UOB announces pay raise, promotions for 98% of employees

UOB Group has announced a round of pay increases and promotions for the bulk of its employees across the region in what is seen as a signal of confidence in a sustained economic recovery this year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.It said in a statement that the broad-based initiative would cover up to 98% of its total headcount across regional countries including Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, excluding senior management.Under its pay-for-performance compensation approach, it said high-performing employees would receive above-market average salary increases.This follows the early payout of UOB’s 2020 performance bonus payments last month.As part of its pay-for-position approach, meanwhile, mid-year promotions will be granted to those with widened job scopes and who exceeded performance expectations over the last 12 months.Dean Tong, head of UOB Group’s human resources, said, “With the green shoots of recovery appearing late last year and showing growth well into the new year, UOB has remained resilient.“Through this mid-year salary and promotions exercise, we are showing our appreciation to our people who gave their very best every day in service of our customers and the bank during very trying times.”UOB added that a review of compensation packages for senior management will be considered in a later phase.UOB has a global network of more than 500 offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America.In Asia, UOB operates through its head office in Singapore and banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as branches and representative offices across the region.


3M reaches tentative US$10.3 billion deal over US 'forever chemicals' claims

3M Co has reached a US$10.3 billion (about RM48.1 billion) settlement with a host of US public water systems to resolve water pollution claims tied to "forever chemicals," the chemical company announced on Thursday.
The company said the settlement would provide the funds over a 13-year period to cities, towns and other public water systems to test and treat contamination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
3M, which is facing thousands of lawsuits over PFAS contamination, did not admit liability, and said the money will help support remediation at public water systems that detect PFAS "at any level."
"We have reached the largest drinking water settlement in American history, which will be used to help filter PFAS from drinking water that is served to the public," Scott Summy, a lead attorney for the water systems suing 3M, said in a statement. "The result is that millions of Americans will have healthier lives without PFAS in their drinking water."
3M had been scheduled to face a test trial in South Carolina federal court earlier this month in a lawsuit brought by Stuart, Florida. The judge overseeing the case delayed the trial the morning it was set to start.
Stuart claimed in its 2018 lawsuit that the company made or sold firefighting foams containing PFAS that polluted local soil and groundwater, and sought more than US$100 million for filtration and remediation. It was one of more than 4,000 lawsuits filed against 3M and other chemical companies.
Dubbed "forever chemicals" as they do not easily break down in the human body or environment, PFAS are used in a wide range of products from non-stick cookware to cosmetics and have been linked to cancer, hormonal dysfunction and environmental damage.
The US Environmental Protection Agency has called PFAS an “urgent public health and environmental issue.”
The EPA has taken several steps in recent years to tighten regulations for the chemicals, and in March announced the first-ever national drinking water standards for six of the chemicals.
3M in December set a 2025 deadline to stop producing PFAS.
Three other major chemicals companies - Chemours Co, DuPont de Nemours Inc and Corteva Inc announced earlier this month that they had reached an agreement in principle for US$1.19 billion to settle claims they contaminated US public water systems with PFAS.
3M still faces PFAS-related lawsuits filed by individuals with personal injury and property damage claims, as well as by US states over damages to natural resources such as rivers and lakes that were not part of the settlement.


Anwar won’t be PM even if Parliament reconvenes, analysts say

Analysts say PKR president Anwar Ibrahim still lacks the support to become prime minister even if Parliament is reconvened and a motion of no confidence tabled towards Muhyiddin Yassin, amid renewed speculation of a change of government in the wake of royal audiences granted to political leaders this week.Kamarul Zaman Yusoff from Universiti Utara Malaysia said the division in Pakatan Harapan (PH) would hinder it from forming a new administration even if the coalition joins hands with Umno, which he added was also in disarray.“Even if Parliament is reopened, it is believed that PH will not have the numbers needed to topple the government because to do this would require a credible successor who has the majority support,” he told MalaysiaNow.“In a situation where PH components are divided, as are other opposition parties, and Umno is split as well, there is no way they will have enough support.”In a special address aired live on Facebook last weekend, Anwar said PKR should be open to cooperating with any political party.“In the (current) situation, we are in no position to reject any form of cooperation,” he said.“Even now, apart from PH, we are ready to work with our friends from the opposition. Just don’t try to usurp power or continue in greed or cronyism, giving contracts without tenders. Such matters cannot be condoned.“We want an agreement with all opposition groups and even (with others, because we see there is tension in Perikatan Nasional).”His statement reinforced his willingness to work with Umno leaders from the so-called court cluster including Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Najib Razak who are embroiled in corruption charges.Zahid is facing charges of corruption and abuse of power while Najib has been convicted and sentenced in the SRC International case.Kamarul said Anwar’s statement also showed that the PKR leader was prioritising power over the principles of the struggle.“When Anwar as chairman of PH says he is ready to work with anyone, it comes across as an admission that the coalition is no longer strong enough to stand on its own.“So it’s no surprise if Anwar and PKR now behave like this, welcoming the cooperation of anyone as long as it will bring them to the pinnacle of power,” he said.Hisommudin Bakar, executive director of Ilham Centre, said cooperation among PH and Anwar with Umno would only invite a prolonged period of political crisis.“It will not be easy for Zahid to bring in Umno MPs in bulk,” he told MalaysiaNow.“There will be those who oppose a coming together of Umno with PH and Anwar.”He also questioned the extent to which a PH-Umno alliance would ensure political stability in the country.“The question is, are Umno’s numbers enough to guarantee political stability after this shift? Will Muhyiddin and Perikatan Nasional components just stand by?“In any event, the political temperature of the country will rise if Parliament reconvenes,” he said.


Thailand welcomes first tourists since March

Thailand has welcomed its first group of tourists in seven months, as part of an experiment aimed at testing if a wider opening is possible as the coronavirus cripples the kingdom’s economy.A planeload of 39 Chinese tourists flew into Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport Tuesday evening from Shanghai to a welcome from staff in full protective equipment.The visitors underwent health checks and had their luggage disinfected, before donning protective clothing themselves and being whisked away for two weeks’ quarantine.“It’s a welcome sign that foreigners are confident in our safety measures,” Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a statement.“I instructed officials to take good care of the tourists, because if they’re safe, Thais are safe too.”The pandemic has brought the Southeast Asian nation’s economy to its knees, with eight million expected to lose their jobs by the end of the year.Many of those losses will be in the tourism sector, in a country that saw 40 million international arrivals in 2019.The holidaymakers have come under a special tourist visa scheme, which offers 1,200 spots and allows people to stay for up to nine months.The arrival numbers were much smaller than the 150 passengers authorities touted last month.Tourism officials declined to give a reason, but insisted it was not linked to recent confrontations between pro-democracy protesters and police in the Thai capital and elsewhere.Tourism consultant Bill Barnett admitted the ongoing unrest was damaging Thailand’s image, but said the country could channel visitors away from protest-hit Bangkok.“Thailand will become an economic basket case if it doesn’t bring back tourism,” he said.Mario Hardy from the Bangkok-based Pacific Asia Travel Association agreed, saying civil unrest had never dissuaded tourists from visiting Thailand in the past.“They know it’s isolated, a local issue and not targeting tourists,” he said.A second group of 147 Chinese tourists from Guangzhou is due to arrive in Thailand next week, followed by a flight from Scandinavia in November.


Educationist warns against policy flip-flops according to govt

An educationist has warned against flip-flops in the country's education policies amid concerns that students will be left behind by their peers in neighbouring countries due to the changes accompanying each successive administration.
Anuar Ahmad of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) said that leaders should respect the policies put in place by their predecessors.
"Those appointed to positions of leadership should not take lightly the importance of implementing the policies put in place by the leaders before them," he said.
"This is important because we don't want policies in the midst of implementation to be marginalised."
Malaysia's changes in its education policies have raised concerns that students will end up as "lab rats" for each new course of action.
During Dr Mahathir Mohamad's first tenure as prime minister, for example, science and mathematics was taught in English under the PPSMI policy in an effort to improve students' command of the language at the primary and secondary level.
However, the policy, introduced in 2003, was scrapped in 2012 although it resurfaced as part of Mahathir's election campaign for the 14th general election in 2018.
The education ministry also proposed the abolition of the Standard Six UPSR examination in 2016.
The suggestion, made during the Barisan Nasional era, was eventually carried out in 2021, under the Perikatan Nasional administration.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Anuar said it was important to respect the decisions made by previous governments even if the leaders in question were at opposite ends of the political spectrum.
"It does not matter who implements the policies," he added.
"What matters is the implications of the policies on our children and development."
Some had also proposed a royal commission for education, to prevent political interference and the changing of policies according to whim.
In some developed countries, meanwhile, education policies are implemented according to district instead of by central control.
But for Azlin Norhaini Mansor, the former chairman of UKM's Leadership and Education Policy Centre, education in Malaysia is in dire need of change.
"The world is constantly changing," she said to MalaysiaNow.
"Malaysia is actually slow to implement changes and does not keep up with the flow," she said.
And on the calls for a royal commission, she said there was no guarantee that decisions made by the body would not be rejected by the education minister.
"There needs to be wisdom at the top if any policy changes are to be made," she added.
On the move to abolish the UPSR and Form Three PT3 examinations, she said she would prefer to see them carried out in a hybrid fashion alongside classroom-based assessments.
Anuar meanwhile said that new policies should be introduced based on comprehensive studies and data.
He said there had been no convincing data to back the government's move to do away with the UPSR and PT3 examinations.
"When a minister says he wants to form new policies, he is seen as a good minister," he said.
"This is not an acceptable situation."
He also cited the Sekolahku Sejahtera initiative, introduced early last year.
"There were no studies and in fact no efforts to convince the people," he said.
"In the end, the programme was carried out, but without any implications for development.
"Teachers are kept busy with the programme and end up wasting a lot of time."


Company director held under Sosma for sabotage of Selangor water services granted RM50,000 bail

A company director being held under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012 on a charge of committing sabotage on water services in Selangor was granted bail of RM50,000 by the Court of Appeal today.Lim Kian Aik was granted bail pending his trial at the High Court, following a 2-1 majority decision by the Court of Appeal panel led by Azizah Nawawi, who sat with Supang Lian and Ghazali Cha.While Ghazali dissented, Azizah and Supang allowed Lim’s application for bail under Section 13(2) (c) of Sosma which provides that bail can be given to an accused who is ill.Azizah said Lim was confirmed to be suffering from acute coronary syndrome and that a medical officer from the clinic in the Sungai Buloh prison was of the opinion that he was at high risk of suffering a heart attack.She allowed Lim, 43, to be released on RM50,000 bail with two sureties and ordered him to surrender his travel documents to the court, as well as to report to the nearest police station once a week.On Nov 23 last year, Lim and contractor R Nathan pleaded not guilty in the Selayang Sessions Court to intentionally committing sabotage to disrupt water services in Selangor at No. 32, Jalan Velox 2, Taman Velox, Rawang, Gombak between Nov 2 and 10.The two men also face five other charges under the Environmental Quality Act and the Water Services Industry Act.Since the procedural law for Section 124K of the Penal Code is under Sosma, the prosecution did not offer bail to both men.The charge under Section 124K, read together with Section 34 of the same code, provides for life imprisonment upon conviction.In today’s proceeding in the Court of Appeal, Lim’s counsel Wan Kok Cheong submitted to the court that his client, who has been in Sungai Buloh prison for almost six months, was suffering from acute coronary syndrome and had to be given access to doctors and regular medication.Wan also produced a medical report by the National Heart Institute on Lim’s condition.He said Lim’s case had been transferred to the Kuala Lumpur High Court and the court had fixed April 23 for case management.Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Azmi Mashud, assisted by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Zain Ibrahim, argued that the bail application should be filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court as the case had been transferred to that court.Wan told reporters that Lim’s family would post the bail.


PM hints at interstate travel ‘within weeks’

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today hinted that interstate travel could be a possible within “the next few weeks”.He said as of Sept 22, some 81% of the adult population had been vaccinated, adding that within a few more weeks, the numbers could reach 90% for interstate travel to be allowed.Ismail said the Special Committee on Pandemic Management which he chaired on Wednesday had agreed on allowing interstate travel once 90% of adults have been vaccinated, based on data and analysis carried out by the health ministry.“Insha Allah, be patient. Just wait for a few more weeks and I believe 90% can be achieved for interstate travel to be allowed,” he said, adding that this would be a much-awaited announcement for Malaysians.“If on Wednesday we achieved 81% (vaccination of adults), then it should not be too long before we can cross state borders.“You can then go back to your hometowns to visit your parents. I am made to understand there are some who have not met their parents for more than a year,” he said when launching the Malaysian Family Housing Initiative or Rumah Ikram Keluarga Malaysia in Putrajaya today.


Ex-ministry senior officer jailed 15 years, fined RM284 million for corruption, money laundering

Former secretary of the finance division of the youth and sports ministry, Otman Arsahd was found guilty by the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur today on 32 charges of corruption and 64 charges of money laundering and sentenced to 15 years in jail and fined RM284.2 million.
Judge Kamarudin Kamsun handed down the sentence on Otman, 64, after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in proving the case beyond a reasonable doubt at the end of the defence case.
"After hearing the sworn statements from all the witnesses and examining all the exhibits and arguments presented, the court decided that the defence failed to raise reasonable doubts against the prosecution's case.
"Therefore, the accused is found guilty and convicted of all the charges brought against him," said Kamarudin.
Of the 32 charges of corruption, 17 counts were for submitting false claims, for which Otman was sentenced to a total of 243 years in jail and a fine totalling RM190 million, in default 119 months in jail, while for the 15 charges, which were for misusing his position, he was sentenced to 85 years imprisonment and fined RM10.8 million, in default 125 months in jail.
Meanwhile, for the 64 money laundering charges involving receiving proceeds from unlawful activities, the court ordered Otman to be jailed between three months and 11 years on each count and fined a total of RM83.4 million, in default 934 months.
However, Kamarudin ordered all the prison sentences to be served concurrently starting today, meaning he will only be in jail for 15 years.
The judge also allowed an application by lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, representing Otman, for a stay of the execution of the fine and prison sentence with the bail increased by RM300,000 in one surety, with RM100,000 to be paid today and the balance before or on July 10.
Kamarudin also allowed an application by the prosecution to forfeit all 119 assets, including bracelets, rings, watches and cash to the Malaysian government in accordance with Section 40(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
The judge also allowed a gazette to be issued to allow third parties with interests to claim the assets, such as Hermes Birkin and Prada luxury handbags, luxury vehicles and cash and set Sept 26 as the mention date.
Earlier, during mitigation, Rafique asked the court to take into account his client's situation, saying that Othman was now jobless and relied on this family since he was accused in 2016.
"For seven years, he only focused on attending the hearing of his case and never failed to appear in court throughout the trial," said the lawyer and requested a stay of the execution of the prison sentence and fine imposed on his client pending an appeal at the High Court.
Deputy public prosecutor Farah Yasmin Salleh requested the court to impose a deterrent sentence as a lesson to society, especially civil servants. "Not even once did the accused mention in his mitigation that he is remorse for what he did... the fund that was misused should have been for the development of the country's sports and athletes," she said, adding that the hearing of the case took almost eight years.
Otman, who wore a white striped shirt, appeared calm throughout the proceeding today.
On March 31, 2016, Otman was charged with 32 counts of abuse of power and with submitting false claims involving RM38.4 million at the National Sports Council Office, Bukit Jalil National Sports Complex in Kuala Lumpur between Feb 28, 2012, and Nov 18, 2015.
Seventeen of the charges involved submitting false claims which were framed under Section 18 (a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, while the other 15 charges were for misusing his position and framed under Section 23(1) of the same law.
On April 2016, Otman was charged with 64 counts of receiving RM16,623,000 in proceeds from unlawful activities through cheques that were deposited into his Maybank, RHB and CIMB Berhad accounts between March 7, 2012, and Dec 11, 2015. He was alleged to have committed the offences at different locations, including the RHB Bank branch in Precinct 8, Putrajaya, Menara Maybank, Jalan Tun Perak and the Maybank branch in Jalan Raja.
The charges were framed under Section 4 (1) (b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum jail term of 15 years, or a fine not less than five times the sum of the proceeds from unlawful activities if convicted.
Also appearing for the prosecution were deputy public prosecutors Norzilati Izhani Zainal, Haresh Prakash Somiah and Harris Ong Mohd Jeffery Ong.


Extremism and Islamophobia, two sides of the same coin?

The gruesome killing of French schoolteacher, Samuel Paty, on Oct 16 in a suburb near Paris by a Chechen teenager for displaying caricatures of Prophet Muhammad to his students has once again provoked the customary twin issues of extremism and Islamophobia.This leads to the question: Why must these two issues be linked together under such circumstances where blasphemy will at times elicit violent and lethal reactions?The answer is simple.Extremism straddles both sides of the spectrum – secularism and religion. Unfortunately, when it comes to extremism by a very small group in the name of Islam, the knee-jerk reaction is Islamophobia, i.e. the religion itself is tarred as the source of the problem.Just look at President Emmanuel Macron’s ambition to “reform” Islam in France on grounds that the religion is in “crisis” by way of a centralised state-sanctioned authority without any hint of irony given that this actually undermines the very essence of the secularism that he professes to uphold.Firstly, on the extremist response to the blasphemy of the Prophet.That such killings represent only a very small minority of Muslims who comprise some 1.4 billion worldwide should never, ever be forgotten or taken for granted. It cannot be emphasised enough that the mainstream, normal majority of Muslims don’t condone such acts of violence and mayhem.The Charlie Hebdo shooting event was isolated and it should also be noted that yet again, nothing has substantially changed since. Meaning that the cartoons and portrayals of Prophet Muhammad remain in place and not subject to a ban by the French authorities, taking into account the deep sensitivities of Muslims both in the republic as well as the world over.An earlier incident which took place on Sept 25 in conjunction with the republication of the Prophet’s caricatures ahead of the trial of the Charlie Hebdo shooters ostensibly involved a Pakistani-born refugee.The point is that the vast majority of Muslims in France or French Muslim citizens (which in turn is representative of the worldwide ummah) have had to “make do” and continue to “come to terms” with the reality of Western secularism.As such, it cannot be denied that French Muslims, by and large, continue to abide by the principle of “live and let live” while of course being strongly opposed to such blasphemous acts from extreme secularists as embodied by Charlie Hebdo, no less, without in any way diminishing or denying the evil perpetrated upon the deceased staff thereof.On Nov 2, the Grand Mosque of Paris together with the Federation of Mosques in France issued a clear, resounding and unmistakable statement that unabashedly condemned all forms of terrorism.The statement also reiterated the call for French Muslims to abide by the principles of freedom of expression, among others, and even went so far as to express and exhibit a patriotic and nationalistic spirit by rejecting and denouncing foreign calls to boycott French products.This is just one convenient example.On the one hand, French Muslims are expected to be empathetic to the code of living in the republic which goes all the way back to the French Revolution that overthrew the monarchy and disestablished the Catholic church, thus putting in place as secularist a state as can be. It’s clear that on the other hand, however, the republic isn’t expected to empathise in any way at all with the way of life of Muslims whose faith encompasses virtually every aspect of practice in the here and now as anticipating the world to come.Herein lies part of the root of the problem.This brings us to the second point.Secularism, as understood and practised in France, seems so absolute that there’s simply no room for any compromise at all, hence the charge of Islamophobia at that macro-level, i.e. the constitutional, political and institutional.In other words, going by the reiteration of Macron that freedom of expression must be preserved at all costs, there is no room for reforming secularism at all!Surely such inflexibility flies in the face of the ultimate objective of secularism which is to adapt to the context of the times, properly speaking, without sacrificing its core tenets. In the same way, religious world views and practices accommodate pluralism in the form of mutual respect, acceptance and tolerance without in any way undermining faith.Isn’t it the case, therefore, that this type of secularism as practised in the republic could be said to be not much different at all from religious extremism?The one intends to impose by way of a centralised authority, i.e. the state with all its legal and armed apparatus; the other lacks the sovereign will to do so because they represent a very small fringe (e.g. Hizb ut-Tahrir).The ultimate point is that Macron is wrong to insist that Islam is in crisis and that the latest violent incident is a manifestation.The incident remains unrepresentative of Islam embodied by the Quran and the hadiths and of Muslims in general.In short, extremism mustn’t give rise to Islamophobia.What’s the solution then?The incident should serve as a wake-up call to the republic to readjust its laïcité vision and ideals to meet the challenges of a globalised and pluralistic society.It’d be supremely ironic if secularism doesn’t adapt in order to preserve its core principles and values while at the same time having the audacity and brazenness to take the moral high ground over-against religion.That would only serve to perpetuate extremism and Islamophobia.Jason Loh is head of social, law & human rights at independent think tank EMIR Research.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Chimps recorded killing and eating gorillas in the wild for the first time

Scientists have documented what appear to be the first-ever deadly chimpanzee attacks against gorillas, according to a new study published this week in the journal Nature.Researchers from Osnabrück University and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, were shocked to observe the attacks firsthand in the wild in Loango National Park in Gabon.The team was there to study and analyse the group behaviour of 45 chimpanzees as part of the Loango Chimpanzee Project in a region where gorillas also live.Chimps, who share 98.7% of human DNA, are known to be aggressive and have some very basic traits often attributed only to humans. They are patriarchal, ambitious, excitable and violent. They band in aggressive groups to hunt down others often in bloody, brutal and fatal conflict.But their conflicts are normally internecine, the team said.“Interactions between chimpanzees and gorillas have always been considered as relatively relaxed,” said study co-author Simone Pika, in a statement. “We have regularly observed both species interacting peacefully while foraging. Our colleagues from Congo even witnessed playful interactions between the two great ape species.”But on two 2019 research trips the team observed wildly different behaviour.“At first, we heard screams of chimpanzees and thought we were observing a typical encounter between individuals of neighbouring chimpanzee communities,” said Lara Southern, first author of the study, in a statement.“But then, we heard chest beating, and realised that the chimpanzees had encountered a group of gorillas.”In the two encounters, the chimps formed coalitions to attack the gorillas.The conflict in February involved 18 chimpanzees and five gorillas – one silverback, three adult females and one infant, according to Science Alert.The chimps came upon the gorillas while returning from an excursion into neighbouring territories.The second fight, in December, involved 27 chimpanzees, some of them involved in the first incident.This time there were seven gorillas: one silverback, three adult females, one juvenile and two infants. The chimps found the gorillas at the start of a territory border patrol, Science Alert said.“The two silverbacks of the two groups and the adult females defended themselves and their offspring,” the researchers said. “While both silverbacks and several adult females escaped, two gorilla infants were separated from their mothers and killed.”In both battles, the chimps separated an infant gorilla from its mother and killed it, and in the December fight the chimps ate the baby gorilla.The other gorillas escaped, and some chimps were injured, according to the researchers.The team is now trying to sort out what may have caused the chimps to be so aggressive.It could have been that the chimps saw their fellow primates as prey, or were confronting them over territory, or that habitat degradation leading to decreased food sources could have pushed them over the edge, the researchers surmised.Study co-author Tobias Deschner suggested, “It could be that sharing of food resources by chimpanzees, gorillas and forest elephants in the Loango National Park results in increased competition and sometimes even in lethal interactions between the two great ape species.”Despite their intimidating appearance, gorillas are generally docile creatures, much more gentle than their chimp cousins. They also share 98% of human DNA.


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At least 18 killed in violence at town near US-Mexico border

Mexican authorities say gunmen in vehicles opened fire in the city of Reynosa on the US border, killing at least 18 people and causing widespread panicSecurity forces killed four of the gunmen, including one who died near a border bridge, the AP is reporting.The attacks began on Saturday afternoon in several neighbourhoods in Reynosa, which borders the Texas city of McAllen, according to the Tamaulipas state agency that coordinates security forces.Images posted on social media showed bodies in the streets.Tamaulipas Governor Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca on Sunday condemned the loss of “innocent civilian” lives and said the motive for the attack will be investigated.The area’s criminal activity has long been dominated by the Gulf Cartel, but there have been fractures within the group.Reynosa Mayor Maki Esther Ortiz Domínguez said city residents must be protected.The Mexican army, National Guard, state police and other agencies mobilised after the shootings.During the security sweep, authorities said they detained a person who had two women, apparently kidnapped, in the trunk of his car. They also seized three vehicles.Reynosa is a key crossing point for migrants attempting to reach the US.The border area and nearby towns and villages are choked with would-be migrants waiting to cross illegally into the US.There are several factors at play in the migrant surge, says CNN, including deteriorating conditions in Latin America, pent-up demand to enter the US and a perceived relaxation of enforcement under President Joe Biden.


To live as usual in 2021

On the first morning of 2021, rain was falling in Kuala Lumpur just as it had been on New Year’s Eve. All around the busy roads between Pasar Seni and Kampung Attap, cars and trucks added to the noise on the street, with destinations to reach and lives to continue as usual.At the Chow Kit market where wilted greens and fish guts spilled on the floor, migrants and weary old ladies called to potential buyers as trade went on as usual.As the day went by, social media continued to bear witness to politicians, young and old, making waves and annoying commentators with promised policies and stands that they could not agree on, as usual.Their fanatics continued to pledge loyalty to the said promises and smear dirt on opposing figures, adding to the worsening fight of influence that looks there to stay, as usual.The day never got hot as strong wind blew the pickets and signs of activists protesting over the deteriorating ecosystem and the rights of workers and sexual minorities.In sad wards and emergency units, frontliners stayed numb to the sickness and deaths that kept piling up. Visions of freedom from the taxing work continued to stay out of reach as clusters and statistics grew.Patients continued to accept their situations in their shared spaces, with shared stories of ghosts sheltering in that same space. For some, ventilators kept loyal company until their frail and sickly lungs decided to end their struggle.As the sun began to set, artists found their inspiration in the momentary dusk, as artistic ventures went on. Blank canvases and papers awaited paint brushes and pens, as the artists continued to express themselves, critics kept hating and consumers kept loving.At night, the elite partied once more as the celebration the day before was not enough. Struggle continued to be a foreign concept, with everlasting enjoyment the only thing that mattered.Drug addicts came out as well to search the heaps of trash for metal, old shoes and cast-aside phones. These items would be repaired before being sold somewhere in Pasar Seni to fund their addictions of tomorrow.Somewhere in the shady walkways of shop lots and dimly lit stairs, sex workers continued to wait for their meagre payments for modest meals, rent and the pimps who continued to hound them.As the country grew weary and tired, soft beds and pillows, walkways and park benches were there for people to rest their heads, for slumber to mend their exhaustion after a long day that unfolded as usual.Life will go on in 2021, just as it did in 2020.There is a universe in all of us. Each is a story experienced, contained and lived as usual. Each is a continuation of what 2020 was, a universe lived on into a new year and a chance for hope to keep blooming towards realisation – or maybe a hope sullied by struggle.What these stories may be are for writers to write about as usual, and for editors to keep editing; for the media to stay alive by disseminating and for readers and listeners to read and hear.The call for passionate love and hate, for contribution and growth and discourse will be voiced as usual in these writings. They are a reminder of the new year, with a new chance for lives to go on as usual and for us to bloom in a new year, and towards the next one.


Counter fake news on Covid-19 by revealing the truth, not burying it

The Emergency (Essential Powers) (No 2) Ordinance 2021, in making the publication or dissemination of fake news relating to Covid-19 or the proclamation of emergency an offence punishable with a RM100,000 fine or theee-year imprisonment, is a draconian enactment.Such draconian provisions are usually enacted by authoritarian regimes to curb freedom of speech. The people are in need of information regarding the Covid-19 pandemic and measures to address it. It is only natural for people to want to know whether the different types of vaccines are effective and safe.The people are entitled to know the side effects, if any, of the different vaccines. The people are entitled to know because this concerns their health, their lives and those of their family members.The government ought to counter fake news by providing full and complete disclosures supported by scientific evidence on these matters. Reassurance to the people that the Covid-19 pandemic is being properly managed and that the vaccines are safe comes from the government revealing the truth.Reassurance does not come by burying the truth in the form of heavy and disproportionate punishments for disseminating information. Such provisions foment suspicions and foster distrust. The effect is to drive the people to seek answers from underground and unreliable sources of information.I call on the government to repeal the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 because such provisions will cause more harm than good.William Leong Jee Keen is MP for Selayang.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Zafrul skips first Cabinet meeting chaired by Anwar

International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz was a no-show at today's special Cabinet meeting as he was abroad, MalaysiaNow understands.
A source said this resulted in Zafrul attending the symbolic ceremony of clocking in for the first time as a minister at the international trade and industry ministry on Saturday instead.
An official from the ministry confirmed the matter to MalaysiaNow.
"The minister (Zafrul) clocked in on Saturday after the swearing-in ceremony," the official said on condition of anonymity.
"He was also unable to attend the first Cabinet meeting today."
Zafrul, a former banker, was sworn in as a senator on Saturday after being named as the international trade and industry minister in Anwar Ibrahim's Cabinet.
He was first appointed to the Cabinet as the finance minister in Muhyiddin Yassin's government, a position he retained when Ismail Sabri Yaakob took over following Muhyiddin's resignation.
He contested to become an MP for the first time in the recent general election but lost the Kuala Selangor seat to its incumbent, Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Nevertheless, he was appointed to Anwar's Cabinet while Dzulkefly, who was the health minister in the previous Pakatan Harapan administration, was not.
Dzulkefly initially said that he would not contest the Nov 19 election but was asked by PH to defend the seat after Barisan Nasional named Zafrul as its candidate.
During his GE15 campaign tour in Selangor, Anwar, the PH chairman, had said that he would not appoint Zafrul as a member of his Cabinet.
However, the prime minister announced Zafrul as the international trade and industry minister on Dec 2.


4 men in Singapore charged over sex videos in second Telegram group case

Four men in Singapore were charged in court on Wednesday for possessing and transmitting obscene materials through a Telegram chat group.The group, called “Sam’s lots of CB collection”, possessed and transmitted sex videos, nude photos of women and exploitative videos, all circulated without the women’s consent.The police said in a statement that after they received a report against the Telegram group in October 2019, they arrested four men responsible for the upkeep of the channel and the distribution of the obscene contents.Electronic devices were seized from the four men, and obscene materials including thousands of video files and pictures were uncovered by forensic examination and extensive investigations.Wong Ming Jun, 28, Lincoln Anthony Fernandez, 30, Tan Yeow Chong, 40, and Yee Wing Kay, 46, were each handed charges under the Films Act and the Penal Code for transmitting or possessing obscene material.Wong, Fernandez and Tan are Singaporeans while Yee is a Malaysian and a permanent resident in Singapore.All four will have their cases mentioned again on Aug 25.If convicted, the offence of possession of obscene films is punishable with a jail term of up to six months, or fine of up to S$20,000, or both. The offence of transmitting obscene materials carries a jail term of up to three months, a fine, or both.The case is the second involving a Singapore-based Telegram chat group circulating porn.The first group, called “SG Nasi Lemak”, was created in November 2018 and four of its administrators were arrested in October 2019.At its peak, the site had more than 44,000 members accessing sexually explicit materials.The organiser Leonard Teo Min Xuan, 27, was sentenced to nine weeks jail and fined S$26,000. He also had to undergo mandatory treatment for a year for major depressive disorder.Members of the group discussed sexual matters, circulated obscene materials and promoted vice activities.In order to remain in the group, members had to stay active by uploading and sharing pornographic material.The police said they take a very serious view of sexual exploitation of women perpetuated through such illegal chat groups. They advised members of the public not to join such groups and instead to report them to the police.


Daily caseload drops below 2,900 as 8 more deaths reported

Another 2,877 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,978,350.
There were 3,226 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,914,858.
There are now 26,856 active cases, of which 24,743 or 92.1% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 2,016 (7.5%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 97 are in ICU with 62 in need of respiratory assistance.
Another eight deaths were reported, including one who was brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 36,636.


Gambia hires US law firm to consider action on toxic Indian cough syrup, minister says

Gambia has hired a US law firm to explore legal action after a government-backed investigation found that contaminated medicines from India were "very likely" to have caused the deaths of children last year, the justice minister told Reuters.
At least 70 children in Gambia, most under 5 years old, died from acute kidney injury between June and October.
Local doctors suspected cough syrups imported from India were the likely culprit, Reuters reported earlier this year, and tests by the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the presence of lethal toxins, sparking a global hunt for contaminated medicines.
Gambian Justice Minister Dawda Jallow told Reuters legal action was one option under consideration by the government, the first sign of potential international litigation over the deaths. Jallow did not say who would be the target of potential legal proceedings or name the law firm hired to help.
The medicines linked to the children's deaths were made by Indian drug maker Maiden Pharmaceuticals, which denied wrongdoing. Tests by the WHO found that the Maiden cough syrups contained the lethal toxins diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG), used in car brake fluid. India's government has said its own tests on the drugs found no toxins.
India's health ministry and Maiden did not respond to requests for comment on Gambia's possible legal action. The WHO declined to comment.
Indian officials have said the WHO failed to prove a causal link to the Gambia deaths, accusing the agency of denigrating its US$41 billion (about RM188.1 billion) pharmaceutical industry. However, cough syrups made by a second Indian drugmaker have been linked to the deaths of 19 children in Uzbekistan. India has since made drug testing mandatory for cough syrups before export.
Causality report
Gambia's justice ministry is considering its options after completion of a new government-commissioned causality assessment by a panel of international experts, Jallow said.
Reuters has seen a copy of the report, which was presented to President Adama Barrow in April but has not been made public.
In it, experts said they analysed 56 of the cases of acute kidney injury. Of those, they found 22 were "very likely" to have died from DEG or EG poisoning after taking Maiden products.
The panel could not confirm the cause of death in another 30 cases but said it was "highly suggestive" they were killed by DEG and EG. It said there was not enough evidence in four other cases.
Doctors were able to carry out autopsies on just two of the patients. The pathology from both was consistent with DEG and EG poisoning, the report said. Of all the medicines tested after the deaths, only Maiden's were shown to be toxic, it said.
DEG and EG can be used by unscrupulous actors as a cheap substitute for propylene glycol, a key ingredient in syrupy medicines, according to several pharmaceutical manufacturing experts.
Reuters could not determine if Indian authorities had seen the causality report.
It is the latest piece of a months-long investigation into the deaths, which raised concerns among global health officials about lax regulation in India's drug sector and oversight of pharmaceutical raw materials worldwide. Many of the countries India supplies, including Gambia, have no means of testing imported drugs.
The WHO has said it is continuing to investigate the source of contaminated cough syrups in Gambia, Uzbekistan and several other countries, but has been frustrated by a lack of information regarding Maiden's drugs. A key middleman in the supply chain of those medicines is still unknown, Reuters found.
Gambia's Minister Dawda said the causality assessment and the justice ministry's recommendations would be made public within six months.
Gambia is planning to build a testing facility for imported drugs with support from the World Bank, the bank told Reuters.


‘Milk Tea Alliance’ supporters rally across Asia against Myanmar coup

Demonstrators across Asia held rallies on Sunday in support of protesters in Myanmar fighting against the military coup.The rallies showed the growing influence of youth movements across Asia pushing for democracy with the rallying cry “Milk Tea Alliance”.Pro-democracy campaigners in Myanmar had called for international help and in response around 200 people in Taipei and dozens in Bangkok, Melbourne and Hong Kong took to the streets waving #MilkTeaAlliance signs and flags.The hashtag was used millions of times on Sunday. Its name originates from the shared passion for the sweet milky drink in Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.Activists in Indonesia and Malaysia held online protests and thousands more, from Southeast Asia and elsewhere, took part in a social media campaign, posting messages of support.The rallies in Asia took place on the bloodiest day of weeks of demonstrations in Myanmar, after police fired on protesters, including in the country’s biggest city of Yangon, where some activists held their own “Milk Tea Alliance” signs.“When we see courageous people in Myanmar taking to the streets, braving water cannon, tear gas, batons and bullets, painful memories stir,” Debby Chan, a Sino-Myanmar relations researcher who took part in a Hong Kong rally on top of city landmark Lion Rock, told Reuters.“Hong Kong protesters also suffered from this in 2019,” she said. “Today we want to show our solidarity.”Pro-democracy advocates say the budding pro-democracy pan-Asian solidarity coalition is now playing a consistent role in helping activists mobilise.“Myanmar activists have been very active in engaging with Milk Tea Alliance since the coup,” said Thai protest organiser Rathasat Plenwong in Bangkok on Sunday.“We feel like we’re in this together.”


Anwar could lose it all if he refuses to help with Najib's pardon, say analysts

Analysts say the stakes are rising in the game of political rewards, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at risk of losing everything if the royal pardon for jailed former leader Najib Razak does not come through.
Ahmad Atory Hussain of Universiti Sains Malaysia said rewards were a norm for allies and politicians who helped individuals rise to a position of power.
He said the practice of handing out government positions, or positions at government-linked companies or missions carried little risk other than a general criticism over the waste of funds, favouritism or questionable credentials.
"But these do not normally involve matters of integrity, or criminal cases," he added.
"The risk comes when the reward involves court cases. That is the highest stage of all. The effect of this is so great that even leaders can be toppled."
Anwar, who came to power on the back of support from Barisan Nasional (BN) and its lynchpin party Umno, recently acknowledged that he would be part of the Pardons Board tasked with deciding on a pardon for Najib.
Najib was convicted in 2020 of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power in relation to the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.
He began serving a 12-year jail term in August last year after losing his final appeal.
Last month, the Federal Court dismissed his application for a review of his conviction and sentence, dashing his last hope of legal recourse in the case.
Umno subsequently began spearheading an attempt to obtain a royal pardon, saying the "unfair" decision had led to "extreme grief and anxiety among the Umno grassroots members".
Anwar said there would be no conflict of interest despite his involvement in the process of considering a royal pardon, and that the award of honorifics and pardons was the prerogative of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
DAP secretary-general and transport minister Anthony Loke meanwhile said that the petition for Najib's pardon was not the government's stand and had never been discussed by the Cabinet.
"The (royal pardon) petition is Umno's stance as a political party," he said on April 10.
Atory however said that the pardon process could raise perceptions about Anwar, especially in light of Najib's agreement with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to back the PKR president for the top post, revealed by MalaysiaNow in October 2020.
He said Anwar's predecessors, Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri Yaakob, had tried to avoid interfering in the court cases of both Najib and Zahid.
"The result was, both prime ministers were toppled by Umno, whom they refused to help, through the withdrawal of support for Muhyiddin and the dissolution of Parliament for Ismail," he said.
Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said anyone, including Najib, had the right to apply for a pardon.
He said the power of pardon lay with the Agong according to Article 42(1) and 42(2) of the Federal Constitution, while Anwar had no power to act in his personal capacity.
"All recommendations are made through consensus," he added.  But Atory said that if Anwar did the same as Muhyiddin and Ismail by refusing to interfere in court cases, Umno could be expected to retaliate by withdrawing its support for him as well.
"This would lead to a domino effect where Anwar would have to resign as prime minister or dissolve Parliament," he said.  If Parliament is dissolved, he said, the people would have to go to the polls once again, on top of the elections to be held in six states this year.
"And if the Agong chooses a new prime minister, the likely candidate will be Zahid who is currently the deputy prime minister," he said.
"But the public and analysts alike believe that Anwar would prefer to dissolve Parliament and take his chances at another election.
"Who knows, Pakatan Harapan might pull off another victory like it did in 2018."


‘Action!’ for Indian cinemas, reopening even as Covid-19 gallops ahead

Cinemas will reopen in India after months in Covid-19 lockdown, the home affairs ministry said on Wednesday.This relaxation of lockdown comes even as experts warn that India is heading to become the world’s most infected country by overtaking the US.Cinemas in the film-obsessed country will be permitted to reopen in a phased manner, limited to 50% of seating capacity.Film industry representatives in Bollywood warned in May it would take at least two years for them to recover financially from the pandemic, putting tens of thousands of jobs at risk.Before the pandemic, India made nearly 1,800 films a year in several languages. The famous Bollywood is the Hindi language film-making centre.Productions have been hit all across the country by the pandemic and the lockdowns that followed. It is hoped the re-opening of cinemas will encourage film production to resume at a reduced level.Recent estimates show that before Covid-19 India ranked first in terms of annual film output, followed by Nigeria, Hollywood and China.Indian cinema is a worldwide audience-puller, regularly selling over 3.5 billion tickets worldwide, 900,000 more than Hollywood.Since the start of the pandemic, around 9,500 cinemas in India have been shut down, throwing thousands out of work.The government is encouraging states to gradually restart public activities in a phased manner to salvage an economy badly battered by the lockdown, with millions of people, particularly the poor, losing their livelihoods.India has reported nearly 80,500 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, taking its tally to 6.23 million, government data showed.Deaths from Covid-19 are fast approaching 100,000.


Umno meeting today in breach of Phase One SOPs?

A meeting of Umno leaders at the party’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today breached the SOPs under the National Recovery Plan as the capital city is still in the first phase.According to the National Security Council (NSC) website, face-to-face meetings are prohibited with only video conferences allowed for states under Phase One of the recovery plan.Dang Wangi police chief Mohamad Zainal Abdullah said he was not informed of any meeting involving Umno leaders today.“We were not informed,” he told MalaysiaNow. “You will have to ask the NSC (if permission was given).”Former prime minister Najib Razak had been among the Umno MPs who met at the party headquarters ahead of a deadline given by president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi which expires today.It is understood that apart from Najib and Zahid, who have been at the forefront of efforts to have Umno enter into an alliance with PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim, others seen attending the meeting today included Bera MP Ismail Sabri Yaakob, as well as a handful of Cabinet members from Umno.On June 21, Zahid urged the government to reconvene Parliament proceedings within 14 days, saying failure to do so would amount to treachery and a lack of respect for the Malay rulers following their recent statements on the matter.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had said on June 14 that Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh would need a police permit in order to hold a press conference at his home, as under the SOPs of the full lockdown enforced on June 1, no gatherings can be held even with a limit on the number of attendees.


Economists tell who will feel the pinch if OPR is raised again

Malaysians can expect an increase in loan costs if Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) continues to raise the overnight policy rate (OPR) in the months to come, economists say.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, they said any increase would affect the low- and middle-income groups in particular, as bank loan payments, especially for home loans, would rise in tandem.
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in July 2020, BNM reduced the OPR to 1.75% – Malaysia's lowest level ever. It maintained this level until May 11 this year, when it raised the OPR by 25 basis points or 0.25% to 2.00%.
On July 6, the central bank raised the OPR again by another 25 basis points to 2.25%.
Economist Barjoyai Badai said borrowers could still manage the latest increase as 2.25% was much lower than the 3.25% recorded in 2019.
He said many economists also expected BNM to continue increasing the OPR as part of its strategy to tackle inflation, in line with the country's economic recovery.
For himself, he expects no less than three more increases to come.
"Right now, the economy is improving. When this happens, the liquidity in the market will increase and, if not controlled, will cause widespread inflation," he said.
"The central bank will use its monetary instruments to alleviate market liquidity and reduce demand pressure."
Many had questioned BNM's decision to raise the OPR rate despite Malaysia's inflation ranking among the lowest in the world at 2.8%.
Last month, economic affairs minister Mustapha Mohamed attributed Malaysia's inflation rate to the broad-based subsidies provided by the government and its move to stabilise the price of goods.
He also warned that the inflation rate could hit 11.4% if these subsidies were removed.
Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff of Putra Business School said price pressures could be expected to continue throughout the next few months, citing factors such as the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and the lifting of movement restrictions in China which he said would spur the country's economic recovery.
"These are some of the factors that will put pressure on local goods and bring about the need for further hikes in OPR.
"The OPR rate is still low compared to 2019, so there is still space to raise it some more," he said, adding that this would have its pros and cons.
For example, he said, the cost of financing would increase while individual and business spending would decrease. However, it might also encourage more savings in banks due to the higher monthly interest rates.
When spending drops, he said, the demand for goods also declines which could lead to a decrease in the price of goods.
"But on the other hand, if OPR hikes are implemented on a continuous basis, it could burden the people with higher monthly commitments," he said.
"Among the most affected will be those who have home loans. Car loans will not be affected."
For example, Barjoyai said, if the interest rate is increased by 25 basis points, instalments for a RM200,000 loan will increase by RM60 per month.
Given the last two increases in May and July, he said, loan repayments in this case would rise by RM120.
"But there is a way to avoid this," he added.
"Those who take home loans through the Islamic financial system can avoid such increases as the system will lock in at a pre-determined rate when the loan is made."
When asked about any effect that OPR hikes might have on house prices or rental, Barjoyai said these would depend more on demand and supply.
"When demand goes down, house prices and rental will go down too," he said.
"If house owners raise their rental fees, of course they will lose their tenants. The same goes for house prices – if they go up, buyers might not want to buy."


MCO won’t work without emergency powers, says former apex court judge

Former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram has welcomed the declaration of a Covid-19 emergency, saying it is not only legally and medically justified but could have been implemented last year when it was first proposed.Sri Ram also disagreed that the movement control order (MCO) was adequate to fight the pandemic, saying it could only be effective when complemented with the state of emergency.He said recent experience had proven that it is not easy to control people’s movements in efforts to minimise the spread of the virus.“Citizens are very difficult to control. You tell them you don’t go to Ipoh, they will go. You tell them please don’t go to Johor Bahru, that is the place everybody will go, because they want to find out why they have been told not to go there,” Sri Ram told MalaysiaNow.Yesterday, Pakatan Harapan leaders accused Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin of seeking wider powers through the emergency move, saying the MCO was an adequate tool to help authorities fight the surge in Covid-19 infections which have so far killed 559 people.“We feel that existing laws including the MCO that was announced yesterday (Monday) are adequate to mobilise all resources and strength to fight this pandemic,” said a joint statement signed by DAP’s Lim Guan Eng, PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim and Amanah’s Mohamad Sabu.But Sri Ram said it was proven that the MCO had failed on its own.“MCO alone cannot work because without emergency powers and control over the affected areas, the government cannot function.“The hospitals are overloaded. There must be powers to comandeer private hospitals or private buildings and have them converted to hospitals – give them power,” he added.Sri Ram also dismissed claims that the state of emergency would infringe fundamental liberties.“No, it does not because notwithstanding any ouster in Article 150(7), fundamental rights are immune from being violated,” he told MalaysiaNow, referring to a provision in the Federal Constitution.Under Article 150(7), laws enacted during an emergency cannot be challenged in court.“MCO alone cannot work because without emergency powers and control over the affected areas, the government cannot function.”Sri Ram said despite this, fundamental freedoms cannot be violated, thanks to the basic structure of the constitution.He added that details of the emergency proclamation had been clearly spelt out.“Nobody’s freedom of speech has been taken away, nor has there been any ordinance so far passed which bars freedom of speech, nothing.”Likewise, he said, there have been no ordinances that curtail press freedom or allow for the detention of people without court process.“And no ordinance has been passed which can be classified as noxious,” he said.The state of emergency announced yesterday came amid a spike in Covid-19 cases which has seen daily numbers entrenched in the four-figure range.The move came just as the MCO took effect at midnight last night, bringing stricter control over public mobility to curb the virus spread.Muhyiddin had said that the state of emergency which was agreed to by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah would not lead to military rule, adding that civilian institutions including the judiciary would operate as usual.He said all elections would be put on hold, but assured that the general election would be called as soon as the special bipartisan emergency committee is satisfied that the health situation is under control.Sri Ram felt the emergency order was a practical solution to prevent any disruption in the running of the government, amid threats by some politicians to withdraw their support for the ruling bloc.“It would be in the best interest of the health of the people.“The government must be able to function,” he added.


The 'grey' zone of traditional Chinese medicine in treating Covid-19

In his office in Kuching, Sarawak, Dr Tan Kit Weng is busy with a patient.
Sitting in his consultation room, he checks the patient's pulse and takes notes on his complaints and ailments.
"You need to drink more hot water. Take this medicine at night before you sleep. One tablet per day," he says briskly.
This is a typical day for Tan, who has practised traditional and complementary medical (TCM) treatment for nearly five decades. The walls of his office are hung with certificates and his shelves are filled with glass jars stuffed with Chinese herbs.
While he was trained in Western, science-based medicine, he was not satisfied with the field and turned instead to traditional Chinese treatments.

Dr Tan Kit Weng treats a patient at his office in Kuching, Sarawak.

"I went to Miri and learnt about all of this from traditional Chinese doctors," he said.
"I became friends with them, and they taught me how to cure people using herbal medication and other healing techniques."
Most of the herbal mixtures he produces are for patients with chronic diseases.
Today, though, his focus has shifted to include the virus that has been plaguing the world for more than two years now: Covid-19.
When the pandemic first began, he and his team got to work analysing the properties of herbs to uncover their medicinal value for the treatment of Covid-19.
"During the lockdown, we produced a herbal medicine called PC19," he said.
"At that time, our associations distributed 500 doses daily to our frontliners at hospitals across the state."
And according to him, the response has been good.
"The increasing demand from Covid-19 patients has created an opportunity for our members, who are asking us to help them set up more TCM centres to cater to the requests for appointments.
"So we are planning to help our physicians operate new centres," he said.
TCM throughout the years
Although the practice of traditional medicine has yet to be scientifically proven, it remains a popular option for patients, especially those suffering from diseases for which Western medicine has no cure.
For example, Tan said many cancer patients come to him seeking to ease the side effects of chemotherapy such as nausea.
Others come even for common ailments like diarrhea and coughs.

A shelf filled with traditional herbal medication at Dr Tan Kit Weng's office.

And since the onset of Covid-19, TCM practitioners have been receiving a steady stream of patients seeking treatments for Covid-related symptoms.
But despite its market boom, the efficacy and safety of such treatments are still under question.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the health ministry had yet to include TCM practices as part of its Covid-19 management plan.
While Malaysia signed a memorandum of understanding with China early this year as part of its commitment to the development of traditional medical practices, Noor Hisham said TCM still lacked the proper trials and scientific evidence to prove the efficacy of herbal remedies for Covid-19.
"We have also learnt from the TCM experts in China that the TCM herbal formulas for treating Covid-19 should be adjusted according to the needs and characteristics of the individual patient, and the local climate and geographical conditions," he said.
"Local studies are needed to support the use of herbal medicine in the prevention or treatment of Covid-19, to ensure that it is safe and effective."
Nevertheless, he also cited a recent report by the World Health Organization including the use of TCM, describing it as a positive development in efforts to promote traditional Chinese medical practices in the global healthcare system.
"With reference to the effectiveness of herbal medicine in Covid-19 management, the health ministry is aware that countries like China are using TCM in the treatment of Covid-19 which has shown positive results," he said.
"Besides that, from the recent WHO Expert Meeting Report on Evaluation TCM in the treatment of Covid-19 (2022), one of the key findings was that TCM is beneficial in reducing the risk of progression from mild-to-moderate cases when administered as add-on interventions to conventional treatment."
'Grey area'
The Federation of Chinese Medicine and Physicians Sarawak said the development of TCM in Malaysia had always been a "grey area".
Despite the success of the industry, it said, practitioners had yet to be formally endorsed in government healthcare systems.
"The role of TCM in helping Covid-19 patients has proved that TCM plays an important role in modern healthcare. We need recognition in the government to ensure the safety and efficacy of herbal medicines," vice-secretary Albert Lee Joo Hee said.
Noor Hisham meanwhile cautioned against falling for misinformation and false claims on unregistered products, saying these could cause serious harm to health.
"The health ministry is aware that patients might choose to use herbal medicine to manage the signs and symptoms of Covid-19 infection," he said.
"It is the right of the patient if he or she would like to take traditional herbs in managing his or her sign and symptoms of Covid-19 infection."
Nonetheless, he added, modern medicine should be the main source of treatment for Covid-19 if patients feel unwell.
He also advised the public to seek the appropriate treatment under the conditions prevalent in Malaysia if they prefer to take herbal medicine.
For example, he said, the Lian Hua Qing Wen capsule was one of several herbal formulations recommended for the relief of Covid-19 symptoms, but contained ephedra – a prohibited substance not allowed in registered traditional medicine products by the Drug Control Authority.
"In Malaysia, there are registered products of Lian Hua Qin Wen with modified formulation (without ephedra) with the indication to reduce body heatiness and relieve cough and phlegm based on its traditional philosophy which can relieve some signs and symptoms faced by the patients.
"The public should follow the directives issued by the health ministry and the use of herbal medicine should not stop them from seeking appropriate treatment from ministry healthcare facilities or being vaccinated against Covid-19."


Daily caseload tumbles to 13,300 as another 54 deaths logged

Another 13,336 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,152,203.There were 25,552 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 3,896,489.There are now 220,872 active cases, of which 214,723 or 97.2% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 873 (0.4%) are at quarantine centres while 4,988 (2.3%) have been hospitalised.A total of 288 are in ICU with 185 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 56.6%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 32.8%.Another 54 deaths were reported, including 16 who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 34,842.


US panel votes to authorise J&J Covid vaccine booster

A high-level panel of US medical experts voted unanimously Friday to recommend authorising a second shot of the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine.The decision will help end a sense of limbo for 15 million Americans who received the first dose but were worried whether it was enough to protect them, particularly after the rise of the Delta variant.The committee members, convened by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), agreed with the pharmaceutical company that safety and efficacy evidence favoured a second dose.The recommendation may be tweaked further by the FDA and by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and an emergency use authorisation should follow within days to weeks.Several of the independent experts suggested that though J&J had applied to authorise a booster, a second J&J vaccine should in fact be regarded as an “additional” dose needed to achieve full vaccination.“I think this frankly was always a two-dose vaccine. It’s hard to recommend this as a one-dose vaccine,” said Paul Offit, a vaccine expert from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.The panel was also asked to discuss, but not to vote on, the question of so-called “mix and match” boosting, in which a person receives a different brand or type of vaccine as a booster than that used for the initial dose.But FDA scientist Peter Marks said “it’s possible” that question will be voted on in future.A preliminary study this week showed that people who have received the J&J vaccine may benefit from a booster dose of a different, messenger-RNA vaccine such as Pfizer or Moderna.The single shot J&J vaccine was never as effective as its double-shot mRNA counterparts, but some evidence suggests it is less susceptible to waning than Pfizer and Moderna, because of the viral vector technology behind it.Nevertheless, the company presented data showing efficacy against symptomatic Covid rose from 70 to 94% in a US trial after a second dose given two months after the first, similar to figures associated with mRNA vaccines.Friday’s meeting came after the same panel voted Thursday to authorise a booster dose of Moderna’s vaccine for at-risk groups.In that meeting, the panel decided to authorise a booster dose of Moderna for the over-65s, people aged between 18 and 64 who are at a higher risk of developing a severe version of the coronavirus, and those whose work may involve frequent exposure to the virus.A similar decision was already reached for the Pfizer vaccine several weeks earlier, with experts concerned a booster might not be suitable for everyone, especially younger males at risk of developing myocarditis (heart inflammation) as a side effect.But the J&J decision applies more broadly, to everyone over 18 who received the first shot of the vaccine at least two months earlier.Serious but extremely rare safety concerns include blood clotting with low platelets, particularly in younger women, and Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare immune disorder that causes muscle weakness and sometimes temporary paralysis.


China reports new Covid cases, some Beijing businesses shut

China reported a slight decline in new Covid-19 cases on Saturday as numerous cities across the country battled outbreaks and restaurants and many other businesses in Beijing shut after authorities urged people to stay home over the weekend.
Authorities have recently taken some steps to try ease the impact of their tough zero-Covid policy approach, which is battering the word's second-biggest economy and sowing frustration and anger, even as case numbers have risen to their highest since April.
Numerous businesses in Beijing's Chaoyang district, the capital's main financial and diplomatic area, have shut or announced only limited services.
One restaurant owner in the nightlife hub of Sanlitun told Reuters that authorities had told him and other outlets in the area to close for three days from Saturday.
The outlying Beijing districts of Fangshan and Huairou announced additional testing requirements for people entering from other provinces.
Beijing reported 79 symptomatic and 436 asymptomatic cases for Friday compared with 100 symptomatic and 366 asymptomatic cases the previous day, government data showed.
Beijing authorities are on high alert in the hope of preventing the numerous Omicron variant outbreaks in other cities from spreading to the capital.
The latest data for the country showed 24,263 new domestically transmitted cases, of which 2,055 were symptomatic and 22,208 were asymptomatic, down from 25,129 the previous day.
That daily tally is approaching the highs of when the financial hub of Shanghai was locked down earlier in the year.
This time, however, the cases are distributed across numerous cities, where authorities are weighing the costs and benefits of loosening policies that have damaged businesses.
Guangzhou, a city in the south of nearly 19 million people, reported 269 new domestically transmitted symptomatic cases and 8,444 asymptomatic cases, compared with 255 symptomatic and 8,989 asymptomatic cases a day before, authorities said.
Guangzhou authorities recently announced they would build facilities with more than 250,000 hospital beds to cope with the rising cases. This week, residents staged a protest in defiance of strict lockdown policies.
The manufacturing hub of Zhengzhou reported 182 new symptomatic locally transmitted Covid infections and 1,385 asymptomatic cases, compared with 107 symptomatic and 1,556 asymptomatic cases a day before, according to government data.
Lockdowns in the city sent some workers fleeing from a factory operated by Apple iPhone manufacturer Foxconn. Authorities have responded by offering low-level officials and residents cash bonuses on top of wages if they stay on the production lines.


4.6% of children fully jabbed, 38.5% given first dose

A total of 164,375 children or 4.6% of those aged five to 11 had completed their Covid-19 vaccination under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow website, a total of 1,368,326 children or 38.5% have received at least one dose of vaccine.For adolescents aged 12 to 17, a total of 2,862,105 individuals or 92% have completed the vaccination while 2,963,947 or 95.3% have received at least one dose of vaccine.As for the adult population, a total of 15,933,049 individuals or 67.7% have received a booster dose while 22,957,974 or 97.6% have completed two doses of vaccine.Meanwhile, 23,235,033 or 98.8% have received at least one dose.A total of 46,823 vaccine doses were given yesterday, with 32,183 as second doses, 10,180 as booster shots and 4,460 as first jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) to 69,272,251.


Meet Gurcharan, the co-pilot who brought home the body of Malaysia's second PM

For pilot Gurcharan Singh Sidhu, flying has never been just a job to bring in the bacon – it is a career that has shaped his entire identity.
Yet looking back at his long years in the aviation industry, including his most memorable experience of helping bring home the body of Malaysia's second prime minister, Gurcharan is struck by the challenges he faced in forging his path in life.
Even as a child, he had longed to be a pilot and to soar high among the clouds. But this dream was met with opposition by his father.
The third of five children, his father had hoped for him to become a police inspector or a doctor.

Retired pilot Gurcharan Singh Sidhu recalls his experience working with six different airlines throughout the years.

Gurcharan grew up in the small village of Kampung Baru Buntong in Ipoh, Perak, where his family moved in 1959 after his father, a policeman himself, retired from the force.
After finishing school, he applied to become a pilot despite his father's resistance to his desired career path.
Eventually, an offer came from an airline company – but his father, still hoping that his son would follow in his footsteps, hid the letter from him.
"He told me to join the police force because he wanted me to become an inspector," Gurcharan recalled in an interview with MalaysiaNow.
"So I applied, but I didn't get in. After that, he set his heart on me becoming a doctor instead."
But Gurcharan was determined to become a pilot. Quietly, he submitted another application, this time with the help of his uncle.
In 1971, he received an offer to work with Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA), an airline company jointly owned by the governments of Malaysia and Singapore.
"Of course, my father found out that I had become a pilot," he said.
"But everybody in the family, including my uncle, came together and persuaded him to let me follow my dream."
In October 1972, MSA split to become Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines. Gurcharan chose to remain with the Malaysian entity despite receiving a lucrative offer from the Singapore side.
Part of his decision was driven by his desire to remain close to his family. But he was also fuelled by a love for his country.
Bringing Abdul Razak home
Five years later, in January 1976, Gurcharan was given one of the most memorable tasks of his entire career.
The country had just received news that the prime minister, Abdul Razak Hussein, had died while undergoing treatment for leukaemia in London.

A compilation of old photos belonging to Gurcharan Singh Sidhu.

Arrangements were made for his body to be flown home from London to Kuwait, and then from Kuwait to Malaysia as there were no direct flights at the time.
Gurcharan, at 27 years old, was assigned as the co-pilot for the second leg of the flight.
"They told me that Tun (Razak) had passed away, and briefed me about the assignment about 15 hours before we began the flight from Kuwait to Malaysia," he said.
"I already knew that I would be flying with Captain Arshad Bakar on a Boeing 707 aircraft," he added. "I was selected based on the flight schedule."
The flight from Kuwait departed as soon as Razak's body arrived from London, he said. Only the prime minister's coffin, which was placed in the cabin, and his family members were on board.
When the plane touched down at the Subang International Airport, now known as the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, a crowd was already waiting. The atmosphere was quiet and sombre, Gurcharan said.
Another three years later, Gurcharan was promoted to captain, making him the first Sikh to hold that position.
His journey with Malaysia Airlines ended in October 1999, after 29 years of service.

Gurcharan Singh Sidhu on one of the many flights he made with Malaysia-Singapore Airlines.

He was then offered a position with India's Jet Airways as the director of operations, before moving to Korean Air and serving with the South Korean airline for 10 years as the captain of a jumbo plane.
After that, he returned home to Malaysia. But not long afterwards, he received an offer to work with Saudi airline Al Wafeer Air, which sought him out due to his experience in flying Boeing 744 aircraft.
This stint did not last for long and Gurcharan eventually left due to issues with salary payments.
"I came back to Malaysia with the thought of retiring," he said. "I was already 60 years old."
But because the retirement age was raised to 65, he kept working, accepting a contract with AirAsia X. He only worked with the airline for about a year and a half before health problems forced him to stop.
At that point, he decided that it was time to call it a day.
Looking back at his long and successful career as a pilot, Gurcharan is proud of everything he has achieved.
"I served with six airlines, I travelled around the world, and I visited nearly every country," he said.
But the biggest smile is for his son, Ajit Pall Sing Sidhu, who decided to become a pilot as well.
He believes with all of his heart that Ajit will achieve even greater things than he did.
"I tell him to take what I have done as a benchmark, and then to surpass it," he said.
"He is a good pilot."


Alternatives to withdrawing from EPF Account 1

These are indeed unprecedented times, which is why instead of succumbing to panic-driven policies – such as allowing a huge amount of withdrawals from the EPF Account 1 – we should make careful plans for assistance to those who really need it, in a way that prevents wastage by those with poor financial literacy that may undermine their future social safety nets.Reports say that Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki and former prime minister Najib Razak have called on the government to allow EPF contributors to withdraw a maximum of RM10,000 at one go from Account 1.Asyraf said total cash flow of RM40 billion would be available should four million contributors be allowed to withdraw RM10,000 each. But from the perspective of the EPF, it would also mean losing funds worth RM40 billion.As tempting and convenient as this sounds for contributors, withdrawals would affect the cash flow that the fund management institution can sustain for the people in the future through investment activities.If this proposal is pursued, and if contributors are allowed to perform one-off withdrawals of RM10,000 from their accounts, it could create a significantly unhealthy cash balance that would cause it to be unsustainable for the government to continue generating income for the country, fund government spending for the people and grow the people’s retirement savings.This is a critical matter, especially in these unprecedented times during which the government needs to take unprecedented measures to assist.Although an exact figure of total collections from monthly EPF contributions is yet to be available for this year, RM40 billion worth of withdrawals is a huge sum of money. As reportedly mentioned by EPF CEO Alizakri, access to EPF Account 2 via i-Lestari has already resulted in withdrawals of more than RM11 billion by more than 4.7 million members since April.This is also given the existing optional reduction in EPF contribution rate from 11% to 7% beginning April this year.EPF savings are created for the future. A large withdrawal from Account 1 now would sacrifice future safety nets to address near-term temporary expenses, mostly attributed to Covid-19, which may translate into larger problems as people start to age. This is particularly true for Malaysia as it has an ageing population.The government is already planning for Covid-19 vaccinations in the upcoming Budget 2021. A successful nationwide vaccination plan is expected to provide the means for normalisation and bring the economy back on track.Retirement savings are a longer-term safety net that should not be eroded due to what could be a temporary problem, albeit a serious one. Of course, those who have lost their jobs and have no other sources of funds may have no choice.Instead of a blanket approval for all, this should be limited to individuals who can prove loss of job or a serious reduction in income. Allowing all workers who still have sources of income to withdraw from Account 1 would mean gambling their long-term financial security.According to EPF operations division deputy CEO Mohd Naim Daruwish, around 54% of EPF contributors aged 54 have savings of less than RM50,000 for their retirement.Let’s say some of them with RM49,000 worth of savings opt to withdraw up to RM10,000 at one go. They will then be left with RM39,000 for the coming years.Implementation should also be made a temporary measure and capped according to age group. Perhaps a staggered withdrawal over six months could be allowed for members aged 40 and above with withdrawals not exceeding 20% of the total savings. For those aged below 40, a higher cap could be considered at 30% of total savings.These control measures are important as some people may not have the financial acumen to plan their financials properly, jeopardising their own future.Are there alternatives to this Account 1 proposal? The answer is yes.As mentioned, the government, through EPF, has embarked on relief measures through the i-Lestari programme by allowing members to withdraw between RM50 and RM500 a month from Account 2, subject to funds available.Since the pandemic, the government has provided abundant direct financial aid through various initiatives such as Prihatin, Prihatin SME+, Penjana, and Kita Prihatin.Alizakri also mentioned that these initiatives have amounted to RM55 billion for all income groups, particularly the B40 and M40. The government has been empathetic to the needs of the people since the beginning and will continue to do so.Alizakri also said that retirement advisory service officers can help members with the necessary financial planning, and will provide any readily available assistance in helping members to better navigate these trying times.The government has thus far continued to disburse financial aid to the people, such as through Bantuan Prihatin Nasional payouts. Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin commented on the Account 1 withdrawal proposal, saying it would be challenging to implement as the government had already disbursed billions in cash aid to ease the people’s burdens.He also assured that more aid is expected to come as “billions more” are targeted to be disbursed to assist the people.So, it is advisable for the people to make full use of existing incentives alongside improvements in awareness level of the available incentives. Let’s see how Budget 2021 turns out, and together assess the post-Covid future with rationality before pressing the panic button at the cost of our future social safety net.Ameen Kamal and Sofea Azahar are part of the research team at independent think tank EMIR Research.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Queen Elizabeth to lose Barbados

The Queen is to be removed as the head of state of Barbados by November 2021.Prime Minister Mia Mottley has announced the Caribbean island’s intention to become a republic.She said, “It is time to fully leave our colonial past behind. Barbadians want a Barbadian head of state.”She continued, “This is the ultimate statement of confidence in who we are and what we are capable of achieving.“Hence, Barbados will take the next logical step toward full sovereignty and become a republic by the time we celebrate our 55th anniversary of independence.”The country gained its independence from Britain in 1966, though the Queen has remained its constitutional monarch.In 1998, a Barbados constitutional review commission recommended republican status but no action was taken to implement it.In 2015, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart said, “We have to move from a monarchical system to a republican form of government in the very near future.”Most ex-British Caribbean countries have retained formal links with the monarchy after achieving independence.Barbados would join Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica and Guyana if it proceeds with its plan to become a republic.Jamaica has also announced it will become a republic. Prime Minister Andrew Holness says it is a priority of his government.


Residents at flood-prone areas advised to evacuate ahead of expected floods

Residents at flood-prone areas in the federal territories are advised to move to relief centres two days ahead of the expected floods, Federal Territories Minister Shahidan Kassim says.
He said this was to minimise the use of assets, especially boats and heavy vehicles, during the evacuation process.
"The federal territories disaster management committee has agreed in principle that victims will evacuate two days before and return to their respective homes two days after the floods.
"When the floodwater has receded, those seeking shelter at the relief centres will remain there for another two days to ensure that their houses have been cleaned and are safe for occupation," he said in a video recording on the committee's preparations for the floods in the federal territories.
To provide comfort to flood victims, Shahidan said new lavatories will be built at all federal territory relief centres in addition to the existing bathrooms.


Govt to remove haj and power subsidies for T20

The high-income group (T20) in the country will not benefit from electricity subsidies and haj financial assistance, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the main database (Padu) would be used to manage and coordinate the distribution of subsidies to eligible groups.
"We are not raising electricity rates except for the T20. Only the T20, those with big houses, will not be given electricity subsidies.
"Padu can coordinate all the figures mentioned. This is the same as the haj financial assistance, where there is an increase for B40. For T20, there is no longer any increase or subsidy from the government. They should bear the full costs of haj because they are well-to-do," he said in a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, was replying to a question from Hamzah Zainudin (PN-Larut), who wanted to know about new and drastic policies implemented by Anwar's administration to drive the nation's economy, taking into consideration the risks of a shrinking global economy.
Anwar said the exclusion of this group from the subsidy scheme was to facilitate the granting of subsidies in a more targeted manner.


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Indonesia policeman jailed over football stadium crush

An Indonesian court jailed a police officer for 18 months on Thursday over negligence contributing to one of the worst stadium disasters in the history of football.
Last year's crush in the city of Malang killed 135 people – including more than 40 children – after a 3-2 defeat for Arema FC by their fierce East Javan rivals Persebaya Surabaya.
When supporters invaded the pitch of the Kanjuruhan Stadium, police fired tear gas, causing a deadly stampede.
The man jailed on Thursday, Hasdarmawan – who like many Indonesians goes by one name – was a commander for East Java police's mobile brigade unit.
"(The court is) sentencing the defendant, Hasdarmawan, to one and a half year in prison," presiding judge Abu Achmad Sidqi Amsya told the court in Surabaya, capital city of East Java.
"The defendant failed to predict a situation that was actually quite easy to anticipate. There was an option not to fire (the tear gas) to respond to the supporters' violence."
The sentence was shorter than the three years prosecutors had asked for.
Hasdarmawan had previously denied ordering his subordinates to fire tear gas toward the supporters.
Wearing a white shirt and a face mask, Hasdarmawan listened quietly as the judge delivered the sentence.
He has seven days to file an appeal.
Moments later, Bambang Sidik Achmadi, a Malang police officer also accused of ordering his subordinates to shoot tear gas, was found not guilty by the court.
Judge Amsya said the charges had "not been proven", and the defendant was free to go.
The court was scheduled to pass verdict on one more Malang police officer for negligence.
Last week, the court sentenced the head of the match organising committee, Abdul Haris, and security official Suko Sutrisno to 18 months and one year in prison respectively.
The former director of the company that runs Indonesia's premier league has also been named as a suspect and remains under investigation.
October's tragedy forced Indonesian officials to confront failings in various aspects of the domestic game, which has been blighted for years by shaky infrastructure, mismanagement and violence.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo ordered an investigation and pledged to demolish and rebuild the Kanjuruhan Stadium according to Fifa standards.
A task force investigating the crush has called on the head of Indonesia's football association and all the members of its executive committee to resign, but they have refused to do so.


ICC opens Israeli-Palestinians war crimes probe

The International Criminal Court (ICC) opened a formal investigation on Wednesday into alleged war crimes in the Palestinian territories, in a move blasted by Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu as the “essence of anti-Semitism”.Palestinian authorities hailed the decision by ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda as an “urgent and necessary” probe into the situation in the blockaded Gaza Strip along with the Israeli-occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem since June 2014.The move plunges The Hague-based tribunal – which has faced frequent criticism by Israel and its ally the US – into the midst of one of the world’s most bitter conflicts and risks inflaming an already tense situation.Washington said it was “disappointed”, and State Department spokesman Ned Price said the US would “firmly oppose” the move.Bensouda said she had decided there were “admissible potential cases” on both sides, with the investigation focusing on the 2014 Gaza conflict, which left more than 2,000 people dead.“In the end, our central concern must be for the victims of crimes, both Palestinian and Israeli, arising from the long cycle of violence and insecurity that has caused deep suffering and despair on all sides,” the prosecutor said.Gambian-born Bensouda said the formal investigation followed a “painstaking” five-year preliminary probe, and vowed it would be conducted “independently, impartially and objectively, without fear or favour”.Israel has refused to sign up to the court, set up in 2002 to try the world’s worst crimes, but the Palestinians have been a state party to the ICC since 2015.‘Israel is under attack’ICC judges paved the way for a war crimes investigation when they ruled a month ago that the court has jurisdiction over the situation due to the Palestinians’ membership.The probe will focus on Operation Protective Edge, the military operation launched by Israel in the summer of 2014 with the stated aim of stopping rocket fire into the country by militants of Islamist movement Hamas.Around 2,250 Palestinians were killed in the 2014 fighting, mostly civilians, and 74 Israelis, mostly soldiers.“The state of Israel is under attack this evening,” Netanyahu said in a video posted on Twitter about the ICC decision. “The international court based in The Hague reached a decision which is the essence of anti-Semitism.”Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said the country would “take every step necessary to protect its civilians and soldiers from legal persecution” and said the probe could impact the stalled peace process.Benny Gantz, current Israeli defence minister and former chief of staff during the Gaza war, called the decision a “reward for terrorism”, saying on Twitter that conflict with the Palestinians “will only be resolved through negotiations”.The Palestinian Authority hailed Wednesday’s decision meanwhile.“The crimes committed by the leaders of the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people – which are ongoing, systematic and widespread – make this investigation necessary and urgent,” Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki said.‘Disproportionate attacks’In 2019, Bensouda said in her initial application for the probe that there is a “reasonable basis” to believe crimes were committed by members of the Israel Defense Forces, Israeli authorities, Hamas and Palestinian armed groups.These include the Israeli military allegedly “intentionally launching disproportionate attacks” during the 2014 conflict and “wilful killing and wilfully causing serious injury”, she said.Hamas and Palestinian armed groups were accused of “intentionally directing attacks against civilians” and “using protected persons as shields” during the Gaza conflict.The ICC prosecutor also said there is scope to investigate the deaths of Palestinian demonstrators from 2018 onwards.Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in the Six-Day War of 1967, and later annexed mostly Arab east Jerusalem. Today they are home to at least five million Palestinians defined by the United Nations as living under Israeli occupation.The Gaza Strip is blockaded by Israel, which withdrew from the territory in 2005, and ruled by the Islamist group Hamas.The Israel-Palestinians probe will prove the first major test for incoming ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, the British lawyer who was elected in February to replace Bensouda when her mandate ends in June.Bensouda is under US sanctions for her decision to investigate alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan.