Seniors with comorbidities allowed option of second booster jab

Individuals aged 60 and above with high-risk comorbidities have been given the option of getting a second booster dose after an interval of at least four to six months from the date of the first booster jab.Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the decision was made after a scientific study and a Malaysian cohort study by the Technical Working Group panel, which found that those aged 60 and above with higher-risk comorbidities experienced serious symptoms and death due to Covid-19.“Currently, the Comirnaty mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) is the recommended vaccine for a second booster dose, based on the available scientific data,” he told a press conference at the Parliament building today.Khairy said those aged 60 and above who have received a booster dose and tested positive for Covid-19 will be eligible to receive a second booster dose three months after they have fully recovered.For individuals aged 60 and above who are healthy and do not have high-risk comorbidities, he said they should talk to a medical practitioner about whether a second booster dose is recommended for them. Khairy also said that teenagers aged 12 and above with weak immune systems (moderately or severely immunocompromised) would also be given the option of a booster dose, after an interval of at least 28 days from the date of the second dose.However, the health minister said the implementation of the latest recommendation would not affect the complete vaccination status of high-risk individuals who do not take a second booster dose.He said the health ministry was currently updating the clinical guidelines, which would detail the implementation, and had received applications for individuals wishing to go abroad to obtain a second booster dose to meet the requirements of foreign countries.“For example, there are some countries in continental Europe that do not recognise Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines as primary doses and booster doses.“Therefore, individuals who want to go abroad can be given a second booster dose, after an interval of at least one month from the first booster dose, to meet the requirements of going abroad,” he said, adding that the health ministry has 5.7 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to meet the need for booster dose jabs.As of March 31, Khairy said a total of 701 individuals had received digital certificates of vaccination exemption for medical reasons, adding that such people would also be automatically exempted from receiving booster jabs.He said individuals who are not eligible for booster jabs due to medical reasons are required to make a new application by obtaining the confirmation of a physician, and then making an application at any district health office by submitting a “Slip of Suitability Assessment to Receive Covid-19 Vaccine for Patients with Certain Health Problems”.In the meantime, Khairy said that effective April 22, close contacts without symptoms do not need to undergo house surveillance and observation orders, while close contacts with symptoms are advised to conduct self-quarantine.


Malaysians lend a hand to Palestinians with cryptocurrency

With global sentiments high in support of the Palestinian plight, there has been a mushrooming of online fundraising drives to help channel donations to the occupied territories.One popular way has been through the use of cryptocurrency, a virtual currency that is not tied to any central banking authority as is the case with conventional money.The use of such digital currency is not new as Palestinian groups resisting Israel have already been using various methods of raising funds through bitcoin, amid a ban by some countries on sending money due to their designation of these groups as terrorism movements.More recently, the Save Palestine (PAL) coin was launched for the purpose of collecting donations.The PAL coin allows buyers to purchase the token while at the same time donating to the Palestinian cause. Buyers become holders of the cryptocurrency and are able to swap it to Binance Coin on the Pancake Swap website, a cryptocurrency exchange, before converting it to other fiat currency such as the US dollar or ringgit.Donations are transferred to the intended recipients every week, based on the coin’s market capitalisation.Crypto industry player Ahmad Alif AS Ahmad Shariffuddin said such cryptocurrency must show a certain degree of transparency in order to be recognised as a legitimate donation.“When a coin is introduced, it must have a purpose. If it is for donations, people will have to buy the coin to make the donation, which means the founder will receive the money.“The team behind it must show that all the money goes to the intended receivers by using blockchain technology. They must show the address of the original wallet so that people can see the movement of the coin,” he told MalaysiaNow, adding that the amount transferred to the intended receivers must be equal to the amount of coin sold.To give a coin its value, Aliff said crypto coins are usually backed by a project during their initial coin offering. The public then purchases the coin hoping that the value will increase.On the other hand, a coin introduced for the sake of charity would not have any value at all, he said.“The coin that donators purchase is just a ‘receipt’ of the donation. Those who introduce it must not speculate or raise hope that such coin would have increased in value and that donators would profit in the long term. That is not donation anymore,” he added.Aside from this, he said the founder must reveal themselves as the party responsible for the donation and the coin, as well as declare how much they raised.When contacted, PAL cryptocurrency co-founder Radzi Tajuddin said the initiative to aid the Palestinians was legitimate.He and several other local youth digital entrepreneurs launched PAL last week during the height of the Israeli-Hamas conflict.Kelantan FC owner Norizam Tukiman was among those who bought the coin, saying he had done so as a way of donating to the Palestinians.“Basically we want to tap the growing crypto community,” Radzi said.“There are organisations which already collect from those who have money, but there has yet to be anyone collecting donations from those who have crypto money.”Explaining the mechanism of PAL, he said it works just like fiat money, the value of which increases with the trust that people put in it.“The value increases as more and more people buy the currency. From our supply of the token, we reserve 30% for donations to the Palestinians. Another 40% is for the purchasers and the remaining 30% is for controlling the supply.“As of Friday, RM50,000 worth of the currency had been donated to Global Sadaqah,” he said, adding that the cryptocurrency would be converted to fiat money by the receivers.He also assured that donations are transparent as blockchain is a public ledger.“If we sent a donation through bank transaction, usually we will show proof of the transaction with a screenshot of the receipt. With this technology, the public can see the intended address of the donation. Our team does not take a single sen, and there is no profiteering from our side.”He added that he had decided to reveal himself as the co-founder to ensure transparency and public trust in light of the rising number of “shitcoin”.Shitcoin is a term used to describe a coin or token that has no particular purpose, the founders of which are anonymous. Examples of this are Dogecoin and the Shiba Inu coin.“Shitcoin founders are anonymous. They reserve a portion of the coin supply for themselves, wait for the value to increase before dumping the coin for profit,” said Radzi.


Talk rife that Sarawak may join Melaka in heading to state polls

Speculation is rife that Sarawak’s overdue election may be called by the end of November, which could see state polls being held either simultaneously or close to that of Melaka, MalaysiaNow has learnt.The move would require the revocation of the current state of emergency in Sarawak which expires in February, and which was declared to prevent elections from being held during the pandemic.Unlike the convention in other states, Sarawak’s state seats are contested separately from the general election.The five-year mandate for the Sarawak government expired on Aug 1 this year, and an election was supposed to be called within two months.However, a nationwide virus emergency which took effect in January meant that elections could not be held.A source in the Election Commission refused to confirm the speculation, but said it was unlikely that two state elections would be held simultaneously.An election must be called in Melaka within the next two months, following the state assembly’s dissolution this week.This came after the Melaka chief minister, Umno’s Sulaiman Md Ali, lost support from four assemblymen including two from his party.Analysts have pointed out that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) , the coalition of Sarawak ruling parties formed after the defeat of Barisan Nasional in the 2018 polls, will again have an edge over the opposition.GPS, comprising Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), is also an ally of the Perikatan Nasional coalition led by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, and has in recent months been seen as a kingmaker in federal politics.


Global digital vaccination travel passport ready ‘within weeks’

A new “vaccine passport” app developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global grouping of 290 airlines, is due to be ready “within weeks”.The travel pass is designed to verify a passenger has had the Covid-19 tests or vaccines required to enter a country. It also verifies they were administered by an approved authority.According to reports, IATA is currently working with numerous airlines during the trial phase before getting involved with official government and health bodies.Singapore Airlines was the first carrier to start trials of the travel pass in December, with Air New Zealand, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways set to trial the app from March or April.As the pandemic continues, governments are preparing to only allow vaccinated tourists to enter their respective countries.“The key issue is one of confidence. Passengers need to be confident that the testing they’ve taken is accurate and will allow them to enter the country.” said Vinoop Goel, IATA’s regional director of airports and external relations.“And then governments need to have the confidence that the tests that the passengers claim to have is one which is accurate and meets their own conditions. We are currently working with a number of airlines worldwide and the plan is to go live in March.”The app will be available on Android and iOS platforms, and will be “modular” so it can be adapted to match each country’s entry requirements.“So basically we expect to have a fully functional working system over the next few weeks,” said Goel.IATA hopes the free-to-use mobile app will be the key to reopening borders and getting the world flying again – without the need for quarantine.Billing itself as “a global and standardised solution to validate and authenticate all country regulations regarding Covid-19 passenger travel requirements”, the Travel Pass app works in four ways.First, there’s a global registry of health requirements, so passengers can check what’s needed in order to enter the destinations they hope to visit.Second, travellers can check out the global registry of testing and vaccination centers so they can set up appointments before their departure.Authorised labs and test centres can then securely share test and vaccination certificates with passengers through the app.And finally, travellers can manage their digital identity for contactless travel: creating a digital version of their passport on their phone, receiving and sharing Covid-19 testing or vaccination certificates, and managing other travel documentation, too.


No point declaring wealth if politicians not ready for scrutiny, says Shah Alam candidate

Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Dr Afif Bahardin has criticised politicians who issue asset declarations but refuse to subject their wealth to scrutiny, saying this defeats the purpose of making their wealth transparent.
"There are some MPs (candidates) making public declarations, but when reporters ask questions, the reporters are scolded back," Afif said in an apparent reference to a recent press conference by PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli last week, which saw a tense moment when he reacted angrily to a journalist who asked for his response to criticism related to his assets.
"The real reason we make public declarations is for people to scrutinise," Afif, the PN candidate for the Shah Alam seat, said after launching his manifesto for the constituency today.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidates from PKR have been issuing asset declarations as part of requirements set by the party, with more than RM350 million in total assets declared so far.
However, Rafizi's asset declaration which saw his wealth growing by some RM17 million in seven years became a hot topic of discussion, with the PKR leader taken to task over party-linked company Invoke Solutions.
Rafizi has since defended his wealth, saying he was already a millionaire by the age of 30.
Meanwhile, Afif said there was no need for candidates to declare their assets unless they are elected to public office.
Previously, PKR's partner DAP also took a similar view, saying its candidates would only declare their assets if they were elected to office.
At the Nov 19 polls, Afif will be facing three other candidates from PH, Barisan Nasional and Pejuang.
The Shah Alam incumbent is Amanah's Khalid Samad, who held the seat for three terms, winning it twice on a PAS ticket. Khalid will be contesting the election in Titiwangsa.
Afif, an incumbent for the Seberang Jaya state seat, said he did not expect an easy fight in Shah Alam.
"Shah Alam is not an easy seat to contest. It has been won by PH since 2008.
"To overturn the huge majority from the last election will be hard," he said.
However, he said he had received a good response, and that many locals were familiar with him.
He also pledged to help Shah Alam resolve its perennial flood issue, which last year saw many parts of the state capital ravaged, causing billions of ringgit in losses.
He said there was a need for various agencies from both the state and federal governments to work together.
"The days of working in silos are long gone," he added.
Shah Alam has a population of over 430,000, with Malays making up 74% and Chinese and Indians representing 17% and 8% respectively.


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‘Am I patriotic enough for you?’ Asian-American veteran shows battle scars

An exasperated Asian-American ex-soldier who lifted his shirt and showed his scars to prove his patriotism in a town hall meeting has gone viral on social media.Lee Wong, 69, has been widely applauded for making a powerful statement about discrimination, reports the BBC.However, many others said Asian-Americans should not feel compelled to prove their loyalty to the US.Thousands of Asian-Americans have reported violent attacks or hate crimes in recent months, often linked to language that blames Asians for the spread of Covid-19.Wong, an elected official in West Chester, Ohio, was speaking at a meeting about the racism he has faced as an Asian in America.Addressing the meeting, he said, “I’m going to show you what questions about patriotism look like.”He stood up and bared his chest, showing large scars.“Here is my proof. This is sustained in my 20 years of service in the US Army. Is this patriot enough?” he asked.He then explained that people have questioned his loyalty to the US and suggested he did not “look American enough”.Wong moved to the US to study in the late 1960s, he told local media. He said he had been physically attacked as well as verbally abused.He called on colleagues in the town hall meeting to remember that the US constitution says all people are equal.A video of him has spread widely on social media, with many people using the hashtag #StopAsianHate.“It’s powerful and heart-breaking that someone like him, so experienced and committed, feels he has to bear his soul to get the point made,” wrote one Twitter user.Comedian and writer Jenny Yang applauded Wong for making the strong statement but added: “No one should have to prove how American they are to deserve dignity and respect.”And veteran Mansoor Shams, who tweets with the account MuslimMarine wrote, “No American should have to prove their patriotism to anyone.”


Nasa-SpaceX crew returns from record mission aboard International Space Station

Four astronauts safely returned on Monday from a record six-month Nasa science mission aboard the International Space Station, splashing down with their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule in the Gulf of Mexico at the end of a daylong flight home.The Dragon vehicle, dubbed Endeavour, parachuted into the sea off the Florida coast as planned just after 10.30pm EST on Monday, following a re-entry descent through Earth’s atmosphere carried live by a Nasa webcast.Real-time infrared thermal video imaging captured a glimpse of the capsule streaking like a meteor through the night sky over the Gulf minutes before splashdown.Applause was heard from the flight control center as the four main parachutes inflated above the capsule, seen drifting down toward the Gulf surface and slowing to about 24kph before dropping gently into the calm sea.“Endeavour, on behalf of SpaceX, welcome home to planet Earth,” a voice from the SpaceX flight control center in suburban Los Angeles was heard telling the crew as a safe splashdown was confirmed.“It’s great to be back,” one of the astronauts radioed in reply.The return capped 199 full days in orbit, the longest ever for an entire US-launched crew, according to Kathy Lueders, associate Nasa chief for space operations. It surpassed the previous 168-day record set by the predecessor SpaceX-Nasa mission earlier this year, she said.Within an hour of splashdown, the capsule was hoisted from the ocean to the deck of a recovery ship, and the four astronauts were seen emerging one by one from Endeavour’s hatch.Two Nasa astronauts on the flight – pilot Megan McArthur, 50, and mission commander Shane Kimbrough, 54 – were the first two out of the vehicle. They were followed by Japanese crew mate Akihiko Hoshide, 52, and fellow mission specialist Thomas Pesquet, 43, a French engineer from the European Space Agency.Each flashed smiles and a V-for-victory sign as they were helped onto waiting gurneys, unable to immediately bear their own weight after months in microgravity. They were to undergo brief medical checkups then be flown to shore via helicopter.Fiery re-entryOperating autonomously, the spacecraft began its eight-hour return voyage earlier in the day with a 90-minute fly-around of the space station as the crew snapped a series of survey photographs of the orbiting outpost, circling the globe some 400km above.The Crew Dragon then proceeded through a series of maneuvers over the course of the day to bring it closer to Earth ahead of its final night-time descent.Propelled by one last ignition of its forward rocket thrusters for a “de-orbit burn,” the capsule re-entered the atmosphere at about 27,359kph for a free-fall toward the ocean below, during which crew communications were lost for several minutes.Intense friction generated as the capsule plunged through the atmosphere slowed its descent while sending temperatures surrounding the outside of the vehicle soaring to 1,927 degrees Celsius. The bottom of the capsule is covered by a shield that dissipates the heat, preventing the spacecraft from incinerating.The four astronauts were launched to orbit atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 23.It was the third crew sent to the space station under Nasa’s fledgling public-private partnership with SpaceX, the rocket company formed in 2002 by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who also founded electric car maker Tesla Inc.The returning team was designated “Crew 2” because it marks the second “operational” crew that Nasa has launched aboard a SpaceX capsule since resuming human space flights from American soil last year, after a nine-year hiatus at the end of the US space shuttle program in 2011.The replacement team, “Crew 3,” was originally slated to fly to the space station at the end of October, but that launch has been delayed by weather problems and an unspecified medical issue involving one of the four crew members.


28 reported Covid deaths raise toll to 30,746

Another 28 Covid-related deaths were reported on Dec 8, taking the cumulative death toll in the country to 30,746.According to the health ministry’s Github data repository, four or 14.3% of these were brought-in-dead (BID) cases.Selangor had the highest number of reported deaths at six or 21.4% followed by Sabah with five or 17.9%.Johor reported three deaths while Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak and Penang reported two deaths each.Kelantan, Melaka, Terengganu and Kuala Lumpur reported one death each.No deaths were reported in Perlis, Sarawak, Labuan and Putrajaya.A total of 5,020 new cases were reported yesterday, taking the overall total to 2,673,019.As of yesterday, there were 60,878 active Covid-19 cases reported and 4,525 recoveries.


Perlis Umno, BN ready to go solo without PAS

Perlis Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) are ready to go solo without PAS in the 15th general election (GE15) if the party does not want to maintain the political cooperation forged through the Muafakat Nasional (MN) agreement.Perlis BN chairman Azlan Man said the state Umno was moving single-handedly and had never forged any cooperation with PAS.“There is no political cooperation between (Perlis) BN and PAS at the moment,” the state Umno liaison committee chairman told reporters in Kangar last night.Azlan, who is also Perlis menteri besar, said PAS seemed to have no concrete stand on whether to continue or end the MN charter by putting the blame on Umno through unnecessary statements issued by its leaders.“However, it all depends on the decision of the top Umno leadership,” he added.


Clarify Malaysia Madani tagline, opposition chief tells govt

Opposition chief Hamzah Zainudin today urged the coalition government led by Pakatan Harapan to clarify its Malaysia Madani tagline to prevent confusion among the people.
He said without a strong explanation, the concept could cause divisions, especially among academics and religious leaders.
He added that it was a good policy which emphasised sustainability, well-being, creativity, respect, confidence, kindness and mercy.
"So if the leaders are good, the nation is good as well. But if the leaders are corrupt and carry with them a wrong and irresponsible ideology, then the future of the people and country will be destroyed," he said in his debate on the decree of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at the opening of the Dewan Rakyat session yesterday.


Mexican drug gangs now murdering cops in their homes

Mexican drug cartel members have recently taken to targeting police officers in their homes and then torturing and killing them, according to a disturbing new report.The Jalisco cartel has vowed to wipe out members of an elite law enforcement force known as the Tactical Group in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, the AP reported on Sunday.The cartel even had a banner painted and hung from a building in Guanajuato city that declared: “If you want war, you’ll get a war. We have already shown that we know where you are. We are coming for all of you.”The message continued, “For each member of our firm that you arrest, we are going to kill two of your Tacticals, wherever they are, at their homes, in their patrol vehicles.”Gang members often kidnap members of the Tactical Group and torture them into giving up the addresses of their fellow cops, according to the AP.State officials have not confirmed how many officers have been killed in this way, but local media said at least seven have been killed on their days off so far in 2021.The most recent confirmed killing happened on Thursday, when an officer was kidnapped, killed, and his body dumped on a highway.Perhaps the most shocking violence was in January, when gunmen invaded the home of a female state police officer, killed her husband, dragged her away, tortured her and dumped her bullet-ridden body.The AP reports that an average of 75 state cops have been killed each year in Guanajuato state alone since 2018.Security analyst David Saucedo said, “A lot of officers have decided to desert. They took their families, abandoned their homes and they are fleeing and in hiding.”Earlier this month, state officials announced that they would fund “protection mechanisms” in the hope of preventing further killings.“Organised crime groups have shown up at the homes of police officers, which poses a threat and a greater risk of loss of life, not just for them, but for members of their families,” said a decree announcing the move.“They have been forced to quickly leave their homes and move, so that organised crimes gangs cannot find them.”State officials refused to further describe the protection measures, or comment on whether officers were to be paid to rent new homes, or if there were plans to construct special secure housing compounds for them and their families.The stepped-up violence is the latest headache for Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who took office in December 2018 promising to give the cartels “hugs, not bullets”, a reference to his policy of addressing social problems like youth unemployment that he says contribute to gang membership.In October 2019, Lopez Obrador ordered the release of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of notorious Sinaloa Cartel capo Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, after hundreds of cartel members attacked civil and military targets.Lopez Obrador defended his order by saying it was to prevent the loss of innocent lives.


Indonesia considering hiking fuel prices as much as 40%, lawmakers say

Indonesia may raise subsidised fuel prices by 30% to 40% to manage fiscal pressure from a ballooning subsidy budget, lawmakers from President Joko Widodo's ruling coalition government told Reuters on Friday.
Eddy Soeparno, a member of the National Mandate Party and deputy head of the parliament's energy committee, said he obtained the information in a closed-door parliamentary meeting with state oil company Pertamina earlier this week.
Southeast Asia's largest economy has already tripled its 2022 energy subsidy allocation from its original budget to 502 trillion rupiah (US$33.90 billion) – about 16% of total spending plans – amid rising global oil prices and a depreciating rupiah.
The government has said even more money would be needed for subsidies this year if fuel prices were not increased.
The option Pertamina preferred was to raise 90-octane gasoline prices to 10,000 rupiah (67.5 US cents) per litre from 7,650 rupiah; 92-octane gasoline to 16,000 rupiah per litre from 12,500 rupiah; and diesel to 7,200 rupiah per litre from 5,150 rupiah, Eddy said in an interview on Friday.
Pertamina also backed introducing some sales restrictions such as banning vehicles with larger engine capacities from purchasing subsidised fuels, he said.
"We see this (raising prices and restricting sales) as having the least detrimental effects for the people," Eddy said.
The price increase is estimated to add around 1.9 percentage points to the 2022 inflation rate, Eddy said.
Indonesia's inflation reached 4.94% in July, its highest in seven years, holding well-below rates seen in more advanced countries largely due to its fuel subsidies.
Sugeng Suparwoto, the chair of parliament's energy committee, confirmed details from the Pertamina meeting in a phone interview.
"We seek to maintain inflation at 7% until the end of the year," he said, adding that cash handouts would be provided to cushion the impact of any fuel price increases on the purchasing power of Indonesia's poor.
Irto Ginting, corporate secretary of Pertamina's retail distribution unit, declined to comment about the proposed price hikes, but noting that pricing decisions are for the government to make.
Officials with energy and economic ministries and the presidential palace did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Chief economic minister Airlangga Hartarto said earlier this week he would present all policy options this week to Jokowi, as the Indonesia president is widely known.
Indonesia's relatively low inflation has allowed the central bank to delay raising interest rates until this week, well behind its regional and global peers.
Some economists said Bank Indonesia's 25-bp rate hike, its first since 2018, was to front-run the announcement of the fuel price increase.
Other options being considered for price increase include setting 90-octane gasoline – Indonesia's most popular fuel – at 9,500 rupiah a litre and the other fuels also below Pertamina's preferred price points, Eddy said.
The price levels under consideration remain below refinery production costs previously given by the energy ministry, implying some level of subsidies.


65 victims still in hospital after LRT accident

A total of 65 victims injured in an accident involving two Kelana Jaya LRT line trains near the KLCC station last night are still receiving treatment at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL).Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Mohamad Zainal Abdullah said they comprised 29 men and 36 women.“Those who are receiving treatment at HKL involve six foreigners while the rest are locals,” he said when contacted.Yesterday, a total of 47 passengers suffered serious injuries while 166 escaped with minor injuries.The 8.45pm incident involved a train carrying passengers and an empty train which was being test-driven following a fault.The transport ministry has set up a special task force to investigate the cause of the incident.


Covid-19 brings silver lining for Sarawak's traditional medicine shops

Whenever Uncle Chang catches a cold, he knows what to do. He puts the kettle on the stove, adds a selection of herbs, and waits for the mixture to boil.
After it boils, he pours it into a teapot and sips the concoction throughout the day.
After nearly eight decades of running a traditional herbal tea shop near the Kuching city centre, Uncle Chang is well versed in which plants and leaves are best suited for treating a given ailment.
He has spent the majority of his life making herbal tea, first with his father who came over from China in 1930, and now with his son at the Khee Hiang Traditional Herbal Tea shop which has stood at the market bazaar in Jalan Padungan since 1946.
There, they brew herbal teas using formulas handed down through the family from generation to generation.
Each morning, Uncle Chang spends three hours at the stove, preparing the ingredients needed for four main types of herbal tea: Ba Xian Cha (non-bitter), Qing Ku Cha (mildly bitter), Feng Huo Cha (very bitter), and Pei Yao Cha. As he works, his son takes stock of the herbs and packages them for sale.
Prices range from RM1.50 to RM10, depending on the prescription and mixture of herbs required.
Like many other businesses throughout the country, the small shop suffered from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly the lockdowns which put a stop to the normal stream of customers.
"During the lockdowns, we had to close our shop," Uncle Chang recalled.
"We were only able to sell medicine to our regular customers who called me up to make their orders."
But gradually, as restrictions were eased and business began to improve, Uncle Chang noticed a change in his customer base.
Before the pandemic, he had catered to customers of all ages but primarily the elderly. Now, more and more young people are flocking to his shop as well, particularly to seek remedies for Covid-related symptoms.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Uncle Chang's son, Nolan, said they had received a steady stream of customers since Sarawak's last spike in cases in April.
"Nowadays, they are willing to go for these herbal teas as well," he said.
"There has been a rising trend, especially since March and April this year when Covid-19 cases began to increase. I was quite surprised."
These days, they sell their herbal mixtures on GrabFood as well, and orders have been on the rise.
"The number of customers ordering our herbal tea through Grab has increased since April," Nolan said.

Traditionally, Chinese herbal shops are frequented more by the older generation but the onset of Covid-19 has seen a shift in customer base to a younger demographic as well.

At another of the town's traditional Chinese medicine shops, a similar situation has been unfolding.
Winston, who runs Kok Ann Medical Store in Carpenter Street, has also seen an increase in customers coming in to buy herbs, tonics and supplements to boost the immune system and maintain respiratory health.
Customers have also been requesting Chinese herbs such as lingzhi and cordyceps, as well as herbal tonic soup packs to soothe the lungs and treat coughs.
"We have been receiving more customers looking for Chinese supplementary medicine," he Winston said.
"The age range is anywhere from 18 to 70."
Covid-19 recovery
Most of them come looking for medicine to reduce their body heat and boost their immune systems after Covid-19 infection.
"Instead of taking vitamins, they want herbal medicine," Winston added.
At his shop, the herbs are sold in packets of various sizes. One packet of medium-sized red berries, for example, goes for RM12.
"This depends on what the customer wants," Winston said. "If they want to buy more to keep as stock, they can buy the bigger packets."
The type of medication also depends on factors such as the customer's condition, age, gender and body type.
"Normally they have their own prescriptions," Winston said. "Sometimes it depends on how serious their condition is.
"But I can't prescribe specific ingredients for those recovering from Covid-19 as different patients have different immune systems."
Even for normal ailments, it takes years of experience to know which herbs work best for which condition. Just one packet of Pe Yo Chao herbal medicine which is used to help reduce body heat and bring balance to the body temperature comprises eight or nine different types of herbs, dried leaves and roots.
The Ji Gu Cho herbal medicine which helps to clear liver heat, meanwhile, contained four types of herbs.
Most of Winston's herbs come from China and Taiwan although some are also sourced locally from the peninsula. This latter group, however, is limited as production is not carried out in mass quantities.
By and large, his supplies have remained adequate although there have been instances in which his customers had to wait several weeks for the arrival of new stock.
And as with many other goods these days, the price of herbs has been on the rise.
For now, Winston is still able to cope with the rising costs. But Nolan fears that he will soon have to raise his prices.
"We usually order our stock in bulk, so right now we still have enough," he said.
"But I have heard that for new stock, prices are quite high."
The last time Nolan and his father raised their prices was in 2015.
"But I think we cannot cope with that level of price for much longer," he said. "I might have to increase our prices."
Tapping Sarawak's forests
The heavy reliance on imported herbs is due to some extent to the lack of a local herb production industry in Sarawak.
Despite the state's rich biodiversity, herbal production remains on a small scale.
Albert Lee Joo Hee, vice-secretary of the Federation of Chinese Medicine and Physicians Sarawak, said many of the required herbs are available in Sarawak's own forests.
"But we don't have the factories to process them," he added. "This is the most challenging part."
Dr Tan Kit Weng, president of the Federation of Sarawak Traditional Physicians and Complementary Medicine, agreed.
Tan, who has spent 46 years in the field, said Sarawak's forests should be explored and tapped for use in local herb production.
"The fruits and vegetables can be used, too, even the grass," he told MalaysiaNow.
He said the development of a local herb industry would benefit traditional practitioners in the state.
"In the old days, 100 years ago when we had no doctors and hospitals, people in villages depended on traditional medicine to cure their illnesses," he said.
"They used herbs and different techniques. No matter which type of traditional medicine, whether Chinese, Iban, Melanau, Bidayuh or Malay – each ethnicity has its own technique."


Aceh flogs 2 men caught having sex by neighbours

Two men have been publicly caned in the conservative Indonesian province of Aceh for having sex.Aceh, in the north of the island of Sumatra, is the only region of Indonesia that imposes Islamic shariah law, reports the Associated Press.The men were arrested in November after residents became suspicious and broke into their rented room where they were caught having sex, said Heru Triwijanarko, Aceh’s acting Sharia police chief.A shariah court last month sentenced each man to 80 strokes, but they were caned 77 times after remission for time spent in prison.Each received their punishment in front of a crowd in the capital Banda Aceh’s Tamansari city park.The men, aged 27 and 29, were whipped across the back and winced with pain as a team of five enforcers wearing robes and hoods took turns, relieving one another after every 40 strokes.The punishment was briefly halted and the men, both in their twenties, were allowed a drink of water before it continued, the BBC reports.The mother of one man fainted at the sight of her son being whipped.On the same day a woman and man were each given 20 lashes for being caught in close proximity to each other, and two men were given 40 lashes each for getting drunk.Homosexuality is not illegal anywhere else in majority-Muslim Indonesia, but Aceh was granted the right to practise shariah law as part of a peace deal with the Indonesian government in 2006 to end a decades-long separatist war.It’s the third time that Aceh has caned people for homosexuality since Islamic law was implemented in 2015 as a concession made by the government to end a long-running separatist rebellion.At the time, political leaders promised the law would not affect religious minorities and would respect international human rights.However, it has become an increasingly strict code and the shariah police have been accused of human rights violations and abuse of power.Shariah code allows up to 100 lashes for morality offenses including gay sex. Caning is also the punishment for adultery, gambling, drinking and for men who skip Friday prayers and women who wear tight clothes.


Pakistan's Imran Khan formally named in 'abetting' lawyer's drive-by murder

Pakistani police on Wednesday formally named former prime minister Imran Khan in connection with the murder by unknown gunmen of a lawyer seeking sedition proceedings against him.
Police registered an "abetment to murder" case against former cricket hero Khan, 70, who faces dozens of charges since his ouster in a parliamentary vote of confidence in April last year.
Khan, who has not been charged in connection with the lawyer's murder, has dismissed all the cases against him as concocted by his opponents.
Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party's information secretary, Rauf Hasan, did not respond to a request for comment.
Provincial government spokesman Babar Khan said Khan could face formal charges if and when the murder case goes to trial.
Abdur Razaq, the murdered lawyer, had filed a court petition seeking sedition proceedings against Khan for dissolving his government after the no-confidence motion.
Razaq was on his way to court on Tuesday when gunmen on a motorcycle shot and killed him, police said.
Razaq's son, Siraj Ahmad, also a lawyer, told police that his father had been killed by unknown men with the "abetment of the former prime minister", according to a police report filed by him and seen by Reuters.
It was not immediately clear how the link between unknown gunmen and Khan was made.
Last week, Khan was released on bail on terrorism charges of abetting violence against the military by his protesting supporters after he was arrested and detained on May 9 in a corruption case.
The embattled Khan is embroiled in a confrontation with the powerful military, which has ruled Pakistan directly or overseen civilian governments throughout its history.
His May 9 arrest sparked widespread protests by his supporters who ransacked military facilities, raising new worries about the stability of the nuclear-armed South Asian nation as it struggles with its worst economic crisis in decades.
Khan has appealed for talks to end the standoff with the military. The government has rejected his call.
Khan has accused the military and its intelligence agency of openly trying to destroy his party, saying he has "no doubt" he will be tried in a military court and thrown into jail.


US experts say militarily, Russian invasion a disaster so far

The Russian military’s initial invasion of Ukraine has been a surprising strategic and tactical blunder marked by food and fuel shortages, abandoned armored vehicles, aircraft losses and troop deaths, US experts say.But the failures of the first days, including vastly underestimating the Ukrainians’ willingness to fight back, could lead to a frustrated Moscow deciding to unleash all its power and indiscriminately destroying large swathes of Ukraine, they said.US specialists who study the Russian military say they have been astonished by the mismanagement of the campaign, which has seen invading columns stalled, apparently hundreds of Russian armored vehicles lost, and the Ukrainians preventing the Kremlin’s air force from controlling the skies.“If you were going to screw it up two or three weeks in, I might understand it,” said Scott Boston, a senior defense analyst at the Rand Corp. think tank.“But if you, like, tripped over the doorframe on the way into the house, you have another issue,” he said.‘Disaster, through and through’The Pentagon and private sector experts expected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s army to quickly destroy Ukraine’s ability to fight back, undermining its command and control of the 200,000-strong Ukraine military, wrecking its missile defenses and destroying Kyiv’s air force.None of that has happened in the first six days. And, although there are no reliable estimates of the dead, injured and captured Russian troops, the numbers appear to be much higher than what would have been expected in a well-managed invasion.“This is a colossal intelligence failure that vastly underestimated Ukrainian resistance, and military execution has been terrible,” Michael Vickers, former US Under Secretary of Defence for Intelligence, said this week at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.“His main attack has been underweighted. It’s been piecemeal. His reconnaissance elements have been captured, columns have been destroyed,” he said.“It’s just a disaster, through and through.”Aircraft lossesAn assessment by military experts of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Centre pointed to the crucial failure of the Russians to quickly seize and hold an airport just outside Kyiv.The fight over the airport left it likely too damaged to use as planned to invade Kyiv, they said.Moreover, they said, “Russian aircraft and helicopter losses have been surprisingly high and unsustainable,” because they did not destroy the Ukrainians’ air defenses.Also surprising was the limited or ineffective deployment of electronic warfare weapons, which most analysts expected would have a significant role in attacking the Ukrainians’ ability to communicate.“Were the Russians able to cut off Ukrainian military leaders from those they are commanding… Ukrainian air and air-defence forces would have been forced to fight in an uncoordinated fashion, making them less lethal and more susceptible to attack,” the Scowcroft Centre report said.Boston pointed out that the Ukrainians have continued to use their Turkish-made Bayraktar drones to destroy Russian armor.“If they got hit with the Turkish drones once or twice, okay,” he said.“If they got hit more than once or twice, something’s wrong on the Russian side.”Food shortagesPentagon spokesman John Kirby said that the Russians appeared to not coordinate well their sizable and diverse capabilities, or manage the logistics for the invasion.“We’re seeing indications here early on that though they have sophisticated combined arms capabilities, that they’re not being necessarily fully integrated,” he said.Equally surprising was their logistics shortcomings.“We’re seeing vehicles abandoned. We’re seeing sustainment problems not just in fuel but in food,” he said Wednesday.Boston, who has taken part in high-level war games focused on the Russian force, said there are signs they much of the force is young, undertrained for this kind of conflict, and probably unaware they were even going to war.He said it appeared, too, that the troops on the ground had no sense of what they were trying to do in invading Ukraine, with its longstanding ties to Russia.“If you don’t know what’s going on… you can’t adapt,” he said.None of the experts count the Russians out. The Russian force’s advance has stalled, but that could allow it to resolve its logistical problems, noted Kirby.And to the contrary, they expect Putin’s frustration over the first days could lead to his unleashing the full force of his artillery, missiles and air power on the Ukrainian population with devastating effect.“Russia still holds the overwhelming combat power advantages that will eventually grind down Ukrainian forces as the war continues,” said the Scowcroft Centre analysis.


Prolonged lockdowns, money issues behind rise in mental problems

Mental problems brought on after more than a year of changed routines due to lockdown measures have played out in a number of ways, with counsellors saying there have been cases of marriages ending in divorce as a result of the stress of being confined indoors, in addition to financial burdens.This comes in the wake of the latest findings of the National Health and Morbidity Survey, which said three in every 10 people aged 16 years and above have mental health issues.Professional counsellor Nur Liyana Abdullah, who has worked at the government’s Talian Kasih hotline, said changes in daily routines, which have marked people’s lives for more than a year, would indirectly affect their emotional state.“Usually they would spend time outside, eating out and meeting with work colleagues, going to the movies or just strolling outside to reduce stress,” she told MalaysiaNow.“But now, they spend the whole day at home and this limits them from doing the things that would ease their stress.”The latest findings of the National Health and Morbidity Survey say three in every 10 people aged 16 years and above have mental health issues.Liyana said a large number of calls she had handled on Talian Kasih were about depression as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.She told MalaysiaNow of instances where couples had taken out on each other their emotional stress due to financial problems, made worse by them spending while at home during the movement control order (MCO).She said many would fall into a state of depression and anxiety, and in serious cases, experience mental breakdowns.“There was a couple where the wife had had enough of the constant fights with her husband, after going through the loss of a job and trying to find ways to generate income.“As each of them was in a state of stress, they would often take their anger out on their children,” she said.Talian Kasih, a service by the women, family and community development ministry, primarily deals with issues concerning domestic violence and child abuse.It was reported that there had been a spike in the number of calls to Talian Kasih weeks after the first MCO was declared in March last year.Liyana said mental health issues and depression should not be taken lightly, adding that those who experience them must seek professional help.“People must realise that mental illness is just like other physical illnesses.”Consultant psychiatrist Dr Firdaus Abdul Gani however said there are reservations within society when it comes to talking about mental illness.She said it is wrong to equate mental illness with insanity, adding that problems associated with mental health take many forms including depression and anxiety.“People must realise that mental illness is just like other physical illnesses. It can be treated and there is a chance of recovery with suitable treatment,” said Firdaus, who is a committee member of the Malaysian Psychiatric Association.As things stand, though, she said there is a negative connotation to mental illness which discourages victims from seeking treatment.She said society must be educated about the signs of mental illness, adding that if left untreated, the victims would be a danger to those around them.“There is a possibility that patients who are emotionally disturbed will experience hallucinations and delusions, and could act out of bounds in the absence of treatment.”


Perak sultan grants early release to 2 prisoners

Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah has consented to the early release of two prisoners in conjunction with his 64th birthday celebration tomorrow.Perak Pardons Board secretary Ahmad Suaidi Abdul Rahim said the prisoners who were to be released on May 18, 2022 and June 24, 2023, would be granted an early release effective Nov 6.He said a total of 12 appeals were presented for consideration at the Pardons Board meeting last Thursday, chaired by Sultan Nazrin.“After considering the Malaysian Prisons Department report, the attorney-general’s views, and comments of the board members, the sultan was satisfied that the punishment which the two prisoners endured had taught them useful lessons to mend their ways,” Suaidi said at a press conference in Ipoh today.He said Sultan Nazrin had said that a sentence was imposed with the intention of teaching the community to uphold the country’s laws.He said Sultan Nazrin also said that a pardon or mitigation of a sentence decided by the court would only be considered if a prisoner had shown remorse and regretted committing the offence after apologising, behaving well while in custody, and showing determination to start a new life.


More thunderstorm, heavy rain warnings

Thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds are expected in several states until 7pm today, according to the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).MetMalaysia, in a statement issued at 1.15pm, said the areas involved are Perak (Kuala Kangsar, Kinta, Kampar, Batang Padang and Muallim); Selangor (Hulu Selangor, Gombak and Hulu Langat); Negeri Sembilan (Jelebu) and Kuala Lumpur.The same warning was issued until 5pm for Sarawak, in Kuching, Serian, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei, Sibu, Mukah, Kapit, Bintulu and Limbang.MetMalaysia has also issued a continuous rain warning at a severe level in Sabah, involving Sandakan (Telupid, Kinabatangan, Beluran and Sandakan), and Kudat until March 10.An alert level continuous rain warning was also issued for areas on the west coast of Sabah.


No such thing as ‘hitting a wife gently’

This statement is in response to the deputy minister of women and family community development’s (MWFCD) two-minute video advising husbands to physically “touch” their wives in a “soft but firm” way as featured in The Star’s article published on Feb 12.The recent video on “tips for husbands to advise their wives” by Siti Zailah is appalling. It is deplorable for a deputy minister of the women, family and community development ministry to make and share a video that supports women being treated as subservient, inferior beings who deserve to be disciplined and corrected in their character and behaviour.The video by Siti Zailah mentioning that husbands are allowed to strike their wives with a soft yet firm physical touch is dangerous and misleading as there is no such thing as a husband hitting a wife gently. Violence is violence and there is no justification on how a husband should “educate” or “reprimand” a wife.Furthermore, the narrative that a husband is allowed to educate his wife by hitting her gently arguably opens the door to violence especially since there has yet to be a wife who has complained that she has only been gently hit by her husband. In the last 30 over years that women’s groups have been advocating to end domestic violence, the narrative that a husband is allowed to gently beat his wife is no longer accepted nor tolerated, even in most Muslim-majority countries.Domestic violence is a pressing issue and must be addressed urgently. Our Telenisa line which provides free legal consultation on Islamic family law and shariah criminal offences law reported in Telenisa: Statistics and Findings 2020 that domestic violence is still the most stated reason for divorce at 23%.Domestic violence has consistently been one of the main reasons, and it remains as the most recorded reason for seeking divorce since 2019. Clients who experienced domestic violence in 2020 reported that they went through various types of violence or abuse during the pandemic. Reports of physical violence are tallied at 37%, psychological abuse at 31%, social abuse at 11%, financial abuse at 16%, and sexual violence at 5% (Reference: Telenisa: Statistics and Findings 2020 book)According to the MWFCD as reported in The Star on Sept 23, 2021, a total of 9,015 domestic violence cases were recorded since the start of the movement control order (MCO) in March 2020 until August 2021. The Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) also reported a high number of enquiries and calls through WAO SMS/WhatsApp enquiries (3,512) and telephone calls (3,599) in 2021.Is the deputy of MWFCD not worried about these high numbers? What action has she taken to address this and why was this video allowed in the first place?Unfortunately, the video by Siti Zailah displays that she is clueless on the lived realities of women and how to address women and children’s issues, especially domestic violence. She seems to still be blind and unaccepting of women’s lived realities. The rhetoric about husbands being allowed to discipline their wives is delivered without deep reflection and connection with the reality that women face. How can she be oblivious to the high reporting of domestic violence during the period of this pandemic?This video is also highly embarrassing for the MWFCD and the Perikatan Nasional government as it demonstrates that she is stuck in very old ways of interpretation and thinking about the status of women in relationships, and that they can never be regarded and treated as equals to her husband.Instead of acting her role as a deputy minister of the MWFCD to push for gender equality and address to end domestic violence that would relate to all women in Malaysia in our current context, she released a video that perpetuates and supports the treatment of women as unequal persons in marriage who may be subjected to discipline and correction by physical means.The MWFCD as well as the Perikatan Nasional government must realise that having a deputy minister of this calibre of thought about women and how they deserve to be treated is a huge liability and burden not only for them but for all of us as Malaysians.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Philippine police officer jailed for killing teens in rare drug war conviction

A Philippine police officer has been found guilty of killing two teenagers during former president Rodrigo Duterte's drug war, court documents showed Tuesday, in a rare conviction of one of the crackdown's enforcers.
During his six-year term, which ended in June 2022, Duterte openly ordered police to shoot dead drug suspects if officers' lives were in danger.
More than 6,200 people died in the anti-narcotics campaign, according to official figures, but rights groups estimate the actual figure was in the tens of thousands.
Only three police officers had previously been convicted for killing a suspect during the crackdown, which sparked an investigation at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
On March 1, a Manila court ruled that Jefrey Perez was guilty of murdering Reynaldo De Guzman, 14, and Carl Arnaiz, 19, in 2017, according to a verdict seen by AFP.
Perez was sentenced to a minimum 20 years behind bars.
He was already serving a lengthy jail sentence after being found guilty by a different court in November of torturing the two teenagers.
His co-accused, police officer Ricky Arquilita, died during the first trial. Both denied the charges.
De Guzman and Arnaiz were last seen together on August 17, 2017.
During the trials, a witness said he saw a police car parked on the side of a road and watched as a handcuffed Arnaiz alighted from the vehicle with hands raised, shouting "I will surrender" before the police officers shot him.
The body of De Guzman was found weeks later north of Manila. It had dozens of stab wounds.
President Ferdinand Marcos, who succeeded Duterte, has vowed to pursue the drug war but focus on prevention and rehabilitation.
However, rights groups say the killings have continued under his watch.
The ICC said in January it would resume its probe into the drug war because its pre-trial chamber was "not satisfied that the Philippines is undertaking relevant investigations that would warrant a deferral of the court's investigations".


World food prices fall again in June, UN says

The United Nations food agency's world price index fell in June to its lowest level in more than two years, pushed down by a drop in the cost of sugar, vegetable oils, cereals and dairy products.
The Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) price index, which tracks the most globally-traded food commodities, averaged 122.3 points in June against a revised 124.0 for the previous month, the agency said on Friday.
The May reading was originally given as 124.3.
The June score marked the lowest since April 2021 and meant the index is now 23.4% below an all-time peak reached in March 2022 following the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In a separate report on cereals supply and demand, FAO forecast world cereal production this year at 2.819 billion tonnes, slightly up on last month's estimate and a 1.1% increase on 2022 levels.
FAO said the higher forecast was almost entirely driven by better prospects for global wheat production, with the forecast lifted by 0.9% to 783.3 million tonnes.
FAO's cereal price index dropped by 2.1% in June from the prior month, with maize, barley, sorghum, wheat and rice prices all retreating.
The vegetable oil price index fell 2.4% month-on-month, hitting its lowest level since November 2020, driven by lower world prices of palm and sunflower oils, which more than more than offset higher soy and rapeseed oil quotations.
The sugar price index fell 3.2% from May, marking its first decline after four consecutive monthly increases, mainly triggered by the good progress of the 2023/24 sugarcane harvest in Brazil and a sluggish global import demand, FAO said.
The dairy price index slipped 0.8% from May while the meat index was virtually unchanged.


Mavcom truly in a quandary

It just warms the heart to see our corporate figures being so nice and responsible, but what makes your heart warmer is the response from the authority that is supposed to manage all these, when they issued a tough, loud and ferocious letter “to urge” the company to reconsider.What the CEO of the troubled airline was saying in the Nov 25 news report was basically blackmail. He was saying that if he is closed down, passengers get nothing, hoping that Mavcom will not close him down, and Mavcom duly responded with the “to urge” letter.Mavcom is in a real quandary now.On the one hand Mavcom has been claiming in a not-so-quiet manner that it exists to protect the flying public, among other things. Those “other things” are as murky as a glass of teh tarik but that’s another story. On the other hand here is a situation that is obviously not in the best interest of the consumer and which involves blatant blackmail. Mavcom is now between a rock and a hard place. Not a very enviable position.Now, what is a commission to do?Looking at Mavcom’s fine history over the years, they have passed down their learned judgments to close down quite a number of smaller and start-up airlines for far lesser offences as is the case now. What about the interest of passengers back then? Or the creditors. Or the staff and their families. Never mind all those collateral casualties. Mavcom knows best.Now along comes a major player, public listed no less. This airline has been bleeding from day one, did Mavcom not see that?Everybody worth his salt in aviation knows that long-haul low-cost doesn’t work, cannot work and no amount of make-believe can make it work. That concept has been tried and tested and it has failed. Freddie Laker tried it in the 70s plus several others in between then and now. All failed including the Icelandic WOW Air to mention one of the recent casualties.Giving them a licence and allowing them to operate is one thing but watching it bleed year after year and not doing anything until something like this happens is sad.Mavcom has been very quick to act to close down (nothing less) those smaller airlines in the past for the smallest and easily rectifiable reasons but in this case it has been a passive bystander. Mavcom has been so ineffective that a company that it is supposed to oversee now dares to come around and blackmail it in the popular press.But at long last it managed to issue a letter to urge to the airline to re-consider its decisions. One wonders if that is all that a commission can do with all the laws and legislations backing it. When once upon a time it was very quick to hand down judgments, one still wonders what changed. At the very least that is a clear misappropriation of authority, if not incompetence. Nobody knows what the higher end of that narrative is.So in the end, it’s the flying public who pays. Pays to Mavcom and pays the price. The very pitch that Mavcom has been shouting is now bare for all to see.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Sorry.


'Temples will be destroyed, so stop the Mongols': Guan Eng warns Penangites against 'green wave'

DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng has raised the spectre of the destruction of Buddhist temples as well as a ban on non-Muslim lifestyles in Penang if the "green wave" arrives in the state, China Press reports.
The Chinese-language daily quoted the former Penang chief minister as saying that "if the green wave doesn't like the temples they see, they would destroy it".
"But as long as Penang remains the same, people can still worship the gods and Buddha," Lim said while attending the Tian Fu Gong White Dragon King Tour event in Jelutong yesterday.
[Editor's note: China Press has since amended this quote, adding the word "Indian" and removing the word "Buddha", to read: "If the green wave doesn't like the Indian temples they see, they would destroy them. But as long as Penang remains the same, people can still worship their gods."]
The term "green wave" is used by DAP leaders to describe Perikatan Nasional (PN) and its gains in the general election last year, alluding to the Islamist party PAS' signature green colour.
Lim condemned those in Penang who support the "green wave" as "traitors and rebels" who will be cursed and "leave a foul stench for thousands of years".
The former chief minister warned that Penang would be eliminated under the rule of the "green wave" and made part of Kedah.
He also compared such a scenario to the storming of the Mongols, the devastating event that took place throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, which saw the spread of the Mongol empire in China and was regarded as one of the most violent military invasions in history.
Painting Penang as the Ming Dynasty China facing the invading Manchu army, Lim said: "We are the people of Penang, not Wu Sangui."
Wu Sangui was a general who betrayed the Ming Dynasty by letting the Manchu army conquer China.
"Don't lead Qing (Manchu) soldiers into the border," Lim continued, as quoted by China Press.
He further said that the "green wave" would ban liquor, gambling, shorts and unisex hairdressing salons.
"As long as Penang is still ruled by the same government, everything can remain the same, otherwise in the future, people may also have to wear clothes when taking a shower.
"The 'green wave' is very dangerous. If we're not careful, the basic rights of the people will be exploited. So we should protect Penang," the daily reported him as saying.


Parents fuelling pandemic-season obesity among kids

As the country continues to battle the spread of Covid-19 within communities, a nutritionist has warned of another, more insidious, health problem lurking alongside the virus: a rise in obesity among children who are fed unhealthy meals during the movement control order (MCO) period.According to a report by the School of Medical Sciences at Universiti Sains Malaysia, one in five children in Malaysia is overweight – one of the highest rates of obesity in Southeast Asia.Farah Farhana Hashim, a dietician at a private hospital, said the current problem is partly due to parents feeding their children fried snacks or sweets to help them stay focused during home-based learning sessions.At school, she said, children are given a 20-minute break to eat. But with online learning or PdPR, snacks can be had at any time to ward off boredom or sleepiness.“Parents should cut back on frozen food like nuggets and sausages if their kids become addicted to them,” she said.Snacks like fruits and nuts make a healthy alternative and can help children stay focused on their lessons, she added.The World Population Survey 2019 states that Malaysia has a higher rate of obesity – 15.6% – than Brunei (14.1%), Thailand (10%) and Indonesia (6.9%).The National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019 meanwhile shows that 15% of children aged five to 17 are overweight while 14.8% are considered obese.Farah said obesity is especially a problem among children from the B40 or bottom income group and those living in rural areas.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, she said the problem is due to the quantity rather than the quality of food consumed.The National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019 shows that 15% of children aged five to 17 are overweight while 14.8% are considered obese.“For example, a child with RM10 might spend it on a single type of food,” she said.“But children from the B40 group and in rural areas tend to buy cheap food in large quantities.”She urged parents to keep an eye on their children’s health to prevent them from developing chronic conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol and breathing difficulties at a young age.“Be aware of physical changes in your children such as dark spots on the neck and on skin folds.“These dark spots may be itchy – they’re not grime but early signs of chronic diseases like high cholestrol,” she said, adding however that some illnesses can be cured by weight loss.But children are not the only ones at risk of putting on unwanted weight during the MCO. Adults, too, can pack on the pounds thanks to unhealthy eating habits and a lack of physical activity.This is a problem as obesity can lead to other non-communicable diseases as well such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart failure, and kidney and liver disease.Ruzita Abd Talib from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said people must control their appetites and exercise regularly, adding that weight management depends on individual attitudes.But she also sees a silver lining in this phase of MCO.“The current MCO is different from the last time because now people have begun involving themselves in sports and leisure activities,” the health sciences lecturer told MalaysiaNow.


Widow of ex-minister Jamaluddin in bid to amend RM1 billion matrimonial asset suit

Kalsom Ismail, the widow of Jamaluddin Jarjis, a former minister who was killed in a helicopter crash in 2015, has filed an application to amend her suit against her four children and mother-in-law over matrimonial property worth RM1 billion.Syarie lawyer Sulaiman Abdullah, representing Kalsom as the plaintiff, said he would amend the statement of a claim involving several assets, including real estate.“The plaintiff’s application to get the court’s permission to amend the suit will be heard on May 17,” he said when met by reporters after case mention before Shariah High Court registrar Hadi Hamat.Meanwhile, syarie lawyer Nur Hidayah A Bakar, representing Jamaluddin’s mother, Aminah Abdullah, 88, who is the fifth defendant in the case, said the plaintiff had filed the application on March 25.According to Nur Hidayah, the amendment will involve real estate in Boston, which will be removed from the statement of claim.“Apart from that, shares in Rantai Wawasan Sdn Bhd, the issue of indirect contributions related to the care of Jamaluddin when he was suffering from leg pain and issues related to land in Selangor will be included in the amended statement of claim,” she said.Kalsom, 66, filed a matrimonial property claim including 20 properties in Malaysia, the US, Mecca and several companies in October 2018, naming her children – Ikwan Hafiz, Nur Anis, Nurul Alyaa, Noor Adilla – and her mother-in-law Aminah as defendants.On April 4, 2015, Jamaluddin, who was also the former Malaysian ambassador to the US, was killed after the helicopter he was travelling in from Pekan, Pahang, to Kuala Lumpur, crashed at Kampung Sungai Pening, Semenyih in Selangor.His pilot Captain Clifford William Fournier, former prime minister Najib Razak’s private secretary Azlin Alias, businessman Tan Huat Seang, Jamaluddin’s personal aide Razakan Seran and a woman known as Aidana Baizieva were also killed.


Over 90 killed in Sierra Leone fuel tanker explosion

A massive fireball sparked by a fuel tanker explosion killed 92 people in Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown, the West African country’s vice president said on Saturday.Hospitals were treating 88 more people for severe burns, said Vice-President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, who arrived at the scene on Saturday.According to witnesses, the blast happened on Friday night when a fuel tanker collided with another truck at a petrol station.The flames then spread, burning people in cars and on roads nearby.The majority of the victims were street vendors and motorcyclists, many of whom were caught in the blaze while trying to retrieve fuel, according to volunteer worker Jusu Jacka Yorma who was at the scene.A nurse at a hospital where victims were sent told AFP that many women, men and children had sustained “serious injuries”.Rescue operations continued under police supervision on Saturday, an AFP correspondent said.Contrary to some initial reports, a fuel depot near the accident did not explode, the correspondent added.Hundreds of people gathered at the scene of the tragedy, many searching for missing relatives under the eye of security forces.Video footage showed a burnt-out tanker and a truck, and the surrounding area littered with husks of vehicles, some still smouldering.“Deeply disturbed by the tragic fires and the horrendous loss of life,” President Julius Maada Bio wrote on Twitter.“My profound sympathies with families who have lost loved ones and those who have been maimed as a result. My government will do everything to support affected families.”The United Nations office in Sierra Leone expressed its “deepest condolences” to the victims.“The UN family closely monitors the situation and stands ready” to help with the response to the fire,” it said in a statement.‘Harrowing’ footageFreetown mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr said she was “deeply saddened” by the explosion.“The video and photo footage making rounds on social media are harrowing,” she wrote on Facebook.“The extent of damage to property is unknown,” she said, adding she was unable to visit the scene because she was travelling abroad.Accidents involving petrol tankers have happened before in Sierra Leone, one of the poorest countries in the world.In other parts of Africa, similar incidents have also left many dead as people gather to collect leaking fuel.In 2009, more than 100 people were killed when a petrol tanker overturned northwest of Kenyan capital Nairobi and an explosion burnt those gathering to try and grab some of the fuel.At least 100 people were killed when a tanker exploded in Tanzania in 2019, while in 2015 more than 200 perished in a similar accident in South Sudan.In July this year, 13 people were killed and others seriously burnt when a “huge fireball” engulfed a crowd in Kenya as they siphoned fuel from an overturned petrol truck that ignited without warning.


Rosmah’s lawyers told to prioritise case after delay in trial conclusion

High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan today reminded the lawyers representing Rosmah Mansor in her corruption case on a solar energy project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak to give priority to the trial, which is supposed to end today.Zaini also told the defence to adjourn all other matters and to give priority to the case.This happened after the judge was informed of the absence of Siti Azizah Sheikh Abod, a former special officer to former prime minister Najib Razak, who was supposed to be cross-examined by the prosecution today.Siti Azizah is the last witness for the defence after Najib was dropped from Rosmah’s witness list.“That changes everything. It was supposed to be the last day of the trial. I accept your explanation. I know you are all busy counsels… you have busy matters but I urge you to write to the courts and adjourn your matters.“This matter (Rosmah’s solar case) is to be given priority. It’s a criminal matter and it involves the last witness,” Zaini said.Earlier, lawyer Azrul Zulkifli Stork informed the court that Siti Azizah could not appear to testify today as she was still undergoing a home supervision and observation order after returning from the umrah pilgrimage in Mecca.He said according to the original schedule, Siti Azizah was supposed to return home on Jan 27, but her flight from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur was postponed to Jan 29.“This caused the quarantine period to end tomorrow (Feb 5),” he added.Senior deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram told the court that the prosecution would not take long to cross-examine the last witness.“If it is any consolation, I will only take an hour and a half (for cross-examination),” he added.Zaini then adjourned the trial to Feb 15.On Feb 18 last year, the High Court ordered Rosmah to enter her defence for three corruption charges involving the solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in proving a prima facie case against her.Rosmah, 70, faces one charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two charges of accepting bribes amounting to RM6.5 million from former Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.The bribe was allegedly received through her former special officer Rizal Mansor, as a reward to help Jepak Holdings obtain the integrated solar photovoltaic hybrid system project as well as the genset/diesel maintenance and operation for 369 schools worth RM1.25 billion through direct negotiations from the education ministry.


PN pledges more allocations for public health, commission to tackle doctor woes

Perikatan Nasional (PN) says it will form a health services commission to tackle the problems faced by doctors and boost allocations for the health sector if it succeeds in forming the government after the Nov 19 polls.
The commission is among the offers in its manifesto to address staffing issues and bullying cases, as well as tackle the lack of specialists doctors.
The matter of permanent positions for government doctors previously culminated in a strike by contract medical officers  at a number of major hospitals in July last year.
The health sector was also shaken by the issue of trainee doctors being bullied, to the point where many decided to quit their jobs.
The lack of specialist doctors meanwhile had been raised by medical associations in the country which said the situation would hurt the country.
In its manifesto, PN also vowed to raise health allocations in stages, from 5% of the GDP, to improve the quality of health services.
A special tax exemption of RM3,000 for sports and recreational activities to encourage a healthy lifestyle was also included in the manifesto.
PN also said it would prepare a special fund to speed up maintainance works at hospitals and increase the number of specialists in addition to raising the level of district hospitals.
The PN manifesto, themed “Malaysia Gemilang”, vows a caring, clean and stable government.
It contains 12 core issues, with 30 approaches and 234 offers, of which 14 are related to the health sector.
Other issues include an efficient public transportation network, sufficient parking facilities at hospitals, and the expansion of community nursing services for paralysed patients and special needs children.


Syrian regime organised feared ghost militias, war crimes researchers say

In the early years of Syria's brutal conflict, top government officials established and directed paramilitary groups known as shabbiha to help the state crack down on opponents, war crimes investigators have documented.
In a report shared with Reuters, the Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA) published seven documents its investigators said showed that the highest levels of Syria's government "planned, organised, instigated and deployed" the shabbiha from the start of the war in 2011.
UN investigators in 2012 concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe shabbiha militias committed crimes against humanity, including murder and torture, and war crimes such as arbitrary arrest and detention, sexual violence and pillaging.
CIJA's cache does not contain direct written orders to commit atrocities.
The Syrian government did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters. It has previously blamed opposition fighters for several mass killings studied by CIJA in the report. The government has not publicly commented on the shabbiha, which means ghosts in Arabic, or whether it had any role in organising the groups.
Dating from as early as January 2011 - the first days of the protests against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's rule - the documents detail the creation of so-called Popular Committees, groups that incorporated regime supporters already known as shabbiha into the security apparatus, and trained, instructed and armed them, the report said.
The documents include instructions on March 2, 2011 from military intelligence to local authorities via Security Committees run by Assad's Baath party leaders to "mobilise" informers, grassroots organisations and so-called friends of the Assad government. In further documents in April they are ordered to form them into Popular Committees.
They also contain instructions in April, May and August, 2011 to Popular Committees from the newly-established Central Crisis Management Committee (CCMC), a mix of security forces, intelligence agencies and top officials that reported directly to Assad, the report said.
One of the CCMC's first directives, dated April 18, 2011, and included in full in the report, ordered the Popular Committees to be trained on how to use weapons against demonstrators, as well as how to arrest them and hand them over to government forces.
A German regional court in 2021, in a case against a Syrian intelligence services official, said in its judgment the CCMC was established in March 2011, reporting to Assad as an ad hoc body composed of senior leaders of the security forces.
A US district court found in 2019 in a civil case that Assad himself established the CCMC, which the court called "the highest national security body in the Syrian government" and "comprised of senior members of the government".
Reuters reviewed seven documents made available in full in the CIJA report, which was due to be published later on Tuesday.
The report also draws on dozens of other papers, which were collected from government or military facilities after territory fell to the rebels. CIJA has not released all the documents it quotes from, saying some are being used in ongoing investigations in European countries.
The documents showed the government created the militias "from day one", rather than latching onto pre-existing grassroot groups, as scholars of the Syrian war previously thought, said Ugur Ungor, an expert on Syrian paramilitaries and a professor of Holocaust and Genocide studies at the Dutch NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies, who has reviewed the documents in CIJA's new report.
Paper trail
Some human rights scholars who have studied the role of the shabbiha in the Syrian war say the Assad regime initially used the groups to distance itself from violence on the ground.
"The regime did not want the security forces and army to be pictured doing these things," said Fadel Abdul Ghany, chair of the Syrian Network for Human Rights, a UK-based advocacy group.
No shabbiha members have been brought to trial in international courts. Ghany, who reviewed the documents, said they could help build such cases.
"Here you have the paper trail that shows how these units were mobilized", one of CIJA's directors, Nerma Jelacic, told Reuters.
CIJA is a nonprofit founded by a veteran war crimes investigator and staffed by international criminal lawyers who have worked in Bosnia, Rwanda and Cambodia. Its evidence on Syria has previously been used in court cases against regime officials conducted in Germany, France, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Nine massacres
CIJA named nine massacres in Syria the reports said involved pro-government militias, including in the neighbourhood of Karm al-Zeytoun in the city of Homs in March 2012.
One Syrian man, who asked not to be named as he feared reprisals against relatives still living in government-held zones in Syria, told Reuters his wife and five children were among those killed there.
"The shabbiha put them up against the wall, tried to violate them, then shot them," he said. At the time, he had joined a rebel group and was in a nearby district, al-Adawiya - where another massacre had just taken place, also cited by CIJA.
"The moment I heard that my kids were dead, I was holding a six-month-old baby that had just been killed in Adawiya. So, I was imagining what had happened to my kids," he said, speaking by telephone from within a rebel-held enclave in northern Syria.
Reuters was not able to independently confirm his account.
The CIJA documents showed tensions between some branches of the security forces and some Popular Committees as reports of abuses spread - but rather than rein-in the militias, the security forces issued instructions to not oppose them.
CIJA's Syria team of 45 people studied the documents to detail the growth of the shabbiha groups from neigbourhood-level loyalist groups to a well-organised militia and later a parallel wing of the army called the National Defence Force (NDF). Reuters earlier reported on the 2012 creation of the NDF.
While there is no international war crimes court with jurisdiction over Syria's conflict, there are a number of so-called universal jurisdiction cases in countries like the Netherlands, Sweden, France and Germany which have laws allowing them to prosecute war crimes even if they are committed elsewhere.
Ghany said the documents were "necessary" pieces of evidence linking the shabbiha to the state in international justice cases.
"These documents make it possible to pursue people legally - if there are individuals in European countries, then a case can be brought against them," he told Reuters.


US to give 80 million vaccine doses to priority nations, 75% via Covax

President Joe Biden outlined his plan Thursday for the first of 80 million coronavirus vaccine doses that the US will distribute globally before July, with 75% of shots disbursed via the Covax programme.In a fact sheet, the White House said that for the doses shared through Covax, Washington would prioritise countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia, and Africa as it aims to help stave off fresh surges of infections.“We are sharing these doses not to secure favours or extract concessions,” Biden said in a statement.“We are sharing these vaccines to save lives and to lead the world in bringing an end to the pandemic, with the power of our example and with our values.”Earlier this year, Biden pledged to export 60 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to countries around the world – then bumped it up to 80 million.The commitment came amid pressure from other governments to use the US’ large vaccine surplus to help struggling nations now that significant progress has been made in rolling out vaccinations at home.“The process to export the first 25 million is underway,” White House Covid-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients told reporters.“We will deliver on the president’s commitment of 80 million doses by the end of June.”He said the first tranche is coming from the federal supply of doses and will be comprised of a combination of the three vaccines with current US emergency use authorization: Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech.A vaccine created by AstraZeneca has yet to earn US authorisation but is in use elsewhere.Covax is an international scheme cofounded by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the vaccine alliance Gavi intended to get enough vaccines for 30% of the population in 92 of the poorest participating territories – 20% in India – with donors covering the cost.Gavi quickly welcomed Biden’s step, with its chief executive Seth Berkley saying, “This announcement allows us to quickly get more doses to countries in a strained global supply climate” and move towards ending the acute phase of the pandemic.WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus weighed in to say he was “very appreciative” of the US move.‘Flexibility’According to the US plan, of its first 25 million doses, about seven million are allocated for Asia, especially India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Vietnam.Some six million are allocated to nations in South and Central America and the Caribbean, including Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica and Haiti.Five million are reserved for Africa and will be distributed in coordination with the African Union, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.The remaining six million doses will be shared directly with countries experiencing surges or that are in crisis, as well as with neighbours Canada and Mexico and “partner recipients” such as South Korea, Ukraine, Gaza and Iraq.Sullivan stressed the US wants to “retain some flexibility” about allocating doses outside the Covax formula as necessary.“As we draw on the experience of distributing the vaccine doses announced today, we will have more details to provide about how future doses will be shared,” Biden said.India expressed gratitude, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeting he spoke with US Vice-President Kamala Harris after the announcement.“I deeply appreciate the assurance of vaccine supplies to India as part of the US Strategy for Global Vaccine Sharing,” Modi said.Covax was set up to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines, particularly to low-income countries.Covax has already delivered nearly 80 million doses to 127 territories, with AstraZeneca shots making up 97% of doses supplied so far – the rest being Pfizer-BioNTech.


Shafee looking to delay claim, LHDN says on RM9.41 million tax arrears

The Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) has appealed to the Kuala Lumpur High Court to set aside Muhammad Shafee Abdullah’s application for a stay of proceedings in relation to its suit against him seeking payment of income tax arrears amounting to RM9.41 million, saying the lawyer’s intention is to delay the claim.The matter was stated in the affidavit in reply sworn by LHDN’s Control Unit principal assistant director Shamsul Effendi Khamis, obtained by the media through a search of the court system.LHDN, in filing the affidavit on Jan 26 on behalf of the government as the plaintiff, claimed that Shafee had also abused the court process.“If this happens (stay of proceedings is allowed) the rights of the plaintiff and Malaysians will be denied and seriously prejudiced,” it said.It also said te government needs adequate revenue for the development and smooth administration of the country as well as to look after the welfare of the people and address the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic which has led to healthcare crisis and economic uncertainty.The court has set case management before senior assistant registrar Noordura Mohamed Din on Feb 16.On Nov 3 last year, Shafee filed an application to temporarily suspend proceedings pending the disposal of his appeal to the Special Commissioners of Income Tax of Malaysia, in addition to other special circumstances to suspend the proceedings.The lawyer said the application was also filed pending the outcome of the application by Najib Razak and his son Nazifuddin on the payment of income tax amounting to RM1.69 billion and RM37.6 million respectively to LHDN, to be heard in the Federal Court on Feb 16.On Sept 27, 2021, LHDN requested that the suit against Shafee be decided through summary judgment, whereby the court decides without hearing the testimonies of witnesses.LHDN filed the suit against Shafee on May 6, 2021, claiming that the lawyer had not settled the payment of tax arrears for five assessment years from 2011 to 2016.Shafee, who is representing Najib in the case involving the misappropriation of SRC International and 1MDB funds, is also facing two charges of receiving RM9.5 million in proceeds from unlawful activities from Najib, and two charges of making false declarations to LHDN.


Debate over vaccinating low-risk teens as US says ‘ready to move’

President Joe Biden wants 70% of American adults to have received at least one shot of a Covid-19 vaccine by the July 4 holiday, and has made vaccinating adolescents a key part of the next phase of the country’s immunisation campaign.But targeting US teens is a controversial move among many experts, who argue it is a serious mistake to use the world’s limited supply of doses on a low-risk population while the pandemic surges in countries like India and Brazil.Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said in March their two-dose regimen was shown to be safe and highly effective in a trial of 2,260 12-to-15-year-olds.An emergency use authorisation is expected in the coming days, and Biden told White House reporters Tuesday that “if that announcement comes, we are ready to move immediately”.The president’s address comes as the nation’s immunisation campaign is stalling after hitting a peak in early April.More than 56% of adults have received one or more shots, but as the rate of uptake falls, officials are devising new ways to reach vaccine hold-outs.These will include discounts to shoppers who get vaccinated at grocery stores, promotions for fans at sports stadiums, and more vaccines at rural health clinics, said Biden.The federal government is also working on a programme with pharmacies and paediatricians nationwide to reach the country’s estimated 17 million 12-to-15-year-olds ahead of school reopening in fall.‘Terrible error’ Many experts have, however, voiced concern whether now is the right moment to reach this group as the global situation deteriorates.The issue of vaccine disparity has been brought into sharp focus by India, which reported 350,000 new cases Tuesday and recorded nearly 3,500 deaths – more than anywhere in the world.“The overwhelming majority of 15-year-olds, we know are not at high risk of severe complications from Covid,” ER doctor Craig Spencer, director of Global Health in Emergency Medicine at Columbia University, told AFP.“It is absolutely raging around the world and we’re talking about how we’re going to vaccinate an incredibly low-risk population, when the overwhelming majority of healthcare workers around the world have zero protection,” he said.Priya Sampathkumar, chair of Infection Prevention & Control at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, added that beyond being an ethics issue, exporting more vaccines was in America’s own best interest.“Vaccinating more people in the US is not going to help us if the variants in India, Nepal and South Asia get out of control and hit our shores,” she told AFP.The US has pledged to release up to 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but the experts believe much more can be done.“I think if you vaccinate 12-to-15-year-olds in the US before you vaccinate 70 year olds globally, you’re making a terrible error,” UCSF physician and epidemiologist Vinay Prasad told AFP.Israel’s experience had shown that it is possible to achieve a “remarkable reduction” in cases without targeting teens, he added.Low riskSampathkumar explained that the main reason to vaccinate teens is to drive down transmission – a goal which she agreed with, though with US cases declining, it is a question of timing.Statistics show children are at extremely low risk from severe Covid.In the US, under-18s have accounted for 277 deaths in total, according to the latest official data, a miniscule fraction of the total of 574,000.There have been a further 36 deaths from multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a rare but serious post-viral disease.Still, low risk isn’t no risk, and paediatrician Lee Beers, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, welcomed the arrival of a vaccine for children.She called vaccinating teens “an important tool in our toolbox for safe return to schools,” saying it may “increase the comfort for many families and school staff”.Figures aggregated by the data company Burbio shows 67.1% of US school students are attending schools in-person, while 29.6% are in a “hybrid” set-up combining in-person and remote classes, and 3.3% are learning virtually.But Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins, said that the government’s own research had shown it is entirely possible to reopen schools safely without vaccines.“It’s just another barrier that’s been falsely erected to stand in the way of returning kids to education,” she stressed.Nuzzo added global hotspots should be the priority.“It’s not good for kids in the long run if we just let this virus spread unchecked across the globe,” she said.


Zahid never promised MyEG project to businessman, lawyer tells court

The High Court was told today that Ahmad Zahid Hamidi never promised a textile wholesaler any MyEG project in return for RM13 million given to him in 23 cheques via law firm Messrs Lewis & Co, the trustee of his charity outfit Yayasan Akalbudi.Lead counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, representing Zahid, submitted that textile wholesaler Junaith Asharab Md Shariff, the 36th prosecution witness, had testified under oath that the 23 cheques amounting to RM13 million were not given as a bribe or inducement.“Junaith in his testimony said it was rather his personal contribution or donation for religious or charitable purposes, namely to build a mosque and a tahfiz school.“Charges number 12 and 13, out of the 47 charges faced by my client, cannot stand as the evidence has shown that the RM13 million tied to the charges was meant for the construction of a mosque and a tahfiz school in Bagan Datuk,” he said in his submission at the end of the prosecution’s case before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.The 12th charge against Zahid is for allegedly having received a bribe from Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services in the form of 13 RHB Islamic Bank Bhd cheques for RM8 million belonging to Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services through Junaith via the Maybank account of Lewis & Co.The 13th charge meanwhile accuses Zahid of having received a bribe from Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services in the form of 10 RHB Islamic Bank Bhd cheques for RM5 million belonging to Berani & Jujur Trading through Junaith via the Maybank account of Lewis & Co.Zahid is accused of having committed these two offences as an inducement to assist Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services to secure MyEG projects handled by the home ministry.Hisyam then referred the court to Junaith’s witness statement which stated that he (Junaith) and Zahid’s brother Mohamad Nasaee Ahmad Tarmizi went to see Zahid at his residence to deliver the cheques for the purpose of building the mosque and tahfiz school.“During the cross-examination of Junaith, he also confirmed that the respective 13 and 10 cheques from two companies, Mastoro Kenny and textile company Berani dan Jujur Trading, run by him, were for charitable and donation purposes.“In fact, upon cross-examination, Junaith also confirmed that the accused never promised him any MyEG project,” he said.Zahid, 68, is facing 47 charges – 12 of criminal breach of trust, eight of corruption and 27 of money laundering – involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.As for the 26th money laundering charge, Zahid is accused of having committed the offence by allegedly being engaged directly in a transaction involving proceeds from a lawful activity by giving instruction for the purchase of two property lots using a RM5.9 million cheque issued by Messrs Lewis & Co.The defence will continue its submission on Sept 20.