US rethinking steps on China tariffs in wake of Taiwan response, sources say

China's war games around Taiwan have led Biden administration officials to recalibrate their thinking on whether to scrap some tariffs or potentially impose others on Beijing, setting those options aside for now, according to sources familiar with the deliberations.
President Joe Biden has not made a decision on the issue, officials said. His team has been wrestling for months with various ways to ease the costs of duties imposed on Chinese imports during predecessor Donald Trump's tenure, as it tries to tamp down skyrocketing inflation.
It has considered a combination of eliminating some tariffs, launching a new "Section 301" investigation into potential areas for additional tariffs, and expanding a list of tariff exclusions to aid US companies that can only get certain supplies from China.
The tariffs make Chinese imports more expensive for US companies, which, in turn, make products cost more for consumers. Bringing down inflation is a major goal for Biden, a Democrat, ahead of the November midterm elections, which could shift control of one or both houses of Congress to Republicans.
But Beijing's response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit last week to Taiwan triggered a recalculation by administration officials, who are eager not to do anything that could be viewed by China as an escalation while also seeking to avoid being seen as retreating in the face of the communist country's aggression.
China's military for days took part in ballistic missile launches and simulated attacks on the self-ruled island of Taiwan that China claims as its own.
"I think Taiwan has changed everything," said one source familiar with the latest developments in the process, details of which have not been previously reported.
Exclusions list
A senior administration official made clear Biden had not reached a decision.
"The president had not made a decision before events in the Taiwan Strait and has still not made a decision, period. All options remain on the table," the official said. "The only person who will make the decision is the president – and he will do so based on what is in our interests."
With the most forceful measures regarding tariff relief and tariff escalation largely on the back burner for now, focus is on the so-called exclusions list.
The Trump administration had approved tariff exclusions for more than 2,200 import categories, including many critical industrial components and chemicals, but those expired as Biden took office in January 2021. US Trade Representative Katherine Tai has reinstated only 352 of them. Industry groups and more than 140 US lawmakers have urged her to vastly increase the numbers.
The Biden administration's next steps could have a significant impact on hundreds of billions of dollars of trade between the world's two largest economies.
US industries from consumer electronics and retailers to automotive and aerospace have been clamoring for Biden to eliminate the duties of up to 25% as they struggle with rising costs and tight supplies.
The tariffs were imposed in 2018 and 2019 by Trump on thousands of Chinese imports valued then at US$370 billion to pressure China over its suspected theft of US intellectual property.
Some senior administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, had argued the duties were imposed on "non-strategic" consumer goods that had unnecessarily raised costs for consumers and businesses, and removing them could help ease rampant inflation. Tai argued the tariffs were "significant leverage" that should be used to press China for changes to its behavior.
Multiple factors
Multiple factors, in addition to China's Taiwan response, have complicated the administration's deliberations.
As US officials considered getting rid of some of the tariffs, they sought reciprocal rollbacks from Beijing and were rebuffed, two sources said. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington could not immediately be reached for comment.
One of the sources, who said a unilateral removal of some US tariffs on Chinese imports has been put on hold, said this was done in part because China failed to show any willingness to take reciprocal actions or meet its "Phase 1" trade deal commitments.
That deal, reached at the end of 2019 with the Trump administration, required China to increase its purchases of US farm and manufactured goods, energy and services by US$200 billion in 2020 and 2021 over 2017 levels. China fell well short of these commitments, which included a US$77.7 billion two-year increase in imports of US manufactured goods, including aircraft, machinery, vehicles and pharmaceuticals.
The Peterson Institute for International Economics estimates that China effectively bought none of the extra goods it promised. Beijing blamed the Covid-19 pandemic, which began just as the deal was signed in January 2020.
The US Trade Representative's office is now in the midst of a statutory four-year review of the tariffs imposed by Trump, which could take a few more months to complete. Final public comments on whether to keep them in place are due by Aug 23.
Union groups led by the United Steelworkers have urged USTR to keep the tariffs on Chinese goods in place to help "level the playing field" for workers in the US and reduce US reliance on Chinese suppliers.
Biden has been concerned about rolling back tariffs in part because of labor, which is a key constituency for him, and because of China's failure to buy the products it had agreed to purchase, according to the first source. The White House has declined to lay out a timeline for when a final decision will be made.


The man who succeeded Mahathir

Dr Mohamed Yacob Dawood was a 33-year-old government doctor when he was invited by Dr Mahathir Mohamad to work at his clinic in Alor Setar, Kedah.Little did he know that his future boss would be one of modern Malaysia’s most prominent leaders, helming the nation for more than two decades and returning to the top post 15 years later.In 1974, two years after Yacob started his job at Klinik Maha in the town’s Pekan Melayu, Mahathir stood as the Barisan Nasional candidate for Kubang Pasu in the general election.Even then, he was known for his active participation in the country’s political debates. His criticism of the Umno government, led by Tunku Abdul Rahman, had landed him in trouble including his expulsion from the party.After his election victory in 1974, he was appointed to the Cabinet as the education minister under Abdul Razak Hussein who was prime minister at the time.It was then that he decided to quit his medical practice.“As an assistant to him for two years, I really learnt a lot. He is my real boss lah. Bossku lah.”“In 1974, when he won the election and became the minister of education, he left me alone and he went to Kuala Lumpur,” Yacob told MalaysiaNow during a visit to Klinik Maha, the first Malay-owned private practice in Kedah which Mahathir established in 1957.The clinic moved to the town centre in 1980, just a year before Mahathir was appointed as the fourth prime minister.With his former boss now pursuing his political ambitions in Kuala Lumpur, Yacob was left to run Klinik Maha alone.Yacob, who remembers Mahathir as a man of strict discipline, found himself with big shoes to fill.“As an assistant to him for two years, I really learnt a lot. He is my real boss lah. Bossku lah,” he quipped.He recalls the procedures and systems that Mahathir would follow to the letter.“He has been following SOPs ever since I knew him,” said Yacob, who hails from Penang. “He was professional in whatever he did, that’s SOP lah.”Klinik Maha, established by Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1957, was the first Malay-owned private practice in Kedah.Mahathir would go on to become prime minister twice, first in 1981 at the age of 56, and then in 2018 at the age of 93, making him the world’s oldest leader.He was the first Malay to enroll for medicine at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore, graduating in 1953.In many later interviews and writings, he attributed his style of governance to his medical training, saying problems need to be diagnosed before medication is prescribed.This was challenged by critics who cited several controversial decisions by Mahathir over the years which they said had undermined the country’s legal institution.Today, at 95, Mahathir leads the Pejuang bloc, a small group of independent MPs who broke away from Bersatu, the party he helped create with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.But throughout the years, as his former boss rides the political roller coaster, Yacob has remained in the doctor’s office with its veneer-panelled reception area, narrow corridors and the swinging doors ubiquitous to clinics across the country.A line of chairs greets patients who walk in, and Mahathir’s portrait, taken during his time as prime minister, hangs prominently on the wall.Dr Mohamed Yacob Dawood attends to a patient at the clinic as he has done for decades since his former boss Dr Mahathir Mohamad left to pursue a career in politics.The two still meet up whenever Mahathir comes to Kedah.“The last time I met him was for buka puasa, not this buka puasa, but the previous one (2019),” Yacob said.Yacob’s admiration for Mahathir is shared by Mercy Samuel, who has worked as a nurse at Klinik Maha for the past 40 years.Although she joined the practice after Mahathir left, Mercy feels a sense of pride at working in an establishment with such a legacy.“My years spent at this clinic are so much because of Tun Mahathir,” she said.“I have great admiration for him, that is why I have been working here since 1979.”


Malaysia, Indonesia to fight against EU palm oil 'discrimination'

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Thursday called for stronger collaboration with Malaysia to protect palm oil products threatened by a European Union trade law he termed "discrimination".
The European Parliament adopted the new legislation in April that will ban imports deemed to be driving deforestation, throwing the bloc's trade muscle behind a global fight against climate change.
The law, which is awaiting final approval from EU member countries, would restrict imports from around the world on coffee, cocoa, soy, timber, palm oil, cattle, printing paper and rubber.
Imports that come from land deforested after December 31, 2020, will be prohibited in the huge EU market – the third-largest for both Indonesia and Malaysia.
"Do not let the commodities produced by Malaysia and Indonesia be discriminated by other countries," Widodo said at a joint press conference alongside Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
"We need to continue to strengthen this collaboration," he said after the two leaders met in Malaysia's administrative capital Putrajaya.
Indonesia accounts for more than half the global supply of the edible oil, used in making foods such as cakes, chocolate, and margarine as well as cosmetics, soap and shampoo.
However, palm oil is a controversial commodity, blamed by environmentalists for fuelling the destruction of rainforests in Malaysia and Indonesia, which together produce 85% of global output.
Green groups say the rapid expansion of plantations has destroyed rare animals' habitats, while there have been allegations of foreign workers being abused and mistreated on some estates.
Widodo said he "deeply appreciated" ongoing cooperation between the two countries, referencing a recent visit by Indonesian and Malaysian officials to Brussels to combat the EU deforestation law.
A joint statement issued after the two leaders met said they had agreed to "cooperate closely to address highly detrimental discriminatory measures against palm oil by the European Union."
"They underlined that the EU needs to promptly address such discriminatory measures and work towards a fair and equitable resolution," it added.


Pakistan inflation rockets to record 37.97%

Pakistan's year-on-year inflation hit a record 37.97% in May, official data revealed Thursday, with the nation on the brink of economic collapse and crucial bailout talks stalled.
Non-perishable foods and transport costs climbed more than 50% over May 2022, while average inflation for the past 12 months was 29.16%, the latest Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data showed.
"This level of inflation badly affects poor and middle-class families of the country, whose income is evaporating with each percentage point," said Mohammad Sohail, a financier in Karachi.
Years of financial mismanagement have pushed Pakistan's economy to the limit, exacerbated by a global energy crisis and devastating floods that submerged a third of the country in 2022.
A political crisis has added another layer of uncertainty – with opposition leader Imran Khan's brief arrest last month sparking deadly street violence and a days-long state-ordered mobile internet blackout.
In the background, negotiations to unlock a crucial tranche of a US$6.5 billion (RM29.9 billion) loan deal agreed with the International Monetary Fund have been deadlocked for months.
Pakistan needs billions of dollars in financing to service staggering levels of external debt, and foreign exchange reserves have dwindled to just US$4.2 billion, barely enough for a month of imports.
Elections are due no later than October, and the government has already bowed to IMF demands to end popular subsidies on gas and electricity which cushioned the cost-of-living crisis.
"Everyone is worried," said 42-year-old Muhammad Safeer in an Islamabad bazaar. "Where will we get the money from? Personal debt can only go up."
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government is due to present its annual budget next week, and the nation has already downgraded its growth forecast for the year ending June 30 from 5% to 0.3%.


Covid death rate on the rise but still lower than during Delta wave, says Khairy

While Malaysia’s Covid-19 case fatality rate (CFR) is on the rise, it is still lower than it was during the Delta wave, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.In a Twitter post, he said this also proved that the vaccines were effective in protecting recipients from adverse effects of the virus such as death and ICU admission.“Why is the CFR lower (than during the Delta wave)? Because the majority of the cases weren’t severe.“Despite the spike in the number of cases, the (number of) severe ones showed just a slight increase. Latest, for every 100,000 cases, 200 deaths were recorded,” he said.Another 115 deaths due to Covid-19 were recorded yesterday. Johor logged the highest number at 25 cases, followed by Sabah (24), Selangor (18), Kedah and Negeri Sembilan (eight each) and Perak (seven).Six deaths were recorded in Pahang and Kuala Lumpur each, four in Kelantan, three in Penang, two each in Melaka and Perlis, and one each in Sarawak and Terengganu.Khairy also posted a chart showing the number of deaths per 100,000 population from Feb 17 to March 2, which revealed that the number of deaths involving individuals aged 80 and above who were unvaccinated and had not received a booster dose was relatively higher than those who had.“It is clear (from the chart) that booster doses can protect senior citizens from death due to Covid-19.“That’s why our strategy now is to protect those in the high-risk group, such as the senior citizens,” he said.Khairy also said that the number of brought-in-dead (BID) cases was likewise on the rise, and that of the 113 BID cases analysed from Feb 5 to 21, only 9% were known Covid-19 patients, while the remaining 91% tested positive after death.“It is important for those at high risk like senior citizens and those with comorbidities to get a booster dose.“Families and communities are also urged to monitor the health condition of the elderly. If they are showing symptoms of fever or coughing, take them to the doctor. Please,” he said.


Unity govt a recipe for massive disunity, warns prominent thinker

Prominent social critic Chandra Muzaffar has disagreed with calls for a national unity government, saying a climate of great mistrust among different political blocs would only defeat its objective.Instead, he said the recently announced bipartisan committee under the Covid-19 emergency declared this month would be more effective.He said the committee should also be given a wider role once the emergency rule is lifted to address issues related to the pandemic and economic recovery.“Government-opposition committees at federal and state levels, with a specific agenda of immense significance to the people’s well-being, will hopefully reduce mutual distrust and suspicion and improve interparty and interpersonality relations,” Chandra told MalaysiaNow.Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had agreed to form an advisory committee comprising government and opposition leaders to report to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong throughout the six-month emergency rule.Pakatan Harapan, the biggest opposition bloc, agreed to join the committee but said its first recommendation was that the emergency be lifted.Chandra said a main problem with unity governments is the fact that they would involve political leaders preoccupied with positions.“A government made up of such leaders will be fighting tooth and nail for certain positions. This scramble will not only absorb all their energy but also lead to more instability,” he said.“Simply put, there will be massive disunity rather than unity within government.”He said a unity government at a time of “distrust and antagonism” between political parties renders the case for a unity government unfeasible.“There has never been a time in our history when the outright rejection of a political party or a political leader is thrust forward as a precondition for political cooperation.”Several commentators including political leaders have called for a greater role for the opposition, saying the multiple crises facing the nation call for a unity government to ensure stability and minimise politicking.But Chandra said recent experience had shown that politicians cannot work together within a single framework.He said the Agong and respective state rulers could play a more decisive role with the advice of bipartisan committees.“Since their role would be advisory, they would not impinge in any way upon the functions of the federal Cabinet and the state executive councils. Besides, since the purpose and function of these advisory committees is directed towards the pandemic and economic recovery, their boundaries would be clearly articulated,” he added.Chandra said there would also be a more meaningful role for the rulers “as the fourth dimension of governance in our society”.He warned that the pandemic would take years to suppress, necessitating a high degree of political stability.“The last thing we need in the next two years is political uncertainty created by political manoeuvres and ousters.“Such uncertainty we can be absolutely sure will not only impede severely our fight against the coronavirus but also thwart our economic recovery and impair the peace and harmony we cherish as a nation,” Chandra said.


Back to school starting March 1

Preschool and primary students will return to school beginning March 1, following the interruption to physical classes caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.Standard 1 and 2 pupils will return on March 1, while other primary students will start school the week after.Secondary students meanwhile will start attending school on April 4, except for those in Form 5 who will start classes on March 8.Education Minister Radzi Jidin said the dates apply to all government and private schools under the purview of his ministry.“What is important is that schools must be opened with strict adherence to SOPs to ensure the students attend lessons in a safe environment,” Radzi said.The majority of students began the academic year at home, as health measures to ward off the spread of Covid-19 meant the implementation of home-based teaching and learning, also known as PdPR.Classes had come to an abrupt halt last year in the wake of a fierce spike of infections.While Form 5 and 6 students were initially allowed to return to the classrooms on Jan 20, the education ministry later announced that the former would resume home-based learning beginning Feb 10.


Australia says Twitter is top platform for online hate, demands explanation

An Australian cyber regulator on Thursday said it has demanded Twitter explain its handling of online hate as the microblog has become the country's most complained-about platform since new owner Elon Musk lifted bans on a reported 62,000 accounts.
The demand builds on a campaign by the eSafety Commissioner to make the website more accountable after Musk, one of the world's richest people, bought it for US$44 billion (about RM204 billion) in October with a promise to restore its commitment to free speech.
The regulator has already called on Twitter to detail its handling of online child abuse material which it said has picked up on the website since Musk's takeover and subsequent job losses, including content moderation roles.
Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said she has sent a legal notice to Twitter demanding an explanation after one-third of all complaints she received about online hate concerned Twitter, even though the platform has far fewer users than TikTok or Meta's Facebook and Instagram.
"Twitter appears to have dropped the ball on tackling hate," Inman Grant said in a statement, which noted that the platform had reportedly reinstated 62,000 banned accounts since Musk's takeover, including high-profile accounts of individuals who espouse Nazi rhetoric.
"We need accountability from these platforms and action to protect their users, and you cannot have accountability without transparency and that's what legal notices like this one are designed to achieve," she said.
Twitter must respond to the eSafety Commissioner within 28 days or face a fine of nearly US$473,480 per day. It declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.
The demand comes as Australia approaches a referendum this year on whether to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution, prompting an increasingly intense debate about race.
Prominent indigenous television host Stan Grant had cited targeted abuse on Twitter when he announced a break from the media last month, the commissioner noted.
Specialist broadcaster National Indigenous Television also said it was taking a break from Twitter due to "the racism and hate that we experience every day on this platform", it said in a tweet last month.
Inman Grant said her letter called for Twitter to explain its impact assessments when reinstating banned accounts, how it engaged with communities who were subject to online hate, and how it was enforcing its own policies which ban hateful conduct.


AGC files appeal over murder verdict of Cradle Fund CEO

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has filed a notice of appeal to reverse the High Court’s decision to acquit Samirah Muzaffar and two teenagers of the charge of murdering Cradle Fund CEO Nazrin Hassan.When contacted, Attorney-General Idrus Harun confirmed the matter.“We are appealing against the decision of the High Court,” he told Bernama.Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Tengku Intan Suraya Tengku Ismail said the notice of appeal was filed yesterday.The prosecution had 14 days to file a notice of appeal for the Court of Appeal to overturn the High Court’s verdict.On June 21, Shah Alam High Court judge Ab Karim Ab Rahman freed Samirah, 47, and two teenagers, now aged 19 and 16, of the charge of murdering Nazrin, 45, after finding that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case at the end of the its case against the trio.In his ruling, Karim held that the evidence that Samirah and the two teenagers were the last people to be with the deceased could not be said to lead to the offence of murdering Nazrin.The judge also ruled that there was no direct evidence to show that the three of them had committed the offence.Samirah and the two teenagers as well as an Indonesian woman, Eka Wahyu Lestari, who is still at large, were charged with murdering Nazrin at his house in Mutiara Damansara, between 11.30pm on June 13, 2018, and 4am the following day.


60 festival clusters reported within 4 weeks

Sixty festival clusters, 58 involving Hari Raya Aidilfitri and two involving Hari Gawai celebrations, were reported between May 13 and June 10.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said 13,023 individuals from these clusters had been screened, with 3,511 or 27% of them testing positive for Covid-19.Of these, 20 fatalities were reported with 11 cases still being treated in the ICU.“The states recording the highest number of festival clusters are Sabah with 11 clusters or 18.3%, Sarawak (eight/13.3%) and Kedah (seven/11.7%).“The increase in reported cases and fatalities from the festival clusters is regarded as serious and worrying as it occurred within a short time.“If the people are still complacent and not learning lessons from doing house visits and interstate travel during festival celebrations, it’s not impossible for sudden surge in cases to occur in this country,” he said in a statement.Noor Hisham said everyone should be responsible for protecting the vulnerable groups, especially their weak and sick parents in their home towns by not exposing them to the virus.He said Malaysia should follow its neighbours which have managed to control their Covid-19 situations well, thus proving the cooperation among all parties concerned and a high level of compliance with the SOPs so that life can return to normal.“Malaysians are urged to stay home if there is no urgent need to go out. Register yourself and your family members to receive the Covid-19 vaccine for herd immunity and to create a safer environment for all levels of society,” he added.


Judges to rule in murder trial for 2014 downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine

A Dutch court is set to rule on Thursday in the case of four men with links to Russia accused of mass murder for their alleged roles in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight 17.
MH17 was a passenger flight shot down over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 passengers and crew.
At the time, the area was the scene of fighting between pro-Russian separatist and Ukrainian forces, the precursor of this year's conflict.
Victims' representatives say the ruling will be an important milestone, though the suspects, all of whom face life sentences, remain fugitives. They are all believed to be in Russia, which will not extradite them.
Moscow denies any involvement or responsibility for MH17's downing and in 2014 it also denied any presence in Ukraine.
Prosecutors say the suspects, three former Russian intelligence officers and a Ukrainian separatist military leader, helped arrange and transport a Russian army BUK missile system into Ukraine that was used to shoot down the plane.
They were charged with shooting down an airplane and with murder in a trial held under Dutch law. They could alternatively be convicted of manslaughter charges if judges at the Hague District Court find the act was not premeditated.
Phone call intercepts that formed a key part of the evidence against the men suggested they believed they were targeting a Ukrainian fighter jet.
Three of the men were tried in absentia and the fourth pleaded not guilty via lawyers he hired to represent him. None attended the trial.
Victims of MH17, which had been en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, came from 10 different countries. More than half were Dutch.
The investigation was led by the Netherlands, with participation from Ukraine, Malaysia, Australia and Belgium.
The suspects are Russians Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinskiy, and Oleg Pulatov; and Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko.
Judges will begin reading the verdict at 1.30pm local time (1230 GMT) at the high-security court next to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.


As padi production shrinks in Sarawak, food security fears rise

At Kampung Skuduk in Serian, farmers used to head out at dawn to spend the day working in their padi fields.For decades, it was one of the few villages in Sarawak which cultivated wet padi or padi paya – padi grown in irrigated fields.Today, though, the plots which were once green with young plants are abandoned and overgrown with weeds. Most of the villagers have moved on to cultivating other, more lucrative, crops like rubber.Village head Silbey Anak Nobek said the income from padi crops had not been encouraging in recent years. Labour costs have also been on the rise, and many farmers feel that the long cultivation process is no longer worth their time.While they have machines to help them during harvest season, these do not always make their lives easier.“The young people have no interest in growing padi.”At Kampung Skuduk, the villagers have moved on to planting rubber instead under another government scheme.They also grow vegetables such as cucumbers, pumpkins and pepper. These, they sell to wholesalers in the capital city of Kuching.Meanwhile, the once-flourishing padi fields languish.Part of the problem is that those from the younger generation prefer working in urban areas instead of returning to their villages to spend their days on the farm.“The young people have no interest in growing padi because it’s tiring,” Silbey said.“They would rather work in the factories near the city.”As the years go by, more and more of the land once set aside for padi is converted to fields for other crops. Some parcels of land are even rented out to businesses instead.In 2012, there were about 130,000 hectares of padi land in the state. By 2021, this had shrunk to 83,000.Government spendingSarawak minister Stephen Rundi Anak Utom said one way to tackle the issue is to increase the price of padi.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Stephen who holds the modernisation of agriculture and regional development portfolio said the current padi price was far too low.“Some farmers have already shifted to oil palm or pineapple cultivation which is more profitable,” he said.“If this situation continues, Sarawak’s padi cultivation area will decrease even more.”Padi plants stand in neat rows at a field in Kampung Skuduk, where only a handful of farmers remain in the rice production business.This, he said, would put further pressure on the food security situation as Sarawak would then depend even more on imported rice.“Increasing the padi price or giving production incentives to farmers is a must,” he said.“Right now, farmers get about RM1 per kg for their padi, and production incentives are also low – about 36 sen for each kg of padi sold.”The way Stephen sees it, a higher padi price would encourage farmers to plant as much as possible and open up new areas for production.Academic Mohd Effendi Wasli meanwhile said the government should also think of ways to control the price of goods such as fertiliser and pesticide.Effendi, of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, said many farmers are struggling to cope with the price spikes.“Ukraine is a main supplier of chemicals for fertiliser,” he said. “Because of the war in that country, the market price of agricultural products increased up to 30% or 40%.“The government needs to take a deeper look at things from the farmers’ perspective and think about how it can control the prices,” he said, adding that such fluctuations mainly affect the small-time farmers.


Najib’s legal team says Queen’s Counsel unrivalled among Malaysian lawyers

Najib Razak’s legal team says that Jonathan Laidlaw, the Queen’s Counsel from the UK seeking to act for the former prime minister in his SRC International appeal, has special qualifications and experience of a nature not available among the advocates and solicitors in Malaysia.Najib’s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, in an affidavit to support the bid for Laidlaw to represent Najib in his final appeal at the Federal Court in August, said Laidlaw, who has appeared in 109 reported cases in the Divisional Court, Court of Appeal and House of Lords (now the Supreme Court), had qualifications and experience in a range of corruption cases, both in the UK and in overseas jurisdictions.“By way of example only, he represented two members of the House of Lords and a member of the House of Commons who were embroiled in the era-defining ‘cash for honours’ scandal which involved an alleged link between loans to UK political parties and the granting of life peerages (following representations, none faced charges and therefore cannot be identified).“He prosecuted the largest ever investigation into corruption in the Metropolitan Police Service, which led to the conviction of two Flying Squad officers (Garner and McGuinness) who then turned Queen’s evidence against a number of former colleagues.“He prosecuted a Crown Prosecution Service lawyer for corruption, following an undercover sting operation which revealed the individual to have been prepared to compromise prosecutions in favour of career criminals, and has recently advised an individual seeking to bring a private prosecution against members of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs,” said Shafee, adding that Laidlaw had been listed by the Sunday Times as one of Britain’s 500 most influential individuals.He said Laidlaw also specialised in business and financial crimes, and was consistently ranked by the UK legal directories as one of their “star silks”, adding that he was a previous recipient of the Chambers and Partners “Crime Silk of the Year” award.Shafee said Laidlaw had appeared for a large number of corporate clients, including Texaco, Gulf, BOC, Ford, Southern Cross, Esso, BHP Billiton, and Fluor.“He has appeared for both corporations and their directors in cases involving corporate criminal liabilities. In recent years, he successfully defended BHP Billiton in a series of cases brought by the Department of Trade and Industry of England, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Health and Safety Executive arising from incidents at the Liverpool Bay oil and gas field,” he added.Shafee said Laidlaw was also involved in the biggest fraud case brought by way of private prosecution in the UK on behalf of the Allseas Group, which resulted in the individual being convicted for fraud involving 100 million euros.Thus, he said, Laidlaw’s accomplishments were of an exceptional degree and excelled the measure of accomplishments reached by advocates and solicitors of Malaysia.“I further believe that no advocate or solicitor practising in Malaysia can be said to possess an equal degree of accomplishment, experience and expertise as that acquired by the applicant,” he said.He also said that serious, complex or novel issues related to the appeal would arise for consideration by the apex court for the first time, whereby most of the issues had never been substantively judicially determined in Malaysia in any like cases in which local advocates and solicitors had appeared.“I believe there are no other advocates and solicitors in Malaysia which possess equal qualification, experience and expertise to that of the applicant, particularly for the purposes of advancing the appellant’s case,” said Shafee.He also asked the court to consider that the applicant’s undoubted, special and particular expertise would be advantageous to not only the applicant, but also the Malaysian criminal justice system.He said the common law tradition, in particular the experience of the English jurisdiction, had the capacity to inform and benefit Malaysian jurisprudence.On Jan 25, law firm Messrs Shafee & Co submitted a six-page letter to the secretariat of Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat on Najib’s intention to appoint a Queen’s Counsel to assist him in complex issues and legal questions in his SRC appeal at the apex court.On April 29, the Federal Court fixed 10 days in August to hear Najib’s final bid against his conviction and jail sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.On Dec 8, 2021, the Court of Appeal upheld Najib’s conviction, 12-year jail sentence and RM210 million fine for misappropriating RM42 million belonging to SRC International.Judge Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, along with with Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, unanimously dismissed Najib’s appeal against the High Court’s decision on July 28, 2020.The Federal Court will be the final avenue for the Pekan MP to appeal against his sentence and conviction.


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New cases dip to 2,176, death toll up by 10

Another 2,176 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 266,445.Selangor recorded 910 cases, Johor 269, Sarawak 246, Kuala Lumpur 182 and Negeri Sembilan 145.Sabah recorded 97 cases followed by Penang (91), Perak (83), Terengganu (53), Kedah (33), Kelantan (31), Pahang (15), Melaka (14) and Putrajaya (seven).Active cases stand at 47,135 with 260 in the ICU and 112 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 4,521 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 218,335.However, 10 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 975.


Consumers group calls for halt to cattle imports from Thailand over reports of skin disease

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) today called for an immediate halt to the import of live cattle from Thailand following reports of an outbreak of a skin disease that has so far affected more than 6,000 animals in the kingdom.It cited a local report which said the disease, known as the lumpy skin disease, had affected over 6,700 cows and buffaloes in 35 provinces.“The disease is characterised by fever, enlarged superficial lymph nodes and multiple nodules on the skin and mucous membranes.“Even though the disease does not affect humans, lumpy skin disease is one of the significant reasons for banning meat export in Europe and the US,” it said in a statement.Noting the upcoming Aidiladha or Hari Raya Korban celebration, CAP said the Department of Veterinary Services Malaysia should put an immediate halt to all imports of cattle from Thailand due to the contagious nature of the disease.It also urged the department to conduct an investigation to ensure that the disease has not already affected local animals.“As Thailand is our neighboring country, the disease can be easily transmitted as it is spread through mosquitoes, flies and ticks,” it said.It added that the disease would cause severe production loss to dairy and beef farms, while farmers would suffer heavy losses due to the cost of management and treatment.


Ringgit, stocks down after inconclusive election

The share market and ringgit weakened in early trade on Monday, after the election over the weekend resulted in the first hung parliament in Malaysia's history, to leave rival parties scrambling for coalition partners.
The ringgit fell almost 0.8% against the greenback, its steepest drop in seven months as investors reacted to the prospect of prolonged instability and compromise. The ringgit was last at 4.58 per dollar, off a two-month peak of 4.495 hit last week.
Kuala Lumpur stocks' benchmark index fell more than 1% to its lowest level since Nov 4, hitting a trough of 1,427.75.
Malaysia elected a hung parliament for the first time in its history, as the ruling Barisan Nasional, led by Umno came a distant third.
That has left a conservative Malay Muslim alliance led by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin to battle it out with a multi-ethnic alliance headed by veteran opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to find other partners needed to secure an outright majority.
"There is a question mark that is triggered by this rise of ethno-religious politics in Malaysia, with longer term implications for economic and social policy," said Alvin Tan, head of Asia FX strategy at RBC Capital Markets in Singapore.
"In the near term, the political uncertainty, along with the global economic slowdown, I think, should keep the upside pressure on the US dollar/ringgit pair," he said – meaning downward pressure on the ringgit.
Muhyiddin's Perikatan Nasional won 73 seats in the Dewan Rakyat and secured backing from two political blocs on Sunday as he sought to form a new government, though had yet to win the required majority.
Having been a junior partner in the outgoing government, Muhyiddin could seek support within the defeated Umno party to which he once belonged.
"This is not ideal for Malaysia, which has been dealing with political challenges for some time now," said Trinh Nguyen, emerging Asia economist at Natixis in Hong Kong.
"The results confirm the concern that even if a coalition is formed, no ruling party means it is very hard to move forward decisively, as politics is now taking precedent over economics."


Pfizer-BioNTech Covid jab less effective in ages 5-11, US study shows

Two doses of the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine was protective against severe disease in children aged 5 to 11 during the recent Omicron variant surge, but quickly lost most of its ability to prevent infection in the age group, according to a study by New York State researchers.The vaccine’s efficacy against infection among those children declined to 12% at the end of January from 68% in mid-December compared to kids who did not get vaccinated, according the study, which has not yet been peer reviewed.For those aged 12 to 17, the vaccine’s protection against infection fell to 51% in late January from 66% in mid-December.“These results highlight the potential need to study alternative vaccine dosing for children and the continued importance layered protections, including mask wearing, to prevent infection and transmission,” the researchers said.The vaccine was around 48% effective in keeping the younger age group out of the hospital, with 73% efficacy against hospitalisation among adolescents last month, the data showed. That was down from effectiveness of 100% and 85% against hospitalisation for the two age groups as of mid-December.Dr Paul Offit, a paediatric infectious disease expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, questioned whether the data were robust enough to say that the vaccine’s efficacy had significantly declined, particularly against severe disease.“It’s not surprising that protection against mild illness would wane,” Offit said. “We know that Omicron is somewhat immune evasive for protection against mild illness. The goal of the vaccine is to protect against severe illness – to keep children out of the hospital.”Offit said the number of hospitalisations were too few to draw any real conclusions, and that there was little information on why the children were hospitalised. He noted that protection from previous infection among the unvaccinated might also skew the numbers.“Natural infection can protect against serious illness,” he said.Younger children receive a lower 10-microgram dose of the vaccine than 12- to 17-year-olds, who receive the same 30-microgram dose as adults and are eligible for a third booster shot.Pfizer said it is studying a three-dose schedule of the vaccine in the pediatric population, noting that studies in adults suggest that “people vaccinated with three doses of a Covid-19 vaccine may have a higher degree of protection.”


‘No Anwar’ still the rule of thumb, Umno division leaders maintain despite overtures by PKR chief

Umno division leaders appear unconvinced by PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim’s recent gestures and favourable comments about their party.Many who spoke to MalaysiaNow said they were still committed to the “No Anwar” rule of thumb, saying they have no interest in allying with the one-time Umno deputy president who was sacked from the party, regardless of what he says.This comes in the wake of Anwar’s statement that his party has had negotiations with Umno leaders, confirming speculation on the back of statements by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former prime minister Najib Razak in support of the PKR leader’s bid to topple the government through defections.“It is something positive. Because we will understand them more and they will understand us more,” Anwar said in a recent interview.But Bandar Tun Razak Umno division chief Rizalman Mokhtar said Anwar’s remarks were designed to break apart the party.He said grassroots members were adamant on not entering into an alliance with Anwar or DAP, adding that this was the stand of the Umno Supreme Council.Putrajaya Umno deputy chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz meanwhile said party leaders and members were not in favour of forming an alliance with Anwar.He said only a section of the party leadership was banking on Anwar returning to power.“Not everyone in Umno thinks this way,” Faisal told MalaysiaNow.“Perhaps Anwar is referring to statements made by certain Umno leaders that were similar to his,” he added, in an apparent jibe at a statement issued by Zahid in his capacity as Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman on March 4.The statement, calling for Parliament to convene during the emergency, was almost identical to a separate statement issued by Anwar as Pakatan Harapan chairman.BN announced that it was revoking Zahid’s statement following embarrassing comments on social media.“(The statement) was similar in its choice of words and style, so maybe he (Anwar) believes this means Umno is getting more comfortable with him,” Faisal quipped.He too insisted that the majority of Umno leaders and members are oppposed to any partnership with Anwar or DAP.“If you don’t believe me, you may ask the Supreme Council to bring a declaration of support for Anwar in GE15, and see the reaction from Umno members,” he added.Meanwhile, Sekijang Umno deputy division chief Anuar Manap said Anwar was getting more “desperate” for the position of prime minister, in the wake of key MPs quitting the party to declare support for Perikatan Nasional (PN).“The PKR president is so desperate for support that he has to turn to Umno to form an alliance with him.”He added that Anwar had in the past claimed to have the support of Umno MPs.Last September, Anwar said he had enough numbers in the Dewan Rakyat to topple Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. A subsequent audience with the Agong to prove the claim, however, resulted in a rebuke by the palace.“That issue of ‘I have the numbers’ was also related to support from Umno MPs, which turned out to be false,” Anuar told MalaysiaNow.He believes that Anwar’s latest statement is to distract attention from the problems faced by PKR in the wake of these defections.PKR has lost three MPs in the past month, further reducing its parliamentary presence to 35 MPs. The party won 47 seats in the May 2018 general election when it teamed up with Dr Mahathir Mohamad.


Sabah to allow inter-district travel by zone

The Sabah government has agreed to allow inter-district travel according to zones from Oct 1, says state Local Government and Housing Minister Masidi Manjun.He said this was subject to requirements such as 60% of the state’s adult population having been fully vaccinated, with districts within each zone also having to achieve the same vaccination rate for their adult population.“Any district that has yet to achieve the 60% rate will automatically not be part of the zoning system and will remain under the ‘standalone district’ status,” he said in statement.Masidi said so far, 2,264,603 of Sabah’s population had received a first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, covering 2,027,449 of the adult population, while 1,750,540 of the population have been fully vaccinated, including 1,750,346 of the adult population.Masidi said the state government would also allow several types of businesses to reopen, such as spas, beauty salons, reflexology, wellness centres, health massage centres as well as manicure and pedicure services beginning Oct 1.Other businesses allowed to reopen from Friday are tourism and recreation activities such as zoos, plantation, edutainment centres and jungle parks.Masidi said premises owners must ensure that each individual had a low-risk Covid-19 status and shows proof of being fully vaccinated on the MySejahtera application before being allowed to enter their premises.Individuals without smartphones and the MySejahtera application must show proof that they have completed their Covid-19 vaccination by presenting their vaccination card or vaccine reminder cards which are given to them by the health ministry at the vaccination centres, he said.


China approves 2 more home-grown Covid-19 vaccines for use

China’s medical products regulator said on Thursday that it has approved two more Covid-19 vaccines for public use, raising the number of domestically produced vaccines that can be used in China to four.The two newly cleared vaccines are made by CanSino Biologics and Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, an affiliate of China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm).They join a vaccine from Sinovac Biotech approved earlier this month, and another from Sinopharm’s Beijing arm approved last year.Prior to formal approval for wider public use by the National Medical Products Administration, millions of doses of the two Sinopharm vaccines and Sinovac shot were administered in China’s vaccination programme.The four approved Chinese vaccines can all be stored at normal freezer temperatures – a potential selling point in less affluent countries that might have difficulty deploying vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna that require much colder temperatures for longer-term storage.The three companies have all secured overseas supply deals, and China has donated doses made by Sinopharm’s Beijing unit to numerous other nations.Altogether, China is exporting vaccines to 27 countries and providing free doses to 53 others, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.So far, China has not approved any Covid-19 vaccines developed by Western drug makers.


First group of workers from Bangladesh arrives in Malaysia

The first group of workers from Bangladesh following the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers, signed on Dec 19, 2021, arrived in Malaysia today.
The MoU, which will remain in effect for five years until December 2026, was signed by Human Resources Minister M Saravanan and Bangladesh Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad in Kuala Lumpur.
"This group of workers will be employed in the manufacturing sector," Saravanan said in a statement today.
He also said that the entry of Bangladeshi workers into Malaysia would be carried out in groups starting today.
He said the Bangladesh High Commission last week attested the applications of 80 local employers involved in the recruitment of 6,000 Bangladeshi workers.
Employers who have made levy payments to the immigration department and intend to employ Bangladeshi workers can apply for employment verification and documentation such as employment contracts and work orders to the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia, he added.


Pass the tobacco bill, MPs

In the upcoming parliamentary session in June, Dewan Rakyat members will have the opportunity to consider passing the Control of Smoking Product for Public Health Bill 2023. This proposed piece of omnibus legislation, previously known as the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill and tabled last year by the previous government, has since been revised and amended based on inputs and suggestions from MPs and a parliamentary select committee. The new bill is expected to be tabled next week.
It has taken an astonishing 13 years to get to this point. Governments have come and gone. Past health ministers have attempted and faltered at the starting line, seemingly intimidated by the political and socioeconomic complexity of having legislation governing tobacco products. It appears to be much easier to legislate on corruption than it is on tobacco and smoking.
Why is the bill needed?
Malaysia does not have a specific law that governs the sale, use and promotion of tobacco products such as cigarettes. The government depends on the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004, its amendments and sub-regulations. These are parked under the Food Act 1983 and subject to the powers and limits of that legislation. These are the same laws that govern nasi lemak production, manufacturing of soft drinks and alcoholic beverages as well as packaging of chicken and eggs.
With the introduction and wide adoption of vaping, such regulations are now struggling, are no longer fit for purpose and possibly even obsolete.
It should be worrying to legislators and the Malaysian general public that the nicotine content for vape products available in this country is among the highest in the world. Nicotine, as most smokers know, is addictive.
Due to the government's recent decision to remove gel and liquid nicotine used for e-cigarettes and vape from the list of scheduled substances under the Poisons Act 1952, there is now a vacuum or a lacuna in the law.
Vape with nicotine now enjoys unrestricted availability and sales to such an extent that a 12-year-old (or even younger) can purchase a disposable with 5% nicotine, and it would neither be illegal to sell nor prohibited to use. That is where we are today.
A single cigarette typically has 1.0 to 3.0mg of nicotine. 16mg per ml of nicotine is approximately 1.6% nicotine. In the UK, Europe, the US, Australia and Indonesia, where vape is regulated, restricted and taxed, the maximum nicotine strength permitted is only 20mg or 2%.
However, in Malaysia, vape liquids in disposables which may cost around RM10 to RM25 and have 3 to 5% nicotine are easily available. New vape users, including minors, visiting retail vape shops are being encouraged to start at 5%. Why? Because they have a stronger kick and a better likelihood of repeat sales. You cannot get such vape devices with high nicotine concentrations in most countries where vape is regulated.
Retailers are selling disposable vape with nicotine devices to children and adolescents who are buying them using their pocket money. More and more packaging and marketing materials seem to be targeting children with bright colours, sweet juicy flavours and even cartoon-shaped devices.
The situation has created an increased urgency to pass the bill which will include vape.
Malaysia needs to bring its tobacco-related legislation and regulations to the same standards as other countries such as Australia, Thailand and Singapore. It needs a separate law that acts as primary legislation, not just for tobacco products, but also for vape and other future nicotine delivery systems.
Our laws and regulations are fast falling behind.
Is the bill punishing smokers and vapers?
People who smoke and those who vape are not and have never been "the enemy". No one wishes for their daughters, sons, grandchildren, family members and loved ones to become addicted to nicotine, suffer from chronic diseases such as lung cancer and lose their lives prematurely.
Quitting is hard. It takes smokers at least 30 attempts, and relapse rates are high. The increasing presence of vape users at smoking cessation clinics makes up a new group of people wanting to be treated for their nicotine addiction. More and more smokers and vapers are desperate to quit.
The generational endgame or GEG aims to restrict and prohibit the sale, supply, delivery and use of vape and tobacco products such as cigarettes to those born after a certain year. It is intended to lock the gate against the possibility of new smokers and vapers, especially among young people.
Those who are already smokers and vapers would not be affected by this legal block. They would still be able to purchase, smoke and vape.
Will the bill address and prevent smoking and vaping?
Yes and no. Yes, the bill will boldly aim to reduce and prevent a new generation of people from becoming addicted to nicotine. But, no, like many harmful behaviours, a law will not be able to absolutely prevent smoking and vaping among those who are dead set on wanting to do it. The decision whether or not to smoke and vape is still up to the individual.
Malaysia's smoking prevalence has hovered around 21% for several years. This may seem acceptable until a further breakdown of the national data reveals that almost half of all men smoke cigarettes. Around 1% of women smoke. 17.4% of children aged 13 to 15 smoke. 1 in 10 of those aged younger than 12 have already lit up a cigarette.
According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019, 1.12 million people in Malaysia are now vaping and using e-cigarettes. A 2021 industry survey indicated that around 68% of male respondents and 32% of women respondents vape. Another study estimated that at least 600,000 children between the ages of 11 and 18 have already taken up vaping.
The findings from the recently launched Adolescent Health Survey 2022 by the health ministry are worrying.
The overall prevalence of children aged 13 to 17 years currently using e-cigarettes or vape rose from 9.8% in 2017 to 14.9% in 2022. More adolescent males were vaping in 2022 (23.3%) than females at 6.2%.
Malaysia's vaping prevalence among this group of children is already higher than the US, which is less than 10%.
Interestingly, cigarette smoking among adolescents surveyed dropped significantly. Fewer children aged 13 to 17 years of age used cigarettes, dropping from 13.8% in 2017 to 6.2% in 2022. 10.8% of adolescent males were smoking cigarettes, while females were around 1.7%.
The numbers of vape users who are becoming newly addicted to nicotine, many of whom have never smoked cigarettes before, are increasing and getting younger each year. As long as vape remains unrestricted and unregulated, the journey to nicotine addiction in Malaysia begins in individuals as young as 10 years old.
Unfortunately, the sight of kids vaping away outside schools, shopping malls and public spaces no longer shocks people. It has become normalised.
While no substantial evidence can currently be provided that adult cigarette smokers in Malaysia are switching to vape en masse, thus reducing their numbers, it seems that for children who smoke, this trend is clearly the case.
It is likely that vaping is now the preferred choice for kids who need to get their nicotine fix as it is more cost-effective, stronger than cigarettes and easily concealed or stored to be used later. Vape devices now come in cool designs, sweet flavours as well as bright and colourful packaging. Smoking stinky cigarettes is for your dad, grandfather and other old people. To a school kid, vaping nicotine makes more sense, is cost-effective and is on trend. Sound familiar?
It is in Malaysia's best interest to enact legal safeguards and prohibitions that work towards reducing the number of smokers, vapers and the problem of nicotine addiction in general.
Is vaping safer than cigarettes?
Tobacco is a unique product. It cannot be treated similarly or compared to sugar or alcoholic drinks. When used properly as intended, it is a fact that smoking will kill half of its consumers.
We know that there are far fewer carcinogens produced in vape liquids and gels when they are heated and vapourised, as compared to the hundreds from burning tobacco. When tobacco smoke is inhaled, the tar forms a sticky layer on the inside of the lungs, causing damage that may lead to lung cancer, emphysema or other lung problems.
What the vape and tobacco industries are now saying is that smoking is addictive, but vaping is not – that breathing in burnt tobacco fumes is harmful, but inhaling nicotine in a vapour is safe.
However, the fact is that we still do not know enough about the long-term effects of vaping, and repeated advisories on this issue have long emphasised that vaping is less harmful but not safe.
What we are starting to see are dozens of adolescents, teenagers and young adults who are being admitted into Malaysian public and private hospitals from lung inflammation, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury. Some of these respiratory diseases are supposed to take years to develop, yet they are now appearing in increased numbers among a specific population – young people who are hardcore vapers and only started vaping within the past couple of years. In comparison, there are fewer such respiratory illnesses diagnosed among teenagers smoking cigarettes of the same duration.
Vaping could mean it is less likely for a person to develop lung cancer but an increased risk of other serious chronic respiratory diseases.
People who vape also find that though they may have stopped smoking cigarettes, their nicotine addiction has transferred to e-cigarettes and vape. Some will be dual users, where they smoke both tobacco and e-cigarettes. Quit-smoking clinics in Malaysia are already seeing patients who are both smoking cigarettes and vaping.
Should vape be treated similarly to cigarettes?
Malaysia became a party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2005. As a result, the tobacco industry was banned from sponsoring sporting events, public marketing and promotions. However, today, vape is doing exactly what tobacco has been prohibited from doing. The vape industry sponsors sports, paintball and futsal tournaments, festivals and other lifestyle events. Vaping is made to look cool, glamourous, sexy and sophisticated. They are using social media influencers to get more young people to start vaping.
The vape industry should be regulated as strictly as tobacco in terms of vape-related sales, advertising, promotions, sponsorships and imposed with appropriate taxes.
What is the cost of not passing the bill?
For every RM1 collected from the tax currently imposed on tobacco products, RM4 is spent on treating those suffering from chronic smoking and vape-related diseases such as lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Unfortunately, an estimated 27,000 people annually will prematurely lose their lives due to these conditions.
The tax revenue to be collected from the excise duty on vape liquids with nicotine content at 40 sen per ml has been estimated to be on the sunny side of RM600 million.
As public healthcare in Malaysia is highly subsidised by tax revenue, the government is spending at least RM16 billion a year to treat patients with diseases caused by smoking and vaping.
Combined with the indirect cost such as loss of productivity, disability and poor quality of life, this amount constitutes an estimated 1.3% of Malaysia's gross domestic product.
These numbers are expected to worsen and rise, especially with the absence of any legislation or regulation on vape and the removal of gel and liquid nicotine for e-cigarettes and vape from the scheduled substances list.
What will it take to pass the bill in Parliament?
This piece of legislation is urgently needed, critical and long overdue. Perhaps in the future, we will look back at the harm and suffering caused by smoking and vaping, the lives lost prematurely, the billions wasted and wonder why we took so long to act and why we hesitated.
The government of the day and MPs must wake up to these stark and harsh realities. They will decide whether nicotine vape and cigarette smoking will remain a constant feature of Malaysia's future.
The industries are changing their business models, moving from cigarettes to vape as the main nicotine delivery device for the masses. They are moving faster, leaving obsolete legislation and exploiting loopholes. It will soon be hard to differentiate between those selling cigarettes and those selling nicotine vape. Removing liquid or gel nicotine from the list of controlled substances without legislation or even basic regulations in place was and continues to be a major mistake. Vape remains unregulated, unrestricted and out of control. It will remain so until this bill is passed by Parliament.
Of late, political leaders and elected representatives have been sending conflicting messages or have even been silent on this issue of the bill. Have they given up and decided that nothing more can or should be done when it comes to cigarettes and e-cigarettes? That it is a lost cause? Will Dr Zaliha Mustafa be able to complete what Khairy Jamaluddin began?
This is a piece of legislation that if implemented properly and effectively, will help save the lives of thousands of Malaysians each year. This is a legacy to be proud of.
We need a major effort to denormalise smoking and vaping, to reduce the appeal and make such products less accessible. It cannot be business as usual. Who should we depend on to make the tough decisions concerning tobacco and vape? Should we just kick the problem down the road for other parliamentarians or another government to solve?
Let us table and pass this bill.
Azrul Mohd Khalib is the head of Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Safety was never an issue, AirAsia says after concerns over China flight

Budget carrier AirAsia has refuted concerns raised by a group of passengers about the safety of a recent flight from China to Kuala Lumpur, saying the incidents in question were handled "swiftly and appropriately" and that safety was never compromised.
In a statement issued by AirAsia Malaysia CEO Riad Asmat, it said flight AK117 from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport to Kuala Lumpur on May 1 was indeed required to turn back.
However, it said this was due to a technical issue identified inflight, adding that it was not an emergency situation and that no depressurisation had occurred.
"The occurrence was caused by a separate technical unit that needed to be rectified before any cabin pressure adjustments could be made," it added.
"While the separate technical unit is related to the cabin pressurisation, it did not cause depressurisation as mentioned. Our flight crew are highly trained in safety and security procedures and took the appropriate measures for a technical issue of this nature.
"The return to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport was necessary to rectify the issue as soon as possible."
The passengers said in a press conference at klia2 yesterday that they were told after take-off that the plane would need to return to Guangzhou due to technical issues linked to air pressure.
They also said that the plane had to hover in Chinese airspace for almost two hours in order to burn fuel before finally touching down.
While they were accommodated at a hotel, they said they were later told that they would be re-boarding the same plane, and that their luggage continued to Kuala Lumpur without them.
AirAsia said the burning of excess fuel was in line with its safety procedures and that it had been done over a designated area cleared by the air traffic control.
"Upon landing, all necessary safety procedures were followed and rectifications of the technical issue were undertaken in accordance with industry requirements as acknowledged by the authorities.
"As the same aircraft was safely cleared to fly, the airline was not required to change the aircraft," it said.
AirAsia said that the passengers were provided with the necessary assistance at the airport, including accommodation and travel vouchers, and given the option to move their flight for free within 30 days, receive a full refund, or full credit which would be valid for two years.
"We would like to reiterate that the aviation industry is very tightly regulated to ensure the highest levels of safety and security.
"AirAsia Malaysia also has Iosa accreditation, which is the global benchmark for upholding the highest standards of operational integrity and safety at all times," it said.
"We apologise for the inconvenience and will do all we can to get everyone to their destination, while upholding the highest standards of safety and operational integrity at all times.
"AirAsia would also like to urge the public to not speculate or spread misinformation that may cause public alarm."


Malaysia, a haven for paedophiles?

Malaysia may be at risk of becoming a hub for sexual crime activities against children given its weaknesses in addressing the existing problems which leave the door open to paedophiles, predators and child sexual offenders.In arguably the country’s most prolific case in recent memory, British citizen Richard Huckle was arrested in 2014 and convicted two years later of 71 charges of serious sexual offences against children.They were all committed during his time working as a freelance photographer around the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.Last year, meanwhile, Sarawakian Alladin Lanim was sentenced to 48 and a half years in jail after being caught with thousands of child pornographic images and videos on his mobile phone.And in the UK, Nur Fitri Azmeer Nordin who had been studying mathematics at Imperial College London was jailed for five years in 2015 for the possession of more than 30,000 images and videos of children.Many of the question marks surrounding Malaysia’s management of such cases stem from the public empathy from some quarters for those caught and convicted of the offences.Nur Fitri, for example, entered the limelight once more when it emerged that he was continuing his studies at a public university in Bangi, Selangor.Social media users voiced concern over the safety of children in the area, given Nur Fitri’s history and conviction. However, his PhD supervisor was reported as saying that he was clever and well-behaved, giving rise to the perception that all is well – as long as you’re smart.Statistics from 2010, provided by former education minister Mahdzir Khalid, showed 15 reports of molestation on the part of teachers during that year alone.All 15 teachers were transferred from their original schools but still allowed to teach.MalaysiaNow is still waiting for the most recent numbers from the education ministry.In 2019, former Tenaganita co-director, the late Aegile Fernandez, said many foreign paedophiles had begun coming to Malaysia following crackdowns in other countries.A year later, the Covid-19 pandemic hit and international borders throughout the world were slammed shut.But the restrictions on movements did not mean an end to paedophiliac offences.Tenaganita executive director Glorene Das said complaints concerning child sexual offences had continued after March 2020, when the first movement control order was imposed, up until last year.These were not many in number, she told MalaysiaNow – “Some, several cases,” she added.“A few emails came to us saying there were suspicions of paedophilia, child trafficking, sex trafficking, and we reported these to the police.”In some of these cases, Interpol and Bukit Aman’s Special Branch were also involved.Now, with Malaysia’s borders open once more, the concern is that foreign paedophiles will begin making their way to the country again.“They are not Malaysians, we know that they are foreigners,” Glorene said. “Many of them are from Australia and Britain, and European countries.“They can come to Malaysia and live like kings and queens. They don’t go through scrutiny from the immigration like the Bangladesh and other migrant workers who are suspected and detained.”It is this mindset, according to Glorene, that has “backfired” on the country.“We assume that they are professionals and so on,” she said. But in the end, it is the children who suffer.AccessIn Malaysia, child pornography can be accessed with just the click of a button. Chat rooms abound with names like “schoolkids”, “sexy kids” and “cute kids”.The issue was compounded during the pandemic, with Malaysia eventually being listed as one of the countries with the highest rate of child pornography searches.The Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department also documented an increase in activities linked to child pornography.Social activist Mohd Fairuz Abu said many parents were unaware of the dangers to their own families.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said some parents would upload pictures of their children that could be accessed by anyone on the internet. Usual suspects include celebrities who create social media accounts for their children, unknowingly opening them to the risk of paedophiliac activities.There are also parents who fall for scams by individuals claiming to be doctors who ask for pictures of their children, purportedly to provide a medical diagnosis.“If the person then spreads these pictures on porn sites, what then?” he said.“This is the problem – it is difficult to control when parents themselves are not aware.”The fate of the missingThere is also the question of the thousands of children who have vanished over the years.From 2017 to Sept 1, 2021 alone, 4,471 children were reported as missing. Whether their fate can be tied to paedophiliac offences is a separate matter. But for Glorene, questions must still be asked.“It is important for us to be aware,” she said. “We cannot just say, a child went missing, the child didn’t come back. We need to go deeper. Why it happened, case by case.”Unfortunately, even when questions are asked, it doesn’t necessarily result in a happy ending.“Some stories are closed halfway, and we never know the ending,” Glorene said.“If we could share the stories, the outcomes of investigations, it would tell us what the problems in our system are. Exposing this would mean exposing our failed system.“This is why we’re not talking about it. But that does not mean that it is not happening.”


MoU on Indonesian workers, financing of subsidies to be raised in Dewan Rakyat

Today’s Dewan Rakyat sitting is expected to focus on issues regarding the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Malaysia and Indonesia on the recruitment of workers from the republic as well as the mechanisms the government will adopt to finance the total amount of subsidies.
According to the order paper uploaded on the Parliament portal, matters related to the MoU will be raised during the ministers' question time by Anthony Loke (PH-Seremban) who will ask the human resources minister to explain why the government failed to comply with the MoU, forcing Indonesia to issue a temporary freeze order on its workers entering Malaysia.
There will also be a question from Wong Hon Wai (PH-Bukit Bendera) to the finance minister on how the government is going to finance the total amount of subsidies which is expected to reach RM80 billion this year, and what subsidy reforms are being planned.
During the question and answer session, Ahmad Maslan (BN-Pontian) will ask the transport minister about the status of the East Coast Rail Link project, high-speed rail, Pan Borneo Highway, mass rapid transit, and the new expressways being constructed to reduce congestion, especially during the long holidays and festive seasons.
On the issue of commercial crime, Zakaria Mohd Edris (Bersatu-Libaran) will ask the home minister to state the government's approach to combating crime involving online fraud.
Focus will also be on the presentation for the first reading of the Court of Justice (Amendment) Bill 2022, Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill 2022, Quranic Text Printing (Amendment) Bill 2022 and Social Security for Housewives Bill 2022.
After the session, the sitting will continue to debate on the Offenders Compulsory Attendance (Amendment) Bill 2021.
The current sitting of the Dewan Rakyat will continue for 12 days until Aug 4.


PAS to contest Melaka polls under PN logo

PAS will contest the Melaka state election under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) logo, in a blow to Umno which had been hoping to avoid clashes with the Islamist party in the Nov 20 polls.The party made the decision today following a meeting of its central working committee, a day after its influential consultative body comprising its ulama leadership recommended one-to-one fights against Pakatan Harapan (PH).“This decision takes into account the guidance from the Shura Council which met on Oct 31, in line with the provisions of Clause 84 of the PAS constitution,” said a statement by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.Yesterday, the Shura Council, the consultative body made up of the party’s senior Islamic scholars whose opinions are rarely opposed by the top PAS leadership, said only a one-to-one fight would ensure PH’s defeat.The decision to contest under PN appears to be yet another show of commitment by PAS to the coalition led by Muhyiddin Yassin, the former prime minister and Bersatu chief who was ousted from power in August following defections planned by top Umno leaders.PAS is part of the PN coalition, but had also signed a charter of cooperation with Umno during their time in the opposition under PH rule.Today’s decision also comes four days after the Umno leadership said the party would cooperate with PAS in the Melaka election, unlike its decision to clash with Bersatu candidates.Umno took this stand over expectations that PAS candidates would use their own logo.


For the fed up, not voting 'also an option' in GE15

Four years ago, Kiridaren Jayakumar joined hands with a number of others under the #UndiRosak campaign to deliberately spoil their votes for the 14th general election (GE14) as a form of protest against the political situation.
They said the welfare of the people had been sidelined, disagreeing as well with Pakatan Harapan's move to work with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad after decades of enmity.
Looking back on his decision today, Kiridaren says his stand has not changed although he is now older and calmer.
He still rejects race-based parties, and says government and opposition alike are lacking in initiatives for reform.
"I didn't like the opposition for saving too much when they became the government," he told MalaysiaNow when met at his independent bookshop in Petaling Jaya.
"The government, on the other hand, has no forward-thinking policymakers."
He said his disappointments and frustrations were shared by many others who sold him their books before migrating to other countries.
"In general, they are disappointed with the country's politics," he said.
And as the country gears up for yet another election following the prime minister's move to dissolve Parliament this week, Kiridaren says that once again, he has no intention of voting.
Elsewhere, Yusnan Yahya feels much the same way.
For 18 years, he returned faithfully to his home town in Labis, Johor, each time an election was called.
Now, though, he says he is disappointed with the politicians in Umno who had pressed for an election in the middle of monsoon season.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said this would complicate efforts to help those affected by floods if such a situation occurs in the midst of the election period.
"If Umno thinks that a low voter turnout will work to the party's advantage, that is a sign that it doesn't care about the people," he said.
"Umno is really hoping that a small voter turnout will carry it to victory."
Such a scenario would be in line with the results of previous state and by-elections where low numbers of voters saw Barisan Nasional winning by a landslide in Melaka and Johor.
This time around, Yusnan says he will vote based on the candidates and not according to political party.
Kiridaren meanwhile said those who vote along party lines were becoming increasingly confused by politicians and the divisions in political blocs resulting in the formation of more and more splinter parties.
Even identifying the government of the day has become a headache as the incumbent administration is composed of not one but several blocs.
Fed up, Kiridaren says his philosophy is simple.
"Voting is an option. Not voting is also an option."


Walk-in jabs for Klang Valley to begin Aug 2

Walk-in vaccinations will be launched at selected vaccination centres (PPVs) in the Klang Valley on Aug 2, National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.Khairy, who is science, technology and innovation minister, said walk-in vaccinations would kick off after the Operation Surge Capacity vaccination programme in the Klang Valley ends tomorrow.“The walk-in vaccination operation will begin according to category on Aug 2, starting with those aged above 40 and the group with comorbidities.“On Aug 5, we will open it to all aged above 18,” he told the media after inspecting a vaccination programme for Chinese nationals in Kuala Lumpur today.Khairy said the details of vaccination walk-in method will be announced by the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) soon.To prevent the dissemination of fake news, Khairy also reminded the public that not all PPVs will accept walk-ins.“The CITF will announce the list of PPVs in a couple of hours, PPVs which are open (for walk-in vaccinations). Do not assume that all PPVs (in the Klang Valley) are open for walk-in,” he said.Khairy also said WhatsApp messages claiming that some PPVs are dispensing certain types of vaccines are not true.He said the administration of vaccines through the walk-in process would be on a first-come, first-served basis depending on the capacity of the PPV in question.“So, we will inform the people regarding the capacity for walk-in vaccinations on any given day,” he said.Khairy said those who turn up but are not able to be vaccinated will be given priority to receive their jabs the next day.Walk-in vaccinations in the Klang Valley are only for those who have yet to get their appointments, who have cancelled their appointments or who have yet to register for vaccination.“We are confident that by tomorrow 99% of the adults registered (for vaccination) in the Klang Valley will have obtained their appointments.“It’s not to say that in August there will be no vaccination at all in the Klang Valley. There will be, of course, second-dose vaccinations but there will be first doses as well. There will be people we missed out,” he said.


Batu Kawah waits for return of golden days

When the sun hits directly over her shop in the small town of Batu Kawah, Aunty Foh knows it’s time to stop for lunch.For four decades, her shop has stood on the outskirts some 20km away from Kuching, handed down through the family from generation to generation.And for four decades, Aunty Foh and her family have watched the comings and going of the various state elections held in the Sarawak, the Land of the Hornbills.This time, there is a marked difference in atmosphere.“It’s an unusual campaigning period,” Aunty Foh told MalaysiaNow when met at her shop.“It’s not like before. Campaigning periods then were like a festival.”Party flags and a billboard featuring Gabungan Parti Sarawak candidate Dr Sim Kui Hian are the only indicators of an ongoing election at the Batu Kawah roundabout.Now, the empty streets are a stark reminder of the effect that the Covid-19 pandemic has had since the virus was first detected in the country early last year.Under Covid-19 health measures, most face-to-face election activities have been banned. While the flags of political parties still hang in the streets and posters of candidates greet the eye, the candidates and parties themselves are conspicuously absent.For the most part, the town of Batu Kawah has been decked out with posters of Gabungan Parti Sarawak candidate Dr Sim Kui Hian, images of whom smile down amid the traditional red lanterns which hang from the shops.Traditional Chinese music floats out from the shops but apart from that, the streets are still.It is a far cry from the elections of previous years which saw the town bustling with activity. Houses then were packed with family members and friends, and crowds would spill into the streets to interact in noisy, boisterous dialogues with candidates.“Many still do not feel the ‘heat’ of this election,” Aunty Foh said. In her words, it is in fact “quite gloomy”.A handful of cars make their way down a road in Batu Kawah town. Even at noon, there is little activity to be seen.This time, election candidates have been urged to focus their campaigns on online platforms such as social media, to prevent any spread of the Covid-19 virus.But this sidelines many from the older generation like Aunty Foh who are not technologically savvy and have little idea of how to engage with their candidates in the digital pandemic era.Still, Aunty Foh is determined to go out to vote when the polling centres open on Saturday.“At least there are still candidates’ posters and party banners hanging around the area, showing that an election is going on,” she said.Booms and bustsThe town of Batu Kawah has seen its share of ups and downs throughout the years, enjoying booms and surviving busts.In its heyday, it was a bustling pitstop for traders who would transport their goods by boat.A lone vehicle travels up the road leading past the Chinese cemetery in Batu Kawah.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, grocer Thien Fong said the entire town began more than a century ago from three wooden shophouses owned by Chinese traders.“From these three shophouses, the town grew until now, there are a total of 61 shops here,” he said.In Batu Kawah, it seems, things are made to last.“All these wooden shophouses that you see here were built at the start of the last century,” Fong said.“They’ve all survived until today. Our grandfathers were the pioneers of this town.”But 50 years ago, the bulk of traffic shifted from the rivers to the newly built roads, and decline began to set in.The people have also had to struggle with flash floods which they now describe as a severe problem in the area.Khairul and his wife, Zarina, who live in Taman Desa Wira, said this year’s floods were especially bad.They attribute this to the ongoing construction of the drainage upgrading project.“We have lived here for seven years and the water never reached our house. But this year, the water suddenly covered our house to the point that we needed to be evacuated.”Sometimes, they said, the water can reach as high as waist level.More recently, things began looking up again as people started visiting following the completion of the skybridge at the Batu Kawah Riverbank Park last month.A view of the Batu Kawah Riverbank Park which is expected to be one of the biggest freshwater wetland parks in the country.The first phase of the waterfront project is being marshalled by Sim, the incumbent for Batu Kawah, and is part of his bid to defend his seat for a second term.Once finished, the park will include more than 1km of walkway from the Batu Kawah Old Town to Kampung Rantau Panjang, making it one of the biggest freshwater wetland parks in the country.Chinese traders like Fong are hoping that the project will bring more visitors to the historic town, and that the development will transform the landscape and usher in a return of its golden days.“Both Siniawan and Batu Kawah have strong historical value and are heritage areas,” Fong said.“Tourists can take a boat from the Kuching waterfront all the way up to Batu Kawah and then on to Siniawan.“I hope to see this town filled with visitors,” he said. “This is a good sign for the future.”


New York governor resigns over harassment claims

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, facing possible impeachment over sexual harassment claims from 11 women and mounting pressure from fellow Democrats, announced his resignation on Tuesday.It was a stunning downfall for the 63-year-old Cuomo, who a year ago earned praise for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic before being engulfed in sexual harassment allegations and accusations that he covered up the scale of Covid deaths in nursing homes.He comes from a family that is the closest thing the state has to political royalty – his father Mario served three terms as governor and his brother Chris is a star host on CNN – but in two weeks, he will leave office.“I think that given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to government,” Cuomo said in a live televised address.“My resignation will be effective in 14 days.”Cuomo will hand over the reins of the nation’s fourth-most populous state to Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, a fellow Democrat who will become New York’s first-ever female governor.He has repeatedly denied the claims of sexual harassment outlined in an explosive report released last week by the office of state Attorney-General Letitia James.“The report said I sexually harassed 11 women,” Cuomo said. “That was the headline people heard and saw. The reaction was outrage. It should have been. However, it was also false.”But he said he wanted to “deeply, deeply” apologise to any women who may have been offended by his actions.“I have been too familiar with people,” said Cuomo, who was once touted as a potential presidential candidate. “I do hug and kiss people casually, women and men. I have done it all my life.“In my mind I’ve never crossed the line with anyone,” he said. “But I didn’t realise the extent to which the line has been redrawn.“There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate,” he said. “And I should have. No excuses.”President Joe Biden, who had called for Cuomo’s resignation last week, commented briefly Tuesday, saying only “I respect the governor’s decision.”‘A fighter’Cuomo was elected governor of New York in 2010 and easily won reelection in the heavily Democratic state in 2014 and 2018 – a three-term winner like his father.A graduate of Fordham University and Albany Law School, Cuomo served as attorney-general of New York and as secretary of housing and urban development in the Cabinet of president Bill Clinton before becoming governor.Cuomo’s daily briefings during the anxious early days of the coronavirus pandemic were widely praised and led to speculation that he might throw his hat into the 2020 presidential race against president Donald Trump.Cuomo eventually decided not to make a run for the White House but he had been expected to seek reelection as governor next year.In his resignation speech, the notoriously pugnacious Cuomo described himself as a “New Yorker, born and bred” and a “fighter”.“And my instinct is to fight through this controversy because I truly believe it is politically motivated,” he said.Impeachment loomedBut he said he had decided instead to step aside because an impeachment fight would “consume government”, cost taxpayers millions of dollars and “brutalise people”.“Wasting energy on distractions is the last thing that state government should be doing,” he said.Cuomo promised a “seamless” transition, describing the 62-year-old Hochul as “smart and competent”.He had been under pressure to resign in recent days with Biden, the two Democratic senators from New York, and multiple state lawmakers calling on him to step down.His announcement came just days after the resignation of a top aide, Melissa DeRosa, and the filing of a criminal complaint against him by a former executive assistant, Brittany Commisso.In her complaint, Commisso said Cuomo touched her inappropriately twice, groping her behind and her breast last year while they were working at the executive mansion.“The evidence is way too much. It’s the wisest thing he’s done in a long time,” New York resident Jennifer Ewing told AFP.“It’s his personality to grip to power… until probably his advisors and family told him to step down.”


Sorry.


Taxi driver walks 300km to give Agong memorandum on EPF withdrawals

A taxi driver has walked more than 300km from Skudai in Johor to Istana Negara in the capital city in an effort to urge the government to green-light targeted withdrawals from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
Noorazlan Ismail, who ended his journey this morning, was allowed to enter the palace gates at 11.15am today to submit a memorandum to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
The 48-year-old was accompanied by Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan.
He said he had been encouraged by many people throughout his six-day journey.
"Many offered assistance in the form of money and rides," he said.
"But that was not my motive. If I wanted to arrive quickly, I would have taken a bus.
"I want the leaders to see," he said in a press conference.
Noorazlan added however that he never expected to be let into the palace to hand over his memorandum.
He was unable to meet with the king but was given a gift, he said.
"His Majesty knows that I am here."
Noorazlan said he wished to use his EPF funds to pay off his debts.
He is expected to be brought to Parliament this afternoon to meet with MPs.
Calls have been made for the government to allow targeted EPF withdrawals, including by former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim however said it would be better to explore other options.
He recently proposed that EPF savings be used as collateral for banks in applying for personal loans.
But Wan Saiful said that this would not resolve the issues faced by the people.