Putrajaya 'stooping lower than past BN govt' in plan to amend citizenship laws, says lawyers group

Rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) has slammed the government's proposal to amend the constitution that will see the removal of a provision protecting individuals from becoming stateless, days after more than 100 NGOs and activists warned the home ministry against secretly changing the laws without consulting stakeholders.
LFL said removing Section 1(e) of the Second Schedule Part 2, which he said protects individuals from becoming stateless, would be "the final nail in the coffin" for stateless people in Malaysia, including children and those born in Malaysia who had lived in the country for generations but were denied a blue MyKad due to a lack of proper documentation.
"It is shocking and devastating that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) political coalition which claimed to fight for reform and stateless persons while in the opposition is now responsible as the government of the day for these unacceptable and unjustifiable amendments," said LFL director Zaid Malek.
"Even the old Barisan Nasional government, which was regularly criticised by PH for being unjust, did not stoop so low. If these amendments are passed, it will be a black day for Parliament and the nation."
He described the proposed amendments as "undoubtedly the worst amendments to citizenship laws since Merdeka".
On Wednesday, more than 100 organisations and activists involved in the fight for equal citizenship warned Putrajaya against any attempt to quietly amend citizenship laws that could victimise tens of thousands of stateless children, despite the government's pledge to go ahead with a constitutional amendment to help those born abroad to Malaysian citizen mothers.
Although the government has agreed to amend the constitution to solve cases of children being denied citizenship because they were born abroad to their Malaysian mothers, there have been worries that other categories of stateless people – children born out of wedlock, those adopted by Malaysians as well as abandoned children and those from generational undocumented families – could now be denied citizenship under plans being discussed to restrict current laws.
"No state should offer to make such amendments only in return for curtailing or restricting the citizenship rights and entitlements of another group," the groups said on June 21.
LFL said the original constitution had granted citizenship to anyone born in the country under the principle of "jus soli".
In 1962, however, the constitution was amended to include the requirement for one parent to be a citizen as well.
"To prevent the danger of persons being rendered stateless due to this new requirement, Section 1(e) was introduced into the constitution.
"To recklessly remove Section 1(e) now will cause untold suffering and render countless thousands into stateless persons. It is a massive step backwards, in breach of the basic human right of citizenship of persons born in this country who are not citizens of any other country."
Zaid warned of the creation of "a massive new class of stateless citizens", adding that this would be economically and socially damaging as well as "misguided, foolish, and horrendously cruel".
He also hit out at the proposed amendment to Section 19B Second Schedule Part 3, which he said would remove the right of foundlings as abandoned children or orphans to citizenship.
"Instead, foundlings will be at the mercy of the home ministry as to grant of citizenship," he said.
This is despite a landmark ruling by the Federal Court in 2021 to grant citizenship to a teenager who was abandoned at birth by his unknown mother and adopted by a Malaysian couple.
Zaid said the government "appears to be using the excuse of solving the issue of children born abroad to Malaysian mothers to bring in a series of dangerous, unjust and cruel amendments.
"These amendments will create a large new class of stateless persons. It will create a massive new problem and magnify the long unresolved issue of statelessness in Malaysia," he added.


Economists explain effects of govt acquisition of 4 toll concessionaires

Economists have described the proposed acquisition of four toll concessionaires by Amanat Lebuhraya Rakyat Bhd (ALR) as a win-win situation as it will save on government expenditure in order to purchase the tolls as well as compensation payments to prevent an increase in toll rate.The four concessionaires – Kesas, LDP, SPRINT and SMART – have an aggregate value of RM5.48 billion.Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff of the Putra Business School said two of the concessions would be extended while the other two would be reduced.“Through ownership by ALR, the concessions will expire during the same period so that they can be given to the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) at once and not in stages,” he said.However, he said there was no guarantee that toll would no longer be necessary after the end of the concession period.“We think that after the end of the 11-year concession period we won’t have to pay toll, but we don’t know yet how LLM will want to generate revenue for the maintenance of the four highways once it takes over,” he told MalaysiaNow.He said it was possible that road users would have to continue paying toll albeit at a very low rate to cover such costs.Putrajaya reportedly had to pay compensation of RM1.51 billion to highway concessionaires for freezing toll hikes nationwide.Economic analyst Barjoyai Bardai said the takeover was a combination of many things.“It might include some bailout elements as the current operators also complain about a drastic drop in highway use due to the MRT,” Barjoyai, of Universiti Tun Abdul Razak, told MalaysiaNow.However, he also described it as a blessing in disguise as the operators were now willing to negotiate down from the original offer by the Pakatan Harapan government, from over RM6 billion to RM5 billion.He added that the acquisition would be a testing ground for individuals to come forward to bid with no intention of making a profit.On the concession period which is approaching its end, Barjoyai said eight years was a long time for a toll concession.The new operator, ALR, will only accept toll payments with minimal operating and maintenance costs.Razman meanwhile said the issue was how ALR could obtain financing through the issuance of sukuk which is not guaranteed by the government — a move which the private company was recently reported as making.“An explanation will be needed of how ALR wants to buy if sukuk is not guaranteed by the government — to what extent will that convince sukuk buyers?”Barjoyai meanwhile said the net proceeds from the collection of toll could be used to pay for the RM5 billion acquisition, with payments made in stages.“The entire cost can be settled before the concession period expires,” he said. “The concessions will only be extended for the required period if the toll collection is insufficient.”He added that new concessionaires need to be monitored to ensure that there is no abuse of power through the payment of excessive remuneration or unnecessary costs during the concession period.To avoid biased terms, he said, MPs could act as representatives to ensure that the terms are made in favour of the people.“This is a test case for the model,” he said. “We can extend the model on reversing many other privatised institutions and activities nationwide.”


Ex-CEO says Najib pushed for closure of 1MDB audit report

A former 1MDB CEO told the High Court yesterday that he was pressured by Najib Razak to ensure that the company’s financial audit report for 2013 was closed.Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman said the KPMG audit firm had yet to close the report at the time as it was not satisfied with the documents and answers connected to Brazen Sky Ltd’s investments as submitted by BSI Bank, which was the fund manager of the account.Brazen Sky was established by fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, and managed by his proxy as one of the ways to divert 1MDB investment money in PetroSaudi Oil Services Ltd.Hazem said KPMG was supposed to close the report after a meeting at Najib’s residence in Langgak Duta here at 9pm on Dec 15, 2013, taking into account the reasons given and that Najib, as the shareholder, knew about the Brazen Sky investments.However, he said KPMG did not do so as it was not satisfied with the documents and answers given.“Because of pressure from Najib to close the 1MDB account and the company’s reputation, the management suggested to members of the board and shareholders that KPMG be replaced with Deloitte.“The decision was made because I faced pressure from various parties, mainly from Najib who contacted me several times through my mobile phone to ensure that the 2013 1MDB financial audit report was closed.“I had no other suggestions apart from proposing to the board that KPMG be replaced with Deloitte,” he said in his testimony at Najib’s corruption trial.Hazem said based on the directors’ circular resolution dated Dec 31, 2013, among the reasons KPMG was replaced by Messrs Deloitte KassimChan as 1MDB’s auditor was its failure to close the report for 2013.He said throughout his tenure as CEO, he knew of Deloitte closing the 1MDB account for the financial years of 2013 and 2014.“However, in 2014, Deloitte put pressure on the management to prove or explain again in detail the investments in Brazen Sky.“I was under enormous pressure because the detailed investments in Brazen Sky could not be explained. Deloitte then decided that the 1MDB account would not be closed if 1MDB did not provide the detailed information. This means Deloitte decided that Brazen Sky’s investments be liquidated and the money repatriated to Malaysia,” he said.Hazem said he informed Jho Low about the matter, and that Jho Low himself made plans to liquidate Brazen Sky’s investments.By the end of 2014, he said, only US$1.3 billion of the US$2.3 billion had been repatriated to Malaysia.Hazem said Jho Low and KPMG representative Johan Idris were also present at the Dec 15 meeting at Najib’s residence.At the meeting, he said, Najib, as the shareholder of 1MDB, told Johan that he knew about Brazen Sky’s investments.He said he believed that Najib knew about the investments because he had been briefed by Jho Low and Yak Yew Chew of BSI Bank in a meeting on Nov 28, 2013.During the Dec 15 meeting, he said, KPMG asked Najib whether he, as the 1MDB shareholder, knew about Brazen Sky’s investments.He said the former prime minister answered in the affirmative.“Other than that, Najib asked why KPMG kept raising doubts on the underlying asset investments when BSI Bank itself had shown the investment statement.“After all, 1MDB was dealing with reputable parties. Najib also told Johan that he wanted to see KPMG close the 1MDB account before Dec 31, 2013,” he said, adding that Johan had made no reply.He said in 2013, KPMG had pressured 1MDB many times to provide detailed documents regarding Brazen Sky’s investments, but that Jho Low forbade this.He said Jho Low had not given any documents to the 1MDB management to assist in KPMG’s audit apart from the investment statement issued by BSI Bank.He said KPMG was so disappointed that it sought a meeting with the shareholders, that is the Malaysian government represented by Najib.He said the meeting was for KPMG to impress upon the 1MDB management that everything was known to the shareholder, namely Najib.Najib faces four charges of using his position to obtain gratification amounting to RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds, and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.


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Company gave Zahid monthly payments totalling S$13.56 million, MACC man tells court

A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer told the Shah Alam High Court today that the total amount of cash given by Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) to former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on a monthly basis between October 2014 and March 2018 was S$13.56 million.
V Mahendran, 38, said his investigation had found that it was all recorded in the company’s ledger.
"The ledger was prepared by David Tan (former UKSB administrative manager David Tan Siong Sun) using Microsoft Excel sheets on his laptop computer. It was aimed at recording UKSB’s monthly cash deposits and withdrawals.
"In the ledger, Tan used code names for Zahid such as Monster, Mon, YB, Young Boy, ZH and Z," he said, reading his witness statement during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Zander Lim Wai Keong.
Mahendran said the ledger also contained proof of payments made to other ministers, politicians and government officers. Zahid, 69, faces 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million from UKSB for himself as home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the OSC service in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain the contract agreement to supply the VLN integrated system to the same company by the home ministry.
Mahendran said the money was given to Zahid by UKSB on a monthly basis, starting at S$200,000 per month from October 2014 to February 2015, before being increased to S$300,000 per month from March 2015 to June 2017 and later to S$520,000 per month from July 2017 to March 2018.
The witness said apart from the monthly donations, UKSB also made several one-off payments to Zahid between June 2015 and March 2018, namely RM125,000 for Hari Raya in June 2015, S$120,000 in August 2015, 15,000 Swiss francs in May 2016, US$15,000 in July 2016, S$1 million for Umno's 71st anniversary in May 2017, S$30,000 for his wife’s birthday in October 2017 and RM3 million in March 2018 for the general election that year.
"All this money was given to him at his house in Country Heights, Kajang and his official residence at Seri Satria, Putrajaya," Mahendran said. The 18th prosecution witness said his investigation also revealed that the money given to Zahid was not from UKSB’s account.
"Based on UKSB’s financial statements from 2014 to 2018, the company’s profit after tax was RM625,033 in 2014, RM114,572 in 2015, RM4,913,446 in 2016, RM2,821,144 in 2017 and RM351,739 in 2018.
"However, the sources of money used by UKSB to give to Zahid were the result of a verbal understanding between UKSB and several companies, namely Visa Malaysia Ltd, Maintech System HK Ltd (in Hong Kong), Valiant Capital Corporation, Galaxy Services Corporation and (Labuan-based) Lotus Capital Corporation," he said.
The trial before judge Mohd Yazid Mustafa continues.


Microsoft to pay US$20 million to settle US charges for violating children's privacy

Microsoft will pay US$20 million (about RM92 million) to settle US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that the tech company illegally collected personal information from children without their parents' consent, the FTC said on Monday.
The company had been charged with violating the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting personal information from children who signed up to its Xbox gaming system without notifying their parents or obtaining their parents' consent, and by retaining children's personal information, the FTC said in a statement.
The order requires Microsoft to take steps to improve privacy protections for child users of its Xbox system. It will extend COPPA protections to third-party gaming publishers with whom Microsoft shares children's data, the FTC said.
A Microsoft spokesman said the company was committed to complying with the order. The spokesman added the account creation process will be updated and a data retention glitch found in the company's system will be resolved.
"Our proposed order makes it easier for parents to protect their children's privacy on Xbox, and limits what information Microsoft can collect and retain about kids," said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection.
"This action should also make it abundantly clear that kids' avatars, biometric data, and health information are not exempt from COPPA," Levine added.
The law requires online services and websites directed to children under 13 to notify parents about the personal information they collect and to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting and using any personal information of the children.
From 2015 to 2020, Microsoft retained the data that it collected from children during the account creation process, even when a parent failed to complete the process, according to the complaint.


BN component parties join calls for Zahid to step down

The leaders of Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties have joined calls for Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s resignation as Umno president and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman following the coalition’s dismal performance in the 15th general election (GE15).
MCA secretary-general Chong Sin Woon said in a statement that Zahid should resign honorably as the party had lost confidence in his leadership.
A new leader needs to take over and set a new direction for the coalition, he said.
Chong said MCA was also surprised and disappointed by Zahid's decision to postpone the BN Supreme Council meeting scheduled for last night.
"At a time when there is political instability and uncertainty after GE15, there is a pressing need for the Supreme Council meeting to discuss the current political situation and make decision as a bloc. "MCA is taking a firm stand that no party can represent BN to negotiate with any political parties without obtaining a mandate from the BN Supreme Council," he added.
Meanwhile, MIC Youth chief K Raven Kumar said it was time for Zahid to step down from leading BN.
"Resign honourably for the sake of the party's survival. This action will provide an opportunity for BN to recover and become relevant to Malaysians.
"The majority of youth sees BN as gripped by warlords and the court cluster. This clearly shows that they want a clean government that focuses on their welfare," he said.
In GE15, BN won just 30 out of the 178 parliamentary seats the coalition had contested.
This was far worse compared to GE14, where it secured 54 parliamentary seats.


Russia tries to signal normalcy as Ukraine forces advance

Russia announced plans on Thursday to stage elections in occupied parts of Ukraine in just three months, Moscow's latest bid to signal it is in control even as a Ukrainian counteroffensive has pushed its forces back in some areas.
The Ukrainian assault is in its early stages, and military experts say the decisive battles still lie ahead. But corpses of Russian soldiers and burnt-out armoured vehicles lining the roadside in villages newly recaptured by Ukrainian troops attested to Kyiv's biggest advances since last year.
Reuters reached the villages of Neskuchne and Storozheve over the past two days, providing the first independent confirmation of the Ukrainian advance several kilometres southwards along the Mokry Yali river into territory Russia had held since the early days of its invasion last year.
Several bodies of Russian soldiers lay in the streets of ruined and depopulated villages. Ukrainian troops in Storozheve told Reuters they had killed around 50 Russians and captured four there.
Moscow has not acknowledged any setbacks and says it has inflicted severe casualties on Ukrainians attempting to assault.
The Ukrainian military, which had maintained strict silence about the campaign for more than a week, came forward to tout the gains on Thursday, holding its first full media briefing since the counteroffensive began.
Troops had captured at least seven settlements and 100 square km of territory in two major pushes in the south so far, Brigadier-General Oleksii Hromov said.
"We are ready to continue fighting to liberate our territory even with our bare hands," he said.
The army on the southern front had advanced by up to 7km in the area along the Mokry Yali, as well as by up to 3km on another axis further west near the village of Mala Tokmachka, Ukrainian military officials said.
They also described advances in the east around the ruined city of Bakhmut, which Moscow seized last month as its only major prize for a huge winter and spring offensive that saw the bloodiest ground combat in Europe since World War Two.
Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted this week that Moscow's goals in Ukraine remain unchanged despite the Ukrainian counteroffensive. He claimed that Russian forces were inflicting 10 times more casualties on Ukrainians than they were enduring.
Election plan
Russia's announcement of a plan for elections in occupied territory was the latest effort by Moscow to convey that the situation was stable.
Russia's Tass state news agency quoted election chief Ella Pamfilova as saying that both the Defence Ministry and the Federal Security Service (FSB) had concluded that it would be possible to hold the votes in September.
Russia proclaimed its annexation of four Ukrainian provinces last year, although it does not fully control any of them and does not hold the main population centres of two.
Kyiv says any elections staged by Russians on Ukrainian territory would be invalid and illegal.
The big test of Ukraine's offensive still lies ahead. Russia has had months to prepare its defences. Ukrainian troops have yet to reach the heaviest Russian defensive fortifications, which are set back from the front line.
Kyiv is believed to have prepared an attack force of around 12 brigades of thousands of soldiers each, most using newly arrived Western armoured vehicles. Only a fraction of them have been engaged so far.
Russia, for its part, has released images of Western tanks and armoured vehicles it says it has destroyed or captured.
In Brussels, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin presided over the latest meeting of a group of around 50 countries, set up by Washington to coordinate donations of Western arms to Ukraine.
"I ask that the members of this contact group continue to dig deep to provide Ukraine with the air defence assets and munitions that it so urgently needs to protect its citizens," Austin said.


Finally granted citizenship, young Clara en route to achieving her dreams

Teenager Clara Sonia Joseph came one step closer to achieving her dreams today after receiving word that her application for citizenship had been approved by the home ministry, weeks after her plight was highlighted by MalaysiaNow.
Clara had been waiting for years for a decision on her application.
Her adoptive mother Shamini Gopal Krishnan said they received a letter today, signed by Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
"Now that the home ministry has approved her application, I will take this letter and bring it to the National Registration Department to make her IC," she added in a message to MalaysiaNow.
"Thank you to your team, and thank you to whoever was involved in this."
Clara was abandoned by her birth mother in 2013 when she was just three years old.
She was adopted by Shamini and her husband, Charles Joseph, but categorised as a non-citizen on her birth certificate, all but dashing her hopes of becoming a doctor one day.
Shamini said she was told that the application was approved on April 7.
"The ministry rang us and asked us to come in. So we went," she said.
"We were wondering what the reason was, but they just said come, so we went early in the morning.
"The minister was not there, but they told us that he signed the letter on April 7."
Clara meanwhile said she was grateful for the decision and thanked everyone who had expressed concern about her situation.
"I finally got my letter today," she said. "Thank you."


Govt wins appeal to reduce damages for families of youths killed in 2013 Glenmarie shootout

The Court of Appeal today allowed an appeal by the government and police for a reduction in the amount of damages awarded to the families of three youths who were killed in a shootout in the Glenmarie industrial zone in Shah Alam, Selangor, 13 years ago.
A three-member bench comprising justices Azizah Nawawi, S Nantha Balan and Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, in allowing the appeal, reduced the amount to RM649,200.
The appellants, found liable for wrongfully causing the deaths of three youths, were appealling against a High Court decision on June 30, 2021, awarding a total of RM1.52 million to the families of the three youths with each family to receive about RM500,000 in damages.
The youths killed in the incident on Nov 13, 2010 were Muhammad Shamil Hafiz Shapiei, 15, Mohd Hairul Nizam Tuah, 20, and Muhammad Hanafi Omar, 22.
Azizah, who delivered the unanimous decision, also set aside the RM100,000 damages awarded by the High Court to the families for estate claims under Section 8 of the Civil Law Act and RM100,000 for exemplary damages.
The court also set aside RM100,000 in general damages awarded to the families and substituted it with RM10,000 for each estate for bereavement.
Azizah said the sum of RM100,000 for aggravated damages and RM100,000 for misfeasance in public office would be maintained.
She also maintained RM11,200 in dependency claims for Hairul’s family and RM8,000 in dependency claims for Hanafi’s family.
This means each family will now get RM210,000 in compensation.
The family of the three youths initially lost their suit at the High Court in 2015. However, in 2016, the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court's decision and held that the police and government were liable for causing the deaths of the three youths. The court then ordered the case to go for assessment of damages before the High Court registrar, who awarded a total sum of RM207,000 to the three families.
The families, who were dissatisfied with the assessment amount, appealed to the High Court in Shah Alam for the damages to be reassessed, resulting in a total amount of RM1.5 million awarded to them.
On November 12, 2013, the families of the youths filed a civil suit in the High Court in Shah Alam against the Shah Alam district police chief, the Selangor police chief, the inspector-general of police, the government of Malaysia and police officers.
The lawsuit was filed by Shamil’s parents Shapiei Zainal Abidin and Norhafizah Mad Razali, Hairul’s mother Hamidah Kadar and sister Norhaliza Tuah, and Hanifi’s parents Omar Abu Bakar and Noriah Darus.
The police, in their defence, said they suspected the youths of being members of the "Geng Minyak" who were said to be involved in a series of robberies committed at petrol stations.
This was refuted by the families, who said the three youths had no criminal records.
The families also claimed that the youths were killed execution-style, as the bullets entered their bodies at 45 degrees and were directed inwards and downwards.
Senior federal counsel Noerazlim Saidil appeared for the government and the police, while lawyer Zaid Malek represented the families of the three youths.


EPF's insurance platform to benefit middle-income group, economists say

Economists have welcomed the move to allow Employees Provident Fund (EPF) members to buy insurance or takaful products with the funds in their Account 2, saying this will provide them with an extra layer of protection against uncertainties.  Speaking to MalaysiaNow, they described it as an appropriate step that would ensure the social and economic well-being of EPF contributors.
The platform, called i-Lindung, was launched by the retirement fund last week to facilitate the purchase of insurance and takaful products including life and critical illness coverage at affordable premiums.
Economist Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff said the move would benefit those in the middle-income or M40 group given that similar provisions had been made for the B40 or Bottom 40 group in the 2022 budget announced in October last year.
"The government had already provided assistance for the purchase of insurance and takaful products, but this was mainly targeted at those in the B40 bracket," Razman, of Putra Business School, said.
"The move announced by the EPF will provide more benefits for the M40 group who are also struggling to buy insurance. This will give them a chance for social protection."
Fellow economist Barjoyai Bardai meanwhile said the move would not affect members' EPF savings since the purchase of insurance products would only be made through the second account.
He said it made sense to place the purchase of such products under Account 2 which, in the first place, was meant to facilitate matters for members in the areas of education and housing financing.
"Account 1 provides coverage in terms of retirement income in addition to insurance and takaful coverage.
"This, in a nutshell, provides balanced or double protection," he said.
The Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (LIAM) meanwhile urged the government to open the i-Lindung platform to more life insurance operators in the country for the provision of products which would offer more benefits to consumers.
LIAM president Loh Guat Lan said at the moment, the take-up rate for insurance and takaful products in Malaysia is about 56.1%.
"If we take into account the policyholders who have more than one policy, this figure drops to 41%," he added.
"This means that four in 10 Malaysians have life insurance. Of these, only 4% of B40 households have insurance or takaful coverage."
Meanwhile, there are those who have insurance but whose coverage does not include their family members.
Loh estimates that the average amount of protection taken by Malaysians is about RM50,000 – far from enough.
Citing a study published in collaboration with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 2013, he said, there was a huge gap in coverage for families with life insurance.
"In general, the difference ranges between RM100,000 and RM150,000 for each family member," he said.
"A family with five members would need at least RM553,000 to survive the next five years if the breadwinner becomes disabled or dies."
Loh said the launch of the i-Lindung platform should be used to address the low rates of insurance and takaful coverage in the country.
He said the life insurance industry would also continue to raise awareness about the need for insurance protection at all levels of society.
"We have already outlined a five-year roadmap and strategy to achieve our targets," he said.


In Australia, thousands to be evacuated as torrential downpours persist

Australian authorities are planning to evacuate thousands more people on Monday from flooded towns in the Sydney region, which is set for its worst flooding in 60 years.Unrelenting rains over the past three days swelled rivers in Australia’s most populous state of New South Wales (NSW), causing widespread damage and triggering calls for mass evacuations.“We need to brace ourselves, it will be a very difficult week,” NSW state Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters.The torrential rain, which has submerged large swathes of NSW, is in stark contrast to the weather conditions in the same region a year ago, when authorities were battling drought and catastrophic bushfires which killed millions of wild animals.Days of torrential downpours across New South Wales have caused rivers and dams to overflow.Prime Minister Scott Morrison has offered funds for those forced to flee.Forecasters predict that the Hawkesbury river, north-west of Sydney, will reach its highest level since a devastating flood in 1961, on Monday.And the Warragamba Dam, Sydney’s main water source, is overflowing for the first time in years.On Sunday, a young couple in New South Wales saw their house swept away by flash floods on what should have been their wedding day.Shocked neighbours filmed the uprooted three-bedroom cottage being carried down the swollen Manning river after it burst its banks following flash floods.Waters are not expected to subside until Thursday.Seven emergency shelters have opened across the state to protect about 1,000 people in western Sydney who have been forced to leave their homes.Several thousand more in the Hawkesbury-Nepean valley could be evacuated in the coming days, as roads and bridges have been cut off and more than 100 schools closed.Flights have been suspended at Newcastle airport, 117km north of Sydney.“What we’re going through now is different to what you’ve been through for the last 50 years, so please take it seriously,” Berejiklian said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. “This weather event has settled in, it’s not moving on.”Jamisontown resident Ellen Brabin told ABC News that she had not seen floods as severe as this in more than 40 years.“I’ve seen all the floods and stuff, and never had to move before so this is different,” she said.There are also warnings from meteorologists that two weather systems could collide on Monday night or Tuesday morning, creating a “last blast” of rain and storms that could last until Wednesday.


1MDB audit report trial postponed as Najib’s lawyer still in London

Najib Razak and former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy’s audit tampering hearing scheduled for today at the Kuala Lumpur High Court has been postponed to March 28 as the former prime minister’s lead counsel is currently not in the country.Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustafa P Kunyalam, who confirmed the matter, said Muhammad Shafee Abdullah would only be back from London tomorrow, after which he would have to quarantine himself for five days.He said the trial dates this week were also vacated as Arul Kanda’s counsel N Sivananthan had other court matters to attend to.“The trial will resume on March 28,” he said after today’s proceedings, conducted before High Court deputy registrar Catherine Nicholas.It was reported that Shafee had gone to London to meet a prospective Queen’s Counsel (QC) to represent Najib in his appeal to quash his conviction and sentence in the RM42 million SRC International case.When the hearing resumes, former 1MDB chairman Mohd Bakke Salleh, 67, is expected to continue with his testimony.Najib, 68, is charged with using his position to order amendments to the final 1MDB audit report before it was presented to the Public Accounts Committee to avoid any action against him, while Arul Kanda, 45, is charged with abetting Najib in making the amendments to the report to protect Najib from being subjected to action.The offence was allegedly committed at the Prime Minister’s Department Complex, Federal Government Administrative Centre, Putrajaya, between Feb 22 and 26, 2016.They were charged under Section 23 (1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.


Malaysian lawyer detained, questioned for hours by Singapore police

A Malaysian lawyer has accused Singapore of "dangerously claiming extra-territorial jurisdiction over Malaysian citizens" after being detained upon arrival at the city-state this week, where he was subjected to hours of interrogation by the police over a statement he had issued in Malaysia.
Zaid Malek, who is part of Malaysian rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL), had travelled to Singapore to assist Malaysian death row inmate Kalwant Singh in the latter's application for a stay order for his execution, which was carried out early today.
Zaid said he was subjected to "calculated intimidation and harassment" by authorities in Singapore, including two sessions with the police and a warning not to leave the country until the investigation against him was complete.
"In total, I was subjected to about four hours of detention at the airport, about three and a half hours of interrogation at the police complex.
"As a result of this police probe against me from July 4 to 6, 2022, I was obstructed and hampered in assisting and advising Kalwant Singh’s family in the crucial days before his court hearing and execution," Zaid said in a statement issued after his return to Kuala Lumpur.
He said the investigation was over a statement he had issued in Malaysia on behalf of LFL on the plight of two Malaysian prisoners in the city-state – Gobi Avedian and Datchinamurty Katiah, whose suits were dismissed.
Zaid said he was accused of contempt of court, an offence punishable by three years' imprisonment and a fine of S$100,000.
"I was interrogated for two and a half hours, during which detailed questions were asked about the organisation and other details of Lawyers for Liberty," he added.
"My detention and interrogation were acts of calculated intimidation and harassment by the Singapore authorities against me due to my work in representing Malaysian death row prisoners and speaking out against the injustices involving Malaysian prisoners in Singapore’s death penalty regime.
"The actions of the authorities against me prevented me as a lawyer from properly discharging my duties to my clients.
"What is also serious is that I was detained and probed over a statement issued in Malaysia, not in Singapore. By doing so, the Singapore authorities are now dangerously claiming extra-territorial jurisdiction over Malaysian citizens making statements on Malaysian soil," he said.
In an immediate response, vocal Singapore rights lawyer M Ravi slammed the action as "disgraceful".
"The Malaysian Bar should question this intimidation," he said.
Singapore authorities have been coming down hard on several lawyers in the country over their role in defending death row prisoners as well as campaigning for the abolition of the death penalty.
The island republic has been under international criticism of late over its high number of executions of drug traffickers.
Critics say those executed by the state are mostly drug mules employed by kingpins who themselves have largely escaped punishment.


Zuraida says ready to fight PKR’s ‘utterly frivolous’ suit

Former PKR member Zuraida Kamaruddin has scoffed at a RM10 million suit announced by the party against her today, calling it “absurd”, “utterly frivolous” and a “cheap publicity stunt”.“This is just a waste of the court’s time. Any law student could have explained to the current PKR leadership that the court will not enforce any agreement that breaches the Federal Constitution,” said Zuraida, the housing and local government minister who quit the party with about a dozen other leaders during the political crisis in February.PKR today announced the suit against Zuraida, the first in a series of legal proceedings against its former MPs who switched loyalties to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s Perikatan Nasional government.Zuraida, who retained her Ampang seat in last election, said the law allows elected representatives to leave their political parties but that she was sacked for doing so.“I left PKR because it no longer focused on the welfare of the people, but on the prime ministerial ambitions of one man.“Their clamour to seize the PM’s position could be seen by the whole country during the 22 months of PH rule and now in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.“To have stayed on in such a thoughtless party would have been against my conscience. As for this utterly frivolous suit against me, bring it on,” she said.


1,302 new cases, Sarawak leads with 426

Another 1,302 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 341,944.Sarawak recorded 426 cases, Selangor 256, Penang 212 and Johor 176.Kuala Lumpur recorded 58 cases, Sabah 38, Kelantan 34, Pahang 32, Perak and Kedah 23 each, Negeri Sembilan nine, Labuan six, Melaka five and Putrajaya and Terengganu two each.Active cases stand at 14,380 with 169 in the ICU and 76 in need of respiratory assistance.Three new clusters were detected:1. Ladang Sungai Pelek (Sepang in Selangor; 182 screened, 32 positive)2. Patek (Kota Bharu and Machang in Kelantan; 331 screened, 63 positive)3. Pagar Bukit Chagar (Johor Bahru in Johor; 174 screened, 52 positive)Fourteen others ended, leaving 381 active clusters across the country.Another 1,127 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 326,309.However, four more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,255.


Questions over 'popular' Khairy's future after Rembau move

Political analysts have played down the odds of Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin accepting any invitation to contest the Seremban parliamentary seat, a constituency they describe as a DAP fortress.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, they acknowledged Khairy's overall popularity as a politician.
However, they said a victory for him in Seremban would be difficult as the incumbent, Anthony Loke Siew Fook, was also an influential leader.
James Chin of Australia's University of Tasmania said the situation would not favour Khairy, who might end up on the losing end if he decided to try his luck in the area.
"He is not stupid," Chin added. "He knows his own abilities. He will not go to Seremban.
"All of this speculation is just empty talk."
Khairy said on Sept 4 that he would not defend his parliamentary seat of Rembau at the 15th general election (GE15).
He said he had been asked to give way to Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan, to allow him to contest the seat instead.
Khairy, who has held the Rembau seat since 2008, said he did not yet know which parliamentary seat he would contest instead, adding that he was also open to the idea of not contesting at all.
Seremban Umno Youth chief Zool Amali Hussin later suggested that Khairy contest in Seremban, saying it would be a loss if he was not fielded in the election.
Loke, the DAP secretary-general, has held the Seremban seat for nine years.
Mujibu Abd Muis of Universiti Teknologi Mara, when contacted, recalled the loss of MCA candidate Chong Sin Woon who was fielded against Loke in 2018.
While Chong was fluent in Malay and had been seen as a capable candidate, he still lost badly to Loke, who obtained a majority of more than 30,600 votes.
"Khairy's chances might be 50-50," Mujibu added.
"But Seremban is a big city and a mixed constituency. Loke will have the advantage if we take this into consideration."
If Khairy decided to run in Seremban, he added, it would be a loss to the country as both he and Loke were politicians of calibre and only one of them could win.
Ahmad Atory Hussain of Universiti Sains Malaysia meanwhile said Khairy would not likely contest at the state legislative assembly level in Negeri Sembilan or be nominated as menteri besar as such a position would be beneath him.
He said Khairy, who once held the youth and sports portfolio as well, was considered a possible candidate for prime minister due to his high level of education and his image as an intellectual among Umno members.
"Even to be made the menteri besar of Negeri Sembilan would not be at his level," he said.
"And Khairy has been doing well as health minister, to the point where he stands out more than many other Cabinet members."
Nevertheless, he said, question marks remained over Khairy's future in Umno as he was only considered popular outside of the party.
He said this could stand in the way of Khairy's political progress if he chose to remain with Umno.
Chin said Khairy was not considered nationalistic enough, although still useful for winning the votes of the so-called liberal Malays.
"Otherwise, Umno might just get rid of him," he added.
"If he was truly influential and popular within the party, Mohamad would not be able to take over the Rembau seat."
Atory said the move to replace Khairy in Rembau implied an agenda by some within Umno to kill off his political career.
He said it was possible that some were jealous of Khairy's abilities, adding however that this was part and parcel of Umno's political culture.
"Khairy needs to find strong friends in Umno who will shield him and help him stand against his political enemies.
"Otherwise, things will be difficult and he might be forced to go it alone."
Should this come to pass, Atory said, Khairy could migrate to other Malay parties such as Bersatu, PAS, Pejuang, PKR or Amanah.


Focus on Covid, Dr M’s bloc says no comment on Zahid’s move

The Pejuang bloc led by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad says it will not comment on developments sparked by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s announcement that several MPs allied with him have revoked their support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.Instead, Pejuang president Mukhriz Mahathir issued a reminder to heed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s call to focus on fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.“Indeed, that is what Pejuang had intended when it proposed the National Recovery Council by mobilising experts to focus on solving the problems,” he said in a statement.Earlier today, Zahid said he had enough statutory declarations from MPs who had revoked their support for Muhyiddin, which would be submitted to the Agong.He said this showed that Muhyiddin had lost the majority as well as his legitimacy as head of the government.


Japan privacy watchdog warns ChatGPT-maker OpenAI on user data

Japan's privacy watchdog said on Friday it has warned OpenAI, the Microsoft-backed startup behind the ChatGPT chatbot, not to collect sensitive data without people's permission.
OpenAI should minimise the sensitive data it collects for machine learning, the Personal Information Protection Commission said in a statement, adding it may take further action if it has more concerns.
Regulators around the world are scrambling to draw up rules governing the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI), which can create text and images, the impact of which proponents compare to the arrival of the internet.
While Japan has been on the backfoot with some recent technology trends, it is seen as having greater incentive to keep pace with advances in AI and robotics to maintain productivity as its population shrinks.
The watchdog noted the need to balance privacy concerns with the potential benefits of generative AI including in accelerating innovation and dealing with problems such as climate change.
Japan is the third-largest source of traffic to OpenAI's website, according to analytics firm Similarweb.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in April met Prime Minister Fumio Kishida with an eye to expansion in Japan, ahead of the Group of Seven (G7) leaders summit where Kishida led a discussion on regulating AI.
The EU, a global trendsetter on tech regulation, is working on what could be the first set of rules to govern AI.
Altman last week said OpenAI had no plans to leave Europe after earlier suggesting the startup might do so if EU regulations were too difficult to comply with.


Lebanon jeweller sues Rosmah over 'missing' bling

A wholesale jeweller from Lebanon has filed a suit against Rosmah Mansor, demanding that she pay US$14.57 million or RM67.46 million for violating a contract involving 43 pieces of jewellery sent to her five years ago.
Global Royalty Trading SAL, based in Beirut, filed the suit as the plaintiff through Messrs David Gurupatham and Koay at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on March 29, naming the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak as the sole defendant.
In its statement of claim, Global Royalty said that Rosmah, 71, had lied in her affidavit and her statement of defence by saying that 44 pieces of jewellery, including diamond necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets and tiaras sent to her by the company’s agent were seized by the Malaysian authorities for offences under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
The company said this was because only one of the 44 pieces of jewellery was kept by the police and the remaining 43 pieces were not in the custody of the authorities.
"Therefore, the defendant failed and was negligent to return to the plaintiff the remaining 43 pieces of jewellery amounting to US$14.57 million which were sent to the defendant on Feb 10, 2018," it said.
The plaintiff said that based on the letter of undertaking signed by Rosmah, dated May 22, 2018, she had admitted that the jewellery was in her possession and then confiscated by the Malaysian government.
"However, in the company's efforts to recover all 44 pieces of jewellery, only one of them could be identified and retrieved from the government by the representative appointed by the plaintiff... that is the diamond emerald bracelet," it said.
Global Royalty added that it was the duty of the defendant to take care of all of the jewellery and keep it safe.
It also claimed that the defendant had deceived the company by shifting the burden to the government when, in fact, the jewellery had gone missing.
The company is seeking an order for the jewellery to be returned to the plaintiff in good condition within 14 days of the date of judgment, failing which the defendant must pay the plaintiff damages of RM67,461,027.37 or US$14,567,270, besides interest, costs and other reliefs deemed fit by the court.


Munich cancels Christmas market over ‘dramatic’ Covid surge

Munich on Tuesday became the first major German city to cancel its upcoming Christmas market, which usually draws some three million visitors, blaming the “dramatic” coronavirus resurgence.Munich mayor Dieter Reiter called it “bitter news” for the city’s residents and stallholders, but said it would be irresponsible for the event to go ahead.“The dramatic situation in our hospitals and the exponentially increasing infection figures leave me no other choice: unfortunately, the Munich Christmas market cannot take place this year,” Reiter said in a statement.Many German Christmas markets were called off in 2020 because of the pandemic, but Munich “Christ Child Market” is the first of the larger, more popular ones to be axed this year.It was due to open on Nov 22.Munich is located in Germany’s southern Bavaria region, which is grappling with one of the country’s highest infection rates amid a ferocious fourth wave of the pandemic.Bavaria had a weekly incidence rate of 554.2 recorded infections per 100,000 people on Tuesday, according to the Robert Koch Institute, well above the nationwide figure of 312.4 – an all-time high for the country.Germany hosts some 2,500 Christmas markets each year that are popular with visitors who come to savour mulled wine and roasted chestnuts, and shop for seasonal trinkets among clusters of wooden chalets.In pre-pandemic times, they drew about 160 million domestic and international visitors annually who brought in revenues of €3 billion to €5 billion, according to the BSM stallkeepers’ industry association.Eyes are now turning to cities such as Cologne, Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Dresden, which are in the midst of preparing their own popular Christmas markets.Several smaller markets have already been cancelled across Germany, but so far many organisers have said they plan to forge ahead.Some plan to impose stricter rules barring access to the unvaccinated, while other cities will demand proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test before allowing visitors into the Christmas market zones.


Over 600 healthcare workers infected since February

More than 600 healthcare workers in Malaysia have been infected with Covid-19 since February, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba says.Of these, 406 were government hospital workers while the rest were attached to private and university hospitals.Adham said ministry workers who had contracted the virus were provided with psychosocial support through its Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre.“Besides having sessions with psychiatrists, they will also continue with treatment.“Also, they will not be allowed to treat Covid-19 patients any longer,” he told reporters after an event in Putrajaya yesterday.He said the concerns raised by ministry workers through its psychosocial support hotline included stress from being away from their families, having to comply with strict SOPs, exhaustion and issues concerning the Covid-19 special allowance.


Sarawakians not interested in peninsula’s politics, says chief minister

Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg today said Sarawakians are not interested in the political developments in the peninsula.Instead, he said, political leaders should focus on efforts to mitigate the Covid-19 crisis.Abang Johari, who is chairman of GPS, also reiterated the state’s support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.He said this was especially to ensure the country’s stability at this juncture.“I already stated our stand yesterday, that we will continue to support the prime minister,” he said when met in Kapit.“You know, we here in Sarawak are busy with the vaccination programme. Let us focus on the country’s problems. What is most important is to help the people,” he said.“Like us here, we come to visit rural villages to see how the vaccination programme is doing.“Sarawak people do not want to know about these things.”


Govt to propose dates for 5 days of Dewan Rakyat sitting

The government has agreed to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to call for a special Parliament sitting to explain the National Recovery Plan to MPs and amend the rules needed to allow a hybrid parliamentary sitting.The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said the sitting would be for five days from July 26 to 29 and Aug 2 for the Dewan Rakyat, and three days from Aug 2 to 5 for the Dewan Negara.“According to Clause (3) Article 150 of the Federal Constitution, all emergency proclamations and ordinances made by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will be laid before both Houses of Parliament,” it said in a statement.It added that the sitting would be held in line with SOPs to be determined by the National Security Council and health ministry.On July 2, Putrajaya said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had agreed for Parliament to convene as soon as possible before Aug 1, following the latest call by Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.The Agong had made the call for Parliament to convene following an audience with Dewan Negara president Rais Yatim, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun and their deputies.He also made a similar call in the wake of a special meeting of the Malay rulers on June 16. This was followed by a separate statement by the rulers themselves, voicing support for the king’s stand.They also said they saw no need for the emergency period to extend beyond its scheduled deadline of Aug 1.The state of emergency was declared in January amid a spike in Covid-19 infections which also saw the enforcement of the second movement control order across large parts of the country.Under the emergency declaration, Parliament and state assembly sittings have been suspended.


SpaceX launches record number of satellites from one rocket for US$1 million each

A new world record has been set for the number of satellites sent into space on a single rocket.The 143 payloads, of all shapes and sizes, rode to orbit on a SpaceX Falcon rocket that launched from Florida on Sunday.The number beats the previous record of 104 satellites carried by an Indian rocket in 2017.It’s further evidence of major structural changes taking place in space activity that are allowing many more companies to get involved.This is the result of a revolution in robust, miniaturised, low-cost components, many taken directly from consumer electronics such as smartphones.And with SpaceX offering to transport those small packages into orbit for just US$1 million a pop, the commercial opportunities are enormous.San Francisco’s Planet company had the most satellites on the flight: 48. These were more of its SuperDove models which are the size of a shoebox. Many others from different companies were no bigger than a tea cup or a juice carton.Some of the larger items released into orbit were holdall-sized, including several radar satellites which traditionally weighed several thousand kilos and cost many millions of dollars to launch, meaning that only national space agencies could afford them.The Falcon carried the 143 satellites into a 500km-high orbit that runs from pole to pole. Some of the satellite missions require a different orbit, achieved with “space tugs” which tow them where needed. Sunday’s Falcon carried two such tugs.However, for some missions a tailored ride is the only satisfactory solution, which is why there’s now a rush to produce smaller rockets that can perform dedicated flights.Dan Hart, the CEO of Virgin Orbit, which has developed a small rocket that can be launched from under the wing of a Boeing 747, says space start-ups are becoming choosier.“Companies used to want the cheapest way possible to get into space,” he told BBC News. “That’s rapidly changing. Many businesses with critical missions risk losing revenue if they have to wait on others or go into an unsuitable orbit. And that’s why you’re going to see people who will pay that little bit more to get to where they want to go when they absolutely need to go there.”With more satellites going into orbit all the time, the issue of traffic management is now  becoming critical.Collisions between satellites are rare, but a surprisingly large number will experience sudden, unexpected momentum changes, most probably the result of being hit by a piece of space junk.Perhaps almost as importantly for future rocket flights, instead of being a one-off transporter, at the end of its mission this rocket landed perfectly in the sea and will be used again on future missions.


Daily cases fall to 4,600

Another 4,626 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,688,149.Another 4,690 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,596,509.Meanwhile 396 are in the ICU, including 344 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 211 are in need of respiratory assistance including 146 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 4,626 cases reported today, 95 (2.1%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 4,531 (97.9%) are in Category One and Two.


New cases continue to hover at 5,100

Another 5,143 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,551,452.Another 4,551 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,455,767.Meanwhile 526 are in the ICU, including 474 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 250 are in need of respiratory assistance including 192 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 5,143 cases reported today, 126 (2.4%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 5,017 (97.6%) are in Category One and Two.


Umno heavyweights meet as plan to work with Perak PH looks set to fail

Top Umno leaders are expected to reject any move to form a coalition government in Perak with Pakatan Harapan (PH), following a possible power vacuum left by the ouster of its menteri besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu last week.Members of the Umno Supreme Council, the party’s top decision-making body, are meeting tonight hours after a similar meeting by Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders on the way forward in Perak.“Working with PH will be out of the question, even if the suggestion comes from the president,” said a source familiar with informal discussions ahead of tonight’s meeting.The source said party heavyweights are adamant that Umno should stick to its principle of “No DAP, No Anwar”, referring to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.“The Perak government will remain under PN. Umno is with Bersatu and PAS,” the source added.Yesterday, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who previously backed Anwar’s attempt to topple the PN government, said working with PH in Perak could be an option in the event that Umno fails to get support from PAS and Bersatu.PAS and Bersatu have condemned Umno’s move against Faizal and have threatened to stay out of any attempt to form a new state government.The Perak state assembly is dominated by Umno with 25 representatives.If PAS and Bersatu with their eight seats refuse to continue their support, Umno will need five more from among PH assemblymen to form the state government.DAP, with 16 seats, has the lion’s share in Perak PH, followed by Amanah (five) and PKR (three). The remaining two seats are held by Gerakan and an independent.A source told MalaysiaNow that Umno could still seek support from the five Amanah assemblymen to stay in power.“However, that would not amount to abiding by its ‘No DAP, No Anwar’ slogan as Amanah is seen as a party which toes the line taken by its big brothers in PH,” an Amanah insider in Perak said.


US ex-cop sentenced to over 22 years for George Floyd murder

Former policeman Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison on Friday for the murder of African American George Floyd, the killing that sparked America’s biggest demonstrations for racial justice in decades.The white, 45-year-old Chauvin gave his “condolences” to the Floyd family in a Minneapolis court, without apologising, before Judge Peter Cahill handed down a lesser sentence than the 30 years the prosecution had sought.“This (jail term) is based on your abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty shown to George Floyd,” Cahill told Chauvin, who listened impassively.The decision was read out at the end of a tense hearing in which the court watched a recorded message by Floyd’s seven-year-old daughter and heard from Chauvin’s mother.The Floyd family’s lawyer called the sentencing a “historic” step towards racial reconciliation in the US.“(It) brings the Floyd family and our nation one step closer to healing by delivering closure and accountability,” Ben Crump tweeted.President Joe Biden said: “I don’t know all the circumstances that were considered but it seems to me, under the guidelines, that seems to be appropriate.”Civil rights activist Al Sharpton said it sent “a message of accountability”, despite being less than what the family wanted.Chauvin, who has been behind bars since being convicted on three counts of murder and manslaughter two months ago, wore a light grey suit as he learnt his fate following a trial that captivated the world.He spoke briefly, after declining to testify during his six-week trial.“I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family,” Chauvin said after removing his face mask.“At this time due to some additional legal matters at hand, I’m not able to give a full formal statement at this time.”“There’s going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest and I hope things will give you some peace of mind,” he added.Before he spoke, Carolyn Pawlenty said her son, Chauvin, was a “good man”.“I have always believed in your innocence and I will never waver from that,” she said.Earlier, the court watched a moving video from the late Floyd’s daughter, Gianna Floyd.“I miss you and I love you,” the girl said when asked in the recorded message what she said would say to her father today.Chauvin and three colleagues arrested Floyd, 46, in May 2020 on suspicion of having passed a fake US$20 bill in a store in Minneapolis, a northern city of around 420,000. They handcuffed him and pinned him to the ground in the street.Chauvin then knelt on the back of Floyd’s neck for nearly 10 minutes, indifferent to the dying man’s groans and to the pleas of distraught passers-by.The scene, filmed and uploaded by a young woman, quickly went viral. After weeks of home confinement due to the Covid-19 pandemic, hundreds of thousands of people poured onto streets across the country and overseas, to demand an end to racism and police brutality.It took weeks for the mass demonstrations to taper off, but the debate around the pressing social issues remains vivid in the United States, where Biden has been slow to come up with the police reforms he promised during his campaign.Minnesota law provides for a minimum sentence of 12.5 years but Floyd’s brother, Terrence Floyd, his voice choking, told the court Cahill should hand Chauvin the stiffest term possible.‘Particular cruelty’“Why? What were you thinking? What was going through your head when you had your knee on my brother’s neck?” demanded Floyd, urging Chauvin to explain the reason for the murder.Cahill said his sentence was “not based on emotion or sympathy”, but the law, and in a 22-page sentencing memorandum identified aggravating circumstances that brought a heavier punishment.They included that Chauvin’s offence occurred in front of minors and that he “committed the crime as a group with the active participation of at least three other” officers.Chauvin’s trial was closely followed across the country.His lawyer said Chauvin had followed police procedures in force at the time and that Floyd’s death was due to health problems exacerbated by drug use.The jurors took less than 10 hours to convict. Their decision was greeted with a huge sigh of relief across the country. Many had feared an acquittal would lead to worse unrest, while others worried that once again a white police officer would get away with what they saw as murder.With good behaviour, Chauvin could serve just two-thirds of any prison sentence, with the remaining third on supervised release.The defence will appeal the verdict, Nelson has said, citing doubts over the impartiality of some jurors.On the eve of sentencing, the judge denied the defence’s request for a new trial.Neither will the case end with Chauvin: his three former colleagues will face trial in March 2022 on charges of complicity in homicide.In parallel, the four men also face federal charges of violating Floyd’s constitutional rights. No date has yet been set for that trial.


Indonesian workers ‘treated like animals’ in Sabah detention centres, report says

Details of horrific conditions endured by workers detained at immigration centres in Sabah have emerged in a report by an Indonesian group describing, among others, inhumane treatment, blackmail, confiscation of personal property and a lack of medical care.The Coalition of Sovereign Migrant Workers (KBMB), which comprises six groups in Indonesia and one in Hong Kong, released the report after interviewing 33 undocumented migrant workers in Sabah who were detained in temporary detention centres before being deported to Indonesia between December 2019 and September this year.According to the report, most of the workers were from Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara.“From our interviews, the majority said they were treated like animals,” KBMB coordinator Musdalifah Jamal said in a webinar session on Wednesday.MalaysiaNow is still trying to contact the home ministry and immigration department for a response to the allegations.The report also revealed that most of the detainees had to contact family members in their home country to ask for money and food to meet their basic needs while in detention.But migrant workers interviewed by KBMB said even this was often taken away by immigration officers at the detention centre.But migrant workers interviewed by KBMB said even this was often taken away by immigration officers at the detention centre.“A third of the money sent goes missing, as does a portion of the food. Detainees who want to contact family members are forced to inform the staff and pay around RM10 to RM20 for calls not exceeding an hour,” it said.MalaysiaNow understands that approximately 1,082 detained migrant workers from Indonesia have been deported so far.‘Unfit’ for human habitationAccording to the report, conditions at the detention centres are so bad that many detainees suffer from emotional distress in addition to physical ailments such as skin problems.“Migrant workers were found to be in poor physical health, with mental health problems and stress,” the report said.Worse still are claims of detainees who died in detention due to lack of medical care.The report also mentioned a case in which the centre refused to allow a detainee’s family member to view the body, even though that family member was also detained at the same centre.It further revealed a lack of facilities for pregnant women, infants, children and the elderly, and spoke of witnesses who had seen babies delivered without the supervision or assistance of paramedics or medical staff.Infections and skin diseases are also common at these centres although detainees are not treated for these problems.Infections and skin diseases are also common at these centres although detainees are not treated for these problems.“The skin diseases experienced by almost all of the detainees – and other ailments – are caused by a lack of clean water supply for bathing,” the report said.“The water made available to detainees is far from clean and certainly unsuitable for drinking, bathing or washing.”Migrant workers interviewed by KBMB also said they often went without baths for three consecutive days as the water was too dirty and smelly.A doctor treating Indonesian migrant workers in Sabah was quoted as saying that such water was the cause of infectious skin diseases among detainees.The most common type of skin disease at the centres is Norwegian scabies which spreads rapidly and requires proper medical care.The report also quoted a physician and HIV consultant who said the poor conditions at the centres not only accelerate the spread of cholera, diarrhoea and cough, but “also increases the risk of hepatitis and HIV transmission, as limited medical equipment means what little equipment is used among many detainees”.


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Court to hear submissions on Anwar’s bid for judicial review on suspension of Parliament

The High Court has set Feb 17 to hear submissions on whether the leave application for judicial review filed by Anwar Ibrahim regarding the suspension of Parliament during the emergency period should be heard before the question is referred to the Federal Court.Anwar filed the application on Jan 25 to initiate a judicial review against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and the government for advising Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah to suspend Parliament during the emergency period.Senior federal counsel Ahmad Hanir Hambaly said judge Mariana Yahya had ordered parties in the case to submit on the matter in the proceedings to be held through Zoom at 2.30pm.He said this when contacted by Bernama after case management through Zoom before Mariana through today.Also present were senior federal counsel S Narkunavathy from the Attorney-General’s Chambers and lawyers Ramkarpal Singh and Sangeet Kaur Deo, representing Anwar.Sangeet said the court also requested parties to submit on the question of whether Anwar’s application to refer questions to the Federal Court ought to be heard before the application for leave.In the application, Anwar named Muhyiddin and the government as the first and second respondents.He is seeking a court declaration that the decision by the Cabinet, led by Muhyiddin, to advise Sultan Abdullah to promulgate Section 14 of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 which resulted in the suspension of Parliament, is unconstitutional and unlawful.The Port Dickson MP is also seeking a declaration that Section 14 of the Emergency Ordinance is inconsistent with Articles 150 (3) and (5) of the Federal Constitution and is therefore unconstitutional and invalid. He is also applying for a mandamus order for both respondents to advise Sultan Abdullah to repeal the section.He likewise filed an application to refer several questions to the Federal Court pertaining to his judicial review over the government’s decision in advising the king to declare an emergency proclamation.The questions posed for the High Court to consider referring to the Federal Court include whether the decision to give advice and/or the advice given by Cabinet led by the prime minister to the king to suspend Parliament is subject to the ouster clauses in Article 150 of the Federal Constitution.The second question is whether the decision to give the advice and/or the advice given by Cabinet led by the prime minister to the king to suspend Parliament is reviewable by the courts.Anwar also wants the court to decide whether Section 39(2) of the Malaysia Act 1963, Section 15(d) of the Constitutional (Amendment) Act 1981, and Articles 150 (6) and (8) of the Federal Constitution are inconsistent and/or in contravention to Articles 4, 5, 8 and 121(1) of the Federal Constitution.


Putrajaya spills FDI data as it negotiates 240 high-profile foreign investments

Malaysia recorded RM109.8 billion worth of investments throughout the first nine months of last year despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic which has sharply decreased foreign investments in the Asean region, and is currently in discussions to approve 240 high-profile foreign investment projects, the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) said.The agency said the investments created some 65,000 jobs in about 3,000 projects, 40% of which were foreign direct investments (FDI).The manufacturing sector made up the largest in investments with 59.5% or RM65.3 billion, followed by the services sector (RM42.8 billion) and the primary sector (RM1.7 billion).This was an increase of 16.6% compared to the same period in 2019, said Mida.The statistics were released following claims that Malaysia was losing out on investments compared to its regional neighbours.Mida acknowledged that the FDI landscape would remain challenging and highly competitive, as shown by figures released by the United Nations Commission on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).The report said FDI flow fell by 42% globally from US$1.5 trillion in 2019 to US$859 billion last year.FDI into Southeast Asia meanwhile dropped by 31%, mainly due to declines suffered by the largest recipients of investments such as Singapore (37%), Indonesia (24%), Vietnam (10%), Thailand (50%) and Malaysia (68%).Mida said urgent measures are being taken to secure investments through the establishment of the Project Acceleration and Coordination Unit and i-Incentive, with the goal of attracting high-quality investments to create high-skilled jobs and promote technology transfer.“These efforts will further augment Malaysia’s attractiveness as an investment destination,” Mida said.It said Malaysia remains a top global attraction for investments, ranking fourth ahead of China, Japan, Vietnam and India according to a KPMG study in the US.As such, it expressed confidence that foreign investment could be expected to return to pre-pandemic levels.Mida said 240 high-profile foreign investment projects worth RM81.9 billion are being negotiated this year.“These projects, once approved, are expected to be implemented within the years 2021 to 2022,” it added.High-end investmentsIt listed several high-end and high-technology industries which have invested in the country despite the slowing down effect of Covid-19 on economies worldwide.They include British medical equipment firm Schmidt and Nephew, US-based technology-oriented firm Dexcom, and LAM Research, a US global supplier of wafer fabrication equipment to the lucractive semiconductor industry.Meanwhile, Swiss-based electrical company LEM will set up its new production plant in Malaysia to meet growing demand from the industrial and automotive sectors.Others include audio products leader MusicTribe, which is setting up a fully robotised facility, and SK Nexilis, the South Korean copper foil manufacturer which recently announced it would build its first overseas plant in Sabah.“The availability of excellent infrastructure, telecommunication services, financial and banking services, supporting industries as well as a diverse pool of talents with skills and trainable workforce has been pull factors for investors to consider,” said Mida.Meanwhile, several giant multinational companies have also announced expansion, such as German life science firm Eppendorf, which has established a hub for its IT, HR and financial divisions in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions.Others include German-based Bosch and B.Braun, and Taiwan-based Wistron, a research and development leader for electrical products.US computer hardware giant Western Digital has announced additional investments for design and manufacturing, and Japan’s Nippon Electric Glass is expanding its production capacity of glass tubing for medical use to cope with demand for the vaccine rollout.


Fresh from Oscar win, Michelle Yeoh urges women to resist being 'put in a box'

Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh spoke up today for diversity and women's empowerment in the entertainment industry, telling reporters in Kuala Lumpur "we should never allow somebody to put us in a box".
Speaking at her first news conference in Malaysia since her historic best actress win, Yeoh returned to themes that had been a staple of her awards season interviews.
"I have been very blessed that I've continuously been able to work, and work (with) very interesting, very diverse and very forward-thinking filmmakers. That has enabled me to fight for what I truly believe in: representation, diversity, especially empowerment of women," she said.
"I don't believe just because we are women, we are a weaker sex... We should never allow somebody to put us in a box."
Winning the best actress Oscar – as the first Asian woman ever to do so – "represents so much to so many of us", she continued, adding that she "heard the roar of joy, happiness all across the world to Los Angeles" following her victory.
Yeoh won the award for her portrayal of Chinese-American laundromat owner Evelyn Wang, who deals with family turmoil while battling an interdimensional villain in the sci-fi action comedy "Everything Everywhere All at Once".
The lack of Asian representation at Hollywood's highest levels had been a recurring topic in her interviews ahead of the awards.
Yeoh was due to meet with fans later at a fancy shopping mall in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
Asked about her advice to young people around the world, she said: "Don't become me, be you... I believe that you are going to be better."
The 60-year-old Hollywood veteran was born to Chinese parents in the city of Ipoh. She embraced dance as a child and specialised in ballet, which she studied in England.
Yeoh's film credits stretch back to the 1980s, but her Hollywood breakthrough came when she was cast as the first ethnic Chinese Bond girl in 1997's "Tomorrow Never Dies" opposite Pierce Brosnan.
She also starred in the Oscar-winning 2000 martial arts film "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon", the 2005 period drama "Memoirs of a Geisha" and the 2018 romantic comedy "Crazy Rich Asians".


Najib lodges police report on alleged concealment of 1MDB, SRC evidence

Former prime minister Najib Razak today lodged a police report calling for an investigation to find out if there was any concealment of material evidence regarding financial transactions related to his 1MDB and SRC International cases.He claimed that several parties including some key individuals during the time of the Pakatan Harapan government were involved, and said he was leaving it to the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into these matters.“Most Malaysians were shocked with the confirmation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) last week that a balance of RM65 million of funds reportedly linked to Jho Low and 1MDB in bank accounts linked to the immediate family of a former central bank BNM governor was returned to Malaysia by the Singapore authorities,” he told reporters after lodging the report at the Dang Wangi police station.He further said that former attorney-general Tommy Thomas’ revelation two days ago that the latter was aware of such transactions during his time in office, as well as the answer in Parliament on Monday by law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar that police had known about this since at least 2019 under the previous Pakatan Harapan government had left him disappointed.Najib said such information was material to his defence in court in the SRC and 1MDB cases.“I was also made aware that another key prosecution witness in my SRC case had similarly received more than RM85 million in funds directly linked to 1MDB and again me and my legal team were not told about this despite the individuals playing key roles in the SRC case,” he said.Najib was convicted in the SRC case but has appealed while the 1MDB case is ongoing at the Kuala Lumpur High Court. The Court of Appeal has set Dec 8 for its decision in the SRC case.Dang Wangi police chief ACP Noor Dellhan Yahaya, when contacted, confirmed receiving the report, saying an investigation will be conducted.


More flooding in Mexican mine frustrates rescue effort for 10 miners

Mexico's efforts to save 10 miners who became trapped in a flooded coal mine 13 days ago hit another setback as underground water levels have surged higher, officials said on Monday.
The miners became confined underground at the Pinabete mine in the border state of Coahuila on Aug 3 when their excavation work led a tunnel wall to collapse and unleashed flooding.
The surge came from the nearby Conchas Norte mine, which closed due to flooding in 1996 and has since accumulated nearly 2 million cubic meters (528 million gallons) of water, said Laura Velazquez, head of Mexico's civil protection agency.
Engineers now plan to seal off the Pinabete and Conchas Norte mines from one another while continuing to pump water out of Pinabete, Velazquez said.
Mexican officials last week managed to reduce water depths at Pinabete, in the Sabinas municipality, that had initially topped about 30 meters (100 feet). But by Monday the water levels rushed back to their heights at the time of the collapse, in one shaft reaching more than 41 meters (135 feet).
A rescue team on Sunday was preparing to descend into one of the mine shafts when the water flooded back, Velazquez noted.
"This sudden entry forced us to stop the whole entry plan," Velazquez told a regular government news conference. A video camera lowered into the shaft revealed debris of pipes and cables floating in the "extremely murky water," she added.
An attempt to enter the mine last week, when the water levels were lower, was also thwarted by debris and darkness.
Maria Guadalupe Cabriales, sister of trapped miner Margarito Cabriales, said in an interview outside the mine that the delays in the rescue effort had worn down her optimism.
"They're going to take longer to get my brother out... What hope do we have left?"


NZ to stay in lockdown as outbreak ‘yet to peak’

New Zealand extended a national Covid-19 lockdown Monday, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying a Delta variant outbreak has yet to peak.Ardern said the rapid spread of the highly transmissible variant meant it was too early to lift restrictions imposed last week after a virus cluster emerged in Auckland, ending a six-month run of no local cases.“Delta had a head start on us and we’ve needed to catch up as quickly as we could… we don’t think we have reached the peak of this outbreak,” she said.Ardern said 35 new cases had been detected, taking the total to 107, with more than 13,000 close contacts undergoing testing.New Zealand’s lockdown was due to expire late Tuesday but Ardern said it would continue through to Friday nationwide and until the evening of Aug 31 in Auckland.“The safest option for all of us right now is to hold the course for longer,” she said.“This will allow us to have additional data and see if the virus has spread.”New Zealand’s “Covid zero” elimination strategy – which has resulted in just 26 deaths in a population of five million – has relied on strict border controls backed by hard lockdowns when any cases do slip through.Ardern’s own Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins on Sunday questioned whether Delta rendered the strategy unviable, but the leader said she believed in it “absolutely”.“Our plan has worked before and together we can make it work again,” she said.Ardern has previously announced plans to relax restrictions next year when vaccination rates are higher.Only about 20% of New Zealand’s population is fully inoculated, one of the lowest rates in the developed world.


Aid given directly to the people, not necessarily through MPs, says Anwar

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim yesterday said that the government was giving aid and assistance directly to those in need, including flood victims, not necessarily through MPs.
Citing the example of the RM50 million flood aid for Johor, Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said the aid was meant for flood victims, not the state.
"The RM50 million is meant for those in need. It may have not reached the MPs, but it will reach the grassroots," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.
He was responding to Pagoh MP Muhyiddin Yassin’s call for the government to allocate at least RM300,000 to every elected representative, including those from the opposition, to enable them to channel immediate aid and assistance to flood victims in their areas.
Muhyiddin also called for the immediate flood aid of RM50 million to Johor to be increased to RM100 million.
Anwar said the government would spend the RM50 million first, which would be channelled directly to those affected by the floods without having to go through the various stages.
"There’s no commission, so the aid will go directly to the (flood) victims.
"The flood mitigation projects have also been expedited. If we include that too, we have actually allocated almost RM1 billion for Johor," he said.
On the RM300,000 for every MP, however, Anwar said he was open to discussions with Muhyiddin.


France knife attacker said to have watched jihadist videos

A Tunisian man who stabbed to death a police employee outside Paris watched jihadist propaganda videos just before the attack, France’s anti-terror prosecutor said Sunday, adding that a fifth person was detained for questioning.Based on an analysis of the killer’s cellphone as well as his social media postings, “his radicalisation appears little in doubt”, Jean-Francois Ricard said at a press conference.The 36-year-old attacker, identified as Jamel Gorchene, stabbed a woman who worked at the police station in Rambouillet, a suburb southwest of Paris, on Friday as she was returning from a break.Racing into the building’s secure entry hall, he grabbed the victim from behind and stabbed her in the stomach and throat while yelling “Allahu Akbar” (God is Greatest), Ricard said.An officer in the building shot Gorchene after he refused an order to drop the knife, which had a 22cm blade.Investigators later discovered that he had watched videos of songs praising jihadist fighters on his phone moments before the attack.A Quran and a prayer rug were found in his scooter afterwards, Ricard said.Video surveillance cameras appear to show that Gorchene visited a temporary prayer hall in Rambouillet a few hours before arriving at the station, he added, though the images do not confirm if he entered the building.Gorchene’s father, who was still being held for questioning Sunday, “revealed that his son had adopted a rigorous practice of Islam”, Ricard said.“On the other hand, he also said that he had noticed behavioural troubles since the beginning of this year,” he added.A couple who housed Gorchene after he arrived illegally in France in 2009 were released from custody without charge, a judicial source said.Two cousins remained in custody Sunday as investigators try to work out what prompted the attack by a man unknown to any of France’s intelligence services and without a criminal record.‘Barbaric act’France has suffered a wave of Islamist terror attacks that have killed more than 250 people in recent years. Ricard said the Rambouillet attack was the 17th since 2014.Gorchene, who obtained a French residency permit last year, had returned last month to Tunisia to visit his family, his first trip to the country since he immigrated.Ricard said investigators were working with Tunisian authorities, while Tunisia’s embassy in Paris said it “strongly condemned” a “barbaric act” carried out during the holy month of Ramadan.Posts on Gorchene’s Facebook page indicate that he might have been spurred to action after the jihadist murder of Samuel Paty, a school teacher, last October, Ricard said.Paty had angered some students’ parents by showing controversial cartoons of the prophet Mohammed printed by the Charlie Hebdo newspaper, whose offices were also targeted in a deadly jihadist attack in 2015.After the Paty murder, Gorchene embraced “an ideology that legitimises violence against those who offend the prophet”, Ricard said.‘Isolated individuals’Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said the government would present a new law this week to toughen anti-terror measures, including increased use of computer algorithms to detect potential terror threats among internet users.“We are now dealing with isolated individuals, increasingly younger and unknown to intelligence services, and often without any links to established Islamist groups,” he told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper on Sunday.President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday visited the police station in Rambouillet as well as the bakery owned by the husband of the victim, a 49-year-old mother of two teenage girls.The latest violence targeting police is likely to heighten attention on the danger of Islamic extremism in France and on wider concerns about security and immigration a year ahead of presidential elections.Polls currently indicate that Macron will face a tough race against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who accused the government of failing to eradicate “Islamism” in the wake of the attack.But other critics say Macron’s efforts to tackle religious extremism, including making it easier for authorities to track foreign funding of mosques, risk stigmatising or alienating French Muslims.


Anwar in pact to get Zahid off the hook if PH wins, Mahathir says it again

Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Anwar Ibrahim will help dismiss Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s court cases and free Najib Razak from jail if he receives the support to become prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today in a fresh attack against his nemesis' bid for the top post.
The former prime minister said he had learnt that Anwar and Zahid had already held talks about working together, adding that this was one of the reasons why the people should reject PH at the upcoming polls.
“Why would Anwar become prime minister instead of Zahid?” he said in a speech at Kota Kinabalu in Sabah.
“Because the prime minister will ask the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a pardon for Najib, who is languishing in jail, and abort all of the cases he still faces.
“Anwar will also work to get rid of the charges against Zahid and several other Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders.”
Mahathir, who served as prime minister twice for a total of 24 years, had joined PH in the 2018 polls, toppling more than six decades of BN rule.
But pressure from his Cabinet members loyal to Anwar to appoint the PKR leader as prime minister in line with a succession plan agreed to by PH soon led to the collapse of Mahathir's government.
His remarks echoed those of Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, who earlier warned Umno members of a possible cooperation between their party president Zahid and Anwar if BN lacked the votes to form the government on its own after the polls.
Many political analysts have not ruled out such a possibility, pointing to the two leaders' close ties dating back to their Umno days.
In 2020, MalaysiaNow revealed a joint letter by Najib and Zahid in support of Anwar as prime minister as part of a bid to topple Muhyiddin at the height of the pandemic.
Last year, meanwhile, an explosive telephone conversation between Zahid and Anwar showed the two leaders involved in a plan to get Umno leaders’ support for a motion to cut ties with Bersatu, which laid the foundation for the collapse of the PN government in August.


Despite declining infection rates, Thai crisis looms after Songkran travels

Although daily case numbers are declining, Thailand, and especially Bangkok, faces a crisis because the number of severely ill patients and deaths is rising, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) warned on Friday, the Bangkok Post is reporting.CCSA spokesman Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin said the number of new Covid-19 cases nationwide fell from 2,174 on Tuesday to 1,579 on Friday. Figures for Bangkok were also declining, from 993 on Tuesday to 417 on Friday.“Despite the falling numbers, we cannot be happy,” Taweesilp said. “The number of critically ill patients, those dependent on ventilators, and daily death numbers are rising.”There were 563 severely ill patients last Sunday, increasing to 871 on Thursday. The number on ventilators went up from 150 last Sunday to 250 by Thursday.“This is a crisis, unless these figures can be reduced,” Taweesilp said.He blamed the present wave of Covid-19 on infections at entertainment venues. This month, nearly 8,000 cases were linked to such places, of which nearly 7,000 were in Bangkok.Although the mid-April Songkran holiday celebrations were cancelled, infected people still left Bangkok for their home provinces and spread the disease there, Taweesilp said.“Resources are being mobilised to control the disease in Bangkok. There is not much time left for us to successfully manage this. It is important that people minimise travel,” he said.The government is also aiming to use more digital technology to tackle the Covid-19 surge.The Digital Council of Thailand (DCT) is working with 36 leading tech organisations and the Medical Council of Thailand (TMC) to provide digital technology for field hospitals treating Covid-19 patients.“Digital technology can play an immense role in dealing with the country’s third wave of the pandemic,” DCT president Suphachai Chearavanont said in a video-conferenced press briefing on Friday.The digital organisations involved include the Thai arms of global tech giants Microsoft, Huawei, Oracle, Ericsson and Amazon Web Services, as well as local mobile operators.The use of digital technology is intended to minimise infection risks among medical personnel, support communications between field hospitals and ease the impact of the crisis, according to the Bangkok Post.TMC secretary-general Ittaporn Kanacharoen said the shortage of medical staff during the rise in the number of Covid patients in field hospitals made it important to use technology to help take care of patients and to streamline the operation, including communications between field and main hospitals.


Dozens of Rohingya refugees land off Indonesian coast

A boat filled with dozens of Rohingya, mostly women and children, landed on an island off the Indonesian coast early Friday, according to an AFP reporter and the UN refugee agency.It is the latest wave of arrivals by the persecuted minority in Muslim-majority Indonesia, after often perilous, months-long sea journeys from cramped refugee camps in Bangladesh – next to their native Myanmar.The group of about 80 Rohingya landed on tiny Pulau Idaman, a small island just off the coast of northern Sumatra, an AFP reporter said, citing figures from local officials.The UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency, also confirmed the landing but declined to discuss details.It was not clear where the group departed from before Friday’s arrival.Idaman island resident Muhammad Upin said he spotted the refugees’ boat early Friday morning.“Around 7am, the group got off the boat and came ashore,” he said.“They were stranded because one of the boat engines was broken. They’re all healthy and the locals have given them food,” he added.Upin described the engine-equipped boat as similar to a ferry rather than the often rickety wooden vessels that have come ashore on previous landings.In September, a group of nearly 300 Rohingya arrived in northern Indonesia after what they described as months of terror on the high seas.They reported being beaten by human traffickers as they battled hunger and thirst, with the corpses of those who died at sea thrown overboard.The reports matched previous refugee claims relayed to international organisations.In June last year, nearly 100 Rohingya arrived in the same part of Indonesia.It was not immediately clear if the latest group would be allowed to stay, but previous migrants have been placed in refugee camps.Around one million Muslim Rohingya live in cramped camps in Bangladesh, where human traffickers run lucrative operations promising to find them sanctuary abroad.The Rohingya fled from Buddhist-majority Myanmar to escape a military crackdown against them four years ago that UN investigators said amounted to genocide.Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia are favoured destinations for Rohingya trying to escape Bangladesh.