Rights group slams govt's appeal against court decision on child's citizenship

Rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) today hit out at the government's move to appeal against a High Court decision ordering the National Registration Department (JPN) to issue a birth certificate for a five-year-old boy, questioning Putrajaya's motive for doing so.
LFL director Zaid Malek said the appeal showed that the government was not serious about addressing statelessness despite the recent statement by Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail describing the matter as a serious national issue.
"And worse still, (it) continues to perpetuate the problem by prolonging the issue by filing an unmeritorious appeal to render this unfortunate child stateless for life.
"What possible justification can they have for this? The DNA test has confirmed that the biological father of the child is a Malaysian citizen," Zaid said in a statement.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court had said on May 18 that JPN should issue the birth certificate to reflect the child's citizenship status as a Malaysian.
LFL said the court had rightfully determined the boy as a citizen under Article 14(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution, having established the paternity of his Malaysian father in accordance with a previous Federal Court decision in 2022.
"This Federal Court decision by the chief justice herself is being blatantly ignored by the government and home minister," Zaid said.
"Instead, the PH-led government, which repeatedly promised to protect human rights, is determined to stop this young child from getting his basic right to citizenship."
He added that there was no moral justification for the government to "punish" children born outside of wedlock with statelessness.
"This is the main ground upon which the government wants to deny the child’s status as a Malaysian," he said.
"Being stateless is not something trivial: it hampers an individual’s rights to education, healthcare and their overall livelihood. There is no future to be had for those who are stateless, which is why it is of utmost importance that statelessness is eradicated."


One more lifeline for Malaysian after Singapore court throws out appeal against execution

Singapore’s Court of Appeal today dismissed the bid by Sabahan Pausi Jefridin to put a halt to his execution, although one more legal avenue remains for him in his efforts to escape the death sentence handed down to him for trafficking drugs some 14 years ago.This follows a scramble this morning to collect S$20,000 or just over RM62,000 in security costs in order to win a few hours’ stay.Prominent human rights lawyer M Ravi said Pausi and Singaporean Roslan Bakar, who was scheduled for execution along with Pausi, had been given until 1.45pm to come up with the amount.“The poor and the oppressed have little access to justice. There is no rule of law in Singapore. Sucks!” he said in a Facebook post.In another post criticising the “humongous filing fee”, he said this would have been free in Malaysia.Pausi and Roslan had been slated for execution today despite experts’ reports on their low mental capabilities.The men, who were charged with trafficking 96.07g of diamorphine and 76.37g of methamphetamine in 2008, were convicted in 2010.They failed in an appeal in 2017 to commute their death sentence to life imprisonment, despite lawyers citing medical reports on their intellectual capabilities which would render their execution illegal under Singapore laws as well as international treaties.Their case is similar to that of Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam, a Malaysian diagnosed with an IQ of 69 who was to have been executed in November last year.He was granted a stay of execution after a diagnosis of Covid-19 just before the court was due to hear a last-ditch appeal to save his life.His hearing is believed to have been set for this month.Nagaenthran’s plight drew public outrage, with pleas for leniency coming from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.Under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, of which Singapore is a signatory, the execution of a person with mental disability is prohibited.Similarly, Section 33B(3) of Singapore’s Misuse of Drugs Act prohibits the death sentence on persons who suffer from retarded development of mind that would impair their mental responsibility for their actions.


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Govt to consider rehiring foreign workers for certain sectors

The government will look into rehiring foreign workers for certain sectors in the country, Human Resources Minister M Saravanan said today.He said employers were having difficulties as locals were not keen on working in the plantation, agriculture, manufacturing and construction sectors.Saravanan said his ministry would discuss the matter with all parties concerned before making a decision on the matter.“There are almost 400,000 job opportunities in these four areas that are still unfilled,” he said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.Saravanan said his ministry was very concerned about the challenges faced by employers in finding employees who are willing to work in the dirty, difficult and dangerous (3D) industry.However, he said locals would always be given priority for job vacancies in the sector.


Economist schools Rafizi after 'avoid buying chicken' comment ruffles feathers

An economist today offered Rafizi Ramli a draft of an alternative media statement amid the flurry of reactions sparked on social media by the minister's suggestion for consumers to cut down on buying chicken in order to lower the prices.
Noor Azlan Ghazali of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said Rafizi's remarks were not very comprehensive as there were still questions to be clarified.
He summarised the hypothesis of the economy minister that with a higher elasticity of demand, price increases would lead to a reduction in demand, causing prices to taper down or at least moderate.
However, he said that two main questions remained, namely "what demand?" and "whose demand?"
In a Facebook post, he said Rafizi appeared to refer only to the sharing of analytical data without taking into account data from the statistics department on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), showing that 671 or 80% of the 841 items being monitored have already increased in price.
"This amount consists of three main components: food at home (16.9%), food outside the home (11.5%) and drinks (1.1%).
"The inflation rate for food at home reached 7.3% and the inflation rate for eating out rose higher to 9.6%, compared to the overall inflation rate which includes all expenditure categories, at 4%," he said.
Noor Azlan, a former executive director at the Economic Action Council, the government's top advisory body on economics, said that with Rafizi's assumption of all things being equal, a drop in demand resulting from higher prices would result in a lowering of prices, while the demand that could be met would likewise be lower.
"This brings us to the second question: who's demand?" he added.
"Who will bear the burden of reducing this demand? Who must sacrifice existing demand, the rich or the poor?"
Rafizi was reported as saying on Dec 23 that consumers appeared willing to pay the prices set by suppliers even though these continued to rise.
"By right, when the price of chicken increases, people should avoid buying chicken," he said at a press conference.
He later said on Twitter that he had been referring to "the need to address the supply and demand side so that a more elastic consumer demand becomes a force to reckon with in influencing the price of goods".
In his 11-paragraph draft media statement, Noor Azlan offered Rafizi a guide on how to explain the issue at hand.
"The government realises that we are currently facing pressure o prices, especially food prices and the cost of eating out," the draft said.
"Even though the country's inflation rate is at 4%, the inflation rate for these two categories of expenditure is higher at 7.3% and 9.6%.
"Apart from dealing with the aspects of production and supply, combating monopolistic actions and cartels that pressure consumers, and increasing the country's food production, consumers also have a role to play in influencing and ensuring that the market price is fair for both consumers and producers.
"'Consumer wisdom' is the power of consumers to moderate price increases, especially those that are unreasonable.
"Consumers are able to influence market prices and traders to offer fair prices based on genuine supply and demand factors.
"The government meanwhile will increase the sharing of data and information to the people related to the price of good and services to enable consumers to make the best decisions."


Muhyiddin leads PN's GE15 line-up eyeing 169 parliamentary seats

Perikatan Nasional (PN) today announced that it would contest 169 parliamentary seats and 116 state seats in Pahang, Perlis and Perak at the Nov 19 general election.
PAS will contest 64 seats at the federal level while Gerakan has been allocated 20. Bersatu meanwhile will stand in 74 seats and 11 will be given to associate PN members.
PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin will continue to defend his Pagoh seat which he has held since 1978. He will face Razali Ibrahim of Barisan Nasional (BN).
The candidates for Kelantan and Terengganu will be announced later.
Other names to be fielded in so-called hot seats include Suhaimi Abdullah in Langkawi where he will face off against former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Hamzah Zainudin meanwhile will defend his Larut seat against Kazim Elias of BN and Pakatan Harapan's (PH) Zolkharnain Abidin.
Bersatu's Asmawi Harun will contest in Bera against Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, while Afif Bahardin will run in SHah Alam against Hizatul Isham Jalil of BN.
In Gombak, meanwhile, incumbent Mohamed Azmin Ali will defend the seat for a fourth term, against PH's Amirudin Shari and BN's Megat Zulkarnain Omardin.
The Ampang seat on the other hand will see an all-female line-up of candidates, with Bersatu fielding newcomer Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif against BN's Ivone Low Yi Wen, PH's Rodziah Ismail and incumbent Zuraida Kamarudin.
The following is the list of PN candidates announced tonight:1. Rusydan Rusmi - Padang Besar2. Zakri Hassan - Kangar3. Suhaimi Abdullah - Langkawi4. Abdul Ghani Ahmad - Jerlun5. Ku Abdu Rahman Ku Ismail - Kubang Pasu6. Nurul Amin Hamid - Padang Terap7. Ahmad Fakhruddin Fakhrurazi - Kuala Kedah8. Awang Hashim - Pendang9. Sabri Azit - Jerai10. Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman -Sik11. Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan - Merbok12. Robert Ling Kui Ee - Sungai Petani13. Hassan Saad - Baling14. Azman Narudin - Padang Serai15. Roslan Hashim - Kulim Bandar Baharu16. Siti Mastura Mohamad - Kepala Batas17. Wan Saifulrudin Wan Jan - Tasek Gelugor18. Alan Oh - Bagan19. Muhammad Fawwaz Mat Jan - Permatang Pauh20. Steven Koh Tien Yew - Bukit Mertajam21. Wong Chia Zhen - Batu Kawan22. Mansor Othman - Nibong Tebal23. Hng Chee Wey - Bukit Bendera24. H’ng Khoon Leng - Tanjong25. Baljit Singh - Jelutong26. Thinaganarabhan a/l Padmanabhan - Bukit Gelugor27. Oh Tong Keong - Bayan Baru28. Muhammad Harris Idaham - Balik Pulau29. Falhul Huzir Ayob - Gerik30. Muhammad Rifaat Razman - Lenggong31. Hamzah Zainudin - Larut32. Misbahul Munir Masduki - Parit Buntar33. Idris Ahmad - Bagan Serai34. Syed Abu Hussin Syed Abdul Fasal - Bukit Gantang35. See Tean Seng - Taiping36. Azahari Hasan - Padang Rengas37. Irudianathan a/l Gabriel - Sungai Siput38. Ahmad Faizal Azumu - Tambun39. Nor Afzainizam Salleh - Ipoh Timor40. Chek Kwing Weng - Ipoh Barat41. Woo Cheong Yuen - Batu Gajah42. Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid - Kuala Kangsar43. Ong Kean Sing - Beruas44. Muhammad Ismi Mat Taib - Parit45. Wong Oi Foon - Kampar46. Muhammad Farhan Abdul Rahim - Gopeng47. Muhammad Yadzan Mohammad - Tapah48. Jamaluddin Yahya - Pasir Salak49. Nordin Ahmad Ismail - Lumut50. Muhammad Faiz Na’aman - Bagan Datuk51. Zainol Fadzi Paharudin - Teluk Intan52. Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi - Tanjong Malim53. Abdul Rasid Mohamed Ali - Cameron Highlands54. Mohd Shahrum Osman -Lipis55. Mohd Fakhrunizam Ibrahim - Raub56. Khairil Nizam Khirudin - Jerantut57. Saifuddin Abdullah - Indera Mahkota58. Wan Razali Wan Nor - Kuantan59. Aireroshairi Roslan - Paya Besar60. Mohd Fadhil Noor Abdul Karim - Pekan61. Fazil Azmi Nadzri - Maran62. Kamal Ashaari - Kuala Krau63. Salamiah Mohd Nor - Temerloh64. Roslan Hassan - Bentong65. Asmawi Harun - Bera66. Abdul Khalib Abdullah - Rompin67. Mohd Fasiah Mof Fakeh - Sabak Bernam68. Muslimin Yahaya - Sungai Besar69. Mohd Hasnizan Harun - Hulu Selangor70. Zulkafperi Hanapi - Tanjong Karang71. Mohd Noor Mohd Sahar - Kuala Selangor72. Abdul Rashid Asari - Selayang73. Mohamed Azmin Ali - Gombak74. Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif - Ampang75. Muhammad Farique Zubir Albakri - Pandan76. Mohd Radzi Abd Latif - Hulu Langat77. Muhammad Nazrul Hakim Md Nazir - Bangi78. Chew Jyh Gang - Puchong79. Ang Hiang Ni - Subang80. Theng Book - Petaling Jaya81. Lim Si Ching - Damansara82. Mohd Ghazali Md Hamin - Sungai Buloh83. Dr Afif Bahardin - Shah Alam84. Dr Halimah Ali - Kapar85. Jaya Chandran a/l Perumal - Klang86. Mohamed Diah Baharun - Kota Raja87. Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi - Kuala Langat88. Rina Harun - Sepang89. Phaang Jing Fatt - Kepong90. Azhar Yahya - Batu91. Nuridah Mohd Salleh - Wangsa Maju92. Prabagaran a/l Vythlingam - Segambut93. Nurul Fadzilan Kamaluddin - Setiawangsa94. Dr Rosni Adam - Titiwangsa95. Chen Win Keong - Bukit Bintang96. Fauzi Abu Bakar - Lembah Pantai97. Alan Wong Yee Yeng - Seputeh98. Chin Yoke Kheng - Cheras99. Kamaruddin Jaffar - Bandar Tun Razak100. Radzi Jidin - Putrajaya101. Zaharuddin Baba Samion - Jelebu102. Muhammad Noraffendu Mohd Salleh - Jempol103. Fadli Che Me - Seremban104. Eddin Syazlee Shith - Kuala Pilah105. Choong Vee Hing - Rasah106. Mohd Nazree Yunus - Rembau107. Rafiei Mustapha - Port Dickson108. Abdul Halim Abu Bakar - Tampin109. Mas Ermieyati Samsudin - Masjid Tanah110. Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof - Alor Gajah111. Bakri Jalauddin - Tangga Batu112. Mohd Azrudin Md Idris - Hang Tuah Jaya113. Suhaime Borhan - Kota Melaka114. Zulkifli Ismail - Jasin115. Poobalan a/l Ponnusamy - Segamat116. Uzzair Ismail - Sekijang117. Alvin Chang Teck Kiam - Labis118. Muhyiddin Yassin - Pagoh119. Zaidi Abd Majid - Ledang120. Chelvarajan a/l R Suppiah121. Abdullah Husin - Muar122. Abdul Karim Deraman - Parit Sulong123. Muhammad Syafiz A Aziz - Ayer Hitam124. Zanariyah Abdul Hamid - Sri Gading125. Mohd Rashid Hasnon - Batu Pahat126. Mohd Fazrul Kamat - Simpang Renggam127. Dzulkarnain Alias - Kluang128. Aziz Ismail - Sembrong 129. Muhammad Islahuddin Abas - Mersing130. Mohd Nazri Mokhtar - Tenggara131. Mohamad Ridhwan Rasman - Kota Tinggi132. Fairulnizar Rahmat - Pengerang133. Mohamad Isa Basir - Tebrau134. Mohamad Farid Abdul Razak - Pasir Gudang135. Mohd Mohtaj Yacob - Johor Bahru136. Deepak Jaikishan a/l Jaikishan Rewachand - Pulai137. Tan Nam Cha - Iskandar Puteri138. Tan Chon Hock -Kulai139. Isa Ab Hamid - Pontian140. Najwah Halimat Ab Alim - Tanjung PIai141. Jugah Anak Muyang - Lubok Antu142. Ali Biju - Saratok143. Duke Anak Janteng - Bintulu


Schools in Klang Valley, Melaka to maintain Oct 4 reopening date

Schools under the education ministry in Selangor, Melaka, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya will still reopen on Oct 4 based on the operations stipulated for states in Phase Two under the National Recovery Plan (NRP).The ministry said in a statement that if a state transitions to the next phase, the operations of educational institutions according to the new phase will only be implemented two weeks after the date of transition.On Sept 29, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Selangor and Melaka would transition to Phase Three and Kedah to Phase Two under the NRP effective Oct 1.“As such, the operations of educational institutions in these states (Selangor, Melaka, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya) according to stipulations under Phase Three of the NRP will be from Oct 18.“This involves an increase in the enrolment of other students including preschool students, public examination classes in full boarding schools/day schools/private schools, international baccalaureate diploma (IBD), Malaysian sports school pre-university as well as other international examination classes,” the statement added.Operations under Phase Two, meanwhile, will involve special needs pupils in special education primary schools, special education secondary schools, special education vocational secondary schools and the special education integrated programme.This will also involve students in the second semester of Form Six, international baccalaureate diploma Year Two students, those in the third semester of the pre-university programme at Malaysian sports schools and students of international examination classes (IGCSE O-Level, A-Level, Australia Higher School Certificate and IBDP).Educational institutions under the ministry in Kedah will still reopen on Oct 10 for Form Six second semester classes and international examination classes (IGCSE O-Level) while operations stipulated for Phase Two of the NRP, including for vocational colleges, will only be from Oct 17.The ministry said the reopening of educational institutions in the south zone of Sarawak would still take place on Oct 4, based on the operations stipulated for states in Phase Two of the NRP.This is following the announcement by the Sarawak state disaster management committee regarding the transition of the southern zone of Sarawak to Phase Three effective Oct 1, although the operations stipulated for Phase Three of the NRP will only begin on Oct 18.The ministry said all educational institutions under its jurisdiction in enhanced movement control order (EMCO) areas will remain closed throughout the enforcement period.Students in the affected areas will be required to follow the home teaching and learning (PdPR) method, it said.


'Where's Zafrul?' netizens ask after minister's absence from first Cabinet meeting

Questions have been raised about the first overseas visit of a Cabinet member under the current administration, after a news outlet claimed that newly appointed International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz had left for a "trade mission" overseas just a day after clocking in for work.
Local daily Berita Harian quoted an unidentified source as denying intense speculation that the former banker-turned-senator had left for Qatar, where the 2022 World Cup is underway.
Instead, the daily claimed Zafrul was in neighbouring UAE on a trade mission.
Meanwhile, a source at the international trade and industry ministry (Miti) told MalaysiaNow it had no knowledge of any trade delegation being scheduled.
A media aide to Zafrul had not responded to MalaysiaNow's queries as of press time.
Trade missions are normally handled by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, the agency under Miti responsible for attracting foreign investments.
Zafrul's whereabouts became a topic of discussion after the Umno man, who was named as minister by Anwar Ibrahim despite losing the recent election, was a no-show at the first Cabinet meeting chaired by the prime minister today.
On social media, Zafrul's absence from the Cabinet meeting sparked a flurry of questions.
"Where's Zafrul? First cabinet meeting dah tak datang?" asked Shahrul Azwan, reacting to a picture of an empty chair during the Cabinet meeting this morning.
User AbahAtok meanwhile said that as Zafrul was absent, he could turn around and plead ignorance about "what to do and what not to do" as a minister.
"So lepas ni Zafrul can safely say 'Saya tak tahu' jika berlaku any infractions? Zafrul better have an MC to explain why he wasn't present."
The joke was then picked up by others.
"Dia ingat dia dapat cuti ganti sebab clock in hari Sabtu kot," said Amm Arlington, referring to reports that Zafrul had clocked in for his first day of work on Saturday.
Zafrul's appointment as a minister took many by surprise as the former finance minister had been a topic of Anwar's attacks on the previous administrations led by Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Internet users also questioned why former health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad was not restored to his portfolio, despite defeating Zafrul in Kuala Selangor.


Khairy was offered membership, Supreme Council spot in Bersatu, says Muhyiddin

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin today revealed that he had invited former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin to join Bersatu after the latter's dismissal from Umno.
Muhyiddin said that although Khairy had yet to respond, the offer remained open.
"Khairy met me a long time ago after his dismissal. We discussed his direction and our party's expectations," he said on Khairy's presence at a recent Aidilfitri open house event organised by the former prime minister.
Khairy, the former MP for Rembau, was expelled from Umno along with the party's Tanjung Karang division chief, Noh Omar, after the 15th general election (GE15), over allegations of having sabotaged the party during the election campaign in November.
Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein was also suspended from the party.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, prior to GE15, had also withdrawn the candidacy of several other leaders including Arau MP Shahidan Kassim and former Ketereh MP Annuar Musa.
Khairy meanwhile was shifted from his seat in Rembau to make way for Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan.
He was instead fielded in Sungai Buloh, and lost the election race to PKR's Ramanan Ramakrishnan.
Khairy has yet to join any political party since his sacking from Umno. He is currently active in the "Keluar Sekejap" podcast with former Umno information chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan, who was also suspended from the party.
Muhyiddin said Khairy had not asked for any position, but that he offered the former Umno Youth leader a spot on Bersatu's Supreme Council.
"I think he understands that the state elections are approaching. The timeframe is limited, so if Khairy wants to consider, this is his opportunity," he said.
Muhyiddin said that Bersatu hoped Khairy could help strengthen the party.
"Everyone knows what happened to Umno; it is almost completely destroyed. Umno's office has become DAP's nest. This has crushed the hopes of some Umno members," he said.


Apology and retraction of Bernama report

On March 24, 2021, MalaysiaNow published a Bernama report entitled “Cradle Fund CEO had 6.8cm-deep wound track in his brain, doctor tells court”.The report was on the ongoing murder trial of Cradle Fund CEO Nazrin Hassan.The report had quoted prosecution witness Dr Siew Sheue Feng as saying that “the deceased had a 6.8cm-deep wound track in his brain which could be interpreted as an injury resulting from the use of a hammer or archery set”.We have since been informed by the trial’s defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah that the report was wrong and misleading.What the witness actually said was that an injury caused by a hammer could not have caused the 6.8cm deep wound track in the deceased’s brain. He had also not related the injury to the possibility of having been caused by an archery set.We have taken down the report and apologise for the oversight.


In the age of Undi 18, youth is still no guarantee of election victory, analysts say

While youth may give candidates an edge in elections, it is not the deciding factor for voters in choosing their elected representatives, analysts say as the country looks to embrace a drop in minimum voting age with the implementation of Undi 18.Amid the continuing debate over the role of youth in politics, Oh Ei Sun, a political analyst from the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said voters’ priorities in choosing their representatives also differ based on demographic lines.While rural voters might place more emphasis on issues surrounding infrastructure development issues that would have a direct impact on their lives, city folk in general have the socio-economic security to consider larger issues such as administration and integrity, he said.“Of course, young voters in city areas might be attracted to young candidates but this does not mean that they will push aside their ideologies,” he told MalaysiaNow.Undi 18, the lowering of the minimum voting age from 21 to 18, will be implemented by the end of the year along with automatic voter registration.Mujibu Abd Muis of UiTM said the degree to which voters accept young candidates also depends on the area under contest as candidacy is closely tied to the status of the political party in question.He said the candidacy of representatives should take into account sociological aspects and the political culture of a locality.“For example in the upcoming Sarawak state election, many of the 349 candidates are in their 50s and 60s.“In this context, the aspects of stability and maturity, personality and confidence are given more attention than youth,” he said, describing other factors such as background, education and age as bonus factors.Oh meanwhile said many voters still decide on their candidates based on the party logo which they see as a symbol of the party’s ideological struggle.“Young candidates who represent parties with ideologies that are out of sync with those of the voters will lose while veteran candidates whose party ideologies are accepted will be re-elected,” he said.He gave the example of Muda, which he said has yet to strike confidence in the progressive, liberal section of voters which is its target demographic.“There are concerns that if it succeeds in the general election to come, it might not be able to work with those who are more regressive and conservative in order to form a ruling coalition,” he said.“This is one of the perceptions that Muda needs to overcome to successfully navigate the world of politics.”When asked if the time had come for the younger generation to step up in their political parties, Oh said the transition to the new generation was inevitable.However, he said the question was whether the shift would make or break the parties in question.“If it relies on an oligarchy, it is only a matter of time – especially in the face of an election defeat – before the younger politicians revolt, further weakening the party,” he said.But if a party implements a generational shift in a systematic manner, it will result in a more united leadership which will be able to stand firm in the event of a political crisis, he added.“Muda also needs to groom new leaders after Syed Saddiq,” he said, referring to the Muar MP.Mujibu meanwhile said the youth need to become actively involved in field work or activities involving the people’s welfare before deciding to contest as an elected candidate.“If they are only fielded because they are young and educated, it might not bring about much of a result,” he said.“The people need to get to know the person better so they can be confident that he or she is qualified to speak on their behalf.”


France battle past England as Morocco make World Cup history

Defending champions France edged past England 2-1 on Saturday as Harry Kane missed a late penalty in the World Cup quarter-finals, after Morocco became the first African team ever to reach the last four.
France will face the surprising north Africans in a semi-final on Wednesday, earning their place when Olivier Giroud's header proved the difference at Al Bayt Stadium.
In a tense match, Aurelien Tchouameni's strike opened the scoring with 17 minutes gone, but Kane brought England level from the penalty spot early in the second half.
England were the best side for large parts of the match but Giroud scored when it mattered most, rising above Harry Maguire to nod the ball into the net on 78 minutes for his 53rd goal for France.
As England desperately searched for an equaliser, they were thrown a late lifeline when Theo Hernandez needlessly shoved over Mason Mount and the referee gave a spot-kick following a VAR review.
But Kane blasted his kick high over the crossbar, spurning the chance to send the game into extra time.
He was the first England player to sink to his knees at the final whistle, his head in his hands.
"We gave them a little ammunition with two penalties, but it is with hearts and guts that we held onto this result," France coach Didier Deschamps said.
"It's fabulous because it was a big match against a very good English team.
"We responded once again, it's wonderful to reach the last four again, you have to savour it, a World Cup semi-final is quite something."
England coach Gareth Southgate said he had told his players, "I don't think they could have given any more".
"They've played really well against a top team. It's fine margins and things at both ends that have decided the game," Southgate added.
Moroccan joy
Only the most fervent Morocco fan would have bet on their side reaching the World Cup semi-finals before the tournament kicked off.
On Saturday, they beat Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal 1-0 thanks to Youssef En-Nesyri's first-half header to go further than any African team ever has at a World Cup.
Morocco, ranked 22 in the world before the tournament started, have surpassed the three other African sides to reach the quarter-finals -- Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010.
Ronaldo, who came on as a second-half substitute, was unable to rescue his side and at the final whistle walked off down the tunnel wiping away tears without acknowledging either his teammates or the victorious Moroccans.
Ronaldo, 37, who with Lionel Messi has dominated world football for the past two decades, has likely played his last World Cup match after making a world record-equalling 196th international appearance at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha.
The Moroccans have wildly surpassed expectations in Qatar and coach Walid Regragui lauded the battling spirit of his injury-hit side.
"We're drawing on all we have, we still have guys injured. I told the guys before the match we had to write history for Africa. I'm very, very happy," Regragui said.
As their national team made history, crowds gathered in Casablanca and chanted "Qualified! Qualified!"
There were also celebrations across the Arab world and in Europe as Morocco are also the first Arab team to reach a World Cup semi-final.
"My heart will stop, what a team, what stamina, what an achievement," Ilham El Idrissi, a 34-year-old woman, told AFP in Casablanca.
Argentina and Lionel Messi will face 2018 losing finalists Croatia in the other semi-final after the Croatians dumped out pre-tournament favourites Brazil on Friday.
The five-time champions crashed out in dramatic fashion, losing on penalties after a 1-1 draw, while Argentina survived a fightback from the Netherlands to also win in a shootout.
Brazil star Neymar said he was contemplating retiring from international football after the crushing loss, but on Saturday Brazilian legend Pele urged him to "keep inspiring us".
"I'm 82 years old, and after all this time, I hope I've inspired you in some way to get this far... Your legacy is far from over," Pele wrote on Instagram.
Neymar had equalled Pele's official Brazil scoring record of 77 international goals in Friday's match.


40 cases of ‘Delta-plus’ variant found in India

The number of cases involving the Delta-plus Covid-19 variant in India has risen to about 40, officials said Wednesday.The Delta-plus strain, initially tagged as a variant of interest, was later declared a variant of concern by the government, according to Xinhua.On Tuesday the number of Delta-plus variant cases in India hit 22 with infections found in the Ratnagiri and Jalgaon districts of Maharashtra, Palakkad and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala, and Bhopal and Shivpuri districts of Madhya Pradesh.“As of now among the samples sequenced (over 45,000) in India, this variant has been observed sporadically in Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, with around 40 cases identified so far and no significant increase in prevalence,” said a statement issued by the government.On Tuesday the federal government sent a warning to Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh on Delta-plus cases found there. The states were urged to take immediate measures including preventing crowds and gatherings, as well as initiating widespread testing, prompt tracing and vaccination on priority.Reports of Delta-plus cases come as India records a lower number of daily cases and local governments in Indian states are lifting Covid-19 restrictions.The Delta-plus variant is a mutant version of the Delta strain first detected in India. It is considered highly infectious and fast-spreading.Experts in Maharashtra fear the new variant could trigger a third wave of outbreak, reports say.


Trump’s youngest son tested positive for Covid-19

Barron Trump, US President Donald Trump’s youngest son, contracted Covid-19 after his parents were diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, first lady Melania Trump said Wednesday.Anadolu Agency (AA) reported that Barron initially tested negative after the president and his wife received their positive diagnoses, but was confirmed to have the virus in a subsequent test.“My fear came true when he was tested again and it came up positive. Luckily he is a strong teenager and exhibited no symptoms,” the report quoting Melania saying in a White House blog post.“In one way I was glad the three of us went through this at the same time so we could take care of one another and spend time together. He has since tested negative.”On her own bout with the illness, the first lady described her symptoms as “minimal,” but said they hit her “all at once and it seemed to be a roller coaster of symptoms in the days after”.“I experienced body aches, a cough and headaches, and felt extremely tired most of the time. I chose to go a more natural route in terms of medicine, opting more for vitamins and healthy food,” Melania wrote.According to AA, she was never admitted to hospital for treatment unlike the president who was hospitalised for three days at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland before being discharged to the White House where he continued his treatment. He has since tested negative for Covid-19.Asked about his son’s condition before departing the White House for a campaign event, Trump told reporters Barron is doing “fine”.


PAS awaiting audience with Perak sultan

Perak PAS says it has yet to be summoned for an audience with Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah regarding the political crisis in the state.Its commissioner Razman Zakaria, when contacted by Bernama today, said the party would have to wait for an official invitation for an audience with Sultan Nazrin.Yesterday, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the party had instructed its three assemblymen in Perak to seek an audience with Sultan Nazrin pertaining to the political stalemate in the state.Apart from Razman, who is also Gunung Semanggol assemblyman, the other two are Mohd Akmal Kamaruddin (Selama) and Khalil Yahaya (Kubu Gajah).On Friday, former menteri besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu failed to obtain majority support in a vote of confidence at the state legislative assembly sitting. He garnered only 10 votes compared to 48 against with one absent.The motion was brought by Abd Manap Hashim (BN-Pengkalan Baru).The Perak legislative assembly has 25 Barisan Nasional assemblymen, all from Umno, while DAP has 16, Amanah five, Bersatu five, PKR three, and PAS three. The remaining two seats are held by Gerakan and an independent.


Welfare aid, impact of scrapping major exams to be raised in Dewan Rakyat

The rate of financial assistance given by the Social Welfare Department (JKM) and whether it is in line with the current cost of living will be discussed in the Dewan Rakyat today.
The matter will be raised by Mohd Salim Sharif (BN-Jempol) during the oral questions session to the women, family and community development minister.
Another issue of concern will be the long-term impact of the abolition of the Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR) and Form 3 Assessment (PT3), through a question to the education minister by Natrah Ismail (PH-Sekijang).
Natrah also wants the minister to state how the academic achievements of students will be measured for admission to boarding schools or colleges for Form 3 leavers.
There will also be a question from Pang Hok Liong (PH-Labis) to the finance minister on the total national reserves as of May 2022 and total international reserves of Bank Negara as of May 2022.
Pang will also ask about the government's plans to increase the national reserves.
Meanwhile, Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) will ask the tourism, arts and culture minister to state the criteria to be refined by the ministry in opening the country's borders to more foreign countries such as China.
The House will also continue its debate for the second reading of the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022, the Armed Forces Fund (Amendment) Bill 2022 and the Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022.


Virtual real estate plot sells for record US$2.4 million

A patch of virtual real estate in the online world Decentraland sold for a record US$2.4 million worth of cryptocurrency, the buyer crypto investor Tokens.com and Decentraland said on Tuesday.Decentraland is an online environment – also called a “metaverse” – where users can buy land, visit buildings, walk around and meet people as avatars.Such environments have grown in popularity this year, as the pandemic caused people to spend more time online.Interest surged last month when Facebook changed its name to Meta to reflect its focus on developing virtual reality products for the metaverse.Decentraland is a specific type of metaverse that uses blockchain. Land and other items in Decentraland are sold in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), a kind of crypto asset.Crypto enthusiasts buy land there as a speculative investment, using Decentraland’s cryptocurrency, Mana.A subsidiary of Tokens.com, called the Metaverse Group, bought a patch of real estate for 618,000 Mana on Monday, which was around US$2,428,740 at the time, a Decentraland spokesman and a statement by Tokens.com said.Reuters also saw the land’s purchase recorded on the NFT marketplace OpenSea.Decentraland said it was the most expensive purchase of a plot of virtual real estate on the platform.The land is in the “Fashion Street” area of Decentraland’s map and Tokens.com said it would be used to host digital fashion events and sell virtual clothing for avatars.It is made of 116 smaller parcels, measuring 52.5 square feet each, making the land 6,090 virtual square feet in size.Andrew Kiguel, CEO of Tokens.com, said the assets would complement the real estate already held by Metaverse Group.In June, a plot of virtual land in Decentraland sold for 1,295,000 Mana, worth US$913,228 at the time. The buyers built a virtual shopping centre to sell digital clothing, but Reuters has visited this site multiple times since and not seen any shoppers.Mana is highly volatile. It has gained around 400% this month according to Coinbase, spiking after Facebook’s name change.


In meeting with PM, Umno ministers stunned by party boss’ Bersatu-bashing

Cabinet members from Umno today expressed shock at the volleys of bashing by their party president against the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, said a source citing a brief meeting between them and Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin this afternoon.MalaysiaNow has learnt that at the meeting in Putrajaya attended by about a dozen ministers and deputy ministers, many of them admitted to not having any “logical explanation” for the series of speeches attacking Bersatu and PN.“They said they themselves could not understand why the target of the speeches at the Umno general assembly was the same party which brought them out of the opposition to give them positions of power,” a source told MalaysiaNow, some four hours after the meeting concluded without any clear outcome.The Umno general assembly over the weekend saw party leaders and delegates pouring scorn on Bersatu and PN, in a show of support for party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who sought endorsement for his plan to cut Umno’s ties with PN.Top leaders also called for Umno to be made dominant again, saying the party would not accept anything less if it was part of any government.There were speculative claims earlier about today’s meeting, saying the Umno ministers and deputy ministers had offered Muhyiddin their immediate resignations from the Cabinet.But the source denied that this had been part of the discussion.“The only thing they offered the prime minister was what they thought was the most probable reason behind the attacks. They pointed to a scheme by the court cluster group in the Umno leadership,” it added.The “court cluster” refers to a group of former government leaders from Umno who are facing multiple charges of corruption, money laundering and criminal breach of trust.Zahid and former prime minister Najib Razak, who between them face more than 80 such charges, have been at the forefront of a campaign against Muhyiddin, accusing the former Umno deputy president of sidelining Umno for key government posts.Their criticism gained momentum after Najib was convicted of seven counts of corruption in July last year, five months after he and Umno MPs backed Muhyiddin as prime minister.In October, the pair wrote to the palace to state their support for PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim in the latter’s bid to engineer defections to topple Muhyiddin.Anwar has since admitted to having talks with Umno leaders to form an alliance.A source said that during an informal talk after the meeting, a comparison was made between Zahid’s attack on ministers from his own party and Anwar’s critisim of ministers from PKR when the latter was part of the Pakatan Harapan government led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.“It was thought that Zahid was taking a page from Anwar’s playbook,” the source said.Just two weeks ago, Barisan Nasional was forced to revoke a statement issued by Zahid after finding that it was almost identical to a separate statement issued by Anwar.


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Philippines set to raise age of consent

Manila teenager Rose Alvarez was 13 when she started having sex with a man who was more than twice her age. That would be statutory rape in most countries, but not in the Philippines.The Catholic-majority country has one of the lowest ages of consent in the world, allowing adults to legally have sex with children as young as 12.Child rights activists have lobbied for decades to increase the age – enshrined in the Penal Code since 1930 – but faced resistance from what they describe as a “culture of patriarchy” in a country where abortion and divorce are illegal.Congress now looks set to approve a bill to raise the age to 16.Campaigners say the legislation would help protect youngsters in a nation that has become a global hotspot for online child sex abuse and where more than 500 teenagers get pregnant and give birth every day.“This is a victory for Filipino children,” Patrizia Benvenuti, Unicef’s chief of child protection in the Philippines, said recently as the proposed legislation moved closer to a final vote.“Pegging 12 as the age of consent is really not consistent with scientific studies on brain development.”Alvarez, who got pregnant when she was 14, says she now realises she had been too young for a sexual relationship and the demands of motherhood.“I was still a child then, I didn’t know anything about sex,” Alvarez, now 16, told AFP at a clinic run by the Likhaan Center for Women’s Health in Navotas, one of the poorest areas of Manila.“I was telling him to use a condom… but he removed it. He didn’t want to use it,” said Alvarez, whose name has been changed to protect her identity.Alvarez – who until the age of 12 thought it was possible to get pregnant from kissing – said she was drunk the first time she slept with the man, who was about 29 when they met on Facebook.“When I woke up I was shocked to see blood in my underwear and it hurt a lot,” she recalled. “I was too intoxicated to know what was happening.”‘Victim blaming’Child rape and sexual abuse are rampant in the Philippines, according to official data.A woman or child is raped nearly every hour, Senator Risa Hontiveros said in a document to the Senate, citing figures from the Center for Women’s Resources.Seven out of 10 victims are children and the vast majority are girls, she said.A government-backed nationwide study in 2015 showed one in five children aged 13-17 experienced sexual violence, while one in 25 were raped during childhood, Unicef said.But prosecuting adult perpetrators in rape cases involving children as young as 12 has been difficult because they can argue the sex was consensual, said Rowena Legaspi, executive director of the Children’s Legal Rights and Development Center.“Imagine a 12-year-old… that girl is still a minor,” Legaspi told AFP. “How could she have consented?”The proposed bill would make it automatically illegal and carry a penalty of life imprisonment, though it would not punish young couples close in age.It is expected to be approved by the Senate in the coming months before going to President Rodrigo Duterte to be signed into law.Activists say increasing the age of consent will deter sexual predators.But they caution more needs to be done to combat sexual violence against children and one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Southeast Asia.All children should have access to age-appropriate sex education “from an early age” as well as information and services to make sex safer and avoid unplanned pregnancies, said Carlos Conde of Human Rights Watch.Sexist and “victim blaming” attitudes among prosecutors and judges also needed to be changed, and cases needed to move faster, said Legaspi.It currently takes years for a rape case to reach court, by which time the victim may be an adult – and in some cases, the accused has died.“We have so many laws that protect children but the problem is the implementation,” said Legaspi.“You only change the law but the system is still there.”‘I want to have fun’Not everyone favours increasing the age of consent.A social worker dealing with adolescents in impoverished areas of Manila told AFP it could push relationships between children and adults underground, making it more difficult to assist youngsters in need.Donna Valdez, 15, says it should be left to the couple to decide if they are ready to have sex.She was 13 when she met her current boyfriend, who is 10 years older than her, on Facebook.After chatting online for two months, they slept together. Soon she was pregnant.The couple live together and under the proposed bill he could be charged with rape.Valdez had no regrets becoming a mother so young, she told AFP as her 10-month-old son wriggled in her lap at the health centre.“We’re happy that we’re blessed with a child,” said Valdez, not her real name.But Alvarez says she misses her old life.“I want to go out with friends again, I want to have fun,” she told AFP.“I’m jobless, my parents are also out of work. Where will we get money for my baby’s needs?”Alvarez hopes to finish high school so she can work overseas – like millions of other Filipinos whose monthly remittances help support their families at home.“I’m too young to be worn out,” she said.“I still have plans, I want to marry an American to have a better life.”


1,210 new cases, death toll up by 5

Another 1,210 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 49,730.Sabah recorded 499 new cases, followed by Selangor (271) and Kuala Lumpur (245). In Kuala Lumpur, 206 cases were from the Tapak Bina Damanlela cluster. In Selangor, meanwhile, 142 cases were from the Teratai cluster, of which 131 were foreigners.Kedah recorded eight new cases, Melaka and Putrajaya two each, and Sarawak, Labuan and Terengganu one each.Active cases stand at 12,788 with 105 in the ICU and 40 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 1,018 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 36,624.However, five more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 318.


Denmark votes on closer EU defence ties on Russia concerns

Danes vote on Wednesday to decide whether to join the European Union’s defence policy, potentially becoming the final hold-out in the bloc to sign up as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forces countries to radically reassess their security.Denmark is the only member of the 27 nation bloc not in the Common Security and Defence Policy, having secured exemptions from it and the euro currency in a 1993 referendum on the Maastricht Treaty, which laid the groundwork for the modern EU.If the notoriously EU-critical Danes vote to abolish the opt-out, as polls suggest will be the case, it would mark another significant shift in policy for Europe after Russia launched the invasion in February.Sweden and Finland this month decided to apply for Nato membership. Both Denmark and Germany have already promised to sharply raise defence spending.“Nato will of course remain our most important tool, but the EU gives us another tool in securing our defence in the east,” said Mogens Jensen, defence spokesman for the ruling Social Democrats.Denmark is a founding member of Nato, but the alliance’s biggest military power, the US, has signalled European allies must take greater responsibility for their own security.Participating in the Common Security and Defence Policy would enable Denmark to take part in joint EU military operations, such as those in Somalia, Mali and Bosnia.And while the EU will benefit from the extensive Danish experience in military operations as part of Nato and other alliances, a yes vote would be mostly viewed as a symbolic win in Brussels, according to Kristian Soby Kristensen, a senior researcher at Copenhagen University’s Centre for Military Studies.“The political significance will outweigh the military contribution,” Kristensen told Reuters.A large majority in parliament recommends abolishing the opt-out. Wednesday’s vote will be the third such attempt by Danish lawmakers to lift one of the 1993 opt-outs after votes on the euro in 2000 and justice and home affairs in 2015, both of which failed.Preliminary polls have shown a solid lead to those voting in favour of abolishing the opt-out, with close to 48% in favour and 31% against.Naysayers have argued that EU’s defence cooperation is strained by bureaucracy and inefficient decision making, while also fearing the prospect of having to contribute to a potential supranational EU-army.The EU has no plans to establish a supranational army within the bloc, but it has decided to form a rapid deployment force consisting of up to 5,000 soldiers.Polling stations close at 1800 GMT. The result is expected late in the evening.


Wrangling over Ukraine war dominates summit of G20 major economies

A Western-led push to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine dominated Tuesday's Group of 20 summit on the Indonesian island of Bali where leaders of major economies grappled with a dizzying array of issues from hunger to nuclear threats.
President Vladimir Putin's Feb 24 invasion of neighbouring Ukraine has pummelled the global economy and revived Cold War-era geopolitical divisions just as the world was emerging from the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As at other recent international forums, the US and its allies were pursuing a statement from the two-day G20 summit to condemn Moscow's military actions.
But Russia said "politicisation" of the summit was unfair.
"Yes, there is a war going on in Ukraine, a hybrid war that the West has unleashed and been preparing for years," said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, repeating Putin's line that military alliance Nato's expansion had threatened Russia.
A 16-page draft declaration seen by Reuters, which diplomats said was yet to be adopted by leaders, acknowledged the rift.
"Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy," it said.
"There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions."
The summit is the first G20 leaders' gathering since Russia sent its forces into Ukraine. The 20 nations account for more than 80% of the world's gross domestic product, 75% of international trade and 60% of its population.
'Save the world'
Hosts Indonesia have pleaded for unity and a focus on action to resolve problems like inflation, hunger and high energy prices, all exacerbated by the Ukraine war.
"We have no other option, collaboration is needed to save the world," said Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
"G20 must be the catalyst for inclusive economic recovery. We should not divide the world into parts. We must not allow the world to fall into another Cold War."
The draft summit document also said G20 central banks would calibrate monetary tightening with an eye on the global inflation problem, while fiscal stimulus should be "temporary and targeted" to help the vulnerable while not hiking prices.
On debt, it voiced concern about the "deteriorating" situation of some middle-income countries and stressed the importance of all creditors sharing a fair burden.
But it did not mention China, which has been criticised in the West for delaying efforts to ease debt strains for some emerging economies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the summit in a virtual address that now was the time to stop Russia's invasion and implement a 10-point peace plan he has proposed. Kyiv is demanding a full Russian withdrawal from occupied territories.
Zelensky called for restoring "radiation safety" at the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, price restrictions on Russian energy resources, and an expanded grain export initiative.
A US official said Washington wanted a clear G20 message against Russia's invasion and its impact on the global economy, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said there were encouraging signs of consensus that the war was unacceptable.
Lavrov said he listened to Zelensky's address. He accused him of prolonging the conflict and ignoring Western advice.
Russia has said Putin was too busy to attend the summit.
US-China rapprochement?
There was an encouraging sign on the eve of the summit, however, when US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, whose nations have been increasingly estranged, met and pledged more frequent communication.
Both men stated their opposition to the use of nuclear weapons, according to readouts from both sides.
Russia has said it reserves the right to use any means including nuclear capability to defend its security.
China and Russia are close, but Beijing has been careful not to provide any direct material support for the Ukraine war that could trigger Western sanctions against it.
Xi told French President Emmanuel Macron during another bilateral meeting that Beijing advocated a ceasefire in Ukraine and peace talks, Chinese state media reported.
Civil society groups blasted the G20 draft declaration for failing to take action on hunger, not strengthening efforts to fund development, and losing sight of an earlier commitment to provide US$100 billion (about RM453.7 billion) in climate financing by 2023.
"The G20 is merely repeating old commitments from previous years or noting developments elsewhere, rather than taking on leadership themselves," said Friederike Roder of the group Global Citizen. "Fifty million people are at the brink of starvation as we speak. There is no time for the G20 to issue calls to action - they are the ones who have to act."
Leaders mingled at a gala dinner on Tuesday evening, many wearing traditional Indonesian batik shirts. Host Widodo quipped that he hoped the food was not too spicy for foreigners.
Biden, however, missed the meal. "It's been a long day and he has other matters he needed to attend to," a White House official said.


Cases soar to new high of 2,335

Another 2,335 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 103,900.Of these, 728 were recorded in Kuala Lumpur, 677 (93%) from clusters and close contact screening.Selangor followed with 710 cases, of which 595 were from clusters and close contact screening.Johor recorded 412 cases, Sabah 248, Penang 58, Kelantan 54, Negeri Sembilan 33, Perak 26, Pahang 19, Labuan and Kedah 16 each, Sarawak six, Melaka five, Putrajaya three and Perlis one.Eleven new clusters were also detected:1. Tapak Bina Jalan Seng (Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur; 232 cases)2. Pagar Siput (Kota Tinggi, Johor; 129 cases)3. Plastik Subang (Petaling and Klang, Selangor; 111 cases)4. Halban (Kota Bharu, Kelantan; 29 cases)5. Lis Putih (Barat Daya, Penang; 24 cases)6. Sentosa Residensi (Timur Laut, Barat Daya, Seberang Perai Utara and Seberang Perai Tengah, Penang; 18 cases)7. Seragam Chepa (Kota Bharu, Bachok and Tumpat, Kelantan; 13 cases)8. Pagar Bentong (Bentong, Pahang; 13 cases)9. Jalan Asam (Petaling, Klang, Selangor; 13 cases)10. Sungai Redan (Kluang and Kota Tinggi, Johor; 11 cases)11. Semambu (Kuantan, Pahang; 11 cases).The clusters which recorded the most new cases today were Tapak Bina Jalan Seng (232), Tampoi Jaya (218) and Penjara Jalan Harapan (156).Active cases stand at 20,035 with 108 in the ICU and 50 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 874 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 83,414.However, two more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 451.


North Korea claims ‘good results’ in Covid fight as fever cases top 2 million

North Korea said on Friday it was achieving “good results” in the fight against the country’s first confirmed Covid-19 outbreak, as the number of people with fever symptoms surpassed 2 million.The isolated nation reported 263,370 more people with fever symptoms, and two more deaths, taking the total fever caseload to 2.24 million as of Thursday evening, including 65 deaths, according to state media KCNA.It did not report how many of those cases had tested positive for the coronavirus.Despite the caseload, the North said farming continues, factories are working, and it was planning a state funeral for a former general.“Even under the maximum emergency epidemic prevention situation, normal production is kept at key industrial sectors and large-scale construction projects are propelled without let-up,” KCNA said.“Good results are reported steadily in the ongoing anti-epidemic war,” it added.The rising case load and a lack of medical resources and vaccines has led the UN human rights agency to warn of “devastating” consequences for North Korea’s 25 million people, while World Health Organization officials worry an unchecked spread could give rise to deadlier new variants.North Korea said on Wednesday the country’s virus outbreak was taking a “favourable turn,” although officials in South Korea say it is hard to draw a conclusion as it is unclear how North Korea is calculating the number of fever and Covid patients.Cases of fever reported by the government have declined in Pyongyang but risen in rural provinces, and either through error or deliberate manipulation are unlikely to be fully accurate, said Martyn Williams, a researcher at the US-based 38 North.“I doubt they represent the exact picture,” he said on Twitter.South Korea and the US have both offered to help North Korea fight the virus, including sending aid, but have not received a response, Seoul’s deputy national security advisor said on Wednesday.


Study probes Covid outbreak among fully vaccinated at US nursing home

An unvaccinated worker infected with a Covid variant sparked an outbreak at a US nursing home where nearly all the residents had been inoculated, said a study out on Wednesday.The dozens of cases, including 22 among fully vaccinated residents and staff, highlighted the importance of broad vaccine coverage and prevention measures, according to the research released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.During the March outbreak at a nursing home in the state of Kentucky, 46 cases were identified, with three residents dying, including two who were not vaccinated, the study said.The spread was traced back to a worker who had symptoms and was not vaccinated. The variant was R.1, which is “not currently identified as a CDC variant of concern or interest”, the paper said.While the researchers noted the flare-up of the disease showed the strong effect the vaccine had in preventing symptoms in the sick, they also noted its limits.“This underscores the importance… that all persons, including those who have recovered from Covid-19, be vaccinated,” the authors wrote.“A continued emphasis on strategies for prevention of disease transmission, even among vaccinated populations, is also critical,” they added.Their findings, released alongside a study of a similar outbreak at a Chicago nursing home, pointed to the results of vaccinated and unvaccinated people mixing.Though 90% of the 83 residents at the Kentucky home had received their doses, only half of the 116 workers had been inoculated by the time the outbreak was spotted.


Muhyiddin made things better for Felda settlers, Amanah man says ahead of Johor polls

Amanah strongman Mazlan Aliman today acknowledged that Muhyiddin Yassin had brought changes for Felda settlers, labelling the policy allowing the former prime minister to write off 80% of their debts as one of his successes.Mazlan, an activist with NGO Persatuan Anak Peneroka Felda Kebangsaan (Anak), also said Muhyiddin’s government had shown strong political will in bringing about these changes.“It cannot be denied that Muhyiddin, as prime minister, took proactive steps to bring change in Felda,” he said in a statement.“The re-acquisition of an over-80% stake in FGV, the disposal of 80% of the settlers’ debts, and the implementation of the Settlers Development Programme are some of the success stories experienced by the settlers.”In comparison, he said, the 22 months during which Pakatan Harapan (PH) was in government had seen sluggish reforms for Felda.While explanations could be given, he added, this was why Felda settlers were disappointed in PH.“It invited great criticism from Felda settlers who questioned the manifesto and promises made during the campaign for the 14th general election,” he said.Mazlan’s remarks come ahead of the election in Johor, a state with more than 70 Felda settlements often considered as a stronghold of Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN).There are a total of 72 Felda settlements located in 20 of the 56 state constituencies to be contested, with a cumulative population of about 180,000.“The Johor election will be the true benchmark for the support of Felda settlers,” Mazlan said.“Will they return to being a fixed deposit for BN?”Mazlan had previously hinted at defeat for PH, warning that the coalition would see a repeat of its failure at the Melaka election if it contested the Johor polls in its current position.He also urged PH to widen its cooperation for the polls by working with Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional pact and its allies.“PH which comprises PKR, Amanah, DAP and Upko would be as good as surrendering to BN if it maintains the status quo from Melaka and Sarawak,” he said.


Germany to end free Covid tests to boost jab take-up

Germany will end free coronavirus tests in October, regional leaders and the federal government agreed on Tuesday, in a push to incentivise more people to get vaccinated.Covid-19 tests or proof of vaccination or recovery will be required to access facilities including restaurants, cinemas and gyms, in areas where infection rates rise above a certain threshold.From October those who refuse to get jabbed will have to pay to prove they are infection-free, or risk being shut out.Proof of test or vaccination will be required as soon as the rate of infections in a region reaches 35 per 100,000 people over seven days.Children and people who for health reasons cannot be vaccinated will still be able to get tested for free.Germany’s incidence rate stood on Tuesday at 23.5, but several regions including Berlin and Hamburg are already past the 35 mark.After delivering well over one million jabs a day at its peak, Europe’s most populous country has seen the take-up for inoculation against the coronavirus slow dramatically.As of Tuesday, 52 million people in Germany – or 62.5% of the population – have received at least one dose of the vaccine, but Merkel said she hoped another 15 to 20% would get the jab.“It is everyone’s responsibility … to promote vaccination wherever possible,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel, urging “all friends and family members who have been vaccinated to promote this in their circles of friends and families and sport clubs”.‘Indirect compulsory vaccination’Merkel has repeatedly said she does not think it is right to make vaccinations compulsory.But critics accused her government of using tests as a tool to pressure the population to get jabbed.Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right AfD who is herself not vaccinated, said the move was an “indirect compulsory vaccination through restrictions, bans and additional burdens”.Merkel countered that vaccinated people cannot simply be asked to continue to be subject to restrictions because part of the population opted against jabs.“We also have to think about those who work in hospitals, and overloading the health system must be ruled out,” she added.Germany’s latest move is similar to new requirements in France of a health pass to access cinemas, cafes or trains.The push by French President Emmanuel Macron for the health pass which is proof of either vaccination, a recent negative test or recovery from Covid-19, has sparked angry protests across France.In Germany, regular protests have also broken out against coronavirus restrictions as well as vaccinations.


Singapore deports Bangladeshis over anti-France posts

Singapore has deported 15 Bangladeshis over social media posts that incited violence or encouraged communal unrest in response to recent terror attacks in France, officials said Tuesday.France is on high alert following jihadist attacks in recent weeks, including the beheading of a teacher who showed his pupils cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad and a deadly assault on a church in Nice.President Emmanuel Macron’s defence of the right to publish the cartoons has sparked demonstrations in Muslim-majority countries including Bangladesh, where tens of thousands took to the streets.Security agencies in Singapore have been on heightened alert since early September and, as a result of their investigations, the Bangladeshis were deported, the interior ministry said.The individuals, most of whom were construction workers, put up social media posts “which incited violence or stoked communal unrest” in response to the attacks in France, the ministry said in a statement.Officials did not disclose the content of the posts.Singapore is majority ethnic Chinese but has a sizeable Muslim minority. It has over 300,000 low-paid migrant workers, including many from South Asia, working in industries including construction.


Govt urged to explain Lima Langkawi ban on Kedah MB

Arau MP Shahidan Kassim today urged Putrajaya to explain the claim by Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Mohd Nor that he had been banned from attending government events including the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima) 2023.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, he raised Meeting Rule 18(1), citing Article 10 of the Federal Constitution to speaker Johari Abdul.
Shahidan said it was a matter of public interest and involved the daily affairs of the state leader.
He said Sanusi had worked to hold events outside of Kedah, including booking a hall at the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council, all of which had been cancelled.
"This needs to be expedited because it involves an individual appointed as menteri besar by the Kedah ruler," he said.
"He cannot even attend federal events in his own state."
Sanusi had said in a Facebook post that this was "the latest decision" by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's Cabinet.
"The latest decision by PMX – banning the Kedah MB from any government event including Lima in Langkawi," he said, referring to Anwar's initials as the 10th prime minister.
Johari meanwhile told Shahidan to submit a proposal on the matter to his office and to raise it during the Dewan Rakyat session.
He also asked if Shahidan had concrete proof of his claim.
"It was only reported by the press," he added.
However, Shahidan said he had sent 14 proposals to Johari's office, none of which were accepted.


Sorry.


Traffic slow on major highways as Malaysians head home to vote

Traffic flow was slow on major highways as of 8am today as Malaysians return to their home towns to exercise their right to vote in the 15th general election (GE15) tomorrow.
A spokesman for the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) said traffic was moving slowly on the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (KLK) heading east from the Gombak toll plaza to Genting Sempah, Bukit Tinggi to the Bentong toll plaza, and the intersection to the Karak toll plaza.
Traffic flow on the East Coast Expressway (LPT) 1 and LPT 2 meanwhile was moving smoothly but slowly.
Traffic flow was also reported to be slow on the North South Expressway (PLUS) from Sungai Buloh to Sungai Buaya; Lembah Beringin to Tanjung Malim; Slim River to Sungkai; Bidor to Gopeng and Ipoh (south) to Ipoh (north).
Southbound traffic was also slow following an accident at KM382.3 near Slim River, Perak and KM177.5 from Jasin to Tangkak which caused a 3.5km jam.
Traffic flow was likewise slow from Nilai to the Seremban rest and service area in Negeri Sembilan.


New cases tumble to 7,300

Another 7,373 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,339,594.Another 10,959 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,195,669.Meanwhile 762 are in the ICU, including 702 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 410 are in need of respiratory assistance including 293 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 7,373 cases reported today, 133 (1.8%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 7,240 (98.2%) are in Category One and Two.


Sarawak flies 1,760 doses of vaccine to Miri interior

Sarawak today flew 1,760 doses of Sinovac vaccine to the interior of Miri along with a mobile vaccination team to help with the immunisation drive there which will begin at four public health clinics tomorrow.“Today, vaccine supply was delivered to four public health clinics in Bario, Mulu, Long San and Long Bedian,” state Transport Minister Lee Kim Shin said in a statement.He added that the state government would continue sending more supplies of vaccine in stages to these clinics along with another 19 in the area according to the schedule provided by the Miri Divisional Health Office and the fire department, which had provided the Hornbill Skyways helicopters used to deliver today’s shipment.He assured that rural clinics would receive enough vaccine to be administered to villagers in remote areas.“Every rural clinic that receives vaccine supplies has a medical officer, stable electricity supply and a top loading-type refrigerator for the storage of the vaccine,” he added.Miri fire department chief Law Poh Kiong meanwhile said the team would be delivering food supplies as well to villagers in the interior of Miri, which has been largely cut off from the city by the ongoing lockdown.“Today, we successfully delivered the vaccine supply despite the bad weather. During the flight, the weather was cloudy with heavy rain in some areas.”He said the remaining food baskets, weighing some 2,703kg, would be flown to Long Sait and Pa’Tik on another flight tomorrow as the weather conditions had not allowed the plane to depart from Miri this afternoon.“The next supply of vaccine will be delivered within the next two weeks,” he told MalaysiaNow.


Beijing delays school reopenings after new Covid outbreak

Most children in Beijing will not return to school next week as originally planned, Chinese officials said on Saturday, after an emerging Covid-19 outbreak prompted authorities to partly reverse a decision to resume in-person teaching.China is the last major economy still committed to a zero-Covid strategy, stamping out new cases with a combination of targeted lockdowns, mass testing and lengthy quarantines.But virus clusters in recent months have put that approach under strain. The megacity of Shanghai was forced into a gruelling months-long lockdown and in the capital Beijing, schools were shuttered and residents were ordered to work from home.Authorities in Beijing eased many curbs earlier this week, but dozens of infections linked to a bar have led authorities to tighten some restrictions again.Most primary and middle school students will “continue to study online at home” from Monday, city government spokesman Xu Hejian said at a press briefing on Saturday.The announcement partly walked back a previous decision to send younger pupils back to school in phases, starting next week.Some 115 cases have been linked to the bar cluster so far, municipal health official Liu Xiaofeng said at the briefing.The new outbreak was “at a rapidly developing stage… and at a relatively high risk of spreading”, Liu said.More than 20 million people in Shanghai began a mass testing drive on Saturday that local governments said would take place under temporary lockdown conditions.The move comes less than two weeks after the eastern economic hub lurched out of a harsh lockdown that was punctuated by food shortages and isolated protests from irate residents.Officials have maintained a shifting patchwork of restrictions in Shanghai, wary of a virus resurgence after finally containing the country’s worst outbreak in two years.China recorded 138 domestic infections on Saturday, including 61 in Beijing and 16 in Shanghai, according to the National Health Commission.


US judge rules Trump Capitol attack records can be released to Congress

A US judge Tuesday ordered White House records that could implicate former president Donald Trump in the Jan 6 attack on the Capitol be released to a congressional committee, despite the ex-leader’s attempts to keep them secret.The documents have been sought by the House Select Committee investigating the Jan 6 violence, in which hundreds of Trump supporters forced the shutdown of Congress and delayed a joint session to confirm that Joe Biden had won the November 2020 election and would become president.Trump sued seeking a stay to halt the release of the documents, arguing that, as a former president, he retained executive privilege to keep the communications and visitor logs related to that day under seal.In a 39-page opinion made available by several US media outlets, US district judge Tanya Chutkan said Trump’s request was denied, stating it was in the public’s interest to hand over the documents, the release of which Biden has already approved.Trump’s “position that he may override the express will of the executive branch appears to be premised on the notion that his executive power ‘exists in perpetuity,'” Chutkan wrote. “But presidents are not kings, and plaintiff is not president.”“The court holds that the public interest lies in permitting – not enjoining – the combined will of the legislative and executive branches to study the events that led to and occurred on Janu 6, and to consider legislation to prevent such events from ever occurring again,” the opinion said.Documents that Trump hoped to block include records from his top aides and memos to his press secretary, according to a court document published in October.The more than 770 pages include records of his former chief of staff Mark Meadows, his former senior adviser Stephen Miller and his former deputy counsel Patrick Philbin.Trump had also hoped to block the release of the White House Daily Diary – a record of his activities, trips, briefings and phone calls.Another trove of documents Trump does not want Congress to see includes memos to his former press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, a handwritten note on the Jan 6 events and a draft text of his speech at the “Save America” rally, which led up to the attack.Multiple US media outlets reported that Trump immediately filed paperwork for an appeal.Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich wrote on Twitter that “Pres Trump remains committed to defending the Constitution & the Office of the Presidency, & will be seeing this process through,” while asserting that the matter of executive privilege “was destined to be decided by the Appellate Courts.”The House committee lawmakers, meanwhile, on Monday issued subpoenas to top Trump aides who allegedly plotted to overturn his defeat in a “war room” at a luxury Washington hotel.That was followed by a new round of subpoenas Tuesday to some of his most senior lieutenants, including McEnany and Miller.


Taiwan sends up fighters as Chinese warplanes cross strait's median line

Taiwan's air force scrambled into action on Sunday after spotting 10 Chinese warplanes crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait, as the island's defence ministry said four Chinese warships also carried out combat patrols.
This is the second time in less than a week that Taiwan has reported renewed Chinese military activity, after 37 Chinese military aircraft on Thursday flew into the island's air defence zone, some of which then flew into the western Pacific.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has over the past three years regularly flown its air force into the skies near the island, though not into Taiwan's territorial air space.
In a short statement, Taiwan's defence ministry said that as of 2pm (0600 GMT) on Sunday it had detected 24 Chinese air force planes, including J-10, J-11, J-16 and Su-30 fighters, as well as H-6 bombers.
It did not specify where the aircraft flew but said 10 had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which separates the two sides and had previously served as an unofficial barrier. China says it does not recognise that and has been routinely crossing it since last year.
Four Chinese naval ships were also engaged in "joint combat readiness patrols", the ministry added, without giving details.
Taiwan sent up its own fighters and deployed ships and land-based missile systems to keep watch, it said, using typical wording for how it responds to such Chinese activities.
China's defence ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It has not commented on Thursday's flights.
China has previously said such missions are to protect the country's sovereignty and aimed at "collusion" between Taiwan and the US, the island's most important international backer and arms seller.
In April, China held war games around Taiwan following a trip to the US by Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.
Taiwan's government rejects China's sovereignty claims and says only the island's people can decide their future.
China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan, which is gearing up for presidential and parliamentary elections in January, under its control.
In a Sunday video address to supporters on the Taiwan-controlled Matsu islands close to the Chinese coast, Taiwan's Vice President William Lai said he would do his best to "stabilise the peaceful status quo in the Taiwan Strait" if he wins the presidency, his campaign office said.
Lai is running as the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's candidate. Tsai cannot run again due to term limits.
Tsai has repeatedly offered talks with China but been rebuffed as Beijing views her and her party as separatists.
Laura Rosenberger, chair of the American Institute in Taiwan, which manages the unofficial relationship between Washington and Taipei, visited Taiwan last week and meet all three presidential candidates.


95.5% of adults, 65.5% of teens fully jabbed

A total of 22,348,481 individuals or 95.5% of adults in the country had completed their Covid-19 vaccination as of yesterday.Based on the health ministry’s data on the CovidNow portal, 97.7% or 22,866,371 individuals have received at least one dose of vaccine.Yesterday, 75,874 doses were given involving adults and adolescents, bringing the total number of doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) to 50,012,681 doses.For teenagers aged 12 to 17 years, as of yesterday 2,063,107 individuals or 65.5% had completed their vaccination while 83% or 2,612,639 individuals had received at least one dose of vaccine under PICK for adolescents which was launched on Sept 8.Meanwhile, 20,370 Covid-19 booster doses were administered yesterday, bringing the cumulative number so far to 291,409 doses.


Modern amenities and Islam

This letter is in response to the statement by Malaysian Sunni Organisation (Aswaja) president Zamihan Mat Zin, in which he questioned the inclusion of e-commerce website Shopee as a platform for Muslims to pay their zakat, or alms.In 2006, a case made its way to Malaysia’s court system, seeking to allow three children to wear a serban (“turban”) rather than a songkok. The three-man panel of judges ruling on the subject had this to say: “From what we can determine, the Quran does not mention the serban. I accept that the Prophet wore a turban. But he also rode a camel, built his house and mosque with clay walls and roof of leaves of date palms, and brushed his teeth with the twig of a plant. Does that make the riding of a camel a more pious deed than travelling in an aeroplane? Is it seemly to use the same materials that the Prophet did when building new houses and mosques now?”It seems that even today, 14 years later, this so-called “Islamic” mindset of challenging the pace of technological advancement, even when faced with a pandemic, continues.When the movement control orders to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic were implemented, the government encouraged people to take measures to keep themselves safe.One such department that utilised innovative measures was the religious affairs ministry, where marriage vows were allowed to be conducted via Skype and with reception ceremonies put on hold until better times.At the same time, when Aidilfitri approached, the religious leaders of the country decided that the zakat fitrah – the compulsory tithe that must be paid by all Muslims who are able to do so – would be conducted online. Those who could contribute had the option not only of using online banking, but also paying with e-wallets such as Boost, Grab, and even Touch n Go.Grab took it one step further by allowing its drivers to conduct this ritual payment through their app this year. Thus, when Zamihan decided it was necessary to question whether we can allow a non-Muslim company like Shopee to collect zakat, where has he been living for the past few years?Are the shareholders of Malaysian banks all Muslims to allow for online payments of zakat via their online banking facilities? What about Grab? What about Boost? What about Touch n Go? What exactly is the baseline in determining whether a company, bank, e-wallet, or even online web portal is “Islamic” enough to conduct halal transfers of money?Let us not forget that Zamihan has a history of being a rabid radical – recall that he told Malaysian Muslims not to share laundromats with non-Muslims in 2017. The statement was so ridiculous that no less a personage than His Majesty the Sultan of Johor called him an “empty vessel”. Zamihan has been banned from preaching in Johor ever since.Zamihan was also probed for sedition for his statement and temporarily banned by the Selangor Religious Department (Jais) on orders from His Highness the Sultan of Selangor from preaching in the state (speaking of which, did Jais revoke the ban? Is he once again preaching in Selangor?) – all of which led to him losing his job at the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) in 2018. Let’s not forget that he wasn’t exactly a fan of people taking their marriage vows online either, telling couples to wait until after the MCO because “they wouldn’t die if they didn’t get married”.In this critical pandemic era, where a vaccine will only be rolled out in the first quarter of the coming year, do we still need such old-world mentalities running amok in this nation? Do we need such a person spewing hatred and doubt when others are working to ease Malaysians into the new normal? Other leaders are trying to allay concerns and gently nudge people towards this new reality – so why is Zamihan sniping?There are many things that we do online nowadays, and payments that have been made online for more than two decades already – and whether you use online banking, e-wallets, apps, or the zakat web portals themselves, these are merely different streams that lead to the same sea: the respective zakat agencies.In fact, it is these zakat agencies that have muftis in their respective states who can give advice on such modern matters and methods to central authorities like Bank Negara Malaysia, where the pronouncements will then trickle on down to the rest of the country’s financial network.All these bodies are far more learned than Zamihan, and they have all recognised the viability of using technology – including the internet, online transactions, and e-wallets – to push forward moves to bring Islamic finance and the respective agencies to the forefront of innovation.And by the way, has Aswaja not had a rather active Facebook account since 2013? We have to wonder, who runs that social media platform – are they Muslim too? So, unless Zamihan and his supporters have a stock of gold and silver dinars which they will use to buy daily groceries from “Buy Muslim First” shops which accept them as legal tender while building a Muslim-owned social media platform and dumping YouTube and Facebook, he really has no legs to stand on under that jubah of his.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


WHO expert says China mission going ‘very well’

The World Health Organization (WHO) mission probing the origins of Covid-19 in China is going “very well”, one of its members said Tuesday, as the team visited an animal disease control centre in the city where the first cases were reported.China has faced criticism at home and abroad for playing down the initial outbreak and concealing information when it first emerged in Wuhan in December 2019, raising doubts over the usefulness of the WHO trip.The investigative team arrived at the Hubei province animal disease prevention centre in Wuhan Tuesday morning, where the group donned white hazmat suits for a tour of the facilities.Team member Peter Daszak told journalists the mission was “excellent” and proceeding “very well” as the group was driven into the facility, while team lead Peter Ben Embarek nodded when asked if the experts were being given sufficient access in Wuhan.The mission – delayed by China and weighed down by political baggage – has a remit to explore how the virus jumped from animal to human, but questions remain over what the experts can hope to find, one year on.Beijing is keen to put the focus on its recovery from the outbreak. The team of scientists toured a propaganda exhibition celebrating China’s recovery from the pandemic in Wuhan on Saturday.Daszak said after the tour that the team had held a “very informative meeting” and also tweeted that WHO experts had met with “key staff in charge of livestock surveillance” and had “in-depth discussion.”The experts also received a visit at their hotel on Tuesday from officials of the Wuhan Blood Centre, which collected blood plasma last year from recovered Covid-19 patients.On Sunday the team went to the market in Wuhan where one of the first reported clusters of infections emerged over a year ago, which Daszak tweeted was a “critical” stop.The UN agency hit back at critics on Monday, telling a press conference in Geneva, “if you have the answers… please let us know.”


I’m the one to debate on Felda issues, Azmin tells Najib

Perikatan Nasional (PN) information chief Mohamed Azmin Ali took former prime minister Najib Razak to task today for dodging a debate with him on Felda issues as the campaign for the Johor state election heats up.Azmin had offered to debate with Najib about the issues faced by the settlers since Felda Global Ventures (FGV) became a listed entity.Najib however avoided Azmin’s offer, saying he would only debated with PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin.“Why doesn’t Najib want to debate with me?” Azmin said. “I was the one who audited Felda’s affairs.“I was responsible for completing the white paper and I tabled that paper in Parliament,” Azmin said when met by reporters in Muar.Azmin was referring to the Felda white paper which he had prepared during his time as economic affairs minister under the Pakatan Harapan administration.The paper, which was later presented to Parliament, revealed the shortcomings of Felda during Najib’s tenure as prime minister.Azmin said Parliament had agreed with the proposal he submitted, especially on the repossession of land leased to FGV.He also said that he had information on Felda to be presented for debate.“I leave it to Najib to reconsider so that we can report to the people what really happened,” he said, adding that other issues that had been resolved included the mismanagement of Felda and the purchase of properties by Felda while Najib was prime minister.The issues surrounding Felda are among the hot topics ahead of the state election in Johor, where many of the constituencies are home to Felda settlements.Muhyiddin previously said that PN had succeeded in settling more than RM8 billion in debt carried by the settlers for years.Najib meanwhile has visited several Felda areas so far as part of his campaign for Barisan Nasional.


Warmer ties with Russia unlikely, even as geopolitical ground continues to shift

While a number of countries in Southeast Asia have shown signs of fostering closer relationships with Russia as the geopolitical ground shifts in response to its invasion of Ukraine, it remains to be seen if Malaysia will follow suit.
And according to at least one expert, such a scenario would be unlikely, given Malaysia's own geopolitical interests which vary from those of Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand – all of which recently inched closer to Russia.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Thomas Daniel of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (Isis) said Vietnam and Myanmar, for example, depend heavily on Russia for its armament and military assets.
"Russia is the major weapons supplier in both countries. The West might exempt sanctions on Vietnam so that the country can continue to buy or upgrade its military assets from Russia.
"Vietnam is a big factor in the geopolitical contest in the South China Sea. They can't alienate Vietnam," he said.
Vietnam's military firepower has largely comprised Russian assets since the Vietnam War.
The country has six Russian-made kilo-class submarines, 80 Sukhoi fighter jets as well Russian-made artillery.
In Myanmar, meanwhile, Moscow remains one of its few allies as it steps up its crackdown on activists in the country.
For the most part, Asean countries were reluctant to follow the Western-led call for the condemnation of Russia leader Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
Singapore was the only state that condemned the invasion and imposed sanctions against Russia.
Malaysia, meanwhile, voted in favour of the United Nations' resolution to condemn the invasion but held back from imposing similar sanctions.
Thomas said while Malaysia had purchased some Russian military hardware, the amounts were not as significant as those bought by Vietnam or Myanmar.
It previously purchased 18 MIG-29N and 18 Sukhoi SU-30MKM, the latter of which forms the backbone of its air force combat fleet.
Trade volume with Russia, too, was "negligible", Thomas said – 0.33% of total exports and 0.5% of total imports.
"The other thing is, Malaysian companies trade a lot in the international market and they are very sensitive towards sanctions.
"Most of these companies are not trading with Russia," he said.
Thailand, on the other hand, depends on tourism as the main driver of its economy and had expected some one million tourists from Russia following the resumption of direct flights to popular tourist destinations in the kingdom.
These flights were halted after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In a recent survey, Malaysia was the only country that had a favourable view of Putin, with a 58% score on the favourable percentile.
However, Oh Ei Sun from Singapore's Institute of International Affairs said whether Malaysia would move to form better ties with Russia depended on the degree of economic interaction between the two countries.
"Malaysia is a country highly dependent on foreign trade and investment. If our economic woes worsen and traditional Western investors are unable or unwilling to invest more, or to grant us further tariff-free or low-tariff market access, and Russia is willing to do so to the same previous degree of its Western counterparts, then our re-orientation to Russia is possible.
"The ball is in Russia’s court," he said.
One example of such an event occurred earlier this year, when a sanctioned Russia-flagged ship was denied entry to the Kuala Linggi port in March.
On the defence front, meanwhile, Thomas said Malaysia was unlikely to continue purchasing equipment from Russia despite the latter's offer to replace the mothballed MIG fighters with newer jets.
"It might be a problem for Malaysia to upgrade or buy more Russian assets. The existing Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) has already put a pause for Malaysia in considering more Russian aircraft," he said.
He added that Malaysia would not be able to get an exemption from US sanctions, unlike India or Vietnam.
CAATSA was reportedly one of the reasons Indonesia ditched its purchase of new Russian jets, opting instead for French and American fighters last year.


Bersatu to discuss Umno’s decision to stop cooperation

Bersatu says it will discuss Umno’s decision not to cooperate in the next polls, confirming a letter to that effect sent by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to its leader, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.In a statement, Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said the party took note of the Umno Supreme Council’s decision against cooperation in the 15th general election as well as its conclusion that Umno’s status in the government would remain only until the dissolution of Parliament.“Bersatu’s stand will be decided in a Supreme Council meeting today, March 4, and that stand will be discussed at a Perikatan Nasional Supreme Council meeting as well with other component parties namely PAS, STAR, SAPP and Gerakan.”The letter from Zahid, dated Feb 26, said Umno’s decision had been made in a Supreme Council meeting in Janda Baik on Feb 19.Umno’s former secretary-general Annuar Musa had hit out at the move, saying party members deserve to be informed of any such decision by their leaders.He also questioned the rationale behind the purported decision which was made prior to the party’s general assembly.“Members should be informed if the decision made by the Umno Supreme Council is final. If so, we have the right to know the rationale behind the decision, especially when the election date is yet to be announced,” he said.He likewise questioned Umno’s position in the next polls, asking if the party would form a new coalition or cooperate with other parties.Umno’s annual general assembly is scheduled to take place on March 27 and 28.


Former Chinese president Jiang Zemin dies aged 96

Former Chinese president Jiang Zemin died on Wednesday at the age of 96 of leukaemia and multiple organ failure, Chinese state media reported.
Jiang died at 12.13pm (0413 GMT) in his home city of Shanghai, the official Xinhua news agency said, publishing a letter to the Chinese people by the ruling Communist Party, parliament, Cabinet and the military announcing the death.
"Comrade Jiang Zemin's death is an incalculable loss to our party and our military and our people of all ethnic groups," the letter read, saying the announcement was made with "profound grief".
It described "our beloved Comrade Jiang Zemin" as an outstanding leader of high prestige, a great Marxist, statesman, military strategist and diplomat and a long-tested communist fighter.
Jiang was plucked from obscurity to head China's ruling Communist Party after the bloody Tiananmen crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1989, but broke the country out of its subsequent diplomatic isolation, mending fences with the US and overseeing an unprecedented economic boom.


Death toll unchanged as 281 daily infections logged

Another 281 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 5,040,368.
There were 257 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,994,015.
There are now 9,399 active cases, of which 9,072 or 96.5% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0%) are at quarantine centres while 319 (3.4%) have been hospitalised.
A total of eight are in ICU with two in need of respiratory assistance.
No new deaths were reported, leaving total deaths unchanged at 36,954.


India records over 400,000 Covid cases in 24 hours, in global first

India recorded on Saturday over 400,000 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours for the first time, the first country to do so in the pandemic, official data showed.According to the health ministry, 401,993 new infections were registered taking the total caseload to 19.1 million. There were 3,523 deaths, bringing the toll to 211,853.Many experts suspect that because of insufficient testing and inaccurate recording of cause of death, the real numbers are much higher.Indian authorities lowered their guard in the early part of the year after infections fell below 10,000 per day, lifting restrictions on most activity.Mass religious gatherings such as the Kumbh Mela, attracting millions of Hindu pilgrims, and political rallies were allowed to continue even when cases numbers began rising sharply in late March.In April alone, India recorded around seven million new infections. On a per-capita basis however India’s caseload remains low compared to many other countries.