Taliban claim control of key border crossing with Pakistan

The Taliban said Wednesday they had captured the strategic border crossing of Spin Boldak along the frontier with Pakistan, continuing sweeping gains made since foreign forces stepped up their withdrawal from Afghanistan.The interior ministry insisted the attack had been repelled and government forces had control, but a Pakistan security source said the Taliban’s white flag was flying over the town.The situation on the ground could not immediately be verified, but social media was abuzz with pictures of Taliban fighters looking relaxed in what appeared to be the frontier town.The taking of Spin Boldak would be the latest in a string of border crossings and dry ports seized by the Taliban in recent weeks, with the insurgents looking to choke off much-needed revenue from the government in Kabul while also filling their own coffers.Its seizure follows days of heavy fighting across Kandahar province, where the government was forced to deploy commando fighters to prevent the fall of the provincial capital even as the insurgents inched closer to taking the frontier crossing.In a statement, insurgent spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid assured traders and residents there that their “security is guaranteed”.But Afghan officials insisted they still had control.“The terrorist Taliban had some movements near the border area… The security forces have repelled the attack,” interior ministry spokesman Tareq Arian told AFP.Residents disputed the government’s claims.“I went to my shop this morning and saw that the Taliban are everywhere. They are in the bazaar, in police HQ and custom areas. I can also hear the sound of fighting nearby,” said Raz Mohammad, a shopkeeper who works near the border.Key crossingThe border crossing is one of the most strategically valuable for the Taliban.It provides direct access to Pakistan’s Balochistan province – where the insurgents’ top leadership has been based for decades – along with an unknown number of reserve fighters who regularly enter Afghanistan to help bolster their ranks.Hours after the crossing fell, an AFP reporter on the Pakistani side saw around 150 Taliban fighters riding on motorcycles, waving insurgent flags, as they demanded to be allowed to cross into Afghanistan.Balochistan is a favoured destination for fighters regularly heading for medical treatment and hosts many of their families.A major highway leading from the border connects to Pakistan’s commercial capital Karachi and its sprawling port on the Arabian Sea, which is considered a lynchpin for Afghanistan’s billion-dollar heroin trade that has provided a crucial source of revenue for the Taliban’s war chest over the years.With the US just weeks away from wrapping up its final withdrawal from Afghanistan, the hardline Islamist group has swept through much of the country, and the government now holds little more than a constellation of provincial capitals that must largely be resupplied by air.The sheer speed and scale of the insurgents’ multi-pronged offensives have stirred fears that Afghan security forces are being overwhelmed.In Washington earlier this week, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said success fending off the Taliban would depend on the country’s leaders, and not so much what the US does.“They know what they need to do,” Kirby told reporters.


Needle-free vaccine patches coming soon?

Effective vaccines, without a needle: Since the start of the Covid pandemic, researchers have doubled down on efforts to create patches that deliver life-saving drugs painlessly to the skin, a development that could revolutionise medicine.The technique could help save children’s tears at doctors’ offices, and help people who have a phobia of syringes.Beyond that, skin patches could assist with distribution efforts, because they don’t have cold-chain requirements – and might even heighten vaccine efficacy.A new mouse study in the area, published in the journal Science Advances, showed promising results.The Australian-US team used patches measuring one sq cm that were dotted with more than 5,000 microscopic spikes, “so tiny you can’t actually see them,” David Muller, a virologist at the University of Queensland and co-author of the paper, told AFP.These tips have been coated with an experimental vaccine, and the patch is clicked on with an applicator that resembles a hockey puck. “It’s like you get a good flick on the skin,” said Muller.The researchers used a so-called “subunit” vaccine that reproduces the spikes that dot the surface of the coronavirus.Mice were injected either via the patch over the course of two minutes, or with a syringe.The immune systems of those who got the patch produced high levels of neutralising antibodies after two doses, including in their lungs, vital to stopping Covid, and the patches outperformed syringes.The researchers also found that a sub-group of mice, who were given only one dose of vaccine containing an additional substance called an adjuvant used to spur immune response, “didn’t get sick at all,” said Muller.Easy to applyWhat makes them more effective?Vaccines are normally injected into our muscles, but muscle tissue doesn’t contain very many immune cells needed to react to the drug, explained Muller.In addition, the tiny spikes cause localised skin death, which alerts the body to a problem and triggers a greater immune response.For the scientist, the logistical advantages couldn’t be clearer.First, when dry-coated on a patch, the vaccine is stable for at least 30 days at 25 degrees Celsius and one week at 40C, compared to a few hours at room temperature for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.This offers a major advantage particularly for developing countries.Second, “it’s very simple to use,” said Muller. “You don’t necessarily need highly trained medical professionals to deliver it.”Burak Ozdoganlar, a professor of engineering at Carnegie Mellon University in the US city of Pittsburgh, has also been working on the technology since 2007.He sees yet another advantage: “Less amount of vaccine delivered precisely to skin can activate an immune response similar to intramuscular injection,” he told AFP. It’s an important factor as the developing world struggles to procure enough Covid vaccine.Ozdoganlar can produce around 300-400 patches a day in his lab, but hasn’t been able to test them out on mRNA vaccines, which have come to the fore during the pandemic, because he hasn’t been authorised by Pfizer or Moderna.‘The future’The patch used in the study published on Friday was made by Australian company Vaxxas, which is the furthest along. Human trials are planned from April.Two other American companies are also part of the race: Micron Biomedical and Vaxess.The latter, founded in 2013 and based in Massachusetts, is working on a slightly different type of patch, with microneedles that dissolve in the skin.They say this approach has the benefit of requiring fewer spikes per patch – just 121 – made of a protein polymer that is biocompatible.“We’re working on a seasonal Covid and flu combination product that will be mailed directly to patients’ homes, for self-administration,” CEO Michael Schrader told AFP.The Covid vaccine they are using is produced by the company Medigen, already authorised in Taiwan.Vaxess has just opened a factory near Boston, with funding from the US National Institutes for Health. They aim to produce enough patches to vaccinate 2,000 to 3,000 people in clinical trials, which are to be launched next summer.The main challenge right now is production, with no manufacturers yet able to make enough patches en masse.“If you want to launch a vaccine you have to produce hundreds of millions,” said Schrader. “We do not have that scale as of today – no one really has that scale.”But the pandemic has given a push to the nascent industry, which is now attracting more investors, he added.“This is the future, in my opinion, it is inevitable,” said Schrader. “I think you’re going to see over the next 10 years, this (will) pretty dramatically reshape the way that we get vaccines around the world.”


Aussie Spirit softball squad fly to Japan early for Olympics

Aussie Spirit, the Australian women’s softball team, are among the first athletes to arrive in Japan for the Tokyo Olympics after leaving Sydney on Monday, reports CNN.They’ll be taking on some Japanese teams to warm up as they haven’t played  against  international opposition since February 2020,“We’ve done so much training over the last year, now we finally get to play some really tough competition against Japanese clubs,” said squad member Jade Wall.The softball squad are arriving at a time of mounting pressure on Japanese organisers, with polls in Japan showing a majority of Japanese people want the Olympics delayed again or cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.Fans from abroad have already been barred from attending and there’s increasing speculation that events will be held in empty stadiums.However, International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound recently told CNN that cancellation is “essentially off the table”.Nevertheless, cancellation pressure grows daily on Tokyo organisers and the International Olympic Committee as more questions arise about the risks of bringing 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes from more than 200 countries into Japan.A state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka, and other prefectures was last week extended until June 20 as Covid-19 cases continue to put the medical system under strain.The IOC says more than 80% of athletes and staff staying in the Olympic Village on Tokyo Bay will be vaccinated. They are expected to remain largely in a bubble at the village and at venues.Softball Australia chief executive David Pryles said the squad would be taking the “utmost care” in terms of keeping themselves and the public safe.“All staff and players heading to Japan today are fully vaccinated,” Pryles said. “They’ll also be undergoing stringent testing and checks as soon as they land at the airport and throughout their camp and the Olympics.”Pryles said player movements would be restricted to one level of the team hotel in Ota, which would include meals, meetings and gym work, and the stadium where they’ll play a series of games against local professional teams and two games against Japan’s national team.Spirit pitcher Kaia Parnaby and captain Stacey Porter are already in Japan as they play in the country’s pro league.“The league over here is massive,” Parnaby told the ABC. “Softball is one of Japan’s national sports, so we’re very fortunate to be backed by big companies over here.”When the team psychologist Deidre Anderson was asked what the biggest challenge was ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, she did not hesitate.“Getting there,” she said.As Australia is essentially closed, she might well have said “Getting back”, too.


Malaysia bag six gold at SEA Games in best daily haul

The national contingent failed to improve its position in the medal table despite adding six gold medals on the fifth day of the 2023 SEA Games in Phnom Penh yesterday.
The six gold haul, the best so far this time around, saw the national contingent remain in seventh place with a total of 21 gold, 22 silver and 42 bronze.
The silat squad emerged as the best contributors with three gold medals through Norsyakirah Muksin in the Putri under-45kg category, Nor Farah Mazlan (Putri 45-50kg) and Muhammad Izzul Irfan Marzuki (Putra 60-65kg).
The other three gold medals came from diver Lee Yiat Qing in the women's 10m platform event, wushu exponent Tan Cheong Min (women's nanquan) and golfer Ng Jing Xuen in the women's individual event.
Malaysia also added seven silver and 10 bronze medals. Vietnam currently sits top of the table with 50 gold, 50 silver and 61, while hosts Cambodia are in second with 47-41-51.
Thailand, which previously led the medal tally, dropped two rungs to third place with a haul of 47 gold, 36 silver and 53 bronze.
The national contingent will see more chances to add gold to its tally on the sixth day of the games tomorrow, among them the women's table tennis squad who made a surprise advance to the final after 30 years in the team event.
Malaysia is scheduled to face Thailand in the final at 10am local time (11am Malaysian time).
Focus will also be on the men's badminton squad, who eliminated defending champions Thailand in the team event in the semi-finals to set up a fight against Indonesia in the final tomorrow.
Golf will also be in the spotlight as the national players begin the challenge to defend the gold in the men's team event.


PH wants govt to spend almost 10 times more to disburse cash

The top three leaders of Pakatan Harapan (PH) have expressed unhappiness over the RM40 billion aid package announced by the government yesterday to help various sectors survive the latest lockdown under the movement control order (MCO).Among others, they urged the government to spend RM45 billion in direct cash injection, saying the RM5 billion announced was not enough.“The Perikatan Nasional government should be bolder in spending to revive economic growth and save the country from recession,” said the joint statement issued by PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim, DAP’s Lim Guan Eng and Amanah’s Mohamad Sabu.They also called for more assistance for those in the middle-income bracket (M40), as well as an automatic extension of the bank moratorium until herd immunity is achieved through the current vaccination drive.The coalition leaders also said the government should spend RM7 billion in the next seven months to pay RM1,000 to workers until the end of the year.Meanwhile, they dismissed the announcement that ministers and deputy ministers would forego their salaries for three months.They said the amount was not much as ministers and deputy ministers “still receive MPs’ monthly allowances”, adding that Parliament must convene “as the first step”.The financial aid package, known as Pemerkasa Plus, includes a three-month moratorium on bank loans and a 50% reduction in instalment payments for six months.RM1 billion was set aside for the public health system while RM2.1 billion was allocated for Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat.The nationwide lockdown to remain in effect until June 14 will see most businesses shuttered yet again with the exemption of essential services and those given the green light by the government.It was announced amid a steady increase in Covid-19 infections which hit a daily high of over 9,000 cases and 98 deaths last week.


Daily cases drop to 5,500

Another 5,501 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,614,480.Another 6,664 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,516,693.Meanwhile 519 are in the ICU, including 445 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 267 are in need of respiratory assistance including 167 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 5,501 cases reported today, 78 (1.4%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 5,423 (98.6%) are in Category One and Two.


Malaysia’s trade performance a bright spot among regional economies

Malaysia’s burgeoning trade performance has been a bright spot among Southeast Asian economies, Moody’s Analytics associate economist Sonia Zhu says.She said exports surged 63% year-on-year (y-o-y), but that the strong growth rate was inflated by the low-base effect, when exports nosedived during the peak of the pandemic and the subsequent full lockdown last year.But on an encouraging note, exports still rose 0.6% month-on-month (m-o-m), she added.“As expected, the main contributor to exports was electrical and electronics products such as semiconductors and integrated circuits.“Singapore and China remained the major countries of exports, totalling close to one-third of Malaysia’s total exports,” she said in a statement today.Meanwhile imports increased 24.4% y-o-y and 5.4% m-o-m, exceeding expectations, with the increase broad-based across all three categories (intermediate goods, capital goods, and consumption goods).Consumption goods increased due to higher imports of durable goods demanded during the Aidilfitri festive period, which lasts for one month from April to May, she added.“An increase in intermediate goods and capital goods, which account for a total of 65% of import value, is a welcome sign that Malaysia is ramping up manufacturing production for exports.“Despite battling with record high Covid-19 infections domestically, all manufacturing plants are still operating at above 50% capacity,” she said.Zhu also said Malaysia plays an integral role in the global supply chain and continues to benefit from higher global demand.


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Daily Covid cases below 500 since China reopened borders, says health minister

Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 cases have remained below 500 since China reopened its borders on Jan 8, says Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
In a statement today, she said the country had recorded three-digit daily cases since Dec 17 last year.
She said according to a report, a total of 28,705 travellers from China arrived in the country between Jan 8 and 17.
So far, she said, only one of the travellers was detected as having a fever during screening.
"The traveller’s RTK-Ag test results, however, came out negative. No travellers from China have tested positive for Covid-19 at Malaysia’s international entry points so far," she said.
Meanwhile, Zaliha said there had been an increasing trend in the uptake of second booster doses at health facilities across the country over the past two weeks.
On Jan 1, the number of first booster doses administered increased from 49.8% or 16,279,746 doses to 49.9% or 16,292,524 doses.
As for the second booster dose, numbers increased by 2.2% or 733,668 doses compared to 1.9% or 633,941 doses previously.
Zaliha said the health ministry would continue monitoring the development of infections in the country and abroad through information acquired from the World Health Organization as well as cooperation with other Asean countries and China.
"The ministry will ensure that prevention and control measures are continuously implemented," she said.


British tourists sneak out of Swiss ski resort

Hundreds of British tourists forced into quarantine in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier fled in the night rather than seeing their holidays go downhill, the local municipality said Sunday.Around 200 of the 420 or so affected British tourists in the luxury Alpine ski station quit under the cover of darkness, the SonntagsZeitung newspaper reported.Switzerland’s ski resorts were set to boom with snow-seeking British tourists – but a flight ban due to the new Covid-19 variant raging in England put those plans on ice.The drastic ruling by the Swiss government also included a 10-day retroactive quarantine for anyone who arrived from Britain since Dec 14, following the discovery of a new variant of the coronavirus which experts fear spreads more quickly.Some of the British tourists affected in Verbier left immediately, while others stuck it out for a bit before quitting.“Many of them stayed in quarantine for a day before they set off unnoticed under the cover of darkness,” Jean-Marc Sandoz, spokesman for the wider Bagnes municipality, told SZ.He called the whole situation “the worst week our community has ever experienced”.British tourists normally make up 21% of the Verbier clientele, and most start pouring in just after Christmas.Voted Switzerland’s best ski resort for the past two years, Verbier markets itself as offering “adrenaline-packed thrills, simple pleasures and a chic lifestyle”.The Verbier Tourist Office has been holding daily crisis cell meetings to try to deal with the ever-changing coronavirus picture.Breakfast untouched“It was when they saw the meal trays remained untouched that the hoteliers noticed that the customers had gone,” Sandoz told ATS news agency.He said that according to a Saturday survey of the ski resort’s hotels, fewer than 10 people would still be in quarantine.The rest would either have left or their quarantine time would have expired.“We can’t blame them. In most cases, quarantine was untenable. Imagine four people staying in a hotel room of 20 square metres,” Sandoz said.He said the tourists left feeling “a little angry with Switzerland” and with the sense of having been “trapped”.Flights between Switzerland and the two countries were halted on Monday, but the first outbound flights from Zurich to Britain resumed on Thursday.Two cases of the new British coronavirus variant have been detected in Switzerland and one in neighbouring Liechtenstein, the Swiss health ministry said Sunday.Two cases of the new South African variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes Covid-19, have also been detected, the ministry said.


What is Mavcom’s stand on AirAsia refunds?

I am writing this message to seek clarification from the transport ministry on the Malaysian Aviation Commission’s (Mavcom) stand on AirAsia refunds.About two years ago, my flight to Australia was cancelled by AirAsia X due to the Covid-19 pandemic. AirAsia rejected my request for a refund of tickets purchased and instead issued a credit account without offering any options. I was not satisfied because the issuance of credit account was not only neither a refund nor a reimbursement but also in violation of Mavcom’s codes on refund procedure.I then lodged a complaint with Mavcom. Surprisingly, Mavcom closed my case without giving any valid reasons and asked me to deal directly with AirAsia myself.However, Mavcom published an announcement in its official website on Nov 12, 2021 as follows:Mavcom To Exercise Its Statutory Powers If AirAsia X Berhad Does Not Reimburse Air Travel Consumers for Tickets PurchasedIn line with the Malaysian Aviation Commission’s (“Mavcom”) mandate to regulate economic and commercial matters relating to civil aviation in Malaysia and its commitment to protecting air travel consumer rights, Mavcom, on Nov 11, 2021, had issued a letter to AirAsia X Bhd (“AAX”) in response to its ongoing debt restructuring exercise. This letter follows from Mavcom’s various earlier correspondence with AAX.In this letter, Mavcom has clearly and unequivocally urged AAX to reassess its proposal to treat air travel consumers as creditors and to pay only 0.5% of the value of tickets purchased as announced on Oct 18, 2021. Mavcom takes the view that air travel consumers ought not to be classified as “creditors” as the air travel consumers did not, inter alia, sell any products, provide services or make loans to AAX but instead have paid monies for the purchase of tickets in advance of their flights. Accordingly, Mavcom reiterates its position that AAX should reimburse air travel consumers for the tickets purchased.If AAX fails to reimburse the affected air travel consumers accordingly, Mavcom will not hesitate to exercise its powers under the Malaysian Aviation Commission Act 2015 [“Act 771”].AAX has repeatedly in its correspondence with Mavcom and in their statements made to the public, given the assurance that AAX is committed to reimburse air travel consumers who were not able to fly due to flight cancellations.Mavcom is committed to discharging its duties under Act 771 and the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code in ensuring that air travel consumer rights are safeguarded.[ends]What puzzled me most is that this announcement clearly contradicts Mavcom’s own decision to close my case.Obviously, Mavcom’s stand on AirAsia refunds is misleading and needs clarification as there are many local and international passengers who are also still waiting for their refunds from AirAsia.About two weeks ago, I spoke to Mavcom’s chief operating officer who promised to respond on this matter. As of today, I am still waiting for his response.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


New cases hover just over 10,000 as another 28 deaths logged

Another 10,002 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,256,469.Of the total number of cases recorded, 89 were in Category Three and above.There were 23,302 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,041,723.A total of 543 cases were admitted to hospital, with 226 (41.6%) in Category Three and above and 317 (58.4%) in Category One and Two.Of the 89 cases in Category Three and above reported yesterday:* 31 (34.83%) were not vaccinated or had not completed their vaccination;* 34 (38.20%) had received two doses of vaccine;* 24 (26.97%) had received a booster jab;* 51 (57.30%) were aged 60 and above; and* 60 (67.42%) had comorbidities.There are now 179,619 active cases, of which 175,339 or 97.6% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 422 (0.2%) are at quarantine centres while 3,622 (2.0%) have been hospitalised.A total of 236 are in ICU with 140 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 53.8%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 26.9%.Another 28 deaths were reported, including seven who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,127.The country’s infectivity rate as of April 4 was 0.86.


Selangor MB to seek consent for state assembly dissolution before sultan leaves for haj

Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari will seek an audience with the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah for consent to dissolve the state legislative assembly before His Royal Highness leaves for the haj pilgrimage.
Amirudin, however, said that he was waiting for an appropriate date to do so.
"If I can't make it (audience), then I will go to Madinah (to seek consent), but I will try to avoid that situation, meaning I will try to seek an audience before His Royal Highness leaves for the Holy Land," he told the media after attending the Selangor mobility forum in Shah Alam today.
Sultan Sharafuddin and Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin are scheduled to leave for Saudi Arabia next week to perform the Hajj.
The dissolution of the Selangor legislative assembly is to pave the way for the state election to be held.
In another development, Amirudin, who is also Selangor Pakatan Harapan chairman, said negotiations for three more state seats between PH and Barisan Nasional will be held either today or tomorrow.
Without naming the seats concerned, Amirudin said the talks will provide fair opportunities to all political partners with winning strategy being the primary factor.
"Every party must be big-hearted enough to view (the importance of) winnability, to ensure a simple or a comfortable majority win," he said.


Experts generally welcome proposal for capital gains tax

Any impact on the market caused by the implementation of the capital gains tax (CGT) will be temporary, experts say in welcoming the proposal recently mooted by Putrajaya.They said most developed countries had already implemented the CGT, and that it was time for Malaysia to embrace a progressive tax system that is more efficient.“If you look at most developed countries, their taxation system is more progressive where the higher income groups pay more taxes,” analyst Zulkiply Omar told MalaysiaNow.He said in Malaysia, the taxes imposed on wealthier groups were not appropriate.“So in terms of wealth distribution, it is not very balanced and this will affect economic growth,” he added.“If foreign investors want to invest in developed country markets, they will also be subject to CGT.”Last month, Deputy Finance Minister II Yamani Hafez Musa said the government was considering imposing a one-off higher tax rate on companies that made extraordinary profits during the Covid-19 pandemic.The move drew opposition from former finance minister Lim Guan Eng, who said it could make the Malaysian market less competitive.Zulkiply said while a CGT would have an impact on foreign investors and the stock market, it would only be temporary.“If foreign investors want to invest in developed country markets, they will also be subject to CGT. So it is not a cause for worry.”He said it was also mere speculation to suggest that foreign investors would shun Malaysia due to a CGT.Prominent taxation expert Veerinderjeet Singh said any negative reaction to the market caused by CGT would be expected.“Market reactions will always be negative especially involving announcements of new taxes as it means the profits generated will be taken by the government.“Generally, it means fewer returns to investors,” Veerinderjeet, who heads the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, told MalaysiaNow.But Veerinderjeet said the implementation of CGT should start with other assets such as real estate, rather than shares listed on the local exchange.He suggested that the current real property gains tax be combined with income tax under one legislation.He said by doing this, the corporate income tax, which now stands at 24%, could be reduced to 10%.He also said that as the country records higher growth and revenue, the government could then consider extending CGT to stock transactions.


Sri Lanka won't extend emergency as protests tail off

Sri Lanka's state of emergency imposed in the middle of last month will not be extended beyond this week, President Ranil Wickremesinghe's media office said on Tuesday, as protests against the country's economic devastation petered out.
Lawmakers voted Wickremesinghe in as president on July 20 after his predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, fled a popular uprising against months of acute shortages of fuel, food and medicine.
Six-time Prime Minister Wickremesinghe imposed the emergency from July 18 when he was acting president, after tens of thousands of people stormed into government buildings, seeking solutions to the country's worst economic crisis in more than seven decades.
Wickremesinghe's office cited the president as saying at an event in the main city of Colombo that the emergency would lapse this week.
He has sought peace and political support to help advance bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund. The country has already defaulted on its sovereign debt.
S&P Global on Monday slashed its rating on Sri Lankan bonds to 'D', representing default, after the country missed interest payments due on June 3, June 28, and July 18, and a principal payment due on July 25.
The country is considering restructuring its local and foreign debt in the hope of securing a US$3 billion IMF loan.


Dr M calls for full lockdown, govt to bear costs

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today called for a full lockdown to be enforced across the country, adding however that the government should bear the costs including for ensuring enough food for the people.In a blog post today, he said it had been the right move to reinstate the current movement control order (MCO), which is expected to remain in place until June 7.“But now we are much less strict in doing so,” he said, comparing it to the first round of MCO implemented in March last year.“We need to confine people to their homes. There should not be any excuse for crowds to form. Staying apart must be applied even among the frontliners.”However he acknowledged that keeping people at home would mean “no money and no food”.“The government must accept the responsibility of keeping people alive. For food there should be public kitchens where food is prepared, packaged and delivered to homes.”Adding that home quarantine should continue for at least a month, he said the police and military “should be very strict in ensuring the people don’t come out to shop or do anything”.“The cost must be borne by the government. It will be costly but the government must do it.”Mahathir said when Covid-19 was first detected in Malaysia, the entire country was put under total movement control.“After one month we congratulated each other on the success of the measure. New cases numbered in two digits and deaths did not exceed 10.“We became over-confident. We believed we know how to manage the pandemic. And we held elections in Sabah. And since then, we have seen increases in the number of cases to frightening levels. At the peak there were more than 6,000 a day,” he said, referring to yesterday’s Covid-19 numbers which saw 6,075 infections across the country and 46 deaths.He also cited the permission given for Ramadan bazaars to open, saying the government “must know that the crowds would be uncontrollable”.“And sure enough, as soon as the bazaars opened, the cases increased. From under 2,000, the daily new cases shot up to more than 4,000 a day. Panicked, the bazaars were suddenly banned.”He called this a “good example of flip-flop”, saying traders and hawkers had lost all the money they spent on ingredients for the month.“Whatever may be the immediate cause of the spike, the urgent need is still to reduce the number of new cases,” he said.“We are definitely going to be short of beds, apparatus and even oxygen if the number doubles.”


1MDB board ‘a bunch of toothless tigers’, says Sri Ram

Gopal Sri Ram today described the 1MDB board of directors as “a bunch of toothless tigers”, saying they had failed to protect and advise then prime minister Najib Razak in company matters.The former Federal Court judge who is leading the prosecution team in the trial of Najib on four corruption charges involving RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds and 21 money laundering charges involving the same amount, suggested this when querying former 1MDB non-executive director Ismee Ismail, 57.Sri Ram: I put to you that the board of directors of 1MDB were actually a bunch of toothless tigers and you failed to protect and advise the prime minister. What is your position to that situation?Ismee: With all the new information and revelations, how would I have acted differently? I would have turned down the position. Sorry to say this.The 13th prosecution witness said he felt like the board was being used to make all of the initiatives and transactions in 1MDB appear legitimate to the extent that misleading information was given or, worse, no information was provided at all and concealed from the board.As a member of the board, it had always been in the interest of him and his other former colleagues to ensure that the company’s interest was protected, Ismee said.“Each one of us (board members) had different perspectives of what was happening in 1MDB, including our own perception of the role of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low in 1MDB.“We also spoke about Jho Low in private and from my perspective, he was managing the relationship between two parties. I saw vividly that he managed the relationship between us (1MDB) and Abu Dhabi. I could see that he had a good relationship with Arab (countries),” he said.As a board member, Ismee said he had not questioned the transactions made by 1MDB, but that the board would definitely question the management on the economics and viability of transactions executed.However, Ismee said they only knew about the affairs of 1MDB on a need-to-know basis.“In 2015, when we were the directors, we only knew this much. We found out more information during the investigation and we discovered even more throughout the course of the case.“After all this, I don’t think we as board members could have acted differently to protect the interest of 1MDB,” he said.The witness also said he did not receive any part of the money that was taken out from 1MDB.Earlier, when reading out his 111-page witness statement, Ismee said he submitted his resignation letter in 2015 as he was concerned and did not want to be part of the company’s future decisions.The resignation letter submitted in June 2015, however, was not accepted by Najib’s former special officer, Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, who instead requested that his decision be put on hold as one of the options being considered then was to change the entire board.“However, in 2016, all of us on the board and in the 1MDB management resigned as a new board of directors and management were appointed,” he said.Najib, 68, is facing four charges, of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.The trial before justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Dec 13.


One million senior citizens given at least first dose of vaccine

One million senior citizens nationwide have received a first dose of vaccine under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK), says Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun.She said of the total, 229,462 individuals had completed two doses while the rest had received a first dose since the second phase of the vaccination exercise which prioritises senior citizens commenced in April.“In total, 60% of the 3.5 million senior citizens aged 60 and above have registered for vaccination through the MySejahtera application.“We have seen an increase in the number of those who want to get the vaccine. This shows the awareness of the people, not only to register but to receive the vaccine too,” she told reporters after visiting the Social Welfare Department institution for PICK at Rumah Sejahtera Senior Care Centre in Sikamat, today.On the suitability of the type of vaccine for the group, she said each senior would be given an explanation by a health expert at the vaccination centre.She said that her ministry, through the relevant agencies, is also identifying the best method to detect the elderly who are homeless, to be given the vaccine.Rina suggested that all levels of society play a role and be more aggressive in encouraging the other 40% of the group to register for vaccination.She said family members, communities and NGOs need to implement a “whole of society” approach to ensure that information related to the vaccination programme reaches the elderly.


Concern in Labuan over child Covid-19 cases

Children below the age of 12 are starting to form a large proportion of Covid-19 cases in Labuan, says its health department director, Dr Ismuni Bohari.He said as of Feb 27, a total of 54 children below the age of 12 had been infected with Covid-19 while another 219 cases involve those above the age of 13 who have not yet fully recovered.“Currently, we have 10 children aged 12 and below, with five each admitted to the hospital and Covid-19 quarantine and low-risk treatment centre respectively.“The remaining 44 are undergoing home quarantine, and these children are classified under Category Two of Covid-19,” he said to Bernama today.Ismuni said his team viewed the number of infections involving children seriously, as the number of such cases had risen steadily over the last week.“There were 82 new cases involving children aged 12 and below reported on Feb 23. This declined to 65 cases on Feb 26 and 54 as of yesterday, but we cannot predict (the trend) for the next few days,” he said.Ismuni also said that the number of children aged five to 11 receiving the vaccine under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) had yet to exceed the target since its launch on Feb 7.“We expect to run PICKids for a month (from Feb 7), but the number of children who have received their first dose has yet to exceed 50% of the total target of 11,700,” he said.He said only 23.94%, or 2,801 children, have so far received a jab at the four vaccination centres at Labuan Hospital, Kompleks Darul Kifayah hall, SK Pekan 2 and SK Sungai Lada.Labuan has recorded new cases in the three-digit figures for the past week, with 311 cases on Feb 27 and two being treated in the ICU.


Ismail’s govt giving ‘special treatment’ to convict Najib, says Dr M

Dr Mahathir Mohamad today questioned once more what he called the special treatment accorded to Najib Razak despite his conviction for massive financial crimes, adding that the former leader has instead been rewarded by the current government of Ismail Sabri Yaakob.“What is clear is that the government of Ismail has not adhered to equality before the law as expected by the rule of law.“No other convicted person in Malaysia has been treated the way Najib is being treated,” Mahathir said in an online post as a heated public exchange continues between him and Najib.Mahathir, who served as prime minister twice including for 22 years until 2003, recalled the treatment by the police of his former deputy Anwar Ibrahim in 1998 some three weeks after Mahathir sacked him from the Cabinet.“While the police broke down Anwar’s door and arrested him, handcuffed and threw him into a police car to be detained before he was charged in court, Najib was never arrested or handcuffed or taken to a lockup in a police car,” said Mahathir, referring to Anwar’s dramatic arrest on Sept 20, 1998 after leading protests against him in the capital.“Clearly the rule of law has not been applied equally between them. All these may be claimed as legal but they are not in accordance with the rule of law,” said Mahathir.Anwar was later charged with sodomy and power abuse and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment. He was again jailed in 2014 over a charge of sodomising a PKR worker, before he was pardoned and released from jail in 2018 under the recommendation of the Pakatan Harapan government led by Mahathir.Saying the charges against Najib were more serious, Mahathir questioned the freedom of movement granted to the former Umno president.“As far as it is known, no other person has been treated this way. More than that, he is now allowed to leave the country. Again, there is no such precedent anywhere.“With Najib remaining free, it has allowed him to undermine the High Court’s decision and inevitably undermine the whole institution. And given Najib’s sphere of influence, he is able to spread this mischief among his followers who are naive and gullible,” he added.Former prime minister Najib Razak campaigns for Barisan Nasional ahead of the recent Melaka state election on Nov 20. Photo: FacebookLast year, Najib was sentenced to 12 years’ jail after being convicted of seven charges related to the misappropriation of RM42 million from SRC International. A decision on his appeal has been fixed on Dec 8.In the weeks following Ismail’s appointment as prime minister, several court decisions favouring Najib led to allegations that the former leader was being given special treatment.Najib has been under a travel ban since 2018 but recently managed to get back his passport to travel to Singapore later this month.Last month, he won a bid against the Inland Revenue Board to defer payment of some RM1.7 billion in taxes owed to the government.In August, meanwhile, some RM114 million in cash confiscated in 2018 was returned to him, following the government’s failure to forfeit the money said to have been misappropriated from 1MDB.Mahathir said Najib should have been made to serve his sentence or pay the RM210 million fine pending the outcome of his appeal.“When a person is found guilty, he is guilty until the appeals court decides that he is innocent. But the appeals court has not decided that he is innocent. Therefore, he is guilty and he should serve his sentence. But he is being treated like an innocent person, not paying his fine or jailed.”He said recent revelations of a plan to approve Najib’s request for a property worth RM100 million as a reward from the government also showed the failure of Ismail’s administration to adhere to equality and the rule of law.“Yes, other retired prime ministers have been awarded old government houses in recognition of their service. These PMs have not committed any crime and had not been found guilty of stealing government money.”


Nato launches Arctic manoeuvres, vowing to protect newest member Finland

Nato countries are in the middle of Arctic military manoeuvres, vowing on Tuesday to defend their newest member, Finland, which is hosting its first joint Nato exercise in the region since becoming the 31st member of the Western alliance in April.
The addition of Finland doubles the length of the border Nato shares with Russia, which launched a large-scale invasion of another neighbour, Ukraine, in February last year.
Nearly 1,000 allied forces from the US, Britain and Norway, and also from neighbouring Sweden, joined some 6,500 Finnish troops and some 1,000 vehicles for the Northern Forest exercise, Finland's biggest modern-time land force drill above the Arctic Circle.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine convinced Sweden and Finland last year to ditch long-held policies of military non-alignment and seek security of Nato's collective defence commitment.
Finland formally joined on April 4, drawing a threat from Moscow of "counter-measures". Sweden hopes to be a member by the time of the alliance's summit in Vilnius in July.
Overseeing the exercise just a two-hour drive from the Russian border at one of Europe's largest artillery training grounds in Rovajarvi, northern Finland, Major General Gregory Anderson from the 10th Mountain Division of the US Army said his country stood ready to defend Finland.
"We are here, we are committed. The US Army is here training with our newest Nato ally to build that capability, to help defend Finland if anything happened," Anderson said.
His troops practised on the ground with their Multiple Launch Rocket Systems shipped from Germany, while their Finnish counterparts fired their Leopard 2A6 tanks, the Swedes and the Norwegians fired from CV90 infantry fighting vehicles and the UK troops deployed Warrior infantry fighting vehicles.
Sweden remains Finland's closest military partner and is also both politically and tactically ready to defend its Nordic neighbour, the commander of the Swedish land forces said.
"It's of no question at all. We have prepared plans on what to do if we are to be part of the defence of Finland," Major General Karl Engelbrektson said.
Ilmari Laukkanen, a 20-year-old Finnish conscript who operated a field gun in the exercise but in his civilian life works at a family farm near the Russian border, said he would be ready to fight for Finland's new allies if needs be.
"Of course I would. If we are given something good then we give in return," Laukkanen told Reuters.
Thea Rimmereid, 21, from Norway's northern Porsanger Battalion, when asked if she felt ready to defend Finland said she had only been in the military for 13 months.
"But we will do the best if we need to," Rimmereid said.
Exercise leader Colonel Janne Makitalo said Nato allies should be cautious about drawing quick conclusions on their military procurement needs from the footage they see from Ukraine.
"Russia is currently able to destroy, on a monthly basis, about 10,000 Ukrainian UAVs (uncrewed aerial vehicles)," Makitalo said.
Expensive technological solutions might look good on YouTube, he said, but they can be easily detectable in a real war situation.
The exercises run from May 27 to June 2.


2,018 new cases, third most yet

Another 2,018 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 95,327.Selangor recorded almost 60% of new cases at 1,204. Of these, 733 were from existing clusters, 263 from new clusters (Pekapuri, Batu Besar and Tower), 119 from close contact screening, 88 from other screenings and one from overseas.This was followed by Johor (278), Sabah (247) and Kuala Lumpur (127).Negeri Sembilan recorded 58 cases, Labuan 29, Perak 21, Penang 18, Pahang 12, Melaka nine, Kelantan six, Putrajaya five, Kedah three and Terengganu one.Active cases stand at 16,496 with 109 in the ICU and 55 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 1,084 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 78,393.However, one more death was reported, pushing the virus toll to 438.


Kabul airport hit by two bombs in ‘complex attack’

Two explosions struck near the main gate of Kabul airport Thursday, causing multiple casualties in what the US military labelled a “complex attack” that took place as countries raced to complete evacuations from Afghanistan.Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said there were “a number” of US and civilian casualties in the bombings, which came just hours after Western officials said they had intelligence that suicide bombings were planned against the airport.“We can confirm that the explosion at the Abbey Gate was the result of a complex attack that resulted in a number of US & civilian casualties,” Kirby said in a tweeted statement.“We can also confirm at least one other explosion at or near the Baron Hotel, a short distance from Abbey Gate,” he said.The Baron Hotel, about 200m from the Abbey Gate, had been used by some western nations as a staging point for evacuations since the airlift began on Aug 14.The US State Department said there were also reports of gunfire.“US citizens should avoid travelling to the airport and avoid airport gates. Those at the Abbey Gate, East Gate, or North Gate now should leave immediately,” it said.Thousands of people have massed over the past 12 days near the Abbey Gate and other entrances to the Hamid Karzai International Airport, hoping to be evacuated after the Taliban took control of the country.US officials say the Taliban has cooperated with the evacuation efforts.But US and allied officials said in the past day that they had intelligence that suicide bombers tied to the Afghan arm of the Islamic State group – the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) – were threatening to attack the airport ahead of Washington’s August 31 deadline to finalise the evacuation.The group is known to be at odds with the Taliban.Earlier Thursday, Britain’s armed forces minister James Heappey called the threat “imminent”.Britain’s Ministry of Defense said after the explosion that they were “working urgently” to understand what happened and how that would impact evacuation operations.“Our primary concern remains the safety of our personnel, British citizens and the citizens of Afghanistan. We are in close contact with our US and other Nato allies at an operational level on the immediate response to this incident,” the ministry said.Most member nations of the US-led coalition said Thursday they had wound up or would soon end their own evacuation flights from Hamid Karzai International Airport.The total number of people who have been taken out of the US-controlled hub since the international airlift began on Aug 14 hit 95,700 Thursday, including both Afghans and foreign nationals.President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the US would stick to its deadline of withdrawing all troops from Afghanistan by Aug 31, to end the two-decade US-led war there.A spokesman for the Taliban, which seized Kabul on Aug 15 to cap a lightning campaign against government forces, said Tuesday the evacuation operation had to end on Aug 31.


MPs, reps to get Covid-19 jabs in Phase 1 of vaccination plan

MPs and assemblymen will be among those to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in the first phase of the national vaccination programme, says Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.He said the matter was agreed on by the Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee (JKJAV) as MPs and state assemblymen usually work closely with the grassroots community.“Since the nature of their job is such, we agree that MPs and state assemblymen, regardless of which party they are from, will be given the vaccine during the first phase so that they can discharge their duties more effectively and safely,” he said at a press conference after launching the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Handbook in Putrajaya today.The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme will be implemented in phases beginning Feb 26, with Muhyiddin to receive the vaccine on that day together with the frontliners.On the request by the National Union of Journalists and the National Union of Teaching Services for media personnel and teachers to be included in the first phase of the Covid-19 vaccination, Muhyiddin said the government would consider their requests, as well as those from various community groups.“If we believe they are at risk if not vaccinated, we will consider them as among the first recipients of the vaccination programme,” he added.Meanwhile Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin who is also JKJAV co-chairman said the government had allocated 300,000 doses for medical frontliners in the first phase of the vaccination programme and 200,000 doses for non-medical frontliners including security personnel, welfare officers and politicians.It was previously reported that the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, to be carried out in three phases, would target 80% of the country’s population, or 26.5 million individuals, who will receive the vaccine for free.The first phase will run from February to April for 500,000 frontline workers while the second phase, from April to August, is for those in high-risk groups aged 60 and above, as well as vulnerable groups with morbidity problems and persons with disabilities.The third phase is for those aged 18 and above which will be from this May to February next year.


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Anti-vaxxers offering clinics cash for fake certs as more SOPs eased

Anti-vaxxers who oppose receiving jabs against Covid-19 have resorted to offering several private clinics money in exchange for fake vaccination certificates, as restrictions are gradually eased for those who have completed the full dosage of vaccine against the fast-spreading virus.It is understood that their modus operandi is to offer payment for the doses without actually receiving the shots, as they are only interested in obtaining a certificate to allow them to enjoy the facilities available to those who are fully jabbed.One such example, revealed by a private clinic believed to be in Penang, has been making the rounds on social media.The clinic said its staff had received many requests from anti-vaxxers who wanted to pay for vaccine shots without being jabbed.It said these people were willing to fork out up to RM1,000 in exchange for proof of vaccination.MalaysiaNow’s efforts to contact the clinic have so far failed.However, it has been receiving praise from internet users for refusing to entertain such requests.Dr Steven Chow, president of the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Association Malaysia, confirmed that such attempts have been made.“Yes, we are aware of such attempts to subvert the system,” he told MalaysiaNow.While no official data is available on the issue, he said, attempts had been reported by association members.“The federation is absolutely against doctors agreeing to any such unethical practices,” he added.“To our knowledge, our members have always rejected these unscrupulous individuals.”Individuals who are fully vaccinated are allowed greater freedom of movement, including permission to cross district borders for certain purposes and to participate in more social and economic activities.Those who have completed the full vaccine regime are also allowed to dine in at restaurants and to resume religious activities at houses of worship.Other social activities allowed include picnics, camping and certain non-contact sports.


Welfare home founder charged with neglect of Down syndrome girl

The founder of the Rumah Bonda welfare home, Siti Bainun Ahd Razali, was charged in the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur today with the neglect of a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome.She pleaded not guilty to the charge read out to her before judge Izralizam Sanusi.Siti Bainun, 29, was charged as a person having care of the child, with neglecting the girl in a manner likely to cause her physical or emotional injury.The offence was allegedly committed at a condominium unit in Wangsa Maju between February and June this year.The charge, framed under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, provides for a maximum fine of RM50,000, imprisonment for up to 20 years, or both upon conviction.The court allowed Siti Bainun bail of RM12,000 with one surety and ordered her not to intimidate the witness.She was also told to surrender her passport to the court and to report to the nearest police station.The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutors Noor Shakira Aliana Alias and Rosidah Abu Bakar, while lawyer Nur Aminahtul Mardiah Md Nor represented Siti Bainun.The court set Oct 4 for mention.


New infections at 172 as another 3 deaths reported

Another 172 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 5,035,377.
There were 325 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,988,814.
There are now 9,627 active cases, of which 9,245 or 96% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0%) are at quarantine centres while 369 (3.8%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 13 are in ICU with 10 in need of respiratory assistance.
Another three deaths were reported, all of whom were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 36,936.


I’m clean, DAP rep insists after arrest in nightclub raid

Pasir Bedamar assemblyman Terence Naidu today apologised for his recent arrest and positive drug test during a raid at a nightclub in Penang earlier this week, insisting however that he had not voluntarily taken any illegal substances.Naidu, who was one of 48 patrons arrested at the nightclub in Prai, said he had been invited to meet some friends who were also clients for a Chinese New Year dinner meet-up in Penang.Upon reaching Prai, he said, he was taken to the nightclub in question.“I was hesitant to enter the premises at first but eventually did so,” he said, adding that he had not taken an illegal substances.In a statement, he said he had been poured “an unusual drink” which he did not consume after tasting.“I found out the following day that while I was in the toilet, someone had also come to my table and topped up my drinking glass.”Adding that he had made a police report on the matter, naming an eye witness who confirmed the incident, Naidu said he had asked the police to investigate the issue and that the public should assess his statement and come to their own conclusions.“I was shocked when I was told that my urine tested positive as I don’t even smoke,” he said.Adding that he would readily submit himself for suspension so that his party, DAP, would not be dragged into the matter, he nonetheless said he would defend himself to prove his innocence.“Nothing has changed, and I shall carry out my duties to my electorate and will stand by position that drugs have and will always be a social issue, while continuing the fight against this.”


Rallies expected across Indonesia as anger simmers over fuel price hike

Thousands of people were expected to join demonstrations across Indonesia on Tuesday, police and union leaders said, as anger mounts over the government's hiking of the price of subsidised fuel in Southeast Asia's largest economy.
Under pressure to control a ballooning energy subsidy budget, President Joko Widodo on Saturday announced the price of subsidised fuel would be increased by about 30%, after weeks of speculation of a hike.
Said Iqbal, head of the Indonesian Trade Union Federation, said in a statement late Monday that up to 5,000 people would protest in Jakarta and thousands more elsewhere, to demand the government revoke a decision that has hit workers, farmers, fishermen and the urban poor the hardest.
Small rallies took place at the weekend and again on Monday, with tyres burned and some roads blocked as students and workers vented anger over the decision, which came amid rising food costs and the economy still reeling from the impacts of the pandemic.
Endra Zulpan, a Jakarta police spokesperson, on Tuesday said nearly 7,000 officers had been deployed in and around the capital ahead of Tuesday protests.
The national police chief on Monday instructed regional authorities to maintain calm by increasing efforts to explain to the public why the fuel hike was necessary.
Subsidised fuel is a politically sensitive issue in Indonesia, but the government has worked hard to soften the blow by rolling out a series of compensation measures, including direct cash transfers.
The president on Saturday said the fuel price hike, the first since 2014, was his last option, due to fiscal pressure building.
The move would cut subsidy spending by about 48 trillion rupiah (US$3.22 billion) this year to 650 trillion rupiah, a deputy finance minister said on Monday, but it would also see inflation accelerate.


Tearful Ronaldo departs with World Cup dream in tatters

Cristiano Ronaldo left the World Cup in tears on Saturday, walking off down the tunnel with his dreams of winning the trophy in tatters.
Morocco earned a shock 1-0 quarter-final victory over Portugal, the north Africans' joy the stark opposite of Ronaldo's misery.
The Portuguese forward, 37, may never have another chance to win the game's biggest trophy, and his World Cup exit was especially bitter as he started the game as a substitute.
With another result Ronaldo might have celebrated levelling the all-time men's international appearance record with his 196th Portugal cap, but his final minutes were desperate.
As soon as the final whistle blew, Ronaldo left, heading down the tunnel with tears streaming down his face, ignoring the Morocco players rushing to their fans to celebrate.
"If you take two people that are the most upset perhaps it was Cristiano Ronaldo and myself," said Portugal coach Fernando Santos.
"Of course we are upset, of course it affects us, that's part of the game, that's part of the job."
Ronaldo won Euro 2016 with his country, albeit being taken off injured during the win over France in the final and watching from the sidelines as Eder became his country's hero.
The World Cup remained a dream for both Ronaldo and his country but they fell short against surprise package Morocco.
In a surprise decision, Ronaldo had been relegated to the bench against Switzerland as Portugal romped to a 6-1 victory in the last 16 and Santos maintained that plan.
However, shortly after half-time, with his team trailing to Youssef En-Nesyri's goal, Santos threw on Ronaldo and Joao Cancelo, looking to their all-time leading scorer to bail them out.
Ronaldo struggled to get involved in the game, with Morocco swarming him whenever the ball was close.
The striker had only one sniff at goal, but Moroccan stopper Yassine Bounou got down quickly to deny him.
Asked if he regretted starting with Ronaldo on the bench, the coach maintained he was content with his choice.
"I have no regrets, I think this was a team that played very well against Switzerland," added Santos.
"Cristiano is a great player, he came in when I thought that was necessary, so no, I have no regrets."
Dropped
After picking himself up from World Cup disappointment, Ronaldo will have to decide his future in the game at club level.
The forward and Manchester United parted ways with a bitter divorce at the start of the tournament and Ronaldo is currently without a club.
That saga overshadowed Portugal's start to the tournament, after Ronaldo gave an explosive interview in which he blasted his former employers and coach Erik ten Hag.
Ronaldo netted a penalty in Portugal's opening game of the tournament against Ghana to become the first player to score at five men's World Cups.
Against Uruguay he thought he had scored again when he tried to head in a curling Bruno Fernandes ball, but the goal was awarded to his former United team-mate.
Even though Portugal had qualified for the knockout phase already, Ronaldo started against South Korea in the final group match.
He made an angry gesture at Santos after being hauled off without expanding his goal tally, which the coach said he was "not happy" about.
Santos dropped Ronaldo for the last 16 match afterwards, saying it was a "strategic" decision, which he repeated against Morocco.
It was the first time Ronaldo had not started a Portugal World Cup game since 2006.
Ronaldo failed to score in either game, appearing as a substitute in both, and he has still never netted in a World Cup knockout match.
Now, with the next tournament four years away, it seems unlikely Ronaldo ever will, despite once stating he would like to play on until his 40s.


Ministers' demand to oust sec-gens irked Mahathir, says Azmin

Bersatu Supreme Council member Mohamed Azmin Ali claims that eight ministers in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government had urged the prime minister at the time, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, to change the secretary-generals of various ministries, calling this just one example of how the administration had clashed with the aspirations of the people.
Speaking in a programme broadcast on Astro Awani last night, the former PKR man said the Cabinet members had urged Mahathir to change a total of eight secretary-generals, in a move that he described as unprecedented.
"This is why Mahathir did not agree," he added.
"Why did a government that had just received the mandate from the people want to pick a fight with the civil service, when civil servants are not involved in political parties?
"They are at their individual ministries to carry out the policies decided on by the government."
Adding that this was just "one example", Azmin said many allocations for development were also removed, causing "a particular race in this country to feel pressured".
He also questioned the extent to which the people would be "swayed" by those who label him a traitor, adding that "the real traitor whom we rarely talk about is the one who caused the by-election in Kajang".
"Why is it that we don't focus on the Kajang Move and the Port Dickson Move, but on the Sheraton Move when the Kajang Move was an absolute betrayal?" he said, referring to a failed plan by PKR in 2014 to install Anwar Ibrahim as the Selangor menteri besar by forcing a by-election in Kajang.
A similar move saw a by-election in Port Dickson, just months after the 2018 general election, allowing Anwar to make a parliamentary comeback.
"The MP was still alive and still serving, chosen by the people in a general election. But because of the greed of one person, this MP was forced to resign to allow him to become the menteri besar of Selangor.
"Is this not a betrayal?"
Adding that the same thing had happened in Port Dickson, Azmin said that in the Sheraton Move, no one had been forced to resign.
"In fact, we strengthened Mahathir's position so that he would have strong support in carrying out policies in the Dewan Rakyat and in the government," he said.
"Unfortunately, the fights and power struggles in PH itself caused Mahathir to step down.
"So why blame me and Muhyiddin Yassin when the vacuum occurred because of moves that caused the prime minister to resign?" he said, adding that Mahathir's replacement had been in line with the Federal Constitution.


Netflix, Amazon, Disney-backed group protests India's tobacco rules

An Indian group representing Netflix, Amazon and Disney has told the government its new tobacco warning rules are impossible to implement for streaming giants and will impinge on content creators' freedom of expression, a letter seen by Reuters showed.
As part of India's anti-tobacco drive, the health ministry last month ordered streaming platforms to insert static health warnings during smoking scenes within three months. Also, India wants at least 50 seconds of anti-tobacco disclaimers, including an audio-visual, at the start and in the middle of each programme.
The three companies, and Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's streaming platform JioCinema, were recently part of a privately held discussion to consider pushback options, including a legal challenge, as executives worried that the rules would require editing of millions of hours of Indian and Hollywood content.
The amount of multilingual content on platforms "is very high... there is a practical impossibility associated with including such warnings across content," the letter by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (Iamai) stated.
Iamai asked the health ministry to revisit the "onerous" rules, saying a survey had shown viewers were indifferent to depictions of smoking on streaming platforms, the letter said.
Netflix declined to comment, while Iamai and the other companies did not immediately respond. The health ministry also did not respond.
Beyond Hollywood content, streaming companies Netflix, Amazon, Disney and JioCinema have become inreasingly popular in India. Popular Hindi content starring Bollywood actors on such platforms have smoking scenes.
Activists have welcomed India's new rules, saying it would discourage smoking in a country where tobacco kills 1.3 million people each year.
The companies believe content descriptors – which warn users with a label "smoking" in a video alongside its title at the start – were more effective, Iamai said.
The "disruptions" caused by warnings, the group said, were "problematic for creators that put in considerable investments."
All smoking and alcohol drinking scenes in movies in India's cinemas and on TV, under law, require health warnings, but there were so far no regulations for the streaming giants.
In 2013, Woody Allen stopped his film, Blue Jasmine, from being screened in India after learning that mandatory anti-tobacco warnings would be inserted into its smoking scenes.
Sanjay Seth of non-profit Sambandh Health Foundation said there should be no difference in how smoking is discouraged in cinema, and on digital platforms.
"They must implement this. It will save lives," Seth said.


First Israel-UAE flight outrages Palestine

An Israeli commercial passenger plane with anti-missile technology has made political and aviation history by flying from Israel to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Monday.The flight marks the latest step in normalising relations between the Jewish state and a key Arab nation.Aboard the El Al flight were Israeli government officials and a US delegation led by Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.President Trump has claimed credit for brokering the deal.After his arrival in the UAE, Kushner said he had asked the pilots to fly faster because “there is great urgency between the people of both countries to break down old barriers, to get to know each other, to form new, and hopefully very deep, friendships. I believe this agreement has the ability to change the whole course of the Middle East”.In another historic move, Saudi Arabia allowed the aircraft to fly through its airspace.The UAE recently repealed a 1972 law which boycotted Israel. This will pave the way for the two states to open embassies and establish commercial, defence and tourism ties.However, the Palestinians have been left out of the process. They are reportedly dismayed by the UAE’s move, which they see as a betrayal of their position calling on Israel to withdraw from occupied territory and accept Palestinian statehood.Speaking to reporters on board the flight, Kushner said Palestinians should come to the negotiating table.“We can’t want peace for them more than they want it for themselves,” he said. “We have a good offer on the table and when they’re ready, they’ll call us.”Speaking at a meeting of the Palestinian Authority, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said: “It has hurt us very much to see an Israeli plane landing in the Emirates in clear and blatant violation of the Arab position regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict.”He saluted other Arab countries that reject normal relations with Israel despite “the pressures exerted on Arab countries by the Americans”.There are other issues at work here, besides the Palestinian question.Israel and the UAE share a common enemy in Iran. The new alliance strengthens the US-led axis against the malign influence that they believe Iran poses.


Muafakat Nasional not over yet, says Tok Mat

The political cooperation between Umno and PAS through Muafakat Nasional (MN) has not ended, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan says, admitting however that both parties appear to be edging towards a final chapter.“But we have to be clear here that we will only be with those loyal to us, not with those who play many sides as this would cause confusion which would end up with us being confused as well,” he told a media conference after officiating at the simultaneous opening of Umno’s Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings assemblies in Kuala Lumpur last night.Mohamad was asked about the current direction of the MN charter signed by Umno and PAS on Sept 14, 2019.Asked whether PAS was invited to this year’s Umno general assembly, Mohamad said space constraints and SOPs have not allowed for this.On the next general election, he said the party wants it to be held as soon as possible.“As the party election director, I plan the strategies so that the party wins elections. Now is the time for us to strike, so let us hold discussions at the higher level, (on) what is good and what is not, what could be beneficial and what could be detrimental to the party,” he said.


France stand firm to overpower gallant Morocco

France held their nerve to overcome a gallant Moroccan effort and secure an opportunity to retain their World Cup crown, beating the north Africans 2-0 in Wednesday’s semi-final to set up a heavyweight showdown with Argentina.
Goals from Theo Hernandez and substitute Randal Kolo Muani put the French into a fourth World Cup final and gave them the chance to become the first team to retain the title since Brazil 60 years ago.
It was as much as their talent-laden squad deserved as they caught Morocco with an early sucker punch and finished off the job 11 minutes from time, setting up a meeting with Argentina on Sunday after Lionel Messi’s team beat Croatia 3-0 in the first semi-final.
"There's emotion, there's pride, there's going to be a final step, we've been together with the players for a month, it's never easy, there's happiness so far," said coach Didier Deschamps.
France found themselves in an absorbing battle as Morocco showed them no deference and made many chances of their own, coming close to an equaliser.
The world champions’ defence had to scramble several times, including a late goalline clearance and Morocco struck the post with a spectacular bicycle effort.
Finishing, however, proved the fundamental difference, and the game tilted the way of the world champions after five minutes.
France swept forward and converted their first chance through Hernandez to put their opponents on the back foot.
He had to lift his left foot high to connect with a bouncing ball from a tight angle and finish off a sweeping move started by Antoine Griezmann’s run down the right and a cutback pass that Kylian Mbappe initially fluffed.
Mbappe was the creator of the second as he attempted first to dribble through the Morocco defence and then shoot, his effort blocked but falling for Kolo Muani to tap home at the back post with his first touch after coming on.
Mbappe’s battle with good friend Achraf Hakimi was a competitive side show but France might have had at least two more goals as Olivier Giroud struck the post and missed from point-blank range in the first half.
No fairytale
While there was to be no fairytale continuation of their unprecedented run to the last four, Morocco exited with their heads held high. They were the first African and Arab country to get this far at the World Cup and can expect a wild welcome when they go home after Saturday’s third place playoff.
"We paid for the slightest mistake," said Morocco coach Walid Regragui.
"We didn't get into the game well and the second goal killed us, but that doesn't take away everything we did before."
The closest they got was when Jawad El Yamiq’s spectacular bicycle kick on the stroke of halftime forced Hugo Lloris into a sensational save, as he got a vital touch.
But they made many other inroads into the French defence, let down by their final touch or decision making.
The gamble of fielding first-choice centre back Nayef Aguerd and Romain Saiss backfired with neither lasting more than 20 minutes. Aguerd was ruled out in the warm-up and Saiss limped off early. Noussair Mazraoui went of at halftime.
"We had some injuries but that's no excuse," added Regragui. "We gave the maximum, that's the most important."
Again the majority of the crowd at the Al Bayt Stadium were willing them on but ultimately the gulf in class meant France were always in the driving seat.


Tell Zahid no meetings, court says after quarantine sees trial postponed for third time

The defence team of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been told to advise him to refrain from attending meetings for at least a week before his trial dates, after the Umno president’s corruption case was postponed again as he is undergoing quarantine.In granting the adjournment, High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah said this was not the first time the former deputy prime minister’s trial involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds had to be postponed for this reason.The trial, which was scheduled to resume today, was postponed for a third time due to the fact that Zahid had to undergo quarantine after coming into close contact with a positive Covid-19 case.“That (the adjournment) will extend throughout the whole week until Thursday. This is not the first time that it has happened. Can you advise your client to not attend any meetings a week before his case because otherwise, the case will never conclude,” Sequerah said.“I also had to vacate during the last occasion due to this problem. The trial dates that have been set are sufficient for the prosecution to conclude the case. As much as he has official functions to perform, attending court is no less important, so please impress on him (the need to stay away from meetings).”Zahid’s counsel Hamidi Mohd Noh earlier told the court that his client was unable to attend court today because he had been issued a home surveillance and observation order (HSO) which requires him to undergo home quarantine for 10 days starting Feb 21.“My client is undergoing quarantine after one of the Umno Supreme Council members, Johan Abd Aziz, was confirmed positive with Covid-19 on Sunday.“Zahid informed (us) he had attended two party meetings at Institut Latihan Memperkasakan Ilmu (ILMU) in Janda Baik, Pahang. He was at the same meeting room with Johan,” the lawyer said.Deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran told the court the defence should provide more information and proof of Zahid’s attendance at the meeting.“We need proof that he actually attended the meeting and the fact that a meeting was convened that day … where and when he was present and who were the others present at the meeting, to support his claim that he had come into close contact with the person (who tested positive),” she said.Raja Rozela also said Zahid appeared to have breached the movement control order (MCO) by crossing state borders as the meeting was held in another state.She said this would be the third time the case was postponed for a similar reason.“I think a lesson needs to be learnt right now. It seems like the accused appears to be nonchalant and negligent of his wellbeing and also us.“He also seems to take the trial as not as important as his other businesses and is using this excuse to be away from the courtroom. A stricter reprimand by this court is needed,” she said, adding that the defence must submit documents pertaining to permission to attend the meetings.Hamidi then said it was not the court’s concern to ask for proof of party meetings.But Sequerah said it was in fact the court’s concern as it had disrupted the court’s schedule.“You can’t say it’s not the business of the court… It has an impact on the court in the sense that we cannot carry on (with the trial). The defence is to furnish all the relevant documents on the meeting attended by Zahid such as the permit to cross the state,” he said.The defence then submitted a letter from the Umno Supreme Council calling for Zahid to attend the meeting.The court fixed March 4 for the trial to resume.The prosecution is scheduled to call Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Fairul Rafiq Hamiruddin as the next witness in the trial.So far, 90 prosecution witnesses have testified in the case, which was last heard on Oct 13 last year, including Armada Holdings Sdn Bhd CEO Wasi Khan @ Wasiyu Zama Israr, Zahid’s former special officer Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, legal firm Lewis & Co partner B Muralidharan, moneychanger Omar Ali Abdullah and Zahid’s former executive secretary Mejar Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly.Zahid, 68, is facing 47 charges – 12 of criminal breach of trust, eight of corruption and 27 of money laundering – involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.


Sarawak river taxis sinking under loss of tourists

The conditional movement control order in Sarawak has been extended for a further two weeks from March 16 to 29, Deputy Chief Minister Amar Douglas Uggah Embas has announced.He said at the state disaster management committee briefing in Kuching last Friday that the decision was made because the number of positive cases in the state was still high.Traditional Sarawak river taxi operators are expressing their frustration with the decision.In the absence of bridges spanning the north and south banks of the river, the small, covered wooden boats were long the only way for locals to reach the other side or travel further along the river.But in recent years the boatmen had come to depend on tourists going to Fort Margherita and other attractions rather than locals to make a living. And now there are no tourists.Pak Loden, from central Kuching river jetty Kampung Sungai Bedil, said many operators like him have been struggling since Covid-19 hit the country.“Since the pandemic, I can only earn RM20 per day.”The 63-year-old river veteran told MalaysiaNow, “My income usually increases during school holidays because tourists hire me to take them across the river to Kampung Boyan to visit Fort Margherita and then bring them back to the waterfront again.“If there are five people in a group, I charge RM50 for a one-hour boat ride. If there are plenty of tourists, I can earn up to RM100 per day. Since the pandemic, I can only earn RM20 per day,” he said at the Kampung Sungai Bedil jetty on Saturday.Another ferryman, Pak Openg, who operates from Pangkalan Jalan Gambir to Kampung Sungai Bedil jetty, said river taxi revenue had been dropping for a long time before the pandemic came along.“Our boats were used for advertising. Celcom and DiGi paid us quite a lot, around RM3,000 per year. Even Sunsilk shampoo put ads on our boats,” the 58-year-old said, smiling at the memory. “But that was 10 years ago.”Having been a river boatman since he was 17, he said the traditional “perahu tambang” ferry is a true symbol of Sungai Sarawak.Operating to and from the kampungs opposite Kuching Waterfront, he said the city’s traditional boats have faithfully served Kuching folks for over 50 years.“In the 1970s, the villagers would use the river taxi service to go to work, school or the city centre with fares of five sen for children and 10 sen for adults.“The high cost of living and rising oil prices makes it difficult for us to keep a family.”“At that time, ‘pak tambang’ (river taxi operators) used oars and paddles so it took about five minutes to cross the river. Today, the boats have engines so it’s much quicker but of course the fares have gone up as well.”However, despite the fare increases, Pak Openg said his life and income have not changed much.“The high cost of living and rising oil prices makes it difficult for us to keep a family. In the past, the fare was low, but we actually earned more because we ferried more passengers.”Most people along the river still prefer the water taxi service as fares are cheaper and it’s faster than going by road, he said.“We must preserve our boats and keep our taxi services as they are part of our Kuching culture.”Although these boatmen operate a traditional form of river transport, they are certainly not stuck in the past. In fact, they are eager to use modern technology to generate more business.Basri said the “perahu tambang” should be recognised as a heritage asset but operating them profitably will require digital technology to revive and transform the ferry business so it and the pak tambang survive.“We must preserve our boats and keep our taxi services as they are part of our Kuching culture which tourists love,” he said.“I hope we can soon use a digital service like Grab to operate our boats.”But some, like Ahmad Junaidi, know that adopting modern technology will be difficult.Junaidi, 57, is more than willing to upskill himself and to do what it takes to keep his boat going.The hurdle for him is that he does not even have a mobile phone number, much less a smartphone. All he has is a small notebook in which he jots down the phone numbers of others.The current penambang fee of RM1 per head will not go far in helping him upgrade, either. This is a step up from the original charge of 30 sen, but Junaidi still knows that more must be done to promote tourism to domestic travellers.


Additional Raya school holiday on April 19

Schools in the country will have an additional day of holiday for Aidilfitri on April 19, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said today.
She said this would allow teachers and parents, especially those working in other states, to return to their home towns to celebrate Aidilfitri.
"We would like to announce that April 19 will be a special holiday for all education ministry members, so there will be no school session on that day.
"We have considered all views, and this is to provide convenience for teachers and ministry members to plan their journey," she told reporters in Putrajaya.
According to the academic calendar for the 2023/2024 session, the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays for states in Group A and B will begin on April 20 (Thursday).


Singapore court reserves judgment on Nagaenthran’s appeal

Singapore’s Court of Appeal today reserved judgment in the case of Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam, whose pending execution for a drug trafficking offence in 2009 had sparked international criticism of the city-state for its continued use of the death penalty on drug mules.Nagaenthran’s final appeal this morning was heard by a five-man bench comprising Singapore Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, Andrew Phang, Judith Prakash, Belinda Ang and Chao Hick Tin.“We will reserve judgment and come back to you soon,” Sundaresh was quoted as saying by Bernama.Nagaenthran was represented by counsel Violet Netto, who took over the case from prominent human rights lawyer M Ravi.Nagaenthran, who was diagnosed with an IQ of 69 – below the threshold of 70 for declaring a person as intellectually disabled – was to have been executed in November last year.He was granted a stay of execution after a diagnosis of Covid-19 just before the court was due to hear a last-ditch appeal to save his life.His case drew public outrage, with pleas for leniency from Malaysian leaders including Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.Singapore however insisted that Nagaenthran was fully aware of his actions, and suggested that he was fabricating his mental state by altering his academic qualifications to show an inferior IQ.The Singapore government has often cited its tough laws as a deterrent against drug crimes.But critics have pointed out that many of those convicted were drug mules from poor families, while the drug kingpins who employed them would often go unpunished.The court’s move today to reserve judgment follows a similar decision yesterday, where the city-state’s High Court put on hold the looming executions of Malaysian Pausi Jefridin and Singaporean Roslan Bakar who, like Nagaenthran, were diagnosed with low intellectual capabilities.They had been granted a last-minute respite by Singapore President Halimah Yacob on Feb 17.


Ethics body accuses UK's Johnson of new breach over newspaper job

Former British prime minister Boris Johnson, who quit Parliament last week over a finding that he misled lawmakers about Covid lockdown parties, was accused on Friday of a new breach for taking a newspaper columnist job without waiting for required ethics vetting.
Nine months after he left the premiership, Johnson's ethics record is causing renewed trouble for the governing Conservative Party, divided over whether to endorse the findings of a committee of lawmakers that he deliberately misled Parliament over parties at his office during the pandemic.
The committee, which has a Conservative majority, said he should have been suspended from parliament had he not quit as a lawmaker last week. He called it a "political assassination", in a blistering resignation statement in which he also appeared to take swipes at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
On Friday, Johnson, 58, was named as a columnist for the Daily Mail newspaper, returning to a journalism career that had seen him write for several leading British titles, including one that sacked him for making up a quote.
"Whether you're a Boris fan or not, it’s going to be required reading – both in Westminster and for millions across the world," the paper said of the column which will appear on Saturdays.
Ministers and civil servants who leave office are required to consult an ethics body, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), before taking up new jobs. It said Johnson had committed a new breach by failing to give it proper notice.
"The ministerial code states that ministers must ensure that no new appointments are announced, or taken up, before the committee has been able to provide its advice," it said in a statement.
"An application received 30 mins (minutes) before an appointment is announced is a clear breach."
Acoba has no enforcement powers, but a new breach of rules could make it harder for Johnson to mount a political comeback.
Johnson started his working life in journalism, sacked by the Times newspaper for making up a quote. He went on to have a career at the Daily Telegraph, where as a Brussels correspondent he lambasted the European Union in vivid if not always accurate prose.
He later pursued parallel media and political careers as editor of the Spectator magazine and as an MP, and before becoming prime minister wrote a column for the Daily Telegraph. That column often saw him criticised for his views – he was accused of Islamophobia when he said Muslim women who wear burqas looked like letter boxes or bank robbers.


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Bidayuh families separated by border line mark another Christmas apart

The days leading up to Christmas would normally find Dadun Sikau hard at work, preparing traditional goodies and keeping an eye on festive activities throughout her village of Kampung Sapit, about 65km from the capital city of Kuching.As a village elder, she has many responsibilities but she would always find time to focus on her family’s arrangements as well. These include the preparation of a glutinous rice dish called pangkang and chicken cooked in bamboo, which is known as chicken pansoh.Sixty-year-old Ngug meanwhile made it his yearly task to trek through the jungles of Mount Saraong. There, he foraged for jungle produce, hunting wild boar to be slaughtered and enjoyed in a feast at the barok or communal hall.Others in the village would be busy decorating, creating an air of festivity enjoyed by young and old alike.Nestled at the foothills of Ulu Padawan, Kampung Sapit is home to some 450 Bidayuh Biyatah who settled at the picturesque Borneo Highlands marking the border with Kalimantan.From Kuching, it is accessible by car although the drive takes about two hours. The journey is much shorter coming from Indonesia, across the border – only 20 minutes.A woman carries a basket of goods balanced by a strap over the head as she makes her way up a path leading towards Kampung Sapit.The Christmas season would usually see a flurry of activity with residents from several villages coming together to enjoy the celebrations.In Sarawak, festivals are celebrated by all regardless of race or religion, and the same holds true for Christmas. Villagers seize the opportunity to visit friends, family and neighbours alike while children and teenagers sit in airy bamboo porches known as tanju, practising their songs for carolling.“Christmas is always a fun and joyous occasion in the village because the older folk look forward to meeting family members who return home from the cities,” Paulina, Dadun’s daughter and a mother of two, said.“It is a merry time when all Sarawakians come together from far and wide.”Speaking to MalaysiaNow, she said the villages near Ulu Padawan would organise all sorts of activities including the singing of Christmas carols, telematches, treasure hunts, beauty pageants for the children, choirs and Christmas decoration competitions.“There would be a lot of karaoke singing too,” Paulina said. “But this year, not everyone will be able to return to the village.”There will be no carolling, either, so the villagers will have to content themselves with listening to the choir presentations and gathering at their community hall known as the barok or panggah.Even the hunt for game such as wild boar has been only a memory for the past two years.Members of the Bidayuh Biyatah tribe enjoy the cool mountain air on a wooden platform in their village.But the villagers are hopeful for a better Christmas season this year.“What the old people say is, we should have at least the aura of Christmas here, with the smell of bamboo,” Paulina said.The humble plant plays an important role in the lives of the Bidayuh, who would use its wood to fix or replace their bridges leading up to Gawai and Christmas Eve.Years ago, the only way to access the village was by foot, through the jungle and across a number of such bridges.Now, with better road development, the village is able to hold bigger Christmas celebrations – or it did, before Covid-19.This year, there are no large gatherings of family members from villages across the border.Before the arrival of Covid-19, the Kampung Sapit villagers would meet up with their relatives in Kampung Gun Tembawang in Kalimantan, about 20 minutes’ walk away. Both villages are home to Bidayuh communities, who are all closely related.For years, occasions like Gawai and Christmas were opportunities for villagers from both sides of the border to meet up.Every year on Christmas Eve, they would gather at the chapel in Kampung Sapit to pray.“Usually, our group and theirs will carol together, going around the neighbourhood, singing Christmas songs together from house to house,” 16-year-old Azlyn Begus told MalaysiaNow.Due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant, though, the borders have remained closed this year. For a second Christmas in a row, families from across the border have been unable to reunite.Still, they wait patiently and in hope for the day when the pandemic ends, and they will be able to gather for Christmas once again.


China arrests at least 80 in fake Covid-19 vaccine ring

Chinese police have arrested more than 80 suspected members of a criminal gang manufacturing and selling fake Covid-19 vaccines, including exporting to other countries, the official Xinhua News Agency has reported.Police in Beijing and in Jiangsu and Shandong provinces broke up the group that was producing the fake vaccines, which consisted of a simple saline solution,The “vaccines” were sold in China and to other countries, although it was unclear which countries were the recipients.“China has already reported the situation to the relevant countries,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters.“The Chinese government highly values vaccine safety and will continue to take efforts to strictly prosecute any counterfeits,” Wang said. “China will also strengthen our law enforcement cooperation with the relevant countries.”China has a long history of vaccine scandals. In 2016, police arrested the leaders of a ring that sold millions of improperly stored vaccines across the country.In response to recent scandals, China reformed vaccine safety regulations and increased criminal penalties for those caught making counterfeits, reports the Associated Press.In the past, many Chinese citizens did not trust homegrown vaccines, but since the pandemic struck, confidence has been higher.In a recent survey published by Chinese business magazine Caixin, 74% of respondents said they would take a Covid-19 vaccine if it was available.China has at least seven Covid-19 vaccines in the last stages of clinical trials, and has one made by state-owned Sinopharm, that has been approved for domestic use.Chinese vaccine makers have seized the opportunity provided by the pandemic to go global, with Sinopharm and other Chinese companies selling or donating their vaccines to at least 27 countries around the world including Brazil, Turkey and Indonesia.Domestically, China has administered more than 24 million doses of its homegrown vaccine candidates, as part of a mass vaccination campaign.China has so far refrained from giving the vaccine to the most elderly, instead targeting key groups such as health professionals and workers in food-related industries, as well as adults up to the age of 59.


Nearly 52% of adults given Covid booster jab

A total of 12,157,974 individuals or 51.9% of adults had received a Covid-19 vaccine booster dose as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow portal, 22,927,434 people or 97.9% of adults have completed their vaccination while 99.1% or 23,204,846 individuals have received at least one dose of vaccine.A total of 2,789,988 teenagers or 88.6% of the group have completed their vaccination, while 2,868,262 individuals or 91.1% have received at least one dose of vaccine.A total of 100,810 vaccine doses were dispensed yesterday comprising 2,497 first doses, 2,603 second shots and 95,710 booster jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 63,743,710.According to the health ministry’s Github portal, eight deaths due to Covid-19 were reported yesterday: three in Perak, two in Kedah and one each in Johor, Kelantan and Pahang.


Inappropriate to hold GE15 next year, says Zahid

Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday said it would be inappropriate to hold the 15th general election (GE15) next year due to economic factors and a possible increase in inflation rate.
"I am confident that it will be held this year because there are many indicators pointing in that direction. I think it is most suitable for us to hold it (GE15) this year," he said when met by reporters after officiating at the closing of the Wanita BN Convention at the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
He said BN had begun preparing for GE15 at all levels with plans to compete with an underdog spirit to ensure that the party machinery does its best to gain the support of voters.
"We must strive for more than what we achieved before. We will work to be dominant in (GE15) this time, even though we are the underdog being attacked from various sides," he said.
Meanwhile, Zahid in his speech said BN must be quick to fight the opposition over accusations, especially on social media, relating to issues such as the littoral combat ships (LCS), to stop them from "killing" BN. He said the BN machinery could not wait until the campaign period starts to answer the issue.
"The role of the Wanita BN, Youth, Puteri and BN Comms’ social media platforms is to respond immediately to all issues that are raised. Don't wait. We need to anticipate," he said.