Conditional approval given for Moderna jab

The Drug Control Authority (DCA) in its 362nd meeting today gave conditional registration approval for the Spikevax 0.20 mg/ml Dispersion for Injection Covid-19 mRNA Vaccine (nucleoside modified), also known as Covid-19 Moderna vaccine, for use in the current emergency situation.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in a statement said approval for the product was for the product registration holder, Zuellig Pharma Sdn Bhd and the manufacturer, Rovi Pharma Industrial Services of Spain.“The conditional registration approval required quality information as well as the efficacy of the vaccine to be monitored and evaluated based on the latest data from time to time.“It is to ensure that the comparison of benefits over risks for the vaccine product remains positive,” he said.Noor Hisham also said the health ministry is committed to improving access to Covid-19 vaccines in Malaysia by ensuring that the products are evaluated in terms of quality, safety and efficacy by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency and approved by the DCA.


Malaysia’s Covid-19 infectivity rate rises to 1.16

Malaysia’s Covid-19 infectivity rate (R-naught) increased to 1.16 yesterday from 1.14 the day before, says health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.In a Facebook post, he said Terengganu had the highest infectivity rate of 1.33, followed by Kelantan (1.26) and Sabah and Penang (both at 1.25).Sarawak, Melaka, Pahang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Perak, Johor and Kedah registered rates of between 1.04 and 1.22.The R-naught value refers to the infectivity of a virus, that is how many individuals can be infected by a positive case.


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Agong confirms Ismail Sabri as 9th PM

Ismail Sabri Yaakob was today confirmed as Malaysia’s ninth prime minister after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong decided that the Bera MP commands the confidence of the majority of MPs to form the next government.In a statement, Istana Negara said Ismail would be sworn into office at 2.30pm tomorrow.“His Majesty expresses hope that with the appointment of the new prime minister, the political crisis can be ended immediately and all MPs can set aside political agendas, unite and work together to address the Covid-19 pandemic in the interest of the people and the country,” the palace said in a statement by the Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin.The confirmation from the palace puts to rest intense speculation since yesterday that the Agong could call for a “unity government”, despite all such suggestions falling short of the constitutional provisions for the appointment of the prime minister.Today’s statement came after the Malay rulers held a two-hour discussion hosted by Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who briefed them on the process of appointing the prime minister.It said the palace had received letters from all 220 MPs on their choice of prime minister, with 114 MPs in support of Ismail. The statement however did not mention the number of votes received by Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim, the closest contender for the post.“The nomination of the future prime minister through statutory declarations was to assist His Majesty in arriving at a decision to appoint a member of the Dewan Rakyat who in his opinion was likely to have the confidence of the majority of MPs as the prime minister, in line with Article 43 (2) (a) of the Federal Constitution,” the palace statement added.Ismail’s appointment as prime minister followed months of political uncertainty amid threats from Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former leader Najib Razak to revoke their support for Muhyiddin Yassin.Ismail and more than 20 Umno and Barisan Nasional MPs had refused to follow the Umno leaders’ call for them to quit the government.Following the move by about a dozen Umno MPs aligned with Najib to revoke their support, Muhyiddin agreed to put his majority to the test in a confidence vote in Parliament.The move did not satisfy Zahid and Najib, who alongside Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim insisted that Muhyiddin step down immediately before the confidence vote.In a last-minute move to prevent a collapse of the government in the midst of the pandemic, Muhyiddin announced a cross-party consensus to MPs across the divide, promising to implement critical reforms championed by the opposition. The gesture was turned down and days later, Muhyiddin announced his resignation.


UK inflation hits 41-year high as finance minister readies budget

Surging household energy bills and food prices pushed British inflation to a 41-year high, according to data published a day before finance minister Jeremy Hunt announces tax hikes and spending cuts to control price growth.
Consumer prices rose 11.1% in the 12 months to October, the most since October 1981 and a big jump from 10.1% in September, the Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the inflation would rise to 10.7%.
Inflation would have risen to around 13.8% in October had the government not intervened to limit the price of household energy bills to £2,500 (about RM13400) a year on average, the ONS said.
In response to the data, Hunt - who is due to outline a new budget on Thursday - said "tough but necessary" decisions were required to tackle rising prices.
"It is our duty to help the Bank of England in their mission to return inflation to target by acting responsibly with the nation’s finances," he said in a statement.
Analysts said the jump maintained pressure on the BoE to keep on raising interest rates.
"These numbers sit uncomfortably alongside the message sent from the Bank of England... when it argued that only modestly higher interest rates would be necessary to bring inflation back towards its 2% target," Mike Bell, global market strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management, said. "We are not so convinced."
Inflationary pressures from Britain's tight labour market had been under-estimated and workers were likely to ask for more pay going forward to offset inflation, Bell said, predicting the BoE would raise rates to a peak of 4.5% from 3.0% now.
The BoE had predicted inflation of 10.9% in October in forecasts published this month.
James Smith, an economist at ING, said there were signs inflation was peaking and he expected Bank Rate to top out at around 4%, slightly below markets' current pricing.
Poorest suffering most
Hurting those on the lowest incomes the most, 12 months to October prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages rose at the fastest rate since 1977, the ONS said.
Unlike the leap in the headline number, core inflation - which excludes food and energy and other volatile components - was unchanged at 6.5%.
The lowest-income households, for whom energy and food take up a bigger share of spending, suffered an inflation rate of 11.9% while top earners faced a 10.5% rate, the ONS said.
Producer price data showed there was still inflation pressure in the pipeline but hinted at a possible slowdown.
Manufacturers' costs for raw materials and energy rose at their slowest pace since March but at 19.2% the increase was still huge by historical standards.
Prices charged by factories rose by 14.8% in the 12 months to October, the slowest increase since April.


Cases surge in Sarawak as 1,767 new infections reported

Another 1,767 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 363,940.Sarawak reported 607 cases followed by Selangor (483), Kuala Lumpur (133), Sabah (117) and Kelantan (103).Penang reported 92 cases, Johor 74, Kedah 39, Perak 36, Terengganu 29, Melaka 17, Pahang 14, Terengganu 13, Putrajaya seven and Labuan three.Active cases stand at 16,300 with 199 in the ICU and 82 in need of respiratory assistance.Nine new clusters were detected:1. Jalan Puncak Borneo (Kuching in Sarawak; 111 screened, 61 positive)2. Jalan Raja Laut (Lembah Pantai, Cheras, Kepong and Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur; 100 screened, 20 positive)3. Jalan Hishamuddin (Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur; 79 screened, nine positive)4. Lebuh Wawasan (Putrajaya, Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur and Seremban in Negeri Sembilan; 65 screened, 11 positive)5. Tabanak (Lahad Datu in Sabah; 89 screened, 15 positive)6. Kampung Gayang (Tuaran in Sabah; 548 screened, 23 positive)7. Taman Malim Jaya (Melaka Tengah and Jasin in Melaka; 52 screened, 13 positive)8. Jalan Salleh (Muar in Johor; 100 screened, 23 positive)9. Jalan Bukit Belida (Seremban in Negeri Sembilan; 27 screened, 15 positive)Ten others ended, leaving 344 active clusters throughout the country.Another 1,290 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 346,295.However, 12 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,345.


UK govt admits antibiotic shortage

The UK government on Thursday admitted there were serious shortages of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections in children, despite more than a week of denials.
"Serious shortage protocols" had been issued for three types of oral solutions used in paediatrics – Phenoxymethylpenicillin, which is also known as penicillin V.
It comes after at least 19 children died in the UK from severe cases of Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) infection, and shortages of other types of antibiotics in Europe and North America.
Family doctors and parents have reported difficulty finding antibiotics to treat Strep A, which typically causes a sore throat and fever and flu-like symptoms.
Pharmacies have been out of stock and some outlets say they are being charged up to £19 (US$24, RM102) for a box, when the price is normally just a few pounds.
They say they are losing thousands of pounds a week as they can only recoup a fraction of the cost from the state-run National Health Service.
The UK competition regulator on Wednesday announced a probe into drug companies for putting up prices as demand soars.
On the penicillin shortages, Health Minister Will Quince acknowledged that increased demand had left some pharmacists unable to meet prescriptions.
"These serious shortage protocols will allow pharmacists to supply an alternative form of penicillin, which will make things easier for them, patients, and GPs," he added.
Quince said the situation was "temporary" and "localised" because of the high numbers of Strep A and Scarlet Fever cases.
The government was working with manufacturers and wholesalers to speed up supplies, he added.
The health ministry said SSPs were "standard procedure" and are used often "to manage temporary and potential medicine supply issues".
They allow pharmacists to legally supply a specified alternative medicine rather than forcing a patient to get another prescription from their doctor.
Last Wednesday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak dismissed fears of a national shortage of antibiotics for Strep A.
"There are no current shortages of drugs available to treat this and there are well-established procedures in place to ensure that that remains the case," he told parliament on Dec 7.
The number of known child deaths from the disease grew on Thursday, as updated data from the UK Health Security Agency showed 16 children have died in England since September.
Meanwhile, three other deaths of youngsters aged under 18 have been recorded in Northern Ireland and Wales.


Trump’s ‘inauguration day golf plans’ for Scotland scotched by Scottish leader

President Donald Trump will not be allowed to play golf at his course in Scotland while president-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on Jan 20.There have been rumours of Trump packing his clubs for a few rounds at his Turnberry links golf resort on the Firth of Clyde in Ayrshire, southwest Scotland.However, those plans were quickly scotched by Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who said that the nation’s Covid-19 travel restrictions would not be lifted for him.Scotland imposed a strict lockdown on Tuesday that closed non-essential businesses and urges everyone to stay home to halt the rising coronavirus numbers.Speaking to reporters, Sturgeon said Scottish travel bans pertain to everyone, including presidents.“We’re not allowing people to come into Scotland without an essential purpose right now,” Sturgeon explained. “That would apply to him just as it applies to everybody else and coming to play golf is not what I would consider to be an essential purpose.”Responding to a Sunday Post claim that Prestwick Airport was expecting on Jan 19 a US military Boeing 757 that has previously transported the president, Scottish officials said Trump would not be welcomed to start his life as an ex-president at his Turnberry resort.They said this is due to Covid-19 restrictions rather than politics, according to The Independent.It’s unclear where Trump, who insists he won the November election despite facts that state otherwise, will be during Biden’s inauguration.Sturgeon says she has no insight into Trump’s travel plans.


Man with pink wristband nabbed at Rawang restaurant

A man wearing a pink wristband at a restaurant in Bandar Tasik Puteri, Rawang was arrested last night on suspicion of having breached the mandatory Covid-19 quarantine.Gombak district police chief ACP Arifai Tarawe said the 52-year-old was detained in front of the restaurant at about 7.30pm after a public tip-off.“On checking, it was found that the man had been ordered to home quarantine from yesterday until Oct 16 after a Covid-19 screening at klia2 and while awaiting the test results,” he said when contacted today.He said the man would be remanded tomorrow to assist investigations under Section 269 of the Penal Code for the offence of committing a negligent act likely to spread infection or any disease dangerous to life.“We urge those who have been issued the quarantine order by the health ministry to comply with the rules as this is ensure that they, their families and others are safe,” he said, adding that their negligence could raise anxiety within the community.


‘Down, boy!’ Pets in the house have caught Covid-19 from affectionate owners

Humans can transmit Covid-19 to their pets, according to a new Dutch study.The study, conducted by Dr Els Broens of Utrecht University in the Netherlands, found that a surprising number of cats and dogs have caught the virus from their owners.“About one in five pets will catch the disease from their owners,” Broens told Reuters. “Luckily, the animals do not get very ill from it.”Broens’ study examined 156 dogs and 154 cats from 196 households where people were known to have previously contracted Covid-19. Nearly 20% of the animals were found to have Covid-19 antibodies.Then, after PCR testing the animals for coronavirus, it was found that six cats and seven dogs – accounting for just over 4% of the surveyed animals – had an active Covid-19 infection.However, results from further tests suggested that the animals were able to quickly recover from the virus and did not pass it on to other pets within the same household.Broens believes that one of the root causes of house pets catching Covid was the affection that their owners showed them.“A lot of pet owners are in very close contact, like they sleep with their animals in their bed, so you can imagine that there’s close contact, so that transmission can take place,” she said.Opportunities for owners to get especially close to their furry friends have increased in the various lockdowns forcing humans into spending previously unheard of amounts of time isolating at home.It has long been speculated that the novel coronavirus was first identified in bats and since the pandemic’s early days, it has been known that non-human mammals were also able to get infected but a only a relatively small number of them became seriously ill from it.Minks in particular have been known to become infected by humans who contracted Covid-19 and were able to pass on the virus to other humans too.The veterinary medicine department head at Cambridge University, Professor James Wood, told the BBC that the study added to evidence suggesting that a huge number of cats and dogs were able to catch the virus from their owners.“The Dutch study was robustly conducted and shows that around 20% of exposed pets may be infected and that they eventually clear the infection just as most humans do,” Wood said. “Most reports are that this infection appears to be asymptomatic in pets.”


Govt aiming for 50% of adult population to be fully vaccinated by Aug 31

The government is optimistic about achieving its target of fully vaccinating 50% of individuals aged 18 and above by Aug 31, National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.He said this was in view of the high vaccination rate, adding that 29% of the adult population had received both doses of vaccine so far.“Also, 59% of the population have received one dose (of vaccine).“I have already announced that on the National Day on Aug 31, 50% of the adult population will be fully vaccinated. That is our new target,” he told reporters after visiting the mobile vaccination centre for the Orang Asli community at Kampung Batu Peti in Jempol today.A total of 20,533,660 vaccine doses had been administered in the country as of yesterday, involving 13.8 million first jabs with 6.7 million having completed both doses.Khairy also said the operation of walk-in vaccinations would be expanded to other states soon, with priority given to senior citizens.He said announcements would be made depending on the supply of vaccines in the country.“We will announce walk-in vaccinations for senior citizens in most states and I think almost all states will implement the method in the near future,” he said.Khairy added that the government is finalising the draft of the relaxation of SOPs for fully vaccinated individuals, with an announcement to be made soon by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.He said he was satisfied with the development of the Covid-19 Vaccination Outreach Programme in remote areas, especially in Orang Asli settlements.He said cooperation from elected representatives, the Orang Asli Development Department as well as the proactive measures of Tok Batins who had offered to be inoculated first had increased the confidence of the community to get vaccinated.


White House defends vaccine mandate against court challenge

President Joe Biden’s administration on Sunday issued a vocal defense of a controversial Covid-19 vaccine mandate for large companies despite a court challenge that temporarily freezes the program.“The president and the administration wouldn’t have put these requirements in place if they didn’t think they were appropriate and necessary,” surgeon general Vivek Murthy said on ABC talk show “This Week.”“The administration is certainly prepared to defend them.”And White House chief of staff Ron Klain, citing earlier court rulings that upheld state-level mandates, said he was “quite confident” that the mandate would ultimately be upheld.“It’s common sense,” he told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”The federal mandate, designed to push millions of workers at businesses with more than 100 employees into getting Covid-19 shots – or submit to weekly testing – is key to administration efforts to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control.But on Saturday, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit said several petitioners opposing the mandate had raised “grave statutory and constitutional issues.” It granted a temporary stay.Petitioners – including five conservative US states as well as several private employers and religious groups – have questioned the federal government’s authority to issue such a nationwide order.Murthy, in defending it, cited a long history of such requirements – going back to George Washington requiring his troops to be inoculated against smallpox – and said that with the country still seeing 75,000 Covid cases a day, “it’s important to take every measure possible to make our workplaces safer.”And with the new mandate not set to take effect until January, Klain expressed confidence courts would by then uphold it.The traditionally conservative Fifth Circuit court, based in New Orleans, Louisiana, ordered the government to reply to petitioners’ motion for a permanent injunction by Monday evening.Senior Biden adviser Cedric Richmond said he was “absolutely” convinced the new rule would survive judicial scrutiny.“We’re very confident we’re on statutory and legal grounds,” he told CBS. “This is about keeping Americans safe.”Should the suspension be upheld it would represent a major setback to one of Biden’s most far-reaching efforts to secure the immunization of American workers, amid predictions of a Covid-19 winter resurgence.Around 58% of the total US population was fully vaccinated as of early November, up from half in August as state, local and company mandates were announced.


PSI project to continue, says Penang CM

The Penang government says it will proceed with the Penang South Islands (PSI) project despite numerous objections from various parties.Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state had been listening to and agreed with concerned parties on the importance of taking climate change into consideration and protecting the welfare of fishermen.“This is why we are implementing so many mitigation measures, carrying out a socioeconomic plan for fishermen, and introducing green initiatives for the PSI development. Suffice to say that such a massive and comprehensive plan to improve the fishing community has never been done before anywhere in the country.“We only disagreed on cancelling the project. We do not have to choose between PSI, and the environment and fishermen. Technology and engineering advancements can allow us to build PSI and preserve the environment and the people at the same time,” he said in a statement today.Lately, various parties including Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, Kepala Batas MP Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Wan Junaidi Tunku Jaafar, the Consumers Association of Penang, Sahabat Alam Malaysia, civil society groups including Penang Forum, and fishermen’s groups had called for the project to be cancelled.However Chow, who is also Tanjong MP, said the people should consider the many socio-economic benefits that the PSI would bring to Penang, with greater value than monetary returns.“We never denied that the project will have impact but we have always shared with the people how we intend to mitigate the impact, create new habitats for marine life, and provide more job and business opportunities for fishermen and other locals,” he said.He said the job creation and economic growth stimulated by domestic and international investments would give financial stability and security to the people while the green initiatives like low carbon developments and transportation, use of renewable energy, and provision of open spaces would contribute towards improving liveability and public well-being for decades to come.“We strongly believe we are able to achieve all the above while also being fully compliant with the stringent approval conditions imposed by DoE (Department of Environment). As such, no precedence should be set by the government whereby approval for projects is reversed even though all approval conditions are being met,” he said.Under the PSI project, the state government is proposing to reclaim about 1,821 hectares of the sea to build three islands south of the Penang International Airport towards the east around Permatang Damar Laut to create a land bank that will be utilised to finance the Penang Transport Master Plan project.


65.6% of adults boosted, 34.4% of children given first jab

A total of 15,425,524 individuals or 65.6% of adults had received a Covid-19 booster dose as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow website, 22,940,801 or 97.5% have been fully vaccinated while 23,216,630 or 98.7% have received at least one dose of vaccine.A total of 1,221,990 children or 34.4% of those aged five to 11 have received a first dose of Covid-19 vaccine under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids).As for adolescents aged 12 to 17, a total of 2,841,412 or 91.3% have been fully vaccinated while 2,940,403 or 94.5% have received at least one dose of vaccine.Yesterday, 46,039 doses were administered with 13,256 as first doses, 2,166 as second shots and 30,617 as booster jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses given under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) to 68,376,641.


Court to decide on graft charges against Bung Moktar and wife

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court is scheduled to decide whether Kinabatangan MP Bung Moktar Radin and his wife Zizie Izette Abdul Samad will be acquitted or ordered to enter their defence against charges of corruption amounting to RM2.8 million over unit trust investments.
Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob is scheduled to deliver her decision at 3pm.
If the court decides in favour of the prosecution that there is a prima facie case against Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette, the couple will be called to enter their defence. Otherwise, they will be freed of their charges.
On May 17, the prosecution closed its case after calling 30 witnesses to testify at the trial which began on Jan 2, 2020.
Among the prosecution witnesses called to testify were former finance minister II Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah, former Felcra Investments general manager Adnan Yusof, Felcra board member Habibah Suleiman, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) assistant superintendent Norsharil Saharom, and Public Mutual investment agents Madhi Abdul Hamid and Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar. The case is being handled by deputy public prosecutors Faridz Gohim Abdullah, Mohd Sophian Zakaria and Law Chin How, while lawyer M Athimulan represents Bung Moktar and lawyers K Kumaraendran and Ridha Abdah Subri represent Zizie Izette.
On May 3, 2019, Bung Moktar pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to three charges of accepting bribes amounting to RM2.8 million to obtain approval for Felcra Bhd to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual unit trusts.
Bung Moktar, who was the non-executive chairman of Felcra at the time, was accused of accepting bribes of RM2.2 million in cash from Public Mutual investment agent Madhi, through Zizie Izette, at Public Bank's Taman Melawati branch between 12.30pm and 5pm on June 12, 2015. He is also accused of accepting a bribe of RM262,500 in cash from Madhi through the Public Islamic Treasures Growth Fund account number 044797816 registered in the name of Zizie Izette, for a similar purpose.
Bung Moktar, 64 is likewise accused of accepting a bribe of RM337,500 in cash from Public Mutual investment agent Norhaili, through the Public Ittikal Sequel Fund account number 044797824 registered in the name of Zizie Izette.
The latter two offences were allegedly committed at the same location at 12.16pm and 12.28pm, on June 19, 2015.
Zizie, 44, pleaded not guilty to three charges of abetting her husband in the matter at the same place, date and time.


Afghan capital gets 400 new loudspeakers to encourage prayers

Hundreds of loudspeakers have been installed in the Afghan capital to encourage worshippers to attend prayers, the Taliban's religious enforcers said Wednesday.
The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice also said that hundreds of empty shops and other disused buildings had been recently converted into mosques to give everyone the opportunity to pray communally.
"During the previous government, some of the loudspeakers were removed and people were not able to listen to the azan (call to prayer)," the ministry tweeted.
It said 400 loudspeakers had been installed in different parts of Kabul "so the people could listen to the azan at the same time".
Since returning to power in August last year, the Taliban have gradually introduced strict rules and regulations they say are in accordance with Islamic shariah law.
Women have largely been squeezed out of public life, with most women government workers having lost their jobs – or paid a pittance to stay at home.
They must cover up with a burqa or hijab when out of the home, are barred from travelling without a male relative and are banned from visiting parks, gyms or public baths.
Schools for teenage girls have also been shuttered across most of the country since the Taliban's August 2021 return.
Earlier this month, supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered judges to fully enforce aspects of Islamic law that include public executions, stonings and floggings, and the amputation of limbs for thieves.
Local media also reported Wednesday that the vice ministry has ordered shops in certain parts of the capital to shut for Friday prayers, the most important of the week.
The azan is a familiar sound across Afghanistan – particularly in cities, where hundreds of mosques sound the call to prayer five times a day.
Prayer is one of the five pillars of Islam and although Muslims can do it alone at home, communal worship is considered worthy of higher reward.


Bungalows bought at discount as owner needed the cash, Zahid tells court

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the High Court today that the two bungalow units in Country Heights, Kajang, were bought at a discount of RM5.9 million because the owner, housing developer tycoon Lee Kim Yew, was in urgent need of money.
Zahid, 69, said Lee, who is the founder and chairman of Country Heights Holdings Bhd, offered to sell the bungalows at below the market price because he was having trouble paying his income tax.
"This offer (price) was from Lee Kim Yew, the owner of Country Heights. He desperately needed the money, which was why he sold it below market price.
"He was having trouble paying income tax, that's why the time given to us was very short and the discount price was given to Yayasan Akalbudi," he said when referred by deputy public prosecutor Harris Ong Mohd Jeffery Ong to the ledger of the foundation's trustee, Messrs Lewis & Co, which recorded that the law firm deposited RM2 million into a fixed deposit account on Nov 30, 2016, and RM5 million on Dec 9 in the same year.
According to Zahid, Lewis & Co did not wait for the fixed savings account to reach maturity of either six months or a year before withdrawing RM5.9 million because Lee gave a short period of time to make a decision on the purchase of the bungalows.
Zahid, who is the MP for Bagan Datuk, also disagreed with Harris Ong's suggestion that the purchase of the bungalows was not for charity, but to help the owner.
Previously, Lee, who is the 57th prosecution witness, told the court that Zahid's younger brother, Mohamad Nasaee Ahmad Tarmizi, bought the two bungalows through a Lewis & Co cheque.
According to Lee, the cheque was for the payment of a sales settlement for two single-storey bungalows belonging to his company which were sold to Yayasan Al-Falah, where Nasaee is the chairman of the foundation's board of trustees.
Meanwhile, lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, representing Zahid, told the court that the prosecution and defence had agreed to visit the two bungalows on Aug 1, as consented to by judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah yesterday. "I also invite Your Honour to Bagan Datuk to visit the Tuminah Hamidi Mosque, to give a clear picture of the condition of the mosque," said Hisyam.
But Sequerah later said that the condition of the mosque could be shown in court through photos or videos as the journey to Bagan Datuk would take time.
Yesterday, Sequerah acceded to the defence's request to visit the bungalows for the sake of justice in the trial of the case.
On Jan 24, the court ordered Zahid to enter his defence on 47 charges: 12 of CBT, eight of corruption and 27 of money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit of funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
The trial before judge Sequerah continues on Aug 5.


Russian internet speeds drop on hardware shortage, research finds

Russian mobile internet speeds dropped in regions outside Moscow in February, research from news and analysis firm Telecom Daily showed on Wednesday, as the departure of foreign equipment makers limited operators' access to hardware.
The country's largest telecoms operators, including MTS  and Megafon disputed the research, saying they had noted increased speeds in February, both in Moscow and beyond.
Senior telecoms executives and other industry sources told Reuters late last year that the departure of telecoms gear makers Nokia and Ericsson may cripple the country's mobile networks over the long term and lead to a deterioration in communication for Russians.
Leading industry publication Telecom Daily, citing data based on the "results of tens of thousands of measurements" carried out by users of the 'Megabitus' internet speed tracking tool, said Moscow experienced a 32% year-on-year increase in average mobile internet speed, while other regions of the country saw a 7% decline.
Telecom Daily, which has published news and analysis on the sector for 20 years, attributed the decline to equipment shortages and the tendency of mobile operators to install new base stations in bigger cities, where demand for their services is highest.
It also said a fall in mobile internet traffic in Moscow had contributed to a rise in speeds there.
"Any connection problems in Moscow or St Petersburg could become a source of serious image problems for an operator," Telecom Daily CEO Denis Kuskov said. "And, conversely, no one will notice if the speed drops by 20%-30% in a distant district."
MTS said it had noted increased traffic and mobile internet speeds in the regions, recording no decrease.
"MTS is constantly working to expand network capacity, and telecoms operators and regulators are engaged in dialogue aimed at removing administrative barriers and stimulating the industry's development," it said.
Rival Megafon said the median mobile internet speed on its network in regions excluding Moscow was 14% higher in February year-on-year, and up 18.5% in the capital.
Other major operators Tele2 and Beeline, and Russia's digital ministry, did not respond to requests for comment.


Group calls for probe on immigration dept for ‘defying’ court order on refugees

NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for a thorough investigation into the immigration department following news that over 1,000 Myanmar nationals were deported to their homeland yesterday despite a court order freezing any action until a hearing scheduled for this morning.In a statement today, it said appropriate disciplinary or legal action should be taken against anyone found to have acted in violation of the order issued by the Kuala Lumpur High Court, with rules and regulations put in place to ensure that any future returns are in full compliance with international law.“Malaysia’s immigration authorities have shown a blatant disregard both for the basic rights of Myanmar nationals and an order by the Malaysian High Court,” Linda Lakhdhir, the NGO’s Asia legal adviser said.“The immigration director-general has put lives at risk by sending people back to a country now ruled again by a military that has a long track record of punishing people for political dissent or their ethnicity.”A total of 1,086 detainees were sent back on three Myanmar navy ships from a military base after arriving on packed trucks and buses under police escort.The plan to send back 1,200 Myanmar nationals had been criticised by the United Nations and rights groups, with Amnesty International and Asylum Access lodging a court challenge.The groups argued that Malaysia would be in breach of its international duties by sending vulnerable people back to a country where they could be in danger.The High Court ordered a halt to the repatriation to allow a hearing to take place today into the groups’ bid to stop the deportations.However, immigration chief Khairul Dzaimee Daud later said the 1,086 had been sent back to Myanmar. He made no mention of the court ruling.“The immigration department wants to emphasise that no Rohingya migrants or asylum seekers have been sent back,” he said in a statement.“All of those who have been deported agreed to return of their own free will, without being forced.”But Lakhdhir said the immigration department “should recognise that it cannot operate above the law”.“With Myanmar’s brutal military back in power, the risks of returning Myanmar nationals fearing return are higher than ever,” she added.She also noted previous claims by authorities that no refugee cardholders were among those scheduled for return, saying “the immigration department’s assurances carry little weight”.“Without a full and transparent investigation into these returns and an order permitting UNHCR access to all detainees, refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia are at risk of prolonged detention and return to persecution.”According to HRW, more than 178,000 refugees were registered with UNHCR in Malaysia as of December last year.It said more than 86% are from Myanmar, including more than 100,000 Rohingya, 22,000 Chin, and 29,000 from other ethnic communities.It also cited the groups’ application for judicial review filed on Feb 22 in which they said they had received information that at least three UNHCR cardholders were among those scheduled for return.“The groups also received information indicating that at least 17 children with one or more parent in Malaysia were among those scheduled for return,” it said.“The international legal principle of nonrefoulement prohibits countries from returning any person on its territory or under its jurisdiction to a country where they may face persecution, torture, or other serious harm.“Although Malaysia is not a party to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, nonrefoulement is recognised as part of customary international law and is binding on all states.“Given the Myanmar military’s repression of critics of the coup or the junta, as well as the military’s record of abuses against ethnic minorities, Malaysia’s failure to provide fair asylum procedures or allow UNHCR to make refugee determinations violates the government’s international legal obligations.”


China’s President Xi Jinping makes surprise visit to Tibet

In a surprising turn of political events, Chinese President Xi Jinping has made a visit to Tibet where he was seen addressing people facing the “Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet” in front of the Potala Palace, the traditional winter residence of the Dalai Lama.Amid the rift with the Tibetan Government, the surprise visit of the Chinese president raised several questions. However, one of the possible reasons is speculated to be the 70th anniversary of the controversial 17 Point Agreement made in 1951 which formalised Beijing’s sovereignty over Tibet.Xi visited the Tibet autonomous region on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the official Xinhua news agency, in his first recorded visit as leader in more than three decades.Although he arrived on Wednesday there was no mention of his visit in official media until two days later.Footage released on Friday by state broadcaster CCTV, showed Xi being greeted by a crowd wearing ethnic costumes and waving Chinese flags as he left his plane.After a “warm welcome by cadres and masses of all ethnic groups”, Xi made several official visits to learn about ecological and environmental protection, CCTV said.On Thursday, he took a train to Lhasa where he visited a monastery and the Potala Palace, and “inspected ethnic religion” and Tibetan cultural heritage protection, according to Xinhua.The palace is the traditional home of Tibetan Buddhism’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who is in exile and is still branded a dangerous separatist by Beijing.Tibet, on China’s border with India, has critical strategic importance to Beijing. Last year China and India saw the most serious clash in decades on their disputed border in the Himalayas, with deaths on both sides.Tibet has alternated over the centuries between independence and control by China, which says it “peacefully liberated” the rugged plateau in 1951 and brought infrastructure and education to the previously underdeveloped region.But many exiled Tibetans accuse the central government of religious repression and eroding their culture. In 2008, the region exploded in deadly rioting after rising anger over the perceived dilution of its ancient culture by rapid Chinese-fuelled development.Xi has visited Tibet twice, once in 1998 as Fujian province’s party chief and another time in 2011 as vice-president. The last Chinese president to visit was Jiang Zemin in 1990.Advocacy group International Campaign for Tibet said on Thursday that people in Lhasa “reported unusual activities and monitoring of their movement” ahead of the visit, with roads blocked and security officers checking on individuals’ activities.Beijing sees development as an antidote to discontent in Tibet, where many still revere the Dalai Lama and resent an influx of Chinese tourists and settlers.Since 2008 China has poured investment into the region, making Tibet one of China’s fastest-growing regions economically, according to local statistics.


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GE15 still possible before mid-November, says Umno

Umno feels that it is still possible for the 15th general election (GE15) to be held before mid-November, its secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said.
However, he said the party would leave the date to the discretion of the Election Commission.
"Umno is of the view that the dissolution of Parliament is the best way since it is becoming increasingly clear that representatives of the other coalition parties are not showing solidarity for the prime minister in the administration of the country.
"Declaring Umno and BN (Barisan Nasional) as the main enemy only reflects distrust and disrespect towards Umno which helms the government," he said, reading a media statement after a special meeting of the Umno Supreme Council in Kuala Lumpur last night. Earlier, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a special announcement said he had obtained the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve the 14th Parliament during an audience at Istana Negara the day before.
Ahmad said Umno expressed its gratitude and thanks to Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah for consenting to the dissolution of Parliament.
"Umno respects Tuanku's command and even holds a similar position that the country cannot be allowed to continue in a state of political uncertainty, and that the mandate should be returned to the people for them to elect a government that can guarantee the stability and prosperity of the country," he said.
On what was discussed during the Supreme Council meeting, Ahmad said it mainly pertained to the party’s GE15 election machinery and strategies. "The meeting also agreed that the main theme of the (BN) manifesto for GE15 will be 'Stability and Prosperity', which was also used for the Melaka and Johor state elections before this.
"It will be brought to the BN Supreme Council for approval," he said.
Separately, he said the Umno general assembly scheduled for Nov 23 to 26 would be held at another date to be announced later.


Govt preps post-pandemic budget with eye on possible polls next year

Helped by surging prices for gas exports, the government is expected to unveil an expansionary budget on Friday as it looks to spur post-pandemic recovery and set the stage for an election that could be called as early as the middle of next year.Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who took office in August, has agreed not to dissolve parliament before the end of July 2022 as part of a cooperation pact signed with the opposition in order to maintain political stability as the country recovers from the Covid-19 crisis.The deal includes a commitment from opposition lawmakers to support or abstain on the government’s 2022 budget.Malaysia cut its outlook for the economy twice this year as fresh Covid-19 curbs dampened its recovery, and it now expects growth of 3-4% in 2021, down from an earlier projection of 6-7.5%.In a pre-budget statement in August, the finance ministry said it would focus on post-coronavirus recovery and reforms, as well as providing support for people and businesses affected by lengthy lockdowns.Analysts expect higher development spending in 2022, signalled by the government’s pledge last month to allocate RM400 billion (US$96.4 billion) for new and existing projects over the next five years.The government could also set aside contingency funds given uncertainties around the pandemic and the likelihood of an election being called next year, Kenanga Investment Bank said in a note. Malaysia’s next polls are due by 2023.The finance ministry expects its 2021 fiscal deficit to widen to between 6.5% to 7% of gross domestic product and has raised its statutory debt ceiling to 65%, amid additional Covid-19 spending.It is also considering measures to improve tax compliance and address leakages, with this year’s revenue expected to be lower than projected.The government could seek higher dividend contributions from state-owned companies, including national oil firm Petronas, to address the revenue shortfall going forward, economists said.Malaysia, one of the world’s largest exporters of liquefied natural gas, has benefited from a recent surge in global energy prices.“Indeed, if the recent commodity price run continues, a special dividend from Petronas might well form one of the key planks of the government’s revenue strategy next year,” OCBC Bank economist Wellian Wiranto said.Petronas has increased its 2021 dividends to the government to RM25 billion, from an initial target of RM18 billion.


Total vaccine jabs cross 10 million landmark

The total number of vaccine jabs administered since the start of the country’s massive vaccination programme in February topped 10 million yesterday, with second doses accounting for about a third of the shots given.A total of 10,036,361 shots had been given as of July 7, of which 6,999,554 were first doses and 3,036,807 were second doses.Yesterday alone, 375,843 jabs were administered, a new daily record. Of these, 207,795 were first doses and 168,047 were second doses.At 43,834, Sarawak led in terms of the number of second doses given. It was followed by Selangor (30,964), Kuala Lumpur (20,784), Johor (14,146) and Sabah (11,535).Meanwhile Selangor led in terms of the overall number of second doses, with 421,384 shots given so far. It was followed by Sarawak (401,408), Kuala Lumpur (290,256), Sabah (265,407) and Kedah (205,920).


Daily cases rise past 3,600

Another 3,683 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,750,516.Another 4,322 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,677,406.Meanwhile 288 are in the ICU, including 216 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 162 are in need of respiratory assistance including 75 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 3,683 cases reported today, 56 (1.5%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 3,627 (98.5%) are in Category One and Two.


Jan 24 decision on Zahid’s corruption case

A decision on whether Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be acquitted or ordered to enter his defence on 47 criminal breach of trust (CBT), corruption and money laundering charges involving Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB) funds will be made on Jan 24.High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah set the date after hearing submissions from the prosecution and defence at the end of the prosecution’s case.The judge also expressed his gratitude to the prosecution and defence for their oral submissions.“Thank you for your submissions. My decision will be on Jan 24,” he said after hearing the submissions which ran for 24 days beginning Sept 6.The prosecution team was led by senior deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran while the defence’s comprised lawyers Hisyam Teh Poh Teik and Hamidi Mohd Noh.Meanwhile, Sequerah fixed 18 days from March 28 to June 30 for the hearing should the court order Zahid to enter his defence.“Because the new year is coming and dates will be taken up, out of an abundance of caution, can we just block dates assuming the defence is called. Can we just block dates,” the judge said.The court set March 28 to 30, April 11 to 13, April 26 to 28, May 23 to 26 and June 27 to 30.On March 19, the prosecution closed its case after calling 99 witnesses including Zahid’s former special officer Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, legal firm Lewis & Co partner B Muralidharan, money changer Omar Ali Abdullah and Zahid’s former executive secretary Mejar Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly. The trial began on Nov 18, 2019.Zahid, 68, pleaded not guilty to 12 CBT charges, eight counts of bribery charges and 27 for money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.For the CBT charges, Zahid was alleged to have used the funds to make six payments for his personal credit cards usage, insurance policy and licence for his personal vehicles, remittances to a law firm and contributions to the Royal Malaysia Police Football Association.The offences were allegedly committed at Affin Bank in Jalan Bunus off Jalan Masjid India, between Jan 13, 2014 and Dec 23, 2016. The charges, under Section 409 of the Penal Code, provide for a jail term of between two and 20 years, with whipping and a fine, upon conviction.Zahid was also charged with eight counts of bribery, where he was alleged to have accepted bribes from three companies, namely Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services, Data Sonic Group Bhd and Profound Radiance Sdn Bhd as an inducement for him, in his capacity as then home minister, to help the companies obtain MyEG projects, supply passport chips and be appointed the operator of the migrant visa one-stop centres in Pakistan and Nepal, respectively.He was charged with committing the offences, framed under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, at the Maybank branch at Dataran Maybank in Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, between July 15, 2016, and March 15, 2018.The Bagan Datuk MP also faces 27 charges of money-laundering where he allegedly engaged in direct transactions involving income from illegal activities between March 29, 2016, and April 11, 2018.The offences were allegedly committed at Malayan Banking, Dataran Maybank branch, Level 1, Tower A, No. 1 Jalan Maarof, Bangsar and Marhaba Enterprise Sdn Bhd, LG 1.15, Fahrenheit88, 179 Jalan Bukit Bintang, between March 29, 2016 and April 11, 2018.Zahid also faces 40 charges at the Shah Alam Sessions Court of having accepted bribes from a company over the overseas visa system, which brings the total charges against him to 87.


Human resources ministry budget sails through voice vote

The budget for the human resources ministry was passed by voice vote after the committee-level debate in the Dewan Rakyat today, the 21st ministry allocation to be passed so far.The ministry had been allocated RM1.28 billion in the 2021 budget: RM823 million for administration and RM464 million for development.The budget for 2021 – RM322.5 billion, the country’s largest ever – was passed at the policy stage on Nov 26 in what was seen as a crucial test of support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.It was passed by voice vote after the opposition failed to garner enough support to force a bloc vote.


World Cup kicks off with hosts Qatar defeated

Qatar became the first World Cup hosts in history to lose their opening match, going down 2-0 to Ecuador on Sunday as football's showpiece got under way after 12 years of turbulent preparations.
Qatar has spent US$200 billion (RM914.2 billion) on a remarkable construction project to host the World Cup after the tiny Gulf state shocked the football world by winning the right to host the tournament in 2010.
A crowd of 67,372 packed into the impressive Al Bayt Stadium, modelled on a traditional Bedouin tent, for the opening ceremony.
South Korean K-pop star Jung Kook headlined the 30-minute spectacle that featured Hollywood star Morgan Freeman giving a message of diversity.
Ghanim Al-Muftah, a Qatari activist for the disabled, born with the rare Caudal Regression Syndrome, appeared with Freeman and stated to the crowd: "Everyone is welcome".
With Fifa president Gianni Infantino and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman watching, Qatar's Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani told the crowd: "We will follow with the whole world, God willing, the great football festival in this open space for human and civilized communication."
Once the action began, reigning Asian champions Qatar were easily beaten.
Ecuador thought they had made a dream start within three minutes when they silenced the home fans as Enner Valencia headed in, only for the goal to be ruled out by VAR for offside in the build-up.
Thirteen minutes later, Ecuador did take the lead after Valencia dribbled round Qatari goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb who grabbed his shin and the referee pointed to the spot. Valencia coolly rolled home the penalty.
Valencia added a second goal to seal Ecuador's 2-0 win.
'We are sorry'
Qatar coach Felix Sanchez said: "The atmosphere was one of great expectation. We are sorry that we could not be part of the party, but we knew that this scenario could happen... We will try to learn."
The Al-Bayt venue is one of an array of new stadiums built for the most expensive World Cup in history.
Excitement has been slow to build but on Sunday police had to close the World Cup fan zone in Doha for a second consecutive night when it became overcrowded, witnesses said.
The Fifa Fan Festival, near the Doha seafront, has a 40,000 capacity and gates were closed with thousands waiting outside.
AFP correspondents saw police pleading with revellers in the dark to move back from the gates but no injuries were reported. Police on horseback were brought out to control crowds.
A Qatar organising committee official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP: "When it's full it's full. We would be criticised if we did not close when it reaches capacity."
Qatar has predicted that more than one million fans will come to the Gulf state for the month-long tournament that ends Dec 18.
Preparations overshadowed
World Cup organisers hope the start of the football will quell the controversies that have overshadowed preparations.
Qatar's treatment of migrant workers and the Gulf state's human rights record have dominated the pre-tournament headlines.
On Saturday, Infantino went on the offensive in an aggressive rebuttal of the criticism aimed at the event.
"This moral lesson-giving – one-sided – is just hypocrisy," Infantino said.
"I don't want to give you any lessons of life, but what is going on here is profoundly, profoundly unjust."
Controversies look certain to rumble on well into the tournament.
Several European nations taking part – including England, Germany and Denmark – have said their players will wear rainbow-coloured "OneLove" armbands in a gesture of solidarity with the LGBTQ community. Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar.
The move raises the prospect of disciplinary action from Fifa, which has unveiled plans to make its own alternative armbands available to teams.
Infantino insisted that all World Cup visitors would be welcome regardless of sexual orientation.
"I've been speaking about this topic with the highest leadership," he said. "They can confirm that I can confirm that everyone is welcome."
Defending champions France suffered another injury blow as star striker and Ballon D'Or winner Karim Benzema was forced out of the tournament.
The Real Madrid star limped out of a training session on Saturday with a left thigh injury.
The French federation later confirmed the 34-year-old would play no part in the competition.
"I am extremely sad for Karim, for whom this World Cup was a major objective," said France coach Didier Deschamps, who has decided not to replace the forward.


Sri Lanka president’s brother resigns from parliament

The brother of Sri Lanka’s president and the country’s former finance minister, Basil Rajapaksa, said on Thursday he had resigned from parliament, the second from the influential family to step away from government amid a severe economic crisis.“From today I will not be involved in any government activities but I cannot and will not step away from politics,” Rajapaksa said.“The aim is to allow someone else to be appointed to parliament in my place from the party,” he told reporters in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s commercial capital.President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, resigned as prime minister last month after prolonged protests against the economic crisis turned deadly.Mahinda remains a member of parliament.The three Rajapaksa siblings have been key players in Sri Lankan politics for decades, but are blamed by protesters who have taken to the streets in their thousands in recent months for mishandling the island nation’s economy.Infighting between the brothers has also played a part in Sri Lanka’s slide into turmoil but Basil Rajapaksa is likely to retain influence, Reuters has reported.The country of 22 million people is suffering its worst economic crisis in seven decades, with shortages of fuel, medicines and cooking gas because a severe lack of foreign exchange has stalled imports.Sri Lanka’s new prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is now leading efforts to find a way out of the crisis, with negotiations underway with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a loan programme and support from friendly countries, including India and China.However, with only one seat is parliament, Wickremesinghe is dependent on the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party, which Basil Rajapaksa has helped rebuild into a political force.“BR will continue to remain a force in Sri Lankan politics regardless of not being a MP,” said Bhavani Fonseka, a senior researcher at the Colombo think tank Centre for Policy Analysis, referring to Basil Rajapaksa by his initials.“The question is how much influence or control he has over the SLPP,” Fonseka said.The SLPP and its coalition partners have a comfortable majority in the 225-seat legislature, and several sources have previously told Reuters that members of the ruling party remain loyal to Basil Rajapaksa.The veteran politician, who served as finance minister between July, 2021 and April this year, denied he had failed to slow Sri Lanka’s descent into financial turmoil.“”I was the person to send the first letter to the IMF after becoming finance minister. It is the work I started that is now being taken forward,” he said.“I have no regrets.”


Britain signs up old coal units as back-up in case of winter power crunch

Britain is turning to old coal-fired power units as a "last resort" in case other sources cannot provide enough electricity through the winter as the country faces a wider energy crisis.
Several European governments have requested that back-up power be made available from idled coal plants or those due to close due to lower gas flows from Russia as a result of disputes triggered by its invasion of Ukraine.
Britain's National Grid said on Thursday it had signed contracts with power generators Drax Group and to extend the life of four coal-fired power units at two plants for the upcoming winter.
The available capacity will only be used a last resort to ensure security of supply if needed, National Grid's Electricity System Operator (ESO) said, adding that negotiations continue with a third generator for a fifth coal unit.
"These contracts are only intended to be used when all commercial options have been exhausted within the Balancing Mechanism," the ESO said.
A total of 1,940 megawatts (MW) will be made available from two coal units at EDF Energy's West Burton A plant, which were due to close this September and two at Drax's plant in Yorkshire, which ceased commercial operations last year.
The rest at Drax's plant have been converted to biomass.
The ESO said the upfront cost is expected to be between 220 million pounds and 420 million pounds and the coal-fired units will be available until the end of March 2023.


After Europe, now US mink and farm workers have Covid-19

Covid-19 has now found its way to an Oregon mink farm, where both staff and animals are getting infected, according to the US Department of Agriculture.The USDA’s National Veterinary Service Laboratory has confirmed the presence of the virus in samples it received from the Oregon Department of Agriculture. The state veterinarian, D Ryan Scholz, has put the farm under quarantine until further notice.Scholz said, “The farmer did the right thing by reporting symptoms very early and he is now cooperating with us in taking care of his animals and staff. So far, we have no reports of mink mortalities linked to the virus but that could change as the virus progresses.”Covid-19 has been found on farms in three other states, including Utah, where 10,000 minks were lost to the virus, as well as in Michigan and Wisconsin.All of the minks in the Oregon outbreak appear to have recovered, Oregon Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Andrea Cantu-Schomus said. The agriculture department will test the minks seven to 10 days after symptoms resolve, and, if necessary, continue testing every 14 days until no more infected minks are found.“It is suspected that infected workers introduced the infection to mink on the farm, and the virus then began to spread among the mink,” Cantu-Schomus said.Outbreaks have also occurred on farms in the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Spain, and Denmark, where the virus forced the slaughter of 17 million mink after confirmation that 12 people had been infected with a mutated strain of Covid-19 that had spread from minks to humans. That strain has not been found elsewhere.


South Korea to boost visas for skilled workers amid labour shortages

South Korea will boost its annual quota of visas for skilled workers to more than 30,000 this year from 2,000 a year ago, to help companies battling a staff crunch, the justice minister said on Wednesday.
With younger South Koreans reluctant to take up blue-collar jobs, the industrial and farming sectors of Asia's fourth-largest economy are struggling to fill vacancies.
"As we are expanding the number by 30-fold at once... there will be no talk of foreigners unable to come due to insufficient quota," the presidential office quoted Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon as telling a government meeting.
The comparison was to the figure of about 1,000 in 2020, the minister added.
South Korea, which initially planned a cap of 5,000 for such E-7-4 visas this year, will also relax application criteria and let companies hire more foreigners, the ministry said, in response to industry requests.


Nearly 100,000 laid off since January

A total of 99,696 workers were laid off between January and Nov 27 this year due to the spread of Covid-19, said Deputy Human Resources Minister Awang Hashim.He said these include highly skilled workers comprising managers (13,109), professionals (26,079), technicians and associate professionals (19,095).“Those who earned RM4,000 and above (per month) are not listed in the Wage Subsidy Programme (PSU) system that we provide to help those who have lost their jobs,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.He was responding to M Kula Segaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) who asked why the human resources ministry did not include workers in the management category as subsidy recipients when statistics show that highly skilled workers make up 59% of the country’s unemployment rate.Awang said although the government had implemented various initiatives and economic stimulus packages as part of efforts to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, layoffs were inevitable in certain sectors due to factors beyond employers’ control.He said these factors include the closure of businesses, downsizing, Voluntary Separation Schemes, Mutual Agreement Separation Schemes, critical financial problems, partial closures, takeovers of companies and relocation.“Among the sectors involved are manufacturing, hospitality, food and beverage, wholesalers and retailers as well as construction and transportation,” he added.Awang said an estimated 75% of all workers who had lost their jobs were from the B40 group earning RM4,000 and below, adding that the PSU had been introduced to help such individuals.However, those in the management category who have had their services terminated are still covered under the EIS (Employment Insurance System) Act (Act 800) subject to a maximum pay of RM4,000, he added.“This means that workers, including those at the managerial level who earned more than RM4,000, will get benefits such as the job search allowance.”


9.3% increase in dengue cases

The number of dengue cases in the 42nd epidemiological week (ME 42) increased by 137 cases or 9.3% to 1,614 compared to 1,477 recorded in the previous week.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said one death due to dengue fever complications was also reported.
"The cumulative number of dengue fever cases reported thus far is 48,109 compared to 21,308 cases for the same period last year, which is an increase of 26,801 cases (125.8%)," he said in a statement today.
Noor Hisham said 29 deaths due to dengue complications were reported compared to 16 in the same period in 2021 – an increase of 13 deaths (81.3%).
A total of 51 hotspot localities were also reported in ME 42 compared to 53 the week before.
Noor Hisham said 39 of the localities were in Selangor, followed by Sabah (11), Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (eight) and one each in Kedah and Melaka.
He said that rain and hot weather create the perfect breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes, and advised the public to check for potential breeding spots around the house.
Regarding chikungunya, Noor Hisham said surveillance recorded a total of seven cases in ME 42 with three cases reported in Penang, two in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, and one case each in Selangor and Melaka.
The cumulative number of chikungunya cases to date is 669.


Two dead, 16 hurt in Egypt train accident

Two people were killed and several others injured Tuesday in a train accident north of Cairo, Egypt's health ministry said after the country's latest rail tragedy.
A ministry statement said there were "two dead in the train accident at Qalyub, while the injured are in a stable condition."
An earlier ministry toll that reported one dead also listed 16 injured, including six already treated and released.
The incident occurred in Qalyub, just north of the capital Cairo in the Nile Delta.
Egypt's national rail authority said the accident occurred when a passenger train entering Qalyub station went through a stop signal.
"That led to the derailment of the locomotive and the first carriage," the authority said in a statement.
Pictures from the scene showed first responders converging on rail cars which still appeared to be right side up, behind a high wall in a built-up area.
Police formed a perimeter to hold back crowds who perched on other walls nearby.
A crane was later brought in to lift a derailed car which appeared to be partially crumpled.
Egyptian rail accidents have mostly been blamed on poor infrastructure and maintenance.
In April 2021, Transport Minister Kamel el-Wazir fired the rail authority's head following an uproar in the Arab world's most populous country over mismanagement of dilapidated train lines.
The sacking came two days after an accident that cost 23 lives.
Sacking
Ashraf Raslan was dismissed as part of a shuffle of 10 top railway officials.
"The goal of these decisions is not merely about leadership changes of the authority but are in line with the next stage which demands... a complete upgrade of the railway network," the transport ministry said at the time.
The changes "underway aim to provide better services, working around the clock to serve commuters and to upgrade... this essential service which transports millions of passengers yearly", it said in a statement.
In March 2021, at least 20 people died and nearly 200 were injured in a train crash in southern Egypt, according to an official toll which authorities revised several times.
The prosecution service later alleged the driver of the speeding Egyptian train and his assistant had both left the driver's cabin when it crashed into another train, which was stationary.
The assistant on the second train had used cannabis and was under the influence of the painkiller tramadol, as was a track signalman, the prosecutor also alleged.
Wazir, a former general, was named transport minister after a 2019 train collision blamed on human error.
"We have a problem with the human element," he said, pledging to set up an automated network by 2024.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has vowed to hold to account those responsible for the recurrent deadly accidents on Egypt's railways in recent years.
One of the deadliest came in 2002 when a fire ripped through a crowded train south of the capital, killing 373 people.
Egypt's roads are also the scene of regular deadly accidents. Roads are often poorly maintained and driving rules flouted.


Indonesia to impose local sales rule when palm oil exports restart

Indonesia will impose a domestic sales requirement for palm oil, to shore up local supplies of cooking oil when the world’s biggest producer of the edible oil reopens exports next week, the country’s economics minister said on Friday.President Joko Widodo has announced Indonesia will lift the export ban from Monday after imposing the policy on April 28 in a bid to control high domestic cooking oil prices.The decision to lift the ban comes despite the price of bulk cooking oil not yet coming down to the government’s target of 14,000 rupiah (US$0.9550) per litre.Jokowi, as the president is popularly known, said he expected cooking oil prices to ease toward the intended target and vowed authorities would closely monitor supply conditions.Indonesia would impose a so-called Domestic Market Obligation (DMO) on palm oil to ensure 10 million tonnes of cooking oil were kept at home, Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, told a virtual briefing.“The trade ministry will determine the size of the DMO that would be met by each producer and the mechanism to produce and distribute cooking oil to the communities,” he said.State food procurement agency, Bulog, would be assigned to set up a cooking oil buffer stock, Airlangga said.The introduction of the export ban had shocked global edible oil markets. Palm oil, used in everything from margarine to frying fats and shampoo, comprises a third of the world’s vegetable oil market, with Indonesia accounting for about 60% of supply.Palm oil futures reboundMaybank analyst Ong Chee Ting said international crude palm oil prices were expected to soften after the decision to lift the ban.“As for international buyers, the availability of Indonesian palm oil will somewhat pressure international CPO (crude palm oil) price. Overall, the lifting of the export ban is a relief to Indonesian-based growers,” Ong said in a note to clients.Indonesian farmers had staged protests against the export ban this week.The domestic price of palm fruits had tumbled by around 70% since the ban, Gulat Manurung, chairman of the Indonesian smallholders group Apkasindo, said in a statement, welcoming the move to reopen exports.“The export ban has shown Indonesia how important palm oil is for the country,” Gulat said.Malaysian benchmark palm oil contract fell 1.61% in early trade on Friday, before rebounding to gain more than 3% as the market digested news of the domestic sales requirement.Meanwhile, the Indonesian rupiah strengthened by 0.47% and Jakarta stock index gained about 1.5%.


K9 tracker dogs picked up Nora Anne’s scent, inquest hears

The Coroner’s Court in Seremban was today told that two dogs belonging to the fire and rescue department managed to detect the scent of Irish-French teenager Nora Anne Quoirin, who went missing on Aug 4 last year, at several locations near the resort where she and her family had been staying.Fadzil Arshad, operations supervisor of the tracker dog (K9) unit from the Jalan Klang Lama station in Kuala Lumpur, said the Labrador and Border Collie from the UK had picked up Nora Anne’s scent about 100m from the window of her villa on Aug 5.They picked up her scent again the next day when passing an abandoned drain, on a mineral water bottle that may have belonged to her.“The two dogs then crossed a concrete drain and headed straight to the stream where they reacted strongly at the rocky rapids.“I informed my senior officer Mohamad Idris of this discovery,” he said when testifying before coroner Maimoonah Aid on the ninth day of proceedings today.He said efforts to track Nora Anne continued the next day, focusing on the rocky rapids. He said the dogs had a similar reaction there and did not want to go anywhere else.On Aug 8, he was asked to brief the police on the location where Nora Anne’s scent was discovered.“After that, our services were no longer required and our duty ended there,” he said.When questioned by deputy public prosecutor Norhafiza Haron about the role of the two dogs, he said they were trained to track down people who go missing or who stray in the jungle.Leading fire officer P Ravi, the 17th witness, said his team from the K9 unit at Jalan Klang Lama only joined in the search and rescue mission on Aug 10 after a request from the operations centre.“We brought in an English Springer Spaniel or ESS, a dog trained to locate bodies.I reported to operations commander Ahmad Mukhlis Moktar and was briefed on the search area at 9am.”He said they began the search at an Indian temple, heading towards a water plant where someone was said to have gone missing while swimming.“From the point we began until we stopped, there was no positive reaction from the dog. We were asked to search for traces of a body in the area,” he said, adding that his team’s service was only required for a day.Earlier, the 15th witness, lance corporal Sylvester Kirinus from the K9 unit at Bukit Aman, said a German Shepherd brought in on Aug 4 failed to detect any trace of Nora Anne.The second and third search attempts made with the dog on Aug 9 and 10 also came back negative.The inquest will continue on Oct 2, when two more witnesses from the K9 unit are scheduled to testify.Nora Anne, 15, went missing on Aug 4 last year, a day after she and her family arrived in Malaysia for a two-week holiday at a resort in Pantai, about 60km south of Kuala Lumpur.Her body was found on Aug 13 near a stream about 2.5km from the resort following a massive search.A preliminary post-mortem report revealed no criminal elements in Nora Anne’s death. It stated that the teenager had died of gastrointestinal bleeding due to prolonged stress and hunger.


Hong Kong arrests 5 on suspicion of inciting hatred through children’s books

Hong Kong police arrested five people on Thursday on suspicion of conspiring to publish “seditious material” with the intent of inciting public hatred towards the Chinese-ruled city’s government among children.Those arrested were members of a speech therapists’ union who produce books for children with wolves and sheep as characters in stories, which may have alluded to events in Hong Kong since pro-democracy protests began in 2019, local media reported.Reuters has not yet been able to independently confirm the details.Police said the five were two men and three women aged between 25 and 28. They did not identify them.“The public must be aware of the facts and must not tolerate or glorify violence, let alone the next generation be incited by false and distorted information and go astray,” the police said in a statement.The five were arrested under a colonial-era law targeting sedition, which had rarely been used before the anti-government protests began in the former British colony.First convictions under the law can carry a maximum penalty of two years in prison, police said.The arrests were the latest involving suspected critics of Hong Kong’s government that have raised fears about the shrinking space for dissent since Beijing’s imposition of a sweeping national security law in June last year to put an end to the pro-democracy protests.Those arrested are from the General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists, public broadcaster RTHK reported. The union could not be reached for comment.Police confirmed that the suspects were members of a trade union but did not give any further details.Authorities have denied any erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong – which returned to China in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula aimed at preserving its freedoms and role as a financial hub – but say China’s national security is a red line.Security officials have said law enforcement action is based on evidence and has nothing to do with an individual’s political stance, background or profession.


Indonesia scraps plan to send workers to Malaysia’s palm oil plantations

Indonesia cancelled a plan to send its citizens to work in palm oil plantations in Malaysia, which has faced a labour shortage, its envoy to Kuala Lumpur said yesterday.Malaysia, the world’s second-largest palm oil producer, was set to welcome the first major batch of migrant workers from Indonesia since reopening borders in a boost for the industry that is facing a shortage of more than 100,000 workers.The labour crunch has cut Malaysian palm oil production, which relies on foreign labour, to multi-year lows when the world faces a broader edible oil shortage due to the Russia-Ukraine war and export restrictions in top producer Indonesia.On Tuesday evening, 164 workers from the island of Lombok in Indonesia, the industry’s preferred source country for workers because of similarities in weather and terrain, were expected to arrive in Kuala Lumpur on a chartered flight, Indonesia’s ambassador to Malaysia Hermono told Reuters.But an Indonesian agency responsible for the protection of migrant workers cancelled the recruitment process and did not allow the workers to fly, the envoy said.“Maybe there is misunderstanding on the regulation of Malaysia in the process of work permit issuance. I gave my recommendation and assurances that all the workers will get the work permit once they pass medical examination in Malaysia,” he said.The human resources ministry, which had scheduled a monitoring session for yesterday evening on the arrival of the workers, cancelled the event citing “unavoidable circumstances”.Malaysia relies on foreign workers, who mainly come from Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Nepal, to fill factory and plantation jobs shunned by locals.There have been growing concerns in recent years over the treatment of migrant workers, with seven Malaysian companies banned by the US in the last two years over the use of what the US authorities consider “forced labour”.


Dilemma for PH voters if Najib is freed

Analysts see a dilemma for Pakatan Harapan (PH) voters as talk continues on Umno's efforts to obtain a royal pardon for jailed former leader Najib Razak, against a backdrop of the coalition's long struggle against corruption and kleptocracy.
PH came to power at the 2018 general election on a wave of discontent over Najib and his involvement in the 1MDB scandal, toppling six decades of Barisan Nasional (BN) rule.
It joined hands with its long-time foe in order to form the government again after the inconclusive results of the 15th general election last year.
Political analyst Azmil Tayeb said the move now towards a pardon for Najib and, eventually his freedom, would be a huge disappointment for PH voters.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Azmil of Universiti Sains Malaysia said it would also have an impact on Anwar's reputation as a champion of the reformasi cause.
"If Najib walks free, it will also give Perikatan Nasional (PN) more ammunition at the state elections to come," he said, referring to the opposition coalition.
"I think it will be difficult for PH to sidestep this issue. It's possible that voters will choose not to turn out at the state elections."
PH currently forms the administration in three of the states facing elections this year: Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.
The other three – Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan – are under PN.
Najib, who was convicted in 2020 of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power in relation to SRC International, lost his final bid for a review of his conviction and sentence last month.
Umno subsequently said it was seeking an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah to plead for a pardon for its former president.
Najib still wields strong support among the Umno grassroots, and analysts have warned of possible cracks over the matter in the alliance between PH and BN.
Analyst Mazlan Ali however said that Najib would face an uphill climb in his quest for a royal pardon.
"Najib is still facing many ongoing and future cases in court," he said.
"How can the Pardons Board consider the matter if Najib has yet to serve part of his sentence?
"What if he is sentenced again in his other cases?"
Mazlan, of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, added that Article 42(8) prohibits the Agong from making a personal decision on the matter.
"Najib's chances are not good," he said. "He'll need a miracle."
Mazlan agreed that support for PH would be affected but said nothing was written in stone.
"Politics has its highs and lows," he said. "My latest research in five state seats in Negeri Sembilan shows that support for PH and BN is still strong."
Najib is not the only Umno leader trying to steer clear of jail.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi recently submitted a representation asking for the 47 charges against him in the Yayasan Akalbudi case to be dropped, shortly after regaining his passport from the court.
Last September, he was acquitted by the High Court of 40 charges of corruption related to the overseas visa system.


Brazil audit court orders Bolsonaro to return Saudi jewellery gift

Brazil's federal audit court (TCU) on Wednesday ruled that former president Jair Bolsonaro must deliver within five days a second set of jewellery he received from the Saudi government.
The decision comes a few days after Brazilian police launched an investigation into an attempt to illegally bring the jewellery valued at US$3.2 million (RM14.35 million) into the country, gifts to the then-president and his wife Michelle from by the Saudi king.
On Monday, Bolsonaro's lawyer said in a letter to the police that the former president will deliver the second gift to the state as part of its collection of presidential gifts.
The TCU court also ordered that the first set of jewellery, seized by customs officials in 2021 in the backpack of a government aide returning from Saudi Arabia, be kept in custody at the presidential offices, in addition to opening an audit on all gifts received by Bolsonaro during his term.
Several officials from the Bolsonaro administration unsuccessfully tried to recover the jewellery – a diamond necklace, ring, watch and earrings – that was being held by customs, according to local media.
Bolsonaro, who is still in self-exile in the US, will be called to testify as part of the investigation, Brazilian Justice Minister Flavio Dino said on Monday.


Russia and Myanmar junta leader vow to boost ties in Moscow meeting

Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council, and Myanmar’s junta leader committed to further strengthening security and other ties between the two countries at a Moscow meeting on Monday, Reuters reports.Senior General Min Aung Hlaing flew to the Russian capital on Sunday to attend a security conference this week.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier on Monday said President Vladimir Putin would not be meeting Min Aung Hlaing, Interfax reported.Rights activists have accused Moscow of legitimising Myanmar’s military junta by continuing bilateral visits and arms deals.Russia says it has a long-standing relationship with Myanmar and said in March it was deeply concerned by the rising number of civilian deaths in Myanmar.Defence ties between the two nations have grown in recent years with Moscow providing army training and university scholarships to thousands of soldiers, as well as selling arms to a military blacklisted by a growing number of countries for alleged atrocities against civilians.Myanmar’s state-run MRTV devoted the first 10 minutes of its nightly newscast to a report of Min Aung Hlaing’s Russia trip, from him being met by officials at the airport to his meeting with the Security Council.It showed a smiling Min Aung Hlaing in a business suit, posing for pictures, shaking hands and exchanging gifts with members of the council before attending a ceremony at a Buddhist temple in Moscow.The MRTV report said Min Aung Hlaing and Patrushev discussed cooperation between the two countries on security measures, Myanmar’s current affairs and agreed to maintain a good relationship between their two militaries.The East Asia Forum says from the very beginning Russia has refused to condemn the coup, with the foreign ministry merely expressing hope for “a peaceful settlement of the situation through the resumption of political dialogue”.Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti justified the coup by arguing that the Myanmar army, the Tatmadaw, is the only viable guarantor of the multi-ethnic country’s unity and peace.The most visible manifestation of Russian support for the junta came in late March, when Deputy Minister of Defence Alexander Fomin became the highest-ranking foreign official to attend Myanmar’s Armed Forces Day parade in the capital Naypyidaw.While the military was violently cracking down on protestors, Fomin held talks with Min Aung Hlaing. He called Myanmar “Russia’s reliable ally and strategic partner in Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific” and emphasised that Moscow “adheres to the strategic course of enhancing relations between the two countries”.


Second fire breaks out at Wisma Jakel building

A second fire broke out at Wisma Jakel in Section 7, Shah Alam, early today, this time affecting the curtain store room at the premises.
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director Norazam Khamis said the department received a distress call at 12.40am, following which 43 firemen were mobilised to the scene.
He said they managed to keep the fire from spreading at 1.45am.
"The fire was completely doused at 3.07am and overhaul work is in progress. There were no casualties," he said in a statement.
The first fire broke out at the five-storey Wisma Jakel building two days ago. It was believed to have started at about 7am.
Selangor JBPM has mobilised its K9 tracker dog unit to the site to conduct forensic work and determine the cause of the incident.


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Bar backs call to clip PM's power in appointing judges

The Malaysian Bar has renewed its call for amendments to the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Act 2009, where the review of provisions on the representation of stakeholders should be done by legal practitioners and the attorney-general, and that eminent persons under Section 5 of the JAC Act be selected through a set of criteria suitable for Malaysians across divides.
It also reiterated that the power of the prime minister in the judicial selection and appointment process under the JAC Act should be removed, to ensure the independence of the JAC to run its own affairs, with the possibility of involvement by a parliamentary select committee to provide checks and balance.
"These reforms would be necessary to uphold the independence of the judiciary.
"It is therefore imperative that the government of the day that says it is resolute in good governance continues the way forward by having the political will to make the requisite amendments to the JAC Act and Article 122B of the Federal Constitution, to establish an independent judiciary for the sake of a proper democratic system within our country," Malaysian Bar president Karen Cheah Yee Lynn said in a statement today.
She also said the Malaysian Bar was always ready to assist in realising this initiative. Cheah said the Malaysian Bar also lauded the call by the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir at the 260th Conference of Rulers meeting yesterday, that five of the nine members of the JAC no longer be appointed by the prime minister so that its composition could be more balanced and does not carry the interest of any party.
She said the Malaysian Bar had in 2018 submitted a comprehensive paper to the Institutional Reforms Committee (IRC) to propose ideas to strengthen the democratic institutions in the country, including a review of the JAC Act.
"This initiative has a history even prior to 2018, as the Malaysian Bar has always had concerns relating to the process of the appointment of judges, which should always be free from the influence of the executive, because the underlying purpose behind the establishment of a JAC is to maintain the separation between the legislative, judiciary, and executive to ensure transparency at all levels.
"Over and above these criteria, the Malaysian Bar has continuously advocated that the overall composition of the JAC should reflect diversity and inclusivity, and as far as possible, mirror the demography of the general population in every aspect," she said.
She said if the composition of the JAC is reflective of Malaysian society, it would enhance public confidence and acceptance of the decisions made by the judiciary because these judges would essentially be representing and making decisions affecting the lives of all Malaysians.
She added that the Malaysian Bar has consistently called for the decentralisation of the power of the executive in key aspects of the judicial appointment process.
"An example of the power of the executive in such appointments is reflected in Section 5 of the JAC Act which stipulates that five out of the nine members of the JAC – namely a Federal Court judge and four eminent persons – be appointed by the prime minister.
"The selection of eminent persons leaves open the possibility that former members of the executive and public service, members of Parliament and other politicians may sit on the JAC, and the Malaysian Bar reiterates that such possibility of appointments ought to be expressly excluded," she said.
Cheah said while the process of consultation for judicial appointment is carried out as provided for under Section 5(f) of the JAC Act, the express and written views or objections of the Bar Council on the suitability of candidates had never been translated into actuality.
"The views sought therefore appear to be no more than an exercise of dressing rather than that of substance.
"As such, the current call for JAC reforms is timely indeed," she added.-- BERNAMA


Falling jet engine parts prompt suspension of some older Boeing jets

Showers of jet engine parts over residential areas on both sides of the Atlantic have resulted in the suspension of some older Boeing planes from service.Saturday’s incidents involving a United Airlines 777 in Denver and a Longtail Aviation 747 freighter in the Netherlands put engine maker Pratt & Whitney in the spotlight, though there is no evidence the incidents are related.A woman sustained minor injuries in the Dutch incident, which scattered turbine blades on the town of Meerssen. One was found embedded in a car roof.US jet engine-maker Pratt & Whitney said it was coordinating with regulators to review inspection protocols.After the US engine failure, when a United flight dropped debris on a north Denver suburb before landing safely, Boeing recommended the suspension of 777s with the same turbine. Japan, meanwhile, imposed a mandatory suspension.Following the US and Japan, South Korea and the UK announced they would also temporarily ban all Boeing 777 powered by the Pratt & Whitney engine from operating in their airspace, Aerotime reported.The EU Aviation Safety Agency on Monday, requested more information on the Pr&W engines involved. They then said the incidents were unrelated. “Nothing in the failure and root analysis show any similarity at this stage,” the regulator said.The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it would soon issue an emergency airworthiness directive based on the United event.Both incidents involve the same type of PW4000 engine that equips a relatively small number of older planes, some grounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, limiting the likely repercussions.The incidents nonetheless bring a new headache for Boeing as it recovers from the much more serious 737-MAX crisis, which resulted in the grounding of its flagship narrowbody jet after two deadly crashes.“This is certainly an unwelcome situation for both Boeing and Pratt, but from time to time issues will pop up with aircraft and engines,” said Greg Waldron, a managing editor at industry publication Flight Global.“The PW4000-powered 777-200 is slowly leaving service,” he said, adding that the pandemic slump means that airlines forced to suspend it “should be able to fill any network gaps” with 787s or other 777s equipped with General Electric Co engines.In the Dutch case, the Longtail pilot was informed of an engine fire by air traffic control after taking off from Maastricht, bound for New York, and diverted to Liege, Belgium.Examination of the 26-year-old United jet showed damage was mostly confined to the right engine, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said. Its inlet and casing came off and two fan blades were fractured, with others showing damage.The FAA said early findings suggested that the “inspection interval should be stepped up for the hollow fan blades that are unique to this model of engine, used solely on Boeing 777 airplanes”.The smaller PW4000 engines on some Boeing 747s and 767s, as well as some Airbus A330s, do not feature the hollow titanium fan blade suspected of being involved in the United 777 incident.


Goldman Sachs agrees to largest penalty ever in 1MDB scandal

Global financial titan Goldman Sachs agreed to pay US$2.9 billion in penalties to settle criminal charges in the 1MDB bribery scandal, the largest US fine ever in a corruption case, the Department of Justice (DoJ) announced Thursday.Acting US Assistant Attorney-General Brian C Rabbitt said Goldman “accepted responsibility” in the case that involved US$1.6 billion in bribes, the largest ever recorded, and massive gains laundered through the US financial system.Goldman Sachs helped raise US$6.5 billion for the government’s sovereign wealth fund. The DoJ has said more than US$4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB by high-level officials at the fund and their associates between 2009 and 2015.The investment fund “was looted by corrupt officials and their co-conspirators, including senior Goldman bankers” turning it “into a piggy bank for corrupt public officials and their cronies,” Rabbitt said at a press briefing.In a first for Goldman Sachs, the company’s Malaysian unit pleaded guilty in a US court Thursday to violations of US bribery law as part of a deal to end the criminal probe in the sweeping case that involved authorities in nine countries.The guilty plea could curtail activities of Goldman Sachs Malaysia but allows the parent company to avoid admitting wrongdoing in court – which would have damaged its ability to do business.‘Meaningful consequences’The parent company pleaded not guilty in US court and agreed to “deferred prosecution” for three-and-a-half years, during which time the firm will face increased monitoring by regulators.But Rabbitt stressed that despite the deal, the company has been charged in the bribery scandal, “so there has been a significant amount of criminal liability” for Goldman and “imposes meaningful consequences” in the cases.The DoJ has charged three individuals in the case including two former Goldman executives. Tim Leissner, the former Southeast Asia chairman, has pleaded guilty, while Ng Chong Hwa, also known as “Roger Ng”, former head of investment banking for GS Malaysia, is awaiting trial, and Low Taek Jho remains a fugitive.“Goldman admitted today that, in order to effectuate the scheme, Leissner, Ng, Employee 1, and others conspired with Low Taek Jho” to pay the bribes and ignored red flags, the statement said.In another stunning turn, the company said it will demand repayment of US$174 million in salary and bonuses paid to current and former executives including chief executive David Solomon and his predecessor Lloyd Blankfein.These so-called clawbacks are almost unheard of in corporate cases.Solomon said in a statement “it is abundantly clear that certain former employees broke the law, lied to our colleagues and circumvented firm controls”, adding, “we recognise that we did not adequately address red flags”.Included in the total penalty amount, Goldman will pay a US$400 fine to the SEC and repay US$600 million in earnings, and pay a US$154 million fine to the Federal Reserve, which also will require the company to improve its risk management and internal oversight.The government dropped the charges against Goldman in July after reaching a US$3.9 billion settlement with the financial giant.The firm, which posted profits of US$3.5 billion in the latest quarter, had set aside more than US$3.1 billion as of Sept 30 “for litigation and regulatory proceedings”.Goldman shares closed US trading 1.2% higher after settling the uncertainty.


Australia to list Hamas as terror group

Australia said Thursday it would list the whole of Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas as a terrorist organisation, the latest Western nation to do so.Canberra had previously listed Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades military wing as a terror group, but the new designation will list the organisation in its entirety, including its political wing.Hamas has fought successive wars with Israel since it seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007.It swept the last Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006 and is the main opposition to ageing president Mahmud Abbas’s Fatah movement.“The views of Hamas and the violent extremist groups listed today are deeply disturbing, and there is no place in Australia for their hateful ideologies,” said home affairs minister Karen Andrews.Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett welcomed the Australian move, tweeting that it marked “another important step in the global fight against terrorism”.The designation will place restrictions on financing or providing other support to Hamas – with certain offences carrying a 25-year prison sentence.“It is vital that our laws target not only terrorist acts and terrorists, but also the organisations that plan, finance and carry out these acts,” Andrews said.The US has long designated Hamas a terror group.A similar EU decision had been the subject of a protracted court battle, that eventually resulted in Hamas being returned to the terror list.