The costs and benefits of buy now, pay later

Financial experts have cautioned against the unthinking use of payment methods such as the buy now, pay later (BNPL) scheme as the festive season kicks in and online shopping platforms ramp up their year-end sales with massive discounts and offers, saying this could lead to the rapid accumulation of debt.Online shopping came into its own during the pandemic when measures to curb the spread of the virus saw the closure of many physical premises. But even before that, it had already been gaining traction with rebates and vouchers dangled for customers at every possible occasion.Now, with the BNPL scheme entering the picture, financial experts say it may become even easier for shoppers to get what they want with just a click of the mouse.As the name suggests, the BNPL method allows customers to obtain an item without making full payment up front.Similar to conventional instalment schemes, payment is instead broken down into smaller sums to be paid over a certain period of time. BNPL is usually interest-free but late payment fees are charged if customers fail to make the required payment on time.In Malaysia, the scheme is offered by platforms such as Grab through its PayLater option, Shopee through SPay Later, Atome and Hoolah.It is currently unregulated although Bank Negara Malaysia announced last month that interagency efforts would be made to enact the Consumer Credit Act next year, thereby strengthening regulatory arrangements for consumer credit activities including BNPL schemes.For now, though, BNPL is rapidly gaining ground as one of the fastest growing payment methods for cashless transactions.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, though, iMoney CEO See Wai Hun said certain issues should be kept in mind, including the matter of late payment fees.“Late payment charges can range from a fixed amount such as RM60 to a percentage of the price of the item per month,” she said.As BNPL breaks purchases down into smaller instalment amounts, she added, it could also create the illusion of items being “more affordable” than they actually are.“This misperception may lead some to commit to purchases that are in reality beyond their financial means,” she said.BNPL is also more accessible with a lower entry barrier than credit cards and bank loans. In Malaysia, basic requirements include proof that the customer is at least 18 years old, evidence of citizenship, a debit card, phone number and email address.See said the ease of access could also shorten the decision time between consideration and purchase, leading to the possibility of impulsive buys.Amanda Yeo, a research analyst with think tank Emir Research, said BNPL is particularly attractive to millennials and the so-called Gen Z as it allows them to purchase all manner of items from cosmetics and clothing to electronics and even furniture within their monthly budgets.“As payment can be divided across several months, they feel less financially burdened during the pandemic time,” she added.The “feel good” impact of BNPL is also compounded by the absence of physical receipts and transactions, which with conventional purchases are tangible reminders of the money spent.This is why some financial advisers encourage people to spend with cash instead of a credit card, so that they will be more conscious of the cash going out, Yeo said.If customers should default on their payments, she said, BNPL companies might eventually notify the debt collectors. This is where the concern lies, she added.According to the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency, credit cards and personal loans are the main reasons why many Malaysians become trapped in debt.In Malaysia, household debt rose from RM1.27 trillion in 2020 to RM1.34 trillion as of June.“Households have to prioritise what to spend on first and what items they require the most,” Yeo said.But this is not to vilify such schemes.Purchases made through BNPL could help repair some of the economic damage left by the pandemic, which wreaked havoc on countries throughout the world.And if used wisely, the method allows customers to obtain much-needed items without harming their cash flow, See said.Customers may even be able to save through the various rewards, promotions and points offered by e-commerce sites.But this must be coupled with financial discipline and awareness.Yeo meanwhile advised young buyers to adjust their lifestyle expectations and to opt for more affordable products based on their budget constraints.“At the end of the day, when needs are simpler, life will not be suffocating,” she said.


We believed Jho Low legitimately represented Najib, ex-1MDB CFO tells court

Former 1MDB chief financial officer (CFO) Azmi Tahir told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that he had not met fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low off the road, but believed that he was the representative of Najib Razak in 1MDB.Azmi, 49, said this was because Jho Low was introduced to him by Najib’s late principal private secretary, Azlin Alias.He was being cross-examined as the 12th prosecution witness by Najib’s counsel, Hariharan Tara Singh, at the former prime minister’s trial over the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion in funds from 1MDB.Hariharan: As the then CFO, don’t you think it was inappropriate to take instructions from Jho Low who was not part of the company (1MDB)?Azmi: No… because, the events leading to how I met him and all that, and what I believed and everyone else too. We thought he was legitimately representing Najib. I didn’t meet him off the road somewhere, he was introduced by the late Azlin.Azmi then testified on the meeting on Dec 15, 2013 at Najib’s residence with KPMG Malaysia, which was held as KPMG was dissatisfied with the explanations and documents provided in relation to the company’s investment of US$2.3 billion in an unknown fund, Bridge Global SPC, made through Brazen Sky Ltd, a special purpose vehicle of 1MDB.Azmi along with former 1MDB CEO Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman and former 1MDB chairman Lodin Wok Kamaruddin were in attendance together with Jho Low and Najib.When asked why he had not verified these transfers when he met Najib at the meeting, Azmi said that in hindsight, he should have. However, he added that he did not think it was an appropriate forum to speak to Najib about it.Hariharan: Wouldn’t it have been prudent to check on the transactions? Why didn’t you verify the matter with Najib? You should have asked Najib himself.Azmi: It’s very convenient to say I should have walked up to the PM (Najib) and asked… I’m sorry, I don’t think it was professional.To another question, Azmi agreed that Jho Low had benefited from the movement of funds from 1MDB to his company, Good Star Ltd.However, he disagreed with the lawyer’s suggestion that he was part of Jho Low’s plan to misappropriate 1MDB funds.He also said that he had carried out all instructions from Jho Low without questioning him.Najib, the Pekan MP, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.The trial before justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.


PKR to contest 7 seats in Sabah polls

Sabah PKR will contest seven seats in the upcoming state election, with its chairman Christina Liew defending her seat of Api-Api.Liew, who announced the party’s candidates today, said two of them were new faces, namely Tawau municipal council Alijus Sipil who will contest the Tamparuli seat, and Peto Galim who will stand in Inanam.“The four other candidates, to be fielded in Klias, Tempasuk, Matunggong and Sook, are senior leaders of Sabah PKR and they have contested these seats in past elections,” she said.The four are Abdul Rahmad Md Yakub (Klias), Mustapha Sakmud (Tempasuk), Sazalye Donol Abdullah (Matunggong) and Raymond Ahuar (Sook).“The candidates will have to work hard (to win),” Liew said.“I hope those who were not selected will help and cooperate with the candidates to ensure their victory.”She added that she would meet with the PKR divisional committees in Sabah to ensure cooperation with the candidates from allies Warisan, DAP and Upko as well.


Ready with 3 million doses of Chinese vaccine, Indonesia waits for halal ruling

Indonesia plans to launch a vaccination programme on Jan 13 having already obtained three million doses from China’s Sinovac Biotech.However, inoculations cannot begin until Indonesia’s highest Muslim clerical council rules on whether the jab is halal, or permissible under Islam.Controversy over whether vaccines conform to Islamic rules has hindered public health responses before, including in 2018, when the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issued a fatwa declaring that a measles vaccine was forbidden under Islam.“Our target is before first injections start, the fatwa has to come out then,” said Muti Arintawati, an official at MUI in charge of analysing food and drugs to assess whether they are halal.The world’s largest Muslim-majority country is struggling with the worst Covid-19 outbreak in Southeast Asia and authorities are relying on a vaccine to help alleviate dual health and economic crises devastating the country.Asked by reporters about the risk of public resistance, a health ministry official said the government would wait for MUI’s decision.In a bid to boost public acceptance, President Joko Widodo has said he will be the first to receive a vaccine jab next week.Dicky Budiman, a researcher at Australia’s Griffith University, told Reuters that authorities need to be transparent on the matter of halal certification to reassure the public.The New York Times has reported that Sinovac told Indonesia’s state-owned drugmaker Bio Farma that the vaccines were “manufactured free of porcine materials”.Bambang Heriyanto of Bio Farma confirmed receiving the statement but said the halal status would be decided by MUI.Ahmad Ishomuddin, an official at Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia’s biggest mainstream Muslim organisation, said emergency vaccines that were not halal could be used if there were no other options.This opinion was supported by some Muslim residents in Depok, south of Jakarta.19-year-old student Muhammad Farrel told Reuters, “If indeed the vaccine contains non-halal ingredients and during the emergency period there are no other ingredients for the medicine, yes, it is permissible according to my religion.”


Two militants sentenced to death for killing US blogger escape from Bangladesh court

Two Islamist militants sentenced to death for killing a US blogger critical of religious extremism escaped from a crowded court in Bangladesh's Dhaka on Sunday.
Avijit Roy, an engineer of Bangladeshi origin, was hacked to death by machete-wielding assailants in February 2015 while returning home with his wife from a Dhaka book fair. His wife, blogger Rafida Bonya Ahmed, suffered head injuries and lost a thumb in the attack.
Five members of an Islamist militant group were sentenced to death last year, while one was jailed for life.
Two of those on death penalty escaped on Sunday, after bikers sprayed chemical on the police before snatching away the convicts, police said.
"A massive manhunt has been launched to capture them and their helpers," Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told reporters, adding that border security officials had been put on alert to stop the men fleeing the country.
Police has also announced an award of two million taka (about RM88,477) for tracing the convicts.
The convicted men belong to the al Qaeda-inspired domestic militant group Ansar Ullah Bangla Team and police say the group was behind the murders of more than a dozen secular activists and bloggers.
Muslim-majority Bangladesh saw a string of deadly attacks between 2013 and 2016 targeting bloggers, secular activists and religious minorities, claimed by Islamic State or al Qaeda-aligned groups.


Dr M admitted to IJN

Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) for a full medical check-up and further observation.IJN said in a statement that the former prime minister was admitted at 7pm.It said he is expected to remain at IJN for the next few days.Mahathir was last admitted to IJN in August 2016 for the treatment of a chest infection.Prior to that, he was admitted in November 2013, also for a chest infection, and discharged several days later.


Health workers in US state suing hospital that required vaccinations

More than 100 employees of one of the largest hospitals in Texas are suing their employer after it said it would fire them for failing to get vaccinated against Covid-19.Houston Methodist Hospital had given its workers until Monday to prove they had received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine.The 117 plaintiffs claimed that the hospital’s demand was illegal so long as the available vaccines have received only emergency-use authorisation from US health authorities – though that authorisation has cleared the way for millions of Americans to be vaccinated.“We’re not against the vaccine,” nurse Jennifer Bridges told the Houston Chronicle a few weeks ago, “we just want to be more comfortable with this one and have thorough research out before we take it.”When the Monday deadline had passed, the hospital warned in a note to employees that unvaccinated workers would be suspended for two weeks without pay – then fired if they still had not complied.Bridges turned to social media to urge members of the public to come to the hospital’s Baytown campus to protest, and as night set in Tuesday, dozens of people had gathered.Among them was Kerry Rickard, a 40-something Houston resident who said she had lost her job at another facility for “standing up for my beliefs in not wearing masks or shields”.She told AFP she had come to “support my fellow free-thinking peers”, adding that she viewed Bridges as “bold, brave and a God-send”.A statement from the hospital praised the vast majority of workers for complying with the vaccine demand, while dismissing the others as “disgruntled”.“Almost 100% of our 26,000 employees have complied, making the right decision to fulfill their sacred obligation to protect our patients,” it said.“It is unfortunate that yesterday’s milestone of Houston Methodist becoming the safest hospital system in the country was overshadowed by a few disgruntled employees.”Houston houses the largest medical complex in the world, the Texas Medical Center, a sprawling district that includes hospitals and research universities. The center employs more than 106,000 healthcare workers in all, and sees some 10 million patients a year.Across the US, more than 171 million people – 52% of the population – have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine so far.And yet, surveys show that healthcare workers have been among the greatest vaccine sceptics.


Pandemic propels workers closer to four-day week

British photographer Paul David Smith had long toyed with the idea of switching all his staff to a four-day week, but it was the flexibility and reliability they showed in the pandemic that gave him the confidence to take the plunge.Almost a year later and his trust has been rewarded.He says staff at his eponymous studio have kept on top of the workload despite their reduced hours.And they are far happier, too.Smith is part of a revolution underway in the world of work – staff do shorter hours for the same pay – which has been gathering pace as economies look to bounce back from Covid-19.From Iceland to Australia, governments and business are testing shorter work weeks, be it in fashion or fast food.With dozens of companies set to take part in Britain’s biggest ever trial of a four-day week, joining similar pilots in five other countries, Smith is at the vanguard of a movement that some believe could reshape workplace norms.“The big game-changer has obviously been the pandemic,” said Joe O’Connor of 4 Day Week Global, the New Zealand-based organisation co-running the British trial.“Companies have not been able to monitor presenteeism in the way they previously did,” he said. “As a result, that’s opened the door to consider something like the four-day working week.”All changeThe pandemic forced mass change in office culture, as lockdowns that closed schools and offices resulted in a sudden shift to remote working and flexible hours as many people struggled to balance jobs with care responsibilities.Many firms now offer increased flexibility in response to demand from workers, as the “great resignation” and tightening labour markets in countries such as the United States and Britain fuel competition for new staff.Spain has offered its financial backing to a four-day week trial, Japan has urged companies to let staff drop a day, and New Zealand premier Jacinda Ardern is also a keen supporter.Dozens of firms are already on board. Spanish fashion house Desigual switched to a four-day week last year, and consumer giant Unilever is trialling the shorter week across New Zealand.O’Connor said there was huge British interest in the six-month trial, co-organised by think tank Autonomy and researchers at Cambridge University, Boston College and Oxford University.The organisation is also running three other mass pilots in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.“Everyone’s super excited – including myself,” said Nathan Hanslip, chief executive of Yo Telecom, among those planning to take part when the British trial begins in June.The extra day off will give workers extra “wellness, happiness and more family time”, he added.Remote challengesThe big question for employers – can workers sustain the same level of work but do it in fewer hours?Early signs are largely positive, with research by Autonomy think tank on two large-scale trials of shorter work weeks in Iceland finding that productivity did not dip in most workplaces and worker wellbeing “dramatically” improved.Encouraging large-scale switches to shorter hours can also benefit entire economies and help reduce unemployment, said Arthur Donner, a Toronto-based economic consultant who produced a 1994 report to the Canadian government on working hours.“It’s a form of work sharing,” he said, spreading the total workload between a larger pool of people.But even as the pandemic built the case for flexible working and shorter hours, numerous reports have found that home workers put in longer hours as their habits changed.Just take the ubiquity of online meetings in the pandemic.“Discussions that were quick emails or a call have now turned into zoom routine meetings for 30 minutes to an hour,” said Jalie Cohen of the HR services firm, The Adecco Group.“We are working longer hours. But the outcomes and the productivity should be the focus.”Almost six in 10 workers said they could do their job in fewer than 40 hours a week, found surveys of some 15,000 people in 25 countries by The Adecco Group last year, even as the proportion working overtime rose by 14% in a year.However, others wonder whether the shift to remote working, an increase in freelancing, and a digital “always on” mentality, have all made the prospect of shorter hours even more remote.“Think of all these people who are working from home now. How are you going to measure their working hours?” said Donner.“When you answer an email at midnight from your boss, is that work? Of course it’s work.”‘New standard’Research from employers suggests many see the need to embrace greater flexibility but are cautious on major shifts.It is “getting harder to align” the priorities of employers and employees over work/life balance expectations, said Scott Gutz, chief executive of global recruitment firm Monster.Which might mean many firms may be too cautious to act.In Britain, a January poll by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) found more than half of managers said their workplaces were considering or would consider a four-day week – but 73% thought it would not happen in the end.Many managers still “believe it’s too big a change for business leaders to make”, said CMI chief executive Ann Francke – though she added the same might once have been said of remote and hybrid working.“The five-day working week model isn’t set in stone – once some firms start to adopt it, there is every chance it could snowball to be more mainstream,” she said.O’Connor at 4 Day Week Global agreed, saying he previously expected it would take 10 years to make the shorter week a “new standard” in workplaces – now he thinks it could be five.“In a lot of sectors, this is going to go from being the ambition to being the norm very, very rapidly,” he said.


Denmark bars J&J from Covid vaccination programme

Denmark said Monday it will bar the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from its Covid inoculation drive over worries about blood clots, following a similar move against the AstraZeneca jab.The Danish Health Authority noted that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) “has concluded that there is a possible link between rare but severe cases of blood clots” and the Johnson & Johnson drug.Both the EMA and the World Health Organization have however recommended the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on the basis that the benefits outweigh the risks.But Danish health officials said the current favourable epidemiological situation in the Scandinavian country meant it could do without the Johnson & Johnson jab, and would rely only on the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.“The Danish Health Authority has concluded that the benefits of using the Covid-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson do not outweigh the risk of causing the possible adverse effect… in those who receive the vaccine,” the authority said in a statement.“Therefore, the Danish Health Authority will continue the Danish mass vaccination programme against Covid-19 without the Covid-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson,” it added.The health authority noted Denmark’s epidemic was currently “under control”, and that “the vaccination rollout is progressing satisfactorily with other available vaccines”.Delayed campaignBut it acknowledged that the decision would delay the vaccination campaign by four weeks. It said it expected to have vaccinated everyone over the age of 16 by the end of August.In mid-April, Denmark announced it was dropping the AstraZeneca vaccine after putting it on hold a month earlier, citing similar concerns, becoming the first country in Europe to completely cut the vaccine.Now also one of the first countries to avoid the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Denmark had never authorised the drug for use. Authorities had been evaluating it since mid-April.Health authorities said Monday they could however re-evaluate the use of both the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines should the situation change.“New knowledge may emerge, or the situation in Denmark may change, for example, in terms of infection pressure, disease burden, epidemic control, or other vaccines’ availability,” the health authority said.Of Denmark’s 5.8 million inhabitants, 11.5% are fully vaccinated and 23.4% have received a first dose.Currently four inoculations are approved for use in the EU: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson – the latter two reserved for older people in most European countries.According to an AFP tally, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is being used in 17 countries, including France, South Africa, the US, Spain, Germany and Poland.AstraZeneca’s jab is meanwhile being administered in 160 countries, Pfizer’s in 80, and Moderna’s in about 40 countries.


Russia kills civilians in first huge missile wave for weeks

Russia launched a huge wave of missile strikes across Ukraine while people slept on Thursday, killing at least six civilians, knocking out electricity and briefly forcing Europe's biggest nuclear power plant off the grid.
The first such mass attack on targets far from the front since mid-February shattered the longest calm since Moscow began an air campaign against Ukraine's civil infrastructure five months ago. Kyiv said it included an unprecedented six kinzhal hypersonic cruise missiles, one of Moscow's most valuable weapons.
"The occupiers can only terrorise civilians. That's all they can do. But it won’t help them. They won’t avoid responsibility for everything they have done," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement, describing strikes that hit infrastructure and residential buildings in ten regions.
Russia's defence ministry said it had carried out a "massive retaliatory strike" as payback for a cross-border raid last week. It claimed to have hit all its intended targets, destroying drone bases, disrupting railways and damaging facilities that make and repair arms.
Villagers in Zolochiv in Ukraine's western Lviv region carried a body in a black plastic bag over the rubble of a brick house completely destroyed by a missile. They put the body into the back of a white van with two others, of at least five people killed there. A dog lay curled up on a carpet in the ruins.
Oksana Ostapenko said the house belonged to her sister Halyna, whose body was still buried under the rubble with two other family members.
"They still haven’t found them. We were hoping that they’re alive. But, they’re not alive,” she said.
Another civilian was reported killed by the missiles in the central Dnipro region. Three civilians were separately reported killed by artillery in Kherson.
Moscow says its campaign against targets far from the front, which began in October, is intended to reduce Ukraine's ability to fight. Kyiv says the air strikes have no military purpose and aim to harm and intimidate civilians, a war crime.
In the capital Kyiv, the seven-hour alert through the night was the longest of Russia's five-month air campaign.
"I heard a very loud explosion, very loud. We quickly jumped out of bed and saw one car on fire. Then the other cars caught on fire as well. The glass shattered on the balconies and windows," said Liudmyla, 58, holding a toddler in her arms on a Kyiv street near wrecked cars.
"The child got scared and jumped out of bed," she said. "How can they do this? How is this possible? They are not humans."
Hypersonic missiles
Moscow confirmed it had used hypersonic kinzhal missiles in Thursday's attack. Ukrainian officials said it was the first time they had faced so many of the weapons, which Ukraine has no way to shoot down.
Russia is believed to have just a few dozen kinzhals, which fly many times faster than the speed of sound and are built to carry nuclear warheads with a range of more than 2,000km (1,200 miles). In his speeches, President Vladimir Putin regularly touts the kinzhal as a weapon for which Nato has no answer.
Ukraine said the attacks had also knocked out the power supply to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe's largest, severing it from the Ukrainian grid and forcing it onto emergency diesel power to prevent a meltdown. It was later reconnected to Ukraine's energy grid, operator Ukrenergo said.
The plant, which Russia has held since capturing it early in the war, is near the front line and both sides have warned in the past of a potential for disaster. Moscow said it was safe.
"The specialists at the plant are working quite professionally, the automation has started up," said Renat Karchaa, adviser to the CEO of Russian state nuclear power operator Rosenergoatom. "There is no threat or danger of a nuclear incident."
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi appealed for a protection zone around the plant.
"Each time we are rolling a dice. And if we allow this to continue time after time then one day our luck will run out," Grossi told the IAEA's 35-nation Board of Governors.
Kyiv, the Black Sea port of Odesa and the second-largest city Kharkiv were all hit. Targets stretched from Zhytomyr, Vynnytsia and Rivne in the west to Dnipro and Poltava in central Ukraine, officials said.
Ukraine fights on at Bakhmut
On the battlefield, the week has seen an apparent shift as Ukraine has decided to fight on in Bakhmut, a small city that has borne the brunt of a Russian winter offensive in the bloodiest fighting of the war.
Moscow says Bakhmut is strategically important as a step to securing the surrounding Donbas region, a major war aim. The West says the ruined city has little value and Russian generals are sacrificing lives to give Putin his only victory since sending hundreds of thousands of reservists into battle at the end of last year.
Ukraine had appeared likely to withdraw from Bakhmut, but commanders now say they are inflicting enough damage on Russia's assault force to justify staying and fighting on.
"Each day of the defense of the town allows us to gain time to prepare reserves and prepare for future offensive operations," said Oleksandr Sirskiy, commander of Ukraine's ground forces. "The enemy loses the most prepared and combat-capable part of his army."
Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Russia's Wagner private army which has led the fighting in Bakhmut, said on Wednesday his forces controlled all of the city east of a river through it.
Moscow, which claims to have annexed a fifth of Ukraine, says it launched its "special military operation" a year ago to combat a security threat. Kyiv and the West call it an unprovoked war to subdue an independent state.


Investigating officer ‘suspected Syed Saddiq conspired with 2 others’ over missing RM250,000

An assistant police superintendent told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today he suspected that Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and two others were involved in the case regarding RM250,000 in cash that had gone missing from a safe in the politician’s house two years ago.ASP Ahmad Marzuqi Ibrahim, 39, the investigating officer in the case, said he suspected this because only Syed Saddiq and two other individuals – Siti Nurul Hidayah and Lim Hooi Sean – knew the combination code for the safe.“Only Syed Saddiq’s fingerprints were found on the cupboard and the safe. I suspected that all three of them were involved or had abetted in the case of the missing money.“I sent a letter to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) to obtain information to facilitate the investigation, but I have yet to receive any feedback from BNM,” he said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mohd ‘Afif Ali on the second day of Syed Saddiq’s trial for four charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering.Marzuqi, the fifth prosecution witness, also confirmed that there was no trace of the safe being forced open and that only Syed Saddiq’s fingerprints had been found on it.“I did not do any verification or investigation on how Syed Saddiq obtained the money because my investigation at that time was according to Section 380 of the Penal Code, which is theft in dwellings.“I also confirm Syed Saddiq never told me that the missing money was political money. He only said that it was his savings and also his parents’,” he said.Earlier, Marzuqi said he had arrested Syed Saddiq’s maid, an Indonesian named Novi Dwi Anggraeni, following the police report the politician had made on March 29, 2020 regarding the theft of the money.“However, Novi was released because there was no evidence linking her to the case. I also confirm that Syed Saddiq’s room did not show any signs of force entry,” he said.Meanwhile, the seventh prosecution witness, Corporal Helmi Abdul Rahman, who received a MERS 999 call from Syed Saddiq regarding the theft, said he did not suspect that the report of the loss of money was false.“I also did not ask Syed Saddiq when he realised that the money had been stolen or missing,” he said.Syed Saddiq was charged as Bersatu’s then Youth chief, entrusted with the control of the wing’s funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim Razali, the wing’s assistant treasurer at the time, with CBT of RM1 million.He was accused of committing the offence at CIMB Bank, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, on March 6, 2020, charged under Section 406 of the Penal Code which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years and a whipping, with the possibility of a fine upon conviction.For the second charge, Syed Saddiq was accused of misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money.He was accused of committing the offence at Malayan Banking, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018, and charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of between six months and five years, with whipping and a fine upon conviction.He also faces two counts of engaging in money laundering activities, in two transactions of RM50,000 believed to be the proceeds of unlawful activities from his Maybank Islamic account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.Syed Saddiq was accused of committing the offence at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.The charges were framed under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, punishable under Section 4 (1) of the same law, which provides for a maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or the proceeds of illegal activities, upon conviction.The trial before judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid continues on July 4.


Health or economy? Top-level meeting reveals anxiety on balancing act ahead of MCO end

A recent meeting of ministers, senior health officials and state government leaders from both sides of the political divide saw a tense discussion on the need to balance between the economy and public health, ahead of the Feb 4 expiry of the movement control order (MCO) to arrest the four-figure surge in Covid-19 infections, MalaysiaNow has learnt.Questions were also thrown at health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who sought an explanation for speculation that the government would end the MCO next week.Chow also grilled health ministry officials on the long-term plan to contain the pandemic, with total infections since the virus first hit a year ago fast approaching the 200,000 mark.“Like governments around the world, Putrajaya is in a dilemma as it steps up its war against the pandemic.“Which comes first: the effort to protect public health or the effort to ensure that the economy is not paralysed and affecting people in ways that are more serious than Covid-19 would?” a source who is privy to strategies on fighting the deadly virus told MalaysiaNow.Despite a series of discussions, both ruling and opposition politicians at the meeting felt there was a lack of clear narrative on the way forward in fighting the pandemic.“Like governments around the world, Putrajaya is in a dilemma as it steps up its war against the pandemic.”There was also concern that daily infections will remain high even three weeks into the MCO, which expires on Feb 4.Yesterday, 10 more people succumbed to the virus, bringing the death toll to 717, while another 4,094 people tested positive for the infection.Hospitals nationwide dedicated to treating Covid-19 patients are already running at maximum capacity, prompting the government to turn to the private medical sector to allocate thousands of beds for new cases.Another major concern is that lifting the MCO – under which tighter restrictions are placed on businesses as well as activities such as travelling, gathering and dining in at restaurants – would signal to the public that the authorities are losing the war and giving up.“And there are concerns that accusations will be thrown, claiming the government is prioritising the economy over health,” the source told MalaysiaNow.On Monday, Noor Hisham expressed optimism that the high number of daily infections could reduce to double digit figures by May, adding that authorities are not in favour of extending the MCO beyond the Feb 4 deadline.He said the MCO could be replaced with conditional MCO for three months, where more businesses are allowed to operate and travel restrictions are relaxed.“We do not want to extend the MCO because this will affect our economy. So, we must balance between our economy and health,” he told a press conference on Jan 25.“There are concerns that accusations will be thrown, claiming the government is prioritising the economy over health.”But despite Noor Hisham’s announcement, no decision has been made by the government on whether the MCO will be extended.Meanwhile, MalaysiaNow has learnt that Noor Hisham will be laying out the health ministry’s long-term plan for battling the pandemic some time next week.“That presentation will reveal data on the second phase of the MCO, which will show whether it has been successful or not,” the source said.Criticism has been levelled at both Noor Hisham and the health ministry over the perceived failure of the MCO this time around. Questions have also been raised over the green light given to many businesses to continue operating throughout the period.“The general view is that it is too early to measure the effectiveness of MCO 2.0,” the source told MalaysiaNow.


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Back to 4 digits as 1,133 new cases reported

Another 1,133 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 344,018.Selangor recorded 401 cases, Penang 194 and Sarawak 153.Johor recorded 96 cases, followed by Kuala Lumpur (53), Perak and Kelantan (44 each), Sabah and Kedah (41 each), Negeri Sembilan (39), Pahang (16), Melaka (six), Terengganu (two) and Labuan, Putrajaya and Perlis (one each).Nine new clusters were detected:1. Jalan Western (Sepang and Petaling in Selangor; 356 screened, 19 positive)2. Jalan SC Satu (Hulu Klang in Selangor; 40 screened, six positive)3. Jalan Pinang Raja (Petaling and Klang in Selangor; 230 screened, 25 positive)4. Batu Enam Setengah (Seremban in Negeri Sembilan; 155 screened, 47 positive)5. Jalan Sulaiman (Kepong, Titiwangsa and Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur; 48 screened, 12 positive)6. Fasa Dua Semarak (Tawau in Sabah; 15 screened, six positive)7. Ranggu (Tawau in Sabah; 25 screened, eight positive)8. Jalan Merak (Kulai in Johor; 36 screened, seven positive)9. Kota Kemajuan (Johor Bahru and Kota Tinggi in Johor; 59 screened, five positive)Thirteen others ended, leaving 369 active clusters across the country.Another 1,148 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 328,554.However, five more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,265.


Malaysia, Singapore in talks on expanding VTL to private vehicles

Singapore is currently in discussions with Malaysia on expanding the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) land arrangement for private vehicles as well as private coaches, says Gan Kim Yong, the co-chair of the republic’s Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) on Covid-19.At present, no private vehicles are allowed to travel over land between the two countries.“… when we are ready, we will make the necessary and appropriate announcement,” Gan who is also the trade and industry minister, said at a virtual press conference in Singapore yesterday.The MTF was asked when private vehicles would be allowed into both countries.Meanwhile, Transport Minister S Iswaran said Singapore would deepen and extend VTLs with Asean neighbours including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines.“We are in advanced discussions to expand the VTLs to Penang and Kota Kinabalu. We look forward to launching these soon,” he said.Singapore began the VTL by air and land with Malaysia on Nov 29 last year but on a limited scale.Singapore will also streamline its border measures for the VTL that will see, among others, long-term pass holders no longer having to apply for a vaccinated travel pass (VTP) or entry approval to enter Singapore, from Feb 22.Travel history requirement will be reduced from 14 to seven days, the seven-day enhanced testing protocol will be dropped, and VTL travellers will no longer need to perform an on-arrival PCR test.Meanwhile, the stay-home notice (SHN) duration will be standardised to seven days across all country/region risk categories in view of Omicron’s shorter incubation period.To facilitate vaccinated travel, the republic will restore and progressively increase VTL quotas.The air VTL quotas will be fully restored with immediate effect while the land quotas will be fully restored from Feb 22.The sale of bus and flight tickets for the land and air VTL was suspended on Dec 23, and resumed on Jan 21.However, the quota for the bus and flight tickets had been reduced by 50% from the existing capacity for land and air routes.


Arthritis drugs reduce Covid-19 deaths, study shows

Arthritis drugs tocilizumab and sarilumab reduce the risk of death and the need for ventilators among hospitalised Covid-19 patients, according to an analysis of nearly 11,000 patients published Tuesday.The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association and prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to recommend the use of the medicines, known as IL-6 inhibitors, in addition to corticosteroids among patients with severe or critical Covid.Manu Shankar-Hari, a professor at King’s College London and lead author of the paper, told AFP that the research represented a “definitive piece of evidence” in favour of the drugs after earlier studies produced mixed results.Among hospitalised Covid patients, administering one of the drugs in addition to corticosteroids reduced the risk of death by 17%, compared to the use of corticosteroids alone.In patients who were not on ventilators, the risk of progressing to mechanical ventilation or death was reduced by 21%, compared to the use of corticosteroids alone.Severely ill Covid patients experience an immune system overreaction known as a “cytokine storm” that can cause severe organ damage and death.Tocilizumab and sarilumab are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition, by inhibiting the effects of interleukin (IL)-6, a type of protein called a cytokine that signals the body to mount an inflammatory response.But previous research on whether IL-6 inhibitors can be useful against severe Covid have variously reported benefit, no effect and harm.This prompted WHO to coordinate the new study that combined data from 27 randomised trials conducted across 28 countries.The analysis included information on 10,930 patients, of whom 6,449 were randomly assigned to receive interleukin-6 inhibitors and 4,481 to receive usual care or placebo.Overall, the risk of death within 28 days was 22% compared with an assumed risk of 25% in those receiving only usual care.Outcomes were better when patients also received corticosteroids, with the risk of dying 21% compared to 25% for those receiving usual care.This means that for every 100 such patients, four more will survive.The study also examined the impact of these drugs on whether patients progressed to ventilators or death.Among patients also given corticosteroids, the risk was found to be 26% for those receiving IL-6 inhibitors compared with an assumed 33% in those receiving usual care.In other words, for every 100 such patients, seven more will survive and avoid mechanical ventilation.Tocilizumab and sarilumab, which are given by infusion or injection, are currently recommended for use along with corticosteroids in severe Covid patients by Britain. The US also recommends tocilizumab with corticosteroids.Shankar-Hari said he hoped global organisations such as WHO could now lobby to improve access of the drugs for lower and middle income drugs where the current cost could be prohibitive for widespread use.


3 crew missing after oil tanker fire

Rescuers on Tuesday were searching for three missing crew members from an oil tanker that caught fire off the southern coast.
Thick, black smoke engulfed the Gabon-flagged ship when the fire broke out on Monday during its journey from China to Singapore, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said in a statement.
Singaporean authorities identified the ship as the MT Pablo.
The fire was extinguished and the vessel was afloat with no danger to passing ships, a Malaysian official told AFP.
Two nearby ships and a maritime agency boat rescued 25 members of the MT Pablo's crew, MMEA official Nurul Hizam Zakaria told local newspaper The Star.
"The search is now focused on finding the remaining three crew members," he was quoted as saying by the paper.
The cause of the incident is under investigation, the MMEA said.


Saudi to allow only ‘immunised’ pilgrims to Mecca

Saudi authorities said Monday only people immunised against Covid-19 will be allowed to perform the year-round umrah pilgrimage from the start of Ramadan, the holy fasting month for Muslims.The haj and umrah ministry said in a statement that three categories of people would be considered “immunised” – those who have received two doses of the vaccine, those administered a single dose at least 14 days prior, and people who have recovered from the infection.Only those people will be eligible for permits to perform umrah, as well as to attend prayers in the Grand Mosque in the city of Mecca.The policy would effectively “raise the operational capacity” of the Grand Mosque during Ramadan, it said, adding that the condition also applies for entry into the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.The ministry said the policy starts with Ramadan, which is due to begin later this month, but it was unclear how long it would last.It was also not clear whether the policy, which comes amid an uptick in coronavirus infections in the kingdom, would be extended to the annual haj pilgrimage later this year.Saudi Arabia has reported more than 393,000 coronavirus infections and 6,700 deaths from Covid-19.The kingdom’s health ministry said it has administered more than five million coronavirus vaccine doses, in a country with a population of over 34 million.Downsized hajThe announcement comes after King Salman replaced the haj minister last month, less than a year after the kingdom hosted the smallest haj in modern history due to the pandemic.Mohammad Benten was relieved from his post and replaced by Essam bin Saeed, according to a royal decree published by official Saudi Press Agency.In late July last year, the kingdom hosted a downsized haj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime.Only up to 10,000 Muslim residents of Saudi Arabia itself were allowed to take part, a far cry from the 2.5 million Muslims from around the world who participated in 2019.It is unclear how many pilgrims will be allowed for haj this year.According to the pro-government Okaz newspaper, only vaccinated pilgrims will likely be permitted this year.In a relaxation of coronavirus curbs last October, Saudi Arabia opened the Grand Mosque for prayers for the first time in seven months and partially resumed the umrah pilgrimage.The umrah, the pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time, usually attracts millions of Muslims from across the globe each year.Authorities said the umrah will be allowed to return to full capacity once the threat of the pandemic has abated.Saudi Arabia’s custodianship of Mecca and Medina – Islam’s two holiest sites – is seen as its most powerful source of the monarchy’s political legitimacy.The holy sites are also a key revenue earner for the kingdom, whose economy has been badly hit by the pandemic.


‘Bedtime fail’: 3-year-old daughter interrupts New Zealand PM’s livestream

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was busy telling the nation about important revisions to Covid-19 restrictions when an unexpected voice cut in: “Mummy”?In a situation familiar to parents worldwide, the leader’s three-year-old daughter Neve had decided everything, even the affairs of state, could wait.“You’re meant to be in bed, darling,” the 41-year-old Kiwi leader says, turning away from the Monday’s Facebook livestream to offer an also-familiar observation-cum-plea.“No,” Neve responds undeterred, launching what ended up being protracted, and for Ardern, fruitless, negotiations.“It’s bedtime, darling, pop back to bed. I’ll come and see you in a second. I’ll come and see you in a minute. Okay, – sorry, everybody,” Ardern says with a wry smile.“Well, that was a bedtime fail, wasn’t it? I thought here’s a moment I’ll do a Facebook Live, It will be nice and safe. Does anyone else have kids escape like three, four times after bedtime? Thankfully, my mum’s here so she can help out.“Okay, where were we?” Ardern tried to continue. The little voice returns: “What’s taking so long?”“I’m sorry, darling, it is taking so long. Okay. I’m sorry, everyone. I’m going to just go and put Neve back to bed. Because this is well past her bedtime. Thanks for joining me.”While not as dramatic as the moment the children of Korea analyst Robert Kelly interrupting his 2017 BBC interview, it is not the first time Neve has stolen the limelight.In 2018 Ardern became the second prime minister in the world – after Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto – to give birth while in office, later taking Neve onto the floor of the UN Assembly in New York.


Zahid says ready for MACC probe over Umno funds

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday said he was ready to be investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over the source of his party funds.
Zahid, who is also the deputy prime minister, said he was open to the matter as he had been investigated by MACC before.
"I am always open. I myself have been investigated... brought to court and I am prepared at any time.
"Thus we have been in the same boat... so (Muhyiddin Yassin) should just face up to whatever. "I have faced (investigations before), I wish him all the best," he told reporters in Johor Bahru.
The Bagan Datuk MP was commenting on the statement of the Bersatu president who urged MACC to investigate Zahid and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim on the sources of their political funds.
Muhyiddin, who was delivering his policy speech at the Bersatu annual general assembly, was quoted as making the call to ensure that the investigation into sources of political funds is fair and equal, and that he alone is not charged in court.


New US executions rule heralds return of gas chamber and Ol’ Sparky?

This year, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) has executed more people than during the previous half-century, reports the Associated Press.And now the outgoing administration of President Donald Trump is paving the way for additional methods of executing death row prisoners.The DoJ has changed its execution protocols in an amended rule published on Friday. It no longer requires federal death sentences to be carried out by lethal injection, so clearing the way for other methods such as firing squads and poison gas.A number of states already allow other methods of execution, including electrocution, inhaling nitrogen gas or by firing squad.The amended rule goes into effect on Dec 24 and comes as the DoJ has scheduled five executions for the presidential lame-duck period, including three just days before president-elect Joe Biden takes office.The rule change is likely to spark intense criticism from anti-death penalty advocates.A spokesman for Joe Biden told AP earlier this month that the president-elect “opposes the death penalty now and in the future” and would work to end its use, but he did not say whether executions would be paused immediately once Biden takes office.All states that use the death penalty allow lethal injection and that is the primary method, but as lethal injection drugs become more difficult to obtain, many states have begun looking at alternatives.In some states, inmates can choose how they will be put to death. For example, in Florida a condemned inmate can ask for electrocution, and in Washington state hanging is a choice. In Utah, prisoners sentenced before 2004 can choose to be shot by firing squad.In 2014, following a botched lethal injection execution in Oklahoma, President Barack Obama directed the DoJ to conduct a review of capital punishment methods.Once the review was completed, Attorney-General William Barr allowed federal executions to resume, replacing the previous three-drug combination with one drug, pentobarbital.Before the resumption, the federal government had executed just three prisoners since 1988 amid waning public and political support for capital punishment.


Daily cases top 11,000 again

Another 11,332 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,220,526.Sarawak recorded 2,358 cases, Johor 1,319, Selangor 1,231 and Kelantan 1,088.Sabah recorded 965 cases, Penang 895, Kedah 819, Perak 678, Pahang 677, Terengganu 629, Melaka 303 and Kuala Lumpur 240.Negeri Sebilan recorded 89 cases, Putrajaya and Perlis 19 each, and Labuan three.Another 14,160 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,020,099.Meanwhile 986 are in the ICU, including 848 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 574 are in need of respiratory assistance including 369 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 11,332 cases reported today, 247 (2.2%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 11,085 (97.8%) are in Category One and Two.


Develop according to need, not politics, says analyst

An analyst has cautioned against development according to political lines, saying initiatives and plans should be made according to need, amid questions on a number of mega projects in the country including the high-speed line from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore and the LRT in Penang.
"There should be no dichotomy of regional development based on political parties," Asyraf Farique of think tank Iris Institute told MalaysiaNow.
"The focus should be the development of Malaysia as a whole."
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recently announced an allocation of RM10 billion for Penang to boost its public transportation system.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke meanwhile said that the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project had attracted the interest of several local private companies.
In Kedah, however, the Kulim airport (KXP) project which menteri besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said had caught the eye of 18 firms is still awaiting approval at the central level.
Asyraf said development funds are oriented towards profit for the government as opposed to progress for the people.
He also noted the economic disparity in Malay-majority states which he said should be taken into account.
"In Penang, development is concentrated on the island," he said.
"The government should focus on developing areas in Seberang Perai and Batu Kawan before supporting the reclamation efforts at the island which could bring about a lot of harm."
Asyraf, who has studied the geopolitics of the HSR and East Coast Rail Link projects, also said that the intervention of private tycoons in public projects had resulted in an insufficient protection of public interests in the case of the former.
"The plan will benefit the private tycoons," he said.
The HSR project was cancelled during the administration of Muhyiddin Yassin, with Malaysia compensating Singapore to the tune of RM320 million.
On the viability of the KXP project, Asyraf said it was a legitimate initiative as it was part of the development plan for the northern corridor.
"But it's still nowhere to be seen although it could remove Malaysia from the low supply chain, especially in the manufacturing sector," he said.
"Most of the companies that have shown interest are foreign companies.
"The model is not very different from those seen in Penang and so forth."


Ukraine rights chief releases video of 'torture chamber' in liberated Kherson

A top Ukrainian human rights investigator on Thursday released a video of what he said was a torture chamber used by Russian forces in the recently liberated Kherson region, including a small room in which he said up to 25 people were kept at a time.
Dmytro Lubinets, the parliament's human rights commissioner, shared the video on social media after Ukraine's interior minister said investigators had uncovered 63 bodies with signs of torture after Russian forces left last week.
In the video, Lubinets speaks from a series of bare underground rooms – with grimy walls and floors – that he says were used for detentions, interrogations and torture. Electric shocks were used to secure confessions, he said.
Reuters was unable to verify the allegations made by Lubinets and others in the video. Russia denies its troops target civilians or have committed atrocities.
An unidentified middle-aged man in the video said he had been kept in one of the rooms for 24 days. He said he was tied to a chair and subjected to recurring electric shocks "until losing consciousness" and, after a break, the process resumed.
"They asked the questions they wanted and obtained the answers they wanted," the man said. "One after the other. They prepared a bunch of questions and wrote down everything they wanted."
The premises, Lubinets said, were clearly not built for accommodating large numbers of people.
"You can see that people who were detained here were simply not allowed to go to the toilet," Lubinets said in the video, posted on the Telegram messaging app and Facebook.
Earlier on Thursday, according to Ukrainian media, Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky said on national television that 63 bodies with signs of torture had been discovered by investigators in the Kherson region, adding that "we must understand that the search has only just started so many more dungeons and burial places will be uncovered".
Monastyrsky said law enforcement had uncovered 436 instances of war crimes during Russia's occupation of Kherson, which began shortly after the February invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces and ended last week. Eleven places of detention had been discovered, including four where torture had been practiced, he said.
A police station known as "The Hole" was the most notorious of several sites where, according to more than half a dozen locals Reuters spoke to in Kherson city, people were interrogated and tortured during Russia's nine-month occupation.
Mass burial sites have been found in other parts previously occupied by Russian troops, including some with civilian bodies showing signs of torture.


Contract doctors, fake vaccine certs on the list for Dewan discussion

Future plans for contract doctors, information on vaccine recipients who do not have identity cards as well as action to be taken against those who falsify vaccine certificates, are among the issues to be discussed in Parliament today.According to the Order Paper of the Dewan Rakyat, Rusnah Aluai (PH-Tangga Batu) is scheduled to ask the health minister, during the oral question-and-answer session, about plans to guarantee the future of contract doctors.Lukanisman Awang Sauni (GPS-Sibuti) meanwhile will seek clarification from the home minister on the government’s action over the information of vaccine recipients who do not have identity cards, especially in Sarawak, and action on the issue of individuals without identification documents.Shaharizukirnain Abd Kadir (PAS-Setiu) will ask the home minister about action to be taken against those who falsify vaccination certificates.Other issues that will be highlighted include the steps taken by the rural development ministry to ensure that the Orang Asli community does not drop out of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, before the debate resumes on the motion of thanks on the royal address by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.Scheduled to be tabled for second reading are the Windfall Profit Levy (Amendment) Bill 2020, Occupational Safety and Health (Amendment) Bill 2020, Factories and Machinery (Repeal) Bill 2020, Malaysian Space Board Bill 2020 and Independent Police Conduct Commission Bill 2020.Today is the second day of sitting of the fourth session of the 14th Parliament, under the government led by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.The current sitting of the Dewan Rakyat will run for 17 days until Oct 12.


62 new virus cases take total tally to 5 digits

The cumulative number of Covid-19 cases in Malaysia rose to five digits today, reaching 10,031 with the addition of 62 new cases.Of the 62 new cases, 61 were local transmissions involving 41 Malaysians and 20 foreigners while the remaining import case was that of a Malaysian returning from India.In a press conference today, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said 59 of the new cases were recorded in Sabah, 48 of which were from the Benteng LD cluster. Of these, 20 were foreigners.The other 11 cases in Sabah were detected through the screening of health workers at the Lahad Datu hospital (four cases), at international entry points from the peninsula (three cases), at the Lahad Datu health clinic (two cases) and at the Pulau and Sandakan prison clusters (one each).“Kedah also recorded one case from the Sungai cluster while Penang had one case from the close contact screening of a family member of cases 9,397 and 9,459,” he said.Noor Hisham said 26 recoveries were recorded today, raising the cumulative number of recoveries to 9,235 cases or 92.1% of total cases.No new deaths were reported today, leaving the death toll unchanged at 128.“To date, 15 cases are under treatment in intensive care, with three of them requiring respiratory assistance,” Noor Hisham added.He said active cases continued to increase on a daily basis while the number of positive cases treated in the intensive care unit was rising as well.If the situation continued, he said, health facilities in the country would be overwhelmed again.To prevent such a situation from recurring, he urged everyone to play their role and comply with the SOPs and advice issued by the government.


HR minister gives statement to MACC

Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar was present at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya yesterday to give his statement following the arrest of several of his officers in connection with a case on the recruitment of foreign workers.
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki confirmed this when contacted by Bernama.
"Yes, the minister (Sivakumar) was asked to be present at MACC to give his statement," he said.
Meanwhile, one of Sivakumar’s aides said the minister was at the MACC headquarters at 10am and left some 30 minutes later.
The MACC recently arrested two of Sivakumar’s senior officers in connection with matters involving the recruitment of foreign workers.
The minister was reported to have said that he was ready to cooperate with the authorities, especially MACC, over the matter.


Global virus death toll tops 1.1 million

The total number of declared deaths from the new coronavirus has topped 1.1 million around the world, according to an AFP tally from official sources on Friday.At least 1,100,056 fatalities, out of 38,997,267 cases, have been reported. Almost one in five deaths was in the US, the hardest-hit country which has 217,798 deaths from 7,985,356 infections.The US is followed by Brazil with 152,460 deaths from 5,169,386 cases, India with 112,161 deaths from 7,370,468 cases, Mexico 85,285 fatalities from 834,910 cases and the UK with 43,293 deaths out of 673,622 reported infections.


Most Republicans see politics behind Trump indictment, poll shows

A vast majority of Republicans believe federal criminal charges against Donald Trump are politically motivated, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday that also showed him far ahead of his nearest rival in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.
The polling, which began on Friday, a day after Trump was indicted, found that 81% of self-identified Republicans said politics was driving the case, reflecting the deep polarisation of the US electorate. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has repeatedly said he has no involvement in the case brought by the Department of Justice.
The number of Republicans who believe the former president is being unfairly targeted vastly exceeds the 30-35% of Trump supporters who are estimated by political analysts to make up his core base.
Some 62% of respondents in the Reuters/Ipsos poll, including 91% of Democrats and 35% of Republicans, said it was believable that Trump illegally stored classified documents at his home in Florida as alleged by prosecutors.
The indictment did not appear to dent Trump's standing in the Republican nominating contest for the 2024 presidential election. The specific charges, including obstruction of justice, became public on Friday afternoon when the indictment was unsealed.
Some 43% of self-identified Republicans said Trump was their preferred candidate, compared to 22% who picked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump's closest rival.
In early May, Trump led DeSantis 49% to 19%, but that was before DeSantis formally entered the race.
The rest of the Republican field, which includes former Vice President Mike Pence who declared his candidacy last week, had low single-digit levels of support.
Trump flew to Miami on Monday to face federal charges of unlawfully keeping US national security documents and lying to officials who tried to recover them. Trump, who will appear in court on Tuesday, has proclaimed his innocence and vowed to continue his campaign to regain the presidency in the November 2024 general election.
Many Republican contenders in the 2024 race have accused the US Justice Department of political bias and say it is being "weaponised" against Biden's biggest Republican challenger. The department says all investigative decisions are made without regard to partisan politics.
Trump also faces charges in New York in a state criminal case related to alleged hush money payments to a pornographic film star. A Reuters/Ipsos poll in March found that Republicans also saw that investigation as politically motivated.
Biden's approval rating stood at 41% last week, close to the lowest level of his presidency. Trump had a 40% approval rating at this point in his 2017-2021 presidency.
The latest poll included responses from 1,005 adults nationwide and had a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of 4 percentage points for all voting-age Americans and between 6 and 7 percentage points for Republicans.


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Banking on an extension: Anxious borrowers seek relief as moratorium ends

The end of the six-month loan moratorium this week means that millions of Malaysians will be starting their repayments to banks again, many without a full-time job to service their loans.The movement control order (MCO) to contain the Covid-19 pandemic caused businesses to falter or suspend operations entirely, with retrenchments among many drastic cost-cutting measures taken by companies.To cushion the impact of the lockdown on people’s income, the government announced a suspension of loans from April 1 to Sept 30.The moratorium, although welcomed, failed to take into account whether the pandemic would abate come October.As such, banks have announced measures that could allow borrowers to extend their moratorium.Several long-term borrowers met by MalaysiaNow said they were unable to meet their monthly financial commitments including car and housing loans, on top of other expenses.Salbiah, 36, waiting her turn to meet an officer at a bank in Kuala Lumpur, is among tens of thousands who lost their job during the MCO.“So I came to the bank to ask for the moratorium to be extended as I have no fixed income to pay for these loans with the bank,” she told MalaysiaNow.Another borrower was relieved by the bank’s initiative to extend the repayment period by restructuring his car and home loans.“Even though I am still employed, my salary has been cut a lot, so I hope my application for loan repayment assistance will be accepted, otherwise life will be difficult for me,” said Ibrahim, 41.The deadline to apply for an extension of the moratorium ended on Sept 30.But MalaysiaNow understands that most banks have extended the deadline until the end of the year in view of the huge number of borrowers facing financial problems.And the recent spike in Covid-19 cases means that banks are taking health SOPs seriously.Eligible applicants include those who lost their jobs this year – they will be given a further three-month extension of the moratorium.Others who may apply for repayment assistance include those who have had their salaries cut as a result of the pandemic’s impact on business.Many banks are also offering instalment repayment reductions in line with borrowers’ salary reduction rate, for a minimum period of six months.Customers who have hire purchase facilities are also offered appropriate instalment scheduling options subject to the Hire Purchase Act, such as an extension of the instalment payment period at a lower monthly instalment rate.According to Bank Negara Malaysia, as of July 20 this year, more than 7.7 million individual borrowers, or 93% of all borrowers, had benefitted from the loan repayment moratorium worth RM38.3 billion.During the same period, 243,000 SMEs or 95% of all SME borrowers benefitted from the moratorium with a value of RM20.7 billion.Last month, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, announcing the latest economic stimulus package, Kita Prihatin, said 98% of applications for an extended moratorium and targeted bank assistance were approved.As of Sept 11, banks had contacted 1.4 million of the two million borrowers, more than 380,000 of whom requested loan repayment assistance.


2 Malaysians convicted of market manipulation in Singapore

Malaysians Soh Chee Wen and Quah Su-Ling were yesterday convicted by the Singapore High Court of market manipulation and cheating offences involving an elaborate scheme to manipulate the shares of Blumont Group Ltd, Asiasons Capital Ltd, and LionGold Corp Ltd.In a joint statement, the Singapore Police Force and the Monetary Authority of Singapore said their conviction followed a trial of close to 200 days.Soh and Quah were convicted of a total of 180 and 169 charges respectively.They were charged on Nov 25, 2016 under the Securities and Futures Act and the Penal Code over the elaborate and extensive scheme to manipulate the market and prices of the three shares between August 2012 and October 2013.Soh was also charged under the Companies Act.The High Court found that Soh and Quah had carried out their conspiracies by controlling and using 187 trading accounts which belonged to 58 individuals and corporate nominees (controlled accounts) to make thousands of manipulative trades in each of the three counters.In particular, the statement said the trades between the controlled accounts were conducted to generate artificial liquidity and demand for these shares, to cause the share prices to rise over time, and to retain control of large amounts of shares without disclosing this to the market.The 58 account holders had handed over control of their accounts to Soh and Quah.“This is the largest market manipulation case in Singapore’s history,” the statement said.During investigations, the Commercial Affairs Department and the Monetary Authority of Singapore raided over 50 locations and interviewed more than 70 people.The investigations covered extensive documentary evidence comprising over two million emails, half a million trade orders, and thousands of telephone records and financial statements.Both Soh and Quah will be sentenced at a later date.A third accused person, Goh Hin Calm, was convicted on March 20, 2019.Goh, who was a key accomplice of Soh and Quah, pleaded guilty to two charges under Section 197 of the Securities and Futures Act for intentionally aiding the duo in creating a false appearance with respect to the market for Blumont and Asiasons shares between March 18, 2013 and Oct 3, 2013.He was sentenced to three years in jail, said the statement.Four similar charges were taken into consideration for the purpose of sentencing.


Army of cyber hackers rise up to back Ukraine

An army of volunteer hackers is rising up in cyberspace to defend Ukraine, though internet specialists are calling on geeks and other “hacktivists” to stay out of a potentially very dangerous computer war.According to Livia Tibirna, an analyst at cyber security firm Sekoia, nearly 260,000 people have joined the “IT Army” of volunteer hackers, which was set up at the initiative of Ukraine’s digital minister Mykhailo Fedorov.The group, which can be accessed via the encrypted messaging service Telegram, has a list of potential targets in Russia, companies and institutions, for the hackers to target.It’s difficult to judge the effect the cyber-army is having.The actions reported so far seem to be limited to “denial of service” (DOS) attacks, where multiple requests are sent to a website in a coordinated manner to saturate it and bring it down. Defacement actions, in which the targeted site displays a hacked page, have also been briefly observed on Russian sites.The “cyber-army” could also ask hackers to try to identify vulnerabilities of certain Russian sites, and send that info to more seasoned specialists capable of carrying out more sophisticated intrusive actions, such as data theft or destruction, explains Clement Domingo, co-founder of the “Hackers Without Borders” group.But he and other specialists consulted by AFP warned the hackers against participating in the activities of the “IT Army”, or other cyber mavericks like Anonymous.‘Too much risk’“I strongly advise against joining these actions,” says Damien Bancal, who is well-versed in the opaque world of cybercrime. “There are plenty of other ways to help Ukrainians who are suffering”, if only by relaying the testimonies that are flourishing on social networks, he adds.For SwitHak, a cybersecurity researcher, the maverick hackers are taking “too much risk”.“There are legal risks, for example,” he said, Attempting to attack a website or penetrate a server or network is “computer crime”.For Domingo there is also a real risk of “hack back,” a destructive counterattack by Russian operatives,He is particularly appalled to see that a number of candidate hackers have obviously not taken the trouble to create a special Telegram account to participate in the IT Army, at the risk of being identified by the Russian side.In cyberspace, and in particular on forums and other discussion groups on Telegram or Discord, “you don’t know who’s who”, insists Felix Aime, another researcher at Sekoia.Inexperienced hackers can find themselves caught up with infiltrators from the opposite camp, and end up working for the very opponent they wanted to fight, he warns.Between the experienced hackers, who carry out ransomware attacks, the fight is on.The Conti ransomware group, which declared its support for Russia, saw one of its pro-Ukrainian members publish more than a year’s worth of its internal communications in retaliation, offering a treasure trove of information to the world’s cyber security researchers, police and spy specialists.The forums where cybercriminals meet “try to stay away from any debate” on the Russian-Ukrainian war to avoid attracting the attention of state services, says Sekoia analyst Tibirna.


Australians say they would support Taiwan if China attacked, with limits

Australians would support responding to a Chinese attack on Taiwan with economic sanctions, arms supplies or using the navy to prevent a blockade, but don't support sending troops, an opinion poll to be released Wednesday finds.
Canberra says it is opposed to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo in Taiwan, while the US has long stuck to a policy of "strategic ambiguity" over whether it would respond militarily to an attack on the island, which Beijing has refused to rule out.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Asia's top security meeting in June that Australia supports dialogue between the US and China because a conflict in the Taiwan Strait would be "devastating for the world".
The annual Lowy Institute poll of public attitudes to the world found 82% of those surveyed supported the security alliance with the US, although three-quarters also think that means Australia would be drawn into war in Asia.
The prospect of a military conflict between the United States and China over Taiwan was seen as a "critical threat" by 64% of Australians surveyed, worrying twice as many people as two years ago. The top threat cited, by 68% of respondents, was cyber attacks from other countries.
Ryan Neelam, director of public opinion at the foreign policy think tank, said the poll showed Australians are "cautious about conflict", but willing to support Taiwan without becoming a ground combatant.
"When it comes to a specific scenario where Taiwan is under military threat and the US is engaged, Australians feel quite forward leaning about taking action to support Taiwan when it comes to accepting refugees, imposing sanctions on Beijing, sending arms and supplies, even getting the navy involved, but that doesn't extend as far as putting boots on the ground," he said.
Eighty percent support accepting Taiwanese refugees, 76% support "imposing economic and diplomatic sanctions on China", 64% support "Australia sending arms and military supplies to the Taiwanese government", and 61% support "using the Australian Navy to help prevent China from imposing a blockade around Taiwan".
Only 42% supported sending "Australian military personnel to Taiwan to help defend it from China".
Eighty-seven percent said they were concerned that China could open a military base in the Pacific islands.
The poll also reflects stabilising ties between Australia and China, who are major trading partners; 56% said resuming diplomatic contact was in the national interest.
Lowy Institute executive director Michael Fullilove said Australian trust levels in China remain "strikingly low", with 15% saying they trusted China to act responsibly in the world, compared with half five years ago.
The poll is based on surveys of 2,000 people in March and 4,000 in April.


Over 30 million jabs given, 38% of population fully vaccinated

Some 38% of the country’s population, or 12,408,803 individuals, had completed both doses of Covid-19 vaccine as of yesterday, according to the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee.A total of 17,961,600 individuals, or 55%, had received a first dose, taking the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 30,370,403.In terms of daily vaccination, 483,855 doses were dispensed yesterday, with 155,030 as first doses and 328,825 to second-dose recipients.


Hard times call for more precise numbers on the urban poor

Nearly everyone is feeling the pinch from the pandemic but the intensity of suffering and difficulties varies across the board. This explains why government assistance has become more targeted to those in need such as the urban poor, as we continue to weather the crisis. So long as economic uncertainty remains, this efforts should continue, but data accuracy needs to be given serious attention to ensure that no one is excluded from the assistance they deserve and need.The difficulties experienced by the people have become more evident as most states are currently under a blanket movement control order (MCO 2.0) as local Covid-19 cases remain at four digits.Although the impact is said to be less severe than that of MCO 1.0 as more economic sectors are allowed to operate, some businesses can’t seem to escape the negative impact due to the need to adhere to SOPs such as physical distancing. Many have started working from home, and interstate travel has been banned.Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa recently said more than 30,000 households from the total population in the capital have incomes below the poverty line of RM2,208.If we look at the mean poverty line income in Kuala Lumpur alone, it is slightly higher at RM2,216. Based on the revised income group classification by DOSM, in Kuala Lumpur only, households earning below RM9,150 are already considered B40.Annuar also said this group of households cannot even afford necessities such as food, clothes and shelter.The inability to afford these daily needs, the prolonged financial anxiety and the need to adapt to the new environment whereby almost everything has moved online will lead to other consequences which are already happening around us in areas such as mental health, particularly for those who are underprivileged.Nonetheless, the exact number of families which fall under this category cannot be confirmed as various agencies are currently managing the matter like the Department of Social Welfare, Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council and Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department.The dire situation could be explained given the higher cost of living that needs to be shouldered by the people living in cities which has been made worse by the pandemic.This specific situation can be supported by the findings of the Emir Research Quarterly Poll for fourth quarter of 2020 (4Q20) which were just released and are reflective of the ground reality based the response of 1,976 respondents coming from all states in the country.According to the poll, 76% of respondents experienced a negative impact in terms of jobs while 74% agreed that economy was badly impacted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.The findings also showed that the impact was felt more by urban respondents.In terms of the direction of the country and economy, the majority of respondents were unsure whether the country is on the right track (48% vs 54% in 3Q20) and whether the economy is on strong footing (45% vs 53% in 3Q20).The poll included a larger share of urban respondents (70.5%) which is not too far from the real urban and rural populations in Malaysia at 76.6% and 23.4% respectively in 2019, according to World Bank data.These statistics show an urgent need to lend a helping hand to the vulnerable and low-income earners living in the cities as their low wages do not go together with the continuous rise in cost of living.The recent launch of the 5MY Programme which was introduced last year and implemented by the federal territories ministry is welcomed in efforts to eradicate urban poverty through five initiatives: employment ([email protected]), schooling ([email protected]), basic necessities ([email protected]), food supplies ([email protected]) and medicine ([email protected]).These initiatives are also accompanied by a new initiative known as [email protected] whereby over 5,000 bags of rice will be distributed to the urban poor per week, an increase from 3,000 previously.As a yardstick for these initiatives, it was stated by the prime minister that over 35,000 people and heads of households, as well as residents of 331 low-cost housing areas in Kuala Lumpur, benefitted from the 5MY programme last year.Under [email protected], 3,259 employment opportunities were provided last year and hopefully, this initiative will help a greater number of urban poor in a more sustainable way. To do this, job opportunities should be coupled with appropriate wages at least to afford basic needs (above minimum wage level).Perhaps to help them demand for high wages, the urban poor need to be educated or equipped with the relevant skills that are required by the sectors they are involved in.Another important area to improve on is the accuracy of data for the urban poor population, not only in Kuala Lumpur but also in other states since it was mentioned by the minister that the exact number of families could not be confirmed due to the involvement of several agencies.There should be a single platform whereby each participating agency can consistently share and update its statistics on the urban poor to ensure there are no overlaps and that sufficient and appropriate assistance will reach those who are in need.Sofea Azahar is a research analyst at think tank Emir Research.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Regulate political funding to prevent 'wild claims' from taking root, law expert says

With a string of politicians under scrutiny or in court over the discovery of millions in their personal bank accounts, one legal expert warns that a lack of specific laws to regulate the giving of political funds could make it difficult for the authorities to determine if such contributions are for the stated purposes or corrupt reasons.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Haidar Dziyauddin said Malaysia's absence of clearly defined regulations on political funding had given rise to a situation where any party could receive contributions without limit.
He added that the lack of regulation could give space for dubious activities or be used as a way to "legalise" contributions and the use of funds.
While the authorities could act on suspicions over so-called fundraising activities in these accounts, he said, this did not mean that the case would receive a conviction in court.
"In fact, there are some cases in court where political funds are used as an excuse to clear the accumulation of money in their personal accounts," he said.
"All that they need is a witness who claims to have made the donation with proof of the transaction for the purpose of political funding."
Arguably the most prominent example of issues related to political funding is that of former prime minister Najib Razak, who was investigated over the discovery in May 2018 of RM114 million believed to be related to troubled state firm 1MDB.
In March 2021, though, the court dismissed the government's application to forfeit the cash due to a lack of evidence linking it to 1MDB or criminal activity.
Najib meanwhile said that the cash was a contribution to Barisan Nasional to be used for the 14th general election.
Political funds were also brought up in the graft trial of Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, where witness Harry Lee Vui Khun – the former director of Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd – told the court on May 19 that the money given to the former deputy prime minister was not corrupt but for political purposes.
Lee had earlier said that the payments to Zahid began in late 2014, at S$200,000 a month before increasing to S$520,000 a month in 2017.
Haidar, who is UiTM's legal adviser, said the giving of political funds would continue as long as there was no law governing the matter.
He said the parties involved, whether the givers or the receivers, would likewise have no obligation to disclose or declare the donation.
This, he said, had given rise to concerns over abuse for self-interest and "backdoor" benefits.
"If a political party has a lot of funds and assets beyond what is reasonable, it will definitely raise questions and doubts," he said.
"Public scepticism about the validity of sources is inevitable. And the public has a right to know as they are involved in the democratic process of forming the government, which involves public interest."
In May, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob who chaired a meeting of the Special Cabinet Meeting on Anti-Corruption said the Political Contribution Bill was important as there were no rules regulating political financing.
He said it would help prevent the risk of corruption and abuse of power among politicians.
However, the bill has yet to be brought to Parliament as it requires deliberation by Cabinet members before further discussion with political parties.
Haidar said the law was already common practice in many other countries, adding that Malaysia should not be left behind in creating a transparent ecosystem to retain public confidence.
"As long as there is a void that raises suspicion, it can erode confidence in the government," he said.
"Wild perceptions and accusations will be difficult to curb once they have taken root in society.
"So the parties involved need to be transparent in their actions so that public suspicion turns into confidence. And this can be achieved through the introduction of new laws."


Aidilfitri aid, tax relief extension as PM adds to budget initiatives

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today announced several additional initiatives in Budget 2023.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, when tabling the Supply Bill 2023 or the national budget for a second reading in the Dewan Negara, said the additional initiatives involved Aidilfitri assistance, an extension of individual tax relief, and the provision of housing credit through Syarikat Jaminan Kredit Perumahan (SJKP).
"Given the current situation... I looked into the cohorts which had not benefitted from the previous initiatives and found that they were still struggling, especially during Ramadan and Aidilfitri.
"So the government has agreed to give another RM200 in the special Aidilfitri assistance to 850,000 rubber smallholders, padi farmers and fishermen, in addition to what was announced before. This will cost RM170 million," he said.
Anwar said the increase was the biggest allocation for aid that the government had ever given to fishermen, padi farmers and rubber smallholders.
In Budget 2023 tabled on Feb 24, the government announced a special Aidilfitri assistance of RM300 per month for fishermen, RM200 per month for rice farmers for a period of three months per season, as well as increased the monsoon contributions from RM600 to RM800 for a period of four months for rubber smallholders.
Anwar today said that 200,000 volunteers under the Malaysian Volunteer Department, Civil Defence Force, as well as police and fire volunteers, will also receive RM300 for Aidilfitri.
He also announced the extension of individual income tax relief of up to RM8,000 for net savings in the National Education Savings Scheme (SSPN) until 2024.
"This was decided after hearing the public concerns and complaints made to the government (after yesterday’s announcement). This will incur losses of RM250 million per year in the government’s revenue, but will benefit approximately 400,000 taxpayers," he said.
Yesterday, Deputy Finance Minister Steven Sim was quoted as saying that starting this year, taxpayers who contribute to the SSPN will no longer be eligible to claim individual tax relief of up to RM8,000.
The prime minister also announced that starting April 1 this year, the government will expand the target of the SJKP housing credit to fixed and irregular income groups to have their first home.
Under Budget 2023, the SJKP housing credit scheme was improved through the increase of financing guarantee fund from RM3 billion to RM5 billion to help first-time home buyers, especially those with no fixed income.
Anwar said the government would also give priority to the filling of public service positions in critical sectors, especially health and education.
He said this is expected to involve an additional expenditure of up to RM800 million this year.


Judge Hamid Sultan suspended until Aug 27

The Judges’ Ethics Committee (JEC) has decided to suspend Court of Appeal judge Hamid Sultan Abu Backer until Aug 27, 2021.The decision was made as part of closed-door inquiry proceedings at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya yesterday, chaired by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.Other panel members were Court of Appeal president Rohana Yusuf, Chief Judge of Malaya Azahar Mohamed, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, Federal Court judge Vernon Ong Lam Kiat and two former Federal Court judges, Suriyadi Halim Omar and Prasad Sandosham Abraham.The inquiry was held to investigate two complaints against Hamid by another judge involving his judgment as the Court of Appeal judge in the public prosecutor’s case against Aluma Mark Chinonso & Anor, and the affidavit he affirmed in support of an originating summons filed by lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo who sought several declarations with respect to court decisions made in her late father Karpal Singh’s appeals.Hamid is the first judge to be suspended since the Judges’ Ethics Committee Act 2010 came into effect.Lawyer Joy Wilson Appukuttan, who represented Hamid, informed Bernama of the decision yesterday.“We have just received confirmation via a letter dated Feb 4 from the JEC chairman that the JEC was satisfied that the complaints have been proven and Hamid is suspended from office from today (Feb 4) until Aug 27, 2021.“I need to get instructions from Hamid on the next cause of action,” the lawyer added.It is understood that Hamid will retire in August.Another lawyer representing Hamid, T Gunaseelan, said the inquiry proceedings would continue without the presence of his client.He said they had requested that yesterday’s proceedings be postponed because Hamid was unwell and needed to isolate himself given the current pandemic situation.“We also requested for an adjournment of the inquiry proceedings following the appeal to adjourn the proceedings to be heard in the Court of Appeal.“However, the application for adjournment of the proceedings was not allowed by the panel members involved and the proceedings continued,” he said, adding that he and two other lawyers, Appukuttan and Dinesh Nandrajog, later decided not to participate in the proceedings.On Feb 2, High Court judge Mariana Yahya rejected Hamid’s application to adjourn the proceedings before the JEC pending a decision on his appeal by the Court of Appeal after finding that he failed to show any special circumstances allowing the adjournment.On Jan 21, Hamid failed in his application to challenge the JEC’s decision to hold a closed-door inquiry against him following Mariana’s decision to allow the objection by the Attorney-General’s Chambers against Hamid’s application for leave for judicial review.On Oct 20 last year, Hamid filed the application for leave for judicial review, naming the chairman of the JEC and the JEC as the first and second respondents.Hamid sought a certiorari order to quash the respondents’ decision as stated in the first respondent’s letter dated Sept 28 and 29, 2020, regarding the closed-door inquiry proceedings, declaring the decision invalid and void and in violation of Articles 5 and 8 of the Federal Constitution.Tengku Maimun is the current JEC chairman.Hamid, in a support affidavit filed with the judicial review, said the application was filed based on the decision of the first respondent to investigate two complaints raised against him by other judges.He claimed that investigations into misconduct involving judges could not be conducted behind closed doors as it contradicts the principle of judicial independence.


China says ‘good riddance’ to Germany at UN Security Council

Germany finishes its two-year term on the 15-member United Nations Security Council at the end of this month and during his last meeting, Germany’s envoy appealed to China to free two detained Canadians for Christmas.“Let me end my tenure on the Security Council by appealing to my Chinese colleagues to ask Beijing for the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. Christmas is the right moment for such a gesture,” Ambassador Christoph Heusgen told the council session, whose official agenda topic was Iran.Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat who was working as an adviser for the International Crisis Group think tank, and businessman Spavor were detained by Beijing in 2018 shortly after Canadian police picked up Huawei Technologies chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on a US arrest warrant.China’s deputy UN ambassador, Geng Shuang, responded by accusing Heusgen of abusing the security council to launch “malicious” attacks on other members.“I wish to say something out of the bottom of my heart: Good riddance, Ambassador Heusgen,” Geng said. “I am hoping that the council in your absence in the year 2021 will be in a better position to fulfil the responsibilities for maintaining international peace and security.”Reuters reports that Heusgen also used the meeting to advise Russia’s deputy UN ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, to read about Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who recently said he tricked a Russian secret agent into disclosing details of a botched plot to kill him.An unimpressed Polyanskiy replied: “It seems the ambassador has developed a dependency on the council; there’s never a meeting without criticism of Russia even if that’s not suitable for the subject matter. I hope that after Jan 1 his symptoms will improve.”