Trendy radicals and the need for validation

“Kau meeting dengan aku dekat KL lepas itu kau bercakap telefon dengan orang dekat PJ, kalau kau nak bercakap dengan orang PJ, kau pergi la PJ, biadap tu!”The comedic nagging of the elderly man was met with roars of laughter from the audience. His simple words reflected an old man’s annoyance with technology as his perception of the media had been challenged by it for so long.It is common to hear the aged blabber on about how they did not have all these bright screens and buttons to play with in their small home towns deep in unnamed jungles and minds. They remind us of how it was a peaceful time, when they did not have to think about going with the trend and could thus take an apathetic stand towards the validation of others.But as their stoicism developed through the years, the stoicism of the young with our bright screens and buttons comes from facing the temptation of being validated by acquaintances and strangers alike. It is addictive to know that we are validated, yet it is also addictive to think that we do not care about being validated.In perceiving online personas, it is easy to scrutinise them for their lack of involvement in the lived reality. Activists advocating empowerment can sometimes be so out of touch with the things they are advocating for. They are an easy target for these old and experienced social justice warriors to pick on, but do they deserve to be picked on for their performative activism or are they more impactful than we give them credit for?To compare the influence of these online personas with individuals of equivalent traits from the past generation is immature. While the current voice may be shallow, it is shallow so that people do not need to think too deeply in order to share about it. While the past voices were pragmatic enough to be remembered for their contributions, the era that they were in did not witness their everlasting presence.Being around youths of various backgrounds is an enlightening experience. While the things they share may differ, from modest daily activities to partying with online debutantes to reflect their own personal stands, beneath the variety of posts is a strong need to showcase themselves as someone. They are anchored to each other by the need to be validated as someone, to be seen as more than a one-dimensional identity of youth.The way I see aged individuals who are adamant about their anger with connectivity by the web, the anger they have is because they have to acknowledge that they will have to be a part of the youth’s trend in seeking validation. Their stories of past adventures will soon be lost without any audience to listen. But they may not be granted an audience without technology.They will have to either respect connectivity by web or have their tales unvalidated by the audience they seek. The comical statement is a plea to be listened to.No matter how we may perceive the technological advancement itself, it is inevitable for us to stay relevant through it as well. Having acquaintances claiming radicality has taught me that even in being radical, they are bound to the trend of being validated. Having a stance distinctive from the norm requires a dedicated audience. What good will come of fighting for equality or having controversial views when we cannot show people how controversial we are from the rest of them?And in seeking an audience, we have to be strategic and calculative because in imposing our views and lives on the world, we want to showcase ourselves as an extension to the norm rather than a norm. There is a need to be different while remaining in the trend in itself. There is a need to be radical within the allowed capacity of the trend of validation.Even in writing this piece to bring up an observation that may be different from that of the masses, I still have to follow what is needed from the current targeted audience. Bringing up radical ideas must follow the capacity in which they can follow the idea itself. Thus, even showing how radical we are from the masses, we are still taking into consideration the people from whom we are seeking an audience.In seeking our audience and validation, what must be taken into consideration? Can we sacrifice not putting out any content at all because we do not believe in the current need for technological advancements?It is neither unhealthy nor healthy to be within this new norm. The online sphere is an uncontested parallel to the physical realm, and so is the need for us to be known as impactful in the virtual realm itself. To fight this need is to fight a losing battle. With reluctance or excitement in putting out ourselves, we have to pay respects to validation via social media presence.Does showing my groin in this photo make it too racy to be posted? What if a distant relative that I do not speak to anymore from the estranged side of the family comes across this post and reports it to my family? Will people understand my 280 character-limited sentences on how a particular brand of soya bean milk is a superficial recreation of a nostalgia for millennials? I think this social commentary using a meme of an extremely obscure anime reference will be too radical for my safety – should I still post it? Will it be worth it if I press “post” on this accidental post-incident inspiration on Myvi biru that I put so much of my five minutes brainstorming energy in?The thumb is positioned on the digital button, yet to make a simple tap is a heaviness that gambles a significant amount of consideration and formulation.As our finger gently taps the screen, all of our struggle is absolved in a moment.What follows is an answer to the questions we put up in our contemplation leading towards that simple tap, connecting ourselves to the world, within a trend is deeper than our understanding, a radicality that ends up in a flow of the world.


Philippines accuses China of more 'harassment' near disputed reef

The Philippines on Wednesday accused China's coast guard of harassment, obstruction and "dangerous manoeuvres" against its vessels, after another incident near a strategic feature of the South China Sea that has become a flashpoint between them.
Philippine coast guard boats were assisting a naval operation on June 30 when they were "constantly followed, harassed, and obstructed by the significantly larger Chinese coast guard vessels", Philippine coast guard spokesman Jay Tarriela, said in a Tweet.
It took place near the Second Thomas Shoal, a submerged reef over which the Philippines stakes a claim to sovereignty via a handful of troops who live aboard a rusty World War Two-era American ship that was intentionally grounded in 1999.
China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment and the issue was not mentioned at a regular briefing on Wednesday by the foreign ministry in Beijing.
Tarriela said the vessels had to reduce speed to prevent a collision.
He not say what the naval operation entailed. The Philippine military conducts regular resupply missions for the troops on the US ship, the Sierra Madre, including in February, when it accused China of aggression and directing a "military-grade laser" at of its vessels.
The shoal is located inside the Philippines' 200-mile exclusive economic zone. Tarriela described as "alarming" what he said was the presence of Chinese navy ships in the area, adding that raised "greater concerns".
China has previously said its coast guard were conducting regular operations in what are Chinese waters.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea via a "nine-dash line" on its maps that cuts into the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 said that line has no basis under international law.


MACC adviser says nothing to hide over remarks on Azam

The chairman of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) advisory board today said he had nothing to hide in relation to recent remarks clearing the chief of the anti-graft body of conflict of interest in the purchase of company shares.Anti-Corruption Advisory Board (ACAB) chairman Abu Zahar Ujang also said he was ready to be investigated by any organisation over his Jan 5 statement on Azam Baki.“If, through my statement to the media on Jan 5, I had given rise to unintended understandings to the extent that it tarnishes the name of MACC as a whole, which was never my intention, I leave it to the absolute discretion of the government and His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to determine my position as ACAB chairman – a trust I have carried out thus far without taking any sides.“I will of course abide by any decision made,” he said.Zahar at a press conference had cleared Azam of conflict of interest in the purchase of shares from certain companies in 2015.He said the board members were satisfied with Azam’s explanation, and that no further investigation would be conducted.“The purchase was made on the open market and without conflict of interest,” he said, adding that the shares were subsequently transferred to Azam’s brother, Nasir Baki.Zahar also said that the board would refer the matter to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob following calls by opposition leaders for government action, although a royal commission of inquiry would not be necessary.The issue arose following a series of blog articles by an activist linked to local NGO C4 Center, claiming conflict of interest in the ownership of company shares.Azam subsequently issued a demand letter to the writer of the articles, Lalitha Kunaratnam, with the MACC lodging a police report against her describing her claims as false and unsubstantiated by evidence.Top Pakatan Harapan leaders had nevertheless called for an investigation into Zahar, saying both he and Azam should be placed on leave for the duration of the probe.


Perak crisis a lesson in averting unnecessary distractions

The Perak crisis is finally over. Saarani Mohamad is the new menteri besar, replacing Ahmad Faizal Azumu who last week lost a confidence vote in the state legislature.There are important lessons we can draw from this episode. Firstly, Umno still needs Bersatu as much as Bersatu needs Umno. For now, despite the bad blood in the past between both parties, they are inseparable.There is no clearer evidence of this than having Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi apologise over the botched coup masterminded by his party’s lawmakers in the Silver State. It is unprecedented for the president of the oldest and most influential party to swallow his pride in such a fashion.This underscores the importance Umno places on ties with Bersatu. Why did Zahid eat humble pie? It’s because at the end of the day, race and identity politics still matter in Malaysia.Umno could have co-opted Pakatan Harapan in forming the new Perak government. But it knows that doing so would be anathema for its grassroots. For decades on end, Umno had railed against DAP for being racist. Had Umno reached out to the Chinese-dominated party, it would have risked losing whatever credibility it had and a possible wipeout in the next general election.Likewise, DAP’s overtures to Umno not just in Perak, but also in its bid to oust PM Muhyiddin Yassin through a no-confidence vote in the Dewan Rakyat, did not go down well with its traditional bloc of supporters. It is one thing to topple the prime minister, but another to join forces with your sworn enemy (Umno) to do so, and later work together with those whom DAP leaders had labelled as “kleptocrat”, “corrupt” and “racist”.At the end of the day, Perak is a reminder that it would be foolish to upset the political equilibrium today. The composition of the various legislatures such as the Dewan Rakyat and many state assemblies underscores this.Take, for example, that the ppposition succeeds in its bid to unseat Muhyiddin through a no-confidence vote in the Dewan Rakyat. Whatever played out in Perak over the past week could be replicated at the national level, with the opposition no better off, if not worse off.There is no way opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim could cobble together the next government without backing from DAP’s 42 MPs and the renegades from Umno, including tainted leaders like Najib Razak and Zahid. In the end, it’s back to square one.The only difference is that we can ill-afford a political crisis of such magnitude during this Covid-19 pandemic. God forbid that this leads to snap polls.For better or worse, we now have a political equilibrium that hinges on the interplay of race and identity politics, hemmed in by decades of social conditioning. And for better or worse, Muhyiddin has the upper hand in this game due to the advantage of incumbency, despite Bersatu’s smaller legislative representation.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


6.5% of children fully vaxxed, 38.7% given first jab

A total of 1,374,520 children or 38.7% of those aged five to 11 had received at least one dose of vaccine under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow website, 229,615 children or 6.5% have been fully vaccinated.For teenagers aged 12 to 17, a total of 2,865,407 or 92.1% have completed their vaccination while 2,967,575 or 95.4% have received at least one dose.In terms of the adult population, 15,950,859 individuals or 67.8% have received a booster shot while 22,959,339 or 97.6% have completed their second dose.A total of 23,236,086 or 98.8% have received at least one jab.Yesterday, 47,622 vaccine doses were administered, comprising 34,384 second doses, 7,639 booster jabs and 5,599 first shots.This brings the cumulative number of doses given under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) so far to 69,370,702.


160,000 protest in France against Covid rules

A total of 160,000 people protested across France on Saturday, the interior ministry said, angered at the country’s Covid health pass system which they say unfairly restricts the unvaccinated.By early evening the authorities had logged 222 separate protest actions, including 14,500 people who turned out in Paris.Sixteen people were arrested and three police officers slightly injured in what was the seventh consecutive weekend of Covid protests.“The vaccine isn’t the solution,” said retiree Helene Vierondeels, who attended a right-wing protest in Paris.“We should rather be stopping the closures of hospital beds and continuing the barrier measures,” she added.In Bordeaux, several protesters said they were refusing to get their children vaccinated, just days before the start of the new school year.“We aren’t laboratory rats,” said one 11-year-old boy who was marching with his father.“We live in a free country, there are no figures that justify mass vaccinations,” his father said, likening the increased pressure to vaccinate to rape.Under the Covid pass system, introduced progressively since mid-July, anyone wishing to enter a restaurant, theatre, cinema, long-distance train, or large shopping centre must show proof of vaccination or a negative test.The government insists the pass is necessary to encourage vaccination uptake and avoid a fourth national lockdown, with the unvaccinated accounting for most of the Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital.Saturday’s overall figure was slightly down on the 175,000 protesters who turned out the previous weekend.Around 200,000 people have marched on previous weekends, according to interior ministry figures.Organisers claim the real numbers were double the estimates announced by police.The protest movement has brought together conspiracy theorists, anti-vaxxers, former members of the “Yellow Vest” anti-government movement, as well as people concerned that the current system unfairly creates a two-tier society.


Electoral reform chief confident Putrajaya will implement all 49 recommendations

The head of Putrajaya’s committee tasked with reforming the electoral system is confident that the Perikatan Nasional government will implement all 49 of its recommendations.Former Election Commission chairman Ab Rashid Ab Rahman, who heads the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) formed by the Pakatan Harapan government, said the implementation of each recommendation on improving the electoral system would be based on its importance.Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Takiyuddin Hassan said the government had formed a special committee chaired by senior minister Mohamed Azmin Ali to study the recommendations.Rashid said he was confident Putrajaya would welcome the recommendations now that “the government seems to be stable”.“I am told they will study in-depth to see which recommendation can be implemented immediately,” he told a seminar in Kuala Lumpur today.“This means that the government has indirectly accepted the recommendations.”Rashid said out of the 49 recommendations, 32 should be carried out in the next three years.He said recommendations that need attention by the government include drawing up rules on an interim government following the dissolution of Parliament.He said the interim government should have specific rules during its 60-day mandate.“It has no mandate and cannot operate as a normal government, so it is better that we formulate the rules where suitable,” Rashid said.He also said there should be do’s and don’ts for an interim government.“At the moment, there is nothing in writing or in convention.”Rashid also said the EC should have greater control over the media during election campaigns to ensure fair coverage for all parties.He said the idea was not to infringe on media freedom, but to make media outlets more responsible and fair.Meanwhile, Rashid said it was up to the people to decide whether or not the general election should be held during the pandemic season.He added that while he felt the present government is constitutionally valid, an election could put to rest questions on its legitimacy.


DAP’s Kian Ming says won’t contest GE15

DAP’s Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming says he will not run in the 15th general election, adding that he intends to take a break from the political frontline.Ong, who has served as an MP for nine years, however said that he was not retiring from politics, only “taking a break to regroup and recharge”.“While the results of the recent DAP central election committee elections did play a role in confirming my decision to take a break from frontline politics, it was not the main reason for my decision.“When I was first offered to be a candidate for the parliamentary seat of Serdang, my agreement with my wife was that I would serve out two terms and then re-evaluate the situation.“Coming to the end of my second term, I believe that I have served my constituency, my party and the country to the best of my abilities. It is now time for the younger generation in the party to take over the reins of leadership,” he said.Adding that he had full confidence in the leadership of Anthony Loke Siew Foke as the DAP secretary-general, Ong urged all members and leaders to show him their support as well, heading into GE15.“I believe that Loke and the party leadership will continue to provide younger members and leaders opportunities to serve the party in various capacities including to be fielded as candidates in GE15,” he said.“I promise to give my full support for whoever the party names as the candidate for P102 Bangi in GE15. In the meantime, I will continue to serve my constituency and the party until parliament is dissolved.”Ong had been one of two MPs from DAP who openly urged the party to consider an offer by Muhyiddin Yassin just before his resignation as prime minister, promising to undertake a list of reforms long championed by Pakatan Harapan in exchange for their support to prevent the collapse of the Perikatan Nasional government in the midst of the pandemic.He and Damansara MP Tony Pua said in August last year that this would also prevent the return of “kleptocrats”, a reference to Najib Razak and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who between them are facing more than 80 corruption charges.


Heavy rain, thunderstorm warning for west coast

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a warning for heavy rain and more frequent thunderstorms from the afternoon to the evening in states on the west coast of the Peninsula from this Tuesday until Nov 11.
MetMalaysia, in a statement, said the states involved are Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor.
"Based on the analysis of the MetMalaysia weather research and forecasting model, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and the global forecast system, wind concentration is expected to occur on the east coast of the peninsula and west of Sarawak.
"This situation has the potential to produce continuous rain that can bring heavy rain and strong winds to the east coast of the peninsula from Nov 8 to 11," it said.
MetMalaysia had earlier issued a continuous rain alert for Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor during the period.


Govt regaining public confidence in handling of Covid-19 crisis, survey shows

A recent series of surveys shows that the government has been regaining public confidence in its handling of the Covid-19 crisis since the implementation of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme or PICK in February.The four surveys conducted by UCSI Poll Research Centre in Kuala Lumpur from Jan 18 to April 5 show an increase in public confidence from an initial score of 5.59 out of 10 in January to 6.5 in April.The first survey, conducted from Jan 18 to 20, involved 980 respondents.The second survey, from Feb 6 to 8, involved 649 respondents who gave a score of 5.79 while the third survey, from Feb 19 to 22, involved 618 respondents who gave a score of 5.88.The final survey, from March 31 to April 5, covered 1,136 respondents.The surveys also showed an increase in confidence in the vaccine, from a score of 5.82 in January to 6.41 in April.The centre’s CEO Pek Chuen Khee said public confidence levels towards the government in its management of Covid-19 issues and the Covid-19 vaccine have a positive correlation.“More people are excited to be vaccinated as the risk level is proven low by international and local success stories.“As health issues take higher priority in the public’s hearts, the government is expected to do more for the people and nation in line with the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030,” he said in a statement.Phase One of the national vaccination plan involved the inoculation of frontliners while Phase Two, which will begin next week, will cover senior citizens and those in high-risk groups.Phase Three, which involves adults aged 18 and above, is scheduled to begin in May.The government is aiming to achieve herd immunity through the inoculation of 80% of the population by February 2022.


More EPF withdrawals not the way, Anwar says

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says the government is looking for ways to reduce people’s financial stress without them having to withdraw their savings from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
He said the people had already been allowed to make several EPF withdrawals, which had caused a decline in the amount of their retirement savings.
"Most of their (EPF) savings have been withdrawn before. Some are only left with RM10,000 or RM5,000. So they have to think of their options.
"If they retire in four years’ time, what will happen?" he told reporters in Kuala Selangor when asked if another round of EPF withdrawals would be considered in the revised budget for 2023.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, added that the focus of the budget to be tabled on Feb 24 would be on efforts to deal with the problems of the national deficit, digitalisation, food safety and cost of living.
"More than that, I will announce during the tabling," he said.
On Muda, which was said to be upset after not being invited to the government secretariat meeting on Tuesday, Anwar said the meeting only involved the parties which founded the coalition government.
"The others (parties that support the government) will be included in the committee," he said.


British hugs allowed soon as lockdown starts to ease

In less than a week, people in England will be able to give friends and family a hug for the first time since the start of the pandemic, reports the AP.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed on Monday that he has given the go-ahead to hug from May 17 as part of lockdown easing following a sharp fall in new coronavirus infections.Other easing measures include the reopening of pubs and restaurants indoors as well as cinemas and hotels.“This unlocking amounts to a very considerable step on the road back to normality,” Johnson said at a Downing Street briefing. “But this doesn’t mean that we can suddenly throw caution to the wind. I urge you to think about the vulnerability of your loved ones, whether they have had the vaccine, and whether there has been time for that vaccine to take effect.”Similar restrictions are being eased in the other parts of the UK – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – following a sharp fall in new infections as a result of a long winter lockdown and the rapid rollout of vaccines.The UK is now recording around 2,000 new coronavirus cases a day, compared with a daily peak of nearly 70,000 in January. Daily deaths have also plummeted with only four recorded on Monday.The government has also announced a tentative reopening of foreign travel from May 17, but with only a handful of destinations deemed safe enough to ditch the 10-day quarantine requirements upon return.Portugal and Iceland now have no quarantine requirements but other popular destinations such as France, Italy, Spain and Greece still require quarantining and a series of coronavirus tests.Although the UK has recorded Europe’s highest coronavirus death toll, with more than 127,500 dead, new infections have dropped dramatically.Also, the success of Britain’s vaccine rollout has raised hopes that this easing will not see the same virus resurgence that happened last autumn following a lifting of restrictions during the summer.Around 53% of the British population have received one dose of vaccine while more than a quarter have had two jabs – one of the speediest vaccine rollouts in the world.The next round of lockdown easing is expected on June 21. The hope is that all other limits on social contacts will be lifted then.Gurch Randhawa, a professor of public health at the University of Bedfordshire urged caution.“It is tempting to relax social distancing, offer the glimmer of a much needed hug, and lift restrictions on international travel, but this could be a big mistake at this stage of the pandemic,” he said.“As a minimum, the government should be advising only those have received both vaccination doses to be hugging each other, and even a short hug, with faces directed away from each other to minimise risk of virus transmission.”


RM1,000 compound for SOP violations not enough, says Hishammuddin

The RM1,000 fine imposed on those who violate SOPs under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 or Act 342 is ineffective, Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said today.He said the maximum fine allowed is not proportional to the offences committed by certain organisers or companies in not complying with the required SOPs.“Personally, I feel with the flexibility given and restriction relaxation that will be announced after this, several companies will be entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that the SOPs set are adhered to.“In the economic context, the existing fines are ineffective and do not serve as a deterrent because the companies make billions in returns so RM1,000 is too small an amount and is inadequate. As such, we need to table it again in Parliament,” he told a press conference after chairing a Covid-19 Ministerial Quartet meeting in Parliament today.Hishammuddin also reminded organisers and companies that have been granted permission to hold an event to keep to their word in ensuring that the SOPs are complied with, in efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.Deputy Health Minister Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali today tabled a bill to amend Act 342 for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat, to allow individual offenders to be compounded up to RM10,000 instead of the current RM1,000.The amendment under Section 25 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Bill 2021 also proposed that errant companies be compounded up to a maximum of RM1 million.


Cops arrest Apple Daily journalist departing Hong Kong airport

Hong Kong police arrested a journalist with the Apple Daily newspaper at the international airport on Sunday night as he tried to leave the city, according to local media reports.He was an editor and columnist at the now-closed paper, local media reported.The South China Morning Post and online news outlet Citizen News cited unidentified sources saying that Fung Wai-kong was arrested on suspicion of foreign collusion to endanger national security.Fung was believed to be leaving for Britain when he was arrested, local media reported.Police said they arrested a 57-year-old man at the airport on Sunday night under the national security law, but did not identify him.Apple Daily, a popular tabloid, was forced to close following a raid by several hundred police on its headquarters on June 17 and the freezing of key assets and bank accounts. It printed its last edition on Thursday.Authorities say dozens of the paper’s articles may have violated a Beijing-imposed national security law.Critics of the law, introduced last June, say it has been used to stifle dissent and erode fundamental freedoms in the former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997.Many media sources say the closure of Apple Daily, which mixed pro-democracy views with celebrity gossip and investigations of those in power, marks the end of media freedom in the city.The Hong Kong Journalists’ Association, reacting to reports of the airport arrest, condemned the police for targeting journalists again, and asked them to explain the incident.“The HKJA reiterates that freedom of speech and freedom of the press are core values of Hong Kong,” it said in a statement. “If even the writing of the literati cannot be tolerated, it will be difficult for Hong Kong to be regarded as an international city.”Ronson Chan of the HKJA told CNBC that reporting in Hong Kong is now risky and many journalists are afraid of prosecution.Fung’s arrest also comes as pro-democracy online news outlet Stand News said in a statement that it would remove commentaries published on its site before June and halt its fundraising efforts because of concerns over the sweeping national security law.The measures were taken to protect the news outlet’s supporters, writers and editorial staffers in the “literary inquisition” of Hong Kong, Stand News said in a statement.Despite the precautionary measures taken, Stand News pledged to keep reporting the news.


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Gaza militants fire rocket into Israel amid West Bank unrest

Palestinian militants fired a rocket from Gaza into Israel Saturday without causing any casualties, the army said, as a surge in violence grips the occupied West Bank.
There was no immediate claim for the attack, the first in a month according to the army.
However, one of Gaza's larger armed factions, Islamic Jihad, had threatened to retaliate after Israeli troops killed two of its leaders in the West Bank town of Jenin on Thursday.
Witnesses said the Israeli army swiftly riposted by firing on two observation posts east of Gaza City, operated by the territory's Islamist rulers Hamas.
The rocket attack came as a surge in bloodshed in the occupied West Bank sparked international criticism of the Israeli army for its use of lethal force against Palestinian civilians.
Criticism has focused on the killing of Ammar Hadi Mufleh, 22, in disputed circumstances in the town of Huwara, just south of Nablus, on Friday.
United Nations Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland said he was "horrified" by the killing "during a scuffle with an Israeli soldier".
The European Union said it was "greatly concerned about the increasing level of violence" which had seen 10 Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces in recent days.
"Such unacceptable facts must be investigated and there must be full accountability," EU foreign policy chief Joseph Borell said.
"Under international law, lethal force is only justified in situations in which there exists a serious and imminent threat to life".
According to the Israeli version of events, Mufleh tried to force open the door of an Israeli couple's car before stabbing a border policeman.
A senior border police officer then shot Mufleh dead, saying that the Palestinian had made a grab for his weapon.
Palestinian municipal official Wajeh Odeh told AFP the shooting followed "a quarrel".
"An Israeli soldier pushed the Palestinian to the floor and shot him from zero distance," Odeh said.
The Israeli foreign ministry responded angrily to the criticism.
"This reaction is a total distortion of reality," it tweeted in English. "This is NOT a 'scuffle' – this is a terror attack!"
Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said he fully supported the border police officer's decision to open fire "to save lives".
"Our security forces will continue to act resolutely against terrorism," he said.
At least 145 Palestinians and 26 Israelis have been killed in violence in Israel and the West Bank, including annexed east Jerusalem, this year, the heaviest toll since 2015.


97.5% of teachers fully vaccinated as of end-October

Some 97.5% of teachers had been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as of Oct 31, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.Deputy Education Minister Mah Hang Soon said 99.04% of teachers had received at least one dose of vaccine.“On the action to be taken against teachers who refuse (to take the vaccine), it is based on the instructions that will be issued by the PSD (Public Service Department),” he said when replying to a supplementary question from Wong Ling Biu (PH-Sarikei).Replying to a question from Maszlee Malik (independent-Simpang Renggam) on viral videos allegedly showing unvaccinated teachers being placed in a small room next to a toilet and a store, Mah said any party with information on the matter could channel it to the education ministry for further investigation and action.“The ministry always gives priority to the welfare of teachers and students as well as all education staff,” he said.Meanwhile, Mah said the transfer of 1,023 teachers from the peninsula to Sarawak had been approved from 2017 to 2021.“The education ministry has set three basic principles for transfer, namely vacancies, option requirements as well as the importance and need for services.“In this case, the application for transfer can be made based on several categories, namely health, safety and others,” he said.


India's monsoon rains cover entire country, still lower than average

India's annual monsoon covered the entire country on Sunday, six days earlier than usual, the state-run weather office said, but rain totals are 10% below average so far this season.
The monsoon, the lifeblood of India's US$3 trillion (about RM14 trillion) economy, delivers much needed water to farms and restocks reservoirs and aquifers. It also brings relief from the worst of the summer heat.
In a typical year, rains usually lash Kerala state, on India's southwest coast, from around June 1 and move northwards to cover the entire country by July 8.
This year, the monsoon arrived on the coast of southern Kerala state on June 8, more than a week later than normal, and its progress was later stalled by severe cyclone Biparjoy.
However, the monsoon made quick progress this week and has now covered the entire country, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
India received 10% below normal rainfall in June, but some states received as much as 60% lower rainfall than the normal.
But India is likely to receive an average amount of rain in July despite the likely emergence of the El Nino weather pattern, the IMD said on Friday.
Bountiful monsoon rains in July would ease concerns about the output of summer crops, promising higher incomes in the countryside where most Indians live. As almost half of the country's farmland lacks irrigation, Indian farmers depend on the monsoon.


Up to police, MACC to reveal politician linked to gambling activities, says Saifuddin

The home ministry says it will leave it to the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to reveal the identity of the politician said to be linked to online gambling activities in the country.
Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said it was believed that the two agencies would assess the need to do so.
"So let the investigative bodies, the police and MACC, make their decision. They will decide based on their considerations.
"I do not want to get involved in this matter. Both agencies have comprehensive data on who is behind the players and also the mastermind… so whether they will reveal the matter, I leave it to their professional judgment," he said at a press conference in Sungai Petani yesterday.
He added that they believed online gambling activities could bring in several billion ringgit per month.
"In a week, it could reach up to RM200 million to RM250 million… that’s just one type and not the others.
"In Parliament recently, I showed over 100 gambling-related websites, and when we look at the size of it, the volume is simply huge and their profits are in cryptocurrencies and such.
"In terms of technology they are way ahead... that’s why enforcement teams need to be quick, two or three steps ahead, because no matter what the reason, this is something that is really bad," Saifuddin added.
He said he did not discount the fact that online gambling activities were financing political activities, as data and information by the authorities showed that such activities were linked to politicians.
"Players in this industry, if protected by political patronage, obviously they need to reciprocate so it’s not a stretch to say that they finance political activities... so in this matter, I leave to the police and the MACC," he said.


Muda to fly solo in six states, says Syed Saddiq

Parti Ikatan Demokratik Malaysia (Muda) will be contesting solo in the elections in all six states involved. Its president, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the decision was reached in a consensus with party leadership and members after holding discussions with the community and non-government organisations on the future direction of the party.
"Muda has made a clear resolution based on the consensus of the party that in the six state elections, Muda will be contesting on our own party strength," he said in a media conference at Muda operations room in Petaling Jaya today.
Commenting on why Muda made the decision, Syed Saddiq said the party does want to be tied with the two old political blocks and wished to bring reforms in the struggle to raise the voice of the people.
"Now, I can say Muda can speak with our own voice. We can enter the state elections to be the voice of conscience for the people so that the people have an alternative.  "Instead of looking at the two isolated political blocks, Muda would humbly like to seek the support of Malaysians," he said.
The Muar MP, however, said Muda has not finalised the candidates and seats to be contested and the matter would be announced from time to time.
Meanwhile, he said Muda will try to implement a new style of campaign with the majority held online to reduce dependence on funding, with the first to be held tonight.
It was also announced that Muda information chief, Luqman Long, was appointed as the party's election director while Muda central committee member, Nurainie Haziqah Shafii, was his deputy.


Now, DAP chief urges supporters to vote for BN

Anthony Loke has urged supporters to vote for Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates in the six state elections due this year, becoming the most senior leader in the current DAP hierarchy to make such a call.
Loke, the DAP secretary-general, said it was logical for parties in the current coalition government comprising BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) to support each other.
"When we cooperate, surely component partners in a coalition will support one another.
"It is the same for PH leaders. In the campaign for the coming state elections, we will ask our supporters to vote for BN candidates in areas where PH is not contesting," he told reporters at the Parliament today.
Earlier, Umno's Ahmad Maslan urged party members to vote for DAP candidates in the state polls for the sake of strengthening the "unity government".
This was followed by DAP publicity secretary Teo Nie Ching urging members to support Umno candidates.
The state elections in six states this year will be held against the backdrop of the coming together of DAP and Umno, two parties that have accused each other of fanning racial sentiments.
While analysts expect DAP to maintain its hold in its traditional seats with large Chinese electorates, Umno will be going to the polls hoping to recuperate from its massive losses in the general election last year.
Umno largely lost its traditional strongholds to Perikatan Nasional headed by Muhyiddin Yassin, in what was seen as a Malay political tsunami rejecting the oldest Malay party.


Top North Korean officials sacked after ‘crucial’ Covid-19 incident

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un replaced several senior officials after a “crucial” coronavirus incident, state media reported Wednesday, in what analysts said was a signal the disease had breached its defences.Pyongyang closed its borders in January last year to try to protect itself against the virus that first emerged in neighbouring China and has gone on to sweep the world.It has not publicly confirmed any cases of the disease at any point, neither in state media nor in the test statistics it has disclosed to the World Health Organization.But analysts said the latest development was a clear indication there had been infections in the isolated country, which is under international sanctions for its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.Officials had neglected their duties and caused a “crucial” incident, “creating a great crisis in ensuring the security of the state and safety of the people and entailed grave consequences”, Kim told a politburo meeting, according to the state Korean Central News Agency.It did not specify any details of what had happened.But Kim added that cadres’ “lack of ability and irresponsibility” had hindered the implementation of important tasks, accusing them of “self-protectionism and passiveness”.The impoverished country’s ramshackle health system and lack of medical supplies would leave it struggling to cope with a major Covid-19 outbreak.Members of the presidium of the politburo – the highest decision-making body of the ruling Workers’ Party – and the politburo were recalled and new ones named at the meeting on Tuesday, KCNA reported, adding that government officials were “transferred and appointed”.The KCNA dispatch “basically means North Korea has confirmed cases”, defector-turned-researcher Ahn Chan-il told AFP.“The fact that the politburo discussed this, and that the KCNA reported about it, signals Pyongyang is probably in need of international aid,” he said.“Otherwise they would not have done this as it inevitably involves acknowledging the regime’s own failure in its anti-epidemic efforts.”High priceEver since the pandemic began, North Korean state media have highlighted anti-coronavirus efforts and officials have exhorted the people to remain vigilant.Leader Kim himself tearfully thanked his people for not having had any cases at a military parade in October, although analysts have long doubted the assertion.And Pyongyang’s coronavirus defence has come at a high price.Its self-imposed and strictly enforced blockade has left it more isolated than ever: trade with Beijing – its economic lifeline – slowed to a trickle while all international aid workers have left.Several UN relief groups confirmed to AFP that the Needs and Priorities document – a key report that summarises the humanitarian situation in the country and forms the basis of UN appeals – will not be published this year.And this month, Pyongyang admitted it was tackling a food crisis, sounding the alarm in a nation with a moribund agricultural sector that has long struggled to feed itself.Earlier, Kim warned his people to prepare for the “worst-ever situation”.Pyongyang has been looking to shore up loyalty to the authorities, with state television last week showing a resident of the capital expressing concern and saying everyone was “heartbroken” over the “emaciated” condition of Kim, who has lost significant weight in recent weeks.Analysts say Pyongyang is using Kim’s appearance as a way to glorify him by portraying him as a “devoted, hardworking” leader as the country struggles to tackle its food crisis and other challenges.In recent months, Kim has issued a series of lengthy letters to regime organisations such as the Youth League and the trade union federation exhorting them to pursue “loyalty and patriotism”.At the same time, authorities have mounted a campaign against “criminal” youths tarnished by foreign influences that are “dangerous poisons” to state ideology, according to KCNA.


Mat Sabu picks more Amanah politicians to head Kedah, Kelantan agro boards

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu has appointed more politicians from Amanah to lead two agriculture development boards in Kedah and Kelantan – states where the party faces prospects of being wiped out again at the coming state polls.
Kelantan Amanah chief Muhammad Husain has been appointed as the chairman of the Kemubu Agricultural Development Board, while the party's Kedah chief Ismail Salleh will lead the Muda Agricultural Development Board.
"The appointments are based on their extensive experience in the field of administration, policy and community development.
"I am confident in their knowledge and credibility to execute the trust of leading both federal statutory bodies under the agriculture and food security ministry," said Mohamad, who is also the Amanah president.
The appointments came less than a month after Mohamad named three Amanah leaders to lead agencies under his ministry as well as two others from PKR and DAP.
On May 10, he appointed Faiz Fadzil to chair the Fisheries Development Authority and Mahfuz Omar to chair the Farmers' Organisation Authority.
Both men stood as PH candidates in the election last year but were defeated.
A former Amanah assemblyman from Perak, Aminuddin Zulkipli, was appointed as chairman of the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority.


‘Mem’ wanted me to prepare consultancy agreement for solar project, businessman tells court

A businessman told the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday that a certain “mem”, whom he later confirmed to be Rosmah Mansor, wanted him to prepare a consultancy agreement for the solar hybrid projects for rural schools in Sarawak.Lawrence Tee Kien Moon, 51, said he was informed of the matter by Rosmah’s former aide, Rizal Mansor, during a meeting in May 2016 at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at Pavilion shopping mall.The meeting was also attended by Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah, the business partner of Jepak Holdings’ former managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.In his witness statement, Tee said Rizal told him during this meeting that he had to prepare a consultancy agreement for a project for the supply and installation of solar panels to over 300 schools in Sarawak.“I questioned Rizal’s request and gave him the same response as I did to Rayyan, that the agreement could be prepared by Jepak’s lawyer.“I also told Rizal that I had never prepared such an agreement and had to get my lawyer to prepare it.“Rizal then told me that I had to do it because ‘mem’ wanted me to. I did not ask him who ‘mem’ was, but I acceded to his request because Rizal was the special officer of Rosmah Mansor,” he said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Poh Yih Tinn.When asked who “mem” was, Tee replied: “Rosmah.”Tee, who was appointed as a consultant for a company in Vietnam in 2016, said there was no discussion at that time on the commercial terms of the agreement as Rizal said “Mem masih discuss” (Mem is still discussing the matter).He also said the meeting only lasted 15 to 20 minutes as he had to leave for Singapore.“After a few days, Rizal contacted me about the consultancy agreement. At that time, I was in Vietnam.“I passed a thumb drive to my secretary containing sample consultancy agreements which I found on the internet for printing.“I found the sample during my free time in Singapore. I searched for templates and sample consultancy agreements to be used as a reference in the preparation of the said consultancy agreement,” he said.Tee said he recalled the contract value of the solar project to be over RM1 billion with the payment term over several years and more than 10% of the total contract value.“At that time, Rizal said he wanted me to select a company to execute the said agreement with Jepak. I asked why they did not use their own company which was easier from a management perspective, but they refused.”Tee said he prepared the consultancy agreement based on a sample from the internet and drafted the agreement in English.“The parties stated in the agreement were Jepak Holdings and Lucky Victory Limited as consultant. I chose Lucky Victory which was an ‘offshore company’ based in Taiwan to act as the consultant for the said project,” he said.Earlier, the court denied the request by defence counsel Akberdin Abdul Kader to impeach Saidi’s evidence for allegedly giving contradictory testimonies on the withdrawal of RM1.5 million said to be given to Rosmah.Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, is facing a charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Saidi.The bribes were allegedly received through Rizal as a reward for helping Jepak Holdings secure the hybrid photovoltaic solar system integrated project, as well as the maintenance and operation of diesel gen-sets for 369 rural schools in Sarawak worth RM1.25 billion from the education ministry through direct negotiation.The acts were allegedly committed at Lygon Cafe, Sunway Putra Mall, Jalan Putra; Rosmah’s residence at Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta; and Seri Perdana, Persiaran Seri Perdana, Precinct 10, Putrajaya between January 2016 and Sept 2017.The hearing will continue before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.


China launches first module of its own space station

China has launched the first module of a new permanent, orbiting space station.The Tianhe module, which contains living quarters for crew members, was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre on a Long March-5B rocket.The only space station currently in orbit is the International Space Station (ISS), which is a collaboration between Russia, the US, Canada, Europe and Japan. China is blocked from participating in it.China hopes to have its own space station, Tiangong, operational by 2022. The ISS is due to be retired after 2024, which could potentially leave Tiangong as the only space station in Earth’s orbit.China was a late starter in space exploration. In 2003 it sent its first astronaut into orbit, making it the third country to do so, after the Soviet Union and the US.China has sent two previous space stations into orbit. The Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2 were trial stations, simple modules that allowed only relatively short stays by astronauts.The new, 66-tonne, multi-module Tiangong station is set to be operational for at least 10 years.Tianhe will be the core component. It is 16.6m long and 4.2m wide. It will provide power and propulsion and contains the life support technologies and living quarters required by visiting astronauts.Beijing plans to have at least 10 more similar launches, carrying all the additional equipment into orbit, before the completion of the station next year. It will orbit Earth at an altitude of 340 to 450km.Having been frozen out of the International Space Station programme by the US, Beijing just decided to build its own.When the Tiangong station is up and running – possibly as early as next year – though it will be only a quarter of the size of the international facility, no other country will have its own orbiting space lab.China has in recent years made no secret of its space ambitions. There is talk of missions to Mars and a lunar station with Russia, says the BBC.Beijing has poured significant funding into its space efforts, and in 2019 China became the first country to send an uncrewed rover to the far side of the Moon.President Xi Jinping has thrown his support behind the country’s space ambitions, and Chinese state media regularly portray the “space dream” as one step on the path to “national rejuvenation”.


Australia pressured to free Tamil refugee family detained on remote Christmas Island

Australia is under pressure to release a family from detention on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, after one of the children was medically evacuated to Perth with sepsis and pneumonia, the BBC is reporting.Three-year-old Tharnicaa Murugappan’s parents, Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka, arrived by boat in Australia nearly a decade ago seeking asylum.The couple and their children were moved to the Australian outpost in 2019 after a court injunction ruled they could not be removed from Australia.Residents of the town of Biloela in Queensland, where the family had settled, has fought for them to stay, kicking off a legal battle that has dragged through the nation’s top courts.On Monday, Tharnicaa and her mother Priya were medically evacuated to Perth after the three-year-old became increasingly unwell.She had been sick for about 10 days, the family’s lawyer Carina Ford told ABC News. Her condition did not improve, and she was initially taken to hospital on Christmas Island.“But then it’s been considered that it’s safer for her to be transferred to Perth,” Ford said.The evacuation of Tharnicaa has prompted outrage in Australia from those calling for the family to be rehomed.“This family should not be in detention – they should be in their community in Biloela,” opposition home affairs spokesman Kristina Keneally said.The family’s detention has also been criticised on Christmas Island, which is closer to Asia than Australia, and nicknamed the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean.“I don’t think you’d find anyone on Christmas Island who thinks little kids should be kept in detention,” Gordon Thomson, Shire President of the island said. “And what I hear from those who might not have been so sympathetic to refugees generally, is this is wrong and enough’s enough.”On Tuesday, Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said in a news conference that the government was “going through the process of investigating a range of resettlement options” for the family.But Foreign Minister Marise Payne told Nine Radio that the two options being considered would be either the US or New Zealand.Australia has tough immigration laws that allow it to lock up what it terms “unlawful non-citizens” like the Murugappans in indefinite detention.Thousands of asylum seekers have been held in facilities off the mainland since 2013, when the government introduced “offshore processing” of those who arrive by boat. They wait there while their refugee claims are assessed, a process that can take years.


Najib’s bid for bank documents in 1MDB case to be heard on May 20

The Kuala Lumpur High Court has set May 20 to hear former prime minister Najib Razak’s bid to seek a court order compelling the prosecution to produce several bank statements and other documents for his defence team in his RM2.3 billion 1MDB case.When contacted by reporters, deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam said the date was fixed by judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah during case mention today.“The court has ordered the prosecution to file their reply to Najib’s affidavit by April 26 and they (Najib) will need to file their reply to the prosecution’s affidavit on May 5,” he said, adding that the court has also ordered both parties to file their written submissions by May 17.On March 24, Najib’s defence team led by Muhammad Shafee Abdullah filed a notice of motion claiming, among others, that the documents sought were under the custody of the prosecution or of other entities.In an affidavit affirmed by Najib to support his application, the Pekan MP said the documents were vital and relevant to his 1MDB trial as they were not made available to his defence team before his case began.Najib claimed that some of the statements and documents were linked to the companies believed to be related to fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low and the family of former Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz.The documents he sought include bank account statements for Aktis Capital Singapore Pte Ltd, Country Group Securities Public Company Ltd, ACME Time Ltd (BVI), Butamba Investments Ltd, and Central Holdings Ltd.Najib is also seeking the companies’ certificates of incumbency, declarations of the identities of the companies’ beneficial owners, registers of members, registers of directors as well as correspondence between the banks and the companies in respect of their transactions, including emails, telegraphic transfers, remittance forms, payment advice, transaction reports, payment orders, credit advice and bank memos.The application would compel the revelation of these documents from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and BNM, or any other entities having custody of the documents.


Umno MPs, ministers reject move to quit govt in blow to Zahid, Najib

Umno MPs today rejected a proposal that the party quit the government, in a blow to its president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi following the expiry of a deadline he had issued to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin last month, MalaysiaNow has learnt.It is understood that MPs including Cabinet members from Umno had met with Zahid, and were told to state their agreement to his proposal that Umno quit the government by Wednesday.“All except Najib Razak and another MP disagreed with the move,” said a source who related what transpired at the meeting to MalaysiaNow.Another source said the other MP was Ahmad Maslan, the Umno secretary-general, although MalaysiaNow could not immediately confirm the claim.MalaysiaNow earlier reported that Zahid had fixed July 7 as the last day for Umno to be in the government, as part of a series of attempts to dislodge Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin from power.It was also reported that the Umno chief had informed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong during a royal audience last month that all ministers, deputy ministers and heads of GLCs from Umno had pledged to quit their posts by Aug 1.Checks by MalaysiaNow however revealed that there was no such pledge from them, “whether written or verbal”.Meanwhile, a source privy to the meeting today said Zahid had wanted to meet the ministers and deputy ministers from Umno individually in order to find out if they agreed to his move.“But they insisted on meeting the president together, saying there could be threats made if the meetings were one-to-one,” the source added.During the meeting, several MPs argued that Umno would be running away from its responsibilities if it quit the government in the middle of the battle against Covid-19.“They told Zahid that it makes no sense and that it would be out of the question (to quit the government at this stage),” said the source.


US Congress approves debt-limit suspension, averting default

The US Senate on Thursday passed bipartisan legislation backed by President Joe Biden that lifts the government's US$31.4 trillion (about RM144 trillion) debt ceiling, averting what would have been a first-ever default.
The Senate voted 63-36 to approve the bill that was passed on Wednesday by the House of Representatives, as lawmakers raced against the clock following months of partisan bickering between Democrats and Republicans.
The Treasury Department had warned it would be unable to pay all its bills on June 5 if Congress failed to act by then.
"We are avoiding default tonight," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Thursday as he steered the legislation through his 100-member chamber.
Biden praised Congress' timely action. "This bipartisan agreement is a big win for our economy and the American people," the Democratic president said in a statement, adding that he will sign it into law as soon as possible. He said he would make an additional statement on Friday.
Before the final vote, senators tore through nearly a dozen amendments - rejecting all of them during a late-night session in anticipation of Monday's deadline.
With this legislation, the statutory limit on federal borrowing will be suspended until Jan 1, 2025. Unlike most other developed countries, the US limits the amount of debt the government can borrow, regardless of any spending allocated by the legislature.
Schumer and his Republican counterpart Minority Leader Mitch McConnell delivered on their promise to do all they could to speed along the bill negotiated by Biden and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
"America can breathe a sigh of relief," Schumer said in remarks to the Senate.
'Time is a luxury'
Republicans had blocked passage of any debt limit increase until they locked in some wide-ranging spending cuts in a move they said would begin addressing a rapidly escalating national debt.
Biden instead pushed for tax increases on the wealthy and corporations to help address the growing debt. Republicans refused to consider any sort of tax hikes.
Both parties walled off the sprawling Social Security and Medicare retirement and healthcare programs from cuts, and McCarthy refused to consider reducing spending on the military or veterans.
That left a somewhat narrow band of domestic "discretionary" programs to bear the brunt of spending cuts. In the end, Republicans won about US$1.5 trillion in reductions over 10 years, which may or may not be fully realised. Their opening bid was for US$4.8 trillion in savings over a decade.
Treasury technically hit its limit on borrowing in January. Since then it has been using "extraordinary measures" to patch together the money needed to pay the government's bills.
Biden, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and congressional leaders all acknowledged that triggering a debt default for lack of funds would have serious ramifications. Those included sending shock waves through global financial markets, possibly triggering job losses and a recession in the US and raising families' interest rates on everything from home mortgages to credit card debt.
Schumer drove that point home even as he steered the bill toward final passage.
A default, he said, "would almost certainly cause another recession. It would be a nightmare for our economy and millions of American families. It would take years, years to recover from."
The Republican-controlled House passed the bill on Wednesday evening in a 314-117 vote. Most of those who voted against the bill were Republicans.
"Time is a luxury the Senate does not have," Schumer said on Thursday. "Any needless delay or any last-minute holdups would be an unnecessary and even dangerous risk."
Among the amendments debated were ones to force deeper spending cuts than those contained in the House-passed bill and stopping the speedy final approval of a West Virginia energy pipeline.
Cobbled over weeks
Republican Senator Roger Marshall offered an amendment to impose new border controls as high numbers of immigrants arrive at the US-Mexico border. His measure, he said, would "put an end to the culture of lawlessness at our southern border."
The Senate defeated the amendment, however. Democrats said it would strip away protections for child migrants and rob American farmers of needed workers.
Some Republicans also wanted to beef up defence spending beyond the increased levels contained in the House-passed bill.
In response, Schumer said the spending caps in this legislation would not constrain Congress in approving additional money for emergencies, including helping Ukraine in its battle against Russia.
"This debt ceiling deal does nothing to limit the Senate's ability to appropriate emergency supplemental funds to ensure our military capabilities are sufficient to deter China, Russia and our other adversaries, and respond to ongoing and growing national security threats, including Russia's evil ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine," Schumer said.
The bill was cobbled together over weeks of intensive negotiations between senior aides for Biden and McCarthy.
The main argument was over spending for the next couple of years on discretionary programs such as housing, environmental protections, education and medical research that Republicans wanted to cut deeply.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the bill would save US$1.5 trillion over 10 years. That is below the US$3 trillion in deficit reduction, mainly through new taxes, that Biden proposed.
The last time the US came this close to default was in 2011. That standoff hammered financial markets, led to the first-ever downgrade of the government's credit rating and pushed up the nation's borrowing costs.
There was less drama this time as it became clear last week that Biden and McCarthy would find a deal with enough bipartisan support to get through Congress.


South Korea president says any talks with North should be more than show

Talks with North Korea should not be for political show but contribute to establishing peace, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Wednesday, speaking at a wide-ranging press conference to mark his first 100 days in office.
Yoon repeated his willingness to provide phased economic aid to North Korea if it ended nuclear weapons development and began denuclearisation, noting that he had called for a dialogue with Pyongyang since his campaign.
"Any dialogue between the leaders of the South and North, or negotiations between main working-level officials, should not be a political show, but should contribute to establishing substantive peace on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia," he said.
The comments were an apparent criticism of a series of summits involving his predecessor Moon Jae-in, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and then-US president Donald Trump.
Despite those meetings, denuclearisation talks stalled in 2019 and North Korea has said it will not trade away its self-defence, though it has called for an end to sanctions. It has been observed preparing for a possible nuclear test, which would be its first since 2017.
South Korea was not in a position to guarantee the North's security if it gave up its nuclear weapons, but Seoul did not want a forced change in the status quo in the North, Yoon said.
The North's recent missile tests and nuclear development has revived debate over whether the South should pursue its own nuclear weapons. Yoon said that he was committed to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and working with the US to boost its "extended deterrence" for South Korea.
"The NPT should not be abandoned and I will adhere to that until the end," he said.
Labour strife
Facing falling poll numbers and controversies over his picks for top ministers, Yoon was pressed by media on a range of issues including labour reform, housing shortages, and recovery from recent floods.
Since Yoon came to office in May, two strikes have cost industry more than US$1.6 billion, according to labour ministry and shipbuilder estimates, although neither involved a government suppression before ending.
The president said he would always allow time for dialogue and compromise before suppressing an illegal strike.
Yoon called for ending discrepancies between "workers who do the same job", such as between direct hires and contract workers, without elaborating on how.
Ukraine aid
He also touted major weapons sales including a deal last month with Nato-member Poland involving more than 1,600 tanks and howitzers, and nearly 50 fighter jets.
He declined, however, to say whether his government would change its policy of not directly providing lethal aid to Ukraine.
"While it's difficult to elaborate here on the issue of supplying military support, we will help the Ukrainian people recover freedom and rebuild the destroyed national assets swiftly," Yoon said.
He said he believed that historical disputes with Japan dating back to its colonial occupation of the Korean peninsula from 1910-1945 could be overcome and that the two countries needed to cooperate more closely on supply chain and economic security.


French police arrest 16 overnight as rioting subsides

French police arrested 16 people overnight in connection with urban violence, the interior ministry said on Wednesday, indicating a further decrease in the scale of unrest that swept through poor French suburbs after a fatal police shooting last week.
The death on June 27 of Nahel M, a teenager of North African descent, after he was shot by a police officer in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, caused an outpouring of rage that led to nights of nationwide rioting and a muscular police crackdown.
At the peak of the unrest, in the night of Friday to Saturday, police arrested more than 1,300 people. The situation began to quieten on Sunday, and on the night of Monday to Tuesday police arrested 81 people, according to the ministry.
The riots laid bare the profound polarisation of French society on issues such as the integration, or lack of it, of ethnic and religious minorities, and on how the values of the republic should be understood in contemporary France.
The government and the political right have denounced the rioters and expressed strong support for the police, with little sign emerging of any willingness to engage with complaints that the police discriminate against minorities and can be violent.
In contrast, left-wing parties and many citizens have highlighted the racism and marginalisation experienced by generations of French youths of immigrant descent in the poor suburbs and the issue of police violence and impunity.
The police officer who shot Nahel is in custody facing a charge of voluntary homicide.
A crowdfunding campaign launched by far-right figure Jean Messiha to raise money for the officer's family received US$1.74 million (about RM8 million) in donations, far outstripping a similar fundraiser for Nahel's family.
Messiha shut down his GoFundMe appeal for the officer's family late on Tuesday after a barrage of complaints and threats of legal action from left-wing parties and Nahel's family, TV channel BFM reported.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, known for his hardline positions on law-and-order issues, was scheduled to answer questions on the unrest at 4.30pm (1430 GMT) on Wednesday in front of a Senate committee.
The minister overseeing small and medium companies, Olivia Gregoire, told TV channel France 2 earlier that more than 1,000 stores and businesses had been affected to varying degrees by the rioting and vandalism of the past week.


No third-party claims on luxury items seized from Najib, Rosmah

No third parties came to the Kuala Lumpur High Court today to claim luxury items including designer handbags, shoes, watches, cash and 27 cars seized from former prime minister Najib Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor and 16 others.Deputy public prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin told reporters that the court had set today for third parties to come and claim the seized items.“Prior to this, there was a third party who contacted the court regarding the seized items and was asked to come today, but as at 11am, no one came,” she said after case management before High Court deputy registrar Catherine Nicholas.The application for the issuance of a notice to third parties was submitted by the prosecution to enable third parties to appear in court in person or through a lawyer to provide grounds for why the items could not be forfeited to the government.The court has set March 26 next year for the full hearing.The prosecution had filed a notice to forfeit the items and named Najib, Rosmah and their children Nor Ashman Razak and Nooryana Najwa Mohd Najib. Riza Aziz (Najib’s stepson), Mohd Kyizzad Mesran, Senijauhar Sdn Bhd, Aiman Ruslan, Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia, Yayasan Semesta, Yayasan Mustika Kasih, Rembulan Kembara Sdn Bhd, Goh Gaik Ewe (Low Taek Jho’s mother), Roger Ng Chong Hwa (former Goldman Sachs bank officer) and his wife Lim Hwee Bin, Kee Kok Thiam, Tan Vern Tact and Geh Choh Hun as the first to 18th respondents.The items comprising hundreds of designer handbags, shoes and watches, and cash in various currencies were seized by the police in raids on May 17 and June 11, 2018.On Aug 2, 2018, police also seized 27 Nissan cars, as well as a piece of land in Tanjung Bungah, Penang.


Analyst warns of reverse gear for Umno if Shahrizat returns to lead women's wing

The reappearance of former Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Jalil in the running for her old position is a step backwards for the party, an analyst says as Umno continues to struggle with its image of domination by warlords and the so-called old guard.
Shahrizat, who once held the portfolio of women, family and community development, said she had entered the contest for the role again due to pressure from the grassroots.
But Azman Awang Pawi said she was banking on a revival of nostalgia, whereas the women leaders of other parties were largely younger and more energetic individuals.
"If this is accepted by the Umno grassroots, the party will become less progressive in terms of its women candidates," he said.
Referring to Noraini Ahmad, the current Wanita chief, he said she was seen as young and progressive, and had helped to dispel Umno's warlord image.
Azman, of Universiti Malaya, said Shahrizat's candidacy would also lead to questions about whether Umno was able to escape the grip of its old guard.
"This will not be good for its branding or efforts at rejuvenation if it intends to move forward," he told MalaysiaNow.
At 70, Shahrizat is considerably older than many of her would-be counterparts. Wanita PKR chief Fadhlina Sidek, who is also the education minister, is 46 years old while PAS women chief Nuridah Mohd Salleh is 61.
Over in Bersatu, Srikandi chief Rina Harun is 50 while Amanah women's chief Aiman Athirah Sabu is 51.
Shahrizat, a former Lembah Pantai MP, was Wanita Umno chief for nearly a decade, taking over from Rafidah Aziz and holding the post from 2009 to 2018.
She lost her Lembah Pantai seat to Nurul Izzah Anwar at the 2008 general election.
She was also embroiled in the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal in 2011, involving her husband, Mohamad Salleh Ismail.
Analyst Oh Ei Sun said the grassroots support for veteran leaders was due to the time and effort such individuals had spent gaining the loyalty of those on the ground.
"There are new political stars within the party who may have a wider appeal beyond the party as well," Oh, of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said.
"But they tend not to spend the time and effort and resources in cultivating the party grassroots and rank and file, and are more like political meteorites who rise and fall rapidly."
Azman meanwhile said that Shahrizat could be motivated by the hope of appointment as the chairman of a non-government company.
He said she would undoubtedly have an effect on ties with other parties in the government as well.
"If she gets a position, relations with Pakatan Harapan (PH) will be affected as she was once the target of Rafizi Ramli," he said, referring to the PKR deputy president who had been instrumental in revelations on the NFC scandal.
Oh however differed, saying as long as Umno and PH had the same enemies and were committed to their "marriage of convenience", old enmities could be put aside for a while.


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January 2025 hearing for RM42 million SRC suit against Najib

The High Court today fixed January 2025 to hear SRC International Bhd's suit against Najib Razak, for alleged breach of trust and breach of statutory duty concerning SRC funds amounting to RM42 million.
Lawyer Kwan Will Sen, who is representing the SRC and its subsidiary, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd (GMSB), as the plaintiffs, confirmed the matter when contacted by reporters.
He also said that the case will be heard before judicial commissioner Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan.
“The trial dates are set for Jan 13 to 17 and Jan 20 to 24, while in February, the trials run from Feb 12 to 14, Feb 17 to 21 and Feb 24 to 26,” he said.
According to Kwan, the case management, before Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah, was held online today, and the court fixed further case management on Aug 4 for the parties to update the status of the trial.
SRC, a subsidiary of 1MDB and GMSB, filed a writ of summons on May 7, 2021, accusing the former prime minister as a defendant, of breach of trust, abuse of power and obtaining personal benefits from SRC funds, in addition to misappropriating the said funds.
Najib was SRC's emeritus advisor from May 1, 2012, till March 4, 2019.
The plaintiffs, among other things, are seeking a declaration that they have the right to track and trace the RM42 million and claim equity ownership over the money, or any property obtained by Najib by using the money, in addition to claiming general damages, exemplary, additional and interest, costs and other appropriate relief provided by the court.


India’s May palm oil imports drop 10% as Indonesia curbs exports

India’s palm oil imports in May fell 10% from a month ago as top producer Indonesia curbed exports of the edible oil, a trade body said on Tuesday.The south Asian country is the world’s biggest importer of vegetable oils and lower purchases could weigh on Malaysian palm oil futures.India imported 514,022 tonnes of palm oil in May, down from 572,508 tonnes in April, according to the Solvent Extractors’ Association (SEA) of India.Indonesia, the world’s biggest producer and exporter of palm oil, on April 28 halted exports of the product to control soaring prices at home. Jakarta allowed exports to resume from May 23, but put in place policies to safeguard domestic supplies.Indian refiners in May sourced more palm oil from Malaysia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea, but still the overall imports were down, the SEA said.“In June palm oil imports could rise above 600,000 tonnes as Indonesia has started giving export permits,” a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading firm said.Indonesia’s export allocation for palm oil products has been raised to 2.25 million tonnes, a senior trade ministry official said on Monday, from around 1 million.India’s soyoil imports in May jumped 37% from a month ago to 373,043 tonnes, while sunflower oil imports more than doubled to 118,482 tonnes, the trade body said.India buys soyoil mainly from Argentina and Brazil and sunflower oil from Ukraine and Russia.The country’s soyoil imports could rise sharply in the coming months as New Delhi has allowed duty free imports of 2 million tonnes of the commodity, traders said.


‘We will stay together’: A brother’s pledge to his siblings after losing parents to Covid-19

In a small house in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, 23-year-old Muhammad Haidir Rodzi recalls the day his father began showing symptoms of the dreaded Covid-19 virus.It was May 26, a Wednesday, when Rodzi Tahar developed a fever. At first the family thought it was a normal fever, but three days later on May 29, Rodzi was screened for Covid-19 at Hospital Port Dickson.The following day, his results came back positive for the virus and he was transferred to Hospital Tampin.Still reeling from the rapid turn of events, his family was shocked to receive a call from the doctor the next day informing them that Rodzi had died.But even as Haidir and his siblings struggled to process the news, they were dealt a further blow: their mother, Nazita Idris, began running a fever and quickly developed a cough as well.She tested positive for Covid-19 on May 31 and soon, she too succumbed to the virus.Nazita was 45 when she died. Rodzi was 55.Now, months later, Haidir and his siblings are still trying to come to terms with their loss.There are five of them altogether – Haidir, Muhammad Hairie Rodzi, 20, Nurhairieka Rodzi, 18, Muhammad Haiqiel Rodzi, 13 and Muhammad Khierzamani Rodzi, who is just seven years old.They, too, were screened for Covid-19 and tested positive for the virus. But unlike their parents, they experienced only light symptoms and were able to self-isolate at home.Their 75-year-old grandmother, Faridah Md Shahar, came to live with them after their parents’ deaths.Muhammad Haidir Rodzi with his grandmother, Faridah Md Shahar, at their home in Bandar Sunggala, Port Dickson.They have been receiving assistance from many quarters including the social welfare department as well as through charity and donations from both individuals and NGOs.“Many have been coming since hearing news of our parents’ deaths,” Haidir told MalaysiaNow.“Some have given assistance in the form of cash and others, especially our neighbours, have been giving us food.”The gestures have been a welcome relief for the siblings as only Haidir and Hairie are currently employed.Haidir works as an operator filling tanks of cooking gas while Hairie is a security guard. Their combined wages, added on to the RM250 they receive as charity, the RM300 they get from the social welfare department, and their father’s monthly pension of RM565, is enough for them to scrape by.Nurhairieka meanwhile supervises the schooling of their two youngest siblings, Haiqiel and Khierzamani, who are following their classes from home.The five of them are among several thousands who have lost parents or guardians to Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic.Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun said in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday that 4,422 pupils at schools registered with the ministry had lost parents or guardians while 154 were completely orphaned.She said such children could be placed at centres under the welfare department if they have no guardians or relatives able to take them in.But psychologist Suriati Sidek said it would be better for these children to be placed with foster families instead of at welfare homes.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, she said children need a family environment for health social and emotional development.“When they are part of a family institution, even an adopted family, they will feel loved and cherished as they would have been by their own parents,” the senior lecturer at the International Islamic University Malaysia added.“But the welfare department must make sure that they are placed with appropriate families to ensure their well-being.”Back in Port Dickson, Haidir clings to the last instructions given to him by his mother.As the eldest child, she told him, he must look after his siblings.“No matter what, we will stay together,” he said.


Prosecution, defence seek to postpone hearing of Najib’s RM27 million SRC case

The prosecution and defence in Najib Razak’s money laundering case involving RM27 million in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds are seeking to postpone the hearing of the case pending the outcome of the former prime minister’s appeal in the RM42 million SRC International case at the Court of Appeal.Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul told reporters this after case management, held in chambers before High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan today.“The RM27 million SRC case has been set for hearing from Aug 2 to 9, but since the Court of Appeal has yet to decide on the appeal in the RM42 million SRC case, we have to apply for a postponement of the trial until the disposal of the appeal case,” he said, adding that it was necessary to postpone the hearing of the RM27 million SRC International case as the evidence was interrelated with the RM42 million SRC International case and involved the same money trail.He also said Zaini had instructed both parties to write a letter to the court to apply for the hearing of the case, which was fixed for next Monday (Aug 2), to be postponed.The prosecution will also send a letter seeking for the trial dates, which had been fixed for August this year and March and April 2022, to be vacated, he added.Najib’s lawyer Rahmat Hazlan, when contacted by reporters, confirmed that both parties in the RM27 million SRC International case were seeking to postpone the trial.On Feb 3, 2019, Najib pleaded not guilty to three charges of money laundering in which he is believed to have received money totalling RM27 million, allegedly proceeds from unlawful activities, in three AmPrivate Banking accounts belonging to him.Najib is alleged to have committed the offences at AmIslamic Bank Bhd, Bangunan Ambank Group, No. 55, Jalan Raja Chulan, on July 8, 2014, under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, which provides for a maximum fine of RM5 million, jail not exceeding five years, or both, upon conviction.He was earlier charged in the Sessions Court but the case was transferred to the High Court on March 13, 2019 following an application by the prosecution.On July 28 last year, High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali sentenced Najib to 12 years’ jail and fined him RM210 million after finding the former prime minister guilty on seven charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of position, involving RM42 million of SRC International funds.The case is at the appeal stage at the Court of Appeal.


88% of adults fully vaccinated

A total of 20,717,373 individuals or 88% of the adult population had been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as of yesterday.Meanwhile 23,961,163 or 94.4% have received at least one jab, including of the single-dose CanSino vaccine.In terms of total population, 63.4% are fully vaccinated while 73.4% have received at least one dose.A total of 221,812 doses were administered yesterday, taking the cumulative number of vaccine shots given under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 44,573,891.


Musk says Twitter will limit how many tweets users can read

Twitter is limiting how many tweets per day various accounts can read, to discourage "extreme levels" of data scraping and system manipulation, executive chair Elon Musk said in a post on the social media platform on Saturday.
Verified accounts were initially limited to reading 6,000 posts a day, Musk said, adding that unverified accounts will be limited to 600 posts a day with new unverified accounts limited to 300.
The temporary reading limitation was later increased to 10,000 posts per day for verified users, 1,000 posts per day for unverified and 500 posts per day for new unverified users, Musk said in a separate post without providing further details.
Previously, Twitter had announced it will require users to have an account on the social media platform to view tweets, a move that Musk on Friday called a "temporary emergency measure."
Musk had said that hundreds of organisations or more were scraping Twitter data "extremely aggressively", impacting user experience.
Musk had earlier expressed displeasure with artificial intelligence firms like OpenAI, the owner of ChatGPT, for using Twitter's data to train their large language models.
Twitter was down for thousands of users on Saturday morning, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com.
Nearly 7,500 users across the social media platform reported issues with accessing the app during the peak of the outage at around 11.17am ET.
The social media platform had previously taken a number of steps to win back advertisers who left Twitter under Musk's ownership and to boost subscription revenue by making verification check marks a part of the Twitter Blue programme.


Task force gives damning appraisal of Tommy Thomas' conduct as AG

A lack of experience and skills to manage the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), conduct which smacked of conflict of interest, cronyism, and blatant interference in the appointments of top judges are among a number of damning observations of Tommy Thomas during his short stint as the attorney-general, according to sources familiar with a lengthy report prepared by a special task force.
The over 800-page report prepared by the task force, set up late last year to look into allegations made by Thomas, was presented to the Cabinet last month.
A purported soft copy of the classified report is said to have been leaked online, and is the subject of a police investigation.
MalaysiaNow is unable to cite the contents of the report.
But a source close to the nine-month fact-finding assignment of the special task force said there had been damning observations about the conduct of the former attorney-general during office, including actions showing a lack of knowledge of Malaysian laws and his own jurisdiction.
The task force, comprising legal experts and former senior judicial officers headed by former Sarawak attorney-general Fong Joo Chung, was tasked with looking into the allegations made by Thomas in his autobiography, "My Story: Justice in the Wilderness".
However, unlike a royal inquiry, it had no mandate to compel witnesses to appear before it and was passed over by Thomas and the Bar Council.
The book had sparked criticism from both sides of the political divide as well as more than 240 police reports.
Thomas attracted reproval, among others, for his negative portrayal of his officers as well as what was said to be partisan and racially tinged narratives throughout the book.
Among others, he said that AGC officers were not qualified to handle high-profile cases such as those involving former prime minister Najib Razak, remarks that led to a strongly worded response from current attorney-general Idrus Harun, who said the book showed "narrow thinking from the brief experience of a man who has no understanding of the public service institution".
"At the heart of these observations is the description of Thomas as someone who lacked the skills to head a huge government body such as the AGC," a source privy to the findings of the nine-member task force told MalaysiaNow.
The source said the report by the task force was "meticulous and in great detail", and cited examples of Thomas' conduct to show his "ignorance of prevalent Malaysian laws".
The report also said that he had overstepped his job scope, and appointed individuals for certain cases despite glaring conflicts of interest.
"His role in appointing a former schoolmate to head the Asia International Arbitration Centre (AIAC), after summarily dismissing its incumbent director Sundra Rajoo, was also investigated and explained in detail," the source said.
Thomas is also accused of turning to private lawyers in disputes involving the government, such as Malaysia's challenge to the European Commission's ban on palm oil and the case involving the confiscation of luxury yacht Equanimity.
The yacht, belonging to Low Taek Jho – the businessman implicated in the theft of billions of ringgit from 1MDB – was confiscated by Indonesian authorities before being returned to Malaysia, where it was sold to Genting Bhd following discussions held by Thomas at his home.
"The report delves into details of how Thomas mocked his officers as lacking the expertise to handle the Equanimity, which the task force believed was enough to raise suspicions of his move to engage private lawyers," the source said.
Inteference in appointment of judges
The task force said while Thomas had no business in the appointment of judges, he had made no secret of the role he played in recommending names for top judges to then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
"This was despite the fact that Thomas, being the AG, was not a member of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), the body tasked with recommending to the prime minister the judges for the superior courts.
"Yet, Thomas, by his own words, meddled in this," the source said.
As a result, three names recommended by JAC were ignored.
"They included names for the posts of chief justice, president of the Court of Appeal, and chief judge of the High Court for Sabah and Sarawak."
In July 2018, Richard Malanjum was named chief justice.
"But he was not the recommendation of JAC, which had then proposed Azahar Mohamed for the post.
"Similarly, Rohana Yusuf and Abdul Rahman Sebli, two names recommeded by JAC for the post of Court of Appeal president and chief judge for Sabah and Sarawak, were not considered."
Ex-schoolmate given post
The task force also found instances of abuse of power by Thomas, when he accused Sundra, then director of the AIAC, of corruption based on anonymous letters.
"After forcing his resignation, Thomas appointed his former partner Vinayak Prabhakar Pradhan as acting director of AIAC. This was even before Sundra was found guilty of corruption as contained in the poison pen letter against him.
"Again, this was not the business of the attorney-general. It was the job of the law minister to handle AIAC appointments," the source said.
Thomas had dedicated several passages in his book to attacking Sundra and accusing him of corruption. Sundra has since challenged the charges against him, and in April last year, the Federal Court ruled that he had immunity against prosecution.
Earlier this year, Thomas came under fire following an arbitration decision against the Malaysian government related to claims by the self-styled heirs of the Sulu sultanate which once ruled parts of present-day Malaysia, including Sabah.
The arbitration process ended with Malaysia being told to pay them US$14.9 billion (RM60 billion), with the judgment repeatedly citing Thomas' controversial letter in 2019 which critics said had helped the Sulus in their case.


Depp celebrates defamation verdict, Heard ‘heartbroken’

A jubilant Johnny Depp said Wednesday that a US jury “gave me my life back” by overwhelmingly taking his side in a bitter defamation battle with his ex-wife Amber Heard over mutual allegations of domestic abuse.The jury, after a six-week trial, found that Depp and Heard had defamed each other, but weighed in far more strongly with the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star.The 58-year-old Depp, who lost a libel case against The Sun tabloid in London in 2020 for calling him a “wife-beater,” celebrated the split verdict in the case as a victory while Heard said she was “heart-broken.”The five-man, two-woman jury, after deliberating over three days, unanimously found Heard liable for all three counts of defamation against Depp and awarded him US$10 million in compensatory damages and US$5 million in punitive damages.Virginia law caps punitive damages at US$350,000 meaning the total award is US$10.35 million.The 36-year-old Heard prevailed on just one of the three counterclaims she made against Depp and the jury awarded her compensatory damages – but a much lower amount of US$2 million.A somber Heard, her eyes downcast, listened impassively as the verdict was read out in Fairfax County Circuit Court near the US capital.“The disappointment I feel today is beyond words,” she said in a statement. “I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband.“I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women,” she said. “It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated.“It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.”Fans outside courtDepp, who has been in England for the past few days, was not in court for the verdict in the high-profile trial that hinged on lurid claims and counterclaims of domestic abuse between the Hollywood celebrities.But he welcomed the verdict in a statement posted on Instagram which quickly received millions of “likes.”“Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people, who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed,” Depp said.“The jury gave me my life back,” he said. “From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome.“The best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun.”A few dozen onlookers and Depp supporters waited outside the courthouse in sweltering heat for the verdict, including a man sporting a Captain Jack Sparrow pirate hat.A Depp fan held a sign reading: “No matter what happens today, Johnny, you are a winner!!! And the whole world knows the TRUTH!!!”Depp filed suit against Heard over an article she wrote for The Washington Post in December 2018 in which she described herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.”The Texas-born Heard, who had a starring role in “Aquaman,” did not name Depp in the piece, but he sued her for implying he was a domestic abuser and sought US$50 million in damages.Heard countersued for US$100 million, saying she was defamed by statements made by Depp’s lawyer, Adam Waldman, who told the Daily Mail her abuse claims were a “hoax.”Both needed to prove the statements were defamatory and, to win compensatory or punitive damages, the jury needed to find they were made with actual malice – with knowledge that they were false or with “reckless disregard” for the truth.Volatile relationshipDozens of witnesses testified during the trial, including bodyguards, Hollywood executives, agents, entertainment industry experts, doctors, friends and relatives.Depp and Heard each spent days on the witness stand during the televised trial, which was attended by hundreds of fans of the “Pirates” star and accompanied by a #JusticeForJohnnyDepp campaign on social media.Video and audio recordings of heated, profanity-laced arguments between the couple were played for the jury, which was also shown photographs of injuries allegedly suffered by Heard during their volatile relationship.Hours of testimony were devoted to a grisly finger injury that Depp suffered while filming an installment of “Pirates” in Australia in March 2015.Depp, a three-time Oscar nominee, claimed the tip of a finger was severed when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him. Heard said she did not know how the injury occurred.Both agreed that Depp went on to scrawl messages on walls, lampshades and mirrors using the bloody digit.Heard said Depp would become a physically and sexually abusive “monster” during alcohol- and drug-fuelled binges and resisted her repeated efforts to curb his drinking and drug use.Depp testified that it was Heard who was frequently violent and said it had been “brutal” to listen to “outlandish” accusations of domestic abuse.Heard, who was married to Depp from 2015 to 2017, obtained a restraining order against him in May 2016, citing domestic violence.Both sides claimed that the abuse accusations and surrounding publicity had damaged their Hollywood careers.