Why Najib is still MP for Pekan

Azhar Harun, the speaker of the House of Representatives, has ruled that Najib Razak will remain the MP for Pekan until the disposal of the latter's motion for review in the Federal Court and/or the latter's petition for a pardon.
Hassan Abdul Karim, the MP for Pasir Gudang, disagrees with Azhar on, among others, the following grounds:
(a) Najib was disqualified as an MP as soon as the Federal Court handed down its decision;
(b) The royal pardon proceeding has not been heard;
(c) The Royal Pardon Board is not a court; and
(d) It is not stated in the Federal Constitution that if an MP petitions to the pardons board or applies for a review of the Federal Court's decision that his/her qualification as a MP remains.
With all due respect to Hassan, none of his contentions hold water.
Article 48(1) of the Federal Constitution, which he is relying on, expressly begins with the phrase "Subject to the provisions of this article."
This would mean that Article 48(1)(e) of the Federal Constitution, which Hassan is relying on to automatically disqualify Najib as an MP, has to be read together with the other provisions in Article 48 of the Federal Constitution.
Article 48(4) of the Federal Constitution has various sub-provisions of relevance.
Articles 48(4)(b) and (c) of the Federal Constitution provide:
"Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing provisions of this article, where a member of either House of Parliament becomes disqualified from continuing to be a member thereof pursuant to Paragraph (e) of Clause (1) or under a federal law made in pursuance of Clause (2)—
...
(b) if within the period of fourteen days specified in Paragraph (a) an appeal or any other court proceeding is brought in respect of such conviction or sentence, or in respect of being so convicted or proved guilty, as the case may be, the disqualification shall take effect upon the expiry of fourteen days from the date on which such appeal or other court proceeding is disposed of by the court; or
(c) if within the period specified in paragraph (a) or the period after the disposal of the appeal or other court proceeding specified in paragraph (b) there is filed a petition for a pardon, such disqualification shall take effect immediately upon the petition being disposed of."
As Najib appealed to the Federal Court, his disqualification from being an MP would only take effect 14 days after the disposal of his Federal Court appeal.
The Federal Court handed down its decision, in relation to Najib's appeal, on Aug 23, 2022.
However, within the 14 days from Aug 23:
(a) Najib filed a petition for a pardon, on Sept 2; and
(b) Najib filed a motion for review against the Federal Court's decision, on Sept 6.
This would mean that Articles 48(4)(b) and (c) of the Federal Constitution have come into play to "stay" Najib's disqualification as an MP.
Najib will only be disqualified as an MP upon the expiry of 14 days from the date of the disposal of his motion for review in the Federal Court or immediately upon the disposal of his petition for a pardon (whichever is later).
Granted, Najib's petition for a pardon has not been disposed of by the pardons board. However, Article 48(4)(c) of the Federal Constitution applied as soon as Najib's petition for a pardon was filed.
Further, it is also granted that the pardons board is not a court. However, Hassan appears to be conflating Articles 48(4)(b) and (c) of the Federal Constitution.
Article 48(4)(b) of the Federal Constitution would apply to Najib's motion for review while Article 48(4)(c) of the Federal Constitution would apply to his petition for a pardon.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


30% cut in assessment for Putrajaya homes below RM300,000

Houses in Putrajaya priced below RM300,000 will be given a 30% discount in assessment beginning next year, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the tax cut would take effect on Jan 1, 2023 until a reassessment is done by Putrajaya Corporation.
"This 30% discount is for residential premises built between 2017 and now, involving almost 8,500 units," he said in a statement today.
Anwar said he decided to reduce the charges following complaints from Putrajaya residents that the assessment for their premises was higher than that in surrounding areas.
He said this was also in line with the government’s desire to ease the burden of the people, especially the M40 and B40 groups in owning affordable homes in Putrajaya.


North Korea reports 21 deaths of people with fever amid Covid outbreak

North Korea reported 21 new deaths on Friday among people with fevers, the state news agency reported on Saturday, as the country battles its first Covid-19 outbreak which state leader Kim Jong Un has called a “great turmoil”.About 280,810 people were being treated and 27 people have died since a fever of unidentified origins started to be reported in the country since late April, KCNA news agency said.State media did not say whether the new deaths were due to Covid. KCNA said on Friday that one death had been confirmed to be due to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.The reports were made at a ruling Workers’ Party meeting early on Saturday that was attended by leader Kim, who said the outbreak was a great disaster to fall on the country since its foundation but one that can be overcome, KCNA said.The health crisis has been caused by the incompetence and irresponsibility of party organisations in their anti-epidemic response, and efforts must be made to overcome the outbreak in the shortest possible period, KCNA quoted Kim as saying.


Threat of pandemic polls with ‘court cluster’ plan to force election

The recent sharp rise in Covid-19 infections could spiral into an even bigger wave of the deadly pandemic if a group of former government leaders decides to derail the passing of the 2021 budget next month to trigger a general election.MalaysiaNow can reveal that frantic appeals by their colleagues in Perikatan Nasional not to pursue the threat have so far fallen on deaf ears, giving Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin no choice but to prepare “for the most difficult part of his rule since taking over the top office in March”.The pandemic was first detected in Malaysia at the beginning of the year, at a time when internal squabbles in Pakatan Harapan were building up to its eventual collapse in February.A fragile majority was quickly gathered by Muhyiddin, whose first task was to manage one of the worst national crises since independence, forcing the government to spend billions on economic sectors hard hit by a nationwide lockdown.That majority was helped by the en bloc entry of 39 MPs from Umno, which included a group of leaders who have been slapped with scores of corruption charges.They include Najib Razak and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the pair who helmed the Barisan Nasional government and who, between them, face 79 charges of corruption, breach of trust and money laundering.‘Plan B’In a recent explosive revelation, MalaysiaNow reported that the duo had backed PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim in his recent mission to overthrow Muhyiddin through defections.But with the crumbling of Anwar’s coup plan, it is learnt that “at least six” MPs are ready to initiate “Plan B”.“Plan B essentially means not voting to pass the budget, which will be tabled on Nov 6.“That means the collapse of the government, leaving the system with no choice but to call for a snap election,” said a person privy to intense discussions this week as officials weigh their options to avoid an election during the Covid-19 pandemic.Don’t have elections now, pleads ex-EC chiefExperts warn as Malaysia inches towards pandemic-era snap pollsRevealed: Najib, Zahid wrote to palace in support of AnwarUnder the Westminster convention which requires the government to have majority support in the Dewan Rakyat, failure to pass the federal budget would mean that it has lost that support.“Such a likelihood, in the current confusion, means no other way but a general election to choose the next government,” the same source said.“Plan B essentially means not voting to pass the budget, which will be tabled by Muhyiddin on Nov 6.”Experts have warned against holding snap polls during the pandemic season.In the last three days alone, Malaysia recorded close to 2,000 new Covid-19 infections, with some of the nation’s busiest economic centres returning to stricter variants of the movement control order.In the first 20 days of October, Malaysia recorded 57 Covid-19 fatalities, about a third of the total deaths recorded between January and September this year.Personal interests vs public health?The spike began just days after the Sabah state election, which saw crowds at campaign events and more rapid travel between the peninsula and the Borneo state.That outcome sparked a warning by the head of Putrajaya’s committee tasked with reforming the electoral system against any move to call for snap polls.Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, a former chairman of the Election Commission who heads the Electoral Reforms Committee, said an election at this time would spark a “national health disaster”.“The Sabah election proved this as the authorities did not have the capacity to check and control, given the volume of campaign activities all over the country. My plea is, please, don’t call for elections now,” he told MalaysiaNow early this month.It remains to be seen whether such an appeal will be heeded by the so-called “court cluster”, a nickname given to the group of MPs who are facing corruption charges.As of now, there are strong signs that they are bent on derailing the passing of the budget next month.Apart from Najib and Zahid, who have made no secret of their dislike for Muhyiddin’s government, four other MPs are facing dozens of corruption charges.Still, it is not clear if all of them will follow their former bosses in not voting to pass the budget next month.“It is about their personal interests colliding with public interests,” an aide to a former minister told MalaysiaNow.If this collision of interests leads to Muhyiddin’s budget not being passed, the prime minister may have no choice but to dissolve the Parliament to make way for an election.A recent study by the Washington-based Council on Foreign Relations showed that pandemic-season elections may see low voter turnouts and defeat the democratic process.And in Malaysia’s case, there is no guarantee that it will not lead to a hung parliament or a government at the risk of collapsing at any time, even when it is most needed to battle the deadly but invisible enemy of Covid-19.


Top Chinese, US diplomats hold phone call

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang held a telephone call Wednesday, the highest-level talks in a recent flurry of diplomatic activity between the countries.
Tensions have risen sharply between the world's two largest economies in recent years, especially over Taiwan, the self-governing democracy that Beijing claims and has not ruled out seizing by force.
Blinken is due in Beijing on Sunday for talks aimed at calming nerves, after a previous planned visit was abruptly cancelled in February.
But in their call, which took place Wednesday Beijing time, Qin warned that relations between the two countries had faced "new difficulties and challenges" since the beginning of the year.
"It's clear who is responsible," Qin said, according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout of a phone call between the two high-ranking diplomats.
"China has always viewed and managed China-US relations in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation put forward by President Xi Jinping," he added.
"Spoke tonight with PRC State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang by phone," Blinken said on Twitter. "Discussed ongoing efforts to maintain open channels of communication as well as bilateral and global issues."
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Blinken had stressed "the importance of maintaining open lines of communication to responsibly manage the US-PRC relationship to avoid miscalculation and conflict" with Qin.
Blinken also "made clear the US would continue to use diplomatic engagements to raise areas of concern as well as areas of potential cooperation", Miller said.
Blinken is expected to arrive in Beijing on June 18, the first trip by a top US diplomat to China since his predecessor Mike Pompeo in October 2018, US officials have said on condition of anonymity.
Presidents Joe Biden and Xi met in Bali in November and agreed to try to prevent already high tensions from soaring out of control, including by sending Blinken to Beijing.
But Blinken abruptly cancelled a trip scheduled in early February after the United States said it detected – and later shot down – a Chinese surveillance balloon flying over the US mainland, drawing fury from US lawmakers and denials by Beijing.
The two sides have more recently looked again to keep tensions in check including with an extensive, closed-door meeting between Biden's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, and senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in Vienna last month.
And Biden has sought limited areas for cooperation with China, such as climate change, in contrast with the more fully adversarial position adopted at the end of the administration of his predecessor Donald Trump.


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Australians trapped in vaccine ‘Hunger Games’, says top official

Getting vaccinated in Australia is like “The Hunger Games”, a top health official admitted Monday as the country battles scarce supplies during a growing Covid-19 outbreak.A vaccine shortage has led to panicked efforts by people looking to get jabbed, said Brad Hazzard, health minister for the country’s most populous state New South Wales.“It is almost a sense now of The Hunger Games of people chasing vaccine,” he said of desperate residents turning up at mass vaccination centres or making regular calls to medical facilities in the hope of securing an appointment.Set in a dystopian future, the wildly popular Hunger Games books and films saw a group of young people selected annually to participate in a televised battle to the death.Just 7% of Australia’s roughly 25 million residents have been fully vaccinated, one of the lowest proportions for any developed nation.The country’s conservative government bet heavily on AstraZeneca, and developing a homegrown vaccine, which failed in trials.Many Australians have shunned the available AstraZeneca offering – now only recommended for those aged over 60 – and tried to secure appointments to get the Pfizer shot.But the odds have not been in their favour as efforts to get more doses of Pfizer and other vaccines remain hampered by late decisions on ordering and limited global supply.Prime Minister Scott Morrison is under growing pressure to increase the vaccination rate, as an outbreak in locked-down Sydney grew to more than 300.Australia has seen 30,000 virus cases since the pandemic began, but several major cities imposed snap lockdowns to limit small outbreaks in recent weeks.Hazzard said it was “easy to be critical” of the federal government’s efforts in hindsight, “but I think they did their best”.But he warned “until we get enough vaccine – and enough GPs actually at the frontline able to provide that vaccine into arms – we will continue to have effectively The Hunger Games going on here,” he said.Last week Morrison revealed a four-stage plan to reopen Australia’s borders and end the cycle of snap lockdowns, a plan which depends on a large portion of the population being vaccinated.


People catching Covid-19 for second time

A Nevada man is thought to be the first person in the US to be infected twice by the coronavirus, with the second infection being worse than the first.The 25-year-old essential worker from Reno, Nevada, first experienced a sore throat, cough, headache, nausea and diarrhoea, and was tested positive for Covid-19 on April 18.After treatment, he tested negative for the virus twice in May. Then on May 31, he presented with the same symptoms, in addition to a fever and dizziness. He tested positive for Covid-19 a second time.Another test revealed he had developed antibodies against the first infection. A genetic analysis of the second virus revealed slight differences to the first, causing speculation that his antibodies did not recognise it.Dr Mark Pandori, director of the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory, said in a statement that the fact that a person was reinfected “on such a short timeline indicates there may be implications for the efficacy of vaccines developed to fight the disease”.On Monday, researchers revealed a 33-year-old Hong Kong man was the first person ever confirmed to be reinfected with the coronavirus. It also emerged this week that two other coronavirus patients, one from the Netherlands and one from Belgium were reinfected.It is known that respiratory infections like Covid-19 do not provide lifelong immunity like, for example, a measles infection does.Pandori said the lesson to be learned is that even people who have been sick with Covid-19 need to protect themselves by wearing a mask, avoiding large gatherings, washing hands frequently and maintaining social distance.“You’re not invulnerable to this,” Pandori said. “In fact, you could get it worse the second time.”


More values, fewer rituals: Dr M tells where he disagrees with ‘Islamic’ direction of national schools

The ongoing debate on what is perceived as the overbearing influence of Islam in the national education system is one that touches a raw nerve in Dr Mahathir Mohamad.The former leader, after all, served as education minister in the 1970s when he famously enforced laws banning students from joining party politics.His second attempt at heading the ministry was short-lived as the Pakatan Harapan government fell in February this year, just a month after he took over the education portfolio from Maszlee Malik.Mahathir had hoped to address one of his pet peeves: the overemphasis on religious rituals in the school curriculum, which he said had clouded the government’s focus on science and technology.“While we should be taught with fardu ain (personal piety), there is less emphasis on fardu kifayah (collective duties) so that we also excel in worldly matters.“This is especially so as we always preach Islam not only as a religion but as a way of life,” the former prime minister told MalaysiaNow in an hour-long interview at his office in Putrajaya recently.But even Mahathir, whose first 22 years as prime minister saw him both credited for Malaysia’s economic transformation and criticised for using tough laws against critics, finds it difficult to confront those he says are bent on pushing their own version of Islam in the classroom.“Because the school administration fears them. When it comes to religion, they are silent, unable to act,” he said.This is something he has personally experienced.He said the headmaster of a school attended by a family member would not speak out against religious teachers who tell students to engage in rituals at the cost of completing their schoolwork and revision.“The headmaster doesn’t dare say anything because this is about religion. When it comes to religion, no one speaks.”Given his readiness to take on Muslim religious leaders whom he says monopolise the Islamic narrative, the subject of Islamisation in national schools arose naturally during his conversation with MalaysiaNow.In late 2018, he called for an overhaul of the national school curriculum, saying emphasis was being given to Islamic subjects rather than those that would be more critical later.“As a result, those who pass in schools are not very conversant with subjects that are useful for them to get jobs, but they are very good ulama,” he said then.It is a view he still holds today.He told MalaysiaNow that students do not need to be taught in depth about religious knowledge, and that basic teachings are enough to allow them to distinguish between good and bad.“We must learn about our religion, but as ordinary Muslims, not with the view of becoming ulama,” he said.“For the ordinary Muslim, it is enough that we are taught about the do’s and don’ts.”Mahathir, whose government during his first term in power in the 80s promoted a policy called the “Infusion of Islamic Values”, said he believed Muslims should adapt Islamic values as a way of life.He said Muslims need to embrace the spirit of the Quran, and not in the literal sense.“For example, when the Quran urges us to judge with justice. There are about 40 verses on justice. Yet, we do not emphasise that. We must be just not only to Muslims, but also to non-Muslims. But we find that we place emphasis on heavy punishments such as beheading, amputation and so on.”


Young Saudi Shiites have death penalties converted to 10 years in jail

Saudi Arabia’s state-backed Human Rights Commission (HRC) said on Sunday that three young Shiite Muslims sentenced to death when they were minors have had their sentences reduced to 10 years in prison.Ali Al-Nimr, nephew of prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr whose 2016 execution sparked demonstrations in Saudi Arabia and Iran, was 17 when he was detained in February 2012 for participating in protests in the country’s Eastern Province.Along with Dawood al-Marhoun and Abdullah al-Zaher, 17 and 15 when they were arrested, Ali was sentenced to death by the Specialised Criminal Court and faced beheading.Ali has served more than nine years in jail since his arrest. His sentence was commuted on Sunday, while Marhoun’s and Zaher’s were commuted in November 2020, the HRC told Reuters.Time served will apply in all three cases, the HRC said, and they will be released in 2022.“Freedom soon, God willing,” Ali’s mother said in a Facebook post celebrating the news.The move comes more than five months after the Saudi public prosecutor ordered a review of the death penalties issued against all three.The review followed a royal decree last year that individuals sentenced to death for crimes committed while minors would instead serve up to 10 years in juvenile detention centres.However, the decree was never publicised on state media nor published in the official gazette as is normal practice.Human rights groups and western lawmakers had repeatedly raised concerns about the decree’s non-implementation, as Ali, Dawood, Abdullah and two other juvenile offenders had yet to have their death sentences revoked.Eight others originally detained as minors still face charges that could result in execution, rights groups who follow the cases closely told Reuters in January.The HRC on Sunday reiterated that the royal decree will be applied retroactively to all cases where an individual was sentenced to death for offences committed under the age of 18.Anti-death penalty charity Reprieve welcomed the news but cautioned that the kingdom should ensure the decree was applied to all juvenile offenders.“True change isn’t about a few high-profile cases; it means making sure no-one is ever sentenced to death for a childhood ‘crime’ again in Saudi Arabia,” Reprieve director Maya Foa said.Although Saudi Arabia executed a record 185 people in 2019, HRC said in January that it reduced the number by 85% in 2020, noting it had recorded “just” 27 executions.The Saudi government does not include religion in its census, but some sources estimate that of 32 million natives, roughly 10% percent are Shiites, mostly based in the Eastern Province.


Republican lawmakers, led by Trump’s White House doc, want Biden to take cognitive test

More than a dozen Republican House members, led by former White House doctor Ronny Jackson, asked President Joe Biden on Thursday to undergo a cognitive test and release the results “so the American people know the full mental and intellectual health of their president”.The New York Post reports they wrote to Biden, saying in part, “The American people should have absolute confidence in their President. They deserve to know that he or she can perform the duties of head of state and commander in chief. They deserve full transparency on the mental capabilities of their highest elected leader.”The letter claims that Biden’s “mental decline and forgetfulness have become more apparent over the past 18 months”.One example given by Jackson recounts an abortive attempt by Biden to recite the first line of the Declaration of Independence in March 2020, during which he said: “We hold these truths to be self-evident. All men and women are created by the, you know, you know, the thing.”Jackson wrote, “Most school-age children could recite that famous and revered patriotic phrase by heart, but you could not.”The letter does not cite any examples from Biden’s recent week-long trip to Europe, but commentators noted that he tried to remind British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that he hadn’t introduced the president of South Africa during a roundtable discussion at the G7 summit – only to be reminded that Johnson had just done so.“He’s not inspiring confidence in our allies overseas, and more importantly, he’s sending the wrong message to our adversaries overseas. This is a dangerous situation,” Jackson said.Analysts say there may be an element of tit-for-tat in the request for Biden to be examined.Jackon was Donald Trump’s physician when he was president and famously gave him excellent physical and mental health reports that were derided by much of the mainstream media.“The mainstream media and the far left were relentless in their pursuit of me when I was taking care of President Trump, just demanding that he have a physical exam that included a cognitive test,” Jackson recalled.“They said that every president should have that test. It should be the new standard, and we should know that our commander in chief and our head of state is capable of leading the nation.“And so we submitted to that,” Jackson said. “I’m just saying that the precedent has been set and I’m asking Joe Biden and his medical team to get out there and to get this physical exam done, get this cognitive testing done, and get the results back to the American people.”


Lawyers group urges 'custodial abuse victim' Anwar to intervene in Sosma row

Rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) today urged Anwar Ibrahim to ensure that the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 or Sosma is immediately reviewed or repealed, noting that the prime minister himself was a victim of custodial abuse following his fall from power in 1998.
In a statement, LFL director Zaid Malek urged the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman to break his silence on the issue which arose earlier this week, when Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution said the government had no intention of reviewing the controversial law despite PH's resistance to it during the coalition's time in the opposition.
"Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was himself a famous victim of custodial abuse after his fall from power in 1998, and was often on the receiving end of oppressive laws," he said.
"How is it that a government led by Anwar is blindly defending Sosma?"
Saifuddin said at a press conference on Dec 13 that Sosma allowed the court process to take place, and compared it to its predecessor, the Internal Security Act, saying that under Sosma, the period is "only 28 days".
He also said that arrests under Sosma were only done on "reliable intelligence and evidence".
His remarks sparked a chorus of concerns, including from his colleague in PH, Gobind Singh Deo, who said they were against the stand of the coalition which had all along acknowledged Sosma as an oppressive law.
Saifuddin however maintained his stance, saying on Dec 15 that there was no current need for amendments to be made.
Zaid said Saifuddin's latest response was "contradictory and nonsensical", zeroing in on the minister's admission that some parts of Sosma need amending and his insistence nevertheless that the law would not be reviewed just yet.
He said Saifuddin had also failed to explain why he and his colleagues in PH voted against Sosma in Parliament earlier this year but now appeared to be defending the law.
"Has Sosma been magically purified because they are now in government?" he added.
Urging Anwar to intervene, he said the prime minister must ensure that the PH-led government sticks to its stance on Sosma after years of publicly opposing it.


China military 'completes tasks' around Taiwan, plans regular patrols

China's military has "completed various tasks" around Taiwan but will conduct regular patrols, it said on Wednesday, potentially signalling an end to days of war games but also that Beijing will keep up its pressure on the island.
Furious at a visit to Taipei last week by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China had extended its largest-ever exercises around the self-ruled island it claims as its own beyond the four days originally scheduled.
Last week's drills included launches of ballistic missiles, some of which flew over the island's capital of Taipei, and simulated sea and air attacks in surrounding skies and waters.
In a brief statement, the Eastern Theatre Command of the People's Liberation Army said its joint military operations around Taiwan had "successfully completed various tasks and effectively tested the integrated combat capabilities of the troops".
It added: "Theatre forces will keep an eye on the changes in the situation in the Taiwan Strait, continue to carry out training and preparation for combat, organise regular combat readiness patrols in the direction of the Taiwan Strait, and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Taiwan Defence Ministry spokesman Sun Li-fang said in response to China's statement that under the premise of not relaxing combat readiness, Taipei would "fully adjust the allocation of forces based on factors such as the enemy threat".
Pelosi told a news conference in Washington that the US could not allow China to normalise a new level of pressure on Taiwan.
"What we saw with China is that they were trying to establish sort of a new normal. And we just can't let that happen," she said when asked if she expected China to use her visit to justify more drills.
The Biden administration has said the US military would in the coming weeks continue to carry out routine passages through the Taiwan Strait, which the US government says is an international waterway.
Earlier on Wednesday, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters that Chinese navy ships were active off both the east and west coasts of Taiwan.
As of the afternoon, the Chinese navy continued activities near the median line, an unofficial buffer in the Taiwan Strait, and Chinese fighter jets also continued to fly close to the line, the source said.
Taiwan has dispatched airplanes and ships to the area to monitor the situation, the source said.
Video from state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday showed Chinese fighter jets scrambling and refuelling in mid-air, as well as navy ships on what it said were drills around Taiwan.
China's military said the drills were focused on blockades and resupply logistics, "under a complex electromagnetic environment to refine joint containment and control capabilities", according to CCTV.
Taiwan's defence ministry said 17 Chinese fighter jets crossed the median line on Wednesday.
'Regret' at opposition trip
Andrew Hsia, deputy chairman of Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang, flew to China for what his party said was a pre-arranged trip to meet Taiwanese engaged in business.
Hsia told reporters he was not going to Beijing and did not have any official meetings arranged. China's Taiwan Affairs Office said it was "normal" for Kuomintang officials to visit.
However, Taiwan expressed "regret" at the trip coming amid the Chinese drills.
"At this moment, the Kuomintang still insisted on going to China, disappointing our people," said President Tsai Ing-wen.
Taiwan's foreign minister said on Tuesday that China was using the military drills as a gameplan to prepare for an invasion of the democratically governed island.
Pelosi has said her visit - the highest-level trip to Taiwan by an American official in decades - showed unwavering US commitment to supporting the island's democracy.
China says its relations with Taiwan are an internal matter and it reserves the right to bring the island under its control, by force if necessary. Taiwan rejects China's claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future.
Washington was sticking to its assessment that China would not try to invade Taiwan for the next two years, a Pentagon official said on Monday.
On Wednesday, Taiwan's defence ministry released a video of exercises by its armed forces, saying its military was "at the ready, keeping our country safe" and China had not stopped its "incursions" nearby.
Taiwanese troops were guarding their posts "24-7" and have stepped up their alertness level, the ministry said, following the guidelines of "defending the median line, defending territorial waters and defending sovereignty" to maintain the status quo.


Teacher at PJ school tests positive for Covid-19

A teacher at a school in Petaling Jaya has tested positive for Covid-19, a development that comes just a day after students at a school in Ampang were forced to undergo screening following a positive diagnosis among the teaching staff there as well.When contacted, an official at the school confirmed the case and said the teacher had been brought to a government hospital for quarantine and further treatment.The state education and health departments have also been informed of the development.MalaysiaNow is withholding the name of the school pending an official announcement by the health ministry.A total of 67 students from Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Tasik were tested for Covid-19 yesterday after a teacher contracted the virus from a housemate who had recently travelled from Kedah.Schools nationwide re-opened in phases in July after being shut down for more than three months under the movement control order.However, the recent spikes in daily numbers saw the prime minister announcing new measures to contain the spread of infection, including the closure of schools in red zone areas such as Sabah.In a speech streamed live on Facebook yesterday, though, Muhyiddin Yassin said any directive to shut down schools nationwide would only be decided by a special meeting of the National Security Council.Yesterday saw a record high of 691 new cases reported, 688 of which were local transmissions.Of these, 397 were reported in Kedah and 219 in Sabah. Selangor meanwhile had 39.


77.6% of teens fully jabbed

A total of 22,248,737 individuals or 95% of the adult population had completed their Covid-19 vaccinations as of yesterday.Based on the health ministry’s data on the CovidNow portal, 97.5% or 22,838,338 adults have received at least one dose of vaccine.A total of 131,240 vaccine doses were administered yesterday, of which 37,689 were second doses, 7,650 were first doses and 85,901 were booster shots.This brings the total number of doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 50,804,374.As for adolescents aged 12 to 17, a total of 2,442,373 individuals or 77.6% have completed their vaccinations while 86.6% or 2,725,876 individuals have received at least one dose of vaccine.A total of 731,635 booster doses had been adminstered as of yesterday.


The role of politicians when disaster strikes

Controversies involving representatives from both sides of the political divide during the recent floods which hit a number of areas in the Klang Valley last month have given rise to the question of the role of politicians during times of crisis.Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus, whose parliamentary seat of Hulu Langat was particularly hard hit, was heavily criticised on social media for being out of the country while his constituents struggled to deal with rising floods back home.Kota Kemuning assemblyman V Ganabatirau and Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad suffered a similar backlash, with one flood victim openly venting his frustrations on Dzulkefly, questioning his whereabouts during the people’s time of need.In general, people appeared to take a cynical view of their elected representatives, even those who were lumped together on the opposite end of the spectrum and slammed for their involvement in flood relief efforts.Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, for example, uploaded pictures of himself at a coffee shop covered in mud, while Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun experienced her own disaster on the public relations front when photos went viral of her using a water jet at a school in Selangor while half a dozen bystanders took pictures and videos.But analysts say such experiences are not unique to Malaysia, with even former US president George W Bush criticised for his plane trip to review the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.Prominent thinker Chandra Muzaffar said the presence of political leaders at disaster locations was inevitable.“We can’t say ‘MPs, don’t come’ if there is a crisis,” he said. “They will be sure to come anyway.“Anywhere in the world, elected representatives will come to disaster locations.”He added however that their presence should not get in the way of relief efforts, saying visits by politicians should also be arranged in an appropriate manner.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he also objected to politicians using disasters as photo-ops.“This matter of publicity should not be encouraged,” he said. “Don’t exploit disaster situations. This is not about you, it’s about the well-being of the people.”Zaid Ahmad of Universiti Putra Malaysia said representatives could do more significant work than just posing for pictures.“Leaders have influence,” he said. “They can move the masses and rally support from various parties and private companies.“This is where their influence can be used. They shouldn’t just go down and spray some water around.”Referring to the recent floods, he said victims and evacuees were still in need of clean water.“Where are the water filter companies that have been raking in profits this whole time? That is where leaders should use their influence.”Nevertheless, he said, if leaders don’t go down to the ground, it gives off a bad image of those who do not “act”.He said the public needs to be educated to change the perception that elected representatives must personally visit every home whenever disaster strikes.“Go meet the victims and lend them moral support, but the focus of representatives should be on mobilising the efforts of all parties.“Their role is to ensure that all government agencies carry out their respective duties,” he said.


Politics a tough act to follow for showbiz stars

Politics and the entertainment industry have one thing in common: they produce celebrities.Some of them wade over, usually from entertainment to politics and not the other way round. Those who have are either more successful as politicians or fail miserably.Perhaps the best known Hollywood star who made it in politics was the late Ronald Reagan. The US president who served throughout the 1980s was an actor before he took on the world’s most powerful job.More recently, Arnold Schwarzenegger served eight years as California governor, at a time when he was better known for his roles in films such as “Terminator” and “Total Recall”.But despite their immense influence in popular culture, celebrities are not always able to replicate their success in politics.Billionaire rapper and producer Kanye West, one of the most notable icons in the contemporary US hip hop scene, discovered this when he got just 0.04% of the total votes in the recent US presidential election.In Malaysia, there has been very little success for those in the entertainment industry seeking fame in politics.Singers Aishah, Herman Tino, Dayangku Intan and TV host Azwan Ali will testify to this, having found out that their fame was no guarantee of victory in the elections they contested.“If you are a real politician, you are basically on call 24/7.”Political analyst James Chin said while celebrities are able to maintain their popularity among existing fans and followers, a different skill set is needed for those seeking to turn politician.“Politicians must be able to engage with people on a different level, unlike a TV personality who doesn’t really need to engage with the public,” Chin, from the University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute, told MalaysiaNow.Unlike a TV celebrity, he added, a politician is “on call” throughout the day.“They are not used to that, and also being a celebrity means that you can actually take time off, you are not a celebrity 24 hours a day, unlike politicians.“If you are a real politician, you are basically on call 24/7,” said Chin.Popular singers Dayangku Intan and Aishah found out that their fame in the entertainment industry was no guarantee of success in politics.In 2011, singer Wan Aishah Wan Ariffin, better known as Aishah, famously joined PAS in what was seen as a good catch for the Islamist party in its attempt to break out of its conservative vote bank.But two years later, she lost the election in her home state of Negeri Sembilan.A similar fate met Herman Tino, famous for his Malay numbers, who was defeated in Tanjung Karang, and Dayangku Intan, who stood as a PKR candidate but lost to Barisan Nasional’s Azalina Othman Said with only 13% of the total votes.In 2018, sibling rivalry led the brother of Mohamed Azmin Ali, the PKR deputy president at the time, to challenge him in the Bukit Antarabangsa state seat in Selangor. But TV host Azwan Ali was knocked out.Artistes’ association Seniman attributes the flop of celebrities in the political arena to a lack of funds and an ignorance of politics.Seniman president Rozaidi Jamil told MalaysiaNow that entertainers who want to be involved in politics should be able to tackle issues beyond their own problems in the show business.He sees no fault in some celebrities still harbouring hope of making it big in politics.But he warns: “The failure of artistes who went into politics can be a lesson to others.”


One small step for cephalopods: SpaceX carrying research squids to ISS

A SpaceX rocket took off Thursday for the International Space Station (ISS) carrying supplies for scientific experiments, including some surprising passengers – squids and virtually indestructible microorganisms called tardigrades.The rocket, leased by Nasa, launched from Florida at 1.29pm local time (1729 GMT). The Dragon capsule detached from the Falcon 9 rocket about 12 minutes after take-off and is scheduled to dock at the ISS on Saturday.Young specimens of the species Euprymna scolopes, known as bobtail squid, are on board for the trip, so scientists can study the effect of zero gravity on the interactions between bacteria and their host organisms.Some of the squids will be exposed to bacteria once on board the ISS, while others will be left alone. After 12 hours, the specimens are preserved until their return to Earth, where they will be studied.“Animals, including humans, rely on our microbes to maintain a healthy digestive and immune system,” said Jamie Foster, the principal investigator in the experiment, in a statement. “We do not fully understand how spaceflight alters these beneficial interactions.”The experiment could help scientists in the future to develop techniques to protect the health of astronauts participating in long-duration missions in space.Also on board the SpaceX rocket will be tardigrades, also known as “water bears” – microscopic organisms that can withstand extreme radiation, sizzling heat, the coldest temperatures of the universe and decades without food.The grub-like, eight-legged animals can come back from being dried out to a lifeless husk for decades, withstand near-zero pressure in outer space and the crushing depths of the Mariana Trench.An Israeli probe that was later revealed to be carrying tardigrades crash-landed on the Moon in 2019, and if they survived the explosion, scientists think they might still be alive today – though no rescue mission is currently planned to bring them home.“Spaceflight can be a really challenging environment for organisms, including humans, who have evolved to the conditions on Earth,” said scientist Thomas Boothby.“One of the things we are really keen to do is understand how tardigrades are surviving and reproducing in these environments and whether we can learn anything about the tricks that they are using and adapt them to safeguard astronauts.”The rocket will also carry cotton, a portable ultrasound device and a miniaturised human kidney to study the formation of kidney stones that tend to afflict astronauts in microgravity.


Govt warned of continuing cycle if undocumented migrants deported amid labour shortage

Rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) today hit out at a minister’s response to the proposal of legalising undocumented migrants for the workforce, warning of a continuing cycle if they are instead deported given Malaysia’s heavy reliance on foreign labour.In a statement, LFL director Zaid Malek said the fact of the matter was that a large portion of the country’s economic sector was reliant on migrant workers.“Deporting them in swathes would create a vacuum in our labour force which would in turn necessitate us to bring in more migrant workers to replace them, thus creating the cycle of undocumented workers again.“It would be easier, more humane and more cost effective to legalise those who are readily available here,” he said.He was responding to Human Resources Minister M Saravanan who said last week that the best move would be to deport undocumented migrants to their home countries.Adding that it would be “stupid” to legalise them for the workforce, Saravanan said this would only encourage more migrants to enter the country illegally.Zaid said the minister’s response was “outrageous and disappointing” given his previous commitment to tackling the issue of forced labour.“The minister’s reaction is simplistic, superficial and ignores the root causes of the entry of undocumented migrants into the country,” he added.“The undocumented migrants are largely victims of circumstances beyond their control; they are not deliberate offenders against our immigration laws. Having been duped by deceitful agents or unscrupulous employers, they have become ‘illegal’ as a result.”He added that deporting them would be “cruel and unjust” as it would amount to placing the fault on the exploited while the agents and employers responsible escaped with a slap on the wrist.“The government must face the fact that the majority of undocumented migrants in our country are a result of our inadequate labour policies and weak or corrupt enforcement, and embark upon a comprehensive and practical solution to this long-standing problem.”


China’s super rich got US$1.5 trillion richer during pandemic, report says

China’s super wealthy have earned a record US$1.5 trillion in 2020, more than the past five years combined, as e-commerce and gaming boomed during pandemic lockdowns, an annual rich list said Tuesday.An extra 257 people also joined the billionaires club in the world’s number-two economy by August, following two years of shrinking membership, according to the closely watched Hurun Report.The country now has a total of 878 billionaires. The US had 626 people in the top bracket at the start of the year, according to Hurun in its February global list.The report found that there were around 2,000 individuals with a net worth of more than 2 billion yuan (US$300 million) in August, giving them a combined net worth of US$4 trillion.Jack Ma, founder of e-commerce titan Alibaba, once again topped the list after his wealth surged a whopping 45% to US$58.8 billion as online shopping firms saw a surge in business owing to people being shut indoors for months during strict lockdowns to contain the virus.He was followed by Pony Ma (US$57.4 billion), boss of gaming giant and WeChat owner Tencent who made an extra 50% despite concerns about his firm’s US outlook after it was threatened with bans there over national security fears.First-time list member Zhong Shanshan, 66, best-known for his bottled water brand Nongfu, parachuted into third spot with US$53.7 billion after a Hong Kong IPO in September, the report found.‘Never seen this much wealth’“The world has never seen this much wealth created in just one year,” Hurun Report chief researcher Rupert Hoogewerf said in a statement.This year’s list shows China was “moving away from traditional sectors like manufacturing and real estate, towards the new economy”, he added.Wang Xing, founder of food delivery app Meituan, quadrupled his wealth and jumped 52 places to 13th in the list with US$25 billion, while Richard Liu, the founder of online shopping platform JD.com doubled his money pile to US$23.5 billion.Healthcare entrepreneurs also moved up the list on the back of the pandemic, with Jiang Rensheng, founder of vaccine-maker Zhifei, tripling his value to US$19.9 billion.China shut down major cities around the country in late January and February to contain the virus that first emerged in Wuhan, causing an unprecedented economic contraction in the first quarter.With infections appearing to be under control, the country is on track to become the only major economy to expand this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.On Monday data showed the economy expanded 4.9% in the third quarter but away from the glittering figures many ordinary workers and fresh graduates are struggling to find jobs.The urban jobless rate inched down to 5.4% in September, although analysts have warned of higher unemployment than officially reported this year.


Vietnam begs public for ‘vaccine fund’ donations after virus surge

Vietnam, once a model for its successful handling of the pandemic, has started asking for public donations to buy vaccines as it struggles to contain a new coronavirus wave.The Southeast Asian country has vaccinated only about 1% of its population of nearly 100 million, and authorities have become increasingly alarmed by a recent spike in cases.Since last week, mobile phone users have received up to three text messages urging them to contribute to a Covid-19 vaccine fund, while civil servants have been encouraged to part with a day’s pay.Some residents, fearful of the virus’ impact on Vietnam’s economy – one of the few in the world to expand last year – told AFP they support the fundraising drive.Nguyen Tuan Anh, a civil servant, told AFP he had sent around US$50 via bank transfer and SMS payment, as vaccines would mean “Vietnam’s economy will be stable and develop again”.Vietnam’s industrial northern provinces – home to key factories such as Samsung and Foxconn – have been particularly badly hit by the latest outbreak.Across the country, tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs, according to state media, with bars and restaurants forced to close in major hubs such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and public gatherings cancelled.Cases have more than tripled since April to reach almost 9,000. Although the number is low in comparison to most of its Southeast Asian neighbours, Vietnam’s vaccination rate per capita is the lowest in the region, and among the lowest in Asia, according to an AFP tally.The communist government has said it aims to secure 150 million vaccine doses this year to cover 70% of its population – at a cost of US$1.1 billion.But only US$630 million has been allocated to vaccine procurement in the budget.A financial “contribution from the community and society” is needed to make a mass roll-out possible, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told the nation on Saturday during a live broadcast to launch the campaign.By Tuesday, more than 231,000 individuals and organisations had donated US$181 million to the campaign.Another US$140 million has been promised by businesses, the Ministry of Finance said.However, the campaign has been shunned by some who are concerned with how the money will be spent.“I am not sure if the donated money will be used for the sole purpose of buying vaccines to inoculate every citizen… I don’t think I have enough trust to give them my money,” said office worker Pham Mai Chi.


Covid-19 cases worldwide top 60 million

More than 60 million cases of the novel coronavirus have been detected worldwide, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP on Wednesday.In total 60,014,291 infections, leading to 1,415,258 deaths, have been recorded around the world since the pandemic emerged in China late last year.The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization, probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.Many countries lack testing capacity, or test only symptomatic cases or the most serious ones.The European region including Russia has had 17.1 million confirmed infections for nearly 388,000 deaths, making it the region with the most recorded cases.In the last week, 1.7 million new cases have been documented in 52 countries of the European region, 10% fewer than the preceding week, which shows that the spread of the pandemic there is slowing.The US is gripped by a third wave of the coronavirus.The country is approaching 13 million confirmed cases with more than 260,000 dead, or more than a fifth of all infections recorded worldwide.And the number of positive cases continues to climb, with an increase of 11% in new infections detected in a week, or more than 1.2 million cases compared to 1.1 million the previous week.Behind Europe, the regions with the highest numbers of cases are the US and Canada (13 million, 272,183 deaths), Latin America and the Caribbean (12.6 million, 438,098 deaths), and Asia (12,1 million, 190.108 deaths).Following are the Middle East (3.2 million cases, 75,700 deaths), Africa (2.1 million cases, 50,422 deaths) and Oceania (more than 30.000 cases, 941 deaths).


Dec 8 decision on Najib’s appeal in SRC International case

The Court of Appeal has set Dec 8 for a decision on former prime minister Najib Razak’s appeal against his conviction and sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.The Office of the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court (PKPMP), in a statement today, said the decision will be delivered at 9am.The hearing of the appeal, before a three-judge panel led by Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, lasted for 15 days and was completed on May 18. The other two judges were Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera,Najib, 68, filed an appeal against the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision on July 28 last year sentencing him to 12 years’ jail and a fine of RM210 million after finding him guilty of seven charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT), money laundering and abuse of position, involving SRC International funds totalling RM42 million.Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali sentenced Najib to 10 years in prison for each of the three CBT charges and three money laundering cases as well as 12 years in prison and a fine of RM210 million or five years in prison, for the charge of abuse of position.However, the Pekan MP only had to serve a 12-year prison sentence after the judge ordered all the prison sentences to run concurrently.The court also allowed Najib’s application to stay the execution of the decision pending the disposal of his appeal, with bail of RM2 million in two sureties.The case was handled by deputy public prosecutor V Sithambaram while lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah represented Najib.


Seventh heaven or elsewhere, source of money for Zahid not the point, court told

The source of money allegedly given to Ahmad Zahid Hamidi by Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) needs not be proven, whether it came from the seventh heaven or elsewhere, the Shah Alam High Court was told yesterday.
Deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran said confirmation of the source of money was not an element that needed to be proven by the prosecution. Instead, Raja Rozela said, the court needed to consider the proof provided that Zahid had solicited the money when he had no right to use his position as a minister to obtain it.
She said the main prosecution witnesses were former UKSB directors – Harry Lee Vui Khiun, Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani and David Tan Siong Sun – who had stated that the source of the money was the agreement reached between UKSB and companies in Hong Kong and Labuan.
"Our witnesses (Lee, Wan Quoris Shah and Tan) were not lying but admitted that UKSB had no money and hence needed help from its business friends in Hong Kong.
"We have shown that there was an agreement with the business friends in Hong Kong and this was confirmed by Tan and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigating officer, V Mahendran. "That is not the point to consider seriously, whether or not the money came from the seventh heaven or not," Raja Rozela added in her submission at the end of the prosecution’s case.
Earlier, Zahid’s counsel Hamidi Mohd Noh questioned UKSB’s source of the money given to the Umno president as no representatives of the Hong Kong companies had been called to give evidence.
"The 15th, 16th and 17th witnesses (Lee, Wan Quoris Shah and Tan) said that the money given was not from UKSB. So where did the money came from? If the sources were companies in Hong Kong, witnesses from there should be called to confirm the matter, including the sum of money.
"The company directors should be called to testify. They need to prove that the sum of money exists or not. This is basic. What we have now are only testimonies from three prosecution witnesses.
"If the source is not proven, how are we to state that the money exists? In this case, there are no indications to state that the money exists. There have been no statements from Hong Kong," he said.
The prosecution had offered 27 witnesses including the directors of a number of companies in Hong Kong such as Maintech System HK Limited director Chong Kian Leong @ Raymond and VisaMalaysia Limited director Fong Mee Yee.
High Court judge Mohd Yazid Mustafa has set Sept 23 for a decision on whether Zahid will be ordered to make his defence against 40 corruption charges or if he will be freed of the charges.
The prosecution team comprised Raja Rozela, Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, Abdul Malik Ayob, Zander Lim Wai Keong and B Thavani while Zahid was represented by counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Ahmad Zaidi Zainal and Hamidi.
Zahid faces 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million (RM42 million) from UKSB as an inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant and the home minister at the time to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the one-stop centres in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain the agreement to supply VLN integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the home ministry.
On the other seven counts, he is charged with obtaining for himself S$1,150,000, RM3 million, 15,000 Swiss francs and US$15,000 from the same company which had official links with his official duty.
He is accused of committing the offences at Seri Satria, Presint 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018.


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High Court postpones Roger Ng’s case pending 1MDB sentencing in US

The case of former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng involving the sale of security notes and bonds valued at US$6.5 billion belonging to a subsidiary of 1MDB at the Kuala Lumpur High Court has been postponed pending the sentencing of his criminal case in the US on Sept 13.On April 8, Ng was found guilty by the US court of corruption charges related to his role in helping to loot hundreds of millions of dollars from the 1MDB development fund.Deputy public prosecutor Zaki Asyraf Zubir earlier told the court that Ng’s criminal case in the US had been concluded with the sentencing slated for Sept 13.“The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has applied for the temporary extradition of Ng to New York until the end of August. I’m sure that they (DoJ) will apply for an extension of the temporary extradition as the sentencing is in September.“As such, I hereby request a date of mention on Oct 18 or 19 to inform the court of the latest status of the accused in the US,” he said during case management today.Ng’s lawyer Tan Hock Chuan confirmed the date of sentencing and told the court that his client had also filed an appeal against the US court’s decision.“Therefore, I agree with the prosecution’s application for the new date of mention,” he said.Judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin then set Oct 19 for the prosecution and defence to inform the court of the accused’s latest status.On Dec 19, 2018, Ng pleaded not guilty to four charges of abetting Goldman Sachs in the sale of 1MDB bonds valued at US$6.5 billion by dropping material facts and making false statements.He was charged with the offences which took place at the 1MDB office on the 8th floor of Menara IMC, No 8, Jalan Sultan Ismail between March 19, 2012, and Nov 11, 2013.On Sept 4 last year, the charges against Goldman Sach International Ltd and its two entities in Asia, namely Goldman Sachs (Asia) LLC and Goldman Sachs (Singapore), were dropped after High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan allowed the prosecution’s application to withdraw the charges on the sale of 1MDB bonds valued at US$$6.5 billion.


Rosmah gives up claim on US$220,000 diamond bracelet

Rosmah Mansor today relinquished her claim on a US$220,000 white gold diamond bracelet being kept in the vaults of Bank Negara Malaysia.Her lawyer Azamuddin Abd Aziz said this during case management before High Court judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin.“Our client no longer wants to proceed with the claim on the item,” Azamuddin said.Lawyer David Gurupatham, representing Lebanese jewellery company Global Royalty Trading SAL, also confirmed that Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, did not want to proceed with the claim.He said the withdrawal of Rosmah’s claim had saved costs and the time of all parties involved in the case.Global Royalty had also staked a claim to the bracelet.The bracelet was among various items seized by the police from premises belonging to Obyu Holdings Sdn Bhd at Pavilion Residences in May 2018, which were allegedly linked to the 1MDB financial scandal.Meanwhile, lawyer Syazwani Mohd Zawawi, acting on behalf of Najib, said his party had yet to receive the prosecution’s response to a representation submitted on May 26, regarding the former prime minister’s claim as a third party to seven wristwatches.Deputy public prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin said the Attorney-General’s Chambers had received the representation which was still being reviewed and that the prosecution would inform the court if there were any developments on the matter.Earlier, Faten applied to amend the list of properties in the notice of motion to forfeit the 2,436 pieces of jewellery, seven wristwatches and 29 handbags that were seized from the condominium unit owned by Obyu Holdings on May 17, 2018.“We argue that the application to amend this notice of motion does not prejudice any party and is made in accordance with the provisions of the law,” she said.Jamil allowed the application to amend the notice of motion and set Sept 26 and 27 for the hearing of the prosecution’s application to forfeit the items.In 2019, the prosecution filed the forfeiture application to seize various items including 11,991 items of jewellery, 401 wristwatches, 16 watch accessories, 234 pairs of spectacles and 306 handbags as well as cash in various denominations amounting to RM114,164,393.44.


Rats, drought and labour shortages eat into global edible oil recovery

In a sprawling oil palm plantation in Perak, watermelon seedlings are sprouting from freshly ploughed earth between palm saplings while rented cows graze in overgrown areas of the estate.A coronavirus pandemic-induced labour crunch has forced managers of the 2,000-hectare estate in Slim River to find creative ways to upkeep their fields, even as prices of the world’s most consumed edible oil are near record highs.“It is easier to pull out your own teeth than to get new workers now,” said estate manager Ravi, who gave his first name only. “I can’t find the workers to maintain the fields.”Malaysia, the world’s second-largest producer of palm oil, is facing a perfect storm of production headwinds that will likely drag global stocks to their lowest level in five years.It is a microcosm of the difficulties facing producers of various edible oils across several continents, from Canadian canola farmers to Ukranian sunflower growers, as they struggle to meet strong demand.Global food prices have scaled 10-year highs this year – the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) price index is up more than a third since last summer – due in large part to a surge in the price of vegoils that are vital for both food preparation and as fat in numerous daily staples.The FAO’s global edible oils index is up 91% since last June, and is expected to climb further as economies reopen following Covid-19 lockdowns, boosting food and fuel consumption of edible oils. But producers have been battling a range of impediments, including labour shortages, heatwaves and vermin infestation, that is driving collective stocks of the world’s most consumed edible oils – palm, soybean, canola (rapeseed) and sunflower seed – to their lowest levels in a decade.Malaysian woesIn Malaysia, which accounts for around 33% of global palm oil exports, the average yield of palm fruit bunches in Jan-June fell to 7.15 tonnes per hectare from 7.85 a year ago. Malaysian Palm Oil Board data shows a drop in average crude palm oil yields to 1.41 tonnes per hectare, from 1.56 tonnes over the same period last year.Many plantations were harvesting with two-thirds or less of the required workforce, after government coronavirus restrictions cut off the usual supply of migrant workers from Indonesia and South Asia.More than half a dozen plantation owners interviewed by Reuters said the lack of workers had forced them to extend their harvesting window from 14 days to as many as 40 days, a change that compromises the quality of the fruit and risks the loss of some parts of the fruit bunches.“It is especially bad in Sarawak. Some companies are seeing production falling by 50% because of the shortage of harvesters,” said a plantation manager, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.The Slim River estate has delayed replanting and shut its nursery for the first time in 20 years to redeploy workers for harvesting.Another plantation manager, named Chew, said he was forced to increase wages by 10% to retain workers.Less manpower to maintain the plantations also means more pests, including rats, moths and bagworms.“It has resulted in an environment that is good for rats to nest, feed and breed and natural predators cannot catch up,” said Andrew Cheng Mui Fah, a plantation official in Sarawak.At Slim River, Ravi said around a quarter of the estate was facing a bagworm infestation that “will skeletonise the leaves and cause small (fruit) bunch formation.”He was referring to the larvae of the bagworm moth that grow and feed on trees.Indonesian millsNeighbouring Indonesia, the world’s largest producer of palm oil, does not have the same labour shortage issues and output is expected to rise this year as more area has been planted to palm.However, operations at palm oil mills, where the palm fruit is converted into crude palm oil, have been impacted by Covid-19 restrictions, said Dorab Mistry, director of Indian consumer goods company and major consumer Godrej International.“Shutting down of palm oil mills right across the length and breadth of Malaysia (and) Indonesia has been a huge dampener on the production side,” he said at the annual US Soy Export Council conference on Aug 25.Total 2021 output from Indonesia and Malaysia, which together account for roughly 90% of world palm oil, was estimated at 66.2 million tonnes, according to Refinitiv Commodities Research published on Aug 4.That is about flat compared with 2020, but analysts said downward revisions are likely if labour shortages and pest infestations worsen.North American dry spellMeanwhile, farmers in western Canada planted canola into some of the driest soils in a century this spring, sending canola futures to all-time highs in early May.A July heatwave then scorched crops throughout the Canadian Prairies, leading the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to slash its estimate of canola output by 4.2 million tonnes to 16 million tonnes, the lowest since the 2012-13 season.“We haven’t had much rain to speak of and the crop is withering,” said Jack Froese, who has farmed canola near Winkler, Manitoba, for nearly 50 years.Froese expects a yield per acre of just a quarter of last year’s level: “It’s very disheartening.”US soybeans have also been sapped by drought, with the USDA lowering its production forecast by 1.8 million tonnes in August from the month prior.That is expected to cut US soybean oil stocks to eight year lows and US soyoil exports to decade lows.“We’re looking at an average crop because we were lucky enough to have some subsoil moisture,” said Jared Hagert from his North Dakota farm. “But you don’t have to go too far west of here to get into some really rough crops.”In some good news for buyers, Brazil’s soybean crop is expected to hit a record 144.06 million tonnes in the 2020/21 season, driven by a 4% rise in the area planted to the crop, agribusiness consultancy Datagro estimated.Ukraine, the top sunflower seed producer according to the USDA, is expected to lift output by 18% from a 2020 drought-hit harvest and oil exports are forecast to rise to 6.35 million tonnes from 5.38 million last season, according to its agriculture ministry.Worsening outlookStill, the outlook for edible oils production overall remains poor and stocks are likely to tighten further, leaving the markets tight well into next year and adding to inflationary pressures, according to some analysts.In Malaysia, worsening Covid-19 outbreaks will leave plantations starved of workers through the rest of the peak palm production window.Canadian farmers continue to face drought conditions, leading official agency StatsCan to peg canola output down 24.3% and yields down 30.1%.“We have multiple issues with edible oil supplies worldwide, palm oil in Malaysia, canola in Canada and La Nina curbing soybean output in South America,” Mistry said.“We are expecting lower oil content in Canada’s canola crop due to the drought,” he said. “The supply tightness in vegetable oil is expected to continue well into 2022.”The pressure on stocks is already feeding through to consumer prices and the upward trend is expected to continue, especially as refiners lift prices to cover the surge in raw material costs.Singapore-based Wilmar International said a time lag between the surge in raw material costs and consumer price rises it imposed in the first half of the year had negatively impacted margins.Mewah Group, one of the largest refineries in the region, said average sale prices for its bulk goods and consumer packs rose almost 54% and 24% respectively in the first half from a year ago.“Everyone along the supply chain is absorbing some of the higher costs,” said Oscar Tjakra, a senior analyst at food and agribusiness research at Rabobank. “The cost push should continue next year.”With global consumers already facing general economic uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic, further increases in edible oil prices will take a toll on many livelihoods due the inelastic nature of food demand.Several countries including Nigeria, Egypt, Turkey and The Philippines have all recorded big jumps in food inflation in recent months. The price pressure may continue as higher edible oil costs are passed on by suppliers, leaving consumers with little choice but to pay up for the staple.“Even in poorer regions, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, where consumers suffer greatly from high prices, consumption has only declined very marginally,” said Julian McGill, head of South East Asia at LMC International.“There is simply not much flexibility in food use of vegetable oils.”


PAS still open to talks if Umno wants, says sec-gen

PAS is always open to negotiating with Umno if the party wants to cooperate in facing the 15th general election (GE15), secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan says.
He said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's recent statement was made to strengthen relationships within Perikatan Nasional (PN), but that he had never expressed a stance against cooperating with Umno.
"If you really pay attention to the statement from the PAS president, there is no reason (cooperation cannot be formed). When we mention the unification of the ummah, it means (we) cannot be enemies. Even if we cannot be friends (as a coalition) we still cannot be enemies.
"Yes, we are ready, we are always open for any talks or negotiations at any time," he said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
When asked if PAS was open to working with Pakatan Harapan (PH), he said the party maintained its stance of not having any ties with the coalition in GE15.
On the use of logos during GE15, Takiyuddin said candidates including others from PN who were contesting in the three PAS-governed states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah, would use the PAS logo.
"So far, we have received a sort of green light from PN for PAS to use the party’s ‘moon’ logo in the states administered by PAS, namely Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah. So far, that is what has been accepted and agreed upon," he said, adding that this was to avoid confusion among the people.


Dip in new cases to 1,116

Another 1,116 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 334,156.Selangor recorded 403 cases followed by Kuala Lumpur (158) and Sarawak (124).Penang recorded 88 cases, Johor 86, Kelantan 44, Pahang 42, Negeri Sembilan 41, Perak 39, Sabah 36, Kedah 27, Melaka 12, Labuan eight, Putrajaya five and Terengganu three.Ten new clusters were detected:1. Jalan Helang (Kuala Langat in Selangor; 109 screened, 13 positive)2. Tapak Bina Jalan Usahawan (Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur; 278 screened, 73 positive)3. Taman Tunku (Kepong and Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur; 64 screened, seven positive)4. Jalan Tenteram (Johor Bahru in Johor; 38 screened, 10 positive)5. Batu 22 (Kulai in Johor; 123 screened, 13 positive)6. Jalan Gambang (Kuantan in Pahang; 111 screened, 24 positive)7. Industri Permata (Seremban in Negeri Sembilan; 73 screened, 28 positive)8. Jalan Kemajuan (Labuan; 31 screened, nine positive)9. Rajang (Sarikei, Tanjung Manis and Kuching in Sarawak; 271 screened, 29 positive)10. Jalan Belimbing (Kulai in Johor; 20 screened, 10 positive)Fifteen others ended, leaving 411 active clusters across the country.Another 1,495 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 318,784.However, five more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,238.


MIC leaders snub BN event to name GE15 line-up

Leaders from Barisan Nasional (BN) component MIC were absent from the coalition's event tonight to announce its candidate line-up, believed to be over disappointment that the party was not given fair representation to contest the Nov 19 general election.
Both president SA Vigneswaran and his deputy M Saravanan were absent from the event where BN chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is expected to announce the full line-up.
Several reports meanwhile said that the party would hold an emergency meeting tomorrow to decide whether it will participate in the coming polls.
It is believed that MIC had earlier submitted the names of 10 candidates to BN.


10 more deaths, 2,690 new cases

Another 2,690 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 392,942.Selangor recorded 751 cases, Sarawak 595, Kelantan 424, Kuala Lumpur 217, Johor 159, Sabah 121 and Penang 117.Kedah recorded 76 cases, Perak 64, Negeri Sembilan 57, Melaka 42, Pahang 33, Terengganu 25, Putrajaya five, Labuan three and Perlis one.Active cases stand at 23,753 with 283 in the ICU and 121 in need of respiratory assistance.Eight new clusters were detected:1. Putai (Kapit and Bukit Mabong in Sarawak; 358 screened, 243 positive)2. Ladang Paris Dua (Kinabatangan in Sabah; 103 screened, 13 positive)3. Jalan Melaka Raya (Melaka Tengah in Melaka; 26 screened, 10 positive)4. Jalan Bukit Naga (Klang and Petaling in Selangor; 127 screened, 18 positive)5. Jalan Kuala Garing (Gombak in Selangor; 230 screened, five positive)6. Halban Dua (Kota Bharu in Kelantan; 81 screened, 63 positive)7. Pagar Sri Lalang (Kluang in Johor; 35 screened, 16 positive)8. Rayang (Serian in Sarawak; 1,305 screened, 50 positive)Nine others ended, leaving 351 active clusters across the country.Another 1,853 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 367,753.However, 10 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,436.


China's rare earths dominance in focus after mineral export curbs

China said on Monday it will impose export restrictions on gallium and germanium products used in computer chips and other components to protect national security interests.
The decision, widely seen as retaliation for US curbs on sales of technologies to China, raised concerns that China might eventually limit exports of other materials, notably rare earths, whose production China dominates.
In 2010, China restricted exports of rare earths to Japan following a territorial dispute, sending prices soaring and Japan scrambling to find alternative sources. Beijing said the curbs were based on environmental concerns.
Below are some facts about rare earths, about China's dominance of the sector, and what countries are doing to ease their dependence on China for the materials.
What are rare earths and how are they used?
Rare earths are a group of 17 elements used in products from lasers and military equipment to magnets found in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and consumer electronics such as iPhones.
The 17 elements are: lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, yttrium.
How dominant is China in the rare earths supply chain?
Mining: China accounted for 70% of world mine production of rare earths in 2022, followed by the US, Australia, Myanmar and Thailand, US Geological Survey (USGS) data shows.
Processing: China is home to at least 85% of the world's capacity to process rare earth ores into material manufacturers can use, according to research firm Adamas Intelligence in 2019.
Exports: Chinese exports of rare earths have declined. The country exported 20,987 metric tonnes in the first five months of 2023, down 4.4% year-on-year, Chinese customs data showed.
China exported 48,728 metric tonnes of rare earths in 2022, down 0.4% year-on-year.
The US sources most of its rare earth imports from China, but that dependence has eased to 74% between 2018 and 2021, from 80% during 2014 to 2017.
Which countries have the most rare earths reserves?
China is estimated to have 44 million metric tonnes of rare earth oxide (ROE) equivalent in reserves, or 34% of the world total, USGS data showed.
Vietnam, Russia and Brazil are estimated to have just over 20 million metric tonnes each, while India has 6.9 million, Australia has 4.2 million and the US has 2.3 million metric tonnes.
What happened in 2010?
In 2010, China withheld exports of rare earth to Japan during a row over disputed islands. Beijing then curbed global exports of rare earths, saying it was trying to curtail pollution and preserve resources.
Japan, the European Union and the US successfully challenged China's action in a case at the World Trade Organization.
The episode led Japan, which had relied on China for virtually all of its rare earths, to find alternative suppliers to ease its reliance on China. It invested in Australian producer Lynas and had reduced the share of its imports of rare earths from China to 58% by 2018.
Why is it hard for other countries to ramp up production?
Rare earths are relatively abundant but occur in low concentrations and are usually found mixed together with one another, or with radioactive elements such as uranium and thorium.
The chemical properties of rare earths make them difficult to separate from surrounding materials, and processing generates toxic waste.
Lax environmental standards enabled China to build its dominance in rare earths in recent decades as Western producers left the industry.
What are other countries doing to reduce reliance on China?
Western countries have ramped up support to boost domestic production of critical minerals including rare earths.
Australia, Canada, the European Union and the US have set out policies and support packages for their critical minerals sectors.
Las Vegas-based MP Materials mines rare earth oxides at the Mountain Pass mine in California, but ships them to China for processing into neodymium and other rare earth metals, as there is no final processing in the US.
Electric vehicle maker Tesla is moving away from rare earths in future models to mitigate environmental and supply risks, as the rare earth industry struggles to meet demand.
China quota
China raised its full-year mining quota for rare earths for the fifth consecutive year in 2022 to 210,000 metric tonnes, up 25% from a year earlier.
The quota system, usually issued in two batches a year, was put in place in response to China's longstanding problems with illegal mining.
Quotas for mining in the first batch of this year also increased.


Daily cases creep up to 5,400

Another 5,413 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,556,865.Another 6,013 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,461,780.Meanwhile 545 are in the ICU, including 458 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 264 are in need of respiratory assistance including 184 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 5,413 cases reported today, 102 (1.9%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 5,311 (98.1%) are in Category One and Two.


No majority support for any MP, Agong to meet with PH, PN leaders

Istana Negara today said that no MP has been found to possess the numbers for a simple majority to be appointed as prime minister.
In a statement, it said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has therefore consented to hold an audience with the leaders of Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) at 4.30pm today.
It said Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah had conducted the verification process to determine which candidate had the support of the majority of MPs to be appointed as the 10th prime minister.
"This process was so that His Majesty could make a decision in appointing the MP who, in his opinion, might hold the support of the majority as provided for under Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution," it said.
Given the further delay, it said the Agong advised everyone to remain patient and calm until the process of forming a new government and appointing a prime minister is complete.
Malaysians have been waiting to learn who will be appointed as prime minister following the inconclusive results of the election, where no single coalition won enough seats to form the government on its own.
Both PH and PN previously claimed to have the numbers needed to form the government, although Barisan Nasional has said that it will play the role of the opposition without supporting either side.


‘Few reports’ of heart issue in young Americans after vaccine

US health authorities said they were looking into a small number of reports of heart inflammation among some younger people who received Covid vaccines, with no clear link established for the moment.There were “relatively few reports of myocarditis,” primarily in adolescents and young adults, following doses of mRNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.“Most cases appear to be mild, and follow-up of cases is ongoing,” the CDC said, adding that reports were more often from males who had gotten their second dose.The agency did not publish detailed information such as the number of reports or the ages of those affected.“Within CDC safety monitoring systems, rates of myocarditis reports… following Covid-19 vaccination have not differed from expected baseline rates,” CDC added.The US started in mid-May allowing children aged 12-15 to get vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.


Health expert sounds alarm as tourists from Covid-hit China prep for travel

A public health expert has urged the government to consider strict measures to curb the entry of tourists from China, which has been struggling with a new wave of infections since lifting its pandemic restrictions earlier this month.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar described the recent developments in the republic as "tricky".
"The surge of Covid-19 cases in China is real and worrying," he added.
"China has allowed its citizens to leave the country. This is like opening the floodgates and letting cases spill out across the world."
Zainal said government measures on the part of Malaysia could include daily monitoring of the situation, with the possibility of restrictions if cases rise too high.
"Visitors who wish to enter the country should be fully vaccinated and undergo Covid-19 screening, and should be closely monitored.
"Conduct random screening according to flights," he added.
Zainal's remarks follow those of the Malaysia Tourism Agency Association (Mata), which urged the government to suspend the entry of tourists from China until the country's daily Covid-19 caseload decreases.
Reports yesterday said that nearly half of the passengers from China onboard a flight to Italy tested positive for the virus.
China abruptly reversed course towards living with the virus earlier this month, ending three years of a relentless "zero-Covid" approach to the pandemic.
A wave of infections followed, triggering concern from countries such as the US, South Korea and Japan which said they would impose Covid tests for travellers from China.
In Malaysia, concern is also on the rise, especially ahead of the Lunar New Year celebration which normally sees an influx of tourists from China.
One report estimated that a million Chinese visitors would enter the country in 2023.
Malaysia first closed its borders in March 2020, several months after the onset of the pandemic. The previous government led by Pakatan Harapan had earlier said there was no need to shut the country's borders.
Zainal meanwhile said that Malaysia was almost completely out of the pandemic phase.
But while vaccination rates are high, the numbers for first and second booster shots are less encouraging.
"It's possible that Malaysia's immunisation level is decreasing," Zainal said.
"Precautionary measures are also becoming more lax. All we can do is pray. The memories of December 2019 to 2021 are still fresh in the minds of many."


Minister supports white flag campaign as opposition slams ‘failed govt’

Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin today voiced support for the #BenderaPutih campaign, launched on social media to urge those in need of help during the ongoing lockdown to raise a white flag outside their homes, even as members of the opposition zoomed in on the initiative as proof of the government’s failure to pay heed to the people’s well-being.“I am together in this #benderaputih campaign to identify those who need help,” she said in a post on Twitter and Facebook.“There is no need to beg and no need to be embarrassed. Just raise the flag.”Her post coincided with a statement by an Amanah Youth leader who said the campaign was evidence that the people could no longer weather the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic by depending on government aid.“This campaign which has gone viral is clear proof that the government has failed to attend to the people’s well-being during the movement control order,” Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin, the Pakatan Harapan Youth chief, added.“The government is too busy finding excuses and opportunities to continue its grip on power without any compassion whatsoever for those who have been affected by the pandemic.”Zuraida meanwhile urged those in need of help not to do anything that would cause pain to their loved ones.“We can no longer stand to see pictures and videos of our friends killing themselves,” she said.“Let those around you come together to help as much as they can.”Yesterday, the government announced another round of financial assistance under the RM150 billion Pemulih plan, including hundreds of thousands of ringgit in allocations for MPs for the distribution of food baskets in their constituencies, as well as RM10 million specifically for the Orang Asli community.It also announced a loss of income aid and allocations for NGOs to help the government address social issues such as mental health and homelessness, as well as RM4.6 billion for Covid-19 Special Assistance involving 11 million households, individuals and senior citizens.This came in the wake of another announcement that the lockdown under the movement control order, scheduled to end on June 28 after having been extended once before, would continue until several key threshold indicators for the country’s progress in terms of the pandemic are met.


US lawmakers arrive in Taiwan with China tensions simmering

A delegation of US lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a two-day trip during which they will meet President Tsai Ing-wen, the second high-level group to visit while there are military tensions between the self-ruled island and China.
Beijing, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has conducted military drills around the island to express its anger over US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei in early August.
The de facto US embassy in Taipei said the delegation is being led by Senator Ed Markey, who is being accompanied by four House lawmakers on what it described as part of a larger visit to the Indo-Pacific region.
Taiwan's presidential office said the group would meet Tsai on Monday morning.
"Especially at a time when China is raising tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the region with military exercises, Markey leading a delegation to visit Taiwan once again demonstrates the US Congress' firm support for Taiwan," it said in a statement.
Markey chairs the Senate Foreign Relations East Asia, Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Subcommittee. The co-leaders of the visit are Representative John Garamendi of the congressional Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group and Representative Don Beyer, a spokesperson for Markey said.
Markey's office said the lawmakers "will reaffirm the US support for Taiwan as guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, US - China Joint Communiques, and Six Assurances, and will encourage stability and peace across the Taiwan Strait."
The group will meet "with elected leaders and members of the private sector to discuss shared interests including reducing tensions in the Taiwan Strait and expanding economic cooperation, including investments in semiconductors," Markey's office said.
Taiwan's Foreign Ministry published pictures of four of the group being met at Taipei's downtown Songshan airport having arrived on a US air force transport jet, while Markey arrived at the Taoyuan international airport.
"The delegation will meet with senior Taiwan leaders to discuss US-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade and investment, global supply chains, climate change, and other significant issues of mutual interest," the de facto US embassy said.
While China's drills around Taiwan have abated, it is still carrying out military activities.
Eleven Chinese military aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line or entered Taiwan’s air defence zone on Sunday, Taiwan's Defence Ministry said. Thirteen planes crossed the strait on Saturday, the ministry said.


'Improper' to withdraw review bid on Batu Puteh case, says AG

The act of withdrawing a review application on the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) decision on the Pulau Batu Puteh (Pedra Branca), Middle Rocks and South Ledge claim was not in order and improper, according to Attorney-General Idrus Harun.
In a statement today, Idrus said the final report of the special task force on the sovereignty of Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge was tabled before the Cabinet for its consideration on Jan 11.
"Based on the Cabinet decision dated Jan 11, 2023, the government is of the view that the decision to withdraw both the application for revision of the decision of the case concerning the sovereignty over Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge (Malaysia/Singapore) and the request for interpretation of the decision in the said case was not in order and improper," he said.
Nevertheless, Idrus said the government respected the judgment of the ICJ in the case concerning the sovereignty over Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge, dated May 23, 2008.
"The Attorney-General’s Chambers is studying the recommendations made by the special task force, including the issue relating to tort of misfeasance in public office, and will take the appropriate action to carry out the decision of the Cabinet," he said.
Idrus also said that issues linked to Batu Puteh were of vital importance as they related to the strategic interests and sovereignty of the nation.
"In this regard, the government will continue to ensure that Malaysia’s interests and sovereignty are protected and preserved at all times," he added.
On Feb 3, 2017, the government filed an application for a revision of the ICJ’s ruling, awarding legal jurisdiction of Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore while Malaysia owned Middle Rocks, and South Ledge belonged to the state in whose territorial waters it is located.
However, in 2018, the then Pakatan Harapan government under Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s leadership withdrew the application before the case was heard as the hearing was scheduled for June 11, 2018.
On Dec 14 last year, the newly appointed prime minister Anwar Ibrahim called for the claim on Batu Puteh to be reviewed through immediate and more "meaningful" negotiations with Singapore, without jeopardising bilateral relations.