‘The law of the sea’: time for Malaysia to boost maritime defences?

For 13 years, coast guard Salim Bujang has lived by the law of the sea.His work is risky and demanding, and sees him spending weeks at a time on the ocean waves.Salim is the chief engineer onboard the Sri Aman patrol ship, responsible for overseeing all operations while safeguarding Malaysia’s territorial waters as part of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.Every morning, he checks the ship’s engine and system, making sure that everything is working as it should be.When the weather is good, he can normally be found on the ship’s bridge where he monitors the activities being conducted along the coastal lanes.This includes monitoring environmental pollution and keeping an eye out for illegal activities such as smuggling, piracy and trafficking, as well as participating in search and rescue and humanitarian and disaster relief operations.The Sri Aman patrol ship, one of six of the coast guard’s assets in the country.Malaysia’s coast guard plays an important role in maritime security, operating on small boats and craft for inshore and coastal surveillance, as well as interdiction duties.Each patrol craft is equipped with an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of travelling 800km, a 300mm Aselsan SMASH gun and two MTU 12V4000 M73 diesel engines.With the vessels’ medium-range weapons and ability to reach speeds of up to 12 knots for about 2,000 nautical miles, the coast guard has spent years protecting Sarawak’s maritime territory from encroachment and criminal activity.Salim said the mid-range weapons on each offshore patrol vessel made them capable of confronting “considerable” threats such as illegal fishing and smuggling activities.He said it would even be possible for the coast guard to confront Chinese vessels although Chinese coast guard ships are “much larger”.The Sri Aman patrol ship on which he serves was procured in 2017 following an increase in the number of such vessels entering Malaysia’s waters in the South China Sea near Sarawak.While Malaysia’s defences are enought o fend off most challenges for now, growing geopolitical disputes may eventually require an upgrade in equipment.But Salim believes that growing geopolitical disputes will require Malaysia to obtain more advanced technology for its maritime defence, especially to address the problem of militants and armed groups entering Sabah by sea.The Nusantara effectFurther south, neighbouring Indonesia has been beefing up its air defence. Indonesia, one of several Asian countries that expressed concern about the Aukus pact inked by Australia, the US and the UK, last week acquired six Rafale fighter jets from France as part of a larger order of 42 planes.Its air force modernisation is also part of Indonesia’s plan to secure its borders, including at the new capital city of Nusantara in East Kalimantan.Regional security analysts who spoke to MalaysiaNow said Sabah and Sarawak should consider emulating the move, given their shared land boundaries with Indonesia.Counter-terrorism expert Ahmad El-Muhammad said Indonesia’s move to acquire new assets was an indication of the changing nature of regional geopolitics, citing what he described as China’s “flexing-the-muscles approach” in Southeast Asia.Coast guard Salim Bujang.Referring to China’s recent intrusion into Malaysia’s airspace, he said Indonesia had taken a “proactive approach” to strengthen its defence system.“It is possible for Malaysia to do the same,” he said, adding however that the country was still capable of facing emerging challenges.“The 2021 defence budget increased 1.8% from the previous year to about US$3.84 billion,” he said.“This indicates that Malaysia is well prepared to face such challenges.”Lai Yew Meng, a regional security analyst at Universiti Malaysia Sabah, agreed, saying Indonesia’s acquisition of the Rafale fighter jets had been widely anticipated.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he described it as a “quest” by Indonesia to strengthen its national defences and secure its borders amid the geopolitical uncertainties caused by escalating US-China tensions in the South China Sea.“Malaysia had a similar air force modernisation plan where the proposed acquisition of such fighters had been deliberated since the last decade,” he said, referring to the defence white paper laid out in 2019.Lai said some delay could be expected given the challenges over the past two years. However, he said the growing tensions of late would make it all the more urgent for the planned reforms to materialise.“The modernisation of the national armed forces of any Asean state could also contribute to enhancing the collective defence of Asean,” he added.


Sorry.


Representatives shouldn’t hop around seats, Azmin says

Gombak MP Mohamed Azmin Ali today criticised what he described as the behaviour of some representatives who change seats and contest in different constituencies to fulfil their personal interests.
The international trade and industry minister said a leader’s responsibility was to serve the people, not to make parliamentary seats a place to grab power.
He also said it was inapprioriate to contest in certain areas only in order to topple others.
“Running from one area to another is not good because the reason we contest is in order to serve the people,” he said at a press conference in Taman Melawati, Gombak, today.
“Not because we are jealous or vengeful.”
PKR president Anwar Ibrahim had recently hinted that he would not defend his Port Dickson seat, saying he might choose to contest a seat belonging to a former PKR member.
The Pakatan Harapan chairman also said he had been given offers by several state leaders to contest in any area.
Azmin later said he welcomed any challenge for his Gombak seat.
“If we openly express a desire to contest in an area because we don’t like a certain person, this is not called leadership,” he said.
“And that is not enough, my wife is here, I will contest there — what kind of politics is this?” he added.
Azmin also said he was open to returning as Selangor menteri besar if the offer was made.
“It’s up to the people,” he said. “I can go anywhere. Personally, I feel that Selangor is performing well but that there is still room for improvement.”
On Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s move on Oct 10 to dissolve Parliament, Azmin said it was inappropriate.
He said the decision was believed to have been spurred by parties who hoped for a low turnout of voters.
“There are some who prefer a low turnout because they think that this will benefit them,” he said.
“What will happen if it floods, and if there is heavy rain capable of causing bridges to collapse or roads to be damaged? The people’s right to vote will be denied.
“This is against the Federal Constitution,” he added.


Thomas’ book gets poor rating after topping small genre in Amazon’s Kindle

Far from the glowing tributes splashed across the back of his recently published autobiography, former attorney-general Tommy Thomas has been criticised for failing to display humility as well as focusing on trivial issues, in reviews from the US posted on Amazon’s online bookstore.The Kindle e-book version of “My Story: Justice in the Wilderness” has been placed at the top of a small genre called “Biographies of Lawyers & Judges”, with a mere one-star rating based on reviews which not only questioned the contents of the book but also accused it of lacking in consistency, and being written in a tone that does not befit the work of a person who left a top legal office.“The inconsistent use of ‘AGC’ and ‘Chambers’ grated on me like nails on a chalkboard. You may think I’m nitpicking but I worked in AGC/Chambers for seven years and if ever I deigned to submit a memo with ‘AGC/Chambers’ used interchangeably as the former attorney-general has done, I am absolutely certain that the memo would have been returned to me in a pile of ashes,” said one review.“If the reader can’t rely on consistency and cross checking on small items, then what more of the big issues?”The reader also described Tommy’s language as “overly colloquial”.“It generally read like something an uncle would spew over the course of dinner after putting on his tin-foiled hat,” the review said, adding that this should not be the style of a lawyer of “such great calibre as he often reminds us in his book”.Another review took Thomas to task for starting the book “with a preamble coloured by caste-identity driven self-aggrandisement”.“It is very disappointing indeed to see men like Tommy Thomas who achieve such success and erudition fall prey to such parochial instincts,” the reader said.“It is also a brazen betrayal of the fundamental tenets of the very religion, Christianity, his ‘community’ embraced some time ago.”In the first chapter of Thomas’ book touching on his Syrian Christian belief – whose followers number less than 3,000 in Malaysia – he declared that being born to parents from the small religious community was the greatest “infinite blessing”.It was not the first time Thomas had made strong religious undertones in public. Days after he was named as attorney-general in 2018, he described his appointment as a “miracle” from God.“I was appointed because of God’s miracles. God has answered our prayers,” he had said, in an address to the Sunday mass in his church which was captured on video. “Thousands of Christians and churches prayed for me, so it is really a miracle.”The reviewer questioned why Thomas was appointed to the post, suggesting that he did not qualify to be given an “extraordinary opportunity and privilege” to occupy a position that was historically denied to non-Malay candidates.It said there were some insightful chapters in the book, but that Thomas’ unabashed tone was a problem.“While the later chapters appear to offer insights that are intriguing, a little humility would have softened and rounded his prose,” it added.


Heavy rain expected to continue in 5 states

Heavy rain is expected to continue in several places in Perak, Kelantan, Pahang, Selangor, and Negeri Sembilan until tomorrow, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department.The department issued a bad weather warning in Hilir Perak and Muallim in Perak; Gua Musang (Kelantan); Cameron Highlands, Lipis, Raub, Bentong, Temerloh, Maran and Pekan (Pahang); Sepang (Selangor); Jelebu (Negeri Sembilan) and Putrajaya.In a statement posted on its website, MetMalaysia also issued a weather warning in several areas where continuous rain is expected: Kuala Muda, Sik, Baling, Kulim and Bandar Baharu in Kedah; Penang; Kerian, Larut, Matang and Selama, Hulu Perak, Kuala Kangsar, Manjung, Kinta, Perak Tengah, Kampar, Bagan Datuk and Batang Padang in Perak.The alert also involved Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Kota Bharu, Jeli, Tanah Merah, Bachok, Machang, Pasir Puteh and Kuala Krai in Kelantan; Terengganu; Bera and Rompin (Pahang); Seremban, Port Dickson, Kuala Pilah, Rembau, Jempol and Tampin in Negeri Sembilan; Melaka as well as Tangkak, Segamat, Muar and Batu Pahat in Johor.


Study sheds light on poor online habits behind data breaches in Malaysia

A study commissioned by Google and conducted by market research agency YouGov last month shows that nearly three in five internet users in Malaysia have experienced a personal data breach or know someone who has, with poor security practices and the habit of “recycling” passwords identified as possible factors.The study, which involved over 13,000 respondents aged 18 and above across Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, found that 80% of respondents in the country were using the same passwords for multiple sites.Of these, two in five or 45% said they recycle passwords for up to 10 unique sites, with 40% saying they worry about forgetting new passwords and 41% citing convenience.Meanwhile, 51% of respondents said they use “guessable” passwords or those that are easily cracked, with combintations of significant dates, significant others, pet names and even postal codes.Another 25% said they save their passwords in the “notes” app on their phones.Noting the e-commerce boom heralded by Covid-19, Google said online activity had grown to the point where the average internet user has 25% more passwords than they did before the pandemic.“This brings the average person to owning a whopping 80 passwords or so,” it said in a press release, adding that password recyclers are almost twice as likely (13% vs 7%) to have their financial data stolen online.It said breaches occur “often anywhere that data is being shared”.The study found that 57% of respondents have no qualms about sharing their passwords with friends or family, and also share their passwords with streaming platforms, food delivery services and e-commerce sites for shopping.In terms of online transactions, 60% said they make purchases on pages without the secure symbol while 70% of respondents who save financial information online also share their passwords with friends and families, putting themselves at greater risk of a personal data breach with passwords used across multiple devices.“The sum of these bad habits may have resulted in 57% of respondents in Malaysia experiencing a data breach or knowing someone who has,” it said.


Some concerns about the proposed Kulim airport

Water Watch Penang (WWP), an NGO based in Penang but which works in the water arena throughout Malaysia, generally supports sustainable development and is not against Kedah’s proposed Kulim International Airport (KXP), which will likely boost the economy, tourism and other developments in the NCER region.However, the proposed KXP is a huge project with equally huge potential to cause massive negative effects on the surrounding environment, if not properly planned, sited and executed. The KXP project is not just building an airport, but involves airport and airport city, aerotropolis (commercial and industrial park), and an aerospace, logistics and manufacturing hub. This is a massive development that has the potential to generate massive amounts of industrial and sewage effluents.WWP is very concerned that the proposed site of the KXP is just beside the Sg Muda, the major water source that supplies the three NCER states of Perlis (70%), Kedah (96%) and Penang (80%).With such a massive development situated just beside the river, it is expected that the land clearance and construction phase itself would expose the soil to erosion, leading to huge amounts of sediment being washed into the nearby river. This sedimentation would have the following negative effects:(i) Pollution of Sg Muda in terms of total suspended solids (TDS) and total suspended solids (TSS). Studies have shown that annual soil loss ranges from 0 tonnes (no soil loss in forested areas) to 200 tonnes (in agriculture areas) and 600 tonnes (in open exposed area);(ii) A shallowing effect that reduces the drainage capacity of the river leading to flash floods downstream;(iii) Negative effects on riverine biodiversity, fauna and fauna, which also results in poorer catch for fishermen.It should be noted that water pollution and downstream flooding are just two of the many potential negative impacts of the KXP project during the construction phase. After construction, and when the airport is in operation, other more serious effects may follow.One that is of major concern is the need to build a huge sewage treatment plant (STP) for the KXP. The sewerage and wastewater from this STP will be discharged into the receiving waters of Sg Muda, as stated in the EIA report of KXP now on public display.Apparently, the proposed discharge point is only a few kilometres upstream from 13 water intake points of both Kedah and Penang. This is just too risky and dangerous as any mishap or breakdown in the STP will jeopardise both states’ water treatment plants. It is not uncommon to have mishaps in STPs, especially when equipment starts to break down in the STP as a result of wear and tear, due to malfunction and human mistakes.Currently, all water treatment plants in Kedah and Penang employ conventional water treatment technologies which are not equipped to deal with excessive or unknown concentrations of chemical or microbiological content such as those found in sewage. The EIA report also states that over 30 years, the STP will be expanded on a modular basis, with population equivalent (PE) capacity increasing up to 500,000 PE, all of which will eventually be discharged into the Sg Muda.Such a high volume of PE discharge into such an important water source is just too risky. Any mishap at the STP would bring certain disaster to the three states. It should also be pointed out that any airport, airport city, A=aerotropolis (commercial and industrial park), or aerospace, logistics and manufacturing hub also have the potential to discharge persistent organic pollutants (POPs) which are industrial chemicals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) as well as unintentional by-products of many industrial processes that involves high temperatures, including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF), commonly known as dioxins.With just the airport, maybe POPs and PCBs would not appear, but with an airport industrial park and aerospace manufacturing hub, these pollutants might appear depending on the chemicals used and the processes involved.Airport operations also include many activities that are likely to result in the discharge of pollutants into adjacent water bodies such as rivers. These include fuel storage, refuelling, aircraft and vehicle cleaning and maintenance, operation of aircrafts, operation of airport and passenger vehicles, airport ground service equipment (GSE), cleaning and maintenance of aircraft, GSE, and motor vehicles, fuelling and fuel storage of aircraft and vehicles, airport facility operations and maintenance, and maintenance and construction of airport buildings. All these generate non-point pollutants that can be washed by stormwaters into a river, and there is the risk of an oil spill occurring.Hence, water run-offs from airports are a major polluter because they contain high levels of chemicals and other toxic substances from aircrafts and airfields, fuel spillages, firefighting foam, the oil and chemicals from aircraft and vehicle maintenance, and detergents used in the aircraft, cleaning, etc. In addition, airports also produce a lot of solid waste and special hazardous waste from terminal and airfield operations, aircraft catering, and maintenance activities. These hazardous waste products can contaminate and pollute waterways.WWP reiterates that it is not against the KXP. We are only concerned about the effects of the KXP airport, its aerotropolis and aerospace, logistics and manufacturing hub on Sg Muda, the river ecosystem and on the river’s vital water resources. Hence, we appeal to the authorities responsible for the KXP to relocate the site of the project to a more suitable location which is less risky and that has far fewer potential negative effects. This location should be as far away from the banks of Sg Muda as possible.WWP would also like to point out that the National Airports Strategic Plan (NASP) announced by the transport ministry in 2020 stated that all airport upgrades or work on new airports would be put on hold until the study was completed in 2023. This should include the KXP, which for all intents and purposes should be put on hold just like all airport projects in the country pending the NASP.Chan Ngai Weng is president of Water Watch Penang.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


822 new cases, 769 recoveries

Another 822 Covid-19 cases were reported today, pushing total confirmed infections in the country to 42,872.Of these, 259 were recorded in Sabah and 225 in Negeri Sembilan.Selangor recorded 178 new cases, Labuan 46, Penang 26, Kuala Lumpur 21, and Kedah 17.Perak recorded 14 new cases, Sarawak 14, Johor 10, Melaka six, Putrajaya three, Perlis two, and Kelantan one.Active cases stand at 11,497 with 86 in the ICU and 30 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 769 patients were discharged, taking total recoveries to 31,073 or 72.5%.However, two more deaths were also recorded, bringing the virus toll to 302.


Prosecution to cross-examine Zahid in graft trial

After several days of taking the stand to defend himself in a corruption case involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds, former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will now be cross-examined by the prosecution.High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered for the cross-examination to proceed on June 29 as he did not want the trial to be delayed.“My (trial) dates are at a premium. We carry on,” said the judge.Zahid’s counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik had asked for the cross-examination to be postponed pending the hearing of a stay application fixed for July 7.But Sequerah said he could not allow the stay of the proceedings until he had made a decision on the stay application.Hisyam then requested for the stay application to be heard on June 29, saying there must be a complete defence before the cross-examination to give his client a fair trial.Deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran objected to hearing the application, saying the prosecution was not prepared as it had been been fixed for July 7. Raja Rozela also said they needed time to file their affidavit-in-reply.Sequerah meanwhile said he needed to balance the demands of both sides and ordered the prosecution to file its affidavit this week, while bringing forward the hearing date to July 4.Zahid filed the application to stay his defence proceedings pending a decision by the Court of Appeal on his appeal to obtain copies of the recorded statements of defence witnesses from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).According to the supporting affidavit filed with the application, Zahid said he was advised by his lawyer to obtain copies of the recorded statement” to ensure “corroboration” between his testimony and theirs, so as not to jeopardise his right to a fair trial.The witnesses include his daughter Nurulhidayah, his brother Mohamad Nasaee Ahmad Tarmizi and businessman Khalid Mohamad Jiwa.On May 9, the High Court dismissed Zahid’s application to obtain the recorded statements of 15 witnesses from the MACC on the grounds that it could expose the witnesses to intimidation, like being threatened to give evidence that would be different from what was in the recorded statement.Zahid is making his defence on 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.


A case for pegging the ringgit

Bank Negara knows best about the management of the ringgit. It should not be pegged.However, I am curious about how pegging the ringgit in 1998 helped in the economic recovery of Malaysia. I say this because even the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank agreed that Malaysia did the right thing.Admittedly, the financial situation then was worse than it is now. And our reserves then were not as big as they are now. Still, we overcame the financial and economic problems caused by the depreciation of the ringgit through pegging the ringgit at RM3.80 per US dollar.When the ringgit is pegged, will it cause the outflow of foreign investments in Malaysia? From the little that I know about finance, outflows of foreign investment are due to the expectation of further depreciation of the ringgit or shares. When the ringgit was pegged, there was no further depreciation against the US dollar. Assured of the value of their investments, the need to divest was removed.Let’s say an investor invested US$1 million at a time when the ringgit was stronger – say, RM3.80 per US dollar. Effectively, his investment would be worth RM3.8 million in Malaysia. This value would be sustained when the ringgit is pegged.But if the ringgit depreciates to 4.5 per US dollar, he would get only US$844,000 from his US$1 million investment should he divest. Fearing further depreciation, he would change the ringgit into US dollars and get out with US$844,000. He would have lost US$156,000.A merchant importing in US dollars would have to change RM4,500,000 to get US$1 million if the ringgit depreciated to 4.50 against the US dollar. Obviously when the ringgit depreciates, the cost of one million imports in US dollars would be RM4,500,000.On the other hand, if the ringgit was pegged at 3.80, the cost of import would be only RM3.8 million per US$1 million. A pegged ringgit would save RM700,000 in the cost of import.When the ringgit depreciates, the cost of production is lower if there is no pay revision upwards. On the other hand, the cost of imported raw materials and components would increase and negate the gain from the lower wages. Logistical costs would also increase, again reducing the gain from production costs. A depreciated ringgit does not necessarily reduce the cost of production.Assuming that the ringgit remains pegged at RM3.80 per US dollar, the cost in ringgit will not change. Budget estimates would be sustainable.Wherever an importer wishes to buy something in US dollars, the central bank should have enough US dollars to sell at the pegged rate i.e. RM3.80 per US dollar.In 1998, the central bank had less reserves. We did not know whether the reserves were held in cash, and if in cash, in what currency. Still, we were able to change ringgit into US dollars so as to pay in US dollars. Now, the central bank has more reserves in US dollars, I believe. Earnings in US dollars should be deposited with the central bank, in exchange for ringgit. There should be no shortage of US dollars when needed.There were problems, of course. But we were able to set up sub-committees to deal with them in 1998. This included the recapitalisation of banks and businesses.The fact remains that the pegging was successful. As mentioned above, the IMF and World Bank admitted that Malaysia did the right thing and helped other countries overcome the serious devaluation of their currencies as well. We were even able to deal with CLOB, the stock market set up by Singapore.I am just curious. We have more savings and reserves now compared to 1997-8. Yet I am told that if we peg, we may go bankrupt?And neither have they suggested any possible solutions.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Nearly 43,000 still at flood relief centres

Just under 43,000 people remained at temporary relief centres (PPS) in three flood-hit states as of 8am today.
The total number of evacuees at 234 PPS stood at 42,909 this morning.
In Johor, the number dropped to 39,620 people in nine districts from 40,129 victims yesterday, following the closure of 16 PPS last night.
According to the state disaster management committee (SDMC), the flood situation in the Segamat district is improving, although there has been an increase in the number of evacuees in Batu Pahat, Muar and Tangkak.
In Batu Pahat, there are still 22,209 flood victims at PPS, followed by Muar with 5,094 people and Segamat with 4,036 people.
The floods in Johor have so far claimed the lives of five people, the latest being a woman who was reported missing after her car was swept away by currents in Mersing. Her body was found in her vehicle late yesterday.
In Pahang, the SDMC secretariat reported no change in the number of flood victims, with 2,684 people from 766 families still at PPS.
Of these, 2,671 were at 18 PPS in Rompin and the remaining at a PPS in Maran. In Melaka, the number of flood victims increased slightly to 605 people from 161 families, from 593 people from 160 families at 8pm yesterday.
The flood victims are taking shelter at five PPS: SK Batu Gajah, SK Parit Penghulu, SK Seri Mendapat, SK Sungai Rambai and SK Parit Gantong.


Does perception matter?

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki’s apparent downplay of Transparency International’s (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has set tongues wagging.
Honestly, Azam’s downplay of the CPI is nothing new. The CPI has courted controversy for some years now.
Paul Heywood, who is Sir Francis Hill Professor of European Politics, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nottingham, has argued in an article written with Staffan Andersson, that the CPI is open to criticism on several grounds: definition problems, perception bias, false accuracy, a flawed statistical model, and a failure to capture long-term trends (“The Politics of Perception: Use and Abuse of Transparency International’s Approach to Measuring Corruption”, Political Studies 2009;57(4):746-767).
As Azam rightly alluded, perceptions do not necessarily reflect reality. According to Heywood there is in fact no shortage of evidence that there is often a striking mismatch between perception and experience, at least where corruption is concerned.
The CPI is a composite index. What does this mean?
It means data are drawn from externally conducted polls and surveys and scaled into one index by a method of scaling. The data are collected by independent institutions which are non-profit organizations and consultancy companies.
Respondents to the surveys are so-called "country experts", but are usually based outside the country in question. Respondents also include business executives. Heywood is critical of these respondents’ view of corruption which tended to focus on bribery (and bribe-takers) when corruption involves much more than just paying bribes.
Corruption takes on many forms and is perpetrated by various actors. But more than that, corruption is a complex and evolving phenomenon.
"The CPI struggles to distinguish not just between types of corruption, but also their impact and severity," he writes.
So yes, the CPI does not measure what the people think about corruption, but what some people think.
But to be fair, TI does acknowledge that the CPI is not presented as true facts about the actual levels of corruption. To its credit also, TI provides a detailed account of where its data comes from as well as how it uses it, and this is accessible via TI’s own website.
Now, the World Bank also has what it calls the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) which report on six broad dimensions of governance, one of which is control of corruption. This is part of its efforts to estimate the quality of governance.
Control of corruption captures perceptions of the extent to which public power is exercised for private gain, including both petty and grand forms of corruption, as well as "capture" of the state by elites and private interests.
The World Bank's approach to estimating corruption is said to be similar to the methodology TI applies to make their ranking. Several of the sources are the same. The two indices correlate well. And both share the objectives of raising awareness, to enable statistical research to understand and better confront the problem, and to encourage governments in their anti-corruption efforts.
Why perception-based?
The simple answer is: it is very difficult – almost impossible – to get truly fact-based data on corrupt activities. Data on corruption will usually have limitations since the people involved seldom will speak out about their practice. Fear or shame of admitting their experience of it may lead people to underreport corrupt activities.
Thus, the use of perceptions as a guide. Positive perceptions drive confidence, which in turn can drive investment. On the other hand, negative perceptions erode confidence and divert investment into other territories or sectors.
So let’s take the positives from the CPI. As Heywood himself acknowledges, the CPI has stimulated much important academic research on the issue. But more than that also, it has generated significant media attention and helped galvanise international anti-corruption initiatives across a host of national governments and international organisations.
The CPI’s drawbacks may have led to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, to develop the Manual on Corruption Surveys: Methodological guidelines on the measurement of bribery and other forms of corruption through sample surveys to support evidence-based indicators on corruption.
Enrico Bisogno, who is chief of the Data and Statistics Section of the UNODC, has duly explained that it is possible to develop measures that are accurate and results that can be compared across countries by using certain methodologies.
The CPI, though, is still the established go-to source for those wanting to know about levels of corruption across the world. It should be the benchmark indicator to work towards, and provide the inspiration for improvement.
Evidence-based corruption indicators may be directly relevant when designing and implementing anti-corruption policies as they can provide systematic and comprehensive evidence of where and how bribery occurs.
But as the UNODC duly acknowledges also, perception-based indicators like the CPI will continue to be “useful tools to advocate for the fight against corruption and to give visibility to this topic in the international agenda”.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Health ministry plans to meet with anti-vaccine groups

The health ministry plans to meet with anti-vaccine groups to provide them with facts and information on Covid-19 vaccines, based on authentic clinical studies, the Dewan Negara was told today.Deputy Health Minister Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said he could help arrange the meeting which would also involve Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.“I would like to suggest that these groups meet us. We can have a talk about it (vaccination).“Do not spread fake news (about Covid-19 vaccines) as they (those who spread fake news) may end up facing action from KKMM (the communications and multimedia ministry),” he said during a question-and-answer session.He was replying to a question from Dr Wan Martina Wan Yusoff on the government’s action against anti-vaxxers who have, among others, exploited data on the CovidNow portal to influence others against taking the vaccines.Noor Azmi said the groups had not been given a clear explanation of the Covid-19 vaccines, adding that the decision to carry out the vaccination programme was made aftar taking into account the results of studies that were conducted locally and abroad.He said the health ministry had previously stated that vaccination was not a cure for Covid-19 although it could help boost the immune system to fight the virus.On the implementation of Covid-19 booster shots, he said there were studies showing that immunity against the virus might wane six months after receiving the vaccine.


Ukraine will fight for all territory, stalemate ‘not an option’, Zelensky says

Ukraine will fight to recover all its territory occupied by Russian forces, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday, as his troops battled street-to-street in Sievierodonetsk in one of the bloodiest land battles of the war.“We have already lost too many people to simply cede our territory,” Zelensky said by video link at an event hosted by Britain’s Financial Times newspaper.Stalemate was “not an option”, he said. “We have to achieve a full deoccupation of our entire territory.”Zelensky’s remarks responded forcefully to suggestions that Ukraine must cede territory to Russia to end the war, now in its fourth month.French President Emmanuel Macron said in a recent interview it was important not to “humiliate” Moscow, comments interpreted in Ukraine as implying it must accept some Russian demands.Asked about Macron’s comments, Zelensky said: “We are not going to humiliate anyone, we are going to respond in kind.”As he spoke, Ukrainian troops in the ruins of Sievierodonetsk were trying to cling to gains Kyiv said its forces had made in a surprise counter-offensive that shifted momentum there last week.The fight for the small eastern industrial city has emerged as a pivotal battle, with Russia focusing its offensive might in the hope of achieving one of its stated aims – to fully capture surrounding Luhansk province on behalf of separatist proxies.‘Holding the line’Sievierodonetsk Mayor Oleksandr Stryuk told Ukrainian television on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces were doing all they could to hold their ground: “Our armed forces have strengthened their positions and are holding the line.”Another local official, Roman Vlasenko, said Ukrainian forces were in control of the city’s industrial zone and the Azot chemical plant.Moscow said its troops have been advancing.Reuters could not independently verify the situation on the ground.Ukrainian officials had said their forces staged a surprise counter-attack last week, driving the Russians from a swathe of the city centre.Before that, Russia had seemed on the verge of encircling Ukraine’s garrison in Luhansk, attempting to cut off the main road to Sievierodonetsk and its twin city Lysychansk across the Siverskiy Donets river. On Sunday, Zelensky made a surprise visit to Lysychansk, personally demonstrating that Kyiv still had an open route to its troops’ redoubt.Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb 24 saying it aimed to “disarm” and “denazify” the country. Ukraine and its Western backers say Russia launched an unprovoked war to grab territory.Russia’s troops were defeated on the outskirts of the capital Kyiv in March and it has since regrouped and ramped up an assault on the east, demanding Kyiv recognise its territorial claim to the Crimea peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014, and the claims of its separatist proxies in Luhansk and Donetsk, the southeastern provinces together known as the Donbas.Russia has been pressing from three main directions – east, north and south – to try to encircle the Ukrainians in the Donbas.In Druzhkivka, in the Ukrainian-held pocket of Donetsk province, residents were sifting through the wreckage of houses obliterated by the latest shelling.Nadezhda picked up a pink children’s photo album and kindergarten exercise book from the ruins of her house, and put them on a shelf somehow still standing in the rubble.“I do not even know where to start. I am standing here looking but I have no idea what to do. I start crying, I calm down, then I cry again.”‘Time to leave’The Donetsk regional governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko, told Ukrainian television there was constant shelling along the front line, with Russia attempting to push towards Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, the two biggest Ukrainian-held cities in Donetsk.Efforts were underway to evacuate remaining residents, he said: “People are now understanding, though it is late, that it is time to leave.”Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv, was also hit by shelling early on Tuesday, and the local mayor said one person was killed. The northeastern city came under intense bombardment in the first two months of the war, but had been quieter in recent weeks after Russian forces retreated in the region.Viacheslav Shulga, an employee at a pizzeria in the north of Kharkiv that was hit, said there had been hopes the restaurant could reopen soon after shutting at the start of the war.“Everything is destroyed. We are removing equipment, there will be no business here for now,” he said. “It is sad as so much effort was invested in it. But someone else has decided our destiny.”Commodities terminal warehouses targetedUkraine is one of the world’s biggest exporters of grain, and Western countries accuse Russia of creating the risk of global famine by shutting Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.The governor of the region that included the port of Mykolaiv said weekend shelling had destroyed warehouses in one of the country’s largest agricultural commodities terminals.Moscow denies responsibility for the international food crisis, blaming Western sanctions.Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Russian-occupied Ukrainian ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol were ready to resume grain exports. Ukraine says any such shipments from territory seized by Moscow would amount to illegal looting.Zelenskiy said Kyiv was gradually receiving “specific anti-ship systems”, the best way to break a Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports.The Kremlin said that for exports to resume from Ukrainian-held ports, Kyiv must first clear them of mines. Russia could then inspect and escort ships to international waters, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.


More evacuated as floods continue to rise

More people are being evacuated due to the floods in Pahang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perak, while the situation in Johor and Sabah is reported to be improving with a drop in the number of evacuees.In Pahang, the number of flood victims seeking shelter at 281 temporary relief centres (PPS) in nine districts rose to 24,257 this morning.According to the Social Welfare Department’s (JKM) Info Bencana portal, Temerloh recorded the highest number of evacuees at 5,764, followed by Maran (5,275), Kuantan (3,461), Lipis (2,551), Jerantut (2,455), Raub (2,182), Rompin (986), Pekan (859) and Bera (724).It also reported that the water level for Sungai Pahang in the Bera, Maran, Kuantan, Lipis, Jerantut and Temerloh districts has surpassed the danger level.The concessionaire of the East Coast Expressway Phase 1 (LPT1), Anih Bhd, said in a statement that KM113 and KM115 were still closed in both directions due to the flood.It said KM84 (Persimpangan Lanchang to Persimpangan Karak), LPT1 Kuantan-bound, is also closed to traffic.In Kelantan, the number of evacuees in five flood-affected districts in the state increased to 4,829 compared to 2,142 yesterday evening. They are being housed at 64 PPS.According to JKM’s InfoBencana, Jeli continued to record the highest number of victims with 1,688 people, followed by Kuala Krai (1,455), Gua Musang (775 mangsa), Pasir Mas (469) and Tanah Merah (442).


US Capitol riot probe puts Trump at heart of ‘attempted coup’

A congressional panel investigating last year’s mob assault on the US Capitol laid out its case Thursday that Donald Trump and his claims of a stolen election were at the heart of what amounted to an “attempted coup” to remain in power.In a prime-time presentation of its findings from a year-long probe, the special committee is seeking to persuade a divided country of the existence of a deep-rooted and ongoing plot – orchestrated by the former president – to overturn the result of the 2020 election won by Joe Biden.“President Trump summoned the mob, assembled the mob and lit the flame of this attack,” the Republican vice chair of the panel, Liz Cheney, said in her opening remarks.Minutes earlier, as he opened the panel’s first public hearing, Democratic committee chief Bennie Thompson accused Trump of being “at the center of this conspiracy.”“Jan 6 was the culmination of an attempted coup – a brazen attempt, as one rioter put it shortly after Jan 6 – to overthrow the government. The violence was no accident.”Rioters acted “at the encouragement of the president of the US,” he added.The panel’s carefully produced presentation made use of testimony given behind closed doors by some of Trump’s most senior and trusted advisors, including former attorney general Bill Barr and Trump’s son-in-law and senior aide, Jared Kushner.The committee also aired grim footage, some of it never before seen, of the violence that engulfed the seat of government, leaving five people dead.Thompson warned that the threat to American democracy persisted.“The conspiracy to thwart the will of the people is not over,” he said.“There are those in this country who thirst for power but have no love or respect for what makes America great: devotion to the Constitution, allegiance to the rule of law, our shared journey to build a more perfect Union.”‘Witch hunt’The panel aims to demonstrate that the violence was part of a broader drive by Trump and his inner circle to illegitimately cling to power, tearing up the Constitution and more than two centuries of peaceful transitions from one administration to the next.Thursday’s session and five subsequent hearings over the coming weeks will focus on Trump’s role in the multi-pronged effort to return him to the Oval Office by disenfranchising millions of voters.Trump has defiantly dismissed the probe as a baseless “witch hunt” – but the public hearings were clearly on his mind Thursday as he fired off a largely false tirade on his social media platform, defending the insurrection as “the greatest movement in the history of our Country to Make America Great Again.”The case the committee plans to make is that Trump laid the groundwork for the insurrection through months of lies about fraud in an election described by his own administration as the most secure ever.His White House is accused of involvement in several potentially illegal schemes to aid the effort, including a plot to seize voting machines and another to appoint fake “alternative electors” from swing states who would ignore the will of their voters and hand victory to Trump.Live testimonyIn Thursday’s hearing, the committee is planning to present live testimony from two people who interacted with members of the neofascist organisation the Proud Boys on Jan 6 and in the days leading to the violence.Emmy-winning British documentary filmmaker Nick Quested will testify about his experience shadowing members of the Proud Boys in the days leading up to Jan 6 and his interactions with them on the day itself.Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards, who was present at the breach of the first barricade, will describe sustaining head injuries in clashes with the Proud Boys.Earlier this week, the group’s leader and four lieutenants were charged with seditious conspiracy.Court of public opinionThe hearings will differ from Trump’s two impeachments, however, in that he will not be represented in the room as he is not on trial – except perhaps in the court of public opinion.Trump’s daughter Ivanka and Kushner, as well as the former president’s eldest son Don Jr, have all cooperated voluntarily with the committee.Nevertheless, a number of his most loyal counter-punchers are expected to circle the wagons, questioning any damning testimony and challenging the validity of the investigation.“It is the most political and least legitimate committee in American history,” the leader of the House Republican minority, Kevin McCarthy, told reporters at the Capitol.In fact, Congress has wide-ranging oversight powers, and a Trump-appointed federal judge last month emphatically rejected Republicans’ arguments that the committee is illegitimate.The committee has not confirmed its plans for after the initial slate of hearings, but at least one more presentation and a final report are expected in the fall.


Black magic fears in Papua New Guinea allow Covid-19 infections to soar

People’s deeply embedded beliefs in witchcraft are creating huge problems in Papua New Guinea (PNG) for their vaccine rollout.Australia’s nearest neighbour is battling with a surge in Covid-19 cases, and fears of “unexplained” deaths are having sinister consequences.Sanguma – a local word that refers to the occult – is common across the Pacific. It is a mostly benign tradition, but also has a darker side.“One of our health workers died of Covid, so his wife and daughter were caught and tortured because of a belief in sorcery, and later they were confirmed with Covid as well,” explained Justine McMahon, PNG country director for Care International. “Sorcery certainly plays into the attitudes that people have.”Black magic is entangled in a swirl of conspiracies, suspicions and false rumours that are compounding one of PNG’s greatest public health emergencies.“There is a huge degree of scepticism towards vaccinations,” said Jonathan Pryke, director of the Lowy Institute Pacific Islands Programme, a Sydney-based think tank. “Social media is really fuelling the misinformation and the mistrust of the vaccine.”Officially, there have been just under 11,000 Covid-19 infections and 107 deaths in PNG, but observers doubt this is accurate because of low levels of testing, infected patients not seeking treatment, and fatalities not being correctly identified.“Covid has been growing exponentially since Christmas,” Pryke told the BBC. “The only thing really insulating PNG is that they have a very young population, so a lot of them are getting sick and recovering.”McMahon is based in Goroka, the capital of the Eastern Highlands Province. She sees worrying signs of complacency, even among teachers and medical workers.“Few people are following public health precautions,” she said. “Partly because there is a lot of doubt whether the virus affects people.”When William Pomat, director at the Institute for Medical Research in PNG, developed chest pains, respiratory problems, and rising panic, he recognised them as signs of Covid-19.“When you are feeling out of breath and your chest is tightening, you are thinking: am I going to be the next statistic? That is scary,” he told the BBC. “I am heading towards 60 so it does worry you.”After 14 days in isolation, he is on the mend and back at work on the front line.The South Pacific nation is wracked by other communicable diseases, and has disturbing rates of HIV, as well as infant and maternal mortality.It is estimated there are 5,000 health workers in PNG for a population of 10 million people and Covid-19 is heaping more pressure on a fragile medical system.“If we continue the way we are, with health workers getting infected and staying away from work, all the other infectious diseases like tuberculosis and malaria spiral out of control,” Pomat warned.Covid-19 has been diagnosed in each of PNG’s 22 provinces. New strains of the virus might have been imported across a porous land border with Indonesia.Pomat thinks the problem is local. “We became complacent, and we stopped wearing masks. From the leadership level, many of us were just as guilty as the ordinary people.”All of this is unfolding right on health-conscious Australia’s doorstep.PNG’s Western Province is just 4km from Australian islands in the Torres Strait, and freedom of movement is allowed under treaty agreements.The Lowy Institute’s Pryke said, “It is in Australia’s national interest to do everything possible to make sure that PNG has a health system and society that handles this crisis as best they can.”


Dewan Rakyat rejects motion to debate Pandora Papers

The Dewan Rakyat today rejected a motion to debate the disclosure of the so-called Pandora Papers which allegedly involve the confidential financial records of several of the country’s leaders and prominent figures.The motion brought by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was rejected by speaker Azhar Harun on grounds that it was not an urgent matter to the extent of having to set aside other matters listed in the Dewan Rakyat Order Paper.Azhar proposed that matters related to the Pandora Papers be referred instead to the relevant special select committee for further scrutiny.“I agree with Yang Berhormat MP (Anwar) that the Pandora Papers is a specific matter, of public interest and an important issue that should be investigated. However, I find it needs not be expedited.“We have nine special select committees including on economy which involves the finance ministry, and I think it is more appropriate for the matters to be brought to the attention of the committee for further scrutiny. I therefore reject the motion,” he said.Anwar, in his motion filed on Oct 4, had called for the Pandora Papers to be debated in the Dewan Rakyat, claiming that it revealed illegal financial transactions and assets held offshore by several Malaysian politicians and businessmen.Azhar said there were some restrictions in the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders on discussions of the issue as the Pandora Papers were the findings of investigative news reports based on leaks of information from several agencies.“Under Standing Order 23 (1)(i), a question shall not be asked as to whether statements in the press or of private individuals or financial bodies are accurate.“And if read together with Standing Order 18 (7), the speaker can refuse to allow any motion contravening any of the provisions of the Standing Orders of the House.“So I think the proposal (to refer the matter to a special select committee) is more effective than having to set aside other matters in the Order Paper to discuss it,” he said.


PBB vice-president hints at impending polls in Sarawak

Sarawak Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah today said the overdue election in the state might be called by the end of November, soon after the Melaka polls on Nov 20.“I would not be surprised if the Sarawak state election is held soon after Melaka, but we’ll wait until tomorrow, these two to three days,” he said a press conference in Kuching.“I think what the media feels is also felt by us. We too can feel the heat (of the election),” he added.He also urged for strict compliance with SOPs once they are laid out by the Election Commission (EC).“We must abide by whatever SOPs are set by the EC,” he said. “We don’t want to repeat what happened in Sabah last year. It was a bitter experience for us.”Speculation is rife that the Sarawak state assembly will be dissolved this week, paving the way for polls to be held soon after the Melaka election.But this would require the revocation of the state of emergency in Sarawak, declared to prevent elections from being held during the pandemic.The state of emergency expires in February.Unlike the convention in other states, Sarawak’s state seats are contested separately from the general election.The five-year mandate for the Sarawak government expired on Aug 1 this year, and an election was supposed to be called within two months.However, a nationwide virus emergency which took effect in January meant that elections could not be held.


Rebel group says over 12,000 displaced by Myanmar junta air strikes

A rebel group has accused Myanmar’s military of deploying “excessive force”, saying on Saturday that continuous air strikes have displaced more than 12,000 unarmed civilians, including children.Late last month, the ethnic armed group Karen National Union (KNU) seized a military base in eastern Kayin state, killing 10 army officers. The junta retaliated with air strikes.The KNU has been a vocal opponent of the military junta – which ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi from power two months ago – and said it is sheltering hundreds of anti-coup activists.On Saturday, the KNU condemned the use of “excessive force by engaging in non-stop bombing and air strikes” from March 27-30, which have “caused the deaths of many people including children”.“The air strikes have also led to the further displacement of more than 12,000 people who have fled their villages and caused a major humanitarian crisis.”Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said the military has only been targeting KNU’s 5th Brigade – which led the seizure of the military base and killed officers.“We had an air strike on that day only,” he told AFP.“We have signed a nationwide ceasefire agreement… If they follow the NCA, there is no reason for conflict to happen,” Zaw Min Tun said.Ethnic Karen local media and rights groups have reported multiple bombings and air strikes across the state over recent days.About 3,000 people fled to neighbouring Thailand on Monday, crossing the Salween River to seek shelter. But most returned to Myanmar by Wednesday, which Thailand claimed was “voluntary”.Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power on Feb 1, triggering a massive uprising across the country with protesters demanding the restoration of the elected government.Information flow in the country has also been throttled, with the junta cutting wifi services, mobile data and imposing a nightly internet blackout that has gone on for nearly 50 days.Myanmar’s border regions are largely controlled by various ethnic armed groups that have long agitated for greater autonomy.Territory in the northern Kachin state – held by the Kachin Independence Army – has also seen a recent step-up in military activity.


3,288 new cases, 14 more deaths

Another 3,288 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 251,604.Selangor recorded 1,757 cases, Kuala Lumpur 408, Johor 369, Negeri Sembilan 157, Sarawak 135 and Sabah 132.Melaka recorded 92 cases, Penang 59, Kedah 48, Kelantan 44, Perak 42, Terengganu 24, Pahang 14, Putrajaya four and Labuan three.Eleven new clusters were detected:1. Batu 20 (Gombak in Selangor; 205 screened, 42 positive)2. Industri Wawasan (Klang in Selangor; 116 screened, 38 positive)3. Tapak Bina Persiaran Sepang (Sepang in Selangor; 526 screened, 29 positive)4. Tapak Bina Jalan Tandok (Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur; 188 screened, 25 positive)5. Jalan Harun (Cheras in Kuala Lumpur; 11 screened, nine positive)6. Jalan Dua Belas (Kepong and Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur; 103 screened, 19 positive)7. Jalan Uda Utama (Johor Bahru in Johor; 61 screened, 17 positive)8. Lorong Sahabat (Kluang in Johor; 19 screened, 17 positive)9. Jalan Kancil Waha (Kota Tinggi in Johor; 45 screened, nine positive)10. Jalan Tiga KKIP (Kota Kinabalu in Sabah; 37 screened, 11 positive)11. Lorong Bersatu Damai (Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran and Penampang in Sabah; 91 screened, 21 positive)Four more ended today, leaving 466 active clusters across the country.Another 1,929 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 198,495.However, 14 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 923.


‘Merry Christmas’, just the icing on Jakim’s cake

For some Muslims, reading about the revelation of Jakim’s restrictions on products bearing the halal logo is almost like watching a terror attack unfolding in the West.They hope and pray, “Please, not another Muslim assailant.” But this prayer is not always answered, and when it isn’t, the result is another round of international media frenzy on “jihadist cells”, volleys of wisdom from self-critical Muslims, and the patronising verbal diarrhoea of apologists stating the obvious with phrases like “Islam means peace”.As a journalist who is a Muslim, I felt no pride in exposing the ridiculous condition imposed by the Department of Islamic Development, banning “Merry Christmas” at shops and on products which carry its much sought-after halal guarantee.There could be many reasons behind these reservations: it could have been the work of one thoughtless officer or a misunderstanding on the part of the shop owner.Moreover, coming up with a story exposing ignorance about Islam and multiculturalism on the eve of a major celebration might not have been timely.But we were left with no choice, and what followed only confirmed our worst fears.Jakim, although denying the prohibition of Christmas wishes on cakes, actually confirmed that the same greetings are not allowed on products and premises bearing its halal logo.In so doing, this heavily funded government body with the sole power to declare what is halal has laid bare its ignorance about the issue and, indeed, about the very ethos of Islam itself.Let us not waste time explaining to it why the thinking public reacted the way they did.For decades, our concept of Islamic education has been devoid of philosophy and critical thinking.The content of our Islamic syllabi is the same, whether at primary school religious classes or Islamic discourses for adults catching up on religion after years of partying. We are obsessed with the correct pronunciation of Arabic words and the right way of ritually washing our various organs.Does the cake controversy show the quality of Islamic scholarship in Malaysia? It’s 2020, and we are still trapped in ridicule over Christmas greetings.In some of the world’s biggest Muslim nations such as Indonesia, Iran and Egypt, Muslim leaders don’t mince their Christmas greetings. In fact, they have no qualms about attending church events and praising the very figure that Christmas is about: Jesus.Yesterday, the president of Iran, the nation often depicted as the capital of Islamic radicalism, went a step further, paying tribute to Jesus Christ “as a messenger of kindness, altruism, freedom and salvation”.Meanwhile, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, no believers in half-baked theories over “Merry Christmas” themselves, used the exact expression in their greetings yesterday.Jesus, like many other figures, is the common property of Muslims and Christians. His is also one of the most mentioned names in the Quran, while Mary has an entire chapter dedicated to her.However different the Islamic concept is from Christianity, he is still the same symbol revered by adherents of both faiths.The cakehouse controversy is only the tip of the iceberg of what ails the Malaysian Islamic discourse. All this despite over RM1 billion allocated for the development and promotion of Islam, through none other than Jakim.The problem did not start with the Perikatan Nasional government, nor Pakatan Harapan (PH), nor Barisan Nasional. It is the outcome of years of cultivating a form of Islamic priesthood where people look up to smooth talking, Quran-quoting individuals for guidance.And for all their criticism of Jakim’s budget, none of the PH leaders ever attempted to remedy this by proposing a decrease in allocation through a serious reform of the federal Islamic administration. On the contrary, under PH, Jakim was given a raise – twice – from RM1.1 billion to RM1.2 billion for 2019, and then to RM1.3 billion for 2020.We also saw zero reforms in Islamic administration under the federal government’s purview when it was under Mujahid Yusof Rawa, the former Islamic affairs minister praised by some circles for his liberal soundbytes.What this shows is that as far as Islam is concerned, politics triumphs, no matter who is in charge. The only difference is whether one is a smooth talking hypocrite who plays to the gallery, or an honest bloke who does not mind being ridiculed for his stupidity.In the meantime, it remains to be seen whether Jakim’s rule has caused cakehouses – whose business thrives on Malaysia’s crowded calendar of multicultural celebrations – to think twice about getting halal certification.Abdar Rahman Koya is editor of MalaysiaNow.


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Cops probing claims that Kedah MB flouted lockdown SOPs

Police are investigating allegations that Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor flouted SOPs under the movement control order (MCO) 3.0 by test driving a car at a vehicle sales and exhibition centre at Autocity Juru in Bukit Mertajam yesterday.Seberang Perai Tengah police chief ACP Shafee Abd Samad said the investigation is being conducted in accordance with Section 269 of the Penal Code and Regulation 17 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures in Local Infectious Areas) Regulations 2021.“The police will call everyone involved, including the menteri besar,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.Pictures and videos of an individual believed to be Sanusi test driving a car had gone viral on social media.Under the SOPs for the total lockdown enforced to curb the spread of Covid-19, vehicle sales and exhibition centres are not allowed to operate.MCO 3.0 will remain in force until June 14.


What next for Umno after giving Khairy the axe?

A political analyst says Umno may have placed itself in a difficult position following the move by its Supreme Council to sack former youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin for allegedly violating party discipline while on the campaign trail for the 15th general election (GE15).
Anis Anwar Suhaimi said Umno would now face questions on whether it represents the Malays inclusively or if it belongs to "a certain group".
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said that public response would be reflected in the state elections due within the next few months.
"Marginalising some of this Malay segment in Umno would invite a wave of protest votes, as was seen in Padang Serai after the party's collaboration with Pakatan Harapan (PH)," Anis, the chief researcher at O2 Research Malaysia, said.
Khairy, the former Rembau MP, was often linked to the possibility of reforms within Umno, which suffered back-to-back defeats at the last two general elections.
He was transferred to Sungai Buloh from his constituency in Rembau to make way for Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan, and was left without a seat in the Dewan Rakyat after losing the contest to the candidate from PKR.
While on the GE15 campaign trail, he openly declared his intention to one day become the Umno president and prime minister.
He last stood against Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for the Umno presidency in 2018, emerging second in a three-way race which also involved party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said it was difficult to predict the impact of the Supreme Council's decision on the Malay support for Umno.
"I am not sure that all or most of the young and urban voters are by nature reformist and progressive," he said, citing the electoral gains of Perikatan Nasional, led by Islamist party PAS.
"Even if Khairy stays in Umno, that would not necessarily attract more young and urban voters for the party.
"Those who vote for Umno in the future are likely to do so because Umno aligns itself with PH more than anything else."
For now, he said, Khairy had the option of joining another party or forming his own.
"But the leaders of other parties may fear being overshadowed by him as well," Oh added.
"He'll just have to lie low for a while until the next political opportunity presents itself."


Record 207 deaths, more than 1,000 in ICU

Another 14,516 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 1,027,954.Selangor recorded 6,508 cases, Johor 1,449, Kuala Lumpur 1,425, Kedah 1,160, Sabah 720, Perak 590, Negeri Sembilan 452, Penang 402, Pahang 386, Melaka 373, Sarawak 356, Kelantan 346 and Terengganu 245.Putrajaya recorded 94 cases, Labuan eight and Perlis two.Active cases stand at 165,840 with 1,009 in ICU and 524 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 9,372 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 853,913.However, 207 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 8,201.


South Korea warns of economic damage if truckers go on strike

South Korea's prime minister urged unionised truckers on Tuesday to scrap plans to go on strike this week to spare the economy what he called paralysis and irreversible damage, fuelling fears for the country's post-pandemic recovery.
Major trucking unions have threatened to begin a nationwide strike on Thursday after talks to reach a compromise with the government over pay and fuel price subsidies failed.
In June, an eight-day strike by truckers delayed cargo shipments for industries from autos to semiconductors in Asia's fourth-largest economy, costing more than US$1.2 billion (about RM5.5 billion) in lost output and unmet deliveries while posing new risks to a strained global supply chain.
"The unions' refusal to transport would cause irreparable damage to the national economy beyond logistics paralysis," Prime Minister Han Duck-soo told a news conference.
"In the worst case, it could lead to the collapse of the logistics system, cutting our industries' external credibility and threatening global competitiveness."
The truckers, largely self-employed, want an extension of subsidies to guarantee minimum earnings which the government extended during the Covid-19 pandemic beyond December.
During talks this week, the government and ruling party offered a three-year extension of the subsidies, but refused to accept the unions' request to expand these benefits to truckers in better-paying areas, such as those carrying fuel and steel.
The Cargo Truckers Solidarity Union, which is leading the strike, has refused the government's proposal. Union chief Lee Bong-ju told reporters that truckers supplying fuel from the four major refineries would also join the strike, potentially cutting off supplies nationwide.
Companies including Hyundai Motor and steelmaker Posco were forced to cut output after workers joined the nationwide strike in June.


Covid spread in Sabah EMCO area began during Raya, say authorities

The spread of Covid-19 in Taman Utama in Sandakan, which has been placed under enhanced movement control order (EMCO), likely started during the Aidilfitri celebrations which began on May 13, Sandakan Disaster Operations Control Centre chairman Wong Foo Tin says.“Yes, it was during Raya (Aidilfitri),” he told Bernama when contacted today about the reason for the two-week EMCO in the area.On June 2, Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Lorong Taman Utama 5 to 8 in Taman Utama would be placed under EMCO following a sharp rise in cases with nine testing positive out of 13 screenings – a positive rate of 69.2%.Wong, who is also president of the Sandakan Municipal Council, did not deny that house hosts had not created MySejahtera barcodes for visitors to scan, which prompted the authorities to seal off the area involving about 40 houses so that Covid-19 screening could be carried out.He said there was no record of residents’ whereabouts over the last 14 days and that this had also likely led to the EMCO in the area which will continue until June 17.A site check by Bernama today found the area fenced up and manned by police and army personnel as well as Rela members, with residents’ movements in and out of the area restricted.


Saudi Arabia slashes output further to boost oil price

Riyadh on Sunday announced a fresh oil output cut following a meeting of major producers aiming to prop up prices despite fears of a recession.
The meeting of the 13-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) headed by Saudi Arabia and its 10 partners, led by Russia, saw some tough negotiations.
Saudi Arabia's fresh cut of one million barrels per day (bpd) is for July but "extendable", its Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told reporters after the hours-long Opec+ meeting at the group's headquarters in Vienna.
Analysts had largely expected Opec+ producers to maintain their current policy, but signs emerged this weekend that the 23 countries were mulling deeper cuts.
In April, several Opec+ members agreed to cut production voluntarily by more than one million bpd – a surprise move that briefly buttressed prices but failed to bring about lasting recovery.
'Everyone is happy'
Oil producers are grappling with falling prices and high market volatility amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has upended economies worldwide.
Oil prices have plummeted about 10% since the April cuts were announced, with Brent crude falling close to US$70 (RM320.42) a barrel, a level it has not traded below since December 2021.
Traders worry that demand will slump, with concerns about the health of the global economy as the US battles inflation and higher interest rates while China's post-Covid rebound stutters.
Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said the current output cuts were being extended until the end of 2024 after examining the matter "for a long time".
According to an Opec+ table of the required production levels for next year, the United Arab Emirates will be able to pump more than currently, while several countries including Angola, the Republic of Congo and Nigeria have had their quotas cut.
Bloomberg news agency reported African countries had been reluctant to give up some of their quotas despite failing to meet them.
"We have an agreement with which everyone is happy," the Republic of Congo's hydrocarbons minister Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua insisted after the meeting.
'No disagreement'
Sunday's meeting was also being watched closely as Russia was keen to maintain its production, while Saudi Arabia wants to push prices up to balance its budget, according to analysts.
"They have showed again they work together... At the end of the day, it's about what they agree," UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said, adding "the important part was to show unity".
Russia is dependent on oil revenues with its war in Ukraine dragging on and Western sanctions hitting its economy, and has been shipping oil to India and China as the Asian giants soak up the cheap crude.
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia's break-even price is currently "at a good US$80 per barrel", according to Commerzbank analysts.
In March 2020 the alliance was pushed to the brink of collapse when Moscow refused to cut oil production even as the Covid pandemic sent prices into freefall.
After negotiations broke down, Riyadh flooded the market by boosting exports to record levels before the two countries came to an agreement.
Asked if there was disagreement with Saudi Arabia this weekend, Novak said: "No, we had no disagreements, it is a common decision."
Analysts said oil prices were expected to rise in the short-term following Riyadh's move.
"The question mark is the demand side of the oil equation. If protracted inflationary pressure leads to a downward revision in global oil demand the cut in supply might be neutralised," warned Tamas Varga, analyst for PVM Energy.
Opec+ countries produce about 60% of the world's oil. The next meeting of the group is scheduled for Nov 26.


Mixed-religion knifeman stabs 5 worshippers in Albania mosque

An Albanian man with a knife attacked and wounded five people on Monday at a mosque in the capital Tirana, police said, as investigators tried to determine a motive for the attack.Rudolf Nikolli, 34, entered the Dine Hoxha mosque in downtown Tirana shortly after midday, a police statement said.The police said they reacted immediately after the attack began and took him into custody. The Top Channel private television station, however, showed worshippers blocking Nikolli before the police arrived.The five wounded worshippers, all men ranging from 22 to 35, were taken to a hospital and police said their conditions weren’t life-threatening.Nikolli’s father, Niko, told the Balkanweb online media that his son has been depressed since last year after he wasn’t allowed to leave Albania to go to Italy. He had also caught Covid-19.The alleged attacker’s father is Catholic and his mother is Muslim. His father said he had always told his son to go to the mosque or a church, whichever he wanted.His father said his son was converted to Islam by an imam in the northern town of Burrel, where he lived. But the father also said his son was often prevented from entering mosques by worshippers because they accused him of being a Christian.Ahmed Kalaja, imam of the mosque, said the knifeman attacked worshippers and staff at a time when the mosque was filled with believers during the fasting month of Ramadan.“We hope it was not a terrorist attack,” said Kalaja.Albania’s 2.8 million people are predominantly Muslim with smaller Christian Catholic and Orthodox communities that generally get along well with each other.Top Catholic Church official in Albania, Angelo Massafra deplored Nikolli’s act and expressed his support to the wounded.“We pray to God for all of you who are living the month of Ramadan, for the wounded, for your community and all Albanians so that peace and goodness reign in our hearts and that such events do not occur any more,” Massafra said in a statement to Albania’s Muslim community.Religion in Albania was banned for 23 years under the former communist regime of Stalinist dictator Enver Hoxha, who declared Albania the world’s first atheist state, from 1967 until its fall in 1990. Believers of all faiths were killed, tortured, imprisoned or sent to labor camps.Pope Francis made his first visit to a Muslim-dominated country in 2014 to Albania, calling its interreligious harmony an “inspiring example” for the world.


China to discourage abortions to boost low birth rate

China will discourage abortions and take steps to make fertility treatment more accessible as part of efforts to boost one of the world's lowest birth rates, its National Health Authority said on Tuesday.
Support measures from taxation and insurance to education and housing would be improved and implemented, with local governments encouraged to boost infant care services and family friendly workplaces, according to guidelines published on the authority's website.
The authority said it would carry out reproductive health promotion to enhance public awareness while "preventing unintended pregnancy and reducing abortions that are not medically necessary."
China's fertility rate of 1.16 in 2021 was far below the 2.1 OECD standard for a stable population and among the lowest in the world.
The guidelines come as China's uncompromising "zero-Covid" policy of curbing outbreaks with strict controls on people's lives may have caused profound damage on their desire to have children, demographers say.
The authority said it would guide local governments to gradually include assisted reproductive technology in its national medical system. Technology such as IVF is typically very expensive in China and not accessible to unmarried women.
New births in China, with a population of 1.4 billion, are set to fall to record lows this year, demographers say, dropping below 10 million from last year's 10.6 million babies - which were already 11.5% lower than in 2020.
China, which imposed a one-child policy from 1980 to 2015, has officially acknowledged it is on the brink of a demographic downturn. It replaced that policy with a two-child policy in 2016, and changed it again in 2021, allowing married couples to have up to three children.
Over the past year authorities have started to introduce measures such as tax deductions, longer maternity leave, enhanced medical insurance, housing subsidies, extra money for a third child and a crackdown on expensive private tutoring.
The guidelines on Tuesday mark the most comprehensive notice at a national level, including the reference to reduce abortions, which have been generally readily accessible for many years.
The authority said the measures were crucial for "promoting the long-term balanced development of the population."
The number of abortions carried out stood above 9.5 million between 2015 to 2019, according to a National Health Commission report published at the end of 2021.


Saudi Arabia denies ‘secret meeting’ with Israel’s Netanyahu

Saudi Arabia is denying reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Gulf kingdom on Sunday, according to Al-Monitor.“I have seen press reports about a purported meeting between HRH the Crown Prince and Israeli officials during the recent visit by Secretary Pompeo,” Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, tweeted on Monday. “No such meeting occurred. The only officials present were American and Saudi.”But according to Israeli news outlets, Netanyahu and Mossad spy chief Yossi Cohen departed from Tel Aviv on Sunday in a private jet headed for Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, where the crown prince was meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the city of Neom.Israel Education Minister Yoav Galant confirmed the news, telling Army Radio the trip was an “amazing achievement”.An unnamed Saudi adviser told The Wall Street Journal that Israeli officials attended talks arranged by Pompeo, during which the 35-year-old prince and Netanyahu discussed Iran and a possible normalisation of ties.For his part, Netanyahu didn’t deny the trip took place when asked about it on Monday. The Israeli premier said only that he was “working on broadening the circle of peace”.Pompeo is in Saudi Arabia for the final leg of a Middle East tour that also took him to Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Qatar.According to the State Department, Pompeo and Prince Mohammed met on Monday to discuss Gulf unity. No mention was made of Netanyahu.President Donald Trump has said Saudi Arabia would be among “five or six” countries to follow the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which in September signed US-brokered agreements normalising ties with the Jewish state. In a positive sign, the kingdom announced in September it would open its airspace to commercial flights from Israel.But last month, Prince Faisal downplayed reports that Saudi Arabia would be next to recognise Israel. During a virtual event hosted by the Washington Institute, Riyadh’s top diplomat said Palestinians and Israelis at the negotiating table should be the priority of peace efforts before “eventual normalisation” with Israel.


PAC to visit Lumut naval base for LCS proceedings

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will soon commence its proceedings on the construction progress of the second generation littoral combat ships (LCS) owned by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).
PAC chairman Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the committee would visit the location of the LCS construction at the RMN naval base in Lumut, Perak, on Saturday.
"In taking the recommendation from the PAC of the 14th Parliament which wants the defence ministry to submit the latest developments to PAC every three months, the 15th term PAC will also table an LCS progress report every three months to Dewan Rakyat.
"For this report, it will touch on the construction progress made from October 2022 to May 2023," she said in a media conference at the Parliament lobby yesterday. The construction of the LCS became mired in controversy when PAC revealed that no units were completed despite the government having paid RM6.083 billion to Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd. In another development, Mas Ermieyati said PAC would be calling the secretaries-general of several ministries to attend proceedings related to issues raised on their respective ministries following a joint briefing with the National Audit Department.
She said the agriculture and food security ministry secretary-general would be called on June 14 to explain the weaknesses in fund receipts in the form of finance and assets as well as the padi price subsidy scheme.
The secretaries-general of the health and science, technology and innovation ministries will be called on June 15 to explain the procurement and management of the Covid-19 outbreak, including the issue of 1.1 million doses of expired vaccine, 93 units of ventilators which could not be used, and excess stock of boots and protective suits, she said.
PAC will also summon the secretary-general of the treasury and the rural and regional development ministry as well as the CEO of Felcra Bhd on June 27 as Felcra's audited financial statements for 2019, 2020 and 2021 have not yet been finalised.
"PAC will also get a briefing on the JanaWibawa Programme from the finance ministry," she said.
Mas Ermieyati said the committee hoped that its proceedings would be open to the public from next year in line with the government's institutional reform agenda.
"I believe the administration of Parliament has prepared and has the ability in terms of human resources and information technology equipment to carry out open proceedings," she said.


Erdogan dampens hopes of Sweden joining Nato in July

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday rebuffed growing international pressure on Ankara to ratify Sweden's Nato membership bid before the Western defence alliance meets in July.
Western officials had hoped Erdogan would soften his position on the diplomatically charged issue after he secured a hard-fought re-election last month.
But Erdogan signalled no major shift in comments released by his office as Turkish and Swedish officials were locked in a new round of talks in Ankara.
"Sweden has expectations. It doesn't mean that we will comply with them," Erdogan was quoted as saying.
"In order for us to meet these expectations, first of all, Sweden must do its part."
Sweden and its Nordic neighbour Finland ended decades of military non-alignment and applied to join the US-led defence bloc in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Turkey and fellow Nato member Hungary – both pushing a more accommodating line with Russia – were the last to ratify Finland's membership this year.
But both countries' Parliaments have yet to approve Sweden's entry.
Unanimous backing is needed for new countries to secure the guarantees afforded by the world's most powerful defence alliance.
'Let's get that done'
US President Joe Biden pressed Erdogan about Sweden during a call he placed a day after the Turkish leader extended his two-decade rule until 2028.
Ankara hopes to win US congressional approval of a major defence package that could substantially modernise Turkey's ageing fleet of fighter jets.
Biden directly linked the F-16 fighters' sale with the Swedish bid for the first time.
Erdogan "still wants to work on something on the F-16s. I told him we wanted a deal with Sweden, so let's get that done," Biden told reporters after the call.
And Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg personally discussed the bid with Erdogan in Istanbul ahead of an alliance summit in Lithuania in July.
Erdogan noted that Stoltenberg's visit coincided with a protest held in Stockholm by supporters of a Kurdish group classified as a terrorist organisation by Ankara.
Turkey is pushing Sweden to crack down on such rallies.
"There are rights given to (Sweden's) law enforcement under the constitution. Use those rights," Erdogan said. "If you don't deal with it, we cannot (say yes) at the summit in Vilnius."
'Far from finish line'
Sweden has already toughened its anti-terrorism legislation and taken other measures aimed at meeting Turkey's concerns.
It has agreed to extradite a self-proclaimed supporter of the Kurdish militants convicted of drug trafficking and arrested in Sweden in August last year.
Turkey "was able to raise some concerns that it had," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week.
"Finland and Sweden have both addressed those concerns and, in our judgement, addressed them appropriately and effectively."
Wednesday's lower-level talks in Ankara ended with an agreement for the two sides and Finland to meet again at an undisclosed time.
"This has been a meeting that has moved the process forward, but we are still far from the finish line," Swedish negotiator Oscar Stenstrom said after the talks.
"Once again the conversation focused on how well Sweden is meeting its commitments... and very specifically how well Sweden is fighting (Kurdish militants) and terrorism."
The Swedish police have cited the right to free expression and assembly while allowing a series of anti-Erdogan and anti-Nato protests in Stockholm in the past year.
Stoltenberg tried to underline the "progress" achieve in Wednesday's talks.
"It's still possible, I can't guarantee it, of course, but it's possible to have an agreement in place by the summit," the Nato chief said in Brussels.
Turkey's parliament has returned from its election campaign break and is scheduled to be in session until the two-day Vilnius summit starts on July 11.
Hungary's Parliament has extended its current session – which had been due to end on Thursday – until July 7.


Langkawi voters tell why they didn't vote for the man they still admire

Ever since Balqis Dzulkefly was a child, she had looked up to and respected Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia's longest serving prime minister who made history in 2018 by becoming the country's leader for the second time as well as the world's oldest elected head of state.
Come the 15th general election (GE15) in November 2022, though, the Langkawi voter found herself casting her ballot for another candidate instead.
As the night wore on, she watched as the votes were tallied and her long-time idol was soundly defeated, winning just 4,566 votes and losing his deposit to boot.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, the 19-year-old nursing student said she had never doubted Mahathir's abilities, even at the ripe old age of 97.
She merely wanted to see the veteran statesman take a break from politics and focus on his health instead.
"My friends and I had many opportunities to chat with Mahathir before we went to vote," she said.
"Actually, we would have felt sorry for him if he had won because he would have had to do a lot of work.
"He'd have to go to Parliament, attend meetings, and show his face at events all over the place. He's older than our grandparents at home. Let him rest," she added.
Balqis said she and her friends, all of whom were first-time voters, would not have hesitated to support a candidate close to Mahathir as his replacement.
"If any of his children had contested, we probably would have voted for them, but none of them did," she said.
'Gratitude'
Mahathir, the Pejuang chairman, came in fourth in a five-way contest for Langkawi. The seat was won by Perikatan Nasional candidate Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah, with a majority of 13,518 votes.
He recently said that he was "a little disappointed" about his defeat as he had brought about development in the constituency.
"I was rejected and lost 14,000 votes," he said.
Balqis said she had never forgotten Mahathir's service to the country, especially Langkawi.
She said it made her happier to see her favourite leader relaxing at home with a book than hard at work in an office, as he would have been if he had won the election.
"Every time I go back to Langkawi, I am reminded of its beauty and the speed at which it is being developed," she said.
"I grew up seeing tourists from all over the world come to my home town, and I am proud of everything he has done so far.
"But I'm sorry, I voted for someone else. Please rest now."
Langkawi has long been synonymous with Mahathir, who during his first tenure as prime minister, brought in many investors and made it a leading international tourist destination.
Before announcing his candidacy for GE15, he said that it would be his last run at an election.
"I won't be around for GE16," he said.
His son, former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir, suffered a similar fate at the Nov 19 polls, losing his Jerlun seat which he had held since 2018.
'Relevant?'
The aftermath of GE15, which resulted in a hung parliament, saw political analysts speculating that the defeat of well-known politicians in so-called "stronghold" seats was a sign from voters that they might no longer be relevant in the area.
Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who held the Gua Musang seat for 48 years, was also toppled at the general election.
Mohamad Adam Zakari, 23, said Mahathir should have been rejected by voters even at GE14 in 2018.
The law student said the former prime minister was no longer a kingmaker, especially since resigning from the top office in 2020.
"He shouldn't be surprised or sad," he said. "Elections and votes aren't a matter of taking care of politicians' feelings.
"He might feel differently if he had refrained from contesting even in 2018."
Adam added that the young voters were looking for something new and fresh, and did not put much stock in how long an individual had served.
Throughout the world, he said, when a politician steps down from office, someone else takes over.
He said Mahathir's "glory days" were over, and that the veteran statesman should give way to whoever is chosen by the voters in a fair and democratic election.
He also said that Mahathir's "ultra Malay" factor was no longer applicable as he had failed to win the support of the community, even in Langkawi.
"Take a break, Dr Mahathir," he added. "I hope that all goes well with you."


Nothing to shout about: Olympic fans may face cheering ban

Fans may be asked not to cheer at the Tokyo Olympics to avoid the risk of spreading the coronavirus, a top official said on Thursday.The comments follow a gymnastics test event in Tokyo on Sunday where mask-wearing spectators, urged not to shout or cheer, confined themselves to polite applause and murmurs of approval.Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto said fans arriving in Japan may be spared a mandatory two-week quarantine, saying it would be too hard to enforce.But he said officials were also considering urging fans not to shout or talk loudly, to minimise the risk of Covid-19 infections at the postponed 2020 Games.“There’s a possibility that we might ask the (Olympic) spectators to refrain from shouting or talking in a loud voice,” Muto said after a committee meeting.“When we think of the impact, we believe it is an item for consideration, to reduce the risk of airborne droplets.”However, Muto added that the “practicality and feasibility” of clamping down on cheering needed to be considered.While sports competitions around the world have resumed after shutting down for the pandemic, most are taking place behind closed doors.Fans are allowed at sports events in Japan, usually in limited numbers, but they are advised not to shout and cheer.International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, who will visit next week, on Wednesday said he was increasingly confident that a “reasonable number” of fans will be allowed at the Games.Muto said officials were considering waiving quarantine for arriving fans and replacing it with a series of tests and health checks.Athletes’ and officials’ movements will be heavily restricted for two weeks after they enter the country, but this is difficult to implement for fans, he said.Quarantine ‘unrealistic’“As the number of foreign spectators is so high, 14 days of quarantine and a ban on public transport use is unrealistic,” he told reporters after a committee meeting.Instead, “pre-visit tests and health monitoring, careful screening at the border, post-entry checks on activities and health, (and) taking swift measures if symptoms appear” are among the measures being considered.The Olympics were delayed for a year to next July by the coronavirus pandemic but despite a rising caseload worldwide, the outlook is brightening for the Games.Tokyo has begun holding test events, including a near-capacity baseball game and Sunday’s four-nation gymnastics competition held in tightly controlled bio-secure conditions.Olympic chief Bach, whose visit next week will be his first since the Games were delayed, said the events were a positive sign.“Having seen the different tests in Japan, we can become more and more confident that we will have a reasonable number of spectators also in Olympic venues,” he said after an IOC executive board meeting.“How many and under which conditions, it will… very much depend on future developments.”Japan currently has a strict ban on practically all in-bound foreign tourism. Muto said any cap on the number of spectators, or rules for visiting crowds, would be decided in the spring.At Sunday’s gymnastics competition, around 2,000 fans in face masks remained socially distanced at an 8,700-capacity Olympic venue, while being encouraged not to shout.


Govt's propaganda unit teaches students to vote ahead of state elections

The government's propaganda unit J-KOM organised a school-level programme to teach students about the voting process ahead of the elections expected to take place in six states this year.
The Program Himpunan Anak Muda, organised by J-KOM in collaboration with the Election Commission (EC), was held at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Baling in Kedah on March 22.
Approximately 200 students from three schools in the district were involved in the programme.
A J-KOM official who declined to be named said the programme was aimed only at 18-year-olds in lower sixth, who would vote for the first time at the state elections to come.
He said the students were taught the function and role of the EC and given a simulation of the voting process.
"The details of the programme were laid out together with the EC," he told MalaysiaNow.
"The difference this time is that we had a simulation for student participation, so that they understand the voting process.
"This would give more value than just holding talks to explain the process."
He said the students involved were from SMK Baling, SMK Kuala Ketil and SMK Kuala Pegang.
The programme came to light after Pasir Mas MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari shared its details on Facebook earlier this week.
Elections will be held this year in Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.
The J-KOM official denied that the programme had been held with political motives in order to campaign on behalf of the government.
He said those who had voiced dissatisfaction with the programme might have misunderstood its aim.
"We from the communications department, we always hold programmes with the community.
"It's just that this time, we worked with the EC and the Kedah education department to enter the school.
"When we say community, we have to go to the entire community. We have also held programmes with the community at the local level, involving various ages.
"We have gone to matriculation colleges and tahfiz centres. This time, we decided to go to a school."


Google, Facebook, Twitter to tackle deepfakes or risk EU fines, document shows

Alphabet Inc unit Google, Facebook, Twitter Inc and other tech companies will have to take measures to counter deepfakes and fake accounts on their platforms or risk hefty fines under an updated European Union code of practice, according to an EU document seen by Reuters.The European Commission is expected to publish the updated code of practice on disinformation on Thursday as part of its crackdown against fake news.Introduced in 2018, the voluntary code will now become a co-regulation scheme, with responsibility shared between the regulators and signatories to the code.The updated code spells out examples of manipulative behaviour such as deepfakes and fake accounts which the signatories will have to tackle.“Relevant signatories will adopt, reinforce and implement clear policies regarding impermissible manipulative behaviours and practices on their services, based on the latest evidence on the conducts and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) employed by malicious actors,” the document said.Deepfakes are hyperrealistic forgeries created by computer techniques that have triggered alarm worldwide in particular when they are used in a political context.The code will also be linked to tough new EU rules known as the Digital Services Act (DSA) agreed by the 27-country European Union earlier this year which has a section on combating disinformation.In effect, companies which fail to live up to their obligations under the code can face fines of as much as 6% of their global turnover based on DSA rules. They have six months to implement their measures once they have signed up to the code.Signatories will also have to take measures to tackle advertising containing disinformation and provide more transparency on political advertising.“The DSA provides a legal backbone to the Code of Practice against disinformation – including heavy dissuasive sanctions,” EU industry chief Thierry Breton, who is leading the EU’s crackdown on disinformation, told Reuters in a statement.Commission vice-president Vera Jourova said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which the former calls a special operation, underpinned some of the changes in the code.“Once the code is operational, we will be better prepared to address disinformation, also coming from Russia,” she said in a statement.