US experts to review heart problems among teens after Covid shots

A panel of experts convened by the top US health agency will hold a meeting Wednesday to review data surrounding more than 300 confirmed cases of heart muscle inflammation among adolescents and young adults after receiving mRNA Covid vaccines.The committee, hosted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will hear a risk-benefit analysis as researchers explore whether the shots can cause myocarditis, as well as cases of inflammation of the heart lining, pericarditis.Israel first was the first country to identify a possible link.“These cases are rare, and the vast majority have fully resolved with rest and supportive care,” said CDC director Rochelle Walensky last week ahead of the meeting, which was initially scheduled for last Friday but postponed because of a new public holiday.The cases that have been confirmed were investigated following initial reports to vaccine safety monitoring systems, and come from more than 20 million adolescents and young adults that have been vaccinated, added Walensky.While 300 out of 20 million is a small number, it is still likely higher than what would otherwise be expected for the age group.A previous meeting on the issue convened on June 10 by the Food and Drug Administration heard that most of the cases were among young men and occurred within a week of the second dose.The new CDC hearing will dive deeper into updated data that has been independently verified, rather than being self-reported.Mostly mild casesLorry Rubin, director of paediatric infectious diseases at Cohen Children’s Medical Center told AFP: “I’m concerned, but I’d emphasise that cause and effect has not yet been established.”He said that his own hospital had seen a few cases of adolescent males developing chest pain a day or two after the second dose of an mRNA vaccine.The Pfizer vaccine is currently the only shot authorised in adolescents aged 12 and up.“On the other hand, the cases have been relatively mild,” added Rubin, with the patients returning to normal within a few days after treatment with medicine like ibuprofen.Myocarditis is known to be seasonal, with higher incidence in summer months potentially linked to enteroviruses, and is estimated to affect one per 100,000 children per year.Even if a causal link to the vaccines is established, Rubin said it should be weighed against the risks to children from Covid.While children are less affected than adults, the virus has still hospitalised more than 3,000 children in the US over the course of the pandemic, and led to more than 300 deaths, according to official data. Some 2,700 people under-30 have died from Covid.“We’ve actually had more kids infected with Covid that we know who have had long term impacts, some of whom have been quite ill with cardiac symptoms in the hospital,” stressed Lee Savio Beers, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.Other experts have adopted a more cautious line.Monica Gandhi, an infectious diseases and public health expert at the University of California San Francisco, said that the United States had gone beyond some other countries’ recommendations on vaccinating teens.These include Germany and Israel, which only recommend vaccinating adolescents who are at high risk, while Britain is still examining the data and hasn’t yet reached a decision.“It’s a new vaccine, it’s been increasingly elevated as a concern, and all other countries except for us have done something that errs on the side of safety,” she told AFP, adding she was holding off having her 13-year-old child receive a second dose until she learns more.


Why Muhyiddin’s PN deserves a chance in the Johor election

Of the three main coalitions slugging it out in the March 12 Johor election, Perikatan Nasional (PN) appears to be lagging behind the resource-rich Barisan Nasional and the more established Pakatan Harapan.However, as a Johorean, I am rooting for PN. One big reason is because it is led by Muhyiddin Yassin.Many things have been said about the country’s eighth prime minister, including labels like “backdoor PM” or the mastermind of the “Sheraton Move”. But there’s more to Muhyiddin than these accusations.Here’s the man who, as deputy prime minister, spoke out against then prime minister Najib Razak over the 1MDB scandal in 2015. The move cost Muhyiddin his job when he could have taken the easy way out by playing along, eventually inheriting the country’s coveted top post from the beleaguered Najib. That’s a shining example of a man standing by his principles against all odds.Muhyiddin eventually went on to become the prime minister under controversial circumstances, with Umno and PAS’ backing. But it was no different from how Anwar Ibrahim engineered the defections of MPs multiple times to realise his elusive goal of becoming the prime minister.During his short-lived tenure as prime minister, Muhyiddin provided a steady hand steering the country amid the devastating Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn.On the economic front, Malaysia was one of the first countries in the world to provide a moratorium on bank loans, to give borrowers hard hit by the pandemic some breathing space. For those who could hardly make ends meet, this meant a lot.And over his 20-month premiership, Muhyiddin introduced a series of aid and stimulus packages to help Malaysians get through the challenges of lives and livelihood. Packages like Permai, Prihatin, Pemerkasa and Pemulih ran into billions of ringgit.These were in forms like wage subsidies that helped companies retain staff who would otherwise be let go and unlikely to find employment at the height of the pandemic. With the aid, they could continue to put food on the table.The B40 and micro SMEs, which were among the worst-hit, also received a leg up in the forms of direct cash aid, grants, cheap loans or government guarantees. This help from Abah kept them afloat.In terms of managing the pandemic, credit must be given to Muhyiddin for the speedy rollout of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Plan. Despite some initial delay, Malaysia’s immunisation programme went on to become one of the fastest in the world.Muhyiddin understood the importance of immunisation to get the country back on track. Today, despite the surging infections brought on by the Omicron variant, the economy shows no signs of sliding back to the days of movement control orders due to our high vaccination rate. We must thank Muhyiddin’s foresight in this.Alas, Muhyiddin’s tenure was cut short due to the political wrangling that led to his ouster. But as Muhyiddin disclosed, the masterminds behind the putsch were Umno’s “court cluster” who have been convicted of wrongdoings or face criminal charges.They wanted Muhyiddin to interfere in their legal proceedings, which he refused to do. Just as Muhyiddin stood firm in speaking up on 1MDB in 2015, he did not succumb to the temptation to meddle in the judiciary.And in both instances, he paid a heavy price because he stood by his principles. For that, Muhyiddin deserves my respect and voters in Johor ought to give the coalition he leads a chance.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Dewan Negara passes bill on sexual offences against children

The Dewan Negara yesterday approved the Sexual Offences against Children (Amendment) Bill 2023, which aims to better protect children against all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse.
Ten senators spoke during the debate on the bill, which was passed by a voice vote after being tabled for a third reading by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said.
Azalina said the amendments took into account the sophisticated nature of criminal cases and technological progress which required an expansion of the definition or interpretation of the crime.
She said the communications and digital ministry together with telco companies could also play a role by monitoring and removing pornographic content online.
"In Western countries, they have the responsibility to monitor or remove pornographic content... but if telco companies want to make money from the content views, of course they will not remove the content. "That's why we hope that after this amendment is made, the communications and digital ministry can play a role through the Communications Act so that it can monitor content like this," she said.
Earlier, when tabling the bill, Azalina said the proposed law would replace the term "child pornography" with "child abuse sexual material" in the parent act.
She said the amendments would also include the addition of Section 26A and Section 26B, which empower the court to order a convicted perpetrator to pay compensation to the victim.


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Indonesian plane feared crashed after losing contact

An Indonesian budget airline plane with 62 people on board is suspected to have crashed into the sea shortly after the Boeing 737 took off from Jakarta airport on Saturday, authorities said.Flight tracking data showed the Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-500 plunged into a steep dive about four minutes after it left Soekarno-Hatta international airport.Sixty-two passengers and crew were on board, including 10 children, the nation’s transport minister, Budi Karya Sumadi, told reporters.The suspected crash site is near tourist islands just off the coast of Indonesia’s sprawling capital.The plane took off on Saturday afternoon and a search and rescue operation began with no official results available on Saturday night.“We deployed our team, boats and sea riders to the location suspected to be where it went down after losing contact,” Bambang Suryo Aji, a senior official at the agency, told reporters after nightfall.Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 was bound for Pontianak on Indonesia’s section of Borneo island, about 90 minutes flying time over the Java Sea.“I have four family members on the flight – my wife and my three children,” Yaman Zai said as he sobbed at Pontianak airport.“They haven’t arrived. They’re not here,” he was heard saying as he spoke on his mobile phone.Sudden plungeData from FlightRadar24 said the plane reached an altitude of nearly 11,000 feet (3,350m) before dropping suddenly to 250 feet. It then lost contact with air traffic control.“Sriwijaya Air flight #SJ182 lost more than 10,000 feet of altitude in less than one minute, about 4 minutes after departure from Jakarta,” the tracking agency said on its official Twitter account.Broadcaster Kompas TV quoted local fishermen as saying they had found debris near islands just off the coast of the capital Jakarta, but it could not be immediately confirmed as having belonged to the missing jet.Authorities and the airline gave no immediate indication as to why the plane suddenly went down.The budget airline, which has about 19 Boeing jets that fly to destinations in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, said only that it was investigating the loss of contact.In October 2018, 189 people were killed when a Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX jet slammed into the Java Sea about 12 minutes after take-off from Jakarta on a routine one-hour flight.That crash – and a subsequent fatal flight in Ethiopia – saw Boeing hit with US$2.5 billion in fines over claims it defrauded regulators overseeing the 737 MAX model, which was grounded worldwide following the two deadly crashes.Indonesia’s aviation sector has long suffered from a reputation for poor safety, and its airlines were once banned from entering US and European airspace.In 2014, an AirAsia plane crashed with the loss of 162 lives.Domestic investigators’ final report on the AirAsia crash showed a chronically faulty component in a rudder control system, poor maintenance and the pilots’ inadequate response were major factors in what was supposed to be a routine flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore.


US sets another record for Covid-19 cases in one day

For the third day in a row, the US on Saturday notched a record number of coronavirus cases in 24 hours, reaching nearly 230,000 new infections, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.In that same stretch the US recorded 2,527 Covid-related deaths, according to real-time data provided by the Baltimore-based university at 8.30pm (0130 GMT Saturday).The US – the country with the most coronavirus cases and deaths in the world – has seen a dramatic resurgence in its epidemic in recent weeks.US health officials warned of a surge after millions of Americans travelled to celebrate last week’s Thanksgiving holiday despite pleas from authorities to stay home.For two weeks, the US has regularly topped 2,000 deaths per day, as it had in the spring at the height of the first wave of the country’s outbreak.The number of people hospitalised with Covid-19 is also steadily increasing, especially in the most populous states of California, Florida, New York and Texas, according to the Covid Tracking Project.The US has recorded more than 14.6 million Covid cases and more than 281,000 related deaths since the start of the pandemic.


New infections at 285 as another 7 deaths reported

Another 285 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 5,034,228.
There were 300 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,986,943.
There are now 10,355 active cases, of which 9,957 or 96.2% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0%) are at quarantine centres while 382 (3.7%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 16 are in ICU with 14 in need of respiratory assistance.
Seven deaths were reported, taking total deaths to 36,930.


Malaysia's gold-medal target at SEA Games in doubt

The Malaysian contingent's chances of achieving even the modest target of 40 gold medals at the 2023 SEA Games looks impossible with only two days of competition remaining before the games draw down its curtain on Wednesday (May 17).
Though on paper there are two days to go, competitions for medals come to a close today which is the penultimate day as the final day has been reserved for the closing ceremony.
After 10 days of competition, the Malaysian contingent has managed to win 30 gold 42 silver and 85 bronze, which on a percentage basis is just 75 percent of the target.
The 30-gold medal accumulated over the 10 days saw Malaysia remain in the seventh spot and by the looks of what has been achieved thus far, even surpassing Singapore would be an impossible task since the republic state which is only comparable to a single state in the peninsula has managed to accumulate 45 gold, 38 silver and 57 bronze to capture sixth spot.
The current seventh position is certainly unchartered territory for Malaysia since the country had always finished among the top five in the medal tally. Malaysia has only been in such a predicament twice in the history of the SEA Games, namely a sixth-place finish during the 1983 edition in Singapore and Hanoi, Vietnam last year.
In all of yesterday's competitions, taekwondo saved the blushes on a rather dry day when taekwondo exponent Muhammad Syafiq Zuber lifted the gloom by taking the gold medal in the men's under-80kg to give the Malaysian contingent its 30th gold medal.
Today, the country's medal focus will be on hockey where Malaysian men and women have qualified for the final, while medal hopes will also hinge on sepak takraw (inter-regu), table tennis and badminton.
Malaysians will also see action in dance sports, traditional boat races and kickboxing.
Meanwhile, after 10 days of competition, Vietnam has crowned itself as the overall champion after collecting 123 gold, 100 silver and 97 bronze, followed by Thailand 94-76-93, while Indonesia are in third spot with 74-66-92.


After slow start in 2020, Ducati comes through for a strong finish

Ducati’s growth in China accelerated in 2020, with sales up 26%, making that country its fourth largest market, in a year that quickly ran into pandemic problems but powered through to a record second half.Aside from China, sales were up nearly 7% in Germany, and 11% in Switzerland. Italy became the first market in the world to move over 7,000 units.“2020 was a whole new challenge,” said Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO. “We were able to make the most of the two-wheel market recovery that began in June, and by redefining our working methods, we maintained the safety of our employees, and stayed close to our fans.”Domenicali was proud of Ducati winning the Constructors’ World Title in MotoGP for the second time and enthusiastic about the future, saying “The upcoming racing season will see our young and talented riders compete with optimism and a constant desire to improve.”The company expanded by setting up a fully owned corporate subsidiary to manage the Ducati brands in Australia and New Zealand.The Streetfighter V4 was the best-selling model of 2020 while the Ducati Scrambler was the best-selling family. The year also saw the Superleggera V4 and the Diavel 1260 Lamborghini both go into production.Francesco Milicia, vice-president and global sales director, said, “During 2020, we developed the Ducati Cares programme which allows Ducatisti to return to their trusted dealers in complete safety or to interact digitally to book an appointment or evaluate the purchase of a motorcycle remotely.”The interest of enthusiasts was immediately reflected in the most ever advanced orders at the start of a year.As for 2021, this year, the company has already begun deliveries of the Multistrada V4, the first motorcycle in the world equipped with front and rear radar, a technology milestone in the world of two wheels.Dealers will also receive the 2021 Model Year Panigale V4 SP, the SuperSport 950, the Monster, and the Scrambler Night Shift.Boss Domenicali is optimistic and raring to go. “We are starting the year with the certainty that we have an increasingly complete range that is careful to meet the needs of different types of motorcyclists,” he said.“The new products have already led to a very positive order portfolio for 2021, which is a clear sign of the appreciation of our fans.”


PN to contest over three-quarters of 222 parliamentary seats

Perikatan Nasional (PN) is expected to contest more than three-quarters of the 222 parliamentary seats at the 15th general election (GE15) on Nov 19.
PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said the coalition had decided not to contest all 222 seats.
"The actual number of seats that we are going to contest will be announced later. We will contest the area if there is a need for us to contest and if we have the space and opportunity to do so.
"It is in the final stage of completion," he told reporters in Pagoh today.
The Bersatu president said the coalition had completed discussions on the distribution of seats, adding that PN would scrutinise the candidate lists submitted by Bersatu divisions and PN component parties across the country.
"Most likely the announcement (on PN candidates) will be next week… on Nov 2 or Nov 3," he said.
The incumbent Pagoh MP said PN candidates should pass screenings involving the police, and the Inland Revenue Board, and not be declared bankrupt, adding that they should also fulfil other requirements such as eligibility, experience, community relations, and having good track record, among others.
In the meantime, he said the PN manifesto will be launched after nomination day.
"We will explain what we are offering to the people… everything, including our commitment to implementing those contained in Budget 2023… which have yet to be debated and passed.
"We will scrutinise the matter and improve if there is a need to do so. We will prioritise the people’s interests such as helping vulnerable groups who are affected by Covid-19, among others," he added.


Russia’s Putin orders mass launch of Sputnik V vaccine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his government to start large-scale vaccinations against Covid-19 from next week, using the country’s own vaccine, Sputnik V.On Wednesday Putin, speaking during a televised government meeting, said, “Over two million doses of the first registered vaccine against the coronavirus infection in the world, Sputnik V, will have been produced by the next few days. This allows us to begin a large-scale vaccination.”The Russian leader said that the primary focus should be the “vaccination of the two risk groups of doctors and teachers”.Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, who is responsible for the country’s coronavirus response said that she is looking at vaccinating larger groups. “Vaccinations will be voluntary and free of charge for citizens, starting next week, I hope,” she said.Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said that to date more than 100,000 Russian citizens have already been vaccinated with Sputnik V but did not say whether this was part of Phase 3 trials.Russia became the first country in the world to approve its coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, in August, authorising the treatment for public use even before crucial Phase 3 trials were conducted. The move drew criticism from scientific circles.Phase 3 trials are currently underway in which more than 20,000 volunteers have received their first dose of Sputnik V, and 16,000 participants have received the second dose, according to the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which has funded the vaccine development.The jab has already been administered to some Russian frontline health care workers, teachers and several top-level officials outside the clinical trials.Putin’s order to intensify the vaccination program comes after the UK became the first Western country to authorise the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on Wednesday.


Who’s going to stop the court cluster’s march back to Putrajaya?

Questions have arisen in the aftermath of the opposition’s defeat at the Melaka and Johor elections about the ability of Malay leaders to stop the advance of the so-called court cluster, led by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former prime minister Najib Razak.The opposition appears divided and unable to present a strong front ahead of the general election to come, while its leader Anwar Ibrahim proved willing to work with the court cluster as part of attempts to topple former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin in 2020.The court cluster refers to a group of Umno leaders who are either facing charges in court or have already been convicted.Najib, the Pekan MP, was found guilty in 2020 of seven counts of corruption involving former 1MDB unit SRC International. He was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million, although he is currently appealing against both conviction and sentence at the Federal Court.Zahid meanwhile is facing 47 charges of corruption and abuse of power involving funds from charity outfit Yayasan Akal Budi.MalaysiaNow reported in April last year that Anwar and Zahid had spoken by phone just hours after Zahid’s closing speech at the Umno general assembly, where the latter had sought a mandate for the decision to cut ties with Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Bersatu.MalaysiaNow also revealed in October 2020 a letter written to Istana Negara by Zahid and Najib to express support for Anwar as prime minister.Meanwhile, Sabah-based Warisan under the leadership of Shafie Apdal recently announced its willingness to work with Barisan Nasional (BN) which is controlled by Zahid and Najib.Political analyst Mazlan Ali however said that BN and the court cluster could still be toppled in spite of the opposition’s recent election defeats.“Only Dr Mahathir Mohamad appears to be weak now, unlike Muhyiddin Yassin,” Mazlan, of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, told MalaysiaNow.“If the opposition unites, Umno can definitely be vanquished.”He said Umno’s strength lay in the political fatigue of the people, seen in the poor voter turnouts for the state elections in Melaka and Johor.“Umno itself is not strong,” he added. “It obtained only 35% of the total support.”Mazlan said that Mahathir, who is now chairman of Pejuang, was facing challenges sparked by the distrust of Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders following his resignation as prime minister in 2020.Muhyiddin, meanwhile, continued to wield influence although he was not yet able to challenge Umno, he said.Ismail Sabri?Ahmad Atory Hussain of Universiti Sains Malaysia said if the Melaka and Johor polls were used as a yardstick, the 15th general election would be won by BN.“Any alternative to the court cluster would be Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan, or Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein,” he said.“PN and Pejuang could give BN a run for its money, but it would be difficult for them to win and then rule, given the lack of unity seen at the 14th general election.”At the moment, though, neither Ismail, Mohamad nor Hishammuddin control Umno and BN, which makes it difficult for any of them to be seen as a viable alternative.Atory added that PN and Pejuang with their message of integrity and the fight against corruption were incapable of winning the support of the Malays whom he said were not bothered by such issues to begin with.Whether the situation will continue until the 15th general election, however, is anyone’s guess if the anti-party hopping law is enacted in Parliament.“The voters feel that there is no point to voting if the candidates ultimately jump ship,” Mazlan said.“But we will see what happens in Parliament. Maybe after that, people will be interested in going out to vote again.”Given the strong influence of Umno and the court cluster over the country’s political party system, he said, it would be difficult for anyone outside of BN to topple them.Adding that the court cluster had nearly unanimous support from division and branch leaders, he said it also had strategies and tactics as well as an abundance of funds at its disposal.“This will be hard for other parties to match at the general election,” he said. “The three nominated leaders will form a new line-up.”Analysts previously predicted that Ismail would challenge Zahid at the Umno elections which must be held by December this year.Mohamad meanwhile is seen as an ally to Zahid and Najib.Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said the rise of Muhyiddin and Ismail as prime ministers had given hope to senior leaders from other parties who were now beginning to eye the post as well.Nevertheless, he said it would be difficult to find a progressive or reformist leader to challenge the court cluster.“I don’t think we are looking at progressive or reformist leaders,” he said to MalaysiaNow. “That is because the socioeconomic conditions of the country are not doing well.“What is the main allure of the court cluster? As we saw from Bossku, it’s basically that in these times of difficulty, I will be there to take care of you, to give assistance.“Granted, some of this assistance comes from your own pockets. But still, it’s the idea that we will take care of you and that you have nothing to fear, come what may.”Anyone looking to replace the court cluster must possess the same appeal, he said, adding that promises of a reformist and progressive nature would not be enough to win voters over as such vows were long-term.“People cannot wait,” he said. “People want you to take care of them in the short run.”Within Umno, he said, Hishammuddin and Khairy Jamaluddin had potential although neither possessed the same draw as the court cluster.“Hishammuddin is not known for having the most brilliant of policies,” he said. “Khairy has technocratised himself as a Covid fighter, but what about livelihoods?“In a sense, you cannot resist the court cluster because of the socioeconomic predicament.”


Najib's new legal team to discharge itself if SRC appeal proceeds on Aug 15

Najib Razak's new legal team for his final appeal in the SRC International case told the Federal Court today that it would discharge itself if the court insisted that the appeal proceed next week.
It was learnt by the media that counsel from Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suffian TH Liew & Partners and another law firm, Messrs Hisyam Teh, said they were not ready to proceed with the appeal as it involved major issues and needed time for preparation as it was not an ordinary appeal.
If the court insisted on the main appeal proceeding on Aug 15, they said they would have no choice but to discharge themselves from representing the former prime minister.  It is understood that the matter was conveyed before Federal Court deputy registrars Wan Fatimah Zahara Wan Yusoff and Siti Hajar Mustaffa during online case management today.
Ad hoc prosecutor V Sithambaram and deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul acted for the respondent (public prosecutor) while counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Liew Teck Huat and M Rueben appeared for Najib (the appellant).
On July 26, Najib discharged with immediate effect Messrs Shafee & Co from representing him in his SRC International appeal. However, Najib said his former counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah would continue as his solicitor and counsel in all other cases involving him that are currently before the Malaysian courts. Najib then appointed Hisyam from Messrs Hisyam Teh as his lead counsel and ZIST partners, Liew and Rueben as his new solicitors.
The Federal Court has set 10 days from Aug 15 to hear the Pekan MP’s final appeal to set aside his conviction and jail sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.
Today, the media was informed that the hearing of the motion to adduce new evidence would be heard first on Aug 15. If the motion is dismissed, then the court will proceed with the main appeal.
Reporters were also told that Najib’s counsel would make an oral application again before the court to adjourn the main appeal after the conclusion of arguments for a motion for fresh evidence, and would leave it to court to decide.
In July 2020, High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Ghazali, who is now a Court of Appeal judge, sentenced Najib to 12 years in jail and fined him RM210 million after finding him guilty of misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International funds.
The case is at the final appeal stage in the apex court after the Court of Appeal last year upheld the verdict of the High Court and rejected the appeal of the former prime minister.


Isa Samad found guilty in RM3 million corruption case on Felda hotel deal

Former Felda chairman Isa Samad was today convicted of nine charges of corruption involving RM3 million over the agency’s purchase of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites in Kuching, Sarawak.Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali delivered the judgment at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.In his judgment, Nazlan said Isa’s defence was mere denial and that he had failed to raise reasonable doubt against the prosecution’s case.“The court finds that the prosecution succeeded in establishing the case beyond reasonable doubt against the accused,” he said.The prosecution team was led by deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz, while lawyer Salehuddin Saidin led the defence team.Isa is the third prominent Umno politician to be convicted of corruption after former prime minister Najib Razak and former federal territories minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.He was charged with nine counts of dishonestly receiving gratification of RM3,090,000 in cash for himself from Ikhwan Zaidel, a board member of Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd, through his former special political officer Muhammad Zahid Md Arip for helping to approve the purchase of the hotel by Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd for RM160 million.The charges were framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law which provides for a jail term of not exceeding 20 years and a fine of at least five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.


As US reduces Mideast troops, China and Russia may step in, says US commander

As the US scales back its military presence across the Middle East to focus on competition with China and Russia, it risks giving those two countries a chance to fill the gap and expand their influence around the Gulf, the top US commander for the region said on Sunday.Traveling through Middle East countries over the past week, Marine General Frank McKenzie, who heads US Central Command, was asked many times if the US is still committed to the region.Local governments worry that America’s pivot to Asia means they will be left without the military aid they need to battle Iranian-backed militant groups.And if the US is slow to respond, they may look elsewhere for help, says the AP.“I think that as we adjust our posture in the region, Russia and China will be looking very closely to see if a vacuum opens that they can exploit,” McKenzie told reporters.“I think they see the US shifting posture to look at other parts of the world and they sense there may be an opportunity there.”He said weapons sales would be a need that Moscow and Beijing would be keen to exploit. Russia, he said, is always trying to sell air defence systems and other weapons, and China has a long-term goal to expand its economic power and ultimately establish military bases in the region.President Biden this month dispatched senior officials to the Gulf region to reassure nervous allies as the US looks to reopen talks with Iran on the 2015 nuclear deal, which former president Donald Trump scrapped three years ago.But the Pentagon is planning to send more assets to the Pacific to deter a rising China. US military commanders around the globe, including McKenzie, may lose troops and resources as a result. Those could include warships such as the aircraft carrier now sitting in the Gulf, providing security for the Afghanistan troop withdrawal.The Biden administration views China’s rapidly expanding economic influence and military might as America’s primary long-term security challenge. Officials believe the US must be more ready to counter threats to Taiwan and China’s development of military outposts on manmade islands in the South China Sea.Military commanders caution that China’s growing assertiveness is not limited to Asia, noting that Beijing is also aggressively seeking footholds in Africa, South America, and the Middle East.On Sunday, McKenzie said Saudi leaders are “very concerned” about ongoing US military changes as it is under almost daily missile bombardment from the Iran-backed Houthi militia.McKenzie said he told them the number of troops and weapons is not as important as the overall capability of the integrated US and Saudi air and missile defence system.He emphasised that the strategy of doing more in the region with less military presence may prevent China and Russia from cashing in on any US void.The troop numbers may not be the same as the hundreds of thousands that were in the region five years ago, he said, but the US will still have a presence in the region.


Swiss admit blundering after first Covid wave

Switzerland’s health minister admitted Saturday that the government blundered in easing Covid-19 restrictions too far, resulting in some of Europe’s fiercest infection rates during the pandemic’s second wave.Alain Berset said the Swiss approach put the emphasis on personal responsibility – but accepted that it had not worked.The virus will not vanish any time soon, he added, despite the rollout of vaccinations.In March, during the first wave of infections, Switzerland was not hit as hard by Covid-19 deaths and did not impose as strict a lockdown as some other European states. It then eased off its restrictions in stages.From just three new cases recorded on June 1, infections rose slowly before rocketing in October, when cases, hospitalisations and deaths began doubling from week to week.Asked about Switzerland’s mistakes, Berset told national broadcaster SRF: “There were some.“In summer, we had the feeling that the worst was over. We were too loose. And then we were far too optimistic when we thought we could reopen the major events in autumn,” notably football and ice hockey matches.In early November, Geneva had the worst per capita infection rates in Europe.With a population of 8.6 million, Switzerland is logging a stubbornly high rate of around 5,000 new cases and 100 deaths a day.“The Swiss way has a price. It requires personal responsibility, reason and foresight from everyone. If that doesn’t work, we have to tighten the measures. We did that,” Berset said.“The good thing about the current situation is that we still have reserves.”Gut instinctFrom Tuesday, bars and restaurants began closing again across the country in a bid to rein in the outbreak.Berset said that in making decisions during the crisis, he ultimately had to rely on “gut feeling”.“In overcoming a crisis, the worst part is simply not doing anything, getting stuck and submitting to it. For sure, if you make mistakes, you have to correct them as quickly as possible.”Switzerland started its Covid-19 vaccine rollout on Wednesday, with a care home resident in her 90s receiving the first shot just four days after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was authorised.“This virus won’t be gone anytime soon. It will stay, despite vaccinations and better medication,” Berset said.“Then there are the consequences of the crisis, which should not be underestimated: economic consequences, social ones.”As for rebuilding society in the wake of the pandemic, Berset said: “My fear is that we will miss this opportunity.”He called for the strengthening of international organisations in response to the crisis, notably the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO), which has been harshly criticised by outgoing US President Donald Trump.“Without WHO, everything would be much worse now,” said Berset.


Thailand defends vaccine ‘mix-and-match’ after WHO warning

Thailand on Tuesday defended mixing two different Covid-19 vaccines to battle a surge in infections, after the World Health Organization’s (WHO) top scientist warned it was a “dangerous trend” not backed by evidence.The kingdom is struggling to contain its latest outbreak fuelled by the highly contagious Delta variant, with cases and deaths skyrocketing and the healthcare system stretched thin.Authorities said they will mix a first dose of the Chinese-made Sinovac jab with a second dose of AstraZeneca to try and achieve a “booster” effect in six weeks instead of 12.Thailand’s chief virologist Yong Poovorawan said this would be possible by combining an inactivated virus vaccine – Sinovac – with a viral vector vaccine such as AstraZeneca.“We can’t wait 12 weeks (for a booster effect) in this outbreak where the disease is spreading fast,” he said.“But in the future, if there are better, improved vaccines… we will find a better way to manage the situation.”His comments come a day after WHO’s chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan called the strategy a “dangerous trend”.“We are in a bit of a data-free, evidence-free zone as far as ‘mix-and-match’,” she said.Thailand has reported more than 353,700 coronavirus cases and 2,847 deaths – the bulk of them detected since the latest wave kicked off in April from an upscale Bangkok nightlife district.Healthcare workers were the first in line to receive Sinovac, but authorities said Sunday nearly 900 medical staff – most of them vaccinated with that shot – got Covid-19.They will now also get an AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot, authorities said.Virus hotspot Bangkok and nine other hard-hit provinces are now under tougher restrictions that include a night-time curfew and a ban of gatherings over five people.


Transport ministry open to investigation into reports of bribery in MRT project

Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong today said his ministry was open to an investigation into claims of bribery in the public transportation infrastructure construction of the MRT project.He said the transport ministry would give its cooperation, adding that it had always practised transparency without supporting any element of misappropriation in any project related to the ministry.“I am following this development. I have no problem if an investigation is to be conducted. MRT (Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd) has also stated its willingness to be investigated over the allegation.“Anyone involved will face action if complaints have been lodged. Let the authorities investigate. We uphold good governance,” he told reporters after attending an event in Putrajaya.Wee also urged the public not to speculate on the matter until the investigation has been completed by the relevant authorities.The local media reported that a French authority was investigating allegations of cheating and corruption that happened a few years ago in the MRT project worth RM692 million.On another recent development on flight delays, Wee advised all airlines in the country against taking the easy way out following public complaints of flight delays with passengers having to wait for a long time at the airport.“I ask that the airlines look again at their flight schedules and improve their communication by informing their customers earlier on the rescheduling of flights in addressing the complaints,” he said when asked about complaints of flight delays on social media during the recent Aidilfitri celebration.Wee said he did not want flight delays to be a culture that would tarnish the image of the airlines involved.On the reported “tonto” syndicates acting as informants to derail law enforcement by the Road Transport Department (JPJ), Wee said his ministry would leave it to the police to further investigate and detect those involved.“I stand firmly behind JPJ and will always give my support in fending off the pressure placed upon it. We have an efficient police force,” he said in response to a recent statement by Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Abd Jalil Hassan that the police had received five reports on “tonto” activities from last year until this month.


Anxious search after Wan Azizah loses IC en route to nomination centre

Former deputy prime minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had a few anxious moments today when she discovered that her identity card (IC) was missing as she was leading a procession to the nomination centre at Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur Training Institute to submit her nomination form for the Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary seat.
"I slipped my IC in the EC pass, but it fell out during the procession.
"Fortunately, it was recovered. What an agonising moment!" the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate told reporters after the nomination of candidates for the constituency.
The loss sparked a frantic search by about 200 supporters, which ended after the IC was found by a supporter.
The contest for the Bandar Tun Razak seat will see a three-cornered fight among Wan Azizah, incumbent Kamarudin Jaffar (Perikatan Nasional) and Bandar Tun Razak MCA chief Chew Yin Keen (Barisan Nasional).
The constituency has 119,185 registered voters. The EC has set Nov 19 as polling day and Nov 15 for early voting.


Reports of police misconduct being investigated, IGP says

The police are scrutinising reports of misconduct involving its personnel that had no action taken as revealed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), said iInspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.
He assured that the police will never compromise on any wrongdoing, in addition to working closely with related agencies including the MACC and the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission, towards upholding integrity within the force.
“A detailed report on the matter has already been prepared by the Integrity and Standard Compliance Department, and we are looking into the report, which said that we did not take action against those involved.
“...there were no reports that we ignored and did not take follow-up action because we view misconduct cases seriously and hold fast to integrity,” he told reporters at the handing-over-of-duties ceremony of the Pahang police chief in Kuantan today.
He said this when asked to comment on yesterday’s statement by Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail that the ministry would look into the report by MACC saying that 125 cases of misconduct involving police personnel have been ignored. An English daily yesterday published Azam’s revelation that some government agencies have been ignoring over 500 reports of misconduct involving their staff, despite the MACC recommending them to take action.
Out of that total, 125 reports involved police personnel, followed by the Road Transport Department.
The ceremony, held at the state police contingent headquarters, witnessed outgoing Pahang police chief Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf handing over his duties to Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Yahaya Othman.
Ramli will take over as Bukit Aman commercial crime investigation department director.


52% of voters believe Ismail should continue as PM, survey shows

Over 52% of voters in a new survey believe that Ismail Sabri Yaakob should be given the opportunity to continue serving as Malaysia's prime minister, with nearly 57% also agreeing with the move to hold the election this year.
The survey, conducted by electoral think tank Ilham Centre from Oct 20 to Nov 6, involved 1,211 respondents randomly chosen from throughout the peninsula.
Of these, 52.8% said Ismail should be allowed to steer the country for a longer period, in the interests of the people, compared to 27.9% who disagreed and 19.3% who said they were unsure.
A total of 56.8% meanwhile said that given the current affairs, the election should be held at the end of the year, while 32.3% disagreed and 10.9% said they were unsure.
Just under 50% – 49.1% – said Malaysia had made good headway in tackling the global economic crisis compared to its neighbouring countries, while 25.9% disagreed and 24.9% said they were unsure.
And 45.6% said Ismail was a reasonable choice for prime minister candidate, compared with 33.1% who disagreed and 21.3% who said they were unsure.
Eighty percent agreed with the move by Ismail's government to reopen the country's economic sectors in April, against 6.5% who disagreed and 13.5% who said they were unsure.
Meanwhile, 78.0% said the RM77.7 billion subsidies alloted by Ismail's government was necessary and had helped support economic recovery, while 39.9% said the National Recovery Council chaired by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin was a waste of public funds and had complicated Ismail's efforts to resolve the people's troubles.
A total of 89.1% said the government's move to increase Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia payments to RM2,500 was "very good", and 87.3% agreed with the move to reduce the rax rate for residents by two percentage points.


1,041 new cases, record 1,405 recoveries

Another 1,041 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, pushing total confirmed infections in the country to 53,679.Of these, 402 were recorded in Selangor, 346 in Sabah, 121 in Negeri Sembilan, 68 in Kuala Lumpur and 33 in Johor.Active cases stand at 12,854 with 108 in the ICU and 45 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 1,405 patients were discharged, the most yet, taking total recoveries to 40,493.However, three more deaths were reported, bringing the virus toll to 332.


PM announces conditional loan disposal to reduce burden of Felda settlers

The government has agreed in principle to dispose of part of the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) settlers’ loans amounting to RM8.3 billion as an initiative to revive the 65-year-old organisation.Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the disposal of the loans which would be implemented through a conditional loan adjustment initiative would reduce the loan burden of each settler by an average of 80%.“The average loan repayment is expected to be reduced from around RM800 to RM1,000 to only RM250 to RM300 a month for oil palm settlers and as low as RM150 for rubber settlers, which is a very reasonable and affordable rate for them,” he said in a pre-recorded speech in conjunction with the Settlers’ Day celebration today.Muhyiddin said the initiative was one of the three-pronged strategies – restart, revitalise and reform – to restore the glory of Felda as the world’s leading plantation company and eventually to be listed as among successful global companies, such as in the Fortune Global 500.He said the conditional loan disposal includes a partial adjustment of the replanting loan balance as of Dec 31, 2019, amounting to RM8 billion, which would benefit 92,441 settlers or 82% of the total 112,638 settlers.He also said the partial adjustment of the balance of fertiliser loan arrears up to the same period amounting to RM168 million would involve 52,180 settlers while the full adjustment of the balance of the original development loan also for the same period amounting to RM56 million would involve 6,711 settlers.It also involves a full adjustment of the loan balance of FGV Holdings Bhd shares up to July 7 worth RM78 million involving 38,043 settlers, he said.According to Muhyiddin, this initiative was taken as the issue of the loans, which had been plaguing the settlers’ next of kin for a long time, had been identified as one of the issues that could hamper Felda’s efforts to get back on par with the world’s leading plantation companies.“The issues of these loans should be settled first to ease the process to restart Felda,” he said.Muhyiddin also expressed hope that the government’s efforts would be a starting point or a reset button for the settlers to be more enthusiastic and focused on doubling their production and income, thus enabling more prudent financial management.“I really hope that with the new agreement signed by the settlers with Felda under this conditional adjustment initiative, the settlers will be more committed to fulfilling all the agreed terms so that they can jointly bear the responsibility of increasing productivity and ensuring the sustainability of Felda,” he said.He added that it was high time for the new generation of settlers to come forward, face the challenges and shoulder the responsibility of navigating change in the community.“After 65 years of its establishment, I believe the Felda community has matured. After receiving various assistance and support, you must all be ready to give back and contribute to the community as a whole,” he said.He added that the initiatives lined up by the government should be welcomed and fully utilised by the Felda community so that efforts to improve their socio-economic status could be empowered to ensure a brighter future for the next generations.


China is threat to whole region, says Taiwan PM

Squadrons of Chinese military aircraft flew across the Taiwan Strait and into Taiwan’s air defence zone on Friday and Saturday, forcing the island nation to scramble its defence forces.The Chinese drills took place as US Undersecretary for Economic Affairs Keith Krach, the most senior State Department official to visit for over 40 years, was in Taipei for high level talks which could step up friendly relations and lead to the inking of more trade agreements.Beijing has already expressed its displeasure over the talks.Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen said on Sunday that the Chinese aircraft incursions demonstrate that Beijing is a threat to the entire region.“I believe these activities are no help to China’s international image, and what’s more have put Taiwan’s people even more on their guard, understanding even better the true nature of the Chinese Communist regime,” she said.“Additionally, other countries in the region also have a better understanding of the threat posed by China. The Chinese Communists must restrain themselves, and not provoke.”China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has never ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control.


Charity funds transferred to legal firm as aide was careless, Zahid tells court

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today denied committing criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM17,953,185.21 of Yayasan Akalbudi funds, claiming that he transferred the money to a legal firm because his former executive secretary was prone to making mistakes in handling cash.This was the amount involved in the sixth of 12 CBT charges that the former deputy prime minister is currently facing.Zahid, 69, told the High Court that he appointed Lewis & Co to handle the funds of the foundation owned by him because Major Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly had been careless in managing his personal money and Yayasan Akalbudi funds.“As I said earlier in my statement, Mazlina committed mistakes on many occasions, including writing a figure different from the amount spelled out in cheques and not sending monthly credit card statements and other documents when asked.“The transfer of the foundation’s funds to the legal firm was not for misappropriation but for the firm to manage the client account of the foundation as the firm had officers who were skilled in managing the account,” he said.Zahid said this when questioned by lawyer Ahmad Zaidi Zainal on the fourth day of his defence proceedings for 47 charges of CBT, corruption and money laundering.According to Zahid, he had many times advised and guided Mazlina, the 90th prosecution witness, as she did not have an accounting background.“She (Mazlina) merely apologised but repeated these acts. What choice did I have other than finding ways to transfer the whole of Yayasan Akalbudi funds in a bank (Affin Bank) current account to a legal firm with an accountant, accounting officer and bookkeeper to handle the client account?” he said.Asked by Zaidi why he chose Lewis & Co to handle the Yayasan Akalbudi funds, Zahid said an officer at the home ministry had introduced him to lawyers at the firm.On the transfer of Yayasan Akalbudi funds to Lewis & Co, Zahid said he personally instructed Affin Bank to transfer RM17,953,185.21 from the bank to the client account of Lewis & Co, and that money still belonged to Yayasan Akalbudi and did not belong to Yayasan Al Falah, the legal firm or other individuals.Zahid also said he had never directed Mazlina to use Yayasan Akalbudi funds totalling RM107,509.55 to pay vehicle insurance and licence fees.“I did not know Mazlina would use pre-signed cheques to make payments for insurance policies and the licences of privately owned vehicles.“Cheques which I pre-signed were for urgent use like paying contractors for construction work undertaken by the foundation at the time or urgent payments which needed to be settled when I was overseas,” he said.During the prosecution stage, the court was told that Zahid and his family took out 39 insurance policies for 20 vehicles owned by the family, including 18 luxury vehicles belonging to him such as a BMW X5, Mini Cooper S, Mercedes Benz CLS350, BMW 320i (A), Toyota Land Cruiser and BMW R1200 GS motorcycle.Zahid is on trial for 47 CBT, corruption and money laundering charges involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds.On Jan 24, the court ordered him to enter his defence against all of the charges after finding that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.The trial before justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.


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Court orders Zuraida to pay RM10 million to PKR

Former PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin has been ordered by the Kuala Lumpur High Court today to pay RM10 million to PKR for breaching the bond binding her to the party.
Judge Akhtar Tahir allowed PKR's suit after finding that the bond was a valid and binding contract.
The court also ordered Zuraida to pay RM50,000 in costs.
The suit was filed by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on Sept 28, 2020, to claim RM10 million from Zuraida for allegedly breaching the bond binding her to the party.
PKR's statement of claim said that Zuraida had signed the bond of RM10 million based on the terms and conditions set.
Judge Akhtar who delivered the court's decision in an online proceeding, said Zuraida's contention that she signed the bond under duress or coercion was baseless.
"The evidence shows she signed the bond with full knowledge of the contents and signed it voluntarily as she wanted to contest the election on PKR's ticket," he said.
The judge further said Zuraida's allegation that the sum of RM10 million was disproportionate to the sum spent on the candidacy is baseless and an afterthought.
"The defendant (Zuraida) herself had acknowledged that the plaintiff had spent an amount exceeding RM10 million on the candidacy.
"This is a clear admission on the part of the defendant that she cannot retract. The court further rules that the RM10 million is a reasonable sum as the bond is to deter members, especially chosen candidates, to act against the interest of the party at the time of the election," he added.
Judge Akhtar further said the plaintiff (PKR) had produced ample evidence of the termination of the defendant's membership by the central committee of the plaintiff.
The judge also said the RM10 million was not disproportionate but reasonable to act as a deterrence to prevent party members from acting against the party's interests.
"A lesser sum would not act as such a deterrence," the judge said.
Judge Akhtar said the court noted that the defendant had promised to pay the sum of RM10 million if she was terminated from the party.
"The court finds the bond was a valid agreement that binds the defendant to pay the RM10 million as promised on her membership being terminated," he said adding that the reputation of a membership of the defendant was caused by the defendant's own misconduct.
Therefore, the court allows the plaintiff's claim for the sum of RM10 million against the defendant with the cost of RM50,000 to be paid by the defendant to the plaintiff, the judge said.
Zuraida was represented by lawyer Muhammad Nizamuddin Abdul Hamid, while PKR was represented by lawyer Navpreet Singh.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Nizamuddin told Bernama that they will file an appeal against today's decision to the Court of Appeal.


Oral Covid-19 treatment yields ‘promising’ trial data

German pharmaceutical giant Merck and a US partner reported promising results Saturday in trials of a drug administered orally to fight Covid-19, saying it helps reduce patients’ viral load.“At a time where there is unmet need for antiviral treatments against SARS-CoV-2, we are encouraged by these preliminary data,” said Wendy Painter, chief medical officer of the US firm, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.In January, Merck halted work on two Covid vaccine candidates but has pressed on with research into two products to treat the disease, including a pill-based one called molnupiravir, which it has developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.This drug caused a significant drop in patients’ viral load after five days of treatment with it, Merck said at a meeting with infectious disease experts.This Phase 2a test – drug trials have three stages before a product can be approved – was carried out among 202 non-hospitalised people with symptoms of Covid-19.There was no alert in terms of safety, and of four serious adverse events that were reported, none were considered to be related to taking this drug, Ridgeback said.Anti-viral oral drugs such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) are sometimes prescribed for seasonal flu but researchers have yet to come up with something similar to fight the coronavirus.The findings of this study – a quicker decrease in viral load among individuals with early-stage Covid-19 who are treated with molnupiravir – are promising, said William Fischer, lead investigator of the study and a professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina.“If supported by additional studies, (they) could have important public health implications, particularly as the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to spread and evolve globally,” Fischer added.Merck is also working on another oral Covid treatment called MK-711.Preliminary results from clinical trials with it show a more than 50% reduction in risk of death or respiratory trouble in patients hospitalised with moderate to severe Covid-19, the company said in January.


PN seat allocations for state polls 95% complete

The process of allocating seats among Perikatan Nasional (PN) component parties for the six state elections this year is 95% completed, said PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan.
He said PN would be applying the same formula it adopted for the 15th general election in November, including contesting under PAS' moon symbol in Kelantan and Terengganu, and the PN logo in Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.
"In the PN context, you can say seat distribution among component parties is 95% settled and it’s up to these parties to determine their candidates.
"For sure the guideline is to pick winnable candidates to be fielded in seats allotted to the respective parties," he told reporters at an Aidilfitri open house in Kota Bharu yesterday.
Takiyuddin, who is Kota Bharu MP, said another round of seat negotiations would be held on May 24 for two west coast states while the other states are almost done with theirs.
PN comprises PAS, Bersatu and Gerakan.


6.0-magnitude earthquake rocks southern Philippines

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake jolted the southern Philippines on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said, but there were no reports of casualties or major damage.
The shallow quake struck at about 2pm (0600 GMT), a few kilometres from Maragusan municipality in the mountainous gold-mining province of Davao de Oro on Mindanao island.
Shallow earthquakes tend to cause more harm than deeper ones, but local authorities said there were no reports of major damage.
Cherrylyn Dapiton of the Maragusan disaster office confirmed there had been a landslide near a road, but it had not affected anyone or blocked traffic.
Photos on the local government's Facebook page showed patients on beds or in wheelchairs outside a hospital after they were evacuated from the facility.
The quake lasted about 30 seconds and was followed by aftershocks, said Corporal Stephanie Clemen, with police in the city of Tagum, about 40km from Maragusan.
"We immediately went under our desks and when the ground stopped shaking we went straight outside," Clemen told AFP.
"We are still outside because a moderate aftershock just hit."
While the quake did not appear to have destroyed anything, Clemen said, it was strong enough to "cause fear".
A video posted on Facebook and verified by AFP showed high school students in Mawab municipality, less than 30km from Maragusan, squealing as they exited a two-storey building and gathered outside.
Phoebe Alberto and her colleagues at the disaster office in New Bataan municipality, adjacent to Maragusan, fled their building as it shook.
"We are still assessing damage to our building, if any," said Alberto.
The quake was felt on the other side of the mountains in the coastal municipality of Caraga and sent people running outdoors, said civil defence officer Jessielyn Capina.
Quakes are a daily occurrence in the Philippines, which sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic as well as volcanic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
Most of the earthquakes are too weak to be felt by humans, but strong and destructive ones come at random with no technology available to predict when and where they will happen.
The nation's civil defence office regularly holds drills simulating earthquake scenarios along active fault lines.
The last major quake was in October in the northern Philippines.
The 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit the mountain town of Dolores in Abra province, injuring several people, damaging buildings and cutting power to most of the region.
A 7.0-magnitude quake in mountainous Abra last July triggered landslides and ground fissures, killing 11 people and injuring several hundred.


Three in hospital after police fire on Dutch Covid protesters

Three people were being treated in hospital in Rotterdam on Saturday after they were seriously injured when Dutch police fired shots during a violent protest against Covid-19 measures, authorities said.Crowds of several hundred rioters torched cars, set off fireworks and threw rocks at police during the protests on Friday evening. Police responded with warning shots and water canons.Rotterdam police posted on Twitter on Saturday that 51 people had been arrested, half of whom were under 18.“Three rioters were wounded when they were hit by bullets, they remain in hospital,” police added, in an update after earlier reporting two wounded.Authorities are investigating the shootings including whether the wounded people where hit by police bullets, they added.The city’s mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb, said the protest had turned into “an orgy of violence.”“Police were forced to draw their weapons and even fire direct shots,” he told a news conference early on Saturday.Dutch Justice Minister Ferd Grapperhaus said in a statement the “extreme violence” against police and firefighters in Rotterdam was “repulsive.”“The right to protest is very important in our society but what we saw last night was simply criminal behaviour,” Grapperhaus said.Protesters had gathered to voice opposition to government plans to restrict access to indoor venues to people who have a “corona pass,” showing they have been vaccinated or have already recovered from an infection.The pass is also available to people who have not been vaccinated, but have proof of a negative test.In several towns in the Netherlands on Saturday evening there were small pockets of unrest as youths clashed with police.In The Hague, riot police used water canons to clear part of the central Schilderswijk area after rioters threw fireworks at police and damaged traffic lights, local police said on Twitter.There was a heavy police presence in several other major towns after social media calls to riot followed the Rotterdam clashes, but any further violence was largely contained, with only a handful of arrests, Dutch media reported.Organisers of a protest that had been planned in Amsterdam on Saturday against the coronavirus measures said they had canceled the event after Friday’s violence.Even so, several thousand protesters showed up for a march around the city’s central Dam square. The march remained peaceful, monitored by a heavy police presence.The Netherlands reimposed some lockdown measures last weekend for an initial three weeks in an effort to slow a resurgence of coronavirus contagion, but daily infections have remained at their highest levels since the start of the pandemic.


Minister takes Bar to task over refusal to cooperate in ex-AG probe

The statement by the Malaysian Bar questioning the impartiality of the special task force (STF) in investigating the allegations by former attorney-general Tommy Thomas in his book, "My Story: Justice in the Wilderness" is completely baseless and inaccurate, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said today.
He said the STF had invited the Malaysian Bar Council to participate in the consultation sessions to ensure that the views of all parties were taken into consideration in preparing the report, adding however that the council had declined the invitation.
"As such, casting a negative perception on the impartiality of the STF members is completely baseless. The Malaysian Bar ought to have come forward and given its views on the various allegations identified by the STF.
"To refuse participation and then question the impartiality of the STF and its members should not be the Bar's way to confront issues of this kind," he said in a statement.
He was responding to Malaysian Bar president Karen Cheah Yee Lynn's statement on Oct 25 that the Bar was perturbed by the untimely declassification of the STF's report, which coincided with the dissolution of Parliament on Oct 7 and the upcoming general election scheduled for Nov 19.
Cheah also said it was reported that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had urged Barisan Nasional’s election machinery to capitalise on the declassified report, saying this could potentially be an abuse of power.
Wan Junaidi said the findings obtained were based on 19 consultations conducted by the STF among the various stakeholders, and that it had also looked into the various documents provided by the relevant agencies.
"I must stress that the methodology used, issues analysed, stakeholders involved in the consultation sessions as well as those who refused to participate have all been listed in the report. This clearly shows that the STF conducted the job in a responsible, transparent and impartial manner," he said.
He added that the STF had submitted its recommendations for improvements in various areas like the judiciary and the legal system for further consideration by the government.
The STF was established by the Cabinet on Dec 22 last year for fact-finding and analysing the information on the allegations by Thomas in his book.
The findings were reported to the Cabinet on Sept 30 this year.


Trump vows to end birthright citizenship for children of immigrants in US illegally

Donald Trump said on Tuesday that if elected president again in 2024 he would seek to end automatic citizenship for children born in the US to immigrants in the country illegally, a plan that contradicts how a 19th century amendment to the US constitution long has been interpreted.
Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in an increasingly crowded field of candidates, said in a campaign video posted to Twitter that he would issue an executive order instructing federal agencies to stop what is known as birthright citizenship. Any such action by Trump would be certain to draw a legal challenge.
Birthright citizenship arises from the constitution's 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868, three years after the conclusion of the American Civil War that ended the practice of enslaving black people in southern states and overturned a Supreme Court ruling that had held that slaves and free African Americans were not entitled to US citizenship.
The amendment granted citizenship to all persons "born or naturalised in the US", including formerly enslaved people, and has been interpreted to apply whether or not parents were in the country legally.
The proposed executive order, planned for the first day of a second Trump term in office, would require that at least one parent be an American citizen or lawful permanent resident for their children to become automatic US citizens, his campaign said in a press release.
While president in 2018, Trump said he planned to issue an executive order to limit birthright citizenship, but never followed through. Many legal scholars at the time were sceptical that Trump could use executive authority to roll back the right.
Trump on Tuesday also criticised President Joe Biden, the Democrat who defeated him in 2020 and is seeking re-election in 2024, for record numbers of migrants caught crossing the border illegally in recent years, calling the citizenship right for children born on US soil a "magnet". Trump noted that many countries restrict birthright citizenship for non-citizens.
Trump has sought to appeal to Republican voters on his party's right flank who support a crackdown on immigration. As president, Trump pursued hardline policies toward immigration and took steps toward building a wall along the US-Mexico border that he had promised as a candidate in 2016.


Rosmah insists ex-aide conspired with AGC

Rosmah Mansor today insisted in the High COurt that the prosecution in her solar project trial conspired with her former aide Rizal Mansor to falsely implicate her despite admitting that she had no issues with any officers from the Attorney-General Chambers (AGC).To confirm the matter, senior deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram introduced Rosmah, 69, to seven deputy public prosecutors (DPPs) who had worked on her case prior to the court proceeding today, to which Rosmah said: “I only know most of them in court.”Among the DPPs introduced by Sri Ram today were Ahmad Akram Gharib, Mohamad Mustafa P Kunyalam, Poh Yih Tinn and Nadia Mohd Izhar.Rosmah then asked Sri Ram why he was not introducing himself, to which he replied: “Because I am not from the AGC.”Rosmah then said: “But you were appointed (by the AGC). You have the fiat (letter of authorisation).”However, Sri Ram dismissed Rosmah’s remarks and requested to “get on with the case”.Sri Ram: Your defence consists of the following (Rizal and AGC officers) to hoist a false case on you.Rosmah: Correct.She however disagreed that there was no basis for Rizal to enter into a conspiracy with AGC officers to give false evidence against her.Rosmah was being cross-examined by Sri Ram from the witness stand on the third day of her defence trial on three corruption charges involving a solar hybrid project worth RM1.25 billion for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.Earlier, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak maintained that Rizal had been incompetent while was working with her although she did not raise it to Rizal directly but instead to Najib’s special officer, Siti Azizah Sheikh Abod.“When he first started working with me, he was tasked to write a speech text for me. The language and the content were very empty, it wasn’t the sort of speech that should be delivered by the wife of the prime minister,” she said.Rosmah also said she was not the one who had awarded Rizal his Datukship, although she had helped in recommending him to the Pahang state secretariat because she pitied him.Sri Ram: But your recommendation was accepted.Rosmah: I suppose, I was the wife of the PM.Further questioned by Sri Ram, Rosmah also denied that she had a habit of asking other people to “get things done” for her when she wanted something.Sri Ram was giving an example on an occasion where Rosmah had asked her acquaintance, Aizulhaimi Mohd Termizi, to lodge a police report on her behalf. Rosmah denied this, saying: “I did not ask but he made the proposal (to lodge a police report) to me.”Sri Ram: That is the point I’m making, it is the same when you want monies from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director, Saidi Abang Samsudin but you do it through Rizal.Rosmah: I disagree.On Feb 18, the High Court ordered Rosmah to enter her defence on the three charges after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in proving a prima facie case against her.Rosmah faces one charge of soliciting RM187.5 million in bribes and two charges of receiving RM6.5 million from Saidi through Rizal as gratification to assist Jepak Holdings in securing the integrated hybrid solar photovoltaic system project as well as the genset/diesel maintenance and operation for 369 rural schools in Sarawak worth RM1.25 billion through direct negotiations from the education ministry.The trial before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues on Oct 21.


New cases below 3,000 as 10 more deaths reported

Another 2,935 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,443,318.There were 7,585 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,354,006.There are now 53,776 active cases, of which 52,261 or 97.2% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 46 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,385 (2.6%) have been hospitalised.A total of 84 are in ICU with 56 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 52.3%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 11.2%.Another 10 deaths were reported, including one who was brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,536.


339 deaths as daily cases dip to 22,000

Another 22,070 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 1,662,913.Selangor recorded 5,920 cases, Sabah 3,010, Sarawak 2,224, Kedah 2,072, Penang 1,829, Johor 1,809, Kuala Lumpur 1,068 and Kelantan 1,051.Perak recorded 939 cases, Pahang 610, Melaka 589, Terengganu 488 and Negeri Sembilan 338.Perlis recorded 76 cases, Putrajaya 39 and Labuan eight.Active cases stand at 265,695 with 982 in the ICU and 470 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 21,877 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 1,381,668.However, 339 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 15,550.


Decision on medical use of cannabis by year-end

The government will take a stand on the use of cannabis for medical purposes before the end of the year, says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
Khairy, who concluded a bilateral working visit to Bangkok on Thursday, said Thailand had shared many views and experiences on the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes and its cultivation.
"I am confident that we will be able to study Thailand's experience to adapt it to the Malaysian context later when we will decide whether or not to allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes.
"If approved, we will determine in what framework and how it will be used.
"I want to move fast… I am confident that we will be able to take a stand this year. The main decision, yes or no, will be made this year with the policy likely being implemented next year. That is my target," he told Bernama yesterday.
Khairy’s visit was at the invitation of Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to explore the potential health benefits of cannabis.
Thailand is the first Southeast Asian country to legalise the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes.
During his working visit, Khairy and the delegation also visited the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation where he was briefed on Thailand's cannabis policy including practices, cultivation methods, research and the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes.
He also held meetings with the main players of the cannabis industry in Thailand and visited Siam Cannabis Land in Pattaya where he was briefed and visited greenhouses and plantations of various types of cannabis.
Khairy said the use of cannabis for medical purposes was not new in Malaysia as in 2014, sativex containing cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol was approved for use in Malaysia to treat muscle spasms.
However, the product was not well received in the local market so it was deregistered.
"The existing laws and framework allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes," he said.
Khairy added that the use of cannabis for medical purposes was becoming more widespread internationally including for palliative care, chronic pain management, insomnia and patients undergoing chemotherapy.
"Malaysia does not want to be left behind. So, we want to see and study the effectiveness and safety of using cannabis for medical purposes," he said.
Meanwhile, Khairy said for a start, Malaysia only sees the use of cannabis products for medicinal purposes and not its cultivation.
"If there is a high demand to make it an industry, we will study in terms of (cannabis) cultivation. We will take one step at a time," he said.
Last month, Khairy said a framework regarding the registration of certain CBD products would be announced.


Israel parliament dissolves, sparking fourth election in 2 years

Israel’s parliament dissolved on Wednesday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fractured ruling coalition failed to pass a budget, triggering a fourth election in two years and renewing an unprecedented political crisis.The coalition led by Netanyahu and his former election rival, Defence Minister Benny Gantz, had been inching towards collapse for weeks, undermined by mutual acrimony and mistrust.The dissolution of parliament, the Knesset, could see elections held as early as March 23, likely forcing Netanyahu to seek re-election while the coronavirus pandemic is still raging and as his long-awaited corruption trial intensifies.The coalition headed by Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud and Gantz’s centrist Blue and White party had until midnight to pass a 2020 budget.Failure to do so legally forces parliament’s dissolution, Knesset spokesman Uri Michael told AFP on Tuesday.The deadline’s expiration marks the end of a troubled political marriage between Netanyahu and Gantz, who faced off in three inconclusive elections in April and September of 2019 and again in March.Budget battleThey agreed to form a so-called unity government in April.Gantz has said he never trusted Netanyahu, but wanted to spare Israelis a fourth election, especially as the pandemic was gathering pace.The three-year coalition deal had stipulated that Netanyahu serves as premier for 18 months, with Gantz taking over in November 2021.Gantz demanded the government pass a budget covering both 2020 and 2021, arguing Israel, and the coalition, needed stability.But Netanyahu refused to endorse a 2021 budget.That, his critics said, was a political tactic to keep the coalition unstable, making it easier for him to sink the government before he had to yield power to Gantz.“The reason we’re heading to an election is because Netanyahu refused to pass a budget as required by law and honour political agreements so that he can remain in power for the duration of his trial,” said Yohanan Plesner, the head of the Israel Democracy Institute think tank.Late Sunday, Blue and White said it had an agreement with Likud on a bill to buy more time to pass the budget.But the Knesset rejected that bill on Tuesday, following yet another round of bitter back-and-fourth between Netanyahu and Gantz.Lawmakers from Likud and Blue and White both voted against the coalition proposal.Gantz, currently in precautionary coronavirus quarantine, was unable to vote.‘Risk all around’Both Netanyahu and Gantz face substantial political risks in new elections, especially if held in March.Political commentators have said Netanyahu always planned to force an election before vacating the premier’s office for Gantz, but would have preferred a vote date in June or later.That would have allowed more time to vaccinate the public against the novel coronavirus and hopefully push Israel’s economy towards recovery.A March election would compel Netanyahu to campaign in February, when he is due to appear in court multiple times a week for his trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.He is accused of accepting improper gifts and seeking to trade favours with media moguls in exchange for positive coverage, but denies wrongdoing.Netanyahu also faces a new challenge from influential right-winger Gideon Saar, who has left Likud to form his own New Hope party.Multiple polls suggest Saar could peel significant support away from Netanyahu if elections were held soon.Netanyahu is expected to highlight recent achievements including a series of US-brokered normalisation agreements with former Arab rival states.But he will no longer be able to boast of his ironclad alliance with outgoing President Donald Trump.Meanwhile, Gantz’s political fortunes have plummeted.Blue and White fractured when made a deal with Netanyahu and recent polls suggest the party would win only a handful of seats if elections were held soon.Gantz’s former ally, Yair Lapid of the Yesh Atid, became the opposition leader in parliament, but voter surveys indicate Lapid would struggle to form a government.Overall, prospects for left of centre parties appear dim, possibly complicating any attempt by president-elect Joe Biden’s administration to renew Israeli engagement with the Palestinians.“We enter this election with a clear advantage in polls for the political right,” Plesner of the IDI said, while stressing “the growing possibility” that a right-wing camp emerges that refuses to accept Netanyahu as prime minister.


Indonesia starts testing homegrown Covid-19 vaccine on humans

Indonesia began testing a homegrown Covid-19 vaccine on humans Wednesday after getting the green light from the drug regulator as the country faces a rising wave of virus cases.Research on the “Merah Putih” (“Red White”) vaccine – named after the colours of the Indonesian national flag – is led by Airlangga University and Biotis Pharmaceutical Indonesia.The project has suffered delays since starting in 2020, but authorities are now hoping to authorise its use by the middle of 2022 if the trials are successful.Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the drug, set to be rolled out in the latter stages of Indonesia’s vaccination campaign, could be donated to other nations, as a booster jab or as a vaccine for children aged three to six.“I have discussed this matter with the president and he has agreed to use this vaccine as a donation to countries in need,” Sadikin said Wednesday at a launch event for the human trials in Surabaya.The first and second phases of the clinical trials will involve 90 and 405 adult volunteers respectively.The Merah Putih vaccine has been granted a “halal” certification from the Indonesian Ulema Council, the Muslim-majority nation’s top religious clerics body, according to the dean of Airlangga University Mohammad Nasih.“We hope with this halal certification, the public confidence to use this vaccine will be higher,” Nasih told reporters.Indonesia has approved 13 vaccines and boosters but has primarily used the Chinese-made jabs, and has struggled to procure enough doses for its population of more than 270 million people.The Indonesian government has stressed the importance of developing and manufacturing national vaccines since the beginning of the pandemic.The country was ravaged by Covid-19 in July last year as the Delta variant swept the country.Daily cases declined significantly at the end of the year but the spread of Omicron recently brought the country back to 30,000 confirmed cases a day.In total, Southeast Asia’s largest economy has reported over 4.5 million confirmed cases with nearly 145,000 deaths.Vaccination rollout is also relatively slow with around 48% of the population vaccinated with two jabs and only five million with a booster shot.


Najib expected to appear for 1MDB trial at High Court

Najib Razak, who is currently serving his jail sentence for misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International funds, is expected to be present at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today for his 1MDB trial.
It is understood that the court had issued an order to Kajang Prison to produce the 69-year-old former prime minister to attend the proceedings before justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
Najib faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
On Aug 23, Najib was sent to Kajang Prison after the apex court upheld his 12-year jail sentence and RM210 million fine for misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International funds.
A five-man bench led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat dismissed Najib’s appeal to set aside the conviction and sentence imposed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 28, 2020.
Najib on Dec 8, 2021 failed to overturn the ruling after the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court's decision.


Rumah Bonda founder told to give statement of defence without lawyer

Rumah Bonda founder Siti Bainun Ahd Razali, who is facing charges of neglecting and abusing a girl with Down syndrome known as Bella, was today ordered by the Sessions Court to give her statement of defence even without legal representation.
The order was made by judge Izralizam Sanusi who decided that the defence proceedings must go on so as not to disrupt the course of the case.
"The court has the absolute discretion to allow or reject the application for postponement. In this case, I have to use my discretion. So today, we will begin with you reading your witness statement which has been received by the prosecution.
"I have taken into account that your statement comes in approximately 200 pages and I believe that the reading of the statement will take two days. I am also concerned about your right to be represented by a lawyer. So, I will postpone the cross-examination by the deputy public prosecutor.
"You have given your word to have a lawyer appointed within a month. As the hearing day was set on Feb 20, I am sure the DPP can do their cross-examination with you having a lawyer by then," he said. When the judge asked whether she had filed a complaint to the Malaysian Bar against the five lawyers who withdrew themselves from her case, Siti Bainun said: "No, because they are still helping me prepare the statement of claim and other documents relating to the proceedings."
Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutir Zilfinaz Abbas objected to several paragraphs in Siti Bainun’s witness statement on the grounds that it touched upon the personal matters of previous witnesses and the expertise of the prosecution’s witnesses.
The judge ordered the prosecution to list down the paragraphs in question. The court then stood down the proceedings to decide on the matter.
On Nov 24 last year, the judge ordered Siti Bainun to enter her defence against two charges of neglecting and abusing Bella after the prosecution managed to establish a prima facie case against her at the end of its case.
Siti Bainun, 30, was alleged to have committed the offence at a condominium unit in Wangsa Maju between February and June 2021.
The charges were framed under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 which carries imprisonment for up to 20 years or a fine of RM50,000 or both, upon conviction.


Fully vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear masks outside

US health authorities say those who have received all required Covid-19 jabs can remove their face coverings when outdoors if alone or in small groups of vaccinated people.New guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say masks should still be worn indoors and in crowded settings.The guidelines are for the fully vaccinated, which means two weeks after a person’s final vaccine jab.So far, over 95 million Americans have been fully vaccinated.Following the CDC announcement on Tuesday, President Joe Biden celebrated the new guidance as “extraordinary progress”.“Our scientists are convinced by the data that the odds of getting or giving the virus to others is very, very low,” Biden said. “The bottom line is clear: if you’re vaccinated you can do more.”The president also urged Americans who have not yet received their shot to do so, calling it a “patriotic” act.“Vaccines are about saving your life but also the lives of the people around you. They’re also about helping us get back closer to more normal living.”CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky told a White House coronavirus task force briefing that determining whether to wear a mask in larger outdoor gatherings would depend on concerns like how well-ventilated a venue is and how much space is left between people.Evidence suggests that although Covid-19 viruses can be passed on outdoors, the risks of transmission are extremely low. Early studies indicate that fully vaccinated people are much less likely to spread the virus.Walensky said mask guidance for the fully vaccinated is intended largely “to protect the unvaccinated”.“We really do want people who are unvaccinated to limit interactions with people, to go back to the basic principles of increased ventilation, spacing,” she said.Health officials have noted that the case count in the US is stabilising as the rate of vaccinations continues to grow, and on Tuesday they called for more people to sign up for vaccinations.According to the CDC, nearly 141 million Americans – about 42% of the total population – have received at least one vaccine dose as of 26 April.


Nothing odd about clash with 'old PKR friend' Amirudin, says Azmin

Gombak incumbent Mohamed Azmin Ali today said there was nothing strange about his impending clash for the seat with Amirudin Shari, his "old friend" from PKR, at the Nov 19 general election.
Azmin, the international trade and industry minister, also reiterated that his fight against the Selangor menteri besar had nothing to do with personalities or parties.
Speaking to reporters outside the Gombak nomination centre in Selangor today, he said it was instead about defending the mandate of the people.
"If the party which gained the support of the people at the last general election failed to fulfil the promises it made, what is there for me to defend?" he added.
The Gombak seat will witness a five-way fight among Azmin, representing Perikatan Nasional, Amirudin of Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional's Megat Zulkarnain Omardi, Aziz Jamaludin Mohd Tahir of Putra and independent candidate Zulkifli Ahmad.
Azmin defended his seat at the last election, winning 75,113 votes and defeating his competitors from Umno (26,392 votes) and PAS (17,537 votes).
Azmin said the mandate given to PH at the previous election was for the implementation of reforms to improve the people's quality of life.
He claimed that during PH's time in power, all manner of statements had been made that had offended not only the Malays but other communities as well.
"If I defend PH, it would be a betrayal of this mandate," he added.


476,000 voters urged to turn out for Melaka polls

A total of 476,037 normal voters out of the 495,195 registered voters in Melaka are eligible to vote at the 15th state election this Saturday.Election Commission (EC) secretary Ikmalrudin Ishak in a statement said of the total, 11,557 were early voters and 7,601 were postal voters.He said voters are advised to check and take note of their information such as their polling centre, polling channel and voter’s number at https://pengundi.spr.gov.my or through the MySPR Semak application and EC hotline at 03-8892 7018 before polling day.Ikmalrudin said the EC, through the MySPR Semak application, has also provided a voting time advisory for voters who are highly encouraged to cast their votes at the proposed time.“If for a certain reason, they cannot go to the polling centre during the proposed time, voters can still do so at any time between 8am and 5.30pm. However, voters are advised not to wait until the very last minute,” he said.Ikmalrudin said the voters are also required to comply with the rules and regulations on Covid-19 prevention on polling day.They are also reminded to bring along their identity cards, but not to give these to anyone other than the election officials at the polling channel for verification.“We call on all voters in Melaka to come and perform their civic responsibility as voters this Saturday,” he said.


UAE warns of restrictions for unvaccinated as jabs near landmark

The UAE announced Wednesday it had given nearly 10 million vaccine doses, equal to one for every resident, after warning that those who remained unvaccinated would face restrictions on their movement.The United Arab Emirates has mounted an energetic coronavirus vaccination campaign for its citizens as well as the foreigners who make up the majority of the population.However, daily infection rates remain high after it became one of the first destinations to reopen to tourism last year, making it a magnet for visitors from all over the world, and being hit with a spike in cases afterwards as a result.The National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) said Wednesday the UAE had administered 111,176 doses of vaccine in the past 24 hours, to reach 9,900,002 in total “and with a rate of 100.10 doses per 100 people”.That result, with two-dose therapies including Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm, makes it second-fastest per capita delivery in the world among major nations, after Israel.However, the NCEMA warned Tuesday that anyone opting against vaccination was putting their families and communities at risk, and that they would face unspecified penalties.“Strict measures are being considered to restrict the movement of unvaccinated individuals and to implement preventive measures such as restricting entry to some places and having access to some services,” it tweeted.“Delaying or refraining from taking the vaccine will pose a threat to the safety of society and put all groups, especially those most vulnerable to infection, as it poses a major challenge to the national efforts to recover.”The warning, after a vaccination programme that has been widely embraced by citizens and residents alike, caused a stir online and a rare rebuke from two Emirati figures with large social media followings.“Taking the vaccine is a personal decision, and imposing it deprives people of their rights,” Sheikha Manal al-Maktoum, a member of the Dubai royal family, tweeted.She was backed by Emirati professor of political science Abdulkhaleq Abdulla who commended her “wisdom”.“Health authorities, local and federal, should intensify awareness and culture campaigns and offer more incentives instead of taking punitive measures and refusing to provide services, and limiting the movement of those who didn’t take the vaccine,” he tweeted.The UAE has now recorded some 502,000 cases of coronavirus, the highest number among the Gulf states, and exceeding its much bigger neighbour Saudi Arabia.Strict rules on masks and social distancing are in force, but otherwise life in the UAE’s cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi is going on much as normal, with restaurants and shops open for business.


One dead, five critically injured in US church shooting

A gunman opened fire in a Southern California church during a lunch banquet on Sunday, killing one person and wounding five, before churchgoers detained the suspect and hog-tied his legs with an electrical cord, authorities said.Police responded to the incident that unfolded at about 1.30pm local time (2039 GMT) at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods and arrested an unidentified suspect in his 60s, Orange County Undersheriff Jeff Hallock told a news conference.“That group of churchgoers displayed… exceptional heroism and bravery in intervening to stop the suspect. They undoubtedly prevented additional injuries and fatalities,” he said.One person died at the scene while four other victims were critically wounded. Another person suffered minor injuries, he said. All of the injured were taken to hospitals.About 30 to 40 people were in the church when the shooting occurred, Hallock said.“At this time, we do not know what the suspect’s motive may be or whether he had an intended target, or whether this is even a hate-related incident,” Hallock said, adding that authorities believe the suspect does not live in the area.Two handguns were found at the scene.“No one should have to fear going to their place of worship. Our thoughts are with the victims, community, and all those impacted by this tragic event,” governor Gavin Newsom’s office said on Twitter.It was at least the second mass shooting of the weekend in the US, which has been plagued with gun violence in recent years. In Buffalo, New York, on Saturday, a white 18-year-old man opened fire at a supermarket in a mostly black neighborhood, killing 10 and wounding three in what authorities described as a purely racist attack.