NZ protesters burn camp after riot police move in

New Zealand anti-vaccination demonstrators set alight their own protest camp outside parliament Wednesday after riot police moved to end their weeks-long occupation of the legislative precinct.Ending a previous light-touch approach, hundreds of officers used perspex shields and pepper spray to force back protesters, who responded by pelting them with chairs, bottles and paint bombs.When it became apparent that police were winning the battle for control of the makeshift tent city that sprang up on parliament’s lawns three weeks ago, the demonstrators torched it themselves.“This is not over,” one man yelled, while others chanted “Shame on you” at advancing officers as a thick pall of black smoke enveloped the area.Police deployed an ear-splitting sonic cannon to help disperse the crowd and made dozens of arrests in an operation that began just before dawn.Speaking to reporters in parliament after initial skirmishes took place just a few hundred metres (yards) away, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern backed the force’s tough tactics.She said what began as a movement against coronavirus vaccine mandates – inspired by similar protests in Canada – had turned toxic, describing demonstrators’ conduct as “disgraceful”.“The protest has been at times violent. Increasingly we find misinformation and sadly conspiracy theories,” she said, also labelling the camp a health risk for Wellington residents.“It has become a location of interest, we know Covid has circulated within the protest and there have been hospitalisations as a result.”‘It needs to end’Police spent the morning clearing roads around the legislature, using a large forklift truck to remove cars and campervans that arrived in the capital in a convoy on Feb 8 and were used to jam downtown streets.In the afternoon, they turned to the protest’s epicentre on the lawns of parliament, where around 3,000 people congregated at the height of the demonstration about two weeks ago.Numbers have since dwindled to a hard core of about 300 and police commissioner Andrew Coster said they had shown a willingness to use violence.“We’ve seen tactics (from protesters) today including spraying fire extinguishers at the police line, the throwing of paint, early on we saw weapons,” he said.He said police were not seeking confrontation but added: “This protest has now tipped over a balance and it now needs to end.”At least three officers received minor injuries in the operation to clear the parliamentary precinct, which left a few dozen angry protesters milling on nearby streets yelling insults.The operation came after vocal criticism from Wellington locals about the hands-off approach previously adopted towards the demonstrators.Residents have complained about being abused by protesters for wearing masks, while schools and businesses close to the camp have closed for safety reasons.In recent weeks, police have accused protesters of hurling human faeces at them, spraying a “stinging substance” at officers and slashing tyres on police cars.Parliamentary officials initially tried to clear the grounds by playing pop music and children’s song “Baby Shark” on a loop, but stopped after police criticised the tactic.Coster said efforts to “de-escalate” the situation and end the protest without resorting to force had stalled.“We reached the stage where protest leaders were unwilling or unable to effect meaningful change,” he said.


Taliban accuses Pakistan of allowing US drones to use its airspace

The Taliban's acting defence minister on Sunday said Pakistan had allowed American drones to use its airspace to access Afghanistan, a charge Pakistan has recently denied following a US air strike in Kabul.
Acting Minister of Defence Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob told reporters at a news conference in Kabul that American drones have been entering Afghanistan via Pakistan.
"According to our information the drones are entering through Pakistan to Afghanistan, they use Pakistan's airspace, we ask Pakistan, don't use your airspace against us," he said.
Pakistan's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Pakistani authorities have denied involvement in or advanced knowledge of a drone strike the US said it carried out in Kabul in July that killed Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Yaqoob's comments could exacerbate tension between the neighbouring nations at a time when the Afghan Taliban is mediating talks between Pakistan and a Pakistani Taliban militant group. Afghanistan also relies heavily on trade with Pakistan as the country experiences an economic crisis.
The Taliban said it is investigating the July air strike and that it has not found the Al Qaeda leader's body.


Rights groups seek clemency for Nagaenthran as wait continues for Singapore verdict

Rights groups on Wednesday mounted a fresh eleventh-hour clemency appeal for Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam who is facing execution in Singapore for drug offences, saying he suffers from mental and psychological disabilities.Nagaenthran, now 34, was arrested in 2009 for trafficking a small amount of heroin into Singapore, which has some of the world’s toughest drug laws, and handed a then mandatory death sentence the following year.He was scheduled to be hanged in November but the verdict sparked criticism due to concerns he has intellectual disabilities, with the European Union and British billionaire Richard Branson among those condemning the decision.The appeal was made in separate letters sent by Amnesty International and the Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (Adpan) to Singapore President Halimah Yacob through the city-state’s embassy in Malaysia.Nagaenthran’s lawyer Violet Netto had urged Singapore’s Court of Appeal last week to show “mercy” by allowing the prisoner to undergo an independent assessment by psychiatrists. The court has yet to issue a ruling on the appeal.Amnesty’s letter said Nagaenthran has been found “to have borderline intellectual functioning and cognitive deficits”.Adpan said he is also suffering from a “psychological disability” and asked Singapore’s president to “grant clemency or intervene… to commute his death sentence”.A handful of rights activists held up posters bearing Nagaenthran’s photo outside the embassy as the letters were handed to a representative.Supporters say Nagaenthran has an IQ of 69 – a level recognised as a disability – and was coerced into committing the crime.Singapore previously rejected appeals by Malaysian leaders for clemency, saying that Nagaenthran “has been accorded full due process under the law”.Authorities have said legal rulings had also found that he “knew what he was doing” at the time of the offence.If the hanging is carried out, it would be the first in a series in the coming months, with activists warning that authorities are gearing up to execute three other drug traffickers.Singapore is among more than 30 countries worldwide where drug-related offences are still punishable by death, according to Amnesty.It maintains the death penalty for several offences, including drug trafficking and murder, and insists it has helped to keep Singapore one of the safest places in Asia.


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Twitter misled US regulators on hackers, spam, whistleblower says

Twitter Inc misled federal regulators about its defenses against hackers and spam accounts, the social media company's former security chief Peiter Zatko said in a whistleblower complaint.
In an 84-page complaint, Zatko, a famed hacker widely known as "Mudge," alleged Twitter falsely claimed it had a solid security plan, according to documents relayed by congressional investigators. Twitter's shares fell 7.3% to close at US$39.86.
The document alleges Twitter prioritised user growth over reducing spam, with executives eligible to win individual bonuses of as much as US$10 million tied to increases in daily users, and nothing explicitly for cutting spam.
Twitter labeled the complaint a "false narrative." The social media company has been battling Elon Musk in court after the world's richest person attempted to pull out of a US$44-billion deal to buy Twitter. Musk said it failed to provide details about the prevalence of bot and spam accounts.
Tesla Inc Chief Executive Musk had offered to buy Twitter for US$54.20 per share, saying he believed it could be a global platform for free speech.
Twitter and Musk have sued each other, with Twitter asking a judge on the Delaware Court of Chancery to order Musk to close the deal. A trial is scheduled for Oct 17.
Zatko filed the complaint last month with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice, as well as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The complaint was also sent to congressional committees.
"We are reviewing the redacted claims that have been published but what we have seen so far is a false narrative that is riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies," Twitter Chief Executive Parag Agrawal told employees in a memo.
The Senate Judiciary Committee's top Republican, Chuck Grassley, said the complaint raised serious national security concerns and privacy issues and needed to be investigated.
"Take a tech platform that collects massive amounts of user data, combine it with what appears to be an incredibly weak security infrastructure, and infuse it with foreign state actors with an agenda, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster," he said.
The FTC declined to comment. A spokesperson for the Senate Intelligence Committee said it had received the complaint and was setting up a meeting to discuss the allegation.
Twitter's real regulatory risk lies in whether the documentary evidence shows "knowing or reckless misleading" of investors or regulators, said Howard Fischer, a partner at Moses & Singer and a former SEC attorney.
'Give a little whistle'
Musk could not be reached for comment but reacted on Twitter with memes and emoji of a robot. Musk's legal team has subpoenaed Zatko, CNN reported after the whistleblower disclosure was made public.
American hackers have admired Zatko since the 1990s, when he was credited with inventing a tool to crack passwords. He later used his hacking chops to become a sought-after security consultant and with other rebellious techies of the era, transitioned to top government and boardroom positions.
The whistleblower document says that after the Jan 6 riots, the incoming Biden administration offered him "a day-one appointed position as Chief Information Security Officer for the US," which he turned down.
Cybersecurity leaders expressed widespread support for Zatko, and many deplored Twitter's reaction to his revelations.
Robert Lee, founder of industrial cybersecurity company Dragos, said it was "one of the very rare times based on who it is I don't even need to know a detail to form an opinion," he said on Twitter. "If Mudge is making this type of claim, it deserves the investigation."
In January, Twitter said Zatko was no longer its head of security, two years after his appointment to the role.
On Tuesday, a Twitter spokesperson said Zatko was fired for "ineffective leadership and poor performance," adding his allegations appeared designed to capture attention and inflict harm on Twitter, its customers and its shareholders.
Debra Katz and Alexis Ronickher, attorneys for Zatko, said in a statement that throughout his tenure at Twitter, he repeatedly raised concerns about inadequate information security systems to the company's executive committee, CEO and board. Twitter did not respond to a request for comment on that statement.


New Zealand weightlifter will be first transgender athlete to compete in Olympics

A New Zealand woman has become the first transgender athlete to be selected to compete in the Olympics – a decision that is expected to launch more furious debate about gender identity in sports, says the New York Post.Weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, who was born male but transitioned to female, has been picked to participate in the upcoming summer games in Tokyo, New Zealand Olympic Committee chief Kereyn Smith said on Monday.Hubbard is poised to make history and headlines, as well as significant controversy, says the Guardian.The 43-year-old, who will be the fourth oldest weightlifter at an Olympics, is regarded as a genuine medal contender in the women’s super heavyweight 87kg-plus category in Tokyo.But while her inclusion has been welcomed by trans groups, it has also been questioned by those who believe she has unfair advantages in strength and power, having gone through male puberty before transitioning in 2012.“We acknowledge that gender identity in sport is a highly sensitive and complex issue requiring a balance between human rights and fairness on the field of play,” Smith said in a statement.“As the New Zealand team, we have a strong culture of inclusion and respect for all and manaaki,” he said, using the Maori word for caring.Hubbard transitioned in her 30s and had previously competed as a male weightlifter.She became eligible to lift in the Olympics as a woman after her testosterone levels dropped below the required threshold.She said in a statement, “I am grateful and humbled by the kindness and support that has been given to me by so many New Zealanders. Your support, your encouragement, and your aroha (love) carried me through the darkness.”Critics argue she has unfair advantages competing against other women.Female Belgian weightlifter Anna Van Bellinghen said that allowing a transgender woman to compete in the women’s event was unfair and that the situation was “like a bad joke”.Former teammate Tracey Lambrechs said in an interview last month that many fellow female weightlifters have concerns that are being ignored.“I’ve had female weightlifters come up to me and say ‘This isn’t fair, what can we do?’,” she told broadcaster TVNZ.“Unfortunately there’s nothing we can do because every time we voice our concerns we get told to be quiet.”


2021 SPM results out on June 16

The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia or SPM results for 2021 will be out on June 16, the education ministry announced today.In a statement, it said those awaiting their results would be able to collect them from their schools from 10am onwards.Private candidates meanwhile will receive their results slips by mail, on June 16 as well.Candidates can also check their results online at myresultspm.moe.gov.my from 10am on June 16 to 6pm on June 24, or via SMS by typing SPMICnumberCandidateNumber and sending it to 15888.The SMS system will be activated at 10am on June 16, and remain in operation until 6pm on June 22.


Edge boss says gifted Justo US$2 million for 'helping clean up kleptrocracy'

The chairman of The Edge Media Group said at the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday that he had given 1MDB whistle-blower Xavier Andre Justo US$2 million as a gift for his contributions to cleaning up the country’s largest kleptocracy.
Tong Kooi Ong, 63, said he had given Justo the sum despite not getting any information or documents related to the sovereign wealth fund.
"I felt that Justo, for no whim and fancy and for nothing to gain, paid a huge price to be jailed in Thailand for an action that saved Malaysia from the world's largest kleptocracy.
"I thought he deserved to be paid and I thought the government of Malaysia should have awarded him something, but in the absence, I decided that I should help him. I gave him the sum in my office," said Tong.
The 43rd prosecution witness said this when questioned by lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah at Najib Razak’s trial on the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion from 1MDB.
Tong was referring to an article published by an online portal titled "The Edge owner gives Justo RM8.2 million for helping expose the 1MDB scandal".
He said the Malaysian government ought to have compensated Justo and that in the absence of that, he had gifted the money to Justo which the latter acknowledged as a gift.
When questioned by senior deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram if the witness knew fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low, Tong said he had met Jho Low twice.
"In 2014, after The Edge had just started operating, Jho Low, through a reporter contacted me, to see me. He saw me twice, by the way. Jho Low’s father Larry Low Hock Peng was a person I had known since the 1990s.
"During the first meeting, he (Jho Low) told me that Edge’s reporting (about 1MDB) was wrong. During the second meeting, he told me that he knows Najib. He said that The Edge should be 'careful' of what we wrote," said Tong.
Sri Ram:  When Jho Low said (be careful of what you wrote), what was the message?
Tong: It was a threat.
When asked what he had done following the threats, Tong answered: "I just ignored it."
He also told the court that he obtained the contact number of Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown from former Damansara MP Tony Pua.
"I contacted Rewcastle-Brown. Yes, she introduced me to Justo in Singapore," he added.
Najib, 69, 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.
The trial before High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues today.


Spared the worst of Covid-19, Pakistan’s poor abandon SOPs

Pakistan has reported just over half a million Covid-19 cases so far, and 11,157 deaths – far fewer than the kind of numbers the authorities had feared as the pandemic gathered pace.Now the authorities are worrying complacency could undo that good fortune, as a divide is becoming apparent between the haves and have-nots when it comes to who is remaining vigilant.Momin Khan sells snacks and face masks to passengers at a crowded bus station in Islamabad.Most of them buy a snack instead of paying a few Pakistani rupees for a mask, he told Reuters.“It’s mostly rich people who buy the masks, the poor people say we don’t have the money anyway and we will do without them,” he said.Dozens of passengers crowd into minivans, only a few wearing masks. Drivers shut their doors and windows to keep out the winter cold, creating a fug inside their overloaded vehicles.Restrictions to curb the pandemic, dubbed SOPs, are rarely followed anywhere, but especially not at this transport hub.At the bus station, SOPs require that waiting passengers sit socially distanced, wearing masks, but almost nobody does.In the minivans absolutely nobody follows the SOPs. It’s impossible to, even though some do try to space out before the van fills to overcapacity.“We lose a lot of income when they are apart from each other, because only when the bus is full can we make a profit,” Kabir Ahmed Kiyani, the station’s manager, told Reuters.“All business has been hurt but especially transport. More than half our passengers are gone.”Elsewhere, Islamabad’s Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat leads a team of police officers on a surprise inspection of a bustling upscale marketplace.As the police come into view, shopkeepers usher out customers and hastily produce masks.“Generally, the people of the upper classes or upper middle class, they are somehow implementing the SOPs,” Shafqaat told Reuters. “But if you see people from the lowest strata, for them implementation of the SOPs is almost impossible, and for us it is also a huge challenge.”Shafqaat said the city has handed out some millions of rupees in fines and closed nearly 1,000 businesses since the pandemic began. Restrictions like closing schools and mosques could return if infection numbers go back up.“But there cannot be a complete lockdown; our country cannot afford it.”Gallup Pakistan reported in a December poll that around 57% of Pakistanis say the virus threat is exaggerated, and 42% say it’s a foreign conspiracy.


Unemployed but working 24 hours a day, the new norm for mums

When her husband moved to Kuala Lumpur for work purposes in March last year, Aishah Rahman, a full-time housewife in Batu Pahat, Johor, knew her life was about to change.Just like that, she became the family’s sole caretaker while juggling a long-distance relationship with her husband.This, compounded by the complications brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, meant a huge increase in her stress levels especially during the various lockdown periods implemented throughout the year. Since then, chores and responsibilities have only grown, and there are times when Aishah wishes she could just escape.Yet many who learn that she is a housewife assume that hers is an easy life.“People still think we sit at home and do nothing,” she said to MalaysiaNow.“I asked my eldest son to help me with house chores since my husband is not here to help me. People think I’m burdening him. They expect me to do everything by myself.”“People still think we sit at home and do nothing.”“Everything” covers a wide range of jobs, from taking care of the house and the four children to being their live-in tutor during the pandemic lockdown.“Before this, when it came to our children’s studies we expected them to learn everything from their teachers,” Aishah, 38, said. “Now, we are their teachers too. We have to teach them all 10 subjects so that they can complete their homework.“They are with us 24 hours a day.”‘All over the world’This, according to clinical psychologist Jameela Ghazi, is far from an isolated case.Jameela told MalaysiaNow that the pandemic has caused what is known as parental stress to mothers all over the world, with or without a career, due to an increase in workload and responsibilities.“When mothers have to juggle many tasks, it results in increased strain and effort,” she said. “If they are working mothers, they will need to work from home and monitor their children’s school schedule and activities at the same time.“Continuous adaptation to children’s needs and demands during a pandemic will limit mothers’ opportunity to enjoy personal activities.”She also spoke of maternal burnout, where mothers are emotionally and physically exhausted due to prolonged and excessive stress.“The longer the lockdown period, the greater the distress. This reduces mothers’ psychological well-being and may result in severe burnout,” she said.When this happens, mothers may feel less satisfied with their performance as a parent and could experience irritability which can hamper the child-rearing process.There is also the gender gap issue, although Jameela said this may have decreased somewhat due to the Covid-19 lockdowns.“However, in a situation where the husband has low awareness or the mother is a single parent, her responsibilities may increase significantly during the pandemic,” she said.She said failure to address the issue could result in disorientation within the family in terms of emotions, thoughts and behaviour.“The longer the lockdown period, the greater the distress.”She spoke of reports which link children’s restlessness, irritability and sadness to their parents’ psychological distress.“The mental health crisis among mothers could also affect their affection for their husbands, which could lead to a more significant conflict,” she added.She said women play essential roles in many sectors including healthcare, economy and education.“Psychological distress may hamper their ability to function at work and reduce their performance,” she said, calling for the development of an intervention plan to reduce the consequences of the pandemic for mothers.‘Not robots’Back in Batu Pahat, Aishah said she is now drained from trying to cope with everything at the same time.“Housewives are not robots who can do chores without any help,” she said. “I am already physically exhausted so when people say things like that, it affects me mentally.“It’s unpaid labour.”She also struggles to find someone who will understand what she is going through.“Housewives are not robots who can do chores without any help.”“Who can I talk to about my struggles? If I do, people will assume I am an ungrateful and disobedient wife.“This is why you can see a lot of wives expressing their struggles on social media, because when we try to talk about it with our partners, they don’t listen to us.”This, to her, is a crucial part of helping solve the problem.“Not being heard by our partners can add to our stress, especially when we bottle everything up inside.”She admits that there are times when she would like to escape from everything and just take some time for herself. But with no end in sight to the pandemic just yet, she will have to soldier on.“I can’t wait for the end of Covid-19,” she said. “That’s when I will take the time to release stress with my children.”


Assad wins Syrian presidential election ‘farce’ by 95%

Bashar al-Assad will serve a fourth term in office after winning Syria’s presidential election.The parliamentary speaker told a live press conference that Assad had won 95.1% of the vote, and that turnout was 78.6%. His two challengers won 1.5% and 3.3% respectively.The election was held in government-controlled areas of the country and in some Syrian embassies overseas.The country’s exiled opposition called the vote a farce and a large protest against the election was held in the rebel-controlled Idlib province, says the BBC.A spokesman for the Syrian Negotiation Commission, said that the result showed contempt for the Syrian people. “It’s a decision by the government, aided by Russia and Iran, to kill the political process,” he said. “It’s a continuation of tyranny.”Foreign ministers from France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the US released a joint statement before the vote, calling the election “illegitimate” and saying it would be “neither free nor fair” without the supervision of the United Nations.“We support the voices of all Syrians, including civil society organisations and the Syrian opposition, who have condemned the electoral process as illegitimate,” the statement added.As he cast his ballot on Wednesday, Assad said the West’s opinion counted for “zero”.Syria had invited international election observers from Russia, China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador and Armenia, Al Jazeera reported.Assad, 55, has been president since 2000. He succeeded his late father, Hafez, who had ruled Syria for more than a quarter of a century.Syria has been devastated by a decade-long conflict that erupted after Assad’s government responded with deadly force to peaceful pro-democracy protests in March 2011.The fighting since has left nearly 400,000 people dead and caused up to half the population to abandon their homes, including almost six million who fled abroad.Syria’s last election was held in 2014, despite fighting raging across the country and the opposition refusing to participate.Since then the tide of the war has turned decisively in Assad’s favour, with Russian air strikes and Iran-backed militias helping the Syrian army regain control of the biggest cities.However, large parts of the country are still held by rebels, jihadists and Kurdish-led forces, and a political solution to the conflict seems a distant prospect.“Thank you to all Syrians for their high sense of nationalism and their notable participation,” Assad said in a statement after the results were announced. “For the future of Syria’s children and its youth, let’s start from tomorrow our campaign of work to build hope and build Syria.”


Kindergartens struggle on with no help in sight

Private kindergarten operators have expressed regret over the lack of government aid for the early childhood sector as they continue to reel from the various movement control orders (MCOs) implemented throughout the country since March.They said the lack of initiative from the relevant ministries in preparing policies and decisions in favour of kindergarten operators had caused many to suffer severe financial difficulties.Nadia Farhani Mohd Yusof, who owns Tadika Gems Smart Kids, said even now, there was no help for private kindergarten operators, many of whom had been forced to close shop due to overwhelming losses.She said the government should immediately issue SOPs for kindergartens and nurseries to prevent any further losses for operators after the implementation of conditional MCO across most of the country.Nadia, whose kindergarten in Sentul has been open for less than a year, also suggested that the government extend the loan moratorium period for businesses in sectors that have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.This way, she said, business owners could consider immediate measures to save their centres such as giving parents a discount in fees and obtaining waivers for rent.“Our savings are going fast as we are trying to keep our kindergartens from shutting down,” she told MalaysiaNow.She added that operators would have to think of other ways to keep their businesses afloat if kindergartens remain shut due to Covid-19.“Our savings are going fast as we are trying to keep our kindergartens from shutting down.”Karthikha Raavi owns Tadika Sinar Impian in Taman Bukit Maluri. She told MalaysiaNow that it was impossible for ministers and government officials to be ignorant of the plight of kindergarten operators.“You are a minister. If you know we are facing difficulties, why don’t you help?“We are not asking for money,” she added. “We can find that for ourselves. We are only asking for them to make policies that are fair and intelligent.”Karthikha runs her kindergarten together with her husband, who had been a secondary school teacher for 22 years.She said the Mandarin teacher who had worked at the kindergarten since 2012 resigned last month as she had been unable to pay her.“I am not the only one facing problems,” she said. “My teachers are also going through the same thing.“The kindergarten cannot open, fees are decreasing, and rent must still be paid. What is left for us to pay the teachers?”Nurseries fall under the purview of the women, family and community development ministry while kindergartens are under the education ministry.Former deputy women, family and community development minister Hannah Yeoh said there was a strong possibility that the two ministries in question had not discussed the issue, causing confusion in the announcements by the National Security Council (NSC).Speaking at a recent press conference in Parliament with former education minister Maszlee Malik and his former deputy Teo Nie Ching, she said kindergartens and nurseries are under different ministries.“So when the NSC only makes an announcement about nurseries, kindergarten operators are left in the dark.”“We are only asking for them to make policies that are fair and intelligent.”Speaking to MalaysiaNow, the Segambut MP said if such confusion continues, parents might not keep paying fees.She said the closure of centres would also jeopardise business for these operators who might not be able to pay their teachers and staff members, either.Only recently, she said, the three of them had had a virtual meeting with kindergarten operators in Pahang, which is a green zone state. All of them agreed that no one had come forward to help them.“Some operators broke down in tears in front of us, thinking about their struggle to pay their teachers and workers over the last few months because of Covid-19,” she added.A petition calling on the education ministry to allow kindergartens to resume operations has so far gained over 13,250 signatures.The petition was launched on behalf of working parents who cannot afford to pay for extra help with their children.It is understood that two weeks ago, another petition was submitted to Education Minister Radzi Jidin by a representative of kindergarten operators.MalaysiaNow’s efforts to obtain a response from Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun have so far failed.When contacted, meanwhile, a spokesman for the education ministry said there has been no change in the decision to shut down schools.In a press conference on Tuesday, Radzi said schools in non-CMCO states had been shut down along with those in CMCO states to protect students from contracting Covid-19.“Covid-19 does not differentiate between green and red,” he said. “If it did, our work would be much easier.”


Bersatu man slams Zafrul after speakers from MoF agencies address event graced by Zahid

A Bersatu leader has taken Tengku Zafrul Aziz to task after two agencies under the purview of his finance ministry accepted invitations to share a stage with Ahmad Zahid Hamidi despite the Umno president's multiple corruption charges in court.
Wan Saiful Wan Jan was referring to a recent forum on tax policy in Putrajaya, organised by a little-known think tank which last year controversially invited convicted former leader Najib Razak to speak at a forum on democracy.
The one-day event on Monday, dubbed the "Malaysia Tax Policy Forum", had named Zahid to give the closing address.
The speakers had included Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) chief executive Mohd Nizom Sairi who gave the opening address, and customs director-general Zazuli Johan who was represented by senior customs officer Roszita Dim in a luncheon address.
Zahid's speech was read by Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general Zambry Abdul Kadir.

Wan Saiful Wan Jan.

"Who would have thought that Zafrul would be complicit in cleansing Zahid's image by letting two agencies under the finance ministry, namely LHDN and customs, speak at the same meeting as Zahid at the 'Malaysia Tax Policy Forum'?" asked Wan Saiful.
Zahid is currently on trial for 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to a charitable foundation.
Wan Saiful also criticised Zafrul's recent move to embrace Umno, where he was praised by Zahid, reminding the former banker that he was picked to head the finance ministry by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin because of his non-involvement in party politics.
"Who would have thought that Zafrul would happily smile when Zahid announced that he would bring 'sweeteners' for Umno?" he said, referring to Zahid's statement welcoming Zafrul to join Umno's fight to return to power in Selangor.
Zafrul headed the CIMB Group before he was brought in by Muhyiddin to lead the finance ministry in the wake of the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in early 2020.
He continued to hold the post after Muhyiddin's resignation in August last year.
Last week, he was named as the BN treasurer in Selangor, in a move seen as preparing the warchest for Umno's bid to wrest back control of the state after losing it more than a decade ago.
Wan Saiful also accused Zafrul of attempting to put a positive spin on issues linked to 1MDB and SRC International, citing his remarks in the Dewan Rakyat that debts linked to 1MDB were not directly linked to government liabilities.
"Wow... just a few days after taking a party position, seems he is already giving a positive spin," he added.


Pfizer halts jab deliveries to ‘banana republic’ Israel

Calling Israel a “banana republic”, Pfizer has frozen further deliveries of the Covid-19 vaccine until it gets paid for the last 2.5 million doses, Israeli media has reported.Some 700,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine were expected in Israel on Sunday, after Passover ended, but were delayed by Pfizer until further notice on the grounds that the previous shipment hadn’t been paid for, the Jerusalem Post reported.Pfizer executives reportedly said they couldn’t understand how something like this could happen in an organised country, a correspondent for Galatz, the Israeli army radio, said on Monday.Pfizer’s only official comment was that its original contract with Israel for an unspecified number of doses, signed in November 2020, had expired and that they were working to “update the agreement”.“While this work continues, shipments may be adjusted,” Pfizer added in a statement.Israel has reportedly bought 15 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech shot, as well as 12 million Moderna and AstraZeneca jabs.The country has spent US$788 million, with another US$758 million reserved for further purchases, a health ministry representative told legislators last month.The figures showed that Israel had paid a price per dose “much higher” than previously believed and costlier than US and EU deals.The Israeli health ministry sought approval to get 30 million more doses, but the meeting they requested for Monday was cancelled due to a conflict between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition partner and chief rival Benny Gantz, Israeli media reported.According to the Jerusalem Post, Gantz called the meeting off because Netanyahu refused to confirm him as justice minister, leaving him in acting capacity after his term expired on April 1.However, Gantz’s office said that the purchase of the 2.5 million Pfizer vaccines had already been approved and that the payment delay was the fault of Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party.Netanyahu has been in an uneasy coalition government with Gantz since May 2020, after the third election in the span of a year failed to produce a viable majority coalition.Gantz’s interest in the justice ministry might be related to the fact that Netanyahu is currently facing a series of corruption charges, say local media sources.Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla was supposed to visit Israel in early March to negotiate further deliveries and possibly even arrange production of the vaccine there.He cancelled the trip five days before its scheduled date, however, saying he and his team weren’t fully vaccinated and would gladly come later after “coronavirus restrictions are lifted or improve”.


Firefighting tanker plane in deadly Australia crash likely stalled, final report says

A C-130 tanker plane that crashed and killed all three Americans on board while fighting fires in Australia in 2020 likely stalled when flying in hazardous conditions after making a fire retardant drop, investigators said in a final report on Monday.
There is no evidence that the crew was told a smaller lead aircraft called a "birddog" initially assigned to support the C-130 had declined the mission due to weather-related safety concerns, highlighting a lack of information sharing that may have contributed to the crash, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said.
"We do know that the use of large air tankers in Australia is relatively new," ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell told reporters. "And those policies perhaps haven't been as mature as they've been in other jurisdictions that have used them," he added, citing the US as being more advanced.
The Lockheed Martin Corp C-130 operated by private Canadian firm Coulson Aviation under contract to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) was the biggest civilian plane by size to crash in Australia.
The January 2020 accident occurred during the country's worst fire season on record when RFS had up to 130 aircraft a day working to put out fires.
Coulson did not provide a pre-flight risk assessment tool for its firefighting large air tanker crews, ATSB said, while RFS had limited policies for aerial supervision requirements and no procedures for deploying tankers without aerial supervision.
Coulson has taken pro-active steps to improve safety in response to the accident, including the introduction of a pre-flight risk assessment tool and new windshear management procedures and training, though it has declined a recommendation to install windshear detection systems, Mitchell said.
Coulson did not respond immediately to a request for comment. In the final report the operator said it did not believe windshear detection systems would improve safety.
RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers said in a statement that work was underway to put better systems in place ahead of the coming fire season, including establishing a manual process for notifying pilots when others have rejected tasks due to poor conditions.
The C-130 crash killed US military veterans Captain Ian H McBeth, 44, of Great Falls, Montana, First Officer Paul Clyde Hudson, 42, of Buckeye, Arizona, and Flight Engineer Rick DeMorgan Jr, 43, of Navarre, Florida.
The three US firefighters were part of a multi-national team helping Australia combat devastating bushfires.
The cockpit voice recorder was recovered but investigators said the data was not useful because all of the audio was from a flight that was operated in the US in 2019.
The aircraft had been based there before coming to Australia during a bushfire season that killed 33 people, charred nearly 12 million hectares (29.7 million acres) of land and wreaked billions of dollars in damage.


Cops stepping up roadblock checks to foil ‘balik kampung’ attempts

Police have had to step up inspections at roadblocks in conjunction with Aidilfitri in view of the many tricks used by members of the public in their attempt to “balik kampung” or return to their home towns for the holidays, says Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Abd Rahim Jaafar.Acknowledging the sentiments of those who have to line up or spend several hours at roadblocks, he said the move was nonetheless necessary to ensure the success of the government’s directives to break the chain of Covid-19 infections.“We do not want anyone to slip past or lie to us at roadblocks, because people are using various tactics now, showing us all sorts of letters.“For instance, using a work pass to go home. That day at the roadblock in Bentong (Pahang), a van carrying 15 people claimed to be heading to Terengganu for work, but when we checked further, it turned out they were using work passes to go back to their home towns for the holidays.“Things like this are occurring now. The public are trying their hardest, using various tactics,” he said at a press conference today.He also said that police had issued over 100,000 compounds since March 18 last year for various violations of SOPs and related laws.“The majority of compounds issued were related to not wearing face masks and not practising physical distancing. Currently, SOP compliance operations are more focused on night clubs which have reopened,” he said.


#JusticeforBella gains pace as Siti Bainun’s lawyer lambasted online

The case of Bella, a young girl with Down syndrome believed to have been neglected and abused by the founder of her welfare home, has attracted national attention with even members of the royal family and celebrities commenting after the circulation of several clips showing a defence lawyer giving his views on the ongoing trial.Hafidzah Hassan, who is representing Rumah Bonda founder Siti Bainun Ahd Razali, came under fire after saying that it was too early for the public to make assumptions about her client given that not all of them had witnessed the trial for themselves.Her statement sparked a flurry of criticism, with many calling her an unethical lawyer and saying that she risked being in contempt of the court as she was making personal comments about the case.She was also found to have published part of the cross-examination involving the fifth prosecution witness. Although she later deleted the post, it remained accessible through the editing history available on social media.Internet users were also angered by a picture of Siti Bainun’s defence team smiling outside the courtroom, with many accusing them of lacking in humanity and having no respect for Bella, who was said to have suffered both physically and emotionally as a result of the abuse.Others asked why Siti Bainun required 10 lawyers to defend herself against the charges brought by a teenager with special needs.Some even asked how she would pay her team given that she does not have a permanent job.The latter question was answered by Hadfizah herself, who said she was representing Siti Bainun on a pro bono basis – sparking even more criticism online.“It would be better to represent Bella who has no mother or father than the person whom witnesses have described as abusive and hot-tempered,” a Facebook user called Bintu Salmi said in the comment section of Hadfizah’s page.Others told Hafidzah to refrain from commenting in public discussions and to behave professionally like other lawyers who have handled well-known and high-profile trials.Hafidzah had said that she believed herself right in representing Siti Bainun as she trusted the story, evidence, documents and chronology provided by the Puteri Umno member.This in turn caused uneasiness among legal practitioners who felt that lawyers should not take the public’s word on the case being tried.Several took Hafidzah to task on social media for her remarks which they said were offensive to them as lawyers.They also reprimanded her for wearing black robes, the formal attire of a lawyer, while making posts on social media platforms such as TikTok.Others meanwhile voiced regret that members of the public had begun belittling the career since Hafidzah took to airing her personal views online.Even as criticism snowballs for Hafidzah, though, a movement known as #JusticeforBella has been making waves, attracting the attention of even Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim who offered the services of his lawyer for free as an observer during the trial.Tunku Ismail also said that his people would contact Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun about the offer.His wife, Che Puan Besar Khaleeda Bustamam, meanwhile voiced regret and disappointment over what had befallen the girl.“I am disappointed and tired of seeing cowards who think that they can do anything they like to disabled children and that they will get away with it,” she said on Twitter.“You can hide behind your team of lawyers but in the end, karma will come in both this world and the hereafter.”Siti Bainun, 30, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of neglecting and abusing the teenager to the point of the victim suffering injuries as well as emotional distress.The offences were allegedly committed at a condominium in Wangsa Maju between February and June 2021, under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 which carries a jail sentence of up to 20 years, a fine of RM50,000 or both, upon conviction.


Daily cases top 26,500 as 95 more deaths logged

Another 26,534 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 3,872,135.There were 31,234 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 3,533,994.There are now 304,147 active cases, of which 293,435 or 96.5% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 2,123 (0.7%) are at quarantine centres while 8,213 (2.7%) have been hospitalised.A total of 376 are in ICU with 222 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 58.1%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 42.9%.Another 95 deaths were reported, including 23 who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 33,994.


Door still open to negotiations, Anwar says on working with former allies

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim today said that the door remains open to negotiations, amid the prospect of cooperation with former allies Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin  ahead of the 15th general election (GE15).
Speaking in a press conference at the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya, he said Pakatan Harapan (PH) welcomed talks with any party which agrees with the coalition's agenda for reform.
"We are now committed to a reform agenda, a PH agenda," he added.
"Against corruption, against abuse of power, against all excesses. And whoever agrees, they can come and talk to us."
On GE15 itself, Anwar said PH's manifesto would be launched in Ipoh on Oct 20.
He said the manifesto would focus on the cost of living, education, health, and anti-corruption measures.
When asked about PAS' call for the country's main Malay parties to work together, Anwar said such a move would have to be backed by principles.
"Principles such as a stand against corruption and disagreement to racial policies," he added.
"Collaborations are tied to principles."


Trip to space with Jeff Bezos sells for US$28 million

A mystery bidder paid US$28 million at auction Saturday for a seat alongside Jeff Bezos on board the first crewed spaceflight of the billionaire’s company Blue Origin next month.The Amazon founder revealed this week that both he and his brother Mark would take seats on board the company’s New Shepard launch vehicle on July 20, to fly to the edge of space and back.The Bezos brothers will be joined by the winner of Saturday’s charity auction, whose identity remains unknown, and by a fourth, as yet unnamed space tourist.“The name of the auction winner will be released in the weeks following the auction’s conclusion,” tweeted Blue Origin following the sale.“Then, the fourth and final crew member will be announced – stay tuned.”Saturday’s successful bidder beat out some 20 rivals in an auction launched on May 19 and wrapped up with a 10-minute, live-cast frenzy.Bidding had reached US$4.8 million by Thursday, but shot up spectacularly in the final live auction, rising by million dollar increments.The proceeds – aside from a 6% auctioneer’s commission – will go to Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future, which aims to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics.Taking off from a desert in western Texas, the New Shepard trip will last 10 minutes, four of which passengers will spend above the Karman line that marks the recognised boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and space.After lift-off, the capsule separates from its booster, then spends four minutes at an altitude exceeding 100km, during which time those on board experience weightlessness and can observe the curvature of Earth.The booster lands autonomously on a pad two miles from the launch site, and the capsule floats back to the surface with three large parachutes that slow it down to about a mile per hour when it lands.Lifelong dreamBezos, who announced earlier this year he is stepping down as Amazon’s chief executive to spend more time on other projects including Blue Origin, has said it was a lifelong dream to fly into space.Blue Origin’s New Shepard has successfully carried out more than a dozen uncrewed test runs from its facility in Texas’ Guadalupe Mountains.“We’re ready to fly some astronauts,” said Blue Origin’s director of astronaut and orbital sales, Ariane Cornell, on Saturday.The reusable suborbital rocket system was named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space 60 years ago.The automated capsules with no pilot have six seats with horizontal backrests placed next to large portholes, in a futuristic cabin with swish lighting. Multiple cameras help immortalise the few minutes the space tourists experience weightlessness.Private space raceBlue Origin’s maiden crewed flight comes in a context of fierce competition in the field of private space exploration – with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic, founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, all jostling for pole position.Bezos has a very public rivalry with Musk, whose SpaceX is planning orbital flights that would cost millions of dollars and send people much further into space.SpaceX has already begun to carry astronauts to the International Space Station and is a competitor for government space contracts.Virgin Galactic, meanwhile, hopes to begin regular commercial suborbital flights in early 2022, with eventual plans for 400 trips a year.Some 600 people have booked flights, costing US$200,000 to US$250,000 – and there has been talk of Branson himself taking part in a test flight this summer, although no date has been set.


Happily ever after for sexual minorities

I’m always on the hunt for Canyon contraband cigarettes, though it’s been a while since I had one now that the small shady shops, hawkers and mamaks have decided that it’s not worth risking their businesses for frugal addicts like myself.But on one hot afternoon in Chow Kit, a box of Canyon cigarettes lay there on the table before me. It belonged to Jozzie, the transman with whom I had an interview.Just as I had been waiting for the moment I would be reunited with my favourite cigarette, I had been eagerly anticipating the moment I would be able to document the story of a transman like himself.Just a few weeks before, Jozzie had had his first dose of testosterone in his journey of gender reaffirming therapy.Before his birth, his mother thought that she was carrying a boy as doctors had told her so during her medical examinations. The news was welcomed as the family had had only girls before.But while the anticipation of a baby boy brought joy to the household, it was tinged with sadness as Jozzie’s father passed away before his birth. His mother was asked to abort the baby, but she was reluctant to do so as she had wished for a boy for so long.Jozzie was born a girl, but his mother’s wish shaped his experience of childhood. He was given new toys and clothes that were different from those of his sisters. Instead of the toys usually associated with girls, he played with action figures and toy cars. His hair was kept short, and at Raya celebrations he wore a baju Melayu and paraded before his relatives with the innocence of a young tomboy.Jozzie’s first taste of femininity came with puberty. His hair was grown out and he wore baju kurung instead as his mother began worrying about talk on her side of the family. But even then, he rebelled against this although his rebellion was not entertained by his mother.Soon, though, his mother agreed with Jozzie’s unease with his long hair and decided that it would be easier to keep Jozzie’s hair short.While his mother may have factored in the way Jozzie expressed himself during childhood, his identity as a transman was not a foreign feeling embedded in himself but rather one precipitated without causality from the nurturing he received – a nature that was there simply from existing as himself.Jozzie as a secondary school student reminded me of the adolescents in SE Hinton’s The Outsiders. The nostalgia and romances of American teenage boys were a distant parallel to Jozzie’s fights with boys and the after-school romances sneaked when his parents were not home, although the frequent visits of Jozzie’s girls invited teasing from his third sister, with whom he was close.He had no choice but to wear the school uniform although he settled on changing out of the compulsory baju kurung as soon as school ended.Acceptance was not something Jozzie had to demand from his family. While the relatives on his mother’s side subtly voiced the need for Jozzie to be a proper lady through the lens of a Muslim family, those on his father’s side were more than willing to accept his masculinity.Raya would see Jozzie in a baju kurung during get-togethers with his mother’s side of the family, but the relatives on his father’s side were more than willing to lend him pants and a shirt for him to change into as soon as he arrived.His love life was also acknowledged by his mother and stepfather, although not in the way he would describe it. His home in Johor Bahru shortened the distance between himself and his lover, Janice, who worked in Singapore. That romance is now a concluded chapter in his life, but it was his parents who could not get over his breakup. In fact, his stepfather would still ask about Janice’s well-being.Nevertheless, his journey to accept himself as a transman continues. The religious teaching that came before would sometimes bring teachers with a heteronormative view of life. Although he knows not to fall into the pattern of denying himself what he truly felt, he still seeks spiritual guidance from the entity in whom he believes as well.Each prayer and prostration is a moment for Jozzie to find reassurance for his identity. He asks God to show him whether what he feels is what he is supposed to, and he has never felt denied for expressing himself as what he is.But Jozzie undermines the significance of his story. When I asked him to let me interview him, doubt was voiced not on the fear that shrouds the lives of sexual minorities about the loss of their private identities but about whether his story was significant enough compared to the tragic experiences of others.We have become accustomed to tragic stories of sexual minorities, to the point that we may even become desensitised, to protect what little we have left of our ability to sympathise with others.Just as we lead our lives filled with work and the business that accompanies it, sexual minorities seem expected to lead their lives with new tales of discrimination, abuse, and lost hope and families.I would be lying if I said I did not long for a story that, for once, involved its narrator being happy and content.Stories of how sexual minorities can live a life indistinguishable from other members of society could at least tell readers that sexual minorities can simply be happy.Let this piece of writing be a guide for families and friends that sometimes the best and only thing they can do is to continue loving and accepting their kin and peers for the sake of the contentment which everyone deserves regardless of identity or orientation.Until contentment is within reach for everyone who struggles, semoga kita terus berbakti.


Palau loses virus-free status with first Covid cases

The tiny Pacific nation of Palau reported its first cases of coronavirus Saturday, losing its prized status as one of the world’s few Covid-free countries as authorities appealed for calm.Two travellers, who tested positive after arriving from Guam, have been placed in quarantine along with their known contacts.“We urge everyone to remain calm,” the health ministry said in a statement after deciding against imposing lockdown measures.With more than 80% of the 18,000 population fully vaccinated, President Surangel Whipps insisted the remote island state “has been Covid-free but is now Covid-safe”.Until Saturday Palau was just one of 14 countries in the world that had recorded no virus cases at all, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).The health ministry would not say how many contacts were in isolation but a spokesman told AFP they did not believe there had been any community transmission.Whipps added if anyone who has been fully vaccinated does become infected “it will be just like a flu or they won’t show symptoms at all”.The infected travellers tested negative 72 hours before departure but were positive when they had a compulsory test five days after arrival.Palau protocols demand that in the first five days after arriving, people wear masks and avoid crowds.The country is not able to determine which strain of the coronavirus the new cases are and a sample has been sent to the US for analysis.Palau, situated about 1,000km east of the Philippines, was one of the few countries to avoid Covid-19 after closing its borders early in the pandemic, despite the huge cost to its tourism-reliant economy.Most of the other countries on WHO’s virus-free list are also small island nations in the Pacific, barring North Korea and Turkmenistan – both of whose assertions of zero cases have long been doubted by analysts.In an attempt to kickstart its tourism industry, Palau opened a quarantine-free travel bubble with Taiwan in April.It closed a month later when Taiwan experienced a spike in virus cases and reopened last week with any unvaccinated tourists jabbed on arrival.A Covid-19 case that was reported in Palau in May is no longer listed by WHO because the symptoms detected were considered historical and posed no transmission risk.


Missile must have downed MH17, judges say

Dutch judges said Tuesday that the investigation into the crash of flight MH17 over war-torn Ukraine in 2014 showed that a Russian-made BUK missile must have been responsible.Judges in the trial of three Russians and a Ukrainian over the disaster which killed all 298 people on board the Malaysia Airlines plane started formally setting out the evidence this week.Fragments analysed at the scene “correspond to a BUK missile” and the investigation showed that “there are no other possible conclusions”, presiding judge Hendrik Steenhuis said.The judges also showed a video showing a plume of white smoke rising to the sky from a field near Pervomaiskyi in eastern Ukraine at the time the Boeing 777 plane came down.One witness said they had seen a missile “flying for 20 seconds before exploding next to the cockpit of an airliner”, the judges said.The jet was travelling from Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport to Kuala Lumpur when it crashed in part of eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian rebels.An international investigation previously concluded that a BUK missile that had originally come from the Russian army’s 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade based in the city of Kursk was responsible.Defence lawyers and Russian officials have sought to argue that there were other possibilities including that the plane was shot down by a fighter jet operated by Ukraine.All four suspects are accused of being key figures among the separatist rebels battling Kiev.Judges said on Monday the court would this week look at evidence addressing three key questions: whether the plane was shot down by a BUK; the location the missile was fired from; and the role of the four suspects in the crash.


New infections at 258 as another 2 deaths reported

Another 258 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 5,035,871.
There were 309 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,989,435.
There are now 9,496 active cases, of which 9,109 or 95.9% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0%) are at quarantine centres while 370 (3.9%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 17 are in ICU with 14 in need of respiratory assistance.
Another two deaths were reported, including one who was brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 36,940.


No bad blood with Zahid, Ismail insists

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today denied claims of bad blood or issues between him and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ismail, who is an Umno vice-president, said such claims were an attempt to cause friction between them, which he added would only benefit those creating the rumours, especially with the 15th general election around the corner.
"I can guarantee there are no issues between me and Zahid. Those are just wild rumours out there.
"This is because when we are divided, they (our political adversaries) are the ones to gain," he said, citing the Malay proverb "antan sama antan berlaga, ayam ditepi kekenyangan" to describe the situation of how playing the devil’s advocate benefits the instigating party.
"And that is why we must unite and let them be the ones who lose out," he said at a Barisan Nasional (BN) programme in Bagan Datuk.
He said when such unfounded and malicious claims surface, he and Zahid, who is also BN chairman, would hold discussions on how to stop or deflect them.
Therefore, it was important for BN to continue to work in solidarity to ward off such attacks, especially from the opposition, he said.


Myanmar violence escalating with rise of ‘self-defence’ groups, report says

Violence in post-coup Myanmar has escalated as anti-junta “self-defence” forces step up to take on the military, a report said Monday, warning of an “enormous” human cost if the regime uses its full power in subsequent crackdowns.Myanmar has been in turmoil since the February coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s government, with more than 880 killed in a junta crackdown on dissent, according to a local monitoring group.In some areas, locals – often using hunting rifles or weapons manufactured at makeshift jungle factories – have formed “defence forces” to fight back.In response, the military has used helicopters and artillery, including against groups in northwestern Chin state and along the eastern border with Thailand.“Faced with armed insurrection, the Tatmadaw [the Myanmar military] can be expected to unleash its military might against civilians,” the International Crisis Group (ICG) said Monday.“The human cost will be enormous – particularly for women, children and the elderly, who face the greatest hardships from violence and displacement.”Clashes have taken place in areas that have not seen conflict for decades, forcing humanitarian agencies into a race to set up new operations and supply lines, the ICG said.An estimated 230,000 people have already been displaced by fighting and insecurity so far, the United Nations said last week.The self-defence groups add to the volatile mix in the poor Southeast Asian country, where more than 20 ethnic rebel groups were already in various stages of the conflict with the state before the coup.As the economy collapses, the new militias may “seek sources of revenue beyond the ad hoc community donations that have so far sustained them,” the ICG warned.It is also unlikely that the shadow “National Unity Government” – formed largely of lawmakers from Suu Kyi’s ousted government – will be able to bring them under its control, it added.Clashes involving civilian militias and the military have largely been restricted to rural areas.But last week, at least six people died in a gun battle between security forces and a self-defence group in the country’s second city of Mandalay.


A huge embarrassment no matter how it's spun, Khairy says on Anwar's Saudi trip

Former minister Khairy Jamaluddin has described the failure of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to meet with his Saudi Arabian counterparts during his recent official trip to the kingdom as nothing short of a "huge diplomatic blunder".
"Whatever the excuse, (for example) saying that they asked the prime minister to stay one or two more days, and then meet them after that – the prime minister of Malaysia should not go to Saudi Arabia without a fixed appointment.
"That's it, that's all there is," Khairy said in a podcast co-hosted with former Umno man Shahril Hamdan, with whom he was recently sacked from the party.
Khairy agreed with a suggestion by Shahril that the incident was not only a blunder, but also an embarrassment to the nation.
He said there had been attempts by ruling politicians to trivialise the incident.
"No, this is not small. This is a big embarrassment," he added.
He also recalled his own experience arranging programmes for prime ministerial visits overseas.
"I know that we would not go unless the programme was locked," he said, adding that the timing of Anwar's visit at the start of Ramadan was also questionable.
"During the first week of Ramadan, of course the schedule will be haywire. It cannot be last-minute.
"I understand that Saudi Arabia themselves signalled us to try not to come," he said.
He said the crux of the matter lay in the fact that Wisma Putra had confirmed Anwar's meeting with both King Salman Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
"So there is no question of a change in dates. You go to Saudi Arabia to have an audience with the king, and especially the crown prince.
"We know that for the last couple of years, Mohammed has been the one actually leading the kingdom of Saudi Arabia."
News that Anwar's official three-day visit to Saudi Arabia had ended without a meeting with Mohammed was followed by a flurry of comments from opposition leaders and jibes on social media.
A Bernama report said the meeting could not take place because the crown prince had a change of plans ahead of the Ramadan month.
This led to opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional demanding an explanation of the events leading to the cancellation of the meeting.
Many also drew comparisons with the full honours accorded to former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin in 2021, where Mohammed, better known as MBS, welcomed him at the airport himself.
In response, Pakatan Harapan MPs and the government's propaganda unit under the Prime Minister's Department maintained that Anwar's visit had been fruitful although he had not met with the crown prince.
Amanah's Hulu Langat MP Sany Hamzan questioned those who said that unlike Anwar, Muhyiddin had been given access to the kaabah, a privilege reserved for eminent Muslim dignitaries.
"What would the people and country have gained if the prime minister was able to enter the kaabah?" he asked.
But Khairy said the MP's argument was misplaced.
"That's not the point," he said. "He is trying to counter attack, maybe because he feels embarrassed that this has happened.
"If he (Anwar) had entered the kaabah, it would have been validation that you are the guest of the king, the guest of the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The standing of a prime minister who visits the kaabah is very high."
Khairy also said the importance of ties with Saudi Arabia went beyond the common perception that the Malaysian government was seeking an increase in the annual haj quota from Riyadh.
"If we look at it in geopolitical terms, the role played by Saudi Arabia now is very, very important – maybe more important than Turkey," he said.


Muhyiddin congratulates PM Ismail over swearing-in of Cabinet

Former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin has congratulated his successor Ismail Sabri Yaakob over the formal swearing-in of his Cabinet members, expressing hope that they will carry out their duties with the priority of bringing the country out of the Covid-19 pandemic.“The vaccination programme which has been encouraging with over 62% of the adult population having received two complete doses should be ensured to run smoothly and achieve the set targets.“Similarly, the phased opening of economic sectors under the National Recovery Plan must be implemented in an orderly manner without compromising the country’s target of recovering from Covid-19,” he said.Following his resignation, Muhyiddin, with some 50 MPs under his Perikatan Nasional coalition (PN), had backed Ismail as his successor.He said on Aug 19 that PN’s support for Ismail was on condition that his Cabinet did not include those who are facing criminal charges in court.He said the decision to support Ismail was made in order to ensure the continuity of PN’s principles prioritising efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and restore the country until a suitable time for a general election to return the mandate to the people.He said any PN government under Ismail’s leadership must also continue the practice of respecting the separation of powers, protecting the freedom of the judiciary, and upholding the constitutional monarchy.On Friday, Ismail named 31 ministers to form his Cabinet, largely retaining key people from Muhyiddin’s administration and sparking criticism from Umno and the opposition.


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1MDB board was in ‘sandiwara’ over overseas funds belonging to Umno, court told

The former CEO of 1MDB told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today that the 1MDB board of directors was involved in a “sandiwara” (stage play) to hide that the overseas funds of the sovereign wealth fund belonged to Umno.Mohd Hazem Abd Rahman, the 10th prosecution witness, said this when cross-examined by Najib Razak’s lawyer, Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, in the former prime minister’s trial on the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds.When asked why he did not put on record during the 1MDB board meeting on Feb 27, 2014, that the overseas funds supposedly belonged to Umno, the witness said “this was a scheme and this was not supposed to be put on record”.Wan Aizuddin: You claim this is a conspiracy that all the board members participated in?Hazem: YesWan Aizuddin: You are saying that whatever was reported in the minutes was just for show?Hazem: They knew what was at stake.Wan Aizuddin: So you are saying that, whatever that was recorded in the minutes of the board meeting (to bring back the funds from overseas), it was all for show? Are you saying all this was a big sandiwara?Hazem: Yes.The 49-year-old witness also agreed to the lawyer‘s suggestion that none of the money repatriated from overseas went into Umno’s bank account.To another question, Hazem told the court that he had never heard from Najib himself saying that the 1MDB’s overseas funds belonged to Umno, but only based it on what was said by fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low and Najib’s former principal private secretary, Azlin Alias, now deceased.He said based on 1MDB’s meeting minutes, the company share holder (Najib) had intended to bring the overseas money back to Malaysia.On Jan 6 this year, Hazem testified that 1MDB was set up for the benefit of Umno and that this was conveyed to him by Jho Low.Najib, 67, who underwent eye surgery last week, was seen wearing dark glasses while sitting in the dock.He 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.The trial before justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.


China must cooperate better with Covid origin probe, says WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) chief urged China Thursday to be more cooperative in the next phase of investigations into the pandemic origins, demanding more access to raw data.Speaking to reporters in Geneva, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also acknowledged that a prior push to all but rule out the possibility that Covid-19 may have escaped from a lab had been “premature”.He said that WHO was laying the groundwork for moving forward with fresh investigations into where Covid-19 came from, adding “we hope there will be better cooperation to get to the bottom of what happened”.The UN health agency has been facing intensifying pressure for a new, more in-depth investigation of Covid-19’s origins.WHO only managed to send a team of independent, international experts to China’s Wuhan in January, more than a year after Covid-19 first surfaced there in late 2019, to help their Chinese counterparts probe the pandemic origins.Tedros acknowledged Thursday that one of the main challenges during the first phase of the investigation was “access to raw data… The raw data was not shared”.“And now we have designed the second phase of the study and we are asking actually China to be transparent, to be open and cooperate, especially on the… raw data that we asked for (in) the early days of the pandemic.”Lab leaks ‘common’The long-delayed report after the first phase of the investigation was published in late March, with the international team and their Chinese counterparts drawing no firm conclusions about the pandemic origins.Instead they ranked a number of hypotheses according to how likely they believed they were, finding that it was most likely the virus jumped from bats to humans via an intermediate animal, while a theory involving the virus leaking from a laboratory was deemed “extremely unlikely”.The investigation and report have faced criticism for lacking transparency and access, and for not evaluating the lab-leak theory more deeply – a mere 440 words of the report were dedicated to discussing and dismissing it.Long derided as a right-wing conspiracy theory, and vehemently rejected by Beijing, the idea that Covid-19 may have emerged from a lab leak has been gaining increasing momentum in the US especially.Tedros, who emphasised that all theories remained on the table immediately after the report was published, reiterated Thursday that more investigation into the lab leak hypothesis was needed.“There was a premature push” to rule out that theory, he said.The WHO chief, who is an immunologist, stressed that he himself had previously worked as a lab technician, “and lab accidents happen”.“It’s common. I have seen it happening,” he said, stressing that “checking what happened, especially in our labs, is important”.“We need information, direct information on what the situation of these labs was before, at the start of the pandemic.”Tedros had previously lamented that the international team did not have access to all the raw data needed to make a proper assessment.Pointing to the more than four million official deaths from Covid worldwide, the WHO chief said: “I think we owe it to them to know what happened.”“We need to know what happened to prevent the next one.”


Zahid sets SD condition for Umno candidates

Umno Supreme Council member Zahidi Zainul Abidin today confirmed that Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates for the 15th general election (GE15) would have to sign statutory declarations (SDs), amid expectations that several big names seen as out of line with party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be dropped at the polls.
"Yes, it's true, we must sign SDs," he said to MalaysiaNow.
"I don't know what the SDs are for. Perhaps in support of Zahid as prime minister. Or maybe the SDs are to ensure that they follow and are loyal to his every instruction."
Zahidi, who himself is on the list of leaders to be excluded from running at the Nov 19 polls, also said that he had not been invited to the ceremony to announce BN's candidates at the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur tonight.
Aside from Zahidi, the Padang Besar incumbent and deputy communications and multimedia minister, others on the list are Communications and Multimedia Minister Annuar Musa, Federal Territories Minister Shahidan Kassim, and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr Adham Baba.
In dropping these leaders from the election line-up, Zahid is seen as consolidating his position in the party.
The move also appears to be part of efforts to eliminate the influence of the so-called ministers cluster who have sided with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Shahidan, who had earlier received word that he would not be fielded to defend his Arau seat, announced last night that the BN election machinery had already ceased operations in the constituency.
Annuar meanwhile today hinted at the possibility of contesting on another party ticket in order to defend his Ketereh seat.
Ismail, who had come under heavy pressure to hold a snap election this year, will go down in history as Malaysia's shortest serving prime minister if he does not continue his term after the election.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow on condition of anonymity, a Selangor Umno chief also said that BN candidates would have to sign SDs prepared by Zahid.
"That is correct," he said. "We have to kiss Zahid's feet before we can become candidates."


48 new Delta cases reported

A total of 48 new cases of the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant of concern (VOC) were reported in Malaysia today, said health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.He said of these, 34 cases were detected in Penang, 12 in Pahang and two in Perlis through continued studies by the Integrative Pharmacogenomics Institute (iPROMISE–UiTM).“This brings the cumulative cases of infections by SARS-CoV-2 virus categorised as VOC and variants of interest (VOI) to 3,830.“Of the number detected, 3,810 cases are VOC and 20 cases are VOI. Overall, for VOC there are 3,570 cases of the Delta variant, 226 cases of the Beta variant, and 14 cases of the Alpha variant,” he said in a statement today.For VOI, 13 Theta cases, four Kappa cases and three Eta cases have been detected until today.


Lawyer Shafee next to fly out as court grants release of passport for US trip

Prominent lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah today became the latest to be granted permission to travel abroad, adding to the number of individuals facing strings of charges concerning financial crimes whose passports have been returned for the purpose of personal activities.Shafee, who is facing money laundering charges involving RM9.5 million received from former prime minister Najib Razak, was granted the order by the Kuala Lumpur High Court, allowing him to travel until Dec 3.In his application, Shafee said he had to travel to New York to help enrol his son in an institute of higher education there.Earlier this month, Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor were granted the temporary release of their passports for travel to Singapore, to accompany their daughter Nooryana Najwa who is expected to give birth to her second child in November.Najib later said he would have to postpone his trip as he is needed to help the Umno election machinery in the Melaka election slated for Nov 20.He said he had been entrusted with the responsibility as Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also facing a slew of criminal charges, had likewise been granted permission to travel to Germany to seek medical treatment for his spine.Zahid is facing 47 charges – 12 of criminal breach of trust, eight of corruption, and 27 of money laundering – involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.Najib meanwhile was convicted in July last year of seven counts of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power involving RM42 million in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.He is also being tried for using his position to order amendments to the final 1MDB audit report before it was presented to the Public Accounts Committee to avoid any action being taken against him.Rosmah is facing three charges related to 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.


The dark side of ‘voluntours’ at disaster zones

Surrounded by hungry and desperate flood victims, Kamarul Azizi clicks the shutter button on his camera.Slowly, he makes his way through knee-deep water, photographing the scene in Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam – one of the areas worst hit by the floods that came gushing in last December.His pictures are uploaded on social media where they quickly go viral, attracting the attention of internet users who are moved to offer their assistance.But Kamarul, a part-time photographer, has noticed more than just the flood victims as he makes his rounds.More often than not, he observes people who come as volunteers but do not appear truly interested in helping.Unlike the many willing Malaysians who visit flood-affected areas to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty, he says they go only to sight-see and to take advantage of the situation.This “voluntour” phenomenon is only made worse by the craze for social media, he said.“They come to get content for their social media, and they show no respect for those who have been affected by the floods.“Disaster areas are not amusement parks for those who only wish to pose for pictures with their phones,” he said.Not just in MalaysiaThe problem of voluntours is not unique to Malaysia. In neighbouring Indonesia, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake shook the island of Sulawesi in 2018, causing widespread damage.Search and rescue efforts by international groups were delayed by the presence of foreigners who were not trained to help.Authorities at the time were eventually forced to limit flights to the island to ward off the arrival of more “disaster tourists”.In the US, meanwhile, “storm chasers” frequently accompany natural disasters like tornadoes and hurricanes.Dr Shalimar Abdullah, a Mercy Malaysia vice-president, said left uncoordinated, the presence of disaster tourists would only make life more difficult for victims and rescue personnel.“Many come but not to help. If they do help, it doesn’t amount to much,” she said. “Even their cars cause traffic jams.”Such congestion was seen in Bukit Lanchong in Subang, during the floods which recently hit Selangor. Many had flocked to the disaster area, hampering the movements of search and rescue teams.Some were also reported to have used the resources meant for flood victims.“They think that they have provided their services and are entitled to help themselves to the food handed out at relief centres,” Shalimar said.“In reality, that food is prepared for the flood victims.”Similar scenes were observed during the massive floods which hit Kelantan in 2014, where many came only to take pictures of the chaos.Those who then booked themselves into hotel rooms used up critical supplies of water and electricity.“In urban areas, such behaviour might not have much of an impact,” said Shalimar, who had been in Kelantan at the time.“But in rural areas and villages, it puts victims at risk.”She said humanitarian work needs to be well planned. At Mercy Malaysia, she said, there are plans for both the medium and long term.“In the beginning, many will come. But look at what is happening now – the victims who lost their homes in the floods last month still need help to rebuild.”She said the authorities could provide courses or training for members of the public who wish to turn volunteer.As it is, though, she said some who volunteer to participate in clean-up efforts take things a step too far by cleaning out even items that can still be used.“They should check with the home owner before throwing anything out,” she said. “Not add to the losses and hardships of the flood victims.”


Sabah, Sarawak receive biggest allocations in Budget 2021

Budget 2021 saw nearly all states in the country receive an increase in allocations with Sabah and Sarawak given the biggest shares.Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said Sabah received RM5 billion for 1,039 projects, an increase of 297 from before.Sarawak meanwhile received RM4.5 billion for 781 projects compared to 619 in 2020.Zafrul said total allocations for the six states with the lowest income exceeded 30% of the entire budget for development.Kelantan, Kedah, Terengganu and Perlis also received high allocations although the allocation for Perak was reduced as the defence ministry’s project in Lumut was not seen as having an impact on the people as a whole.The Economic Planning Unit will conduct annual reviews for project approvals to ensure that development projects run according to plan.The Implementation Coordination Unit meanwhile will be tasked with monitoring the progress of current and future development projects in each state.The Laksana unit under the finance ministry will also monitor projects, especially measures under the government’s stimulus packages, to ensure optimum outcomes and value for money.


3 men fined RM700 each for travelling in same car

Three foreign nationals were fined RM700 each in default of 14 days’ jail by the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court today for travelling together in a car during the conditional movement control order (CMCO).Under the CMCO, a maximum of two people are allowed in private vehicles.Magistrate Mohamad Fared Abdul Latif meted out the fine on Thaung Myint and Md Nay Lin, both Myanmar nationals, and Bangladeshi Sabbir Bhuiyan. The three men, aged between 35 and 39, pleaded guilty to the charge.The men, represented by lawyer P Suthes, were caught travelling together in the car at a roadblock in front of One Maxim Building, Jalan Sentul at 9.30am on Oct 20.Deputy public prosecutor Abdul Khaliq Nazeri prosecuted.


TNB substation, vehicles damaged after Seremban landslide

A landslide occurred at Jalan Tun Dr Ismail, Taman Bukit Sentosa in Seremban last night following several hours of continuous heavy rain, affecting a Tenaga Nasional substation in the vicinity.Seremban Fire and Rescue Staton operations officer Jefri Uzus said a team was rushed to the scene at about 8.05pm.“The landslide caused damage to the transformer at the sub-station. Two vehicles, a Mercedes Benz and a Volvo, were also damaged by fallen trees due to the landslide.“There were no casualties, but residents in the vicinity and the surrounding areas are advised to be vigilant and report any untoward incidents to the authorities immediately,” he said in a statement today.In another incident, Seremban 2 Fire and Rescue Station operations officer Harzizi Hasim said a fire broke out at the ironing room of a boy’s hostel at about 2am today.The fire caused damage estimated at 40%, but there were no casualties.


Renewal of US surveillance programme faces resistance from both parties

A US surveillance programme aimed at countering foreign threats that intelligence officials have used to spy on Americans faced resistance from both Republicans and Democrats at a Senate hearing to discuss its renewal on Tuesday.
President Joe Biden's administration has backed renewal of the programme, effected through the 2008 statute Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, saying it is vital to US national security.
Officials from the FBI and the Department of Justice (DoJ) said the programme had been critical in drug smuggling cases, foreign cybersecurity threats and cross-border crimes.
But Congress members demanded explanations for past compliance issues. A court order unsealed last month showed the FBI had improperly searched the database for Americans’ information more than 278,000 times over several years – including for details of people arrested during US protests against police violence.
"That number should not just be going down, that number should be zero," Republican senator Mike Lee said.
Democrat Peter Welch asked why there couldn't be a warrant requirement for searches about Americans – a rule privacy rights advocates have also called for. He said it was "absolutely astonishing" that intelligence officials had searched for information on Black Lives Matter protesters.
While the programme is aimed at finding information on non-Americans living outside the US, their communications with US persons are also gathered in the database.
FBI deputy director Paul Abbate said past compliance issues had been rectified and the agency had instituted two new measures to strengthen the programme's oversight.
Those include a "three-strike policy" and potential firing of officials misusing the program.
Intelligence officials said the database had helped them identify the hackers behind the 2021 hack of the Colonial Pipeline – one of the most significant cyberattacks against the United States, which disrupted fuel supplies to the country's southeast for days.
"Although purportedly targeted at foreigners, Section 702 has become a rich source of warrantless government access to Americans’ phone calls, texts, and emails," a group of 21 rights organisations, including the US nonprofit Center for Democracy & Technology, said in a joint statement on Monday.


2 import cases in Labuan being analysed for variants of concern

Two new Type A Covid-19 import cases detected in Labuan on Sept 7 are being analysed for variants of concern (VOC).Type A cases are import cases involving foreigners while Type B are cases coming from outside Labuan but from within Malaysia.Labuan health director Dr Ismuni Bohari said the two cases involved the crew of a ship whose last port of call was at a country where the Covid-19 variants of Mu and Lambda had been detected.“We fear one of the cases could trigger high infections. We had no choice but to send the samples for analysis in the peninsula,” he told Bernama today.Ismuni said the two cases were detected during a screening by a private healthcare team onboard the ship on Sept 6.He said all 28 crew were asked to undergo quarantine onboard the ship.“The cases were detected as mandatory rapid test-polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR) tests are enforced on ship crews entering Labuan… these were the first import A cases detected after the Delta variant attacked Labuan and led to a sudden surge in cases and daily deaths,” he said.Ismuni said there had been five new import cases involving foreign ship crews detected on Sept 8, some of which would also be sent for analysis.Labuan achieved an immunisation rate of 100% among its adult population on Sept 7.It is currently in Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan, and has recorded single-digit daily cases and no deaths for the last 35 days.The death toll in Labuan stands at 149.


Crowds converge at MACC as PN condemns latest move against Muhyiddin

The top leaders of Perikatan Nasional (PN) and hundreds of supporters today converged at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya, as the coalition's chairman Muhyiddin Yassin arrived amid speculation of his impending arrest.
A large crowd greeted Muhyiddin as he arrived for questioning, with coalition partner PAS mobilising support across the nation to protest what it said was part of efforts by the Anwar Ibrahim administration to paralyse PN ahead of critical state elections this year.
PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahin Tuan Man, who was among the scores of PN leaders outside the MACC office, said the allegations were part of selective prosecution by the authorities.
He said they were also to deflect attention from problems faced by Pakatan Harapan in the wake of the decision by the Registrar of Societies on Umno's move to ban elections for its top two posts.
"To me, this is part of an effort to cover up the real issues and we believe that these accusations are selective.
"We pray that Muhyiddin will be safe in the protection of God," Tuan Ibrahim told reporters, adding that PAS had lined up a series of programmes today in defence of the coalition leader.
Meanwhile, Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal lashed out at the latest move against his party president.
"We have the highest support among the Malays, so they are trying to kill us," he said.
Bersatu Supreme Council member Mohamed Azmin Ali meanwhile said today marked "the start of a mass movement".
"There are planned efforts to paralyse the rise of the people through PN," he said.