China builds inroads in Middle East with 25-year Iran deal

China and Iran signed a deal over the weekend that their foreign ministers said was designed as a strategic partnership to last for the next quarter of a century.The “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” agreement, signed in Tehran by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, has been in the works since 2016, when President Xi Jinping became the first Chinese leader to visit the Iranian capital in over a decade.The details of the deal have not been made public but analysts say that China, in defiance of American sanctions, will probably buy Iranian oil and in turn, invest some of its wealth in Iran. Sanctions have starved Iran of foreign investment, says the BBC.The pact drew criticism from many Iranians on social media who accused President Hassan Rouhani’s government of “selling” Iran to China, reports Reuters.The deal could pave another section of road as the latest extension to China’s vast infrastructure project, the Belt and Road initiative, which is creating the connections Beijing needs to continue its expansion as a global power.The new deal will feed into Iran’s face-off with the US.Both Iran and the Biden administration in Washington have declared that they would like the US to rejoin the agreement regulating Iran’s nuclear activities, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Former president Donald Trump pulled the US out of the deal in 2018.Now that Iran has signed up with China, which is also a party to the JCPOA, Tehran will be hoping for more than simply increased oil sales, vital as they are to an economy that has been severely damaged by sanctions.The deal should give Iran more leverage with the US.President Biden, like his two predecessors, has tried to “pivot” away from the Middle East to the lucrative and strategically important Asia-Pacific region. In practice, it has been impossible, as there are too many issues in the Middle East that the US considers vital to its interests. One of those is Iran, and its nuclear ambitions.China believes that the US is in a long-term, irreversible decline. It sees itself as the world’s rising power of the 21st century and beyond, and a power of that magnitude cannot ignore the Middle East.Wang’s Middle East tour was not confined to Tehran for the signing ceremony.China Daily, an organ of the Chinese Communist Party, reports that he unveiled a five-point plan “for achieving security and stability in the Middle East by offering constructive boosts to Palestine-Israel dialogue, resuming the Iran nuclear deal and building a security framework in this region”.The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has already built its first overseas military base on the Red Sea, in Djibouti. It overlooks one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and is only 10km from the home of the US military’s Africa Command.


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Ringgit hits below 4.0 against dollar in strongest performance since 2018

The first day of trade for 2021 saw the ringgit in its strongest performance since June 2018.As at 10.30am, the currency was trading at RM3.95 against the US dollar.Analysts had predicted that the ringgit would strengthen to between RM3.80 and RM3.90 against the dollar this year, amid expectations of the economy recovering and news of the Covid-19 vaccine.The ringgit started its downward spiral in late 2014, causing a hike in the prices of food and services.The ringgit and the Indonesian rupiah were the worst performing currencies in the Asean region.


Govt ready to implement more stimulus packages if necessary, says PM

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin says the government is prepared to implement additional stimulus packages or other initiatives to help those facing economic constraints if this proves necessary and if the country’s financial situation permits.He said caring for the people had always been the guiding principle for him and his Perikatan Nasional government.“It is my responsibility to care for the people regardless of their race, creed, or colour. This is my utmost priority.“What I have done for the past six months was based on this principle. I have to take care of not only people’s lives but also their livelihood,” he said when officiating the closing of the PN administration’s half-year convention in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.Muhyiddin said the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional, loan moratorium, special assistance for SMEs, wage subsidies, electricity bill discounts and other initiatives under the previous economic stimulus packages were proof of the government’s concern for the people.When the government enforced the movement control order, he said, almost all economic activity was halted and the people were unable to work and run their businesses as usual which affected their income and livelihood.As the prime minister, he added, he could not turn a blind eye to these problems.“That is why I asked the finance minister to find the money. It would break my heart to tell the people that the government did not have the money to help them when they were facing hardship.“The minister came back to me and said we had the money and I said okay, we will use the money to help ease the people’s burden.“That was the money used by the government to provide various forms of assistance to the people through the previous economic stimulus packages totalling RM295 billion.”


China tech hub widens Covid restrictions as cases rise

The southern Chinese tech hub Shenzhen tightened Covid curbs as cases continued to mount on Thursday, with large events and indoor entertainment suspended for three days in the city's most populous district, Baoan.
At least half of the Shenzhen's ten districts, home to over 13 million of the city's residents, have now ordered blanket closures of entertainment venues and halted or reduced restaurant dining.
Education authorities have postponed the start of the new school semester, which was largely planned to begin on Thursday.
Officials urged residents not to leave the city unless on urgent matters in a statement issued late on Wednesday.
It did not specify how officials would police the new requirement, but demanded government, Communist party authorities and state-owned firms make sure their employees are not making unnecessary trips outside the city.
Residents who must leave have to show proof of two negative tests within 48 hours, according to the statement.
Authorities have traced a cluster of cases to a dance hall in the city's central business district of Futian, and were urging recent visitors there to report themselves to local health authorities.
The world's largest electronics market at Huaqiangbei remains closed after authorities shut it on Monday.
Shenzhen reported 62 new locally transmitted Covid-19 infections for Aug 31, up from 37 a day earlier.


US adds e-commerce sites operated by Tencent, Alibaba to ‘notorious markets’ list

E-commerce sites operated by China’s Tencent Holdings Ltd and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd were included on the US government’s latest “notorious markets” list, the US Trade Representative’s office said on Thursday.The list identifies 42 online markets and 35 physical markets that are reported to engage in or facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting or copyright piracy.“This includes identifying for the first time AliExpress and the WeChat e-commerce ecosystem, two significant China-based online markets that reportedly facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting,” the USTR office said in a statement.China-based online markets Baidu Wangpan, DHGate, Pinduoduo, and Taobao also continue to be part of the list, along with nine physical markets located within China “that are known for the manufacture, distribution, and sale of counterfeit goods,” the USTR office said.Alibaba said it will continue working with government agencies to address concerns in intellectual property protection across its platforms.Tencent said it strongly disagreed with the decision and was “committed to working collaboratively to resolve this matter”. It added it actively monitored, deterred and acted upon violations across its platforms and had invested significant resources into intellectual property rights protection.Inclusion on the list is a blow to the reputation of companies but carries no direct penalties.Industry bodies including the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Motion Picture Association welcomed the release of the report by the USTR.The USTR office said in a separate report released on Wednesday the United States needs to pursue new strategies and update its domestic trade tools to deal with China’s “state-led, non-market policies and practices.”The US and China have been engaged in trade tensions for years over issues like tariffs, technology and intellectual property, among others.The US has said China had failed to make good on some commitments under a so-called “Phase 1” trade agreement signed by the administration of former President Donald Trump.


More US business start-ups in 2020 Q3 than in past 20 Covid-free years

Plenty of American small businesses are going belly up in the pandemic, but in a surprising development, nearly 1.6 million new business applications were filed in the third quarter of 2020, a figure which far exceeds the number of start-ups in any year since the turn of the century.The pandemic seems to be the major cause with people responding to the potential, or reality, of losing their jobs.Covid-19, and the resulting business closures and layoffs, has obviously become a wake-up call to businesses of all sizes and workers who were snoozing through the comfy times.Many, if not most, workers often have vague notions of one day starting out on their own. The pandemic is apparently pushing many to do more than daydream.“I think there’s some sense that people are coming up with a plan B,” Adrian Hernandez, of Dundee Bank of Nebraska told the International Business Times. “Pandemic layoffs may have created some sense of urgency among people who might now start a business out of necessity.”Buying into a franchise is one route for people to start a new business. Franchise consultant Tom Scarda has seen business pick up after a few slow pre-pandemic years when unemployment rates kept dropping and people assumed their future was safe.“A lot of people are now uncertain of the future in their career,” Scarda said. “Or they may realise the office isn’t a destination they want anymore. People are at home and saying to themselves, ‘Wow, I really enjoy this, and I don’t want to return to the corporate rat race.’”Millions of Americans are getting nervous about how they and their children will prosper in 2021 and beyond in a world where Covid is in retreat yet still a real threat.“There are a lot of folks who are at home and they’re concerned that their company’s not going to be there when this thing lifts,” said Scarda. “They’re looking for alternatives.”Lending activity has been on the rise for Dundee bank, Hernandez said. “But if you’re of a certain age with a certain level of skills and experience, if you have something of a nest egg built, you can at times pivot and start a business with only a brief conversation with a bank.”The surge in new business filings may mean a great future for the economy, but it’s too early to know yet.“Largely speaking, most new firms fail,” said Andrew Butters, an assistant professor in the department of business at Indiana University. “And despite the surge in new business formations, we’re nowhere near in the black in terms of employees.Butters commented that most of the filings are for the types of business used by independent contractors and self-employed people. Only about a third have a high chance of ever hiring employees.As he puts it: While the crowds flocking to register new business ventures is a good sign, it is no guarantee that the economy is heading out of the woods any time soon.


Group files suit to challenge gender bias in granting Malaysian citizenship

Six Malaysian women joined a family advocacy group in filing a suit at the High Court today to challenge the government’s policy of denying citizenship to children born overseas to Malaysian women married to foreign spouses.The Association of Family Support & Welfare Selangor & KL (Family Frontiers), an umbrella body for the Foreign Spouses Support Group which has long campaigned for gender equality in citizenship laws in the country, said the suit aimed to uphold the principle of equality in the Federal Constitution, as well as Malaysia’s commitment to international conventions on gender equality.Family Frontiers president Suri Kempe said the “long and arduous application processes” under Article 15(2) of the constitution had caused many families to suffer.“These discretionary applications can take years and frequently end in rejection with no reason given. Moreover, applicants are often forced to apply multiple times, leading to prolonged hardships where they have limited access to a range of fundamental rights such as healthcare, education, and social protections,” she said in a press conference today.The issue was recently thrust into the limelight after several Malaysian mothers married to foreign spouses abroad could not travel back to the country to give birth, due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.Suri said transnational families also faced other difficulties, citing the case of Adlyn Teoh, a Malaysian who was unable to visit her 94-year-old grandmother in Sarawak as her China-born eight-year-old son would have to undergo quarantine alone.“His status meant that he had to undergo a mandatory quarantine while I didn’t. How could I leave my eight-year-old alone in an unfamiliar place?” Suri quoted Teoh as saying.Under the Federal Constitution, children born overseas to Malaysian fathers are automatically granted citizenship.Those born to Malaysian mothers, meanwhile, need to apply for citizenship.Critics have said there is almost no chance of such applications succeeding.Activists say the provision violates Article 8(2) of the constitution, which states that there shall be no discrimination against citizens based on religion, race, ethnicity, place of birth or gender.Deputy Home Minister Ismail Mohamed Said recently defended the practice. He argued that in other countries, children born overseas follow their father’s citizenship, and as such, there could be dual citizenship for children born abroad to Malaysian women with foreign husbands.Malaysia does not recognise dual citizenship.Suri reminded the government that it is a party to UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, as well as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.“Malaysia is one of only 25 countries worldwide that does not grant women the right to confer nationality on their children on an equal basis as men,” she said at the press conference, which was also attended by Teoh and Myra Eliza Mohd Danil.“In 2006, Indonesia reformed its nationality law to uphold comprehensive gender equality, making Malaysia and Brunei the only nations in Asean to maintain gender-discriminatory citizenship laws.”


China hails its ‘extraordinary’ success in curbing virus ahead of WHO probe

China’s ruling Communist Party leaders have congratulated themselves on their “extremely extraordinary” success in handling the Covid-19 outbreak domestically, ahead of a World Health Organization (WHO) probe into the disease’s origins.China faced a barrage of criticism at home and abroad over its initial handling of the virus, which emerged in the central city of Wuhan last December.China’s Politburo, the top decision-making body of the Communist Party, said late Friday that the party leadership “played a decisive role in leading… China in prevailing over the rare risks and challenges this year”.“At the critical moment… the Party Central Committee took a long-term view… achieving an extremely extraordinary glory in this extremely unusual year,” state news agency Xinhua reported, citing a statement issued after the two-day meeting.China has largely curbed the spread of the virus, and was one of the only major economies to report growth this year. But it has been accused of covering up the initial outbreak, and so contributing to the virus’ spread internationally.At home, Beijing has attempted to stifle criticism by punishing at least eight whistleblowers.A Chinese citizen journalist who reported on Wuhan’s outbreak, Zhang Zhan, has been detained since May and is expected to go on trial on Monday.Zhang is a former lawyer who travelled to the city in February to report on the chaotic initial stages of the outbreak, through livestreams and critical essays widely shared on social media platforms banned in China.The two-day Politburo meeting comes shortly before an international team of WHO experts is expected to arrive in China to investigate the animal origins of Covid-19, during which trip they will visit Wuhan.An expert from the team told AFP this week that the investigation was “not about finding a guilty country or a guilty authority”, but about “about understanding what happened to avoid that in the future”.Beijing has recently attempted to cast doubts on the origins of the virus – the state-run People’s Daily newspaper said in a Facebook post in early November that “all available evidence suggests that the coronavirus did not start in central China’s Wuhan”.China has also tried to enhance its soft power push during the pandemic – promising to share its vaccines with developing countries, and engaging in “mask diplomacy” – donating personal protective gear to countries in need.


Israel to allow Gaza ‘limited’ export of farm produce

Israel said Sunday it will allow the “limited export” of farm produce from Gaza, one month after a ceasefire with the enclave’s Hamas rulers to end an 11-day conflict.The crowded Mediterranean territory, home to around two million Palestinians, has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.Extra restrictions since intense violence last month has meant Gaza’s farmers have been unable to export goods as usual, creating a glut of produce such as tomatoes and strawberries, causing prices to tumble.“Limited export of agricultural produce from the Gaza Strip” will begin Monday, said Cogat in a statement, the Israeli military body that administers civilian affairs in Palestinian territories.It added that “this civilian measure, which was approved by the political echelon, is conditional upon the preservation of security stability”.Goods will be allowed out of the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing.The fragile ceasefire that ended 11-days of air strikes by Israel and rockets fired from Gaza came into place on May 21.The conflict killed 260 Palestinians including some fighters, according to Gaza authorities.n Israel, 13 people were killed, including a soldier, by rockets fired from Gaza, the police and army said.In recent days, ceasefire violations have included Palestinian militants setting off incendiary balloons to spark fires in farm land – and Israel responding with two rounds of air strikes.


Fighting rages in Sudan's capital after 24-hour truce expires

Heavy clashes and artillery fire erupted across Sudan's capital Khartoum on Sunday and residents reported air strikes soon after the end of a 24-hour ceasefire that had brought a brief lull to eight weeks of fighting between rival military factions.
Witnesses said the fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) was some of the heaviest for weeks, and included ground battles in the densely populated neighbourhood of Haj Youssef in Bahri, one of three adjoining cities, along with Khartoum and Omdurman, that make up the capital around the confluence of the River Nile.
Just after the ceasefire expired at 6am (0400 GMT) witnesses said clashes and artillery fire resumed in the north of Omdurman. They also reported clashes in southern and central Khartoum, and in Shambat along the Nile in Bahri up to the strategic Halfiya bridge, which crosses to Omdurman.
"The truce made us relax a bit, but the war and fear are returning today," said Musab Saleh, a 38-year-old resident of southern Khartoum.
War between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out on April 15 over tensions linked to an internationally backed plan for a transition towards civilian rule.
The conflict has displaced more than 1.9 million people, triggering a major humanitarian crisis that threatens to spill across a volatile region.
Fighting has been concentrated in the capital, much of which has become a war zone plagued by looting and clashes. But unrest has also flared elsewhere including the western region of Darfur, already suffering from a conflict that peaked in the early 2000s.
Residents and activists have reported a further deterioration in recent days in El Geneina, near the border with Chad, and new waves of attacks by Arab nomadic tribes with ties to the RSF.
Among those killed were a number of human rights activists, lawyers and doctors, according to the Darfur Bar Association, which monitors the conflict in the region.
The city has been largely cut off from telephone networks for several weeks.
'Looting everywhere'
Another affected city is El Obeid, capital of North Kordofan State southwest of Khartoum and on a major route to Darfur. Residents say it is effectively under a state of siege due to the conflict, with supplies of food and medicine cut off.
The wider Kordofan region is an important agricultural area and source of livestock, oilseeds and gum arabic.
"The situation is difficult. The RSF are spread out on the roads between the villages and they are looting, and there are gangs looting everywhere. Moving from place to place became dangerous," North Kordofan resident Mohamed Salman told Reuters by phone.
"We don't know how we'll plant or how we'll live in this situation."
The RSF has said it is trying to counter looting, and has denied responsibility for the violence in Darfur.
Some 400,000 of those who have fled their homes have crossed into neighbouring countries, about half of them heading north to Egypt.
On Saturday, Egypt tightened entry rules by extending a requirement for entry visas from men aged 16-50 to all Sudanese citizens.
Even before the rule change, thousands of Sudanese had faced long waits near the border as they tried to obtain visas.
The 24-hour ceasefire that began on Saturday morning was negotiated at talks led by Saudi Arabia and the US in Jeddah. A previous, 12-day ceasefire agreed by the two sides in Jeddah had been repeatedly violated.


Announcement on new face mask regulations this week, says Khairy

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin says he will make an announcement regarding new regulations on face masks by Wednesday.
He said the Public Health Executive Committee which he chairs had received recommendations from experts on the use of face masks, and the health ministry was still in the process of gathering the public's views on the matter.
Meanwhile, he said three approaches need to be seen by the ministry before the country can be said to move to the endemic phase, including a declaration from the World Health Organisation.
Khairy said the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) was still applicable until the end of December, and that all areas in the country were declared as areas of infectious diseases.


China's scorching southwest extends power curbs as drought, heatwave linger

China's scorched southwestern regions extended curbs on power consumption on Monday as they deal with dwindling hydropower output and surging household electricity demand during a long drought and heatwave.
State weather forecasters issued a heat "red alert" for the 11th consecutive day on Monday, as extreme weather continues to play havoc with power supplies and damage crops. They also raised the national drought alert to "orange" - the second-highest level.
The drought has already "severely affected" mid-season rice and summer corn in some southern regions, the ministry of agriculture said on Sunday.
The National Meteorological Center said as many as 62 weather stations, from Sichuan in the southwest to Fujian on the southeastern coast, recorded record temperatures on Sunday. The situation could improve starting Wednesday as a cold front moves into China via Xinjiang.
The region of Chongqing, which hit temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius late last week, announced that opening hours at more than 500 malls and other commercial venues would be shortened starting Monday to ease power demand.
Two malls on the list contacted by Reuters on Monday confirmed that they had received the government notice and would abide by the new opening hours. Two hotels on the list said they were still operating normally but were restricting air conditioner use.
In neighbouring Sichuan province, a major hydropower generator, authorities also extended existing curbs on industrial power consumers until Aug 25, financial news service Caixin said on Sunday. Power generation in Sichuan is at just half the normal level.
It cited firms in the battery industry as saying that industrial power users in the cities of Yibin and Suining had been told to remain closed until Thursday.
A Sichuan-based pesticide producer, Lier Chemical Co Ltd, confirmed in a notice on Monday that output restrictions at two of its production bases in the province would continue until Aug 25.
Several plants in Sichuan and Chongqing, including those of top battery maker CATL and the electric vehicle giant BYD, have been only able to partially operate in recent weeks because of power shortages.
Industry sources said the situation remained fluid and they had yet to see any substantial impact on the auto supply chain, though there was some concern over how the heatwave was affecting sales.
Shanghai, which was criticised on China's Twitter-like Weibo service for its use of electricity generated in Sichuan, imposed its own consumption restrictions on Monday, turning off decorative lighting on the riverside Bund area and parts of the financial centre of Lujiazui for two days.
Firms will be encouraged to "stagger" power consumption to reduce peak loads. Some outdoor construction projects will be suspended, the official Shanghai Daily said.
Important agricultural regions have also been warning of the impact on crops, with Henan province saying more than a million hectares of land have been affected by drought so far.
About 2.2 million hectares across the Yangtze basin have been affected, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.


Daily caseload tops 1,400 as 7 more deaths reported

Another 1,451 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,506,510.There were 2,071 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,447,682.There are now 23,152 active cases, of which 22,160 or 95.7% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 19 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 945 (4.1%) have been hospitalised.A total of 28 are in ICU with 15 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 60.3%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 5.9%.Another seven deaths were reported, including three who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,676.


Religion not a problem in Kelantan, says pastor

A pastor in Kelantan says that Christians in the state have been living in harmony alongside the Muslims despite the perception that non-Malays may be oppressed under PAS rule.
Lim Khet Keang, who pastors the Kota Bharu Presbyterian Church, said he had lived in Kelantan since he was 10 years old.
He said he had never been prevented from practising his Christian faith despite being part of a very small minority.
On the contrary, he said, ties between the Muslims and non-Muslims in Kelantan were very good, and nothing like what is portrayed on social media.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Lim, 56, said such harmony was only possible with mutual respect and understanding from both sides.
"Christians here are doing well. The Muslims respect us," he said.
"Perhaps they do not see us as a threat given that non-Malays make up only 3% of the population in Kelantan."
Concerns of a so-called PAS theocracy arose following the results of the Nov 19 general election which showed that a vast number of Malay voters had shifted their support from Barisan Nasional and Umno to PAS.
PAS, which is part of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, won the most seats in the election – 49 – followed by DAP with 40.
Many social media users had cited the PAS administration in Kelantan as reason to reject the Islamist party.
But Lim, for one, said it was unfair to criticise PAS based on its stand on upholding the teachings of Islam.
Instead, he said, the party should be evaluated based on its development of the state.
"There are no issues of race or religion here," he said. "But development is undeniably slower than in other states."
Lim, who has been a pastor in Kelantan for more than 30 years, also said he would welcome either Muhyiddin Yassin or Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister as long as they prioritise unity and harmony.
"It doesn't matter to me who becomes prime minister because the government right now appears quite weak," he said.
"We must focus on economic development and guarding the welfare of the people if we want to keep moving ahead."


MPs call for extension of restaurant operating hours

A group of opposition MPs today urged the government to amend the SOPs for eateries, allowing them to remain open according to the hours stated in their operating licence instead of closing at 8pm.They said the current arrangement under the movement control order (MCO) directive which came into effect in several states last week places a burden on those who need to buy food after work.They also said that allowing eateries to remain open according to their licensed hours would help revive economic activities for vendors, generate income for food deliverymen and encourage the people to remain at home as the hours for ordering food would no longer be capped at 8pm.“This is in light of the fact that dining in at restaurants is not allowed, and food can only be ordered for takeaway, or through drive-thru or home delivery,” they said in a statement.The MCO took effect in Penang, Selangor, the federal territories, Melaka, Johor and Sabah on Jan 13.Kelantan meanwhile came under MCO on Jan 16.The MPs urged the National Security Council to review the SOP for closing hours, saying it affects traders who depend on their daily income.“We also urge the government to extend the moratorium for at least six more months,” they said.“Traders might be worse off this time compared to the initial MCO as they must pay rent as well as their workers without the moratorium given before.”The full list of MPs who signed the statement are as follows:1. Darell Leiking (Penampang)2. Syed Saddiq (Muar)3. Mohd Azis Jamman (Sepanggar)4. Hannah Yeoh (Segambut)5. Yeo Bee Yin (Bakri)6. Baru Bian (Selangau)7. Sivarasa Rasiah (Sungai Buloh)8. Salahuddin Ayub (Pulai)9. Amiruddin Hamzah (Kubang Pasu)10. Teo Nie Ching (Kulai)11. Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Kota Belud)12. Mahfuz Omar (Pokok Sena)13. Khalid Samad (Shah Alam)14. Maszlee Malik (Simpang Renggam)15. Maria Chin (Petaling Jaya)16. Wong Shu Qi (Kluang)17. Teresa Kok (Seputeh)18. Dzulkefly Ahmad (Kuala Selangor)19. Dr Lee Boon Chye (Gopeng)20. Kasthuriraani Patto (Batu Kawan)21. Nor Azrina Surip @ Nurin Aina (Merbok)


Death toll hits 1,700 as 3,807 new cases logged

Another 3,807 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 444,484.Selangor recorded 1,149 new cases followed by Sarawak (649), Kelantan (329), Kuala Lumpur (320), Johor (257), Penang (245), Kedah (224), Negeri Sembilan (144) and Perak (119).Sabah recorded 96 cases, Terengganu 93, Melaka 88, Pahang 77, Putrajaya 11, and Labuan and Perlis three each.Active cases stand at 37,396 with 434 in the ICU and 224 in need of respiratory assistance.Nineteen new clusters were detected:1. Balakong Jaya Tiga (Hulu Langat in Selangor; 15 screened, 10 positive)2. Jalan Raja Musa (Kuala Selangor in Selangor; 138 screened, six positive)3. Jalan Maharani (Muar and Tangkak in Johor; 147 screened, 33 positive)4. Bukit Minyak Lapan (Seberang Perai Utara, Tengah and Selatan in Penang; 189 screened, 37 positive)5. Dah Empat Kota (Kota Setar, Kuala Muda, Pendang and Yan in Kedah; 45 screened, 10 positive)6. Kompleks Empat (Kota Kinabalu, Kota Belud, Papar, Penampang, Putatan, Ranau, Sandakan and Tuaran in Sabah; 97 screened, 26 positive)7. Gudang Genting (Bentong in Pahang; 917 screened, 14 positive)8. Desa Kemuning (Klang in Selangor; 35 screened, 10 positive)9. Jalan Haji Alias (Klang in Selangor; 30 screened, 13 positive)10. Pekan Pasir Mas (Pasir Mas and Machang in Kelantan; 161 screened, 51 positive)11. Jalan Kesyukuran (Kota Tinggi in Johor; 42 screened, 14 positive)12. Dah Lalang (Baling in Kedah; 19 screened, 13 positive)13. Ulu Anap (Tatau and Bintulu in Sarawak; 125 screened, 19 positive)14. Emperan (Selangau in Sarawak; 436 screened, 97 positive)15. Kampung Sawah (Pontian in Johor; 60 screened, six positive)16. Pelagat Tiga (Besut in Terengganu; 230 screened, 32 positive)17. Parit Lima (Hilir Perak in Perak; 146 screened, 10 positive)18. Jalan Jurutera (Petaling and Gombak in Selangor; 43 screened, 12 positive)19. Jalan Baling (Hulu Perak in Perak; 547 screened, 41 positive)There are currently 448 active clusters across the country.Another 3,454 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 405,388.However, 17 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,700.


Behind Malaysia's increase in cancer cases

Health experts have pointed to lifestyle changes and increasingly unhealthy eating patterns linked to processed food as some of the factors behind the rising trend of cancer among Malaysians, including young people.
Dr Zalina Abu Zaid, a senior lecturer at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), said this was also parallel with the rising rate of obesity in the country.
"In Malaysia, one in two adults is now overweight or obese," Zalina, of UPM's faculty of medicine and health sciences, told MalaysiaNow.
"Compared to other Southeast Asian countries, Malaysia's obesity level is high – nearly 50%."
She said excessive weight was a main factor in contracting chronic illnesses including cancer.
The increase in the number of senior citizens has also contributed to the jump in statistics.
Zalina said some factors could still change as they depend on people's lifestyle choices. Non-modifiable cancer risk factors meanwhile include gender, age and genetics.
The National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM) recently reported that some 20,000 cases were detected each year, with the average age of patients at above 40.
Over the past two years, though, new patients have emerged from the late 20s to early 30s age bracket.
NCSM also said that more children were being diagnosed with cancer.
Public health expert Zainal Ariffin Omar said cases were on the rise as more people were undergoing health screening.
"Cancer risk factors include smoking, obesity, unhealthy diets, alcohol consumption and other chronic diseases," he said.
Some 4.8 million Malaysians are estimated to be smokers from a total population of 32 million, with 27,200 deaths linked to the habit.
While a so-called generational endgame was recently proposed through the  Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022, the bill itself is currently under review.
Zalina also cited studies showing that young people spend more time in front of their computers or phones than they do engaged in physical activity.
One estimate by Ernst & Young Advisory found that Malaysians spend about 14 hours a day using a digital device, with 87% of that time spent on the internet.
In terms of nutrition, Zalina said that diets heavy on fast food and processed food containing fat, starch or sugar contribute to weight gain which, in turn, increases the risk of cancer.
"Scientific evidence shows that glycemic load – increased blood glucose and insulin after eating a meal – is the cause of endometrial cancer," she said.
Fast food meanwhile is also processed and contains only low levels of micronutrients despite its high energy loads.
Zalina also recommended cutting down on red meat and processed meat, both of which have been found to contain carcinogenic chemicals.
"Our bodies will convert nitrates into nitrosamines which are carcinogenic and increase the risk of cancer," she said.
"The recommended intake of red meat is less than 500g per week."
Zainal meanwhile urged the youth to remain physically active.
"Move about more," he said. "Don't just sit around all day."


Sorry.


Satellite internet service by Elon Musk’s Starlink a work in progress, says Azmin

High-speed, low-latency broadband internet provider Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX, plans to expand its footprint in Malaysia to enable the country to increase its internet penetration rate, especially in rural areas.International Trade and Industry Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali however said that the government was still considering several policy-related matters on Starlink’s proposals to introduce internet service using satellites.“So far, the government has scrutinised some of the proposals submitted by Starlink.“Starlink representatives will be in Malaysia next week to scrutinise these proposals, and we hope this can be finalised in the near future as they are ready to come to Malaysia, bringing these new technologies that would benefit the country’s economy,” he told reporters after meeting with SpaceX and Starlink representatives at the SpaceX headquarters in Los Angeles on Thursday.He said there was already a Johor-based Malaysian company, which was a major manufacturer for essential components for the satellites built by Starlink.“Their (SpaceX and Starlink’s) intention is to see that this supply chain can be expanded among local companies, because with this new investment, they definitely need the support of a wider supply chain.“And this will provide an opportunity for Malaysian companies to get involved in space technology in the near future,” he said.Adding that Starlink’s presence was important for Malaysia to facilitate its digital transformation agenda, he said: “I believe that Starlink’s presence in Malaysia will be able to further strengthen Malaysia’s economic position in Southeast Asia and globally.”Meanwhile, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) CEO Arham Abdul Rahman said that the negotiation process with SpaceX and Starlink was currently at the mid-stage.“The companies see the potential in Malaysia, and the government is currently facilitating the process to realise their proposed project in the country,” he told Bernama.Besides meeting with SpaceX and Starlink, Azmin also had a meeting with Cue Health Inc, a healthcare technology company that develops portable diagnostic tests for at-home use.Azmin said the company had introduced a medical device specifically to perform a range of tests, including for Covid-19, using pioneerng technology.“They have identified several suitable sites for this investment, and they will be in Malaysia in June to finalise a suitable place for the investment in Malaysia,” he said.


Superstitious Argentines taking no chances for World Cup final

Wearing clothes back to front, holding a picture of Diego Maradona or a stamp depicting the saint of urgent causes, even a grandmother sitting in the same chair: superstitious Argentines are taking no chances for Sunday's World Cup final.
"In the match we lost against Saudi Arabia, I wore the blue and white jersey with the number 10, then against Mexico I wore it back to front and we won," Julio Tresto, 55, from the Flores neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, told AFP.
Having lost their opening World Cup match 2-1 against the Saudis, Argentina have since found their groove, improving with every match as they strung together five straight victories.
"Since then I have always worn it back to front and we haven't stopped winning. When it works out, you never break the superstition, that's football," added Tresto.
He will do the same thing on Sunday when Argentina play reigning champions France in the World Cup final in Doha, hoping to lift the trophy for only the thrid time in their history.
All over Buenos Aires and the rest of Argentina, obsessive football fans are sticking to their unique rituals.
In the house of designer Graciela Castro, 58, in the Almagro neighbourhood of Buenos Aires – home to the San Lorenzo football team of Pope Francis – every ritual is carried out rigorously.
"Same trousers, same shirt, I don't go to the toilet during the game and, of course, I insult the enemy with refinement, because they're French," she said with a mischievous smile.
Alma Mauri, 15, a secondary school pupil from the Avellaneda neighborhood says she uses "the same Argentina jersey that hasn't been washed since the second match and I put all my World Cup figurines on the table."
Guillermo Martinez's ritual involves great precision.
"I sit with my legs crossed with my foot pointing towards the opposition goal. In the second half, I cross my legs the other way around."
His partner, Monica Gomez, keeps with her a stamp of Saint Expeditus, the patron of urgent causes, a photo of her daughter and a treasured Maradona autograph.
'Crazy tradition'
Daniel "the Frog" Valencia, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 1978, rejected an invitation from world football's governing body Fifa to watch the final in Qatar because of "a crazy tradition".
"My son got annoyed, he couldn't understand why I didn't travel and I told him he would understand me when he becomes a father," Valencia told Radio AM750.
"I tell myself 'look what you're doing', but I keep wearing my underpants back to front, we sit in the same place, even my children have adopted this custom."
Cristian Oberosler, 54 and Lucrecia Airaldi, 50, are divorced but will watch the final together.
Airaldi watched Argentina's first match with her current partner but for the second she was with her ex-husband and their daughter in a bar in Palermo.
They have kept that going for every match since and will repeat in "on Sunday at the same table reserved for the occasion."
In the house of university student Ignacio Farone, 24, in Capital, his grandmother Clara, 86, "sits in the same chair with a photo of Maradona."
But in some cases, the rigid ritual is not about a superstition.
Mario Losada, 44, says he gets so nervous that "I prefer to watch alone, football makes me very sick."


I’m alone now, Mahathir says after death of old friend

Dr Mahathir Mohamad today penned a tribute to an old friend who died yesterday, recalling others who had been peers with him on the political stage who have since passed away as well.“Khalid Julong died on Nov 18, 2020,” he wrote in a post on his blog. “With his death ends a generation of Malay warriors.“Khalid, Azahari Taib, Khir Johari, Khir Pa’ Awang, Hj Taha, Chegu Senu and all the others are no more.“I am left alone. I am sad. They were all old friends. I am lonely.”Khalid, whose real name is Khalid Abdullah, died of old age at the Kedah Medical Centre. He was 98.He was a veteran Umno MP who served as Alor Merah assemblyman from 1975 to 1980. He had also been a member of the Umno Supreme Council.Mahathir, who turned 95 this year, often spoke of Khalid as a friend and political inspiration.He said in his post that they met just after the end of World War II, adding that they were both part of Saberkas, an awareness group of young Malays.“I pray that his soul will be blessed by Allah,” he said.


FBI warns of large ‘scale’ in US ransomware attack

The FBI said Sunday the “scale” of a major ransomware attack against a US IT company could mean investigators won’t be able to work with every victim individually.Hackers hit Kaseya, a firm that provides IT services to other companies, with a ransomware attack that could have targeted as many as 1,000 other businesses on Friday, just before the long holiday July 4 weekend in the US.The FBI said it had opened an investigation along with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and other US federal agencies “to understand the scope of the threat”.“If you believe your systems have been compromised, we encourage you to employ all recommended mitigations, follow Kaseya’s guidance to shut down your VSA servers immediately and report to the FBI,” the bureau said in a statement Sunday, referencing the signature networking software that was attacked.“Although the scale of this incident may make it so that we are unable to respond to each victim individually, all information we receive will be useful in countering this threat,” the FBI statement said.President Joe Biden said Saturday that he had ordered an investigation, in particular to find out whether the assault had come from Russia.“We’re not sure yet,” he said Saturday.Russian-based hackers have been blamed for a string of ransomware attacks, and Biden recently raised the threat in talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.Ransomware attacks typically involve locking away data in systems using encryption, making companies pay to regain access.Kaseya describes itself as a leading provider of IT and security management services to small and medium-sized businesses. VSA is designed to let companies manage networks of computers and printers from a single point.The company said in a new statement Sunday that they were working “around the clock in all geographies” to get their systems working again.They said they hoped to get a restricted version of their platform running again within days.The disruption forced Swedish supermarket chain Coop Sweden to close on Saturday because their cash register system had been taken down in the attack.Multiple US companies, including the computer group SolarWinds and the Colonial oil pipeline, have also recently been targeted by ransomware attacks.


Zahid's corruption trial postponed to next year

Former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption trial on Yayasan Akalbudi funds has been postponed to January next year pending an appeal over a ruling in relation to witness statements.
High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah vacated the hearing today and tomorrow as well as on Nov 9 and 10 after Zahid's lead counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik applied to postpone the trial.
The judge fixed 21 days for the hearing, on Jan 16 to 19, Jan 30 to 31, Feb 7 to 9, March 27 to 30, April 10 to 13, and May 15 to 18.
Earlier, Hisyam said the defence requested an adjournment of the trial pending Zahid's appeal against the High Court’s dismissal of his application to obtain the recorded statements of 15 witnesses from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
He said the appeal was scheduled to be heard on Nov 14 at the Court of Appeal. "Whatever the decision by the Court of Appeal, this will assist the defence in determining the witnesses that we call before My Lord.
"There are quite a number of witnesses being offered by the defence which we will focus on, but we will need guidance from the Court of Appeal with regards to whether we are able to get their statements or not, so we are in a dilemma.
"In the name of fairness, we ask the court to wait for the outcome on Nov 14," said the lawyer.
He also said that a witness from Bagan Datuk who was supposed to testify today was unwell and that the defence did not have any other witnesses to call for the time being.
So far, the defence has called six witnesses, including Zahid.
Zahid, 69, faces 47 charges: 12 of criminal breach of trust, eight of corruption and 27 of money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.


Ukraine says troops may retreat from eastern region as Russia advances

Ukraine said on Friday its forces may need to retreat from their last pocket of resistance in Luhansk to avoid being captured by Russian troops pressing an advance in the east that has shifted the momentum of the three-month-old war.A withdrawal could bring Russian President Vladimir Putin closer to his goal of capturing Ukraine’s Luhansk and Donetsk regions in full. His troops have gained ground in the two areas collectively known as the Donbas while blasting some towns to wastelands.Luhansk’s governor, Serhiy Gaidai, said Russian troops had entered Sievierodonetsk, the largest Donbas city still held by Ukraine, after trying to trap Ukrainian forces there for days. Gaidai said 90% of buildings in the town were damaged.“The Russians will not be able to capture Luhansk region in the coming days as analysts have predicted,” Gaidai said on Telegram, referring to Sievierodonetsk and its twin city Lysychansk across the Siverskiy Donets River.“We will have enough strength and resources to defend ourselves. However, it is possible that in order not to be surrounded we will have to retreat.”Moscow’s separatist proxies said they now controlled Lyman, a railway hub west of Sievierodonetsk. Ukraine said Russia had captured most of Lyman but that its forces were blocking an advance to Sloviansk, a city a half-hour drive further southwest.President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was protecting its land “as much as our current defence resources allow”. Ukraine’s military said it had repelled eight attacks in Donetsk and Luhansk on Friday, destroying tanks and armoured vehicles.“If the occupiers think that Lyman and Sievierodonetsk will be theirs, they are wrong. Donbas will be Ukrainian,” Zelensky said in an evening address.‘At great cost’British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Bloomberg UK that Putin “at great cost to himself and to the Russian military, is continuing to chew through ground in Donbas”.Russian troops advanced after piercing Ukrainian lines last week in the city of Popasna, south of Sievierodonetsk. Russian ground forces have now captured several villages northwest of Popasna, Britain’s defence ministry said.Reached by Reuters journalists in Russian-held territory on Thursday, Popasna was in ruins. The bloated body of a dead man in combat uniform could be seen lying in a courtyard.Natalia Kovalenko had left the cellar where she sheltered to live in the wreckage of her flat, its windows and balcony blasted away. She said a shell hit the courtyard outside, killing two people and wounding eight.“I just have to fix the window somehow. The wind is still bad,” she said. “We are tired of being so scared.”Russia’s eastern gains follow a Ukrainian counter-offensive that pushed Moscow’s forces back from Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv in May. But Ukrainian forces have been unable to attack Russian supply lines to the Donbas.Russian forces shelled parts of Kharkiv on Thursday for the first time in days. Local authorities said nine people were killed. The Kremlin denies targeting civilians.In the south, where Moscow has seized a swathe of territory since the Feb 24 invasion, including the strategic port of Mariupol, Ukrainian officials believe Russia aims to impose permanent rule.Ukraine’s military said Russia was shipping in military equipment from Russian-annexed Crimea to build defences against any counter-attack and was mining the banks of a reservoir behind a dam on the Dnipro River that separates the forces.Struggling to leaveIn the Kherson region, north of Crimea, Russian forces were fortifying defences and shelling Ukraine-controlled areas on a daily basis, the region’s Ukrainian governor Hennadiy Laguta told a media briefing.He said the humanitarian situation was critical in some areas and people were finding it almost impossible to leave occupied territory, with the exception of a 200-car convoy that left on Wednesday.On the diplomatic front, European Union officials said a deal might be reached by Sunday to ban deliveries of Russian oil by sea, accounting for about 75% of the bloc’s supply, but not by pipeline, a compromise to win over Hungary and unblock new sanctions.Zelenskiy has criticised the EU for dithering over a ban on Russian energy, saying the bloc was funding Moscow’s war effort and that delay “merely means more Ukrainians being killed.”In a telephone call with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Putin stuck to his line that a global food crisis caused by the conflict can be resolved only if the West lifts sanctions.Nehammer, who visited Russia in April, said Putin expressed readiness to discuss a prisoner swap with Ukraine but he said: “If he is really ready to negotiate is a complex question.”Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports has halted shipments of grain, driving up global prices, with both countries major grain exporters. Russia accuses Ukraine of mining the ports and Ukraine has described the Russian position as “blackmail”.Russia, which calls its invasion a “special military operation”, launched its assault in part to ensure Ukraine does not join the US-led Nato military alliance.But the war has pushed Sweden and Finland, who were both neutral throughout the Cold War, to apply to join Nato in one of the most significant changes in European security in decades.The Nordic states’ bids have been tripped up over opposition by Nato member Turkey, which contends they harbour people linked to a militant group it deems a terrorist organisation. Swedish and Finnish diplomats met in Turkey on Wednesday to try to bridge their differences.“It is not an easy process,” a senior Turkish official told Reuters on Friday, adding that Sweden and Finland must take “difficult” steps to win Ankara’s support.


Period poverty not at worrying level, says women development minister

Menstrual or period poverty in Malaysia is not at a worrying level with the government providing sanitary napkins to the groups involved, especially to the target groups such as the Orang Asli, B40 and those who cannot afford them.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri said the sanitary pads were given to ensure their hygiene during their menstrual cycle.
"The ministry helps the B40 group which is our target group. We will continue to help this group so that they are not left behind as we understand that some people use coconut fibre (as sanitary napkins) ... it is not clean and unhealthy," she said.
She was speaking at the handing over of cheques for RM10,000 each to 10 schools under the "Kotex She Can" project to make schools more conducive for female students.
She said the programme enlightened students about menstrual hygiene which was once rarely discussed.
"The time has come for the community to no longer consider the matter as taboo so that young women know the best way to take care of themselves when they are on their periods.
"With the existence of social media such as TikTok and YouTube, it can provide knowledge and education more easily and can be accepted by the community, even men too," she added.


Singapore health minister says return to strict Covid-19 curbs a last resort

A return to stricter Covid-19 curbs in Singapore will be a “last resort”, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Monday, as the city-state partially eased limits on social gatherings and dining out under its calibrated reopening approach.Ong also said the international travel and tourism hub would continue to open “travel lanes” with more countries for vaccinated visitors.Singapore is gradually granting small groups of vaccinated people increased liberties, resuming in-person business events and permitting quarantine-free travel from select countries as it ramps up its vaccine booster programme.“I feel it’s important to do it this way, because it minimises the chance of us having to backpedal too frequently,” Ong told Reuters in an interview on Monday for the upcoming Reuters Next.“You can’t rule out having to throttle back sometimes, but it should always be a last resort, because it’s extremely frustrating for people.”Singapore has vacillated between tightening and easing restrictions for its population of 5.45 million in recent months as, like many countries, it was hit by a fresh wave of infections fuelled by the Delta variant.Ong said it was too difficult to put a timeframe on when Singapore would reach a “new normal”, but he hoped the country’s high vaccination rates and the current roll-out of booster shots meant it would continue to ease restrictions.“I hope that whatever liberty that we now gradually, progressively can return back to the people, we can keep them for next year, even as a new wave arrives,” said Ong.Singapore was one of several so-called Covid-zero countries that enforced some of the world’s strictest measures to keep infections and deaths from the pandemic – at around 252,200 and 662, respectively – relatively low.This year, it switched to a strategy of living with the virus as endemic. Around 94% of those eligible have been vaccinated, while 23% of the total population has received a booster shot.Among its latest easing measures, limits on social gatherings and dining out were eased from two to five people, still restrictive compared to many other countries.Authorities have also tightened measures against unvaccinated people, effectively barring them from dining out or entering malls and will begin to charge them for Covid-19 treatment if they refused a vaccine by choice.Travel hubSingapore has been expanding quarantine free travel from more than a dozen countries, including Britain, France, Germany, Australia, Canada and the US via so-called vaccinated “travel lanes.”It will start these lanes with Malaysia and India at the end of the month. The lanes allow fully vaccinated people to enter the island without quarantining if they pass their Covid-19 tests.“It is important for us to establish this, as such a small outwardly oriented country, we need to connect with the world,” said Ong. “For the foreseeable future, I think vaccinated travel lanes will be the norm.”


Sarawak eyes end to vaccination programme by August, ahead of state polls

The Sarawak government today said its vaccination programme must be completed by August in order to facilitate the upcoming state election which must be held within 60 days of the current term’s expiry in June.State Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said at least 70% of Sarawak’s population must be fully vaccinated before they can go to the polls.“It’s no secret any longer that the Sarawak state election will be held soon,” Karim, the vice-president of PBB, the lynchpin party of the ruling GPS, told MalaysiaNow.He was responding to the suggestion by Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin that Sarawak consider using the AstraZeneca vaccine given the state’s goal of vaccinating its population by August before heading to the polls.Sarawak is the only state that holds elections at the state level separately from the parliamentary polls.Karim said Sarawak must complete its vaccination programme in order to avoid a spike in Covid-19 cases such as the increase that had occurred after the snap election in Sabah last year.He said only a state of emergency could delay or otherwise change the scenario, adding however that the current emergency period is due to end on Aug 1.“So even if the emergency has placed the Sarawak state assembly in temporary hibernation, it cannot be dissolved on June 6, when the present tenure ends.“It will automatically dissolve once the emergency ends on Aug 1.”GPS, which holds 68 of Sarawak’s 82 state constituencies, comprises Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu, the Sarawak United Peoples Party, Parti Rakyat Sarawak and the Progressive Democratic Party.


Yemeni journalist killed on way to hospital to give birth

A pregnant Yemeni journalist was killed and her reporter husband wounded in a bomb attack on their car as they travelled to hospital for her to give birth, the husband and a security source said.“An explosive device planted in the car of journalist Mahmud al-Atmi blew up as he was taking his wife Rasha Abdallah to hospital to deliver her baby,” the source from government forces told AFP.The bombing took place in the southern city of Aden, the temporary seat of the Yemeni administration.Abdallah, 27, also a journalist, and her husband had worked with a number of local and regional media outlets.They have a two-year-old child.There was no immediate claim for the bombing but Atmi said he suspected Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels of being behind the attack.“They were trying to find out my home address,” he told AFP.The Huthis seized the capital Sanaa in 2014, leading the internationally-recognised government to relocate to Aden and prompting intervention of a Saudi-led military coalition which supports it.Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed and millions displaced since the conflict erupted in 2014, in what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.At least 12 civilians, including children, were killed late last month in a car bomb blast near the airport of Aden.The explosion came almost three weeks after six people were killed in a car-bomb attack that targeted Aden’s governor, who survived.Aden is home to a separatist movement that last year precariously integrated into the central government, and both have long been aligned against the Huthi rebels in the grinding civil war.Yemeni journalists have been among the casualties of the conflict.Last year Nabil Hasan al-Quaety, a Yemeni journalist who contributed to AFP, was gunned down and killed, also in Aden.The 34-year-old videographer and photographer, who also worked for other major news organisations in the region, was shot in his car by unknown assailants shortly after leaving his home.


Malaysia to become an ageing nation by 2030, says minister

The government will continue to give special attention, especially to the senior citizens, as the country prepares itself to be an ageing nation by 2030.Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun said the percentage of senior citizens or those above the age of 60 is expected to increase drastically to 5.3 million in the next 10 years.“In 2020, there were 3.7 million senior citizens in the country. This is expected to increase by 15.3% to 5.3 million in 2030,” she said at an event in Kangar today.She said studies also showed that almost 23% or 538,000 individuals out of 2.4 million senior citizens in the country suffered from “empty nest syndrome” as they are on their own and away from their children.She said this loneliness and depression might affect their health and limit their role as members of society.She said the government through the women, family and community development ministry would emphasise the Strategic Plan 2021 to 2025 on the development of senior citizens in the country.She added that under Budget 2021, the government had raised the annual financial aid for each Senior Citizen Activity Centre from RM33,330 to RM50,000 for them to carry out programmes and activities in line with the concept of active and productive senior citizens.The government has allocated RM7.15 million this year for the operation of 143 centres nationwide which reflects its commitment to improving the quality of life of senior citizens, she said.


Britain launches competition probe into Apple’s App Store

Britain’s competition regulator on Thursday launched an investigation into Apple that will focus on the US technology giant’s use of its App Store.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that it will examine Apple’s position regarding the distribution of apps on its iPhones, iPads and other devices in Britain.Apple said in response that it looked forward to working with the CMA to explain how its “guidelines for privacy, security and content have made the App Store a trusted marketplace for both consumers and developers”.The news however comes as Apple also faces a European Commission antitrust probe into its App Store, while the tech titan remains locked in a fierce US legal battle over the matter with Fortnite maker Epic Games.The App Store is the only way for developers to distribute their apps for use on the US company’s devices to the public.“The CMA’s investigation will consider whether Apple has a dominant position in connection with the distribution of apps on Apple devices in the UK,” the UK regulator said in a statement.Impact on choice and priceThe CMA will also examine “whether Apple imposes unfair or anti-competitive terms on developers using the App Store, ultimately resulting in users having less choice or paying higher prices for apps and add-ons”.Apple must first approve all apps before they are placed on the App Store and developers must agree to certain terms.“The probe has been prompted by the CMA’s own work in the digital sector, as well as several developers reporting that Apple’s terms and conditions are unfair and could break competition law,” the regulator added.The CMA said complaints highlighted also that Apple required “in-app” features, add-ons and upgrades to use the US group’s payment system, rather than any alternative.Apple charges developers a commission of up to 30% on initial app downloads and updates, the CMA said.“Millions of us use apps every day to check the weather, play a game or order a takeaway,” said CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli.“So complaints that Apple is using its market position to set terms which are unfair or may restrict competition and choice – potentially causing customers to lose out when buying and using apps – warrant careful scrutiny.”Fornite maker’s Apple feudNews of the British probe comes two weeks after Epic Games – best known for massively popular online role-playing hit Fortnite – lodged a complaint against Apple with EU antitrust authorities, deepening its bitter feud with the iPhone-maker over its app store.Apple and Epic have also been locked in a fierce battle over whether Apple’s tight control of the App Store, and its 30% cut of revenue, is abusive.That dispute took a dramatic turn last August when Apple expelled Fortnite, one of the world’s most popular games, from its App Store after Epic released an update that dodged revenue-sharing with the iPhone maker.The global war over the App Store has also widened to Facebook, whose CEO Mark Zuckerberg accuses Apple of imposing rules for outside developers that it does not apply to its own services.


Amazon duped 'millions of consumers' into enrolling in Prime

The Federal Trade Commission filed suit against Amazon.com Inc Wednesday, charging the retailer with enrolling millions of consumers into its paid subscription Amazon Prime service without their consent and making it difficult for them to cancel.
The FTC said it filed suit in US District Court in Seattle charging "Amazon has knowingly duped millions of consumers into unknowingly enrolling in Amazon Prime." The FTC said Amazon used "manipulative, coercive, or deceptive user-interface designs known as 'dark patterns' to trick consumers into enrolling in automatically-renewing Prime subscriptions."
Amazon Prime offers fast, free shipping on millions of items, various discounts and access to movies, music and television series, as well as other benefits. Prime members in the US generally pay US$139 (about RM645) per year and drive much of Amazon's sales volume. Prime has more than 200 million members worldwide.
The FTC has been investigating sign-up and cancellation processes for the Prime program since March 2021. "Amazon tricked and trapped people into recurring subscriptions without their consent, not only frustrating users but also costing them significant money,” said FTC Chair Lina Khan.
Consumers who attempted to cancel Prime were faced with multiple steps to actually accomplish the task of cancelling, according to the complaint.


Najib’s defence scored own goal over Blackberry Messenger chats, says prosecution

The Court of Appeal was today told that Najib Razak’s defence scored an “own goal” in tendering evidence that effectively contradicted the former prime minister’s claim of not knowing about the status of his personal bank accounts in relation to the RM42 million in SRC International funds.Ad hoc prosecutor V Sithambaram highlighted how numerous BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) chats between the 54th prosecution witness, AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu Ging Ping, and fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low, had instead indicated actual knowledge on Najib’s part regarding the status and transactions involving his personal accounts.“The defence alleged the prosecution shifted the goal post. But here, they scored an own goal.“BBM chats created and raised a strong inference that Najib must have had actual knowledge of the status, the countless transactions in and out of his accounts, and the actual balance for him to take action in utilising the funds, including the money of SRC International that entered his bank accounts,” he added.He submitted this before a three-member bench led by judge Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil in the hearing of Najib’s appeal against his conviction and jail sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.The other two judges on the bench were Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera.Sithambaram said relevant chat transcripts that fortified Najib’s actual knowledge of the funds within his accounts included occasions where Jho Low would forward BBM text messages he had received from Najib to Yu, and the copying of BBM text messages that Jho Low had sent to Najib on the account balances after enquiring with Yu on the exact balance.Najib’s defence throughout the trial contended that the former prime minister did not know of the funds’ source and that its subsequent utilisation did not prove the element of dishonest misappropriation under criminal breach of trust (CBT), he added.The Penang-based criminal lawyer then cited Najib’s cross-examination transcript and BBM chats, which he said confirmed that Najib had had communications with Jho Low directly through messages on his accounts’ status.“The BBM chats where reference is made by Jho Low to the appellant were readily admitted by the appellant as being his messages sent to Jho Low. The appellant admitted that he could gauge how much he could spend by communicating on a few occasions with Jho Low.“The appellant further states that he communicated with his private secretary, Azlin Alias, who informed him as to how much the appellant could spend.“In short, there is an admission by the appellant that he knew his bank balance from Jho Low and Azlin,” he said, adding that Najib’s defence that he never knew the balance in his account had thus failed.The Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 28 last year sentenced Najib to 12 years’ jail and fined him RM210 million after finding him guilty on seven charges of CBT, money laundering and abuse of position involving RM42 million in SRC International funds.The hearing of the appeal continues.


Health experts back Covid-19 jabs for migrants

Health experts have voiced support for the call to vaccinate migrants in the country against Covid-19, saying this will help control the spread of the virus which has so far infected more than 200,000 and claimed 770 lives.They also urged the government to prioritise migrants in its National Vaccination Plan given their often poor living conditions which make them particularly vulnerable to infection.“Vaccinating migrant workers should be a priority in the government’s plan to inoculate the population as they have been identified as a high-risk group for Covid-19 infections due to their cramped living conditions,” Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Subramaniam Muniandy told MalaysiaNow.This comes as migrant rights activists urge the government to inoculate non-citizens – documented and undocumented – given the high number of cases recorded among them.The National Vaccination Plan, expected to roll out this month, aims to achieve 70% herd immunity involving 23 million Malaysians with medical frontliners the first to receive the vaccine.Next will come those in high-risk groups, identified as adults aged 60 and above and those with chronic illnesses.The third phase will cover members of the public aged 18 and above.“We need to see this as an investment for the overall health objective of managing the spread of the disease in Malaysia.”Health experts who spoke to MalaysiaNow said migrants should be included in the high-risk group due to their cramped living conditions which make SOPs a challenge to follow.Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO of the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, urged the government to address the matter from the perspective of public health given the consistently high number of cases recorded.“This is a public health emergency,” he added. “We need to see this as an investment for the overall health objective of managing the spread of the disease in Malaysia.”There were an estimated two million documented migrants in the country as of June 2019. Another three million undocumented migrants take the total to a whopping five million.According to health ministry calculations, the coronavirus jab will cost RM77.35 per person. This means the cost of inoculating five million migrants would be approximately RM386.75 million.Experts were split on who should absorb the cost of vaccinating migrants.Subramaniam said the cost should be borne by employers who are responsible for ensuring the health of their workers.But Dr Raj Kumar Maharajah, president of the Medical Practitioners Coalition Association of Malaysia, disagreed.He said embassies should take responsibility for their citizens in Malaysia.“In principle, vaccinating as many people in this country as possible would be a good thing regardless of whether they are citizens or not.”“The embassies could subsidise payments (for the vaccine) for these workers,” he said, adding that the government could extend the vaccination plan to foreigners if there are sufficient funds.Former health deputy director-general Dr Christopher Lee meanwhile suggested a shared responsibility between the government, employers and workers.“In principle, vaccinating as many people in this country as possible would be a good thing regardless of whether they are citizens or not,” he said.“In terms of controlling the pandemic here, vaccinating migrant workers would also be strategic in keeping our business sector open as they make up a significant chunk of our workforce.”Azrul said it would be more cost-effective to pay for vaccines than for the treatment of those infected.“This is not the time to be penny-wise and pound-foolish,” he said, adding that Covid-19 does not discriminate.“Viruses do not discern whether you hold an IC, passport or no documentation, but because migrant communities live and work among us, protecting them means protecting others as well.”


Brent breaks US$60 a barrel for first time in over a year

Brent oil prices Monday shot past US$60 a barrel for the first time in more than a year Monday with investors growing increasingly optimistic about demand as the global economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.The commodity climbed 1.26% to US$60.19 a barrel – its highest since January last year – as asset markets rallied on the back of vaccine rollouts, slowing virus infections and hopes that President Joe Biden’s huge stimulus proposal will be passed by US lawmakers.Crude has been on the rise for weeks as Biden pushes his US$1.9 trillion rescue package, which includes big cash handouts and a hike in the minimum wage.Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that if the spending package was passed in its entirety, “we would get back to full employment next year”.Adding to the upbeat mood is data showing new infection rates, with last week seeing the lowest since October, while governments begin to get to grips with inoculations. Hopes for the long-term outlook overshadowed figures showing a rise in US inventories.“Oil traders ignore the sidelines’ spare capacity and continue to take an optimistic view of the US reopening narrative as vaccination protocols should continue to flatten the curve and with the gale-force stimulus tailwinds supporting a spring break reopening, (it’s) providing rocket-fuelled optimism for the oil market,” said Axi strategist Stephen Innes.


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Sarawak CM to seek royal audience on dissolution of state assembly

Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg is expected to seek an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the dissolution of the state legislative assembly, ahead of the expiry of its tenure next month.Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secretary-general Alexander Nanta Linggi said the matter would be decided by the Agong following consultation with state governor Abdul Taib Mahmud.“The chief minister had an audience with the governor and informed him that under the Sarawak constitution, the tenure of the current state legislative assembly will end on June 6, 2021, five years from the date of its first meeting on June 7, 2016, after the Sarawak election of that year.“However, this provision of the state constitution has no effect by virtue of the Emergency Ordinance 2021. Thus the dissolution of the assembly will take place on the date that His Majesty decides after consultation with the governor,” he said after attending a GPS Supreme Council meeting chaired by Abang Johari in Kuching today.Nanta, who is also secretary-general of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, said the GPS government was very concerned about the pandemic situation and took seriously the dangers to the safety and lives of Sarawakians.“GPS’ decision is that to hold an election during Covid-19, at this serious time, with the current spike in number of cases, is risky.“Furthermore, we are under a state of emergency. So holding an election is not the first thing on the mind of the Sarawak government at the moment,” he said.According to the Sarawak constitution, a state election must be held within 60 days of the dissolution of the state legislative assembly.This means that Sarawak would have to hold an election on or before Aug 7 this year.


US, South Korean troops to conduct largest combined drills in years

The US and South Korea will conduct more than ten days of large-scale military drills in March, including amphibious landings, officials from the two countries said on Friday.
The exercises, dubbed "Freedom Shield", will be held from March 13-23 to strengthen the allies' combined defensive posture, the two militaries said in a statement released at a briefing in Seoul.
"Freedom Shield is designed to strengthen defence and response capabilities of the Alliance by focusing within the exercise scenario on things such as the changing security environment, DPRK aggression and lessons learned from recent wars and conflicts," the statement said, using the initials of North Korea's official name.
Past drills have drawn sharp reactions from North Korea, including missile launches and nuclear threats. Pyongyang has said such joint military operations are proof that Washington and its allies are hostile.
When asked about the North's possible reaction, Colonel Isaac Taylor, a spokesman for US Forces Korea (USFK), said the drills were routine and purely defensive.
South Korean officials have noted North Korea is also conducting annual wintertime drills.
Freedom Shield will feature field exercises on a scale not seen since about 2017, before former US President Donald Trump scaled back public drills to facilitate diplomacy with North Korea.
Talks with Pyongyang are long stalled, but in intervening years Covid-19 restrictions kept drills to a limited size. With a record number of missile launches from North Korea last year, and South Korea's lifting of anti-pandemic measures, the allies are returning to large-scale drills as a warning to Pyongyang.
Over the past month South Korean and US special operations troops conducted a live-fire drill named "Teak Knife", which included a US AC-130J gunship that participated in joint drills for the first time, firing guided missiles and bombs as well as 30mm and 105mm guns.


Health ministry recommends Covid screening at schools after rise in education clusters

The health ministry has recommended that the education sector conduct screening on students, teachers and staff after 11 of the 18 Covid-19 clusters reported in the seventh epidemiological week 2023 (ME 13/2023) from March 26 to April 1 were education clusters.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said of the total, six clusters involved educational institutions under the education ministry: three colleges, a religious school, a boarding school and a secondary school.
He said the five other clusters involved non-ministry schools and colleges and a childcare centre.
"The current increase in the number of Covid-19 cases and clusters followed the reopening of the school session in mid-March 2023.
"The increase in cases is also due to active community movements during the last school holiday season," he said.
As such, he said the education sector was advised to perform screening on symptomatic students, teachers and staff before their entry into schools or institutions and conduct RTK-Ag tests on students, teachers and staff in accordance with the Covid-19 testing strategy.
He said parents also need to monitor their children's health and keep them school if they have symptoms.
Risk assessments on the spread of Covid-19 at institutions must also be conducted from time to time so that preventive measures can be taken immediately, he said.
In his statement, Noor Hisham reminded district health officials that positive cases reported by schools or educational institutions must be investigated and a risk assessment carried out to identify potential transmission risks, in addition to cleaning, disinfecting and contact tracing.
He also advised the public to continue practising TRIIS (trace, report, isolate, inform, and seek) to control the spread of Covid-19.
On the development of Covid-19 cases, Noor Hisham said the number of patient admissions to health facilities per 100,000 residents increased by 24.1% in ME 13/2023 compared to ME 12/2023, bringing the cumulative number of new cases to 5,052,337 and the number of recoveries to 5,004,546.


US to offer to keep nuclear arms curbs until 2026 if Russia does same

The US on Friday will offer to abide by the nuclear weapons limits set in the New START treaty until its 2026 expiration if Russia does the same, in order to bolster global security, two senior administration officials said.
US national security advisor Jake Sullivan will make the offer in a speech to the Arms Control Association, the oldest US arms control advocacy group, the officials said on Thursday on condition of anonymity.
Sullivan will say President Joe Biden's administration is open to resuming unconditional talks with Moscow on managing nuclear dangers, including replacing New START with a new pact, the sources said.
He also will repeat that the US is ready to begin a risk reduction dialogue with China, which is expanding its nuclear arsenal, a call that Beijing so far has rejected amid deep strains with Washington.
"When political relations are at a low, when tensions are high, we find that arms control and nuclear risk reduction to be most important and we would argue that we find ourselves in that moment today," said one official.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Feb 21 said Moscow was suspending participation in New START, the last remaining pact limiting US and Russian strategic nuclear arms.
Putin demanded that Washington end its support for Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion, and bring France and Britain into arms control talks.
The US government declared Putin's move "irresponsible and unlawful."
Signed in 2010 and due to expire in February 2026, New START capped the number of strategic nuclear warheads the sides can deploy at 1,550. It also limits the number of land- and submarine-based missiles and bombers that can deliver the warheads at 700.
Sullivan, the officials said, will offer US adherence to those limits through the treaty's expiration if Russia does as well.
He "will discuss the importance of maintaining what we have left of New START, including the need for reciprocity, including the continued adherence to the central numerical limits of the treaty," said the second official.
While Sullivan will restate an openness to replacing New START, that does not mean with the same curbs and weapons systems, the official continued.
A new pact would have to account for China's nuclear arms buildup, which the Pentagon says likely will more than triple Beijing's arsenal to 1,500 warheads by 2035.


Kota Bharu council's fine on non-Muslim woman 'unlawful and misguided', says Bersatu

Bersatu today criticised the Kota Bharu City Council for its decision to fine a non-Muslim business owner for wearing "indecent" clothing, calling it both misguided and unlawful as well as liable to creating mistrust among Malaysians.
Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif, the deputy chairman of Bersatu's legal and constitution bureau, said the council's move to penalise the woman for wearing a T-shirt and shorts was void as it exceeded the authority granted under Section 102 of the Local Government Act 1976 to make by-laws.
"Section 102 only permits the council to make by-laws pertaining to 'health, safety and well-being'. No power is granted to regulate clothing or morality," she said.
She added that while shariah enactments could regulate the clothing of Muslims, local authorities had no power to do so.
"Hence, the summons issued to the non-Muslim woman business owner is void and unlawful. The best course for the council would be to cancel the summons and suspend the operation of Section 34(2)(b) (of the Business and Industrial Trade By-Laws 2019) pending review by the state authorities or exco."
In a statement, she added that the standard imposed on Muslim women to cover the "aurat", or parts of the body that must not be revealed according to the Islamic dress code, could not be imposed on non-Muslims.
"The word 'sopan' in Section 34 (2)(b) is vague and open to manifold interpretation," she said.
"It is unfair to subject the woman to a fine when the definition of the offence is unclear."
She also said that whether the woman's clothes were decent or not was a subjective matter.
"To establish that the clothes were 'indecent' would surely require some degree of indecency which is more than just being clad in T-shirt and shorts, such as, for example, partial nudity. This is clearly not the case here."
Calling the fine "unnecessary", she said it could also create mistrust among Malaysians of all races and religions.
"It can also be perceived to be unjust as it appears to be targeting women exclusively," she said.


Malaysia end 2023 SEA Games with worst-ever achievement

The Malaysian contingent have recorded their worst-ever achievement in the history of the SEA Games by finishing in seventh position and failing to meet the 40-gold target at the 2023 edition in Cambodia last night.
With all the medal events ending yesterday, the country's achievement in the 32nd edition is worse than the Hanoi edition in Vietnam last year.
When the curtain falls on the biennial games today, the national contingent will return home from the SEA Games having collected just 34 golds, 45 silvers and 97 bronzes to be placed seventh in the medal tally.
Malaysia ended their campaign in Hanoi last year in sixth position with a haul of 39-45-90. They also finished in the same position in the 1983 edition in Singapore.
Malaysia, which sent 676 athletes to Phnom Penh, finished below Singapore, the Philippines and hosts Cambodia.
In yesterday's action, Malaysia added four more gold medals through Sam Jee Lek (dance sport), men's and women's hockey teams and Ahmad Nor Iman Hakim Rakib (kickboxing).
At the end of Day 11, Vietnam emerged overall champions after winning 136 golds, 105 silvers and 114 bronzes, followed by Thailand (108-95-108), Indonesia (85-81-109), hosts Cambodia (81-74-126), the Philippines (58-86-116) and Singapore (51-42-64).


Uproar in Dewan Rakyat over Penang-Kedah issue

The Dewan Rakyat debate session today heated up following Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's response to the issue of Penang's sovereignty.
Anwar affirmed that Penang is a sovereign state within the Federation of Malaysia and that its position is recognised by the Federal Constitution.
He said the matter is stated in Clause 2, Article 1 of the Federal Constitution.
"Clause 3, Article 71 of the Federal Constitution, read together with the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, guarantees that each state has its own state constitution that provides for its own state government, including the state of Penang."
He was responding to a question from Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan) on Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor's demand that Penang be returned to Kedah.
Sanusi had previously requested a constitutional amendment to allow the island to be placed under Kedah.
The question-and-answer session also turned chaotic when several Perikatan Nasional (PN) MPs cited a Standing Order against the question posed by Lim.
Anwar, who is also Tambun MP, said these provisions are the result of agreements between the British government and the Malay Rulers, namely the Federation of Malaya Agreement of Jan 21, 1948 and the Federation of Malaya Agreement of Aug 5, 1957.
Anwar further said that a police report has been lodged against Sanusi for causing public unrest with his remarks.
"The prosecution division of the Attorney-General's Chambers will examine the investigation papers submitted by the police to determine elements of an offence," he said.
Meanwhile, Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden (PN-Alor Setar) said the same demand was made by Umno in 2017.
So the same action should be taken against the Umno party members who made the demand, he said.


The impact of abolishing UPSR for today’s students

The abolishment of the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination, as announced by Education Minister Radzi Jidin, is one step towards ensuring that today’s children are able to benefit from an education system that is of global standards. This is not something new – it is the first shift in the Malaysian Education Blueprint (2013-2025).By shifting from a rote-based education system to one that enables our children to boost their cognitive and higher-order thinking skills, we are ensuring that our nation is future-proof and possesses a workforce that is agile and flexible as the next generation was able to build up their core skills when it mattered most. The 4W1H, which is the base of the Inquiry Base Science Education (IBSE), needs to be amplified in order for higher-order thinking skills to be inculcated within our primary school students. This will allow them to sharpen their creative aptitude, critical thinking, writing and presentation skills to increase their confidence.Aside from the above, the school-based assessment that will take place should focus on our primary school students’ aptitude in skills like problem solving, decision making, memory, sequencing, emotional self-regulation and much more. The assessment should be done when the students are in Standards Four-Six (aged between 10 and 12) to ensure optimal take-up and using systems that are based on high technology. We can’t escape the fact that that is the future and should incorporate technology into education right from the level of kindergarten or Standard One.Before we develop these assessments, though, we should reflect on the purpose of primary education in our nation. What is it that we want students to acquire? What level of depth do we want them to have? How can we create a thirst in them to learn more?Lessons should be fun and stimulate the students’ interest to learn, across the divide and to the level that they want to achieve.To do this, teachers need to be retrained to present subjects in an engaging manner. By adopting the personalised and experiential learning approach, we can build up a primary education model that is more holistic, engaging and personalised to the learner’s needs. Through this customised teaching and learning approach, aided by assistive tools and management, our primary school children will be able to develop their core skills and thrive in their education.Teachers will also be able to curate content that is unique to Malaysia and aid in the holistic development of primary school learners, which will place them in good stead for their subsequent education levels.Parents are important stakeholders too and should be included as part of the child’s education journey. That way, parents are able to appreciate the new way of teaching, and the different tools and facilities that are utilised for teaching.Getting high grades should be a natural progression rather than a stressful experience. Students can get A’s, not through a one-shot examination but through long assessment observation that promotes their participation and development of knowledge, creativity and innovation concurrently. The most important thing is that students enjoy learning and are able to develop an understanding related to the subject as well as unleash their creativity and become more innovation-oriented.It is still dawn for us in this area. There needs to be more research on teaching and learning for the new era that is IR4.0, digital learning, artificial intelligence and the internet of things. We can incorporate the findings as we progress but we need to get started.Let us never forget that the purpose of educating people is for social living. The more of our population can attain a quality education, the better it is for our nation in the long run. A high-quality education system allows our leaders of tomorrow to have future-proof skills and competencies to adapt to market demands.Ahmad Ismail is a fellow at the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Sarawak leaders extend warm welcome to Muhyiddin in first visit as PM

Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg today extended a warm welcome to Muhyiddin Yassin as the prime minister pledged his administration’s full support to turn Sarawak into the most developed state in the country.Addressing civil servants in the state at a hotel in Kuching, both leaders pledged closer ties and cooperation in achieving Sarawak’s 10-year development target, with an emphasis on infrastructure and agriculture.Abang Johari in his speech thanked Muhyiddin for the assistance given to Sarawak to cushion the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.“Sarawak too received assistance from the prime minister. Thank you very much, sir, for your concern about Sarawak,” he said.This is Muhyiddin’s first official visit to the state since Perikatan Nasional (PN) was established with help from Sarawak’s ruling MPs.Muhyiddin said he was touched by the support shown by the chief minister.“I can’t remember the last time I was here, but possibly it was during the old administration.“I did not imagine I would come here again as the prime minister,” he said.Muhyiddin’s visit today comes on the back of attacks on his PN government from Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.MPs from Sarawak’s GPS, the coalition formed after the collapse of Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 2018 general election, had backed Muhyiddin for the post of prime minister.One of Muhyiddin’s first steps after taking the top office was to settle billions of ringgit in petroleum sales tax imposed on Putrajaya, following the failure of the previous government to fulfil a promise to increase payment of royalties for oil extracted from Sarawak.Muhyiddin today pledged his government’s support to turn Sarawak into the most developed state in the country, saying it has the resources to achieve its development target.He said Sarawak’s 10-year development target was in line with Putrajaya’s direction.“You can see how the federal government and Sarawak work very much in line together.“The way forward for Sarawak is indeed very promising. I assure you that we will give you the fullest support to reliase your vision, to make Sarawak the most developed state in Malaysia.“Sarawak is a very rich state, rich in all sorts of resources,” he added.


Nearly 9,000 killed on Indian train tracks in 2020 despite Covid-19 lockdown

Thousands of people died after being struck by trains in India in 2020 despite the country’s railways almost entirely shutting down passenger services amid the coronavirus pandemic.The national Railway Board on Wednesday released police data on fatalities recorded between January and December last year after a request from activists under freedom of information legislation.The deaths fell under the jurisdiction of the police as they were viewed as “untoward incidents” or “trespassing”, rather than “railway accidents”.Unnamed officials later told the Press Trust of India that many of those killed were migrant workers.Millions of Indians who had travelled to big cities in search of jobs had been returning to their villages after lockdown was introduced last March, leaving them with no way to earn money.Many walked home along the train tracks because they considered it a shorter route than roads, and likely also thought it would prevent them from getting lost or running into police looking for Covid-19 curb violators, the officials added.“They also assumed that no trains would be running because of the lockdown,” one of the officials surmised. However, freight trains were still operating.The number of deaths on railway tracks was on the rise in India before the pandemic, with 14,000 people perishing in such incidents in 2018 and 15,000 in 2019.The figures from 2020 are much smaller because passenger services were shut down almost entirely around the country to prevent the spread of Covid-19, with only freight trains continuing their operations.Indian Railways, which operates the fourth-largest train network in the world with around 70,000 km of track, has been campaigning to reduce the number of deaths by introducing measures to prevent people from trespassing onto tracks, according to the Times of India.