'Love letters' from death row: Singapore's pre-execution photo shoots

Death row inmate Nazeri Lajim beams at the camera, fingers raised in a "V" sign, wearing a shirt emblazoned with large motifs and showing no signs of his impending hanging.
Taken days before his execution at Singapore's Changi Prison, the picture is among the last mementoes Lajim's family has of the 64-year-old, who was executed on charges of drug trafficking.
In the city-state, prison officials offer a photo shoot shortly before an inmate's hanging, providing simple props like chairs and other items.
"When I see his photograph he's (a) very healthy man, he's very good looking man... his face shines," Nazira Lajim Hertslet, his sister, told AFP. "I was very upset... that he was taken away just like that."
Singapore imposes the death penalty for a litany of crimes, including murder and some forms of kidnapping.
It also has some of the world's toughest anti-drug laws: trafficking more than 500g of cannabis can result in the death penalty.
Thirteen people have been hanged since the government resumed executions following a two-year hiatus in place during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a programme first introduced in the 1990s, they were offered the option to pose for photographs before their death.
'Quite cruel'
Usually taken against a pale-green flowery backdrop, the photos offer a glimpse into the last days of the condemned.
The Singapore Prison Service says participation in the programme is voluntary, and that the photo shoots "allow family members to have recent photographs of their loved one".
Relatives, however, say they have mixed feelings about the practice.
"Actually it's quite cruel to do such thing, to take photograph on his last days," said Hertslet, pointing to the horror inmates might feel knowing it was their last time being photographed alive.
"But at least we have his last photo for memories when he's really gone," she added.
Nazeri was hanged last year for trafficking more than 33g of heroin.
In his sister's favourite photograph of him, he is wearing a white Muslim prayer robe, his hands clasped in front, looking at the camera.
A 'veneer of thoughtfulness'
Little information is publicly available about Singapore's death row inmates.
The Transformative Justice Collective, which provides support to families of death row prisoners and advocates for the abolition of the death penalty, estimates about 53 people are on death row, the majority convicted of drug offences.
Authorities generally notify inmates and their families about a week before an execution.
During that time, the inmate is allowed to have daily visitors, but they are separated by a glass pane and no physical contact is allowed, according to the TJC.
Spiritual counsellors are also provided.
Kokila Annamalai, a TJC activist, said the photo shoots are an attempt "to lend a veneer of thoughtfulness" to the executions.
In the photo sessions, prisoners can strike a particular pose or wear clothing that means something to a family member, she said.
"And so, I think that the photos are also like love letters to them."
'Every night I cry'
Rights groups, including Amnesty International, have long called on Singapore to abolish capital punishment, but the government insists it is an effective deterrent against crime.
Tangaraju Suppiah, a 46-year-old Singaporean, was hanged in April for conspiring to smuggle 1kg of cannabis.
"Every night I cry and every night I think about him," his sister Leelavathy Suppiah told AFP.
Tangaraju initially refused to do the photo shoot, but relented after his family persuaded him, she said.
Leelavathy has framed a photograph of him smiling, holding his thumb and forefinger in a heart shape – a pose popularised by K-pop stars.
"I'm very happy when I see the photos. At least he's there in the photos," she told AFP, speaking in English.
"This is the photo our family members everybody like because he smile," she added.
Still, she wondered what must have been going through her brother's mind in his final days.
"They know they're going to die," she said. "It's cruel, you know?"
White sneakers
Kalwant Singh's family bought him a pair of white sneakers, which he wore with a T-shirt, sweatpants and a broad smile in one photograph.
Sonia Tarlochan Kaur, the 31-year-old Malaysian's sister, told AFP he only got about half an hour during the photo shoot to wear the shoes, and so ran around the cell block to make the most of them.
After Kalwant's execution for heroin trafficking last year, Sonia said she cannot bring herself to look at the photographs.
"They could have just given me that half an hour to hug him tight."


Wait for meeting with PM, Muhyiddin says on Zuraida’s replacement

The question of who will replace Zuraida Kamaruddin as plantation industries and commodities minister following her exit from Bersatu will be determined after a meeting with the prime minister, Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said today.Muhyiddin, the Bersatu president, said a request had already been made for a meeting with Ismail Sabri Yaakob, and that all that was needed was a date.He said the Ampang MP’s seat in the Cabinet was part of Bersatu’s quota.“But it’s up to the prime minister who to choose,” he added at a press conference in Putrajaya.He said everything would be discussed with Ismail including the names of the possible candidates.When asked if Bersatu would put forth new faces to replace Zuraida, he declined to comment.“Wait and see whose face it is,” he quipped. “We will make an announcement.”Zuraida announced her departure from Bersatu on May 26 along with her intention to join PBM instead.She also said she would discuss her resignation as plantation industries and commodities minister with Ismail as soon as possible.Zuraida had been part of three Cabinets since 2018, under the administrations of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Muhyiddin and Ismail.She shifted between two portfolios during this time: housing and local government, and plantation industries and commodities.Meanwhile, Muhyiddin dismissed talk that two Bersatu Supreme Council members – Mohamed Azmin Ali and Mohd Rashid Hasnon – would follow Zuraida in leaving the party.He said he had a good relationship with both of them, and that they would often discuss their plans for Bersatu’s future.He said the question of leaving Bersatu and its struggle had never arisen.“I just celebrated Raya with Rashid, and we didn’t discuss anything,” he said. “We only talked about ketupat.”Adding that the rumours were baseless, he said: “Why target Bersatu? We are just a small party.”


Inflation in bankrupt Sri Lanka hits fresh record

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka saw its highest inflation on record for the eighth consecutive month in May, official data showed Wednesday, as the island nation grapples with its worst-ever economic crisis.The Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI) rose 39.1% year-on-year last month, up from 29.8% in April, according to the statistics department.Food inflation in Colombo came in at 57.4%, up from 46.6% in April.The price increases in May were yet to fully capture the sharp increases in fuel, one of the many vital commodities in scarce supply across the country.Private economists say consumer prices are rising even faster than official records show, with one John Hopkins University analyst tracking March inflation at 133% – more than six times the official figure.Sri Lanka’s import-dependent economy has been hammered by a critical foreign currency shortage, leading to months of acute shortages of food, medicines and other essentials.Faced with a huge cash crunch, the government on Tuesday raised taxes across the board by rolling back cuts ordered by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in November 2019.Weeks of protests outside the president’s seafront office have demanded his resignation over government mismanagement of the crisis.Sri Lanka has defaulted on its US$51 billion foreign debt and is seeking international aid to revive its bankrupt economy, including from the International Monetary Fund.


Anwar submits no-confidence motion against Muhyiddin

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has proposed a motion stating that the Dewan Rakyat has lost confidence in Muhyiddin Yassin and that he should resign as prime minister immediately.Anwar, who is Port Dickson MP, said the motion was submitted to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun under Regulations 14(1)(h), 26(1)(d) and 36(12) of the Standing Orders and the Federal Constitution.“I, Anwar Ibrahim, on behalf of Dewan Rakyat members hereby submit the motion as follows:“That the Dewan Rakyat resolves to establish no-confidence in Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, MP for Pagoh, and to vacate the post of prime minister immediately in accordance with the Federal Constitution,” he told a media conference in the Parliament building today.Anwar said in the motion, he had said that Istana Negara’s statement today reprimanded Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Takiyuddin Hassan for misleading the Dewan Rakyat by stating that all emergency ordinances had been revoked on July 21, even though they had been ordered to be tabled and debated in Parliament for annulment.The Dewan Rakyat Speaker’s office, when contacted, confirmed receiving the motion.Anwar said he had also urged Takiyuddin to honourably resign from his post for his mistake and for confusing the House.Asked whether he would be seeking an audience with His Majesty, Anwar replied: “For that, we will have to follow developments in the next day or two. If there is a need then we will seek an audience.”


I’m not all-powerful, speaker tells critics on challenging road to hybrid Dewan debates

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun says some critics who are pressing him to re-open Parliament have ignored the procedures and processes involved as well as the constitutional framework, adding that many of the calls directed at him are premised on the assumption that he wields great power as the chairman of the house.He said similar claims were made in the wake of the recent announcement that the government was studying the implementation of hybrid sittings during the pandemic, a move which received a positive response from both him and his counterpart in the Dewan Negara, Rais Yatim.“Apparently I can advise the king and also the prime minister,” Azhar, better known as Art Harun, told MalaysiaNow.“All the narratives seem to imply that I am the most powerful man,” he added.He said a key process in the implementation of hybrid proceedings would take place at the level of two bi-partisan committees, the House Committee and the Rules Committee.Both comprise MPs from the government and opposition.He said although he is the chairman of these committees, he has no voting right as he is not an elected MP.“It’s just not my decision, I cannot just snap my fingers and expect it to be done. I can only bring it to the committee but the members, the MPs, have to discuss.“For that matter, any member of the committee can bring a proposal, not just me,” he said.He said any proposal must be brought to these two committees for approval.“Once these committees approve it, it will have to be presented to and approved by the Dewan Rakyat.“But in the first place, the two committees must be able to meet. Under the emergency ordinance, they cannot meet. So it has to be amended,” said Azhar.“I cannot just snap my fingers and expect it to be done.”Last week, Takiyuddin Hassan, the minister in charge of law, said a hybrid system for Parliament proceedings was being considered, and that he had held a meeting with both Azhar and Rais to discuss the issue.A committee has also been formed to study the details of hybrid proceedings.Parliament has been suspended since a state of emergency to fight the Covid-19 pandemic was declared in January.There have been calls by some MPs, including deputy speaker Azalina Othman Said from Umno, to have Parliament convene virtually.Hybrid challengesAzhar said there are many challenges in a hybrid parliamentary debate, such as the tradition of scrutinising during a debate, as is the case in a Westminster system such as Malaysia’s.He said while the technical part of a hybrid proceeding – where MPs are present both virtually and physically during a Dewan Rakyat session – might be straightforward, there are other details that require careful deliberation.These include legal as well as procedural aspects of a virtual Dewan Rakyat sitting, where not all of the manner in which debates are held might continue to apply.“For example, in Australia you cannot intervene during a debate speech. Instead, you are required to give 15 minutes’ notice in order to do so.”Even more crucial is the fact that MPs attending the Australian parliament virtually have no right to vote, or to be counted as part of the quorum, he said.“So when some of them say it’s a simple thing, the truth is it’s not as simple as that,” he added.Azhar also said there appeared to be confusion about the number of MPs allowed to be physically present at the Dewan Rakyat during a hybrid proceeding.“Some seem to think that only 26 MPs are allowed to be present physically while the rest are required to join virtually,” he said.He said the 26 MPs who are required to be present physically are to fulfil the quorum requirement.“The rest may opt to be present either physically or virtually, subject of course to any SOPs in force at the relevant time.”


Ukraine appears to expose Russian air defence gaps with long-range strikes

A third Russian airfield was ablaze on Tuesday from a drone strike, a day after Ukraine demonstrated an apparent new ability to penetrate hundreds of kilometres deep into Russian air space with attacks on two Russian air bases.
Officials in the Russian city of Kursk, located just north of Ukraine, released pictures of black smoke above an airfield in Tuesday's early hours after the latest strike. The governor said an oil storage tank had gone up in flames but there were no casualties.
It came a day after Russia confirmed it had been hit hundreds of kilometres from Ukraine by what it said were Soviet-era drones - at Engels air base, home to Russia's strategic bomber fleet, and in Ryazan, a few hours' drive from Moscow.
Kyiv did not directly claim responsibility for the strikes, but nonetheless celebrated them.
"If Russia assesses the incidents were deliberate attacks, it will probably consider them as some of the most strategically significant failures of force protection since its invasion of Ukraine," Britain's ministry of defence said on Tuesday.
Russia's defence ministry said three service members were killed in the attack at Ryazan. Although the attacks struck military targets, it characterised them as terrorism and said the aim was to disable its long-range aircraft.
The New York Times, citing a senior Ukrainian official, said the drones involved in Monday's attacks were launched from Ukrainian territory, and at least one of the strikes was made with the help of special forces close to the base.
Ukraine never publicly acknowledges responsibility for attacks inside Russia. Asked about the strikes, Defence Minister Oleskiy Reznikov repeated a longstanding joke blaming carelessness with cigarettes. "Very often Russians smoke in places where it's forbidden to smoke," he said.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych went further, noting that Engels is Russia's only base fully equipped for the fleet of huge bombers Moscow has used to attack Ukraine.
"They will try to disperse (strategic aircraft) to airfields, but all this complicates the operation against Ukraine. Yesterday, thanks to their 'unsuccessful smoking', we achieved a very big result," he said.
The damage to the warplanes also caused grumbling among Russian military bloggers, whose social media posts can provide a window into the mood in Russia on the course of the war.
"And I, a naive civilian fool, thought that planes were kept under concrete shelters during war, no?" wrote Vladlen Tatarsky. "It turns out that small drones, the danger from which was so neglected, can attack strategic aircraft."
New barrage
The huge Tupolev long-range bombers that Russia stations at Engels form a major part of its strategic nuclear arsenal, similar to the B-52s deployed by the US during the Cold War. Russia has used them in its campaign since October to destroy Ukraine's energy grid with near weekly waves of missile strikes.
The Engels base, near the city of Saratov, is at least 600km (372 miles) from the nearest Ukrainian territory.
Russia responded to Monday's attacks with what it called a "massive strike on Ukraine's military control system", though it did not identify any specific military targets for what Ukraine called Moscow's latest strikes on civilian infrastructure.
Missiles across Ukraine destroyed homes and knocked out power, but the impact seemed less severe than barrages last month that pitched millions of Ukrainians into darkness and cold.
Ukraine's air force said it had shot down more than 60 of around 70 missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky said at least four people were killed.
A missile tore a crater out of the earth in the village of Novosofiivka, 25km (16 miles) east of Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, and completely shredded a house. Ambulance workers collected two bodies lying by a destroyed car.
Olha Troshyna, 62, said the dead were her neighbours who were standing by the car seeing off their son and daughter-in-law when the missile struck. With her home now destroyed and winter setting in, she had no idea where she would go.
"We have no place to go back to," she said. "It would be fine if it were spring or summer. We could have done something if it were a warm season. But what am I going to do now?”
On Tuesday, Zelensky visited troops in the eastern Donbas region that has seen the war's heaviest fighting.
He praised soldiers in a selfie video filmed in front of a sign on the road outside Sloviansk, near the city of Bakhmut that Russian forces have been trying to encircle for weeks. He also presented medals and shook hands with troops in a hangar.
Resistance
Russia claims a military justification for attacks on Ukraine's civil infrastructure. Kyiv says the strikes are intended to hurt civilians, a war crime.
"They do not understand one thing - such missile strikes only increase our resistance," Ukraine's defence minister Reznikov said.
No political talks are underway to end the war. Moscow insists it will not negotiate unless Kyiv and the West accept its sovereignty over Ukrainian lands it claims, while Kyiv says Russia must leave all its territory.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday talks would only be possible when Russia achieves the goals of its "special military operation", which he did not define.
"Russia must and will achieve the goals it has set," he said "As for the prospects for some kind of negotiations, we don't see them at the moment, we have repeatedly said so."
However, Russia and Ukraine said on Tuesday they had swapped 60 prisoners of war on each side in the latest such exchange.
A Russian defence ministry showed men in military clothing walking off a bus and making phone calls. "All is well, alive and well. I'll be home soon," one said.
Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak hailed the returning Ukrainians as heroes and said they included dozens who had held out in the city of Mariupol until Russia forced its surrender in May.


Sputnik vaccine may never be approved in EU, says Italy PM

Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine may never be approved by the European Union, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said Friday, as he also cast doubts on China’s Sinovac jab.“Sputnik… has not yet managed to obtain and perhaps will never have the approval of EMA (the European Medicines Agency),” Draghi said in Brussels.Meanwhile, “the Chinese vaccine… has shown to be inadequate, look at the experience in Chile”, the Italian leader added.Chile has relied heavily on the Chinese Sinovac jab for its immunisation campaign, and is now considering adding a third dose to boost protection against new variants.Both the Sputnik V and Sinovac vaccines are under a “rolling review” process by the EMA, which is a step prior to seeking formal authorisation.In his comments, Draghi said there was a need for a “strengthening and maybe also a reform of EMA” to avoid a repeat of recent “considerable confusion” on vaccines.He referred to a “certain discrepancy of pronouncements” over the safety of Covid-19 vaccines between EMA and national medicine bodies.Draghi was speaking at the end of a two-day European Union summit, in which he said leaders had a general discussion on the state of play of coronavirus.“The pandemic is not over, we are not yet out of it,” the Italian leader said, pointing to the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant in Britain.In a statement, Italy’s national health institute ISS said the Alpha variant was still the most common in the country in June, with a prevalence of 74.9%.At the same time, the share of coronavirus cases linked to the Delta variant had risen to 16.8% as of June 21, from 4.2% in May, ISS said.


Omicron wave has begun in Malaysia, says Khairy

The Omicron wave has begun in Malaysia and the number of Covid-19 cases in the country is expected to rise, says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.He said the situation, however, would be under control as the country has a high vaccination rate.“The healthcare system is prepared. Serious cases are declining. Let us overcome this wave together,” he said in a post on Twitter.Meanwhile, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said on Facebook that the readiness of the health ministry also includes the implementation of public health measures and coverage of periodic self-testing.


Maszlee no longer part of Dr M’s Pejuang bloc?

Questions have been raised over whether former education minister Maszlee Malik is still part of a breakaway group of Bersatu MPs aligned with Dr Mahathir Mohamad.The questions came after the the Simpang Renggam MP’s absence as a signatory to a joint statement by the group, which has since joined Mahathir’s new party Pejuang.In the statement, Mahathir, his son Mukhriz, Kubang Pasu MP Amiruddin Hamzah and Sri Gading MP Shahruddin Md Salleh called for the contents of the upcoming 2021 budget to be made available to MPs before they lend their support.“We feel that it is irresponsible to give support without first studying the contents of the budget,” the statement said.It also backed a call by Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan for parties not to contest the impending by-election in Batu Sapi, Sabah, for fear of triggering another Covid-19 cluster.Last month, MalaysiaNow revealed that Maszlee had submitted a statutory declaration in support of PKR president Anwar Ibrahim’s bid to bring down the Perikatan Nasional government.The move was seen as further complicating his ties with Mahathir, who earlier this year urged Maszlee to resign as education minister, just two months before the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.A source close to Pejuang told MalaysiaNow that Maszlee’s absence from the bloc’s statement was not surprising.“After all, he did sign an SD in support of Anwar, so he is not on the same path (with Pejuang MPs),” it added.Attempts to reach Maszlee for comments have failed.


India asked by sanctions-hit Russia for parts for key sectors, sources say

Moscow has sent India a list of more than 500 products for potential delivery including parts for cars, aircraft and trains, four sources familiar with the matter said, as sanctions squeeze Russia's ability to keep vital industries running.
The list, a version of which has been seen by Reuters in New Delhi, is provisional and it is unclear how many of the items will eventually be exported and in what quantity, but an Indian government source said the request was unusual in its scope.
India is keen to boost trade in this way, said the source, as it tries to narrow a ballooning trade deficit with Russia. Some companies have expressed concern, however, about potentially falling foul of Western sanctions.
An industry source in Moscow, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade asked large companies to supply lists of raw materials and equipment they needed.
The source added that further discussion would be needed to agree specifications and volumes and that the outreach was not limited to India.
Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Indian foreign and commerce ministries and the prime minister's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Russia's requests were made weeks ahead of Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar's visit to Moscow starting Nov 7, two of the Indian sources said. It was not immediately clear what was conveyed by New Delhi to Russia during the visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has not joined Western countries in openly criticising Moscow for the war in Ukraine, and has sharply increased purchases of Russian oil that have cushioned it from some of the impact of sanctions.
During the Moscow visit, Jaishankar said India needed to boost exports to Russia to balance bilateral trade that is now tilted towards Russia.
He was accompanied on the visit by senior officials in charge of agriculture, petroleum and natural gas, ports and shipping, finance, chemicals and fertiliser, and trade - which he said showed the importance of ties with Russia.
Russia's struggles
Western sanctions have crippled supplies of some crucial products in Russia.
Airlines are experiencing an acute shortage of parts because almost all planes are foreign-made. Car parts are also in demand, with global automakers having left the market.
A source in Russia's car sales industry said the trade ministry had sent a list of car parts needed to corresponding ministries and state agencies in other countries, including India.
The list of items from Russia, which runs to nearly 14 pages, includes car engine parts like pistons, oil pumps and ignition coils. There is also demand for bumpers, seatbelts and infotainment systems.
For aircraft and helicopters, Russia requested 41 items including landing gear components, fuel systems, communication systems and fire extinguishing systems, life jackets and aviation tyres.
Also on the list were raw materials to produce paper, paper bags and consumer packaging and materials and equipment to produce textiles including yarns and dyes, according to the document reviewed by Reuters.
Russian metals producers like nickel and palladium giant Nornickel have said Western sanctions and self-sanctioning by some suppliers have made it difficult for industrial companies to obtain imported equipment, spare parts, materials and technologies in 2022, posing a challenge to their development programmes.
The list includes nearly 200 metallurgy items.
Russia has been India's largest supplier of military equipment for decades and it is the fourth-biggest market for Indian pharmaceutical products.
But with purchases of Russian oil soaring and coal and fertiliser shipments also strong, India is looking for ways to rebalance trade, the first Indian government source said.
Indian imports from Russia have grown nearly five times to US$29 billion (about RM130.7 billion) between Feb 24 and Nov 20 compared with US$6 billion in the same period a year ago. Exports, meanwhile, have fallen to US$1.9 billion from US$2.4 billion, the source said.
India is hoping to boost its exports to nearly US$10 billion over coming months with Russia's list of requests, according to the government source.
But some Indian companies are reluctant to export to Russia over fears of being sanctioned by the West, the lack of clarity over payments and challenges to securing insurance.
"There is a hesitancy among exporters... particularly on sanctioned items," said Ajay Sahai, director general of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), a body supported by India's commerce ministry.
Sahai, who is aware of Russia's request, said even small- and medium-sized exporters who could meet some of the requests and had previously exported to Iran after Western sanctions, were not enthusiastic.
Large Indian lenders are also reluctant to process direct rupee trade transactions with Russia, months after the mechanism was put in place, for fear of being sanctioned.


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New law to combat Covid fake news subject to tedious process, says Putrajaya

Putrajaya today fought off allegations that a new emergency ordinance against the dissemination of fake news is draconian and designed to curb freedom of speech.It said the Emergency (Essential Powers) (No 2) Ordinance 2021 which was gazetted today is only applicable during the current emergency, and limited to matters pertaining to information on Covid-19 and the emergency proclamation.Minister in charge of law Takiyuddin Hassan and Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, in a joint press conference to explain the new law, said the move was to ensure the success of the government’s battle against the pandemic.“Freedom of speech is not freedom to lie,” Saifuddin said, adding that repeated campaigns to fight fake news related to Covid-19 with arguments and explanations to the public had proven futile.“We have always been denying fake news. There is no end to it.“We don’t want the immunisation programme to fail.“We have been verifying (news) since last year, and it (fake news) is still going on.”Takiyuddin said the ordinance clearly states that it is specifically designed to deal with false news on Covid-19 and the emergency declaration.He also took to task media reports and statements suggesting that those accused of spreading fake news would be fined RM100,000.He said enforcement of the new law will be a tedious matter, adding that RM100,000 is the maximum fine and subject to conviction only after a lengthy legal process.He said complaints on fake news could be made by either government agencies or members of the public. This would be followed by an investigation by a group of officers with expertise in health and security.“If the officers feel there is no case, the complaint will be thrown out.“But if there is a case, the officers will have to issue an official denial of the (fake) news, followed by a probe by police and the MCMC,” said Takiyuddin.Saifuddin said the new law would be a deterrent against efforts to undermine the war against Covid-19.He said some critics were “overstretching” their argument by saying the new law is a sign of Malaysia becoming like Myanmar.“We are a very reasonable and functioning government. Our interest is in fighting Covid-19 and we will do whatever it takes.“But as much as all that, we take cognisance of the fact that we have to be fair.“My plea to the people is to give us a chance, and see if we can in many ways control fake news.”


Vaccine news brings hope at the end of a glum year

The year 2020 is one that many would like to forget. The coronavirus outbreak has upended lives on an unprecedented magnitude. Lives have been lost, and so have livelihoods as we grudgingly embrace new norms that only a year ago would have seemed alien, if not absurd.On the economic front, thousands of businesses have folded. Millions have lost their jobs, or have had their incomes slashed with little to no prospects of earning back a semblance of what they used to before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.Everyone wants this outbreak to end. And the only way it will is through the availability of the Covid-19 vaccine, because that’s when the coronavirus will be unable to wreak havoc on the body of its host, including causing death.Frequently washing hands, masking up and observing physical distancing, while crucial, will only slow down the spread of the virus and is not the silver bullet that will turn back the clock to pre-Wuhan outbreak.So, as we reflect on what many would describe as a “horrible” year, it is with great relief that I am hearing that the Covid-19 vaccine will be here in no time. As someone who will celebrate my 76th birthday in May 2021 – if I live that long – I am somewhat excited about being vaccinated and I wish to thank the government for the free vaccine and priority for the elderly like myself.As a septuagenarian, I am in the high-risk group. Once vaccinated, I will be able to slowly resume my life like the way it was before March 2020, such as visiting my grandchildren in Kuantan or taking a stroll in the park without worrying too much about Covid-19 infections.It is not just the elderly who will enjoy the free vaccines. The government has been gracious enough to make it freely available to almost all of the over 30 million Malaysians until herd immunity is achieved. Despite the tough times the country is going through, the government will be spending some RM3 billion for this.PM Muhyiddin Yassin has volunteered to be among the first to be vaccinated to allay unfounded fears, especially by the anti-vaxx groups. This will send a strong message that the vaccine is safe and effective.As for claims that the government has been slow in procuring the vaccine compared with countries like Singapore, we have to acknowledge that the republic has deeper pockets than we do and inked the agreement with Pfizer much earlier.On the costs, Science Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has clarified that the European Union, with its 447 million population, ordered the vaccine in bulk. Malaysia, with a population of merely 30 million had to contend with a slightly dearer price. Even at pasar malam, you get a discount if you buy in bulk!I see no reason to pick a bone over the slightest issues during a year that has been as miserable as it has been challenging. As we wind up 2020 with news of the vaccine at our doorsteps, we should be grateful that we are on track to returning to “normalcy”, and for that I am thankful to the powers that be.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Nothing to hide, says Muhyiddin as Bersatu confident of vindication in MACC probe

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin has denied claims that the party received billions of ringgit linked to Covid-19 stimulus packages, expressing confidence that it will be vindicated by the outcome of the investigation launched by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
"I believe the investigation into the Bersatu accounts will find there are no billions of ringgit in the party's account. If there are, it would be strange, and we would be rich. But there are none.
"We have submitted the audited accounts presented at the general assembly. There is nothing unusual," Muhyiddin told reporters after a meeting with Perikatan Nasional leaders today.
He also said MACC was aware of the amount of money in Bersatu both before and after the freeze order.
Yesterday, MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki confirmed that the anti-graft agency had frozen Bersatu's bank accounts pending a money laundering probe.
But Azam reportedly denied that the investigation was linked to allegations that the party had benefitted from the misuse of Covid-19 stimulus funds.
Allegations that Bersatu had used some RM600 billion in funds from Covid-19 stimulus packages were raised during the peak of the general election campaign last year.
The claim was repeated by Pakatan Harapan leader Anwar Ibrahim, who later said there had been "tens of billions" allocated by the previous government that violated procedures.
Muhyiddin said Bersatu's financial transactions had been transparent, adding that this would be proven by the financial statements and other documents handed over to MACC.
"It is Bersatu's policy that every contribution to the party must be channelled into the party's account. No political funds go into my personal account or that of party officials," Muhyiddin said, alluding to the revelation that billions of ringgit had been deposited into former Umno president Najib Razak's account. The former prime minister had claimed that the money was a donation for the party.
Muhyiddin also said the party had applied to MACC for the freeze order to be revoked, adding that it was having problems paying day-to-day administration costs.
"We don't have any money. We need to cover our administrative costs, not just for a month, but for the long term.
"If the accounts are frozen for three months, it will be very difficult," he said, adding that Bersatu would also have trouble playing its role as an important party in the country.
With state elections looming, he added, he hoped that the probe was not politically motivated.


6 school kids among 9 Hong Kongers arrested for ‘bomb plot’

Six secondary school children were among nine Hong Kongers arrested on terror charges for allegedly trying to manufacture a powerful explosive, police announced Tuesday.Five males and four females aged between 15 and 39 were arrested Monday on suspicion of “conspiracy to use explosives for terrorist activities”, police said.“The operation we conducted yesterday was against gangsters (who) tried to manufacture TATP explosive inside a home-made laboratory inside a hostel,” senior superintendent Steve Li, from the city’s new national security unit, told reporters. TATP is a high-powered explosive.Police said the nine people belonged to a pro-independence group that called itself “Returning Valiant”.Those arrested included six teenage students and three adults who worked at a local university, a secondary school, and as a driver.Li said they were planning to attack public facilities including a cross-harbour tunnel, the railway network, and courtrooms to “maximise damage to society”.Anti-government sentiment exploded in 2019 during massive and often violent pro-democracy protests that were stamped out with arrests and a new national security law.While stability has been widely enforced, Hong Kong remains a deeply polarised city where many residents still seethe under Beijing’s rule.News of Tuesday’s arrests came just days after a 50-year-old man took his own life after stabbing a police officer in what authorities said was a “lone wolf” attack.Police said Tuesday they seized various items from the group, including a small amount of explosives, raw materials to produce TATP, air guns, mobile phones, SIM cards, an operating manual on how to plant bombs, and plans to leave the city.They also found some HK$90,000 (US$11,585) in cash and froze around HK$600,000 in related bank accounts.Police have made multiple arrests in the last two years for alleged bomb plots although no major attack has been carried out successfully.In April, a 29-year-old man was jailed for 12-years for manufacturing a kilogramme of TATP.


Bolsonaro to hand over undeclared jewels given by Saudis, report says

Lawyers for Jair Bolsonaro say the former Brazilian president has agreed to hand over to authorities jewels gifted by Saudi Arabia and which entered the country without being declared to tax authorities, local media reported Monday.
The ex-leader has been the target of investigations by the federal police and the Brazilian tax agency since the newspaper Estado de Sao Paulo reported that tax agents seized a package of jewels in October 2021, valued at US$3.2 million (RM14.36 million), inside the backpack of an official from the Ministry of Mines and Energy who was returning from an official trip to the Middle East.
The former head of the ministry, Bento Albuquerque, told the paper that a second set of jewellery, which included a watch and a pen by luxury Swiss brand Chopard, were also not declared by the government delegation at the airport.
That would mean the second package entered the country without being detected.
The former president had withheld a watch, a pen and other luxury items, alleging that they were personal gifts and that he acted within the law, according to media reports.
Bolsonaro's legal teams asked police for the items to be deposited in the care of the court "until a later decision about them," the news outlet G1 said.
A judge on Brazil's Federal Court of Accounts, which oversees the government coffers, last week ordered Bolsonaro and Albuquerque to give depositions to investigators on whether the jewels were personal presents or gifts to the nation, and why they were not properly declared.
Bolsonaro lost reelection to another four-year term in October, and has been in the US state of Florida since two days before his leftist successor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, took office on Jan 1, 2023.
Judge Augusto Nardes ordered Bolsonaro not to "wear, make use of or transfer ownership of any piece from the collection."


Trump approves TikTok deal, judge blocks WeChat ban

The White House has announced it has approved in principle a deal in which the social video network TikTok would sell a significant stake of its operations to Oracle and Walmart, according to media reports.Under the agreement, Oracle would own 12.5% of the newly created TikTok Global while Walmart would own 7.5%.The haggling began after President Donald Trump said he would ban the platform, owned by Chinese parent company ByteDance, over national security concerns.The deal falls short of full divestment, with ByteDance retaining majority ownership of TikTok Global.However, in a twist, it appears US investors own a substantial stake in ByteDance.Sources say the combined US stakes will surpass 50%, placing the new entity under de facto American control.The decision has delayed a threatened ban on the app used by more than 100 million Americans set to begin yesterday.Separately, a judge blocked a similar ban on WeChat while legal challenges were considered.Millions of US users can breathe a sigh of relief, at least for a while.


Apple to start letting people fix their own iPhones

Apple on Wednesday said it will begin allowing people to fix gadgets they buy from the Silicon Valley giant in a concession seen as a victory for “right-to-repair” advocates.The iPhone and Mac computer maker has long restricted repairs to technicians at “Genius bars” in its shops or at authorised service centres, where device owners often meet with lengthy waits and costly tabs.“We never thought we’d see the day,” read a tweet from @iFixit, which says it offers repair guides for a range of devices.“There are some catches, but were thrilled to see Apple admit what we’ve always known: Everyone’s enough of a Genius to fix an iPhone.”Apple’s new Self Service Repair programme will start in the US, offering to sell tools and parts to people who want to work on damaged iPhone 12 or 13 model handsets.It will initially focus on parts more prone to damage, such as screens, batteries and cameras.The programme will be rolled out in other countries during the course of next year, and be expanded to include some Mac computers, said the Silicon Valley-based company.“Creating greater access to Apple genuine parts gives our customers even more choice if a repair is needed,” chief operating officer Jeff Williams said in a release.“In the past three years, Apple has nearly doubled the number of service locations with access to Apple genuine parts, tools, and training, and now we’re providing an option for those who wish to complete their own repairs.”The move comes as Apple faces criticism and lawsuits over its tight control of its “ecosystem” from iPhone hardware to the apps allowed on handsets.Laws enshrining a right by people to be able to repair things they buy have gained momentum across the US and on a federal level.


Brits slurp up Australian wine that didn’t go to China

Australian wine is flooding into Britain as winemakers down under try to overcome crippling taxes imposed by Beijing which led to a collapse in sales.UK imports have surged almost 30% in the last year as Brits raise their glasses in a gesture of solidarity with their Australian cousins.Australian wine producers have increased exports to Europe to a 10-year high, with the UK now the number one destination.For the first nine months of last year, China was the biggest destination for Australian wine, accounting for around 40% of exports. Then Beijing increased taxes by a massive 212% in November following a trade row with Australia which has also affected other exports including barley, lobsters and coal.Wine Australia, a government organisation set up to promote the wine industry, said UK demand increased at the start of the coronavirus pandemic and was boosted when Brexit finally happened.The UK is now the biggest destination for Australian wine exports by volume, with Brits buying up 266 million litres in 2020.“Due to the Covid lockdown they are not drinking wines in restaurants and cafes, but instead buying retail and drinking in front of the TV,” a Wine Australia spokesman told the BBC. “Australian wines have sold extremely well in UK retail for decades.”China’s tensions with Australia started out as a political spat that spilled over into trade as officials in Beijing argued that some Australian wine is being sold more cheaply there than in its home market through the use of subsidies.“The Australian government categorically rejects any allegation that our wine producers are dumping product into China,” Australia’s agriculture minister David Littleproud said in November. “Australian wine is hugely popular both in China and across the globe due to its high quality.”In another boost for Australia, wine merchants in the UK are warning that drinkers could pay more per bottle for many European wines while choosing from a reduced range as the burden of post-Brexit paperwork and EU regulations takes effect.


Court rejects bid to strike out Gombak voters’ suit, rules portion on Anwar’s alleged sexual misconduct to stay

The Kuala Lumpur High Court has refused to expunge allegations of sexual misconduct involving PKR president Anwar Ibrahim which formed part of Mohamed Azmin Ali’s defence against a suit by a group of Gombak voters.Judge Akhtar Tahir at the same time dismissed the senior minister’s application to strike out the suit by the 10 individuals and fixed hearing dates for June next year.The 10 who are registered as voters in the Gombak constituency won by Azmin in the 2018 election filed the suit against him in November last year, saying he had breached his fiduciary duty through the “Sheraton Move” which caused the Pakatan Harapan government to collapse in February last year.The plaintiffs sought among others a declaration that Azmin deceived them during the election in the constituency and breached the representation made to them.In his statement of defence, Azmin said among others that he had decided to quit PKR as he felt Anwar was not qualified to lead the party or become the next prime minister.Azmin also said he was prepared to spill never-before seen evidence against Anwar.Lawyer N Yohendra, representing the voters, said in a WhatsApp message to the media that Akhtar had set June 7, 8, 9 and 10 next year for hearing and April 7 for case management.Azmin filed the application to strike out the suit on March 12 this year on grounds that the suit did not disclose a reasonable cause of action, and was defamatory, frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of the court process, as well as ultra vires the Federal Constitution.He also said the suit violated his fundamental right to freedom of association as provided under Article 10, Clause (1)(c) of the Federal Constitution.


Muhyiddin, Noor Hisham among first to receive Covid-19 jab

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah have received their Covid-19 vaccine shots, becoming the first individuals in the country to be inoculated against the virus which has so far infected more than 288,000 and claimed over 1,000 lives.Muhyiddin, who arrived at the Putrajaya Health Office at 2.25pm to launch the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, received his shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at 2.43pm.The vaccine was administered by Lina Ibrahim, a matron at the Putrajaya District Health Centre.Noor Hisham meanwhile received his vaccine shot directly after Muhyiddin.“I did not feel anything at all,” Muhyiddin said after receiving his shot.“It was all over before I realised it, just like a normal injection. Don’t worry, come forward any time,” he added, urging Malaysians and foreigners alike to sign up for the immunisation programme through the MySejahtera application.“Be confident and trust that the government’s efforts are to ensure that we can break the chain of Covid-19 infection. God willing, we will succeed,” he said.Four other personnel from the health ministry also received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine: Dr Tan Yee Ling, Sheilla Mellissa Sikin, Khairul Asraf Mohd Yasin and Clement Marai Francis.Tan, 30, is a medical officer while Sheilla Mellissa, 31, is a nurse at the Putrajaya Health Clinic in Precinct 9.Khairul, 44, is an assistant medical officer and Francis, 36, is a driver at the Putrajaya Health Office.The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is administered in two doses, with the jabs to be given 21 days apart.The national vaccination programme aims to provide immunisation against the Covid-19 infection to about 80% of the country’s population, both locals and foreigners.The first phase of the programme, which will run until April, will see over 500,000 frontliners inoculated against the virus.The second phase, from April to August, will involve senior citizens aged 60 and above as well as vulnerable groups with morbidity issues and persons with disabilities.The third phase, to run from May until February next year, will cater to those aged 18 and above who have yet to receive their vaccinations.Malaysia has obtained 66.7 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine through the Covax Facility, from five manufacturers. The vaccines are Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, CanSinoBIO and Sputnik V.


Sri Lanka's ousted president Rajapaksa arrives in Thailand

Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrived in Thailand on Thursday, according to three Reuters witnesses, as he seeks temporary shelter in a second Southeast Asian country after fleeing his island nation last month amid mass protests.
Rajapaksa arrived at Bangkok's Don Muang airport on a chartered flight from Singapore after the city-state's immigration authority said in a statement on Thursday he had left Singapore.
Rajapaksa is expected to stay temporarily in Thailand after fleeing Sri Lanka for Singapore on July 14. He resigned from office shortly afterwards following unprecedented unrest over his government's handling of the worst economic crisis in seven decades, and days after thousands of protesters stormed the president's official residence and office.
Thai authorities said the former military officer, who is the first Sri Lankan head of state to quit mid-term, had no intention of seeking political asylum and would only stay temporarily.
"This is a humanitarian issue and there is an agreement that it's a temporary stay," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters on Wednesday. Rajapaksa could not participate in any political activities while in Thailand, Prayuth said.
Thailand's Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the Sri Lankan government supported Rajapaksa's trip to Thailand, adding that the former president's diplomatic passport would allow him to stay for 90 days.
Rajapaksa has made no public appearances or comment since leaving Sri Lanka. Reuters was not able to immediately contact him.
Sri Lanka's economic crisis is a result of several factors including Covid-19, which battered its tourism-reliant economy and slashed remittances from workers overseas, rising oil prices, populist tax cuts and a seven-month ban on the import of chemical fertilisers last year that devastated agriculture.


1.5 million fully vaccinated so far

A total of 5,675,002 doses of Covid-19 vaccine had been administered in the country as of June 19.Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said in a Twitter post that a total of 1,588,915 individuals had completed both doses of vaccine and 4,086,087 individuals had received a first dose.The five states that recorded the highest number of vaccine recipients who had completed both doses were Selangor with 207,077 individuals, followed by Sarawak (181,690); Johor (161,082); Perak (147,250) and Kuala Lumpur (141,071).On the daily vaccinations under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, Adham said 164,282 doses were administered yesterday involving 128,400 first-dose recipients and 35,882 recipients for the second dose.Government figures show that a total of 15,072,779 vaccine registrations were recorded, as of yesterday.


Health ministry to conduct Covid-19 risk assessment next month

The health ministry will carry out a risk assessment of the Covid-19 infection situation in the middle of next month following the announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) that the epidemic is no longer categorised as a global health emergency.
Its minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the assessment is necessary to review the declaration of local areas of infection, which will expire on June 30, and to facilitate the government in determining the next direction involving the latest protection measures against Covid-19.
Although WHO no longer categorises Covid-19 as an international health emergency, she said, the ministry needs to take into account local factors.
“We, at the technical committee, have given our views that we will continue the existing standard operating procedures and maintain the local area of infection.
"We want to see the developments because there are still Covid-19 cases, but still under control. We will look at the situation in the country first before adopting WHO's recommendations,” she told a press conference after attending a town hall session on the white paper on health for the southern zone at the higher education hub in Pagoh yesterday.
Zaliha said the ministry will also review and update the Covid-19 guidelines with reference to the WHO's recommendations regarding the long-term management transition of the pandemic.
Yesterday, foreign news agencies reported that the WHO has lifted the public health emergency of international concern status for Covid-19, but insists the disease continues to pose a global threat.
Meanwhile, commenting on the white paper on health, Zaliha said it marks the beginning of the journey of reforming the Malaysian health system towards making it more sustainable and competitive.
The white paper on health will be tabled in parliament next month, she added.
In a statement on Covid-19 cases meanwhile, Zaliha said the number of cases increased by 53.1% to 7,596 in the  8th epidemiology week (ME 18/2023), which is from April 30 to May 6, from 4,963 cases in the previous week.
"The admission rate of Covid-19 patients (including suspected patients) to public health facilities also showed an increase from 5.8% to 7.2% per 100,000 population in ME 18/2023 compared to ME 17/2023," she said, adding that the infection situation in Malaysia is still under control and does not affect the health services in hospitals.


Najib's 1MDB trial vacated as witnesses unavailable

Najib Razak’s 1MDB trial was today vacated after the High Court was informed that no prosecution witnesses would turn up to testify.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib said the prosecution had tried to call a few witnesses to come to court, but to no avail due to short notice.
"My Lord, as I promised, I tried to call our witnesses. Two of them were overseas, while three others were unable to attend court due to various reasons.
"However, the 43rd prosecution witness, namely the chairman of The Edge Media Group Tong Kooi Ong, is available today. He is supposed to be cross-examined by defence lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, but Shafee is on medical leave," he said.
Meanwhile, lawyer Rahmat Hazlan, also acting for Najib, said Shafee would conduct the cross-examination for Tong on Monday as he was on three-day medical leave after seeing a dentist.
"My Lord, only Shafee can question Tong. His gums still hurt from the procedure, and he is still on MC," said the lawyer.
Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah then vacated today's trial to Monday.
Najib, 69, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.


New cases top 10,000 again as 22 more deaths reported

Another 10,052 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,352,611.There were 15,893 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,196,656.There are now 120,592 active cases, of which 117,465 or 97.4% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 367 (0.3%) are at quarantine centres while 2,599 (2.2%) have been hospitalised.A total of 161 are in ICU with 99 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 52.2%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 18.7%.Another 22 deaths were reported, including six who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,363.


Nearly 33% of population, 46% of adults fully vaccinated

Some 32.9% of the country’s population, or 10,734,415 people, had completed two doses of Covid-19 vaccine as of yesterday, says Health Minister Dr Adham Baba.He said 17,076,440 people or 52.3% had received a first dose.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine shots dispensed under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme as of yesterday to 27,810,855 doses.A total of 72.9% of the adult population had received a first dose as of yesterday while 45.9% had completed both doses.In terms of the daily vaccination rate, 415,875 doses of vaccine were administered yesterday with 143,671 for first-dose recipients and 272,204 as second doses.


Zahid invited to grace forum on tax reform alongside LHDN, customs bigwigs

Senior speakers from two of Malaysia's main taxation agencies under the finance ministry today addressed a forum on tax reform in Kuala Lumpur, at which Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the Umno president who faces multiple charges of corruption and money laundering, was named to deliver the closing address.
Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) chief executive Mohd Nizom Sairi delivered the opening address at the one-day forum dubbed the "Malaysia Tax Policy Forum", while customs director-general Zazuli Johan was represented by senior customs officer Roszita Dim in a luncheon address.
Both agencies come under the purview of the finance ministry headed by Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who only a day earlier was named as treasurer for Selangor Umno at an event attended by Zahid.
Zahid, whose trial is ongoing over 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to a charitable foundation, was represented by former Perak menteri besar Zambry Abdul Kadir, who is also Barisan Nasional secretary-general.
In his speech, Zahid called for the introduction of a political funding bill, and expressed regret about "rampant corruption under previous governments".
"Political funding can be right and wrong, depending on how we manage it. Nevertheless, it will be a significant milestone for parliamentary reform because it gets political parties to stop practising it, and transparency and accountability will prevail," he said.
The one-day forum, held in Putrajaya, was organised by the International Strategy Institute, a think tank which last year sparked criticism as well as the pullout of speakers for inviting convicted former prime minister Najib Razak to deliver the keynote address.
Najib’s nine-year rule was tainted by the 1MDB scandal, which saw him accused of channelling over US$700 million (about RM2.6 billion) from the strategic development company to his personal bank accounts. Facing a 12-year jail sentence, the former leader is set to make his final appeal at the Federal Court this month.
Last year, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun pulled out of the forum, which had also named PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim and several opposition leaders to speak on parliamentary democracy.


‘Clear evidence of collusion between Huawei and Chinese state’, says UK govt report

The British Parliament’s Defence Committee has released a report which claims there is “clear evidence of collusion between Huawei and the Chinese state”.The new report on the future of 5G security follows the UK government ordering that all Huawei equipment must be stripped out of UK telecommunication networks by 2027.Initially, the government was ready to deal with Huawei to install the necessary technology for the country’s 5G networks but reversed its decision after public alarm over possible Chinese state interference and data-gathering.The government has also ordered that British mobile network operators be banned from purchasing new Huawei equipment by the end of this year.Tobias Ellwood MP, the chairman of the defence committee, which compiled the report said, “The West must urgently unite to advance a counterweight to China’s tech dominance.”The UK government attitude is now that “large private companies in China often have links to the Chinese Communist Party, and this was one of the factors that led to Huawei being designated as a high-risk vendor”.US trade restrictions on Huawei are also influencing opinions in Westminster, the home of the British parliament.It is widely agreed among Western tech companies that although Chinese companies may not collude with the state willingly, they have no option when pressed by the Chinese authorities.A Huawei spokesman said: “This report lacks credibility, as it is built on opinion rather than fact.“We’re sure people will see through these accusations of collusion and remember instead what Huawei has delivered for Britain over the past 20 years.”


Russian mutiny details remain scarce as Putin says he sought to avoid bloodshed

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday he let Saturday's aborted mutiny go on as long as it did to avoid bloodshed, while the Wagner mercenary group boss who led the uprising said he never intended to overthrow the government.
Putin's televised address was his first public comment since Saturday, when he had said the rebellion threatened Russia's very existence and those behind it would be punished.
"From the very beginning of the events, steps were taken on my direct instruction to avoid serious bloodshed," Putin said on Monday.
"Time was needed, among other things, to give those who had made a mistake a chance to come to their senses, to realise that their actions were firmly rejected by society, and that the adventure in which they had been involved had tragic and destructive consequences for Russia and for our state."
Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin spoke in an 11-minute audio message that was posted on his press service's Telegram channel and which gave few clues to his whereabouts, or the deal under which he halted the move toward Moscow.
Prigozhin shocked the world by leading Saturday's armed revolt, an event that numerous Western leaders saw as exposing Putin's vulnerability after invading Ukraine 16 months ago.
The mercenary leader abruptly called the uprising off after his fighters had approached Moscow with virtually no resistance during a dash of nearly 800km.
The Russian president said on Monday he would honour his weekend promise to allow Wagner forces to relocate to Belarus if they wanted, sign a contract with Russia's Defence Ministry, or return to their families.
He made no mention of Prigozhin. Putin met on Monday night with the heads of Russian security services, including Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, IFX reported, citing a Kremlin spokesman.
One of Prigozhin's principal demands had been that Shoigu be sacked, along with Russia's top general, who by Monday evening had yet to appear in public since the mutiny.
Prigozhin, 62, a former Putin ally and ex-convict whose forces have fought the bloodiest battles of the Ukraine war, defied orders this month to place his troops under Defence Ministry command.
Prigozhin whereabouts unclear
Last seen on Saturday night smiling and high-fiving bystanders from the back of an SUV as he withdrew from a city occupied by his men, Prigozhin said his fighters had halted their campaign in order to avert bloodshed.
"We went as a demonstration of protest, not to overthrow the government of the country," Prigozhin said in the audio message.
He made no direct reference to his own whereabouts, nor provided further details of the mysterious agreement that had brought a halt to his mutiny.
On Saturday Prigozhin had said he was leaving for Belarus under a deal brokered by its president, Alexander Lukashenko. In Monday's remarks he said Lukashenko had offered to let Wagner operate under a legal framework, but did not elaborate.
The White House said it could not confirm whether the Wagner chief was in Belarus.
Prigozhin said his men had been forced to shoot down helicopters that attacked them as they drove towards Moscow.
Putin also alluded to some fighting, saying "the organisers of the mutiny" had led the Wagner troops "to shoot their own."
Putin thanked Wagner fighters and commanders who stood down to avoid what he called "fratricidal bloodshed", and said the vast majority of Wagner's members were patriots.
Russia's three main news agencies reported on Monday that a criminal case against Prigozhin had not been closed, an apparent reversal of an offer of immunity publicised as part of the deal that persuaded him to stand down.
'Nothing to do with it'
In comments before a speech at the White House, US President Joe Biden called the mutiny "part of a struggle within the Russian system". He discussed it in a conference call with key allies who agreed it was vital not to let Putin blame it on the West or Nato, he said.
"We made it clear that we were not involved. We had nothing to do with it," Biden said.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said US policy did not seek to change the government in Russia.
Foreign governments, both friendly and hostile to Russia, were left groping for answers to what had happened behind the scenes and what could come next.
"The political system is showing fragilities, and the military power is cracking," European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters in Luxembourg.
In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the military had made advances on Monday in all sectors of the front line. "It is a happy day," Zelensky said in his nightly video address, delivered from a train after visiting frontline positions. "May I wish our boys more such days."
Kyiv hopes the chaos caused by the mutiny attempt in Russia will undermine its defences as Ukraine presses on with a counteroffensive, begun earlier this month to recapture territory which Moscow claims to have annexed.
On Monday, Ukraine said its forces had recaptured the small southern village of Rivnopil, the ninth village it says it has retaken since launching the counteroffensive, and the first in more than a week. Russia said it had foiled Ukrainian attacks.


Suhakam slams alleged police assault of civilian

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has voiced concern over the alleged assault of a civilian by the police based on suspicion that he was involved in the smuggling of cigarettes, calling for the early enactment of the Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) Bill to oversee the conduct of the police force in the country.In a statement, it said the use of force should only be necessary and proportionate to the law enforcement’s objective and the level of resistance encountered.“In accordance with the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime Handbook on Police Accountability, Oversight and Integrity, Suhakam is of the view that an effective review process by an enforcement oversight body is crucial particularly in addressing cases of misconduct concerning excessive or unlawful use of force and firearms by police officers,” it said.“Suhakam is convinced that the establishment of a more independent, free and transparent body will go a long way in restoring and enhancing public confidence in the police force.”Recent reports said a 21-year-old man had accused police officers in plainclothes of assaulting him and firing a warning shot at him before arresting him on suspicion of involvement in cigarette smuggling.Suhakam said while the country is currently under a state of emergency, this does not warrant the abuse of power in any situation.It added that it had received 479 complaints about excessive use of force and abuse of power by the police between 2015 and 2020.“The abuse of power by law enforcement authorities is not something new,” it said.


Rulers' decision on 'Allah' issue to be adopted as final policy, says Anwar

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says whatever decision is made at the Conference of Rulers’ meeting slated to be held in October will be adopted as final policy for the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims in Malaysia.
In a statement issued after his audience yesterday with Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who is the chairman of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI), Anwar said the sultan had also agreed to bring up the issue in the MKI meeting in August before it is brought up for further discussion at the Conference of Rulers meeting.
During the audience, Anwar said he also briefed the sultan on issues concerning the government’s decision in the Jill Ireland case.
"I also explained to the sultan about the federal government's stance on respecting the law in each state and the position of the Malay rulers as the heads of religion in determining matters related to Islam at the state level, and the role of the Conference of Rulers at the federal level.
"I respect the sultan’s views, which are in line with the Cabinet’s decision made in May, that the issue concerning the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims in Sabah and Sarawak should be scrutinised and clarified to the MKI which has the role of advising the Conference of Rulers," he said.
Anwar said during the audience, he also reaffirmed the federal government's stance to ratify and adopt the existing policy that the word "Allah" can only be used by Muslims in the peninsula and with restrictions for non-Muslims in Sabah and Sarawak.


With Zahid on top, EC rule on campaign posters could backfire on BN

A three-year-old ruling by the Election Commission (EC) on campaign posters made during the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) government could end up backfiring on the coalition at the next general election, in the event that it contests on its own.BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been urging Umno to contest under the coalition’s banner, after securing a mandate from the recent Umno general assembly to cut ties with the Perikatan Nasional (PN) bloc.This could mean that Umno candidates contesting under the BN logo might be using posters bearing the image of Zahid.Given his multiple corruption charges, making him the face of any campaign would provide ready ammunition for rival candidates.Just days before the 2018 general election, the EC issued a ruling that political parties may only use images of their top two leaders on campaign posters, in addition to those of the candidate contesting the constituency in question.The ruling, which riled up Pakatan Harapan in the run-up to the 14th general election, is still in place, MalaysiaNow has learnt.“We have not revoked it,” said a source in the EC while another spokesman confirmed that the ruling still applies.The EC “guideline”, issued just as the election campaign began in 2018, effectively prevented PH from using photos of Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim across the country.Mahathir was at that time leading the PH coalition, while Anwar was still serving time in prison for the crime of sodomy. The two leaders had enjoyed wide support after burying their hatchet, and were riding high on the back of public anger over then-prime minister Najib Razak’s 1MDB scandal.This time around, it remains to be seen whether Zahid will be the poster boy for BN’s campaign.One analyst said any use of images bearing Zahid’s face could turn away votes.Hisommudin Bakar pointed to the Umno chief’s corruption charges and ongoing trials, where lurid details of alleged wrongdoings have been revealed in open court.He said he does not think that Zahid brings with him a “winning aura”.He added that the same holds true for a large section of voters in the case of Najib, despite his popularity among Malay social media users, powered by the so-called “Bossku” tagline.“But for the non-Malay segment, his kleptocrat image is still strong and hard to accept,” Hisommudin, who heads pollster Ilham Centre, told MalaysiaNow, borrowing a term used by US authorities in exposing the theft of billions of dollars in 1MDB money.Hisommudin also said Umno had been shackled by the fact that it could not come up with a “clean figure” as its “poster boy”.He named Umno deputy president Mohamad Hassan, Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein, and former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin as among those who would be a better choice as the face of BN’s election campaign.But while they have not been slapped with corruption charges, he said, they might not have much support within Umno.In the case of Khairy, Hisommudin said he is “less popular among the old cohorts in Umno”.“But his advantage is that he is a young leader who carries with him fresh and progressive ideas in Umno,” he added.Khairy lost the president’s post to Zahid at the Umno elections, held some two months after the party’s fall from power.He had emerged as one of Zahid’s critics as the Umno president launched a series of attacks against the PN government. He recently urged the Umno leadership to obtain a fresh mandate through party elections before going to the national polls.


Hong Kong leader praises China’s plan to install ‘patriots’

Hong Kong’s leader on Monday praised China’s plan to ensure only “patriots” remain in politics, denying the move was a purge of the opposition.Chief Executive Carrie Lam ruled out any need to consult the public on the changes, as they were decreed by Beijing.Legislation to vet all election candidates in Hong Kong is currently being discussed by China’s rubber-stamp parliament and is expected to be adopted on Thursday.China has said only those deemed “patriotic” will be allowed to stand.Critics say the radical overhaul of the city’s already limited democratic system will demolish what remains of the pro-democracy opposition and ensure only loyalists remain, an argument that Lam rejected on Monday.“The improvements to the electoral system are not designed to favour someone, it is designed to ensure that whoever is administering Hong Kong is patriotic,” Lam, a pro-Beijing appointee, told reporters after returning from the gathering in Beijing.“The decision is timely, necessary, lawful and constitutional, and the central authorities’ leadership and decision-making power are out of question.”Authoritarian China promised Hong Kong would keep a degree of autonomy and certain freedoms when it reverted from British colonial rule in 1997.The city has a partially elected legislature and China also promised to one day grant residents universal suffrage.Critics had for years complained freedoms were being steadily eroded. Beijing then ramped up the dismantling of the financial hub’s democratic pillars in response to huge and sometimes violent democracy rallies that paralysed the city throughout 2019.Hong Kong was poised to hold direct elections for half the city legislature’s seats last summer but delayed the polls for a year, citing the coronavirus.On Monday, Lam hinted a further delay was likely given the sweeping changes Beijing is planning.“We are not able to tell you now whether the September election can proceed as scheduled,” she said, adding the priority was to implement whatever changes Beijing decides on first.She said her government would launch an “intensive” drive to explain the changes.But she said there was no need for a “so-called extensive public consultation”, arguing the transformation of Hong Kong’s political system was “urgent” and was being spearheaded by the central government.Hong Kong has never been a democracy – something that has fuelled protests and resentment in the territory towards Beijing.But it maintained a measure of choice, allowing a vocal opposition to contest certain local elections and maintain a minority presence.When Hong Kongers were allowed to vote, they tended to return high counts for candidates advocating greater democracy.In recent years authorities have ramped up the disqualification of politicians either sitting in the city’s semi-elected legislature or standing as candidates, based on their political views.Beijing also imposed a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong last year, snuffing out protest and clobbering the pro-democracy opposition.Many of the city’s most prominent democracy campaigners have since been arrested, jailed or fled overseas.


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China pledges another US$3 billion in Covid-19 aid to developing countries

China’s President Xi Jinping on Friday promised US$3 billion in aid to developing countries to fight Covid-19 at an unprecedented emergency online meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) heads of state.Xi said the additional funds, which come after a similar pledge in May, were intended to “support Covid-19 response and economic and social recovery in other developing countries”, according to the official Xinhua news agency.Appearing via a video-link, Xi added that China has already supplied developing countries with more than 500 million Covid-19 vaccine doses.New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was scheduled to host the annual summit of leaders from the 21-nation Apec group in December, but called an additional meeting with less than five days’ notice to address urgent issues caused by the global pandemic.US President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin are attending the meeting, which began on Friday evening Beijing time.Faced with international criticism over how it handled the initial outbreak in the central city of Wuhan and calls for an international inquiry into the causes of the pandemic, Beijing has been keen to position itself as a saviour for other countries now struggling to control the virus.China, where the coronavirus first surfaced in late 2019, has promised billions of dollars in aid, medical equipment and vaccines to countries around the world in recent months as it brought domestic outbreaks under control.


Police say arrest of students over SPM rant within the law

The police yesterday said they had acted within the law when arresting two students over an alleged rant on the history paper of the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.
Hulu Selangor district police chief Suffian Abdullah said the two 18-year-old students were placed under remand to facilitate investigations under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955 and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988.
"The two-day remand order against both students was to have their statements recorded thoroughly and to fact-check with related parties, including (checking) the contents of the mobile phone and to get a disciplinary report from the school.
"Satisfied with the progress of our investigations, both students were released at 11am today on police bail," he said in a statement yesterday.
Suffian said this in response to a statement by Lawyers of Liberty criticising the police for arresting the two students on Friday.
He added that the investigation paper would be completed and referred to the Selangor deputy public prosecutor.
The media reported that the police had arrested two teenagers after receiving a report from a 53-year-old female teacher on Friday in connection with a viral video showing a male student in school uniform venting his anger over the SPM history paper.


Russia says suspended nuclear pact as US was using it to help Ukraine

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Thursday that Moscow had been forced to suspend its participation in the New START nuclear arms control treaty because Washington was using it to help Ukraine attack Russian strategic sites.
Speaking at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Ryabkov said that the US and its Western allies wanted to see Russia strategically defeated in Ukraine and accused them of fanning conflict there.
"The situation further degraded after US attempts to 'probe' the security of Russian strategic facilities declared under the New START Treaty by assisting the Kyiv regime in conducting armed attacks against them," Ryabkov said.
"Under these circumstances, we were forced to announce the suspension of the treaty."
Protesting Ryabkov's presence at the event, the permanent representatives of the United States, France and other Western countries at the UN in Geneva stood outside the conference room, posing with blue and yellow Ukrainian flags and signs that read #standwithukraine.
"We wanted to be clear that we ambassadors are not going to be sitting in the Conference on Disarmament or the Human Rights Council listening to the lies and distortions of some Russian deputy foreign minister," Simon Manley, British ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, told Reuters.
"We want to show we are here with Ukraine, day in and day out, and support their fight for their freedom."
President Vladimir Putin announced last week that Russia was suspending its participation in New START, and signed a law to that effect on Tuesday.
Signed by then-US president Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in 2010, the treaty caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads that each side can deploy.
Ryabkov, who had previously said the two countries continued to discuss issues around the treaty via "closed channels", said on Thursday that Russia would continue to comply with the limits on strategic offensive arms set by the pact.
Due to expire in 2026, the treaty allows each country to physically check the other's nuclear arsenal, although tensions over Ukraine had already brought inspections to a halt.


Tokyo and IOC confident of Olympics going ahead in 2021

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike remains confident of being able to safely hold the Olympics next year despite growing concerns about Japan’s recent resurgence of Covid-19 infections, the AP reports.Japan is experiencing an uptick of infections this month, with a nationwide daily total exceeding 2,000 as the government tries to balance suppression measures with business activity without further hurting the pandemic-hit economy.“As the host city, I’m determined to achieve the games whatever it takes,” Koike told a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday.The governor said widespread use of masks by the Japanese is one of the most effective safety measures and has spared Japan from the high rate of infections hitting the US and Europe. Many Japanese use them as a “moral duty” in trying to cooperate in disease prevention efforts, she said.Tokyo’s daily cases have spiked in recent weeks and Koike has met with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to discuss how to deal with the recent resurgence of infections. Suga has suffered a wave of criticisms that his government was too slow to take steps despite experts repeatedly calling for government action.Japan, during its seven-week state of emergency in April and May, had non-mandatory stay-home and business closure requests but still did better than many other countries.International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach is not only confident that the Tokyo Games will be happening in the summer of 2021, but also that people will be allowed to watch the games live in the venues they take place in.“I think we can become more and more confident that we will have a reasonable number of spectators in the Olympic venues,” he said.This newfound confidence comes after news of several vaccines approaching readiness. Also Tokyo hosted an international gymnastics competition at the weekend which served as a test case for how to approach Olympic sports in the era of Covid.The IOC says that participants and athletes will be encouraged to get vaccinated in order to protect the Japanese public.When asked by AP if a contingency for cancelling the Olympics again in 2021 would be discussed, Bach said “no”.


Zelensky says danger remains after nuclear plant resumes power supply

Ukraine's president on Friday said the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remains "very risky" after two of its six reactors were reconnected to the grid following shelling that caused Europe's largest nuclear power plant to be disconnected for the first time in its history.
Russian shelling continued to displace civilians in the east of the country, where three quarters of the population has fled the frontline region of Donetsk, according to the regional governor, and Ukraine continued to damage Russia's supply routes to the southern front near Kherson.
Ukraine's state nuclear company Energoatom said on Friday evening that both of the plant's two functioning reactors had been reconnected to the grid and were again supplying electricity after they were fully disconnected on Thursday.
"Let me stress that the situation remains very risky and dangerous," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his regular evening address, praising Ukrainian experts working to "avert the worst-case scenario."
"Any repeat of yesterday's events, meaning any disconnection of the station from the grid, any action by Russia that could provoke the disconnection of reactors, would once again place the station one step away from a catastrophe," Zelensky said.
Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February, took control of the nuclear plant in March, though it is still operated by Ukrainian technicians working for Energoatom.
The two sides have traded the blame for shelling near the plant, which on Thursday sparked fires in the ash pits of a nearby coal power station that disconnected the plant from the power grid.
Satellite images showed a fire near the plant but Reuters could not verify its cause.
Zelensky also reiterated Ukraine's demand that the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), be urgently allowed to visit the Zaporizhzhia plant.
Moscow, which has forces based in the plant's complex, said it was doing everything to ensure that an IAEA visit, expected in the coming days, could take place safely. Foreign ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova said Ukraine was trying to disrupt such a visit by attacking the plant.
Residents in Zaporizhzhia city, 50km northeast of the plant, expressed alarm at the situation.
"Of course I am scared. Everyone is scared, we don’t know what will happen next, what is waiting for us every next minute, second," said social media manager Maria Varakina, 25.
School teacher Hanna Kuz, 46, said people were afraid that the Ukrainian authorities might not be able to warn residents in time in case of radiation fallout.
The Kremlin says its aim is to "denazify" and demilitarise Ukraine and remove perceived security threats to Russia. Ukraine and the West say this is a baseless pretext for a war of conquest.
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, an ally of President Vladimir Putin, said in a French television interview on Friday that Russia was prepared to hold talks with Zelensky subject to certain conditions, but warned Moscow would not stop its assault until its goals had been achieved.
"Renouncing (Ukraine's) participation in the North Atlantic alliance is now vital, but it is already insufficient in order to establish peace," Medvedev told LCI television in quotes reported by Russian news agencies.
Fighting
Ukrainian rocket fire put an important bridge in Kherson region out of action on Friday, Ukraine's southern military command said.
Knocking out the Darivsky bridge, used by Russian forces to cross the Inhulets River just east of the city of Kherson, will complicate Moscow's efforts to supply its troops in the Russian-occupied city that Ukraine wants to take back, it said.
"Our soldiers are doing everything possible to reduce the occupiers' fighting and logistical potential," Zelensky said in his address, referring to recent strikes on Russian supply depots and bridges.
There was no immediate comment from Moscow.
The Ukrainian military general staff said Russian aircraft attacked several sites, focusing on more than a dozen towns in the south including the city of Mykolaiv, a river port lying just off the Black Sea.
There were also air strikes against several towns in the Sumy region near the Russian border, the general staff said, and Russian forces had shelled and carried out air attacks against the Kharkiv region in the northeast.
Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of the eastern Donetsk region, said three quarters of its population had been evacuated.
"There is practically not a single major town or city that is not subject to (Russian) shelling," he told Ukrainian TV.
Also on Friday, Washington confirmed reports that a US citizen had recently died in Ukraine, but declined to provide further details.
Russian state news agency TASS said the deputy traffic police chief in the occupied Ukrainian city of Berdiansk was killed on Friday in a bombing. Its Russian-installed administration blamed the blast on "Ukrainian saboteurs". Ukraine's defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
Reuters was unable to verify the battlefield reports of either side.


Former Bersatu Youth wing exco says no lies in Syed Saddiq testimony

The former exco of the Bersatu Youth wing told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that he was not lying when testifying against Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, but was afraid of being charged in court in another case.Abdul Hannaan Khairy, 29, said his testimony that the Muar MP asked him to “backdate” the quotation date and receipt amounting to RM250,000 in relation to the wing’s souvenirs was true, although he did not remember the exact “backdated” date.“I was not lying but I was afraid of being charged in court,” he said during re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin at the trial of Syed Saddiq, who faces four charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering.The 10th prosecution witness said he would not have asked Muhammad Naqib Ab Rahim, who was then a member of Bersatu, to “backdate” the dates on the two documents if Syed Saddiq had not asked him to do so.Earlier, during cross-examination by Syed Saddiq’s lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, the witness admitted to being afraid when testifying in court today.Gobind: Why are you afraid, has MACC asked you about other cases?Hannaan: Yes.Gobind: You are afraid of being accused of other cases?Hannan: Yes.Gobind: You are willing to testify (in court), in return you are not charged in another case.Hannaan: Your Honour, can I go to the toilet?However, judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid asked Hannan to answer the question first, and Hannaan replied, “Yes.”Hannaan, who is now the editor of Serius Kool Media Sdn Bhd, said he was arrested by the MACC on June 4, 2020, after receiving a phone call from Muhammad Saufi Yusof to pick him up from the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.“I left Southville City at 11pm to fetch him (Saufi) and arrived there (Putrajaya MACC) around 12 midnight. When I entered the MACC lobby, I couldn’t call him and waited for Saufi to come out. While I was waiting in the car, suddenly two or three MACC men ran towards me and asked me to get out of the car,” he said.Asked by Gobind why MACC arrested him, the witness replied: “In relation to the loss of RM250,000.”According to Hannaan, he was also questioned about the Volkswagen car he bought in early 2020 and was worried that action would be taken by MACC regarding the purchase of the car.He added that the car was returned to him after a year of being seized by the MACC.The witness said he was also disappointed with the treatment given by MACC officers during the interrogation of his wife, whom he said had been insulted with abusive words.He added that a police report had been lodged to protect himself from being threatened.Syed Saddiq was charged as Bersatu’s then Youth chief, entrusted with the control of the wing’s funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim Razali, the wing’s assistant treasurer at the time, with CBT of RM1 million.He was accused of committing the offence at CIMB Bank, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, on March 6, 2020, charged under Section 406 of the Penal Code which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years and a whipping, with the possibility of a fine upon conviction.For the second charge, Syed Saddiq was accused of misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money.He was accused of committing the offence at Malayan Banking, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018, and charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of between six months and five years, with whipping and a fine upon conviction.He also faces two counts of engaging in money laundering activities, in two transactions of RM50,000 believed to be the proceeds of unlawful activities from his Maybank Islamic account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.Syed Saddiq was accused of committing the offence at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.The charges were framed under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, punishable under Section 4 (1) of the same law, which provides for a maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or the proceeds of illegal activities, upon conviction.The trial before Azhar continues tomorrow.


UK Supreme Court rejects legal bid by IS bride to return

Britain’s highest court on Friday rejected a bid by a woman who was stripped of her UK citizenship for joining the Islamic State (IS) group to return to challenge the decision.Five judges at the Supreme Court gave a unanimous decision in the case of Shamima Begum, whose legal battles have come to be seen as a test of how Britain treat nationals who joined the jihadists.They found her right to a fair hearing did not override considerations such as public safety, and that the decision to block her return should remain until she can participate “without the safety of the public being compromised”.“That is not a perfect solution, as it is not known how long it may be before that is possible,” the head of the Supreme Court, judge Robert Reed, said in a written judgment.“But there is no perfect solution to a dilemma of the present kind.”Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said the government was pleased with the ruling, telling reporters “decisions to deprive individuals of their citizenship are not taken lightly”.“The safety and security of the UK must come first,” he added.Now 21, Begum left her home in east London at the age of 15 to travel to Syria with two school friends and married an IS fighter.Britain’s then-interior minister Sajid Javid revoked her citizenship in 2019 on national security grounds amid an outcry led by right-wing newspapers.‘Extreme actions’The conservative lawmaker welcomed Friday’s verdict, noting it underlined that the government must be able to decide if someone poses too serious a threat to enter the country.“Any restrictions of rights and freedoms faced by this individual are a direct consequence of the extreme actions that she and others have taken,” Javid added.In 2019 Begum told The Times newspaper that she did not regret travelling to Syria and had not been “fazed” by seeing a severed head dumped in a bin.Although Britain has blocked her return, the US and several European countries have accepted the repatriation of their citizens accused of joining the IS group overseas, with some facing charges in their home countries.Begum claims she married a Dutch convert soon after arriving in IS-held territory. She was discovered, nine months pregnant, in a Syrian refugee camp in February 2019.She remains in a camp in poor conditions, while her husband is reportedly in jail in Syria.Her newborn baby died soon after she gave birth, while her two other children also died in infancy under IS rule.Begum has repeatedly appealed various court rulings over her ability to re-enter Britain to challenge the legality of losing her citizenship.‘Dangerous precedent’Begum argued that the decision was unlawful as it has made her stateless and exposed her to the risk of death or inhuman and degrading treatment.Begum is of Bangladeshi heritage but the country’s foreign minister has said he will not consider granting her citizenship.The Court of Appeal ruled in July last year that Begum needed to come back to mount a fair and effective appeal.But the interior ministry in turn appealed against this decision, insisting she remained “aligned” with the proscribed terrorist organisation.A government lawyer told the Supreme Court in November her return would create “an increased risk of terrorism”.Her legal team argued that this did not override the need for a fair hearing.In upholding the government appeal, the Supreme Court found four main flaws with the Court of Appeal decision, including that it had erroneously made “its own assessment of the requirements of national security”.Rights groups, which have argued Begum should answer for any crimes in her home country, reacted with dismay to the ruling.“Stripping someone’s citizenship without due process sets a dangerous precedent,” rights organisation Liberty said.


Home ministry welcomes MACC probe into alleged corrupt practices at KLIA

The home affairs ministry will fully cooperate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate allegations of corruption by immigration officers in handling foreign tourists at the country's entry points.
Its minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the ministry had no objection to the investigation by the commission.
"The home affairs ministry will extend our fullest cooperation to MACC," he told reporters after launching the national-level People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) 51st-anniversary celebration at its northern region training centre in Bukit Selambau, Sungai Petani.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim revealed that the National Registration Department and the Immigration Department – both under the purview of the home affairs ministry – are being investigated for corruption and power abuse.
A news portal on Thursday reported that a commotion occurred at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) when a minister allegedly attempted to "rescue" a female Chinese national who was denied entry into the country.
The minister was said to have barged into the arrival hall without applying for a security pass.
Commenting on the KLIA incident, Saifuddin said the inspection of visitors entering the country by immigration officers is a common practice, which is also a practice by immigration staff in other countries.
He said there were cases of visitors given the Not-To-Land (NTL) notice, but the number was very small.
"For example, for visitors from China, an average of only between 50 and 60 people are issued the NTL and there are also from other countries, but the number is very small," he added.