efficacy, and has been proven to have high production quality, there is no reason it will not be approved and licensed for use in Malaysia.“We need to trust the NPRA’s decision,” he said. “This agency is considered one of the best in the region and is known, sometimes infamously, for its strict adherence to these standards, which is why Malaysia has high standards when it comes to drugs and medicines.”Azrul, who is also an active advocate for public health policy, said he trusts the NPRA’s decision to certify the safety, effectiveness and quality of the vaccines being approved, including CoronaVac.“Compromising on that will undermine public trust regarding these new Covid-19 vaccines,” he said. “The stakes are high.”


Govt never sold MySejahtera app, says Khairy

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has assured that the government never sold the MySejahtera app to any private company, saying that it remains government-owned.He said this was according to the government’s decision on Nov 26 last year that the health ministry be appointed as the main owner of the country’s public health management.“MySejahtera data is under the ministry’s supervision since it was first used with all data management undergoing a data administration process set by the ministry,” he said in a statement responding to questions surrounding the app’s ownership status posed by several parties, including Port Dickson MP Anwar Ibrahim.Khairy also said that the government had never made any payments to KPISOFT (M) Sdn Bhd (KPISOFT) which developed the app throughout the duration of its use from March 27, 2020 to March 31, 2021.According to him, the company offered the use of the app to the government for a year without any payment as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) principles.After the CSR period ended, Khairy said the government decided on March 31 last year to continue with MySejahtera’s services and implemented several function upgrades until it reached the version used today.On Nov 26, 2021, the government determined that the health ministry should establish a price negotiation committee to conduct procurement price negotiations and app service management with the company for two years, in line with the government procurement guidelines, he said.The procurement, he said, was agreed to by the finance ministry in a letter dated Feb 28 for implementation, and the negotiation process was ongoing. He said they would ensure that due diligence was conducted in the process to protect the interests of the government.Khairy said that the scope of the procurement encompassed the operation of the MySejahtera platform, development of additional modules, maintenance, third-party database management and service, including subscriptions to Google Map and places application programming interface and the short messaging service.Khairy said since its launch, MySejahtera had been used based on the software as a service approach, as it helped the government reduce the turnaround time needed to develop a new software.According to him, the use and management of the data needs to comply with the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342), the Medical Act 1971 and international standards and will not be shared by the health ministry with any government or private agency.“The ministry hopes that the public will continue to use the MySejehtera app without any concerns. Data confidentiality of the public is ensured, and the ministry will always ensure that this aspect is not compromised,” he said.He added that data transactions from the current MySejahtera app have over 10 modules as well as 38 million registered users who upload to the cloud server network daily and can only be accessed for the use of the MySejahtera app.


New infections dip to 1,360, death toll up by 1

Another 1,360 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,843,865.
There were 2,271 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,783,393.
There are now 24,097 active cases, of which 23,075 or 95.8% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 977 (4.1%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 45 are in ICU with 28 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 59.2%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 12.4%.
One death (brought in dead) was reported, taking total deaths to 36,375.


Sensitivity levels of saliva Covid self-test kits over 90%, says health DG

Studies by the Medical Research Institute have found that two self-test devices (Rapid Antigen tests) that use saliva for Covid-19 screening have sensitivity levels of above 90%.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the studies by IMR had been completed and that the details of the guidelines for the use of the self-test kits were expected to be ready next week.“The MDA (Medical Device Authority) is detailing the usage guidelines and Insha Allah (God willing) it will be completed next week,” he said in a Twitter post today.In May, Noor Hisham said there were two companies offering the test kits for sale at local pharmacies.He said through the use of the saliva test kits, individuals would not need to go to a health facility for an initial screening to detect Covid-19.


Schools in Klang Valley, Melaka to resume face-to-face classes next month

Schools in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Selangor and Melaka will resume physical classes from next month, with those in Standard One, Two and Three, as well as Form Three and Four told to attend lessons on Nov 1.The education ministry also fixed Nov 8 as the first day of school for those in Standard Four, Five and Six, as well as Form One and Two.It said the move followed the shift of these four states to the final phase of the National Recovery Plan announced earlier.“The education ministry has stipulated that if a state moves to the next phase, the operation of educational institutions under its purview will be implemented in line with the new phase two weeks from the date of the transition,” the ministry said in a statement.Meanwhile, select students in Kedah and Kelantan will attend school based on Phase Three of the NRP beginning Oct 31, while those in Penang, Perak and Sabah will follow suit the next day.The move will involve preschool children, special needs students at government schools, as well as students who will be sitting for public examinations, the International Baccalaureate Diploma, O-Level, A-Level, Australia Higher School Certificate, IBD and other international examinations.“The ministry of education recommends that this ruling is also implemented at all educational institutions that are not registered with the ministry, including those under the state government,” the statement added.The announcement of the Klang Valley’s transition to Phase Four of the NRP was made by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Friday, following a gradual drop in the number of daily Covid-19 cases as well in the increase of fully vaccinated people.Under Phase Four, the public and private sectors are allowed to operate at full capacity.


Islamic State suicide bombers kill dozens at Kabul airport

Islamic State (IS) suicide bombers attacked crowds of people gathered Thursday outside Kabul airport hoping to flee Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, killing dozens including 13 US troops, as President Joe Biden vowed to hunt down those responsible.The Taliban said the two blasts killed between 13 and 20 people. A health official in the previous government said the toll could rise to 60.The IS group claimed responsibility for the attack, which added more urgency and heartbreak to the frantic US-led campaign to airlift people out of Afghanistan now that the hardline Islamist group has seized power.The airport blasts came as the Aug 31 deadline looms for the United States to withdraw its troops, and for it and other Western countries to end a massive airlift that has already evacuated nearly 100,000 people.With the crisis in Afghanistan rocking his presidency to the core, a clearly shaken Biden went before TV cameras to address the American people after the worst single-day death toll for the US military in Afghanistan since 2011.He said the US soldiers who died in the airport blasts were heroes, and vowed to catch those behind the attack. “We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” he said.Biden said the evacuation effort would proceed and end on schedule at the end of the month.Asked by a reporter if he bore any responsibility for the death of the US service members killed Thursday, Biden said: “I bear responsibility fundamentally for all that’s happened of late.”The attack marked a deadly escalation of the drama unfolding at the airport. It is the only part of the country under foreign control following the Taliban’s return to power on Aug 15, and huge crowds have massed in the hope of being evacuated.Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP that between 13 and 20 people were killed and 52 wounded in the twin blasts, while Kabul hospitals reported six dead and up to 90 wounded.A health official in the pre-Taliban administration said the death toll could rise to 60, but added that he could not be named and other sources could not confirm the figure.General Kenneth McKenzie, head of the US Central Command, initially said 12 US troops were killed. But another soldier died later, and the latest US injury toll is 18, the Central Command said.McKenzie said an unspecified number of Afghan civilians were killed.McKenzie said the blasts have been assessed as coming from IS suicide bombers, and that the US airlift would continue despite the attack.“IS will not deter us from accomplishing the mission,” he said.The US expects more IS attacks in Kabul and is prepared to retaliate, McKenzie told a news conference.Later, in the early hours of Friday, a huge blast was heard in Kabul. Mujahid said this was a controlled explosion by US troops destroying equipment at the airport, a statement that has yet to be independently confirmed.Biden had earlier cited an “acute” terrorist threat from the regional chapter of the jihadist group.The Taliban, a rival of the IS, condemned the blasts, and said they happened in an area under US military control.‘Total panic’Graphic video shared on social media showed bodies lying semi-submerged in a canal adjacent to the airport, where thousands have gathered since the Taliban takeover of Aug 15 hoping for a flight out.“When people heard the (first) explosion there was total panic,” a man name Milad told AFP.“The Taliban then started firing in the air to disperse the crowd. I saw a man rushing with an injured baby in his hands.”The US government and its allies had raised the alarm earlier in the day with a series of advisories warning their citizens to avoid the airport.After the blasts, images posted on social media showed men ferrying wounded people to safety in wheelbarrows.In another picture, a boy was seen clutching the arm of a man whose clothes were soaked in blood.‘Truly heartbreaking’More than 95,000 Afghans and foreigners have fled Afghanistan via the US-led airlift since the hardline Taliban movement took control of the country.Biden has not budged on the Aug 31 deadline – even as some foreign nations warned they would be forced to leave at-risk Afghans behind.Several Western allies have already wrapped up their airlift operations including Canada, whose government said it was “truly heartbreaking” to leave behind those who wanted to be rescued.The airport attack on unarmed people desperate to flee to safety drew condemnation from around the world, with Britain describing it as barbaric and Germany as heinous. The United Nations called an urgent meeting of the permanent members of the Security Council for Monday.In Washington, Republicans said Congress should end its summer vacation and reconvene to discuss what they called the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan.Islamic State threatIn recent years, the IS’ Afghanistan-Pakistan chapter has been responsible for some of the deadliest attacks in those countries.It has massacred civilians at mosques, shrines, public squares and even hospitals.The group has especially targeted Muslims from sects it considers heretical, including Shiites.But while IS and the Taliban are both hardline Sunni Islamist militants, they are rivals and oppose each other.The Taliban have promised a softer brand of rule from their first stint in power, which ended in 2001 when the US invaded because they gave sanctuary to Al-Qaeda.But many Afghans fear a repeat of the Taliban’s brutal interpretation of Islamic law, as well as violent retribution for working with foreign militaries, Western missions or the previous US-backed government.There are particular concerns for women, who were largely banned from education and employment and could only leave the house with a male chaperone during the group’s 1996-2001 rule.


Russia needs to clean up its act, culprits in Valieva case must get life ban, says anti-doping body

World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) president Witold Banka said he wanted Russian authorities to change the country’s doping culture and conduct a thorough investigation into teenage figure skater Kamila Valieva’s entourage, with any culprits to be banned for life.The 15-year-old prodigy was cleared on Monday to compete in her next event at the Beijing Olympics by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after a failed drugs test last December, although CAS did not rule on the doping case itself.“The doping of children is evil and unforgivable, and the doctors, coaches and other support personnel who are found to have provided performance-enhancing drugs to minors should be banned for life, and personally I also think that they should be in prison,” Banka told Reuters on Monday.The case is now in the hands of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (Rusada), which has to set up a hearing to decide on the fate of Valieva, hot favourite for the women’s singles in Beijing.If Wada is not satisfied with Rusada’s report, it can appeal to CAS, which is sport’s highest court.“We demand that Rusada completes a strong investigation into the entourage. We will also look into that and make sure that a proper investigation is carried out,” said Banka.Rusada lifted Valieva’s provisional suspension after she was notified of her positive test for a banned heart drug on Feb 8 – more than six weeks after the sample collection.CAS rejected an appeal by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), WADA and the International Skating Union (ISU) to reinstate the suspension.One of the reasons CAS gave for its ruling was that Valieva is a minor and barring her from further competing in Beijing, after she helped the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) win the team event last Monday, would have caused her “irreparable harm”.Russian athletes are competing under the ROC banner at the Olympics because of their poor doping track record.Banka also said Russia’s sports culture needed to change.“Of course, what is very important, is that the culture in Russia must be changed in terms of entourage,” he added.“We still have the old generation of coaches and doctors who are working with the minors, with the athletes, so it’s our strong demand that… the Russian ministry of sports change this situation.”Valieva will skate her short programme on Tuesday followed by a free skating routine on Thursday.The IOC said earlier on Monday that no medal ceremony would take place if the teenager finishes in the top three on the grounds that she is an athlete with a positive test on her record.


AstraZeneca says Covid vaccine sales top US$1 billion

British pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca said Thursday that its Covid vaccine generated US$1.2 billion in sales in the first half of the year.The group shipped about 319 million doses worldwide during the period, which included US$572 million of sales in Europe and US$455 million in emerging markets.The jab is one of the world’s leading vaccines and has been vital in Britain’s speedy vaccination drive – which enabled the economy to fully reopen this month.“We have made dramatic progress with our Covid-19 vaccine Vaxzevria,” said chief executive Pascal Soriot in comments accompanying the results.“As of today, AstraZeneca and our partners have released one billion doses to more than 170 countries.”AstraZeneca developed the jab alongside the University of Oxford and sells it at cost without making a profit.However, the jab has faced safety doubts and suspensions in some European nations over reports of rare blood clots.The group added Thursday that net profit jumped 40% to US$2.1 billion in the first half.Total revenues increased by almost a quarter to US$15.5 billion.Stripping out the Covid vaccine, total revenues increased by 14% to about US$14.4 billion.“AstraZeneca has delivered another period of strong growth thanks to robust performances across all regions and disease areas,” said Soriot.Longer term growth would be supported by the purchase of US biotech company Alexion.“Just last week, we completed the acquisition of Alexion, an enormous milestone that will enable us to enhance our pipeline in rare diseases and immunology,” the CEO added.As a result, the company lifted its full-year 2021 guidance.Revenues excluding vaccine sales are now forecast to grow by a low-twenties percentage this year.


PAS members united in choosing PN over MN, says ulama chief

The PAS grassroots will continue to support the party’s decision to work with Perikatan Nasional (PN) instead of Umno under the Muafakat Nasional (MN) charter of cooperation during the Melaka state election on Nov 20, Dewan Ulama chief Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh says.He said the grassroots had been instilled with the spirit of obedience and loyalty, the natural attitude of the Islamist party.“The matter was decided by the Shura Council and coordinated by PAS central committee members. PAS members throughout the country are satisfied.“It is the nature of PAS members to adhere to the decisions of the Shura Council,” he said when met by MalaysiaNow last night.He was responding to reports stating the dissatisfaction of several individuals said to be Melaka PAS members over the party’s decision not to work with Umno under MN.Nik Muhammad played down any chance of a protest vote by the grassroots on election day, saying those who are allegedly unhappy with PAS’ decision might be “outsiders” acting as party members.“There will be no protest vote,” he said. “That is confirmed, unless there are some who are acting.”A television station owned by an Umno leader had recently reported that some PAS members were against their party’s decision to contest the Melaka polls under PN.According to the report aired during prime time, the members were upset over the clashes with Umno, PAS’ partner in MN.PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad had earlier described these clashes as “friendly fights”.Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan meanwhile said in an interview that his party had extended the hand of cooperation to PAS for the Melaka polls but that it was not reciprocated.According to him, Barisan Nasional (BN) had offered PAS several seats in the Melaka election.Some 495,196 voters registered to vote in Melaka will determine the next state government this weekend in an election called after the collapse of the BN-PN administration following the move by four assemblymen to withdraw their support for Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali.About 10,390 police and military personnel and their spouses cast their ballots in early voting yesterday.Nik Zawawi voiced hope that voters would decide rationally, choosing a leadership which could unite the Muslims.“If we succeed in the name of Muslim unity, this solidarity will be even stronger at the 15th general election,” he said.He said PAS was committed to being with PN, adding however that it would review its position after the Melaka polls.Political analysts have said that Melaka will be a testing ground for contesting blocs to determine the direction of swing votes, especially among the Malays.The results of the election are expected to provide a clearer picture of what will come in GE15.Political observers had also raised the possibility of MN’s collapse after the Melaka polls.PAS did not win any state or parliamentary seats in Melaka at the last general election in 2018.


Don’t let it happen again, AirAsia told as more holidays loom

The domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry (KPDNHEP) does not want the welfare of AirAsia passengers to be affected again ahead of several public holidays such as Wesak Day this Sunday and Gawai Festival next month.Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said he had raised the matter in the recent KPDNHEP-AirAsia engagement session.“KPDNHEP will continue to protect the rights of consumers while operations will be scrutinised according to the jurisdiction of the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) and the transport ministry.“The solution taken by AirAsia to reduce operational disruptions is to implement rescue flights for stranded passengers such as KCH-KL (Kuching-Kuala Lumpur) or MYY-KL (Miri-Kuala Lumpur),” he said on Twitter.If Rapid Rail can provide one-way travel coupons to commuters affected by an incident on May 10, he said AirAsia should also come up with an appropriate quantum of compensation for its passengers.As of May 9, Nanta said the number of passenger complaints sent directly to AirAsia was almost consistent at about 60 to 80 complaints per month.Meanwhile, the number of AirAsia passenger complaints received by Mavcom between January and April recorded a downward trend, he said.“According to AirAsia, more than 90% of complaints have been resolved. AirAsia has identified four main causes that contribute to flight delays and rescheduling involving various destinations namely a limited number of aircraft, operational and regulatory constraints, technical issues and weather conditions,” he added.


Reject corrupt Umno leaders, Muhyiddin tells voters ahead of Johor polls

Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin upped his attack on Umno today, urging voters in Johor to reject Barisan Nasional (BN) at the state election to come over the charges of corruption and abuse of power staring at its leaders.The former prime minister said several Umno leaders had already been found guilty in court or told to enter their defence.“Is that not a wrongdoing that can no longer be denied?” he said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.In Johor, he said, the religious education system teaches people about right and wrong.“But when it comes to corruption and abuse of power, the people need to ask themselves if they are ready to associate with groups such as this that are represented by BN,” he said.While he did not mention names, he was believed to be referring to former prime minister Najib Razak, who has been found guilty of corruption in the SRC International case, and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who has been told to enter his defence for charges of abuse of power.Muhyiddin said PN’s candidates for the Johor election would take an oath against corruption, as was done for the Melaka polls.He said the Johor election would be a medium for Malay voters to show their hatred of parties with corrupt leaders who have already been sentenced.“This cannot be underestimated in terms of values,” he added. “This is not a question of voting rights only. It’s about the good of the country and building it up based on moral and ethical values.”Muhyiddin said his talks with PAS about the distribution of seats for the Johor polls were complete, although there were some overlaps with Gerakan which he said would likely be resolved tomorrow.The Election Commission is expected to announce the date of the Johor state election on Feb 9.Muhyiddin meanwhile said Bersatu would take no action yet against its Supreme Council member Zuraida Kamaruddin who has been linked with Parti Bangsa Malaysia leader, Julau MP Larry Sng.“She is still a member of the Supreme Council,” he said. “We will provide further updates if there are any developments.”


Japan seeks boost in defence budget amid regional threats

China’s rapidly growing military coupled with threats of missile attacks from North Korea are causing jitters in Tokyo.Japan’s defence ministry is asking for an increase in its budget of more than 8%, its largest rise in decades.The money would be used to build military capacity to respond to future threats, including in cyber, space and electromagnetic warfare.Heigo Sato, vice-president of the Institute of World Studies at Tokyo’s Takushoku University, said the expanded budget is partly a response to the rising threat from North Korea.He admitted that Japan is also under pressure from US President Donald Trump’s administration to shoulder more responsibility for its own protection, CNN reports. “The era of not increasing the budget is over,” Sato said.Stephen Nagy, of the Department of Politics and International Studies at Tokyo’s International Christian University, said the expansion of Japan’s military budget would match rapid military growth by other regional powers including China, South Korea and Taiwan.He cited the fact that every year, China builds more warships than the total number the UK has in its Royal Navy as evidence of how quickly China is racing ahead of potential rivals, not only in East Asia but around the world.Nagy said that with the US economy damaged by the Covid-19 pandemic, there was likely to be more pressure for Japan to increase its defence spending and take a greater role in regional security in Asia.Japan’s parliament still needs to approve the budget later this year. If approved, it will be the ninth consecutive annual increase in Japan’s military spending.


Britain to extend Covid-19 booster rollout to over-40s

Britain’s Covid-19 booster vaccine rollout is to be extended to people between 40 and 49 years old, officials said on Monday, in a bid to boost waning immunity in the population ahead of the colder winter months.Currently all people other 50, those who are clinically vulnerable and frontline health workers are eligible for boosters, and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said that the rollout would be extended further.The advice comes as the UK Health Security Agency released data from a real-world study which found the booster gave over 90% protection against symptomatic Covid-19 for people aged 50 years and older.“Booster vaccine doses in more vulnerable adults, and second vaccine doses in 16–17 year olds are important ways to increase our protection against Covid-19 infection and severe disease,” said Wei Shen Lim, the JCVI’s Chair for Covid-19 immunisation.“These vaccinations will also help extend our protection into 2022.”Britain is mainly using the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots in the booster rollout, with people being eligible 6 months after their second shot.The real-world study found that protection against symptomatic disease following a booster was 93.1% for people who were initially given AstraZeneca’s vaccine, and 94% for people who had been given the Pfizer shot originally.The JCVI added that the protection given by boosters against severe disease was expected to be higher.However, the panel declined to recommend boosters for under 40s, saying it had found no robust evidence of a decline in protection against severe Covid-19 from the original vaccine rollout in that age group.Prime Minister Boris Johnson is leaning on booster vaccines and shots for children to try and withstand winter pressures on hospitals without resorting to another Covid lockdown.The JCVI also said that all 16 to 17 year olds would be invited to have their second dose of Covid vaccine, having previously advised that they only receive an initial shot unless they had an underlying health condition.


Parts of China sees record-breaking temperatures

Parts of northern China were hit by high temperatures on Thursday that smashed seasonal records, with the city of Shahe hitting 31.8 Celsius, official data showed.
Besides Shahe, regions such as Gaoyi, Yongnian and Handan, all in Hebei province, surpassed the 30C mark earlier in the year than ever before, as well as experiencing their highest temperatures on record for the first half of March.
"We are witnessing a rapidly warming earth with all the high temperatures recorded today," China's official weather forecaster said on the Weibo social media platform.
More than a dozen major Chinese cities this week recorded record high temperatures for this time of year, with central China's Wuhan and Zhengzhou more than 10C higher than normal for early March.
Last month, some southern regions also reported the arrival of spring about 20 days earlier than normal, according to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA).
China has warned that it is more vulnerable to climate change than other countries, with extreme weather set to proliferate in coming years.
An overseas study published this year also said that 16 of the 20 global regions most at risk from climate change were in China.
Zhang Xingying, a CMA expert, told media that the increase in average temperatures in China was expected to be significantly higher than global levels, with record-breaking temperatures set to "become a regular occurrence".
"The current extreme high temperature events that happen once every 50 years will happen every one or two years by the end of the 21st century," he told the National Business Daily newspaper in an interview.
In December, the capital, Beijing, introduced regulations curbing projects that use a lot of water after searing heat and prolonged drought last summer led to water and power supply crunches.
The new regulation increases penalties for wasting water, the Beijing Daily reported.


National unity ministry to bring appeals on Chinese New Year SOPs to NSC

The national unity ministry will bring the views and appeals of the Chinese community regarding SOPs on family reunion dinners and temple prayers this Chinese New Year to the attention of the National Security Council (NSC).It said in a statement today that the SOPs for Chinese New Year were prepared after discussions with 21 religious organisations, Chinese cultural associations and related parties on Jan 12 and 18.The associations involved in the discussion on Jan 12 included the Malaysian Buddhist Association, the Taoist Associations of Malaysia, the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association, the Han Culture Association and the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce and Industries.The discussion on Jan 18 meanwhile saw the involvement of the Cheng Ho Multi Culture Education, Malaysian Faith And Culture Interaction Kuala Lumpur and Huazhong Malaysia, among others.The ministry said any announcement on the appeals over the SOPs would be made by Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob.Ismail had announced the SOPs for Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb 12 and 13 this year, yesterday.He said large dining events would be limited to family members living in the same household while prayers at temples, house-to-house visits, inter-district or interstate travel to visit family members and friends as well as lion dance, dragon dance, lantern parades, Chinese opera and stage performances would not be allowed.


No conflict of interest if Azalina chairs Dewan sittings, says speaker

There is no conflict of interest in Azalina Othman Said chairing Dewan Rakyat sittings while she is the special adviser to the prime minister, says speaker Azhar Harun.Azhar said the special adviser position held by the Pengerang MP does not include ministerial status and as such, Azalina is not part of the administration or the executive.“… she will only advise the prime minister and not the government according to her knowledge and wisdom.“Since she is not an executive member, I do not see any problem in my request for (Azalina) to chair any parliamentary sitting or meeting.“During the parliamentary sitting, as long as she does not have to make any ruling on matters related to her portfolio, I do not think there is a conflict of interest,” he said.Azhar added that if Azalina is required to make a ruling related to her position as the prime minister’s special adviser when chairing a sitting, the Pengerang MP would be asked to recuse herself.“If she (Azalina) is in a conflict of interest situation, I am sure she will recuse herself and I will instruct her to do so,” he said.Azhar was responding to a question from Wong Hon Wai (PH-Bukit Bendera) on the position of Azalina who was asked to chair the sitting in accordance with Article 7(3) of the Rules of the Dewan Rakyat sitting.Earlier, when Azalina chaired the winding up session of the 12th Malaysia Plan for the defence ministry, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PH-Kulim Bandar Baharu) and Wong questioned her position which they said could be perceived as a conflict of interest following her appointment as special adviser to the prime minister.Azalina however asked the MPs to refer the matter to Azhar as he had invited her to chair the sitting temporarily in accordance with Standing Order 7(3).


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Mexico finds 60% more Covid-19 deaths than thought

Mexico has published revised figures indicating that the number of deaths caused by coronavirus is at least 60% higher than previously reported.The new figures came after a review of “excess deaths” and a review of death certificates. More than 320,000 people are now believed to have died from Covid-19 in the country.This puts Mexico with the second highest number of Covid-related deaths in the world, after the US.Experts have long warned that Mexico’s true death toll was probably much higher due to a lack of testing. It is also believed that a shortage of intensive care beds in many states has led to a large number of people dying at home.President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has faced widespread criticism over his handling of the crisis. The opposition has accused him of downplaying the severity of the pandemic and blamed him for delays in the vaccination programme.López Obrador, who has himself recovered from Covid-19, has been repeatedly accused by his opponents of not taking the crisis seriously enough and is often seen in public without wearing a face mask.The revised report issued by Mexico’s health ministry showed that by the end of the sixth week of 2021 there had been nearly 295,000 deaths “associated with Covid-19” – up from the 182,301 confirmed figure given previously.Since mid-February more than 26,772 Covid-19-related deaths have been reported across Mexico which would take the total to more than 321,000.That places Mexico above Brazil, which has registered 310,000 deaths, and below the US which has recorded 550,000 fatalities – despite having a population of 126 million which is far smaller than either country.However, former president Felipe Calderon wrote on his Twitter page on Saturday that “more than 400,000 Mexicans have died, probably the highest figure in the world”.Last week, Hugo Lopez-Gatell, who is heading Mexico’s response to the pandemic, warned that the country risks a new wave of infections as millions prepare for the Easter holidays which will centre around Sunday April 4.Easter is one of the most important days in the Christian calendar, usually celebrated with great fanfare in the Catholic world.Easter in Mexico is a multi-week extravaganza after the 40-day fasting and denial of pleasure during Lent.People usually live it up at Easter, but this year the authorities will be trying to remind everyone the pandemic is nowhere near over.


Blue and yellow flag, Russian dead attest to Ukrainian advance in south

Ukraine's blue and yellow flag flew over a ruined grocery store and Russian soldiers lay dead in the street of the village of Neskuchne, reached by Reuters journalists on Tuesday in the first independent confirmation of Ukraine's biggest advances for seven months against Russia's invasion.
Russia has not acknowledged any Ukrainian gains, and President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that for now he saw no need for a new mobilisation of fighting men to confront the Ukrainian counteroffensive launched last week.
"There is no such need today," Putin told a televised meeting of Russian war correspondents and military bloggers when asked about another mobilisation. But he added that it all depended on what Russia wanted to achieve in what it describes as a "special military operation" in Ukraine.
More than 15 months since Putin sent troops into Ukraine, Russian and Ukrainian forces are still battling along a 1,000km front line, though far from the capital Kyiv.
Russian forces tried, and failed, to capture Kyiv in the hours and days after the invasion began on Feb 24 last year.
In comments shown on the Russian state TV broadcast, Putin said he faced a question only he could answer - should Russia try to take Kyiv again?
Once again on Tuesday Putin threatened to withdraw Russia from the Black Sea grain deal, designed to ease a global food crisis worsened by the invasion, saying the West had cheated Moscow. Russia and Ukraine are both major agricultural exporters.
"We are thinking about getting out of this grain deal now," Putin told the meeting. "Unfortunately, we were once again cheated - nothing was done in terms of liberalising the supply of our grain to foreign markets."
The deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey will expire on July 17 unless Russia agrees to extend it.
Ukrainian troops ride through recaptured village
Not a single resident could be found in Neskuchne, one of a cluster of settlements on the Mokry Yali river that Ukraine says its troops have captured since their counteroffensive began in a steady advance southwards into Russian-held territory.
Ukrainian troops rode through the muddy streets on the back of a tank and in a pick-up truck. A warplane flew overhead, firing flares.
"Three days ago the Russian forces were still here. We chased them out of Neskuchne. Glory to Ukraine," said Artem, a member of a Ukrainian territorial defence unit, who gave no surname.
The mainly one- and two-storey buildings in the village, which had a population of several hundred before the invasion, had nearly all been damaged. The scene was silent, apart for the crump of artillery fire in the distance.
Reuters saw at least three dead Russian soldiers lying in the street, including one whose fly-blown body lay by an abandoned Russian military vehicle. Artem said the advancing Ukrainian troops had watched from a drone as comrades initially tried to evacuate him, only to dump him and flee.
It was the first independent confirmation of Ukraine's advance in the area, roughly 90km southwest of the city of Donetsk, one of several axes where it is trying to break through Russian lines.
In Washington, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said as he met US President Joe Biden that the military alliance's support to Ukraine was making a difference on the battlefield.
"It's still early days, but what we do know is that the more land Ukrainians are able to liberate, the stronger hand they will have at the negotiating table," Stoltenberg said.
Early days of assault
Ukraine had stuck to a defensive posture through seven months of a Russian winter and spring campaign that yielded scant gains. President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday night gave an updated casualty count for a Russian missile strike on an apartment building and warehouses in his birthplace of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine - 11 killed and more than 30 injured.
Russia, for its part, has had months to prepare several layers of defensive lines, meaning Ukraine's advance so far does not necessarily amount to a breach through the front.
After a week of giving little information, Ukraine said on Monday it had retaken seven settlements so far. Troops have advanced up to 6.5km and seized 90 square km of ground along a 100km long stretch of the southern front line, Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said.
Putin told the televised meeting with war correspondents that Ukraine's counteroffensive had not been successful in any areas, and claimed that Ukrainian casualties had been 10 times higher than Russia's.
Leaked US intelligence documents have estimated Russia has suffered losses several times greater than Ukraine's, with the worst casualties coming in recent months. Ukraine does not usually comment on its losses.
Putin declined to say whether Moscow would launch a new offensive of its own, saying that Russia's future plans would be decided once the Ukrainian counteroffensive was over.
The Russian defence ministry said on Tuesday its forces had fended off Ukrainian attacks near the villages of Makarivka, Rivnopil and Prechystivka. Makarivka is located further south along the river from Neskuchne.
Moscow also released video footage of what it said were German-made Leopard tanks and US-made Bradley Fighting Vehicles captured in battle. Reuters could not immediately verify the location or time of the footage.


Covid-hit India cinemas bet on delayed blockbusters to revive crowds

Bollywood action flick “Sooryavanshi” kicks off a slate of holiday season blockbuster releases on Friday as India’s Covid-battered cinemas try to lure audiences back into theatres and away from booming online streaming services.Cinemas were shuttered back in March 2020 in a strict lockdown when the pandemic first hit, enjoying a brief reprieve before closing again after a massive virus surge in April.India’s media and entertainment earnings fell by a quarter to US$18.7 billion last year, according to accounting firm EY, and most multiplex chains suffered major losses.But the industry is anticipating a rebound with theatres now back in business across the country, most recently in Bollywood capital Mumbai.Hindi film “Sooryavanshi” – starring top names Akshay Kumar and Ranveer Singh – is the first marquee Bollywood film to be released on the big screen in 18 months.Delayed since the start of the pandemic, Kumar stars as an anti-terrorism chief working to stop an attack in Mumbai.Its performance at the box office will be seen as a litmus test of whether audiences will flock back to cinemas in the world’s most prolific movie market.“This film is very crucial for the film industry,” Rajender Singh Jyala, chief programming officer for the country’s second-largest cinema chain INOX, told AFP.“The buzz is also very good.”‘The biggest films’India is currently celebrating Diwali, the country’s biggest Hindu festival and traditionally what film distributor Akshaye Rathi said was a “very lucrative time” for the sector.“Traditionally it’s when the biggest films release,” he told AFP.Also debuting this week will be “Eternals”, the latest instalment in Hollywood’s Marvel franchise, and the colourful drama “Annaatthe” featuring Tamil superstar Rajinikanth.Fans excited about “Annaatthe” sprayed milk on posters displaying Rajinikanth’s face in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai city on Thursday as a sign of respect for the actor, who inspires an almost god-like adulation in the state.As the industry gets back on its feet, India’s largest multiplex operator PVR is also opening an open-air, rooftop drive-in cinema – pegged as a world first – in Mumbai on Friday.Film trade analyst Komal Nahta said there was a “massive backlog” of films worth an estimated 50 billion rupees (US$668 million) in production costs.“We will have at least one major film released every week,” he added.Christmas Eve sees the opening of Reliance Entertainment’s “83”, a sports biopic charting India’s first Cricket World Cup win, also delayed by more than a year.“In 2019-20 we estimated (US$40 million in) box office numbers, which was pre-Covid days,” said Shibasish Sarkar, the former chief of Reliance Entertainment and current chair of media firm IMAC.“For the coming releases, we hope (and) wish for the best.”In a country where going to the movies has long been a central fixture of cultural life, the pandemic’s theatre closures prompted a surge in subscriptions to streaming platforms.US giants Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video and Disney’s Hotstar have rushed to tap into the growth in online audiences as smartphone adoption rises.But Jyala of INOX said cinema owners were unfazed by the competition.“People are coming back to theatres… and there are several more big titles in the pipeline,” he added.


New road tax structure for electric vehicles in the works

The transport ministry is working on a new road tax structure for electric vehicles (EVs), said its minister, Anthony Loke.
He said the new structure was expected to be unveiled at the end of this year and would feature prominently in the ministry's budget 2024 proposals.
He said the new structure was essential because the previous government had given road tax exemption for EVs only until 2025.
"Consumers are generally concerned about the EV road tax structure because if based on the old formula, the cost impact is high and can reach RM4,000 to RM5,000 a year.
"I have directed officers at the ministry to study this matter based on feedback from consumers and companies providing EVs. This is part of our efforts to encourage users to switch to this type of vehicle," he told reporters after attending the green mobility and transport forum in Cheras today.
Loke said policies on EV usage should be clear to facilitate efforts to migrate to a more sustainable transport mode.
He said this was in line with the low carbon mobility blueprint targeting 15% usage of EVs and hybrid vehicles this year and the provision of 10,000 units of charging facilities by 2025.
The transport ministry was not only looking at the adoption of the sustainable mobility concept for land vehicles but also for air and maritime transport, he said.
"The concept of using sustainable fuels has also become a choice in the aviation sector, and this matter has gained the attention of the transport ministry, especially at LIMA 2023 (Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2023)," he added.
In his keynote address at the forum, Loke said Malaysia would continue to work together with Sweden to enable both countries to learn and cooperate on initiatives that promote sustainable transport modes.
"We can leverage Sweden's best practices and expertise in EV adoption, charging infrastructure, and smart traffic systems, among others, to accelerate the transition to e-mobility in Malaysia.
"I believe that cooperation is key to solving this challenge, and I am glad to see that our two nations are strengthening our relations within the transport sector, particularly in the green transition, in addition to our previous partnership in road safety," he said.


The flag that never came down

In March 2018, I hung a Malaysian flag at my upstairs window. It was something I’d intended to do since moving in three months earlier but never had the time to until then.Soon after, election fever hit the country and flags began popping up everywhere. Party flags were predominant, especially the dark blue of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and the light blue and red of the PKR logo under which the opposition contested. But there was a healthy sprinkling of Malaysian flags too, and my house fit right in along with the rest of the neighbourhood.May 9 came and went, as did Pakatan Harapan and BN, respectively. After the hype died down, I thought about taking down my flag and putting up something else instead. But then I thought, Merdeka Day would be here soon enough, so I left it hanging where it was.It was the same story after Merdeka – Malaysia Day was just around the corner, I thought, ah let it be.Before I knew it, it was the end of the year and time to put up Christmas decorations. Surely now I should take it down and hang up some twinkly lights instead. But although the twinkly lights went up, the flag did not come down.After Christmas came Chinese New Year, and the story continued.I have always loved the Malaysian flag, even though as a kid in school I hated drawing it because I could never get the star right. I’ve always loved Malaysia, and I’ve always loved being a Malaysian.When I was studying, I had the privilege of going overseas thanks to my parents who emptied their EPF accounts and my relatives who let me bunk with them for free. Between finishing two degrees and working the odd year here and there, I spent a long time away from home. For years, I missed Malaysian food and Malaysian weather. I missed char kuey tiau, nasi lemak, cili padi, and cendol, and I missed the sound of thunder during monsoon storms.I missed malls on weekends and public holidays, I missed pasar malam, and I missed the way 95% of directions given in Malaysia are based on landmarks associated with food. I missed how football matches mean big crowds yelling at roadside mamaks, and I missed the Malaysian slang that no one except my relatives understood.People would ask me about my plans after graduation, and I always told them the same thing: “I’m going home.” “Why?” some of them asked. “What’s wrong with here?”“Nothing’s wrong,” I said. “It’s just not home.”I’ve been mad with the powers that be many times, both before and after May 9, 2018, and I understand the frustration of those who have contemplated emigrating as well as those who have packed up and left. This year alone, I thought many times about junking that flag at my window as political antics reached the point where I could no longer keep track of what was going on.But thankfully, a country is more than its government and its people more than the elite who walk the halls of power, no matter how much misery their policies may cause. Loving a country doesn’t have to depend on who runs it.Christmas is coming up again, and those twinkly lights are waiting in a box in the storeroom. But that flag has been up for quite some time now, and I think it will stay up – at least for a while more.


Over 2,700 Malaysians imprisoned abroad, says deputy minister

A total of 2,742 Malaysians are currently in prison abroad for crimes including drugs, fraud, credit card forgery, as well as customs and immigration offences, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.Deputy Foreign Minister Kamarudin Jaffar said the number was based on the latest information received from Malaysian diplomatic missions abroad.He said the Malaysian missions abroad had a role in providing consular assistance to any Malaysian detained in a foreign country, in line with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963.“The consular assistance includes notifying the family or next-of-kin and ensuring the welfare, safety and health of the detainee,” he said in reply to Richard Riot Jaem (GPS-Serian) who wanted to know the latest number of citizens imprisoned abroad and the ministry’s efforts or measures to assist them.The deputy minister said the Malaysian diplomatic missions could also help in providing a list of local legal firms to be appointed by the detainees or their next-of-kin, if necessary.Kamarudin said the government is always concerned about the welfare of every Malaysian abroad and is ready to provide the appropriate assistance.However, he said the Malaysian diplomatic missions must also respect the local legal process and not interfere in the legal affairs of the country.“A person arrested in a foreign country must also be prepared to go through the legal process in that country,” he said.He advised Malaysians who are travelling or intending to travel abroad to always be vigilant and understand the rules and regulations of the country to avoid getting into trouble.


Police identify 1MDB documents related to husband of ex-Bank Negara governor

The police have identified the documents and statements needed for the investigation into Tawfiq Ayman, the husband of former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz, in relation to 1MDB.
Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said the documents and statements would need to undergo the mutual legal assistance (MLA) process at the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to ensure that they could be accepted in Malaysian courts.
"In April 2022, the police issued an application under the MLA through the AGC to the Singaporean authorities," he said in a statement.
In March, the police went to Singapore to gather information and statements relating to the case.
He said the police were still investigating claims by Meta Platform Incorporated of fake social media accounts set up by the security agency.
Acryl said the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) had been instructed to investigate the matter.
"I categorically deny the matter and I have ordered the CCID to study the claims," he said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
In August, Meta claimed in its quarterly adversarial threat report that there was the possibility of police intervention behind the closure of 600 Facebook and Instagram accounts in Malaysia for being a troll farm.


New Zealand police dismantle tents, tow vehicles to clear anti-vaccine protests

Clashes erupted between New Zealand police and anti-vaccine protesters on Wednesday as officers, armed with riot shields, towed away vehicles and dismantled tents set up outside the country’s parliament grounds.Taking inspiration from truckers’ demonstrations in Canada, hundreds of protesters have been blocking streets near the parliament in capital Wellington with trucks, cars and motorcycles for more than three weeks.Police said 60 people were arrested and they had “gained significant ground” in efforts to clear the protesters. At least three officers were injured, police said.Protesters used fire extinguishers, paint-filled projectiles, homemade plywood shields and pitchforks as weapons and a cord was set up as a trip wire, police said. Social media footage showed protesters throwing full water bottles and shouting abuse at the police.Authorities used loudspeakers to warn protesters they face arrest for trespassing on parliament grounds if they refuse to leave.At least 10 children were seen within the protest area and police said they had concerns for their wellbeing. “This is not an appropriate place for children and we continue to urge those with young ones to pack up and go home,” New Zealand police said in a statement.The protest began as a stand against Covid-19 vaccine mandates but was later joined by groups calling for an end to all pandemic restrictions.A country of five million people, New Zealand imposed tough anti-virus curbs that restricted its cases to just over 118,000 and 56 deaths, far lower than in many developed countries. But fuelled by the Omicron variant, daily infections are currently hovering near record levels.About 95% of eligible people are vaccinated with two doses, with shots mandatory for some staff in front-line jobs.


Don't disrupt, says Anwar as ministers head to Genting landslide site

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reminded his Cabinet members not to get in the way of rescue efforts after Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said several ministers were told to visit the site of a landslide at a campsite in Genting Highlands which has so far killed eight people.
"I was also informed that the ministers involved will come down to the location this morning. However, I advise them not to disturb the search and rescue work," he said in a statement.
At least eight people have died in the landslide that occurred at the Father’s Organic Farm campsite, situated along a trunk road connecting Batang Kali and Genting Highlands.
Earlier, Fahmi said Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad and Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming would be visiting the site of the tragedy.
Anwar meanwhile said he would visit the site tonight.


Unicef all for re-opening of schools in Malaysia

The United Nations’ children’s agency today welcomed the move to reopen schools in March, saying the longer children remain out of school, the greater the learning loss and “irreversible harm”.In a statement, Unicef’s representative to Malaysia Rashed Mustafa Sarwar said the school is a “microcosm of society” where children can access provisions such as psychosocial support and nutrition alongside their education.“Schools reopening will allow students to access these services, and to learn, connect and play with their friends again.”Face-to-face classes came to an abrupt halt last year in the wake of a fierce spike of Covid-19 infections.While Form 5 and 6 students were initially allowed to return to the classrooms on Jan 20, the education ministry later announced that the former would resume home-based learning beginning Feb 10.The government said this week that preschool and primary students will return to school beginning March 1.Standard 1 and 2 pupils will return on March 1, while other primary students will start school the week after.Secondary students meanwhile will start attending school on April 4, except for those in Form 5 who will start classes on March 8.Unicef said the Covid-19 pandemic had wreaked havoc on children’s lives, disrupting familiar patterns and impacting their education and mental health.“As a priority, teachers and school personnel should be vaccinated against Covid-19 once frontline health workers and high-risk populations are vaccinated.“This will help protect teachers from the virus, allow them to teach in person, and ultimately keep schools open,” it said.Unicef added that it is working with the education ministry to “reimagine education”, especially for marginalised children.“We need to develop and strengthen digital and remote learning, internet connectivity, affordable data and devices, and engagement so that children have the skills they need for the future.“This is an opportunity for the education system in Malaysia to build back better,” it said.


International visitors flock back to Malaysia as borders swing open once more

Malaysia’s international borders reopened for the first time in two years today, witnessing a flood of international visitors eager to travel and vacation in the country after long months of pandemic-related constraints.Speaking to reporters waiting at the KLIA arrival hall, travellers from as far off as Europe told of their excitement to be in the country after so long.A Frenchman who introduced himself as Philip said the last time he had been in the country was two years ago, before Malaysia was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.He said he was very happy to be in Malaysia again, adding that he loved everything about it.“The food is delicious, the weather is good, and the people are all very friendly,” he said.“This is not the first time I have come to Malaysia, and I’m very excited to be back on the first day of the borders reopening.”Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced in early March that the country’s borders would be reopened as part of the transition towards the endemic stage of living with the Covid-19 virus.The announcement was hailed by those in the tourism industry who said the return of international travellers would speed up the sector’s recovery as well as the country’s economic growth, especially in the second half of 2022.Malaysia’s borders were closed after the first movement control order or MCO in March 2020 as part of efforts to slow the spread of the virus within the country.A Palestinian traveller called Ahmad said he was thankful to finally be able to set foot in Malaysia after a long time.“I have missed it very much as I have been away for a long time,” he said.“I could have come back before but there was a lot of red tape to go through. Now I can come and visit my friends in Malaysia.”Other travellers meanwhile came from countries such as Germany and Lebanon. While many had come to Malaysia for holiday, a number were also entering the country for business purposes.“I am so excited to be back in Kuala Lumpur,” said a Lebanese traveller who introduced himself as Mustafa, adding that he intended to stay for more than a month.“This time, I plan to go to all of the interesting places in the country.”


1,123 new cases, 490 in Klang Valley

Another 1,123 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 71,359.Of these, 490 or 43.6% were recorded in the Klang Valley – 265 in Kuala Lumpur, 221 in Selangor and four in Putrajaya.Sabah recorded 391 cases, Johor 66, Penang 44, Perak 39, Kelantan 35, Kedah 30, Negeri Sembilan and Labuan 10 each, Melaka five, Pahang two and Sarawak one.In Sabah, 106 cases were from clusters, 188 from screening of close contacts and 97 from other Covid-19 screenings.In Kuala Lumpur, 228 cases were from clusters including 162 from a new cluster known as the Tapak Bina Bulatan cluster, 18 were from close contact screening and 19 from other Covid-19 screenings.In Selangor, 94 cases were from clusters, 58 were from close contact screening and 64 from other Covid-19 screenings. Five others were imported cases.Active cases stand at 10,775 with 130 in the ICU and 54 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 1,143 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 60,204.However, four more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 380.


New cases stay over 12,000

Another 12,735 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,245,695.Sarawak recorded 2,487 cases, Selangor 1,940, Johor 1,241, Kelantan 1,232 and Kedah 1,033.Sabah recorded 993 cases, Perak 913, Penang 763, Terengganu 726, Pahang 697, Kuala Lumpur 258, Melaka 194 and Negeri Sembilan 132.Perlis recorded 97 cases, Putrajaya 28 and Labuan one.Another 17,725 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,054,824.Meanwhile 924 are in the ICU, including 849 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 512 are in need of respiratory assistance including 387 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 12,735 cases reported today, 220 (1.7%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 12,515 (98.3%) are in Category One and Two.


Moon lighting: partial lunar eclipse to be longest since 1440

The longest partial lunar eclipse in nearly 600 years, which will bathe the Moon in red, was visible for a big slice of humanity on Friday.The celestial show will see the lunar disc almost completely cast in shadow as it moves behind the Earth, reddening 99% of its face.The spectacle was visible for all of North America and parts of South America from 0602 GMT Friday, and may later be seen in Polynesia, Australia and northeast Asia.By 0750 GMT, sky-watchers with a cloud-free view in those regions saw the Moon half covered by the Earth’s penumbra – the outer shadow.Space scientists said Thursday that by 0845 GMT the Moon would appear red, with the most vivid coloring visible at peak eclipse 18 minutes later.The dramatic red is caused by a phenomenon known as “Rayleigh scattering”, where the shorter blue lightwaves from the Sun are dispersed by particles in the Earth’s atmosphere.Red lightwaves, which are longer, pass easily through these particles.“The more dust or clouds in Earth’s atmosphere during the eclipse, the redder the Moon will appear,” a Nasa website explained.“It’s as if all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon.”From the moment the eclipse began – when the Moon entered the Earth’s shadow – to when it ends will take more than three hours and 28 minutes.That is the longest partial eclipse since 1440 – around the time Johannes Gutenberg invented his printing press – and won’t be beaten until the far-off future of 2669.But Moonwatchers won’t have to wait that long for another show – there will be a longer total lunar eclipse on Nov 8 next year, Nasa said.Even better news for anyone wanting to watch is that no special equipment is necessary, unlike for solar eclipses.Binoculars, telescopes or the naked eye will give a decent view of the spectacle – as long as there is good weather here on Earth.After it passes into the umbra – the full shadow – the whole process will go into reverse as the Moon slithers out of the dark and carries on its endless journey around our planet.


33% of children fully jabbed, 48.4% given first vaccine dose

A total of 1,171,888 children or 33% of those aged five to 11 had completed their vaccination under the National Covid-19 Immunisation programme for Children (PICKids) as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow website, a total of 1,720,411 children or 48.4% have received at least one dose of vaccine.For adolescents aged 12 to 17, a total of 2,913,596 or 93.6% have completed their vaccination while 3,010,184 or 96.7% have received at least one dose.In terms of the adult population, a total of 16,096,363 individuals or 68.4% have received a booster dose while 22,974,497 or 97.6% have completed two doses of vaccine.A total of 23,251,151 individuals or 98.8% have received at least one dose of vaccine.Yesterday, 10,803 vaccine doses were administered, with 5,322 as first doses, 3,491 as second shots and 1,990 as booster jabs,This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses given under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) to 70,923,930.


Current Covid-19 SOPs to remain, says health DG

The health ministry has decided to maintain its Covid-19 SOPs for now and will examine seven key indicators in the country before deciding to tighten these if necessary.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the ministry would monitor the situation in the country and further strengthen public health control before taking action.
"We will first monitor not only hospital admissions but also many other indicators such as forecast cases, daily cases and so on.
"If the data shows improvement in all available indicators, we can discuss the appropriate action at that time," he said at the health minister’s engagement session with the media in Putrajaya today.
Also present were Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa, health deputy director-general (public health) Dr Norhayati Rusli and Institute for Clinical Research director Dr M Kalairasu. Noor Hisham said the indicators include a sudden increase in imported cases where currently only three or four cases are recorded per month, and the discovery of new variants in sewage samples and at high-risk places.
"What worries us is that when a new variant is found, we are not sure whether our vaccine is effective or not.
"We will also check with WHO (World Health Organization) whether another variant has been registered or not," he said.
He said if a new variant other than Omicron is detected, the ministry will monitor the extent of infectivity and the severity or hospitalisation rate.
Another indicator is an increase in cases of influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infections at selected health facilities. If the records show a sudden increase in cases, the ministry will take more detailed measures to control them, he said. Noor Hisham said that another indicator would be the capacity of the public health system. For example, he said, if bed occupancy and ICU admissions for Covid-19 patients exceed 30%, the ministry will take the appropriate action.
Another indicator that will be monitored is an increase in deaths, which is currently one figure per day. If there is a three-digit jump, the ministry will investigate the extent of the severity of the virus, he said.