Govt aims to regain palm oil market share in EU amid global shortage

The government says it plans to leverage the global edible oil shortage and “political tension in Europe” to regain market share after buyers shunned the commodity over environmental concerns.Palm oil is used to make everything from lipstick to noodles, but top producers Indonesia and Malaysia have faced boycotts after being accused of clearing rainforests and exploiting migrant workers for the rapid expansion of plantations.Some companies have introduced “palm oil-free products” in recent years, and the European Union (EU), the world’s third-biggest palm buyer, has ruled to phase out palm oil-based biofuels by 2030.But retailers like British supermarket chain Iceland, which removed palm oil from its own-brand food starting in 2018, have been forced to return to the controversial commodity in recent months due to a global edible oil shortage triggered by the Russia-Ukraine war and Indonesia’s ban on palm oil exports.Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said in a statement the government “will not want to waste a good crisis”.“It is time we step up efforts to counter adverse propaganda to undermine palm oil’s credibility and for us to showcase the numerous health benefits the golden oil has to offer,” she said.Zuraida said global edible oil prices are likely to remain high in the first half of 2022 and EU demand is expected to increase in the near term due to tight sunflower and soy oil supplies.EU vegetable oil group Fediol on Tuesday said Indonesia’s ban is not a concern as it has palm oil reserves for several weeks.Uncertainty over sunflower oil supplies due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has spurred demand for rivals palm and soy oil as importers seek alternatives, fuelling a red-hot vegetable oil market.Zuraida said Malaysia stands to benefit from this shifting demand and will undertake “aggressive efforts and campaigns” to fill the global supply gap in the long run.Malaysia and Indonesia, which account for 85% of global palm oil output, have maintained that EU restrictions on palm oil-based biofuels are discriminatory and have launched separate cases with the World Trade Organisation.


28 new variant cases detected from June 23 to 30

Twenty-eight cases involving new variants of the SARS-COV-2 virus were reported from June 23 to 30, of which 25 were variants of concern (VoC) and three, variants of interest (VoI).Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, in a statement, said of the 28 new variant cases, 18 were the Delta variant (B.1.617.2), five were the Beta variant (B.1.351), three were the Kappa variant (B.1.617.1) and two, the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7).He said two cases of the Alpha variant were detected in Sabah, two cases of the Beta variant in Pahang, and one case each in Melaka, Terengganu and Selangor.Two cases each of the Delta variant were detected in Pahang, Sabah, Melaka and Kedah, and four cases in Kuala Lumpur, while three each were detected in Labuan and Negeri Sembilan.Three cases of the Kappa variant were recorded in Johor, he added.Noor Hisham said the latest developments bring the cumulative cases of SARS-COV-2 virus categorised as VoC and VoI to 217.“From the total number detected, 198 cases were VoC while 19 cases were VoI,” he said.


Cost of living, an immediate problem for Lembah Pantai poor

Every morning, Zuraliati Zulkifli sets up her little stall beside the Petronas petrol station in Pantai Dalam, Kuala Lumpur.
There, she sells petai and local cakes and cookies, also known as kuih-muih.
There are no days off for the 49-year-old, a single mother who does everything she can to keep her family afloat.
She has seven children, the youngest of whom is still in school.
While she has any number of problems to deal with, the biggest are financial.
Zuraliati has lived at the Sri Cempaka low-cost flats in Lembah Pantai for six years now, and as the country gears up for its 15th general election (GE15), she has her own small wish list for whoever forms the next government.
"We would like leaders who can see the people's hardships and who do something about it.
"The way the economy is going now, everything is more expensive. With RM100, I used to be able to fill an entire trolley – but now, I'm lucky if I can get even a few things."
At the Pantai Permai apartments, meanwhile, security guard Rosli Hashim is hoping for much the same.
"Before polling day, the candidates should visit the area and stand out by helping the people here," the 48-year-old said.
Permila Dewi, a senior citizen who has lived in Lembah Pantai for 20 years, said she too hoped for more help for those in need.
"Right now, I get no help at all," Permila, who runs a small business, said.

Long-time Lembah Pantai resident Permila Dewi holds her grandson's hand as she walks him to school.

"Even when there was the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia, I didn't get anything. I went to apply for it and they asked me all sorts of questions but in the end, I got nothing."
According to the 2020 census, there are just over 148,000 residents in Lembah Pantai, comprising 69.4% Bumiputera, 23.2% Chinese and 6.7% Indian.
The median household income is RM9,801 while the average household income is RM13,081.
But side by side with the luxury condominiums and grand commercial centres stand the humble shacks of the B40 or Bottom 40 group.
A large part of the parliamentary constituency in fact comprises low-cost flats which can be seen from the New Pantai Expressway.
The cost of living is among the issues which candidates looking to wrest the Lembah Pantai seat will have to address.
The seat has been held by PKR for three terms now: two under Nurul Izzah Anwar and one under Fahmi Fadzil.
Zuraliati said she wanted a leader who would help regardless of political allegiance.
"We who live here only want the political commitment of whoever wins the seat," she said.
"We will look at who we find appealing, not someone who will abandon us after polling day."
While neither Zuraliati nor Rosli has any complaints about the incumbent, Baharudin Md Som, who lives at the Kerinchi low-cost flats, said he would prefer a local to run for election.
"If no one from Lembah Pantai is fielded, I don't think I will vote," he said.
"Locals have a better understanding of the situation here, and it's easier for us to talk to them if we have any requests."

The Pantai Permai low-cost flats in Pantai Dalam, which is home to many B40 or Bottom 40 families.

Cost of living aside, there is also the perennial problem of parking. Meanwhile, the lifts at low-cost housing areas frequently break down, and there are also complaints of drug problems among the youth.
At GE15, Barisan Nasional is expected to nominate Umno Lembah Pantai division leader Ramlan Askolani as its candidate while Perikatan Nasional is likely to nominate Fauzi Abu Bakar of PAS.
There has been no confirmation so far of whether Fahmi will defend his seat.


1,200 new cases in Selangor as 3,418 infections logged nationwide

Another 3,418 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 415,012.Selangor recorded 1,200 cases followed by Sarawak (587), Kelantan (400), Johor (213), Kuala Lumpur (198), Terengganu (184), Penang (145), Sabah (115) and Kedah (101).Perak recorded 77 cases, Negeri Sembilan 73, Melaka 61, Pahang 45, Putrajaya eight, Labuan seven and Perlis four.Active cases stand at 30,339 with 345 in the ICU and 175 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 2,698 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 383,140.However, 12 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,533.


Flight in US delayed by teens refusing to wear masks

An American Airlines flight from North Carolina to the Bahamas was delayed by a day after around 30 teenagers refused to wear masks, local media said Tuesday.Flight 893 was scheduled for take-off from Charlotte Douglas airport late Monday but only left the tarmac on Tuesday morning, with the troublemakers still on board.An initial delay of several hours was caused by mechanical problems, but when the plane was finally ready to leave arguments broke out between the crew and a group of youths who refused to comply with federal rules that all passengers must wear masks on board flights to fight the spread of Covid-19, local channel WSOC-TV reported.“It was bad. First, they were yelling. They were cursing. They were being very obnoxious,” witness Malik Banks told the station.The group of around 30 teens were high school students from Boston celebrating their graduation. They ended up agreeing to wear a mask the next day, after spending a night at the airport. Police made no arrests, local media reported.The incident reflected a general decline in civility on board planes, according to US carriers. Unions and industry federations last month called on the Department of Justice to take a more systematic approach to prosecuting violent incidents on board flights.Since Jan 1, 2021, there have been 3,271 incidents involving passengers reported, including 2,475 linked to passengers refusing to wear a mask, according to a press release from the Federal Aviation Administration published on Tuesday.


US explores refugee programme for non-Mexican asylum seekers in Mexico

US and Mexican officials are discussing a new US refugee programme for some non-Mexican asylum seekers waiting in Mexico, four sources said, part of President Joe Biden's attempts to create more legal avenues for migration.
The programme would likely be open to Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan refugees in Mexico, the sources said. Migrants would need to show they were in Mexico before June 6 to qualify, one of the sources said.
The sources - a US official, a Mexican official and two people familiar with the matter who all spoke on condition of anonymity - stressed that the issue remained under discussion and no final decisions had been made. It was not clear how many people might benefit from such a programme.
Hundreds of thousands of migrants from those four nations have passed through Mexico en route to the US during political and economic upheaval in recent years, straining resources in both countries and putting political pressure on Biden, a Democrat seeking reelection in 2024.
The plan under discussion would allow qualifying migrants approved for refugee status to enter via the US refugee resettlement programme, which is only available to applicants abroad, the sources said. Unlike most migrants who claim asylum after entering the US, refugees receive immediate work authorisation and government benefits such as housing and employment assistance.
Refugees using the US resettlement programme can apply to become permanent residents within one year, offering more stability than other options. To be approved, they must establish that they face persecution due to race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion.
In a statement, Mexico's foreign ministry said it is in constant communication with the US about expanding labour mobility and refugee protections. To that end, it said it had held discussions over various programmes and policies, while always safeguarding national sovereignty.
However, Mexico has not reached any agreement with the US, the ministry added.
Broader Biden migrant strategy
The Biden administration has opened up new ways for migrants to enter the US legally as part of a broader strategy to discourage people from crossing the US-Mexico border illegally.
Migrants waiting in Mexico can apply for US entry on a smartphone app and later request asylum, but slots on the app fill up quickly. Under another Biden programme, Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans can request to enter the US by air if they have US sponsors.
But those routes do not provide the same benefits available to refugees or a direct path to permanent residence and eventual citizenship.
In April, the Biden administration said it aimed to admit 40,000 refugees from Latin America and the Caribbean in fiscal years 2023 and 2024, doubling a previous target. As of May 31, about 3,400 had arrived, showing that the pace would need to greatly accelerate to reach the goal.
Some refugee backers are concerned the focus on Latin America could slow processing from other parts of the world, including of refugees already waiting for approval.
The initiative under discussion would be a "Priority Two" refugee programme, the sources said, similar to one opened for Afghans in 2021. Such programmes allow certain groups of people to apply for refugee status directly without needing a referral from the United Nations.
Despite the discussions, Mexico has significant concerns, the Mexican official said.
If the programme encourages more migrants to enter Mexico, it could tax the country's already-strained resources for dealing with migrants, the official said.
One significant concern for Mexico is where the migrants would be processed, the official said.
If the US used its existing consular facilities, the plan could work, but any new US centre in Mexico for the purpose would be politically fraught, the official added.
Pending decisions will also require the participation of Mexico’s incoming foreign minister Alicia Barcena, who is yet to be confirmed to the post, the official said.


BN open to accepting other parties, says deputy chairman

Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan says the coalition is open to any party that wishes to join although a consensus must be reached among its four component parties – Umno, MIC, MCA and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) – before approval is given.“We (BN) must be inclusive and not exclusive anymore. So if you ask for my personal opinion, the more parties under the BN umbrella the better because each has its own strengths and, combined, it will provide added synergy.“This is what we have to do for BN to build new strength because BN lost in the 14th general election (GE14). Whatever BN stands for and its policies, there needs to be a review so that its two directions which are strengthening the coalition and strategies for winning GE15 can be realised,” he said.He told this to reporters after opening Parti Makkal Sakti Malaysia’s (Makkal Sakti) 12th annual general meeting, which was also attended by its president RS Thanenthiran.Commenting on Thanenthiran’s request today for the party to contest on BN tickets in three parliamentary and seven state seats in GE15, Mohamad, who is also Umno deputy president, said it should be considered as Makkal Sakti had been a loyal friend to BN during good and tough times, even though its status was not that of a component.“Makkal Sakti is a BN partner, not a component, but consideration should be given because Makkal Sakti has long helped BN whether when it was the government or not.“I am confident consideration can be given by BN’s highest leadership council on this request by Makkal Sakti.“There are other partners who have stated the same. I am of the view that the more parties are with BN, the more inclusive it will be but I leave it to the wisdom of BN’s top leadership… consideration should be given,” he said.


New cases stay above 2,000 as 10 more deaths reported

Another 2,364 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 298,315.Selangor reported 862 cases, followed by Johor (314), Perak (305), Sarawak (255), Sabah (157), Penang (155) and Kuala Lumpur (117).Negeri Sembilan recorded 74 cases, Kelantan 68, Melaka and Kedah 17 each, Terengganu 11, Pahang eight and Putrajaya four.Active cases stand at 27,028 with 190 in the ICU and 99 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 3,320 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 270,166.However, 10 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,121.


PM hails frontliners, raps politicians in launching 10-year blueprint on national unity

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today singled out frontliners battling the Covid-19 crisis as an example of people who walk the talk of unity in a multiracial society, while contrasting it with politicians who try to exploit ethnic sentiments.“In the Covid-19 crisis, Malaysians especially the frontliners have proven their empathy for each other without taking into account race and religion.“This empathy must be strengthened in our society. It helps in our efforts to overcome the challenges of racism more effectively,” he said at the launch of a 10-year blueprint on national unity themed “Unity in Diversity”.The blueprint prepared by the national unity ministry is the result of years of planning and gathering of public feedback transcending three diffierent administrations: Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional.Muhyiddin spoke of a need for empathy to play a major role in getting a more balanced perspective on race issues.He said one problem is when people look at racial issues from their own communal perspective.“This perspective must be improved in order to make it more balanced and holistic, and must be nurtured through the education system and the media,” he said.He meanwhile warned of “politicians” whom he said were out to exploit racial sentiments, adding that they were “the main challenge” in all multiracial countries.“We must be wary of political actors who try to gain political mileage through the exploitation of racial feelings.”He said the government would not compromise in matters touching on national unity, adding that its importance to racial harmony could be seen through the formation of a dedicated ministry.The blueprint launched today is the government’s long-term strategy for national unity, with the aim of achieving racial harmony and shaping a national identity transcending ethnic backgrounds.It is the latest in a series of government policy documents launched in recent years covering fields such as education, culture and security.The document sighted by MalaysiaNow lists 10 challenges in efforts to achieve national unity, based on feedback from the public over the last one year.They include issues on ethnic composition, religious sensitivities, social class, education, language, generational gap, gender gap, politics of federalism, urban-rural gap and abuse of information.Muhyiddin said any effort to achieve racial unity would be based on the Rukun Negara, the five-point national principles introduced in the aftermath of the bloody riots of 1969.But he said the path towards achieving unity would be difficult.“The quest for unity is a journey, not a destination,” he added.


Ukraine reports new gains in early stages of counteroffensive

Ukraine said on Monday its troops had recaptured a fourth village from Russian forces in a cluster of settlements in the southeast, where its forces have at last claimed gains in its long-anticipated counteroffensive.
The task of ending Moscow's occupation of southern and eastern Ukraine is daunting, given Russia's numerical superiority in men, ammunition and air power, and the many months it has had to build deep defensive fortifications.
On Monday, soldiers were seen in video holding the Ukrainian flag in the village of Storozheve, along the Mokri Yaly river which flows northward out of Russian-held territory. Reuters confirmed the location.
A day earlier Kyiv said its forces heading south had liberated three other nearby villages: Blahodatne, Neskuchne and Makarivka.
The push is already Ukraine's most rapid advance for seven months, though still short of a major breakthrough, with Russia believed to have a strong line of fortifications further south.
At the furthest claimed by Kyiv, it adds up to 5km in total, still some 90km from the Azov Sea coast and the prize of cutting Russia's "land bridge" to Crimea, the peninsula Moscow seized from Ukraine in 2014.
A Ukrainian defence spokesman said Russia had blown up a dam on the Mokri Yaly to make it harder for Ukrainian forces to push farther south. That came less than a week after a huge dam was destroyed on the much larger Dnipro River, causing a humanitarian catastrophe in a swathe of the south.
Kyiv has also launched assaults at other locations along the huge front line, probing for Russian weaknesses, though it has given few details so far.
Ukraine is banking on the tens of billions of dollars' worth of weaponry, training and intelligence it has received from the West, combined with its own battlefield resolve, tactical nous and the motivation of driving an invader from its own land, to give it the edge.
It also knows it may have to show significant progress over the summer to maintain the same level of Western military, financial and political support, and one day have a chance of recovering from the loss and devastation inflicted by Moscow.
Ukraine's armed forces said they had engaged in two dozen heavy battles in the previous 24 hours on the eastern front, near the town of Bakhmut, further south near Avdiivka and Maryinka, and further north near Bilohorivka.
They have not been providing similar detail about fighting on the southern front, where the main counteroffensive is expected.
Moscow has yet to officially acknowledge any Ukrainian advances. On Monday, Russia's defence ministry repeated regular assertions of the past week that it had repelled attempted offensives in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, and said it had hit Ukrainian army reserve locations with long-range missiles.
But prominent Russian military bloggers said Ukrainian forces had in fact taken Blahodatne, Neskuchne and Makarivka, and were pushing on south.
Main attack 'has not yet started'
Some Western military analysts said it was too early to draw conclusions about the counteroffensive, and the skirmishes so far may show Ukraine is still just testing Russian defences.
The US-based Institute for the Study of War said Ukraine was attempting "an extraordinarily difficult tactical operation – a frontal assault against prepared defensive positions, further complicated by a lack of air superiority", and that initial assaults should not be overinterpreted.
Ben Hodges, a former commander of US forces in Europe, said the main attack, when it came, would feature several hundred tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.
"The offensive has clearly started, but not I think the main attack," he wrote in an article for the Washington-based Center for European Policy Analysis.
"When we see large, armoured formations join the assault, then I think we’ll know the main attack has really begun."
Russia has yet to face this kind of onslaught, but its unconvincing battlefield performance in the 15 months since its full-scale invasion has led to frequent changes of command and public arguments with the private militias summoned to fight alongside the army.
There are signs that Moscow is now seeking to impose stronger control, with an order that such units should quickly sign contracts bringing them under the Defence Ministry.
It said on Monday it has signed such a contract with the Akhmat paramilitary force, one of the armed units that help to keep President Vladimir Putin's appointee Ramzan Kadyrov in power in the Chechnya region of the northern Caucasus.
But Yevgeny Prigozhin, the increasingly recalcitrant and voluble leader of the Wagner militia, which fought for almost a year to capture Bakhmut from Ukrainian forces, said on Sunday he would refuse to sign.
Prigozhin, who has repeatedly accused Moscow of starving his fighters of support, said Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu "cannot manage military formations properly".
Putin marked Russia's national day with an award ceremony in the Kremlin, but made only glancing mention in his speech of the war he had unleashed, at enormous cost to his own citizens in lost lives, money and international relations.
"Today, at a difficult time for Russia, [feelings of patriotism and pride] unite our society even more strongly... [and] serve as a reliable support for our heroes taking part in the special military operation."


No stroke cases reported for Pfizer bivalent vaccine in clinical studies, says health DG

No stroke cases were reported for the Comirnaty bivalent Covid-19 vaccine in the clinical studies conducted, according to the data submitted by the product registration holder, Pfizer Sdn Bhd, to the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA).
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said there were so far no safety signals of ischaemic stroke detected through other safety monitoring systems in the US following the use of the Pfizer bivalent vaccine.
"Since the vaccine was granted conditional approval in Malaysia by the Drug Control Authority on Dec 13, 2022, Pfizer Sdn Bhd must submit in stages the latest post-vaccination safety signals.
"As everyone knows, the vaccine has yet to be used in Malaysia. The NPRA will keep tabs on the data and analysis regarding the use of the bivalent vaccine in reference countries and will continue to monitor the safety level of all Covid-19 vaccines used in Malaysia," he said in a statement.
He was responding to a Reuters report titled "US FDA, CDC see early signal of possible Pfizer bivalent Covid shot link to stroke" published on Jan 15.
Noor Hisham said the information from the US Food and Drug Administration and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was about a safety signal detected from one of its safety monitoring databases, the Vaccine Safety Datalink.
He said all safety signals that are detected need to be investigated and evaluated before being confirmed.
Further analysis did not confirm the safety signal while the safety monitoring of the Pfizer Covid-19 bivalent vaccine in other reference countries did not detect the issue, he added.


Let corporate offices reopen alongside factories, bosses urge govt

The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) today urged the government to allow corporate offices to reopen, saying the restrictions that force them to remain closed are hampering overall business recovery efforts despite the green light given for non-essential businesses in the services sector to resume operations.MEF president Syed Hussain Syed Husman in a statement said federation members were asking why corporate offices must remain closed when factory offices were allowed to reopen.“Major decisions are made at the management level and not at the production sites,” he said.“The operations’ effectiveness is lost should the corporate offices be required to remain closed.”Without corporate offices open and running, he said, decisions have to be made remotely which causes much confusion at the operations and management level.“There are many decisions that the operations or factories cannot make as they have to follow the strategic decision of the company,” Syed Hussain said.“For example, all key decisions including finance and IT are based at the headquarters. We need all hands on deck to make things work.”He also urged authorities to allow those who have received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine to return to the office to work, saying employers should be allowed to self-manage the situation at the workplace in line with SOPs.“We are not able to micro-manage business by keeping the corporate office shut, especially in zones that are open,” he said.“Self-management is the way to go in an endemic situation.”Malaysia expects to enter the endemic phase of Covid-19 by the end of October.


PAS eyeing 10 seats in Sabah polls

PAS has asked to contest in 10 seats in the upcoming Sabah election, says party secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan.“We want to contest in about 10 constituencies, including Tawau and Kalabakan which were traditionally contested by PAS,” he said after an event in Tawau last night.He added that talks were ongoing on seat allocations, with details to be announced soon.“The important thing is, Perikatan Nasional (PN) wants to avoid contests involving three or more candidates which have proven detrimental to us before,” he said.Talks on seat distribution among PN, which comprises Sabah Bersatu, PAS, STAR Sabah and the Sabah Progressive Party, Barisan Nasional and Parti Bersatu Sabah are in the final stages.Seventy-three seats will be up for grabs in the election, compared to 60 during the 14th general election in 2018.The Election Commission has set Sept 12 for nominations and Sept 26 as polling day.


Defence denies Zahid committed criminal breach of trust

The High Court in Kuala Lumpur was told yesterday that one of the charges against former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, of allegedly embezzling Yayasan Akalbudi funds, did not mention the sales agreement and purchase of a hotel in Bali, Indonesia.Counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, representing Zahid, said the matter was irrelevant to the charge when the prosecution claimed that part of the RM17.9 million in funds was misused for a share purchase deal.“As far as the charge is concerned, there is no mention of the sale of shares from Abdul Rashid Manaf (83rd prosecution witness), no mention of Ri-Yaz Assets (Ri-Yaz Assets Sdn Bhd), no mention of Mohammad Shaheen Shah Mohd Sidek (84th prosecution witness), no mention of the purchase of the hotel in Bali, and no mention of the sales agreement (shares).“Such fundamental circumstances, as all the evidence adduced by Rashid, Mohammad Shaheen Shah, are totally irrelevant to the charge,” he said in his submission in reply to the prosecution’s case against Zahid, who is facing 47 charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT), corruption and money laundering involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds.“This narrative produced by the prosecution, the evidence (produced by the prosecution) is irrelevant. Nothing else beyond the four corners of the charge,” he added.Last week, the prosecution told the court that the withdrawal of RM17.9 million from Yayasan Akalbudi funds by Zahid was, among others, to facilitate his daughter’s bid to buy a boutique hotel in Bali.Zahid’s eldest daughter, Nurulhidayah, had been interested in taking over the shares of Ri-Yaz Assets Sdn Bhd and in running the hotel in Bali.Zahid, 68, is facing 47 charges – 12 of CBT, eight of corruption and 27 of money laundering – involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.For the 12 CBT charges, Zahid is alleged to have used the funds to make six payments for his personal credit cards usage, insurance policies and licences for his personal vehicles, remittances to a law firm and contributions to the Royal Malaysia Police football association.The offences were allegedly committed at the Affin Bank branch in Jalan Bunus, off Jalan Masjid India, between Jan 13, 2014 and Dec 23, 2016. The charge, under Section 409 of the Penal Code, provides for a jail term of between two and 20 years, with whipping and a fine, upon conviction.The hearing before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah will continue on Nov 22, after Zahid returns from Munich, Germany where he will be seeking medical treatment.


Eight dead in shooting at Jehovah's Witness hall in Germany

A shooting at a Jehovah's Witnesses centre in the German city of Hamburg has left eight people dead, including the suspected gunman, police said Friday, as the motive for the attack remained unclear.
Several more people were injured in the attack on Thursday evening at the Kingdom Hall building in the port city of Hamburg, where Jehovah's Witnesses members were attending a religious service.
"Eight people were fatally injured, apparently including the suspected perpetrator," Hamburg police said in a statement, adding that several other people were hurt, "some seriously".
Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the "brutal act of violence" and said his thoughts were with the victims and their loved ones.
The Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany association said it was "deeply saddened by the horrific attack on its members".
The first emergency calls were made around 2015 GMT after shots rang out at the building in the city's northern district of Gross Borstel.
Hamburg police are due to give an update at a press conference around midday, but earlier said they were still working to find out the motive for the attack.
"At the moment there is no reliable information on the motive of the crime," police said, urging people not to speculate.
An alarm for "extreme danger" in the area was sounded using a catastrophe warning app, but Germany's Federal Office for Civil Protection lifted it shortly after 3:00 am local time.
The port city's mayor, Peter Tschentscher, expressed shock at the shooting on Twitter.
Police have asked witnesses to come forward and upload any pictures or videos they may have to a special website.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said investigators were "working flat-out to determine the background" to the attack.
News weekly Der Spiegel reported that the suspected attacker was a former member of the Jehovah's Witness community who was not a known extremist.
The magazine, which did not cite its sources, described him as a man aged 30-40 and said he had been armed with a handgun.
Bible study group
The attack took place at the Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall building, a non-descript, three-storey building where members had gathered for a religious service.
There are about 175,000 people in Germany, including 3,800 in Hamburg, who are Jehovah's Witnesses, a US Christian movement set up in the late 19th century that preaches non-violence and is known for door-to-door evangelism.
The first officers at the scene found several lifeless bodies and seriously wounded people, police said.
Hamburger Abendblatt reported that 17 unhurt people, who had been at the event, were being attended to by the fire brigade.
Officers heard a shot in the "upper part of the building" before finding a body in the area where it rang out, police said.
In a tweet early on Friday, Hamburg police said they assumed the body belonged to the perpetrator.
Hit by attacks
Germany has been rocked by several attacks in recent years, both by jihadists and far-right extremists.
Among the deadliest committed by Islamist extremists was a truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market in December 2016 that killed 12 people.
The Tunisian attacker, a failed asylum seeker, was a supporter of the Islamic State jihadist group.
Europe's most populous nation remains a target for jihadist groups in particular because of its participation in the anti-Islamic State coalition in Iraq and Syria.
Between 2013 and 2021, the number of Islamists considered dangerous in the country had multiplied by five to 615, according to interior ministry data.
But Germany has also been hit by several far-right assaults in recent years, sparking accusations that the government was not doing enough to stamp out neo-Nazi violence.
In February 2020, a far-right extremist shot dead 10 people and wounded five others in the central German city of Hanau.
And in 2019, two people were killed after a neo-Nazi tried to storm a synagogue in Halle on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.


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Vigilante paedophile hunter groups told to stop after ‘accidental’ death

In Holland, a suspected paedophile died last month after he was surprised by a gang of teenage vigilantes as he tried to meet a boy for sex.Now Dutch police are calling for an end to “paedophile hunting” after the 73-year-old retired teacher was beaten up by the teenagers and died of his injuries.He was lured into having sexual contact with a minor while in a gay chatroom, according to a BBC report.Authorities said he was aware the boy was underage before he met him.Seven teenagers were arrested, six of them under the age of 18, and two have been held in custody.The teenagers had come up with the idea of hunting for paedophiles after reading stories of other groups hunting for child abusers online and then luring them into meeting their victims where the gang would surprise and accuse them and then often turn them over to the police.A lawyer for the teenagers told local website De Gelderlander that the idea of hunting paedophiles “happened out of boredom in this corona time”. He argued that the teenagers had only wished to confront the man and had no premeditated plan to attack him.The former teacher arrived at an agreed meeting point on Oct 28 and was then followed as he made his way home. He was beaten up by the group of boys and died later in hospital.Since July, around 250 incidents have been recorded of people being forced off the road, assaulted, threatened and publicly shamed on the internet, because they were suspected of being paedophiles.Facebook groups have sprung up across the Netherlands, with names like pedohuntnl, and some have attracted thousands of members.In the US, a former Democrat Massachusetts state representative candidate was caught on camera attempting to meet up with an underage boy by a group of paedophile hunters .The man  allegedly attempted to meet the boy – who he knew was only 14 – for sex. Instead of meeting the boy, however, the former  politician was confronted by paedophile hunters from the group Predator Poachers of Massachusetts.The group does “Catch A Predator” stings and then posts them on YouTube. They have ensnared a number of Massachusetts paedophiles, publicly shaming them and taking them off the streets according to US media sources.Earlier in the year, Predator Poachers of Massachusetts caught a police chief attempting to meet an underage boy for sex.


What is the Espionage Act and what might it mean for Donald Trump?

Former US president Donald Trump has become the most high-profile person ever to face criminal charges under the Espionage Act for the unlawful retention of sensitive national defense records.
In all, Trump faces 37 criminal counts, 31 of which relate to secret or top secret classified documents. He is also charged with obstructing justice, conspiracy, concealment and false statements. He has repeatedly declared his innocence.
What is the Espionage Act?
The Espionage Act is an anti-spy law enacted by Congress shortly after the start of World War One.
The statute criminalises a broad array of conduct related to the mishandling of sensitive government records connected to the "national defence," a term generally referring to military records that if disclosed could damage US national security.
Over the years, the law has been used as a legal tool by the Justice Department to prosecute people ranging from suspected Soviet spies to famous whistleblowers like Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers, and Edward Snowden, a former intelligence consultant who leaked classified National Security Agency records to reveal the existence of a domestic surveillance program.
During the Obama and Trump administrations, some of the Justice Department's most high-profile Espionage Act prosecutions targeted government employees who leaked classified information to the press or to the website WikiLeaks, such as former Army Private First Class intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning and former intelligence contractor Reality Winner.
Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison, though President Barack Obama later commuted her sentence, while Winner was sentenced to more than five years after she admitted to leaking a top secret report on Russian interference in US elections to the media outlet The Intercept.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has also been charged under the Espionage Act, and is fighting extradition to the US.
How does the Espionage Act apply to Trump?
Special Counsel Jack Smith's office filed charges against Trump after the FBI searched the Florida resort where he lives in August 2022 and located about 13,000 government records, about 100 of which were marked as secret or top secret - the highest classification level, reserved for the government's most closely held secrets. Altogether, prosecutors say he improperly retained 337 classified records.
Trump has previously denied breaking the law, arguing that he declassified the records in question and that his broad presidential powers gave him the authority to disclose or declassify materials.
The Espionage Act itself does not explicitly require prosecutors to prove that the records themselves were classified, and neither Trump nor his attorneys have provided any evidence to suggest they were ever declassified.
Prosecutors have charged Trump with violating a section in the Espionage Act which applies to someone who has "unauthorized possession" of national defense information - the same crime to which Winner pleaded guilty.
This section of the law makes it a crime to willfully retain the information and fail to deliver it back to the proper US government official.
What will prosecutors haver to prove to a jury?
To obtain a conviction against Trump, the government will need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he willfully retained the material and failed to turn it over to the government.
Prosecutors do not need to show that Trump knew it was national defense information, but rather that a reasonable person should have known it was.
Part of the government's evidence will likely entail laying out all the steps it took to get the records returned.
This includes a year-long effort by the US National Archives and Records Administration, which repeatedly asked Trump through his attorneys to return missing records.
While Trump finally agreed to send the Archives 15 boxes of material a year after leaving the White House, some of those records were marked as classified, and the boxes did not include all of the records in his possession.
Even after the Justice Department tried to retrieve the remaining records with a subpoena, Trump only handed over an additional 38 pages marked as classified.
It took a court-approved search warrant before the FBI was able to retrieve the bulk of the records that remained.
The government will also present evidence from Trump's own attorney, who was compelled to testify to a grand jury about his communications with Trump. The indictment alleges Trump tried to get his attorney to lie to the government about the existence of the records, even going so far as to ask the attorney to destroy or hide them.


What rights do passengers have when their flights are cancelled?

There are any number of reasons why airlines delay a previously scheduled flight, whether suddenly or with plenty of warning for passengers.Top of the list are safety factors, as the well-being of passengers are the airlines’ responsibility.What many might not realise, however, is that passengers whose flights are delayed have the right to certain claims provided for by law.These rights are spelt out in the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016, under the Malaysian Aviation Commission Act 2015.Passengers who experience delays of two hours or more must be provided meals, telephone calls and internet access within reasonable bounds throughout the waiting period.Those whose flights are delayed for five hours or more, meanwhile, must be provided accommodation and transportation, if a stay becomes necessary.These matters are also laid out in the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) website, alongside passenger rights in other issues such as ticket prices and baggage compensation.The topic was thrust into the limelight last week when AirAsia passengers took to social media to complain about flight delays and unscheduled disruptions attributed to the Hari Raya travel rush.Many had their flights postponed several times while others told MalaysiaNow that they never managed to board their flights at all and were instead forced to drive back to their home towns.Still others said they never received an explanation, and that the management only spoke up after the intervention of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi.MalaysiaNow’s interviews with local and international travellers alike found that many were unaware of their rights as consumers.For example, a large number said they planned to lodge a complaint with Nanta’s ministry although the matter falls under the purview of Mavcom.Law expert Shobah Veera said airline companies normally list their terms on the back of tickets.Nevertheless, she said, it could be argued that these are not legally binding as the terms are not communicated to passengers prior to their purchase of their tickets.“Usually, airlines change flight schedules and passengers board at the amended time as they are in need of the service provided,” she told MalaysiaNow.“The question is whether they agree to the delay.”Shobah said passengers might demand a refund in the event of a significant delay, but that companies might instead offer credit or other forms of compensation.“It’s up to the passengers whether to accept this or not,” she said.“Many will accept whatever is offered by the airline given that it might take a long time to claim their rights in full.”Alternatively, she said, passengers could bring the matter to the civil courts to demand compensation or a declaration urging Mavcom to act.However, this process takes a long time.“Mavcom and the transport ministry need to act against airlines that deny the rights of passengers who do not receive the promised service,” she said.“They can claim their rights but the company will likely delay any payment of compensation.”Referring to AirAsia, she said the airline had ignored many passenger claims over the past two years.“Many passengers incurred losses because their flights were cancelled,” she said, adding that such airlines should be subject to firm action.


Flood warning for Pahang and Johor

The National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (PRABN) under the Irrigation and Drainage Department (JPS) today issued a flood warning for several locations in Johor and Pahang from tomorrow onwards.
This was a follow-up to the continuous rain warning (danger level) issued by the meteorological department on Dec 20, and the result of a flood forecasting model simulation.
In Johor, flooding is forecast from 7am in the Mersing district at Sungai Melikai and its surroundings, and from 8pm at Kampung Jemari, Pengkalan Batu and the surrounding areas.
In Pahang, flooding is expected to occur from 11pm at areas in the Rompin district, namely at Sungai Anak Endau at the Setajam pump house and the surrounding areas.
PRABN said the warning was to place residents, especially those living in flood-prone areas, on the alert, adding that they should abide by any directives from the authorities or flood disaster management agencies.
More information is available at https://publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my, or @PublicInfoBanjir on Facebook and @JPS_InfoBanjir on Twitter.


Mexico highway shootout leaves 10 armed men dead, 4 police injured

A shootout on a northern Mexican highway left 10 suspected criminals dead and four police officers injured, authorities said late on Monday.
"Police officers managed to kill 10 heavily armed suspected criminals on the Monterrey-Nuevo Laredo highway," an official statement said. The clash took place Monday afternoon after officers were attacked, it said.
Four police officers were injured, the statement added, though all were reported to be in stable condition.
The authorities said they seized 12 large-calibre weapons, grenades, a hundred pieces of ammunition as well as three armoured trucks.
The shootout comes as the country struggles with drug cartel violence and a high homicide rate.
In the central Mexican state of San Luis Potosi early on Tuesday, two members of the armed forces were killed in an attack by suspected organised crime members, according to a separate statement by authorities.


China talks tough, warns Taiwan that independence ‘means war’

Beijing toughened its language towards Taiwan on Thursday, warning that “independence means war”.Taiwan, still claimed by China as its own territory, reported multiple Chinese warplanes entering its airspace last weekend, prompting Washington to urge Beijing to stop pressuring the small island nation.Beijing believes that Taiwan’s democratically elected government is moving the island towards a declaration of formal independence.Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has repeatedly said the island is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its formal name.Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian told a briefing: “The military activities carried out by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army are necessary actions to address the current security situation in the Taiwan Strait and to safeguard national sovereignty and security. They are a solemn response to external interference and provocations by ‘Taiwan independence’ forces.”He said a “handful” of people in Taiwan are seeking the island’s independence. “We warn those who play with fire will burn themselves, and ‘Taiwan independence’ means war.”China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, but it is unusual for Beijing to make such explicit threats.Asked about the threats, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby reaffirmed longstanding US military support to Taiwan’s self-defence and said there was no reason that tensions between China and Taiwan “need to lead to anything like confrontation”.Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said China should think carefully and not underestimate the island’s determination to defend its sovereignty and uphold freedom and democracy.The Chinese air incursions coincided with a US carrier battle group entering the disputed South China Sea to promote “freedom of the seas”.


After ‘partygate’, UK PM Johnson faces confidence vote

Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced a confidence vote on Monday, after a growing number of lawmakers in the governing Conservative Party questioned the British leader’s authority following a “partygate” scandal.Johnson, who won a sweeping election victory in 2019, has been under growing pressure after he and staff held alcohol-fuelled parties at the heart of power when Britain was under strict lockdowns to tackle Covid-19.He was met with the chorus of jeers and boos, and some muted cheers, at events to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth in recent days.On Monday, the once seemingly unassailable Johnson was also attacked by one-time ally Jesse Norman, a former junior minister who said the prime minister staying in power insulted both the electorate and the party.“You have presided over a culture of casual law-breaking at 10 Downing Street in relation to Covid,” he said, adding the government had “a large majority, but no long-term plan”.Norman is one of a growing number of Conservative lawmakers to publicly say that Johnson, 57, has lost his authority to govern Britain, which is facing the risk of recession, rising prices and strike-inflicted travel chaos in the capital London.Jeremy Hunt, a former health minister who ran against Johnson for the leadership in 2019, said the party knew it was letting the country down. “Today’s decision is change or lose,” he said. “I will be voting for change.” Johnson’s anti-corruption champion John Penrose quit. “I think it’s over. It feels now like a question of when not if,” he told Sky News when asked about Johnson’s future.Drawing a line?Graham Brady, chairman of the party’s 1922 Committee that represents rank-and-file Conservative lawmakers, said a vote would be held between 6pm and 8pm (1700-1900 GMT) on Monday.“The votes will be counted immediately afterwards. An announcement will be made at a time to be advised,” he said.A spokesman for Johnson’s Downing Street office said the vote would “allow the government to draw a line and move on, delivering on the people’s priorities”.“The PM welcomes the opportunity to make his case to MPs (members of parliament) and will remind them that when they’re united and focused on the issues that matter to voters there is no more formidable political force.”Johnson, the former London mayor, rose to power at Westminster as the face of the Brexit campaign in the 2016 referendum, and took a tough stance once in power, steering Britain out of the single market and customs union.Jacob Rees-Mogg, Brexit opportunities minister, told Sky News that completing Britain’s departure from the European Union would be “significantly at risk without his drive and energy”.Johnson has recently locked horns with the EU over Northern Ireland, raising the prospect of more barriers for British trade and alarming political leaders in Ireland, Europe and the US about risks to the province’s 1998 peace deal.Outcome uncertainA majority of Conservative lawmakers – or 180 – would have to vote against Johnson for him to be removed – a level some Conservatives say might be difficult to reach. If passed, there would then be a leadership contest to decide his replacement, which could take several weeks.Lawmakers said they had received letters from the prime minister, in which he asked for their support in the vote.Several ministers in his cabinet team were swift to put out messages of support for the prime minister, with Finance Minister Rishi Sunak, like other possible successors, saying Johnson had shown “strong leadership”.“I am backing him today and will continue to back him as we focus on growing the economy, tackling the cost of living and clearing the Covid backlogs,” he said on Twitter in what appeared to be a choreographed expression of support.Bookmaker Ladbrokes put former health minister Hunt as its favourite to replace Johnson if he was ousted, followed by foreign minister Liz Truss, who also tweeted her “100% backing” of the prime minister in Monday’s vote.Since the release of a damning report into the so-called “partygate” scandal, which listed fights and alcohol-induced vomiting at lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street, Johnson and his government had urged lawmakers to move on.But after parliament took a break last week sending many lawmakers back to their constituencies, or voting regions, several were met by a chorus of complaints over Johnson.The biting criticism from Norman, who served as a junior minister in the finance ministry between 2019 and 2021, was perhaps the biggest sign that criticism of Johnson had spread beyond a vocal group of so-called rebels.


Partial lockdown in Beijing over Covid-19 outbreak

A partial lockdown was imposed on the Chinese capital Wednesday, with 1.6 million residents banned from leaving Beijing, after a handful of cases were detected.Seven cases were reported in the city on Wednesday, including six in southern Daxing district.All 1.6 million residents of Daxing must not leave Beijing unless they have received special permission from the authorities and tested negative for Covid-19 in the past three days, the district said.Meetings of 50 or more people in the district have been banned, while “weddings should be postponed and funerals simplified”, the district government said.It also ordered all kindergarten, primary and secondary students in the district to study at home.Residents of five Daxing neighbourhoods where the cases were detected were ordered to remain indoors.Daxing includes one of the city’s two international airports.China has largely brought the virus under control even as the rest of the world struggles with mounting deaths and overburdened hospitals.But a spate of small, localised outbreaks has prompted Chinese officials to order mass testing, strict lockdowns and to prepare to move thousands into quarantine facilities to stamp out a resurgence.China reported 103 new cases on Wednesday, including the seven in Beijing.The outbreaks, including in neighbouring Hebei province, have put China on high alert for a potential wave of cases ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday.Meanwhile, nearly three million people in northeastern Jilin province were placed under lockdown on Monday after a travelling salesman infected over a hundred people.Heilongjiang, another northeastern province, has reprimanded 16 officials for “not doing their duty” to prevent recent clusters of cases in the province, the provincial Communist Party newspaper Heilongjiang Daily reported Wednesday.


Continuous rain forecast for northern states

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a continuous rain alert for Perlis, Kedah, Penang and the Kerian, Larut, Matang and Selama areas in Perak until today.In a statement, MetMalaysia director-general Muhammad Helmi Abdullah said this follows the movement of the tropical depression observed in the waters of Sumatera to the east, approaching the north of the peninsula.“This situation can cause continuous rain and strong winds in the northern states, which could cause floods in low-lying areas,” he said.


Najib sues ex-AG Thomas for alleged abuse of power

Najib Razak has filed a suit against former attorney-general Tommy Thomas for alleged abuse of power in prosecuting the former prime minister in several cases, including the 1MDB scandal, claiming RM1.9 million in damages.Najib, 68, as the plaintiff, filed the suit through Messrs Raj, Ong & Yudistra at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 22, naming Thomas and the government as the first and second respondents.In his statement of claim, Najib claimed that he had been wrongly accused in court in the case of 1MDB, International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC), abuse of power under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001).The Pekan MP claimed that the charges against him had been part of a move planned in advance by Thomas and that this was also in line with the Pakatan Harapan government’s plan at the time.Najib claimed that in 2015, Thomas had met Dr Mahathir Mohamad to discuss wrongdoings and mismanagement allegedly committed regarding the 1MDB funds and advised Mahathir to take civil and criminal action against Najib over his involvement in 1MDB.Najib further alleged that in 2016, Thomas, in an article published by Malaysiakini, had criticised and accused him of stealing 1MDB funds.He said that on May 10, 2018, Mahathir was appointed as prime minister and that he subsequently appointed Thomas as attorney-general on June 4, 2018.Najib claimed that around May 2018, the immigration department had prevented him and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, from leaving the country supposedly because there was sufficient evidence to investigate him (Najib) over the 1MBD scandal. He said the ban was imposed months before any charges were filed against him.“This was done just to embarrass me and create a negative opinion among the people against me,” Najib said in the statement of claim.Najib further claimed that Thomas had continued to prosecute him although the MACC had said that it did not find any wrongdoing by the former prime minister despite the investigation.Najib claimed that Thomas also accused him of being a criminal and of abetting Jho Low, or Low Taek Jho, and conspiring with Jho Low to get the wealth of funds belonging to 1MDB, adding that Thomas even alleged that Najib was determined to cover up his wrongdoing regarding 1MDB from foreign authorities.According to Najib, around May 2018, several properties allegedly linked to him were raided and items were seized but, after that, a sum of money seized in the raid was ordered by the court to be returned.As such, Najib claimed that Thomas had abused his power and had malicious intent to influence and direct investigations against him. He also claimed that Thomas had planned to imprison him, and that the prosecution against him was not done in accordance with the law.As a result of Thomas’ actions, Najib claimed that he had suffered a loss of reputation and injury to his political career as he was previously a prominent public figure respected by foreign leaders including Barack Obama and Donald Trump.Najib is seeking RM1.9 million in damages and a declaration that Thomas had committed misfeasance in public office, including consultation fees for the audit team to review documentation for preparation of facts to address prosecution against him.He is also claiming general damages, exemplary damages and aggravated damages, interest, costs and other relief deemed appropriate by the court.The case management is set for Nov 19 before High Court deputy registrar Nurliana Ismail.


Umno’s Zahid, PKR’s Leong among familiar names in offshore ‘wealth leak’

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and PKR’s Selayang MP William Leong are among Malaysian politicians whose names have surfaced amid some 11 million documents linked to entities using offshore tax havens to park assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars, according to Malaysiakini based on the stash of documents known as the “Pandora Papers”.The documents, revealed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), also named businessmen such as Mahmud Abu Bekir, the son of Sarawak governor Taib Mahmud, Genting Group chairman Lim Kok Thay, former banker turned finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, Yamani Hafez Musa, recently appointed as the deputy finance minister, also the son of former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman, as well as the parents of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low.Malaysiakini said Zahid surfaced as part of a leak of documents from Panama law firm Aleman, Cordero, Galindo & Lee or Algocal, which acted for one Breedon Limited in the British Virgin Islands.Zahid was named a director of the firm, which was established in 1996, the year he won the contest for Umno Youth chief.The firm’s name was changed to Rising Resources (BVI) Ltd later that year, before it went dormant and was struck off.Meanwhile Leong, the Selayang MP, was listed due to his links to a company known as Collister Holdings Ltd, of which he and his wife Alice became owners in 2009.His lawyer Loy Tuan Bee told Malaysiakini this was related to Leong’s role as executive vice-president and COO of the Philippine National Steel Mill from 1994 to 1997.He said all activities had been legally and rightfully conducted, adding that the company was not included in Leong’s declaration of assets as it was no longer in use at the time.Zafrul was listed as the director of a boutique bank incorporated in the offshore jurisdiction of Labuan known as Capital Investment Bank (Labuan) Ltd. Malaysiakini, quoting an aide, however, reported that Zafrul is no longer in the position.Mahmud Abu Bekir is listed through his position as director of BVI company Rondinmass Incorporated, a family-run business.According to the report, the company was established to hold commercial properties in Seattle, Washington, purchased through a loan and worth US$35 million.Jho Low’s parents, Larry Low Hock Ping and Goh Gaik Ewe, meanwhile, were linked to two companies, one of which, Coswell Corporation, was set up in the British Virgin Islands in 1991 with the couple as its sole shareholders.Coswell was supposedly established for property investment in London. The other entity, Strategic Equities Ltd, was set up to hold shares in an industrial and precision machine manufacturer established in Singapore known as Frencken Group Ltd.ICIJ, the journalists’ organisation behind the leak, stressed that it is not illegal in most countries to have offshore assets or to use shell companies to do business across national borders, although such revelations can still come as an embarrassment for leaders who may have campaigned publicly against tax avoidance and corruption.


Praising Anwar for ‘putting his neck out’, PKR MP blames Dr M

A staunch loyalist of Anwar Ibrahim today penned a passionate plea for support for the PKR chief while blaming Dr Mahathir Mohamad for causing the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, in a sign that the opposition remains split between the two veteran politicians.PKR vice-president Xavier Jayakumar said Anwar was the “sole leader” who had fought hard to bring down the Perikatan Nasional government.“We should all be praising and thanking him for doing this, as he was the only one putting his neck out to achieve what all the other members of Pakatan Harapan were hoping for,” Xavier, the Kuala Langat MP who served as the water, land and natural resources minister under Mahathir’s 22-month government, said.“Imagine if he had succeeded, everyone would all be rejoicing and enjoying the fruits of his labour.”Anwar and his supporters several times claimed he had the majority to topple Muhyiddin Yassin’s government, which came to power following PH’s collapse in February.Several votes on the 2021 budget in the Dewan Rakyat however showed the prime minister still has the upper hand.Xavier said Mahathir had squandered the opportunity given to him by PH to lead the government.“The people need to understand that the state of the nation now and the downfall of the Pakatan Harapan government is not because of Anwar, but due to Mahathir’s unilateral decision to resign as prime minister without consulting other Pakatan Harapan leaders.“This was after we gave him a chance to join us in making those changes. His party was a minority in the government, even then we gave him the opportunity to become prime minister and yet he failed to deliver,” he said.Mahathir’s resignation in February came on the back of open bickering within PH, days after the coalition’s top leaders came to an agreement to allow him to continue for as long as needed without any timeline to transfer power to Anwar.In its 2018 election campaign, PH had said Anwar would replace Mahathir as prime minister.Mahathir however resisted calls for him to vacate the seat for Anwar, saying he would only do so once the economy recovered.Earlier this week, Mahathir scoffed at Anwar’s claim of having majority support despite calling on MPs in the opposition bloc to vote down the 2021 budget.Xavier meanwhile took potshots at other parties which did not participate in several votes on the budget during the debate on allocations for ministries.MPs from Sabah-based Warisan, led by Shafie Apdal, had several times steered clear of voting.“If we had shown unity with all in attendance, many of the ministries’ budget votes would have been lost by PN,” Xavier claimed.He said Anwar needed all support, adding that “extraordinary times” required “extraordinary measures… to save the nation”.“On this aspect I congratulate Anwar for his efforts in trying to bring about change and we should all be in support of him, whichever way it needs to be done.”


Zahid sends letters of demand to Mahathir, Muhyiddin

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has issued letters of demand to former prime ministers Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin over allegedly defamatory statements made against him.Messrs Shahrul Hamidi and Haziq, representing Zahid, issued two separate media statements on the matter.According to the statement, Mahathir was alleged to have issued his statement during a question-and-answer session after the launch of Aspirasi Pejuang for the Johor state election in Putrajaya on Feb 23. Muhyiddin is allegd to have made his statement in a speech at Felda Tenggaroh, Johor, on Feb 16.The letters of demand were issued and served on Mahathir and Muhyiddin on Feb 25 and Feb 23 respectively.“To date we have not received any response from them,” the statement said.The letters among others demand that the two leaders stop making the remarks and remove the published statements within seven days.They also demand that a written open apology be issued to Zahid with a promise that they will not repeat the statements again.


Daily caseload hovers at 2,300 as another 9 deaths reported

Another 2,356 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,784,980.
There were 1,875 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,717,292.
There are now 31,463 active cases, of which 30,084 or 95.6% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 20 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,285 (4.1%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 74 are in ICU with 46 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 64.1%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 19.8%.
Another nine deaths were reported, including three who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 36,225.


Top UN official presses Myanmar's junta leader in rare visit

A senior UN official said she had urged Myanmar's military ruler to release political prisoners and stop executions on Wednesday, in a rare, high-profile visit that comes amid growing violence in the country.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military overthrew an elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi early last year and launched a bloody crackdown on peaceful protests and armed resistance movements that followed.
Noeleen Heyzer arrived in the capital Naypyitaw late on Tuesday and was greeted by foreign ministry officials, state media reported, before holding a meeting with junta chief Min Aung Hlaing on Wednesday.
"My visit is to convey the concern of the United Nations and propose concrete steps needed to reduce the conflict and suffering of the people. UN engagement does not in any way confer legitimacy," Heyzer said in a statement released by the UN.
A spokesman for Myanmar's junta did not respond to a request for comment about the meeting. Myanmar's state television MRTV reported on Wednesday that the two discussed the relationship between Myanmar and the UN, without elaborating.
Global condemnation has been heaped on Myanmar's generals, most recently for executing four democracy activists they said had aided "terror acts", referring to attacks by militias fighting military rule and seeking to avenge a deadly crackdown on protests.
Myanmar courts have also handed down long prison sentences to political prisoners. Heyzer's visit came just a day after a court sentenced the country's deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to six years' jail on corruption charges critics say are trumped up.
Heyzer pressed Min Aung Hlaing to impose a moratorium on future executions and release all political prisoners, according to the statement.
She also requested a meeting with Suu Kyi and asked for the release of one of her advisers, Australian economist Sean Turnell, who was detained during the coup in February 2021.
"I want to have an opportunity to meet with her (Suu Kyi) as soon as possible... She is a critical stakeholder for my dialogue with all parties concerned," Heyzer said in the statement.
Suu Kyi, 77, who is being held in solitary confinement in Naypyitaw jail, has been charged with at least 18 offences ranging from graft to election violations, carrying combined maximum jail terms of nearly 190 years.
Myanmar's military spokesman Zaw Min Tun said at a press conference on Wednesday that it would not allow anyone to meet people facing criminal charges.


WhatsApp updates terms amid moves to monetise app

The popular messaging app WhatsApp asked its some two billion users on Thursday to accept new terms that will allow it to share more information with its parent company Facebook and roll out advertising and e-commerce.The update sparked criticism among users as they must accept the changes or see their access to the service – which also allows encrypted voice and video calls – cut off from Feb 8.Facebook aims to monetise WhatsApp by allowing businesses to contact their clients via the platform, even sell them products directly using the service as they already do in India.“Privacy policy and terms updates are common in the industry and we’re providing users with ample notice to review the changes, which go into effect on Feb 8,” a Facebook spokesman said.“All users need to accept the new terms of service if they want to continue using WhatsApp,” added the spokesman.The firm said the updated terms will allow additional sharing of information between WhatsApp with Facebook and its other applications such as Instagram and Messenger, such as contacts and profile data, but not the content of messages which remain encrypted.In the EU and Britain, the new terms only allow for the development of functionalities for professional users of WhatsApp Business, a company spokesman told AFP.User advocates warned the update was not legal.“If the only way to refuse (the modification) is to stop using WhatsApp, the consent is forced as the use of personal data is illegal,” said Arthur Messaud, a lawyer for La Quadrature du net, an association that defends internet users.Facebook has come under increasing pressure from regulators as it tries to integrate its services.The EU fined US social media giant €110 million (US$120 million) for providing incorrect and misleading information about its 2014 takeover of WhatsApp concerning the ability to link accounts between the services.Federal and state regulators in US have accused Facebook of using its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram to squelch competition and filed antitrust lawsuits last month that aim to force the company to divest them.


Ungku Aziz and the question of the mind

Last year, Royal Prof Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid made an observation in the form of a complaint during a visit by a friend who was a former Utusan Malaysia journalist.He asked why there was no entry for the term “minda” (mind) in Kamus Besar Utusan, a Malay dictionary.When told about this, I was surprised at how such an important word could be missed by the publisher which was a subsidiary of Utusan.Does it imply that the Malays are unconsciously ignoring the question of the “mind”, to the extent that they have become weak and lack the energy to face contemporary issues?Ungku Aziz was, after all, the man who coined the word “minda” as a translation from English.In one interview, he said there is no word in the Malay language able to represent the concept behind the term “mind”.For him, the concept of the “mind” was something the Malays must pay attention to in their lives.Kamus Besar Utusan was first published in 1995 as an ambitious effort to complement Kamus Dewan, the dictionary published by the government’s Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.The dictionary was the product of a former Berita Harian journalist whose pastime was to compile all of the Malay words used in daily newspapers and on radio and television.He would follow and note down every word used in the Malay-language print and broadcast media, to be entered into Kamus Besar Utusan.What this means is that in all those years of compiling, the word “minda” was never used in the Malay mass media.It is true that the word “minda” never surfaced in the Malay conscience, and it was Ungku Aziz who saw its importance.It was his use of the mind that allowed him to unravel the problem of poverty among the Malays through his research on the fishermen in the east coast.It was through his use of the mind that he mooted Tabung Haji and committed towards the cooperatives movement – a just commercial system compared to individually owned private business.The cooperative belongs to its members who derive profit from it, while in a private company only the shareholders benefit. The cooperative sector, as such, sits somewhere between the public and private sector.Ungku Aziz introduced the cooperative model in running the bookshop at Universiti Malaya (UM), where he was the vice-chancellor.This was followed by the establishment of a cooperative supermarket in Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur, which was based on a Japanese model with its managers sent to Japan for training.I became aware of Ungku Aziz in 1974, during the student protests that started in UM and spread to other campuses such as Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Institut Teknologi Mara, Institut Teknologi Kebangsaan and Kolej Pertanian Serdang.At that time, I was in Form Three, and the education minister was Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Ungku Aziz, as vice-chancellor, was tasked with finding a solution to the crisis at UM.When the crisis was solved, UM student paper Mahasiswa Negara ceased publication. In its place, Ungku Aziz introduced Budiman, a newsletter published by the university’s Student Affairs Division and sold to the public.“Budiman” means gentleman, from the root word “budi” which means “courtesy”.Ungku Aziz had emphasised the concepts of “budi” and “budiman” as crucial in the Malay community. Throughout his life, he talked about “budi”.Traditional Malay poetry can help one gain a deeper understanding of “budi”.Many poems make reference to “budi”, with the message that society functions well when Malays behave as gentlemen.Until the end, Ungku Aziz spared no effort in compiling traditional poems which he considered as great works of the Malay race which must not only be defended, but also be put into practice.Ungku Aziz was an economist whose contribution epitomised his love for his people. He did this by finding practical solutions to the problem of poverty.But it was the mental reformation of the Malays through the use of the mind and “budi” that was his main focus. To him, there were great cultural values which should be restored.At UM, he introduced the Foundation Studies in Science as part of his efforts to increase the number of Malay students in the science stream.He saw it as a solution to a shortage of science and technology professionals in the country.But he was adamant that Malays must open their minds to a wider and more diverse knowledge of the world.UM began translating Courier, a magazine published by Unesco.The Malay edition, Kurier Unesco, was sold cheap to the public. It became the only Malay magazine carrying content of an international standard on science, history and culture.Ungku Aziz accomplished things that others had not thought of doing.They were innovative, honest and practical, not boastful or divisive.All because they put importance on the use of the mind, something that the Malays can emulate.Thank you, Royal Professor Ungku Aziz. Al-Fatihah.Zin Mahmud, a journalist with more than four decades of experience, is a columnist for MalaysiaNow.


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Hearing of 1MDB-linked forfeiture suit against Najib, 17 others postponed

The hearing of a 1MDB-linked forfeiture suit against former prime minister Najib Razak and 17 others involving hundreds of assets has been postponed to Aug 30 due to a new development in the case.High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan fixed the date after deputy public prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin requested for an adjournment, saying the prosecution had received letters regarding the case and needed some time to study it.“The letters are interrelated with other forfeiture suits. We are considering these letters. However, due to the movement control order, we need more time to have discussions,” she told the court.Other parties in the case did not object to the adjournment.When asked by Zaini whether the new development would derail current proceedings, Faten said they need more time to look at the letters and will update the court on any developments.Zaini then allowed today’s postponement and fixed Aug 30 to hear submissions from the prosecution.When met after the proceeding, Faten said the letters were received from one of the counsels in the case but that the prosecution was unable to disclose the contents or when they had received them.“It is interrelated with other forfeiture suits so it affects the seized items in this case,” she said.On May 8, 2019, the Attorney-General’s Chambers filed a forfeiture notice on hundreds of items including handbags of various brands and 27 vehicles seized from Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor, their three children as well as 13 individuals and companies, said to be linked to 1MDB.Money amounting to more than RM18 million in several bank accounts in Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd, Al-Rajhi Bank Bhd, Malayan Banking Bhd, CIMB Bank Bhd, RHB Bank Bhd, Public Bank Bhd, AmBank Bhd and Hong Leong Bank Bhd was also frozen between Aug 16, 2018 and March 11, 2019.In the notice of forfeiture, the prosecution named Najib, Rosmah and children, Nor Ashman Razak, Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz (Najib’s stepson) and Nooryana Najwa, Mohd Kyizzad Mesran, Senijauhar Sdn Bhd, Aiman Ruslan, Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia, Yayasan Semesta, Yayasan Mustika Kasih, Rembulan Kembara Sdn Bhd, Goh Gaik Ewe, Roger Ng Chong Hwa (former Goldman Sachs bank officer) and his wife, Lim Hwee Bin, Kee Kok Thiam, Tan Vern Tact and Geh Choh Hun as the first to 18th respondents.The application was filed on grounds that the prosecution, acting under Section 56 (1) read together with Section 376 of the Criminal Procedure Code, was satisfied that the items seized between May 17, 2018 and March 11, 2019, were related to an offence under Section 4 (1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 or as the result of illegal activities involving the respondents.


Govt pledges easier EPF withdrawals as RM24 billion approved for 3 million

The Perikatan Nasional government has assured of easier EPF withdrawals for those in need of funds, especially given the twin events of the movement control order (MCO) and the floods which have been wreaking havoc in states on the east coast as well as in Sabah and Sarawak.In a live address today, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said EPF would provide an advance payment of up to RM1,000 for each eligible applicant under the i-Sinar Category 2.He said members would only need to declare that they meet the necessary criteria and provide the supporting documents online.“The government has also asked EPF to facilitate this advance payment process, which will begin on Jan 26,” he said, adding that the retirement savings fund would announce further details in the near future.He also said over three million applications under the i-Sinar programme had been approved as of Jan 13, with RM24 billion to be channelled this year.On Nov 6 last year, the government said EPF contributors would be allowed to withdraw up to RM6,000 from their Account 1 at RM500 a month over a period of one year.This followed the approval given at the height of the initial MCO for EPF members to withdraw a similar amount from their second account every month under the i-Lestari programme, bringing the total amount that could be withdrawn from the retirement fund to RM12,000.Later that month, the government announced an extension of its i-Sinar programme to allow all contributors to withdraw from their Account 1.The move was expected to benefit about eight million EPF contributors, involving some RM70 billion from the retirement fund.


New infections rise to 3,400 as another 4 deaths logged

Another 3,410 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,470,471.There were 1,430 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,408,043.There are now 26,826 active cases, of which 25,414 or 94.7% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 33 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,328 (5.0%) have been hospitalised.A total of 51 are in ICU with 34 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 55.5%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 7.2%.Another four deaths were reported. Total deaths now stand at 35,602.


Govt reminded again to ensure anti-smoking bill is passed

Think tank Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy today reiterated its call for the health ministry to ensure that the anti-smoking bill to eradicate smoking among the youth is passed, following concerns over the sale of e-cigarettes or vape aimed specifically at the age group.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa had voiced regret over reports of e-cigarettes designed to look like toys, said to have been sold in front of a school.
But Galen CEO Azrul Mohd Khalib said Zaliha’s statement only demonstrated the futility of the health authorities in protecting vulnerable individuals when laws such as the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill remain unpassed in Parliament.
"To this day, despite being an industry worth an estimated RM 2.3 billion and this country being the largest market in Southeast Asia, the marketing and selling of vape and its products remain unregulated in Malaysia,” he said.
“4.9% of the population currently vape and this number is rising by the day.
"As a consequence of the lack of legislation or regulation, nothing is able to prevent, restrict or prohibit the manufacturing, marketing and selling of vape products that not only are deliberately intended for young consumers but also contain high nicotine content."
In Malaysia, he said, vape liquids in a single disposable with up to 5% of nicotine are available at RM1o to RM20.
“Such high concentrations even in small amounts are toxic for children,” he added.
"Unfortunately, in the absence of the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill,  there is currently a massive gap in existing legislation regarding the sale of products containing nicotine, specifically vape.The sale of cheap vape disposables containing high concentrations of liquid nicotine currently cannot be prevented, restricted or banned. Anyone, including children, can buy them."
The Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022 seeks to prohibit those born on or after Jan 1, 2007 from purchasing or possessing cigarettes or vape products.
It aims to prevent the younger generation from picking up the smoking habit, and to reduce deaths caused by smoking-related diseases.
Dubbed the Generational End Game, it was tabled by then health minister Khairy Jamaluddin on July 27, 2922 for first reading but was referred to the parliamentary special select committee for refinement.
In a statement, Azrul said children as young as 10 are becoming newly addicted to nicotine.
"This is why the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill proposed to regulate the vape industry in the same way that the tobacco industry is currently regulated, especially regarding advertisements, marketing, promotion and sponsorships,” he said.
“It will help rein in and regulate vape which has gone out of control in this country."


Amanah man to head PH campaign in Melaka

Pakatan Harapan (PH) today said former chief minister Adly Zahari will lead the coalition’s campaign in the upcoming state election.The coalition, which earlier opposed the move to call for an election in the state, citing the lingering Covid-19 pandemic, also said it would seek assurance from the Election Commission that it could meet voters without restrictions.Meanwhile, the top PH leaders said the coalition would not field Norhizam Hassan Baktee as its candidate, in line with a call by DAP’s Lim Guan Eng rejecting any move to name the Pengkalan Batu assemblyman.Norhizam left DAP after the collapse of the state government in 2020.The Melaka state assembly was dissolved on Oct 4 after Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali lost the support of the majority following the move by four representatives to withdraw their backing for him.The four were former chief minister Idris Haron (Sungai Udang), Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor), Norhizam and Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas).The state election will be held on Nov 20.


Nasa picks SpaceX for mission to Jupiter moon Europa

Nasa on Friday said it had selected SpaceX to launch a planned voyage to Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, a huge win for Elon Musk’s company as it sets its sights deeper into the solar system.The Europa Clipper mission will launch in October 2024 on a Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with the total contract worth US$178 million.The mission was previously supposed to take off on Nasa’s own Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which has been plagued by delays and cost overruns, with critics calling it a “jobs programme” for the state of Alabama where much of the development work is taking place.While SLS isn’t yet operational, Falcon Heavy has deployed on both commercial and government missions since its maiden flight in 2018 when it carried Musk’s own Tesla Roadster into space.It generates more than five million pounds of thrust (22 million Newtons) at liftoff, equal to approximately eighteen 747 aircraft.The Europa clipper orbiter will make about 40 to 50 close passes over Europa to determine whether the icy moon could harbour conditions suitable for life.Its payload will include cameras and spectrometers to produce high-resolution images and compositional maps of the surface and atmosphere, as well as radar to penetrate the ice layer to search for liquid water below.


Hadi dismisses calls for PAS to abandon Bersatu, PN

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has given the strongest indication yet that his party will not dump Perikatan Nasional (PN) to settle for its Muafakat Nasional (MN) charter with Umno, putting to rest speculation from Umno leaders following the outcome of the Melaka election.In a statement laden with analogies and verses from the Quran, Hadi said the stand was in line with the spirit and original objective of MN, the charter of cooperation signed by PAS and Umno in 2019 when the two giant Malay-based parties were in the opposition.“PAS will only accept the MN charter that has completed the terms of the agreement signed, without conflicting with the agenda of achieving greater power and unity in the community through the notion of PN,” Hadi said in a statement.This comes less than a week after repeated calls by Umno leaders for PAS to rethink its decision to join hands with Bersatu in PN.PAS had opted to stand under the PN banner together with Bersatu and Gerakan in the recently concluded Melaka election, which saw the Umno-led Barisan Nasional restoring its administration that was toppled in the 2018 general election.PAS is part of the PN coalition led by Muhyiddin Yassin, who was toppled as prime minister following a coup engineered by Umno leaders Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Najib Razak.In the run-up to the Melaka election, PAS spurned calls by Umno leaders, committing itself to PN and for the first time contesting an election without its green and white logo.PN’s defeat to Umno in the state saw renewed calls by Umno leaders loyal to Zahid and Najib for a renewal of the MN charter.Hadi said the MN charter should also include Bersatu, adding that it was based on the Islamic call for unity across races.He said while MN was focused on Malay-Muslim unity, PN was formed as a broader vehicle to unite other communities with the aim of being vested with political power with multiracial representation.“Thus, Muslims from the largest Malay and Bumiputera parties, from Umno, PAS and Bersatu, have been united, as are those in the NGOs who don’t belong to any party,” said Hadi.“After taking over the federal government, PN was created taking into account the larger community, including non-Muslims who are part of the multiracial society.”Hadi said PAS rejects MN if it only involves the Islamist party and Umno.“PAS also rejects any notion that does not take into consideration a multiracial society that must be addressed by the larger concept of PN,” he added.


Snails, goat and pig for lunchtime takeaway, anyone?

An ancient Italian takeaway is now revealing its secrets after being buried in a volcanic eruption 2,000 years ago.“We can see what customers were eating on that terrible day,” said Pompeii Archaeological Park’s director, Massimo Osanna on Saturday, according to NPR. “The food remains show what was most popular with the common folk.”We now know that working Italians grabbed hot food on the run two millennia ago in the same way we might pick up a burger, nasi lemak, KFC or dim sum these days.A recently unearthed and beautifully decorated street food hawker stall in Pompeii reveal exactly what Italians were eating when ash and lava buried them as Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. The remains of two humans were found inside the stall, preserved by ash as they fell.The discovery marks the first time a complete food hawker stall – known as a thermopolium – has been excavated at Pompeii, southeast of Naples, according to the New York Post.A portion of the street cafe was discovered last year as part of an effort to shore up the ancient city’s crumbling ruins. Archaeologists uncovered a serving counter with wide holes containing deep vessels for hot food inserted in its top.The counter is decorated with images of an undersea nymph astride a horse, and a dog on a leash. Images of ducks and chickens probably show what was on the menu that day, anthropologists say. Duck bone fragment were found in one of the containers along with remnants of goats, pigs, fish and snails.A wine container held traces of ground fava beans, which were added to ancient wine for flavour and colouring, according to Pompeii anthropologist Valeria Amoretti.As all big city street vendors worth their salt know, location is everything, and diggers say that this take-away seemed to have a good one, next to a small square with a fountain.The researchers say this is only the beginning of the secrets the stall will reveal. More will be uncovered as the excavation continues and researchers run tests.


Malaysia-Singapore land border reopens for vaccinated travellers

Singapore and Malaysia reopened one of the world’s busiest land borders today, allowing vaccinated travellers to make the crossing after nearly two years of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.The sudden closure of the border in March 2020 left tens of thousands people stranded on both sides, separated from families and fearing for their jobs.As many as 300,000 Malaysians commuted daily to wealthy city-state Singapore before the pandemic.Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob is also due to make his first official visit to Singapore today.Under the new arrangement, up to 1,440 travellers from each side can travel if they hold citizenship, permanent residency or long-term visas in the destination country, without undergoing quarantine, according to guidelines published by the Singapore government.Travellers must test negative for Covid-19 before departure, and Malaysia also requires travellers to pass on-arrival Covid-19 test. Singapore on Sunday followed suit by requiring on-arrival test due to concerns over the new Covid-19 variant Omicron.A vaccinated air travel lane between the two countries also started today.Singapore has vaccinated 85% of its entire population, while Malaysia has jabbed around 80%.Singapore, with an aging population of 5.5 million, relies heavily on Malaysians living in Johor, which is connected to Singapore by land, to staff businesses ranging from restaurants to semiconductor manufacturing.Singapore reported 747 locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Sunday, the lowest tally since mid September. Malaysia reported 4,239 cases on Sunday, the smallest number since early November.


Retail ceiling price for 3-ply face masks to drop to 70 sen

The new retail ceiling price for three-ply face masks will be reduced to 70 sen from RM1 per piece effective Nov 1.Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said the wholesale ceiling price of three-ply face masks would also be reduced to 65 sen apiece from 95 sen previously.He said the ministry had reviewed the price of face masks together with local manufacturers and importers, taking into account the need for people to continue adopting new norms.“This new ceiling price will be enforced through the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011,” he said in a statement today.Nanta said the retail ceiling price for single-layer face masks would be set at seven sen apiece, while two-layer face masks would be 20 sen apiece and N95 face masks RM6.He also said the ministry had conducted 67,217 inspections and monitored the price and supply of face masks nationwide from Jan 29 until Oct 25.“The inspections resulted in 73 cases with the value of seizures worth RM543,737 and total compounds of RM518,400,” he said.He said traders could be fined for failing to comply with the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.Individuals selling items above the ceiling price can be fined up to RM100,000, jailed for not more than three years, or both, or pay a compound of up to RM50,000, while companies can be fined up to RM500,000 or pay a compound of up to RM250,000.“For the offence of failing to put a price tag on controlled price items, individuals can be fined up to RM50,000 or pay a compound of up to RM25,000, while companies can be fined up to RM100,000 or pay a compound of up to RM50,000,” he said.


Only 21.9% self-employed contribute to Socso

Only 634,215, or 21.9%, of self-employed individuals, have contributed to the Self-Employement Social Security Scheme (SKSPS) under the Social Security Organisation (Socso) thus far.
Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar said that based on the latest data up to June 18, the number is far lower than the actual number of those eligible to contribute under the scheme.
"The number of self-employed individuals, based on statistics from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), is 2.89 million people. Of that number, only 21.9% contribute to SKSPS.
"The largest number of contributors is from the professional services sector which is 32.3%, followed by goods and food transport (17.5%) and passenger transport (13.3%)," he told the media after visiting the Socso Rehabilitation Centre in Kuala Terengganu today.
Sivakumar said that the lowest percentage of contributors were from the data processing sector at 23 people (0.00%), forestry at 345 people (0.05%) and accommodation premises at 507 people (0.08%).
"Perhaps these people don't know that they can actually contribute or maybe think that only those who have an employer are eligible to contribute.
"Also, it could be that they don't know what the role of Socso is, how Socso can help them and mostly they always think nothing will happen to them but... anything can happen to anyone at any time," he said, adding that his ministry would increase the campaign to introduce the scheme for the welfare and social security of the group.
He said that since its launch on June 1, 2017, under the Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017, SKSPS protects self-employed individuals in 20 sectors and has paid benefits worth RM15.5 million to 4,890 contributors.
Meanwhile, the Kuala Terengganu Socso Rehabilitation Centre, which is the only satellite rehabilitation centre operating on the east coast to assist the rehabilitation treatment process of insured individuals, has provided rehabilitation treatment benefits to 515 patients.
A total of 111 of those who sought treatment have returned to work since it began operating on June 28, 2020.