Najib promised additional US$1.17 billion cash gift by Saudi prince, court told

The Kuala Lumpur High Court was today told that Najib Razak was promised an additional US$1.17 billion in cash as a gift from an individual alleged to be a member of the Saudi royal family in appreciation of the former prime minister's work in introducing Islam to the rest of the world.
Based on two letters read in court by Najib’s counsel Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, the cash gift was promised to be remitted into Najib’s personal bank account by a Saudi prince, Saud Abdulaziz Majid Al Saud, via two transactions of US$375 million on Nov 1, 2011 and US$800 million on March 1, 2013.
Last week, Najib’s defence team presented another purported letter from the same Saudi prince dated Feb 1, 2011, that allegedly promised a US$100 million cash gift to Najib in recognition of his contributions to the Islamic world.
Bearing the letterhead of the Private Office of Saud Abdulaziz Majid Al Saud, who was the former governor of Madinah province and a member of the House of Saud, the letters stated that the gift was in view of the friendship that the two had developed over the years as well as to recognise Najib’s new ideas as a modern Islamic leader.
Wan Aizuddin was referring the letters to the 38th prosecution witness, AmBank Private Banking Capital Market desk head Yap Wai Keat, 57, during cross-examination at Najib’s trial involving the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion from 1MDB.
"The letters also mentioned that the cash gift would be remitted to Najib’s account via the prince’s personal bank account or through His Highness’ instructed companies bank accounts, Tanore Finance Corporation and Blackstone Asia Real Estate Partners Limited.
"It was also alluded in the letters that Najib should have absolute discretion to determine how the money would be utilised and that it should not, in any event, be construed as an act of corruption since this is against the practice of Islam and the prince personally does not encourage such practices (corruption) in any manner," the lawyer said.
It was previously reported that the US Department of Justice had identified Tanore Finance Corporation and Blackstone Asia Real Estate Partners Limited as being controlled by fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, using the identity of his associate Eric Tan Kim Loong.
Wan Aizuddin then asked the witness whether he had any knowledge of the two letters prior to the 1MDB trial, to which he answered in the positive.
"I think possibly because, in order to proceed with the remittance, we would need to know the purpose code of this money, whereby Najib’s AmBank account relationship manager Joanna Yu had told me that it was a gift and that there were letters that came with it.  "However, I cannot confirm whether there was a possibility that Yu gave me the letters at the point of time of these transactions.
"She might have shown them to me, but I cannot recall due to the number of documents that I have gone through over the past years," said Yap, who handled AmBank’s foreign exchange deposits from 2010 until 2014.
Najib, 69, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues this afternoon.


Young Pakistanis queue to pay for Russian jabs as private sales begin

Thousands of Pakistanis rushed to get inoculated over the weekend as Covid-19 vaccines went on sale, mostly on a first-come first-served basis.Vaccination sites in the southern city of Karachi said on Sunday they had already sold out.Pakistan is currently offering free vaccines to frontline healthcare workers and people over the age of 50, but the take-up has so far been slow, and last month the country allowed commercial imports by the private sector for the general public.As soon as jabs were available for walk-in customers, there were long lines of people, Dr Nashwa Ahmed, who runs the vaccination programme at Karachi’s South City Hospital, told Reuters.The hospital procured 5,000 doses of Sputnik V and in just over two days all its stock had been administered or pre-booked, said a hospital official who asked not to be identified.Companies, including one of Pakistan’s largest banks, have also purchased large quantities to have staff inoculated, the official said.The first round saw the commercial sale of the two-shot Russian Sputnik V to the general public for about 12,000 Pakistani rupees (US$80, RM330) for a pack of two doses.Despite the cost, a number of centres offering the shot reported long queues, with some in Karachi waiting in line for close to three hours.Most in the queue were young Pakistanis still not eligible for government’s free vaccination.“I am very happy to get it, since now it is required for travelling,” Saad Ahmed, 34, told Reuters on Sunday after he got his shot at an upscale private sector hospital in Karachi.While the private sale of vaccines has begun, the government and importers are still locked in a pricing dispute.Pakistan initially agreed to exempt imported vaccines from price caps, but later rescinded the exemption and said it would set maximum prices.One pharmaceutical company, which had already imported 50,000 doses of Sputnik V, took the government to court, where it won an interim order allowing it to sell it until pricing is decided.The private sales start as the country deals with a fresh wave of Covid-19 infections and healthcare facilities are fast filling to capacity.


Thailand's new acting leader is another royalist military man

Thailand's new acting leader, Prawit Wongsuwan, represents little substantial change from suspended Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha for opposition forces seeking to end what they decry as military dominance of politics.
For the ruling coalition led by the pro-army Palang Pracharat party, Prawit's caretaker role represents stability until the Constitutional Court decides whether Prayuth's time as a military leader from 2014 to 2019 counts towards a constitutionally stipulated eight-year term limit, as the opposition argues.
Prawit, 77, who has been a deputy prime minister since 2019, is a longtime ally of Prayuth and was part of the military junta that ruled Thailand for nearly five years following Prayuth's 2014 coup ouster of an elected government
Like Prayuth himself, Prawit is a former chief of the army and is known for his fierce loyalty to the monarchy - both men served in the elite Queen's Guard unit closely associated with the palace.
However, unlike Prayuth, he has tended to wield influence behind the scenes.
Prawit has long been seen as a power-broker both within the Palang Pracharat party, which he co-founded, and among the wealthy elite that align themselves with Thailand's royal family and the military.
"Prawit has his power through connection with business elite," Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of the faculty of political science at Ubon Ratchathani University told Reuters.
"By becoming acting prime minister, Prawit will help stabilise the political situation and consolidate the ruling coalition and related business interests ahead of the election," Titipol said.
Expensive watches
While he may be most adept at behind-the-scenes influence, Prawit has also has faced public scrutiny.
He survived an anti-corruption investigation and fierce public criticism in 2018 after he appeared in a photograph wearing a diamond ring and expensive watch that did not appear on his public asset declaration.
Activists later identified at least 25 other luxury watches the former general was photographed wearing but had not declared. Prawit said the timepieces had been lent to him.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission later ruled there was not sufficient evidence to press charges of false declaration of assets.
That controversy, plus his close association with Prayuth's junta, means that even in an acting role, Prawit might face much of the same opposition as the man he is standing in for, said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political analyst and professor at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.
"Prawit will be embattled from day one," Thitinan said. "He might be a fixer and a broker within the coalition and Palang Pracharat... but himself he is highly unpopular with the public."
Military career
Prawit and Prayuth rose through the ranks together, though Prawit was the senior officer for much of their army careers.
Prawit was Prayuth's superior when they were in the Queen's Guard. Both also served in the Burapha Payak or Eastern Tigers army clique with a power base in eastern Thailand.
Prawit rose to be chief of the armed forces from 2004 to 2005 and after retirement was defence minister in a civilian government from 2008 to 2011.
But in the past year, there have been signs of tension between Prayuth and Prawit over the direction of the ruling party after it expelled 21 lawmakers, led by a Prawit loyalist, Thammanat Prompao, a former deputy agriculture minister.
However, observers don't see the change from Prayuth to Prawit as having significant impact on the political trajectory dominated by the royalist military elite.
"This is typical political conflict between factions," analyst Titipol said. "But at the end they will save each other and stay together."


Agong repeats call to close ranks as Covid-19 crisis continues

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong today repeated his call for people to set aside their differences and personal interests and help the government and frontline workers in their efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19, including through the national vaccination programme.He also advised the people to remain at home barring any pressing matters following Putrajaya’s announcement yesterday that a nationwide movement control order (MCO) would be imposed along with stricter SOPs in light of the increase in Covid-19 cases.“His Majesty understands the grievances of the people who have been severely affected by the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.“In this regard, His Majesty hopes that the troubles and burdens of the people will be taken into hand by the government and all responsible parties,” Comptroller of the Royal Household of Istana Negara, Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, said in a statement.Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah also reiterated his previous call for the people to prioritise their safety and health as well as that of their families through constant discipline and compliance with the directives set by the National Security Council.“This is to prevent the country from experiencing a Covid-19 tsunami, as is the case in several countries in South Asia and Europe,” he said.The statement added that the Agong was confident the spread of Covid-19 could be checked with the cooperation and commitment of all quarters.


Melaka sees declining trend in Covid cases

The number of new Covid-19 infections in Melaka has decreased by 7% from 1,400 cases in the 44th epidemiological week (ME) (Oct 31 to Nov 6) to 1,300 cases in the 45th ME (Nov 7 to 13).State health director Dr Rusdi Abd Rahman said the average number of active cases also dropped by 8.7% from 3,075 cases (44th ME) to 2,809 (45th ME), in a trend consistent since the 40th ME.“The death cases also show a decline of 33% from six cases (44th ME) to four cases (45th ME). The number of cases requiring treatment in ICUs showed an 11.8% decrease from 17 cases (44th ME) to 15 cases (45th ME),” he said in a statement today.Melaka recorded the fifth highest incidence rate in Malaysia at 290 per 100,000 population within 14 days from Nov 4, he said, adding that the infectivity rate in the state also decreased from 0.99 (44th ME) to 0.97 at the end of the 45th ME.Rusdi said the number of patients requiring respiratory assistance also dropped by 14.3% from seven cases (44th ME) to six cases (45th ME).As of Nov 13, there were a total of 181 clusters in the state, of which 167 clusters had ended while 14 others were still active.On hospital admissions, Rusdi said as of Nov 13, only seven of the total 198 new cases were patients in Category Three, Four and Five.“Also, a total of 915 fatalities were reported, with 119 of them brought in dead while deaths due to Covid-19 stood at 1.3% as of Nov 13.“About 63.3% of the death cases involved unvaccinated individuals, partially vaccinated (25.6%) and fully vaccinated (11%),” he added.On the vaccination rate, a total of 701,621 individuals or 92.2% of the adult population and 77,204 individuals or 89.3% of adolescents aged between 12 and 17 in the state had completed their Covid-19 vaccination as of Nov 13.A total of 44,369 individuals or 6.5% of the adult population have received their booster shot for the same period, he added.


Ex-Umno Supreme Council man confident Anwar will give Najib 'justice'

Former Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam today said he was confident that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim would ensure proper justice for Najib Razak who is currently serving a 12-year sentence in prison.
Najib, the former prime minister, was convicted in July 2020 by High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Ghazali of misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International funds.
The decision was upheld by the Court of Appeal and Federal Court, with the apex court sending him to Kajang Prison on Aug 23.
Lokman said the case against Najib leading to his imprisonment appeared to be a conspiracy to persecute the former Umno president, claiming elements of conflict of interest in Nazlan's position as a judge in the SRC International case.
"Najib went to jail because Nazlan was not charged," he told MalaysiaNow.
"His involvement clearly shows a conspiracy and malicious intent to persecute Najib. I am confident now that he will get a proper defence through the submission of new evidence that was previously rejected."
Lokman, representing NGO claiming justice for Najib, had earlier submitted a memorandum to law minister Azalina Othman Said requesting that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission report on Nazlan be reviewed and disclosed to the public.
The memorandum urged the government to take action against Nazlan for allegedly violating the law, including the Penal Code, the MACC Act 2009 and the Code of Ethics for Judges 2009.
"We believe that Najib has been wronged, and that the act of proscuting and punishing him was something planned ahead," he said after submitting the document to Azalina's officer Gan Wen Shen outside the Parliament building.


Thai protest leaders arrested after emergency decree bites

Thai riot police have cleared protesters from outside the prime minister’s office shortly after an emergency decree took effect early on Thursday morning.Some protesters tried to resist, using makeshift barricades, but they were pushed back, Reuters reports.Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said three protest leaders had been arrested.The Thai government brought in the emergency decree to combat large demonstrations in Bangkok. It is thought that protesters confronting a royal motorcade on Wednesday is the main reason for bringing in the decree.The government said urgent measures were needed to “maintain peace and order”.In addition to limiting gatherings to four people, the decree effectively shuts down reporting on the protests.New media restrictions prohibit the “publication of news, other media and electronic information that contains messages that could create fear or intentionally distort information, creating misunderstanding that will affect national security or peace and order”.The growing student-led protest movement, which began in July, has become the greatest challenge in years to Thailand’s monarchy and government.Demonstrations at the weekend were some of the largest in years, with thousands demanding change while the police stood by.


MACC denies barring Guan Eng from entering Sabah

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today denied barring former finance minister Lim Guan Eng from travelling to any state in the country.MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki said there might have been a mistake when the DAP secretary-general arrived at the Kota Kinabalu airport yesterday which caused him to be delayed for about half any hour.“MACC only applied to impose restrictions on Lim from going abroad,” he told reporters after officiating a programme in Melaka today.Lim earlier said he was barred from entering Sabah by the immigration department following restrictions by MACC.On the issue of illegal durian farming in Raub, Pahang, Azam said he had instructed Pahang MACC to obtain more information on the matter from the Raub District and Land Office and the Pahang state secretary’s office.


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UK inflation hits double digits, highest in 40 years

British consumer price inflation jumped to 10.1% in July, its highest since February 1982, up from an annual rate of 9.4% in June, intensifying the squeeze on households, official figures showed on Wednesday.
The increase was above all economists' forecasts in a Reuters poll for inflation to rise to 9.8% in July, and will do nothing to ease the Bank of England's concerns that price pressures may become entrenched.
Earlier this month the BoE raised its key interest rate by 0.5% to 1.75% – its first half-point rise since 1995 – and it forecast inflation would peak at 13.3% in October, when regulated household energy prices are next due to rise.
Wednesday's figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that prices rose 0.6% in July from June on a non-seasonally adjusted basis, while the annual rate of retail price inflation hit 12.3%, its highest since March 1981.
"Getting inflation under control is my top priority, and we are taking action through strong, independent monetary policy, responsible tax and spending decisions, and reforms to boost productivity and grow," Finance Minister Nadhim Zahawi said in response to the data.
Surging energy prices in Europe, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, are the main driver of inflation and are likely to tip Britain into a lengthy, if shallow, recession, later this year, according to the BoE.
However, there were hints in the data that future inflation pressure might be starting to abate.
Although the prices charged by factories rose by the most since August 1977, jumping by 17.1%, the increases in prices paid by factories cooled slightly, dropping to an annual 22.6% from June's record 24.1%.
In month-on-month terms, input prices rose by only 0.1%, the slowest increase so far in 2022, partly caused by weaker global demand for steel as economic growth slows around the world and a fall in crude oil prices.


Shafee says sorry for media statement on Najib's graft case

Najib Razak’s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah today apologised to the Kuala Lumpur High Court for a media statement he recently made on the former prime minister's RM2.3 billion 1MDB corruption case.
However, the lawyer also insisted that the media statement was accurate and not an exaggeration.
"My Lord, I profusely apologise to the court if there was a misconstruction of the media statement. The statement was accurate and with no exaggeration.
"The press statement merely said this ‘the prosecution didn't provide us with the documents in this case, but we dug out and found these documents’. That was how we said the prosecution failed to disclose," said the lawyer.
Shafee said the statement was in response to queries by reporters about the money deposited into Najib's accounts.
"The reporters had been asking, is it true that the two transactions came from Saudi Arabia?" he said.
Here, senior deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram responded, saying his only complaint was that Shafee could have raised the matter in court.
"My learned friend (Shafee) could have raised this before your Lordship. Does he (Muhammad) expect us to go to the media and say Shafee is wrong?
"I’m perfectly happy if he makes the complaint before your Lordship. Any complaints about the way we (prosecution) conduct the case can be brought before your lordship. Please don’t discuss with the media, just liaise with us," said the former Federal Court judge.
After hearing arguments by both parties, High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah said: "This will be the end of the matter as far as the media statement is concerned. We can let matters rest as they are."
Yesterday, Sri Ram warned Shafee against conducting a trial of the case in the media.
He was responding to a media statement by Shafee on Monday which highlighted the inflow of funds into Najib's account in February and June 2011, amounting to about RM60.6 million (about US$20 million) from Saudi royal Prince Faisal Turki Al Saud.
The defence claimed that the funds were part of a gift to Najib from the former governor of Madinah province, Saud Abdulaziz Majid Al Saud. Shafee also said the prosecution had only highlighted the two transfer transactions, but not five other transfers into Najib's account between August 2011 and August 2012 which were allegedly from Prince Turki and the Riyadh finance ministry amounting to about US$180 million.
Shafee had also included letters from the former governor addressed to Najib, stating the different sums of donations made to the former prime minister.
The trial then proceeded with the 39th prosecution witness, former AmBank non-executive director Cheah Tek Kuang, taking the witness stand to be cross-examined by Shafee.
Najib, 69, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion belonging to 1MDB and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.


Anwar tried to seek PAS’ support to ‘backstab’ Dr M, says Mukhriz

Former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir today revealed that PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim had tried to engineer a no-confidence vote to topple Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister during the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration.In a statement slamming PKR leaders for their recent remarks blaming his father for the collapse of the PH government, Mukhriz said the claim was made by PAS’ Tumpat MP, Che Abdullah Mat Nawi.“Che Abdullah Mat Nawi of PAS has revealed that Anwar Ibrahim tried to get support from PAS for a vote of no confidence against Mahathir when PH was still the government. This is back-stabbing,” said Mukhriz, the Jerlun MP who is part of the Pejuang bloc.MalaysiaNow is trying to get more details of the claim from Che Abdullah.Mukhriz in his statement defended his father’s 22-month administration, in the wake of a claim by Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, an Anwar loyalist in PKR who is also the Setiawangsa MP, that his party boss had snubbed an invitation to be part of the Sheraton Move last year.“PKR should not pretend that its leaders were sincere and kind while PH was in power,” Mukhriz said.“I condemn any assumption or allegation that Dr Mahathir Mohamad had at any time done wrong or acted unethically, including when Umno MPs joined Bersatu and PH,” he added.The so-called Sheraton Move refers to a plan to bring down the PH government, a move seen as part of a greater plan to prevent Anwar from becoming the prime minister.Anwar was promised the top post under a deal agreed to by PH before the 2018 general election. The handover from Mahathir however did not take place.


Selangor to sell remaining vaccines under Selvax Industry programme

The state government plans to sell the remaining doses of unsold Covid-19 vaccine under its Selangor Vaccine (SelVax) Industry programme to states or countries facing vaccine shortages, the state legislative assembly was told today.Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari however said that the state government would first complete the applications for vaccine booster jabs.“The supplier has given assurance that these vaccines will last for three years, so we believe that we can finish the vaccine supply,” he said when replying to a supplementary question from R Rajiv (PH-Bukit Gasing).As of Nov 1, he said the remaining doses of vaccine allocated to the SelVax Industry programme that have not been sold stand at 537,045.


Malaysia facing small Covid-19 wave due to XBB variant, says Khairy

Malaysia is currently experiencing a small wave of Covid-19 cases following the discovery of the Omicron XBB sub-variant in the country, says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
He said based on daily data, the number of new Covid-19 cases had increased by 16.5%, from 14,525 in epidemiological week 42 (ME 42) to 16,917 in ME 43 (Oct 23 to 29).
Khairy said the number of Covid-19 admissions to health facilities at public hospitals per 100,00 population also showed an increase of 14.3% in ME 43 compared to ME 42.
"We suspect that the XBB sub-variant is behind this upward trend which is also the cause of the wave in Singapore, which has taken three to four weeks to decrease.
"Perhaps we are also facing an XBB variant infection with four cases detected as of Oct 27," he said at a press conference in Putrajaya today.
Khairy said these four cases involved three men and one woman, aged 25 to 51, from Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.
He said all four cases were found to be positive for Covid-19 through genome sequencing surveillance, with all four in Category Two, experiencing mild symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat and flu.
Of the four cases, only one was reinfection. Khairy said all four had been isolated for seven days, while their close contacts had also been identified.
Khairy urged the public to remain vigilant and careful, especially as the country heads towards the 15th general election (GE15).
"Given the increase in Covid-19 cases, the health ministry has decided to remind the public that we are still in the transition phase to endemic, and that waves of infection will come and go.
"Unfortunately, the timing of the current increase in cases coincides with GE15, which is why the ministry is advising the public, especially on the use of face masks.
"It is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended, especially in crowded and closed areas and for high-risk individuals," he said.
Khairy also encouraged frontline staff, including Election Commission employees who will be on duty during GE15, to take a second booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
In the meantime, Khairy said that Malaysia had ordered a new type of vaccine, Bivalent from Pfizer, which will arrive in November.
"There is no additional procurement, this is existing procurement. We have changed our order from the old vaccine to the new vaccine, which will arrive in November," he said.


PN to meet PM Ismail on 'unfulfilled terms' of 2021 deal

Perikatan Nasional (PN) says it will seek a meeting with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to discuss the terms of his agreement with the coalition, claiming that these have yet to be met.
PN secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said a meeting of the coalition's Supreme Council last night, chaired by Muhyiddin Yassin, had voiced disappointment at what he described as Ismail's lack of will to fulfil these terms.
"Regret was expressed over the actions of the prime minister, who appears to be lacking in his efforts to meet the important terms contained in his agreement with PN," he said.
Earlier this month, Marzuki Mohamad, Muhyiddin's senior private secretary-general during his time as prime minister, confirmed an agreement that Ismail would appoint a deputy prime minister from Bersatu.
He also said that the parties involved had agreed that the deal could not be made public.
"It was signed by Muhyiddin and the prime minister on Aug 17, 2021, and witnessed by a minister from Bersatu and another minister from Umno," he said in a statement.
"As the official of the eighth prime minister at the time, I was directly involved in preparing the agreement."
Muhyiddin, who resigned from the top office after losing the support of the majority last August, said he had met with Ismail to consider what he said was the previous agreement between the coalition and the prime minister.
"We are not asking for more (than what has been agreed), only about the appointment of a deputy prime minister and ministers as well as those involving government-linked agencies and statutory bodies as well as the government’s allocations," he said.


Indonesia revives vast capital city move from Jakarta to Borneo

Indonesia aims to kickstart President Joko Widodo’s ambitious plan to relocate its capital city to the island of Borneo by offering property contracts to investors this year.The project could begin with construction work on a bird-shaped state palace, a minister has told Reuters.The US$33 billion plan was put on the back burner last year due to the pandemic, but National Development Planning Minister Suharso Monoarfa said accelerating the project now should help a post-crisis recovery of Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.The plan is, however, contingent on the success of Indonesia’s Covid-19 vaccination drive.“If we can vaccinate one million people per day, I think we have a strong reason to get on with the new capital city,” Suharso said.Indonesia aims to inoculate 70 million people by July, or nearly 40% of targeted vaccine recipients, in order to remove some restrictions and allow construction work to commence, he said.In the period from mid-January to this Wednesday, authorities had fully vaccinated 2.7 million people.The president, known as Jokowi, announced his plan to build a new capital in 2019, with civil servants due to move from congested and sinking Jakarta by the end of his term in 2024.Suharso said debate on a bill to establish the legal basis for the project will start in parliament soon and preparations were being made for private sector contracts to build homes, offices, schools and hospitals for at least 200,000 civil servants and their families, in the as-yet unnamed city.“Foreign investors can join, especially if they partner with domestic players,” he said, adding that the government will focus on basic infrastructure and security-sensitive premises.Japan’s Softbank is among foreign companies that have previously been linked to the capital project, which the government has touted as a smart, green city.The government also plans a groundbreaking design for a new state palace this year, with one of the proposed designs in the shape of the mythical Garuda bird – the state symbol – spreading its wings.There have been concerns about the risk of corruption tied to the project, while environmentalists worry about damage to the environment in a forested area that is home to orangutans.But more recently the criticism has been on the timing given how the pandemic has caused economic and health crises, straining Indonesia’s fiscal position.Suharso said the cost for the government this year would be minimal with most investment coming from private developers, adding this should support the property sector and create jobs.However, Bank Permata economist Josua Pardede told Reuters that for budget reasons it would be better to delay the project to at least 2022.“You have to pay attention to business appetite in the middle of a pandemic for large, long-term projects,” he said.


Xavier’s pol-sec in MACC custody as graft probe continues

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested the political secretary of former minister Xavier Jayakumar, MalaysiaNow has learnt.Sources familiar with an ongoing investigation into dealings linked to the water, land and natural resources ministry which Xavier once headed said Fazly Razally had been remanded over a corruption probe linked to sand-mining contracts.This comes more than a week after MACC released MA Tinagaran, whom Xavier described as a close family friend.Tinagaran was arrested alongside two company directors in an anti-graft operation where some RM1.2 million in cash and a luxury car were said to have been confiscated.MACC also froze individual and company bank accounts worth some RM77 million.Earlier, MACC chief Azam Baki said the agency is also investigating Xavier.


If PN falls, ‘kleptocrats’ will return, DAP MP tells of dilemma

An opposition MP has warned that any power vacuum created by the downfall of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government could be filled by Umno, with the prospect of the former ruling party coming back stronger at the next polls.Tony Pua, DAP’s Damansara MP, said while the opposition may have its best chance to get back at Muhyiddin Yassin, who was among the key leaders who engineered the downfall of the Pakatan Harapan government, his replacement could be from Umno.“And when any Umno leader becomes PM, wouldn’t all the kleptocrats be set free (or possibly even regain power)?” Pua asked, in an apparent reference to Umno leaders from the so-called “court cluster” who are facing multiple corruption charges.He said any return of Umno to the top government post would see the party consolidating its political power “to emerge even stronger” after the next general election.He said any such move could mean Umno leaders “getting away scot-free”, adding that the opposition could alternatively tolerate the PN government “just a little while longer”.“This checks Umno, while PH and the rakyat can get rid of Muhyiddin and Azmin in the next GE,” he added, referring to former PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali who led MPs out of the party during the so-called Sheraton Move last year.Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, his predecessor Najib Razak and several former leaders of the previous Barisan Nasional government are facing multiple corruption charges involving hundreds of millions of ringgit.Zahid and Najib have been leading a campaign to get Umno MPs to revoke their support for Muhyiddin. Last year, the duo backed Anwar Ibrahim in the PH chairman’s efforts to topple Muhyiddin.Yesterday, Zahid announced that he and several Umno MPs had lost confidence in Muhyiddin, triggering talk of an imminent collapse of the government.Following an audience with the Agong today, Muhyiddin said he still commands the majority support from MPs, adding that he will allow a confidence vote against him to take place when the Dewan Rakyat convenes in September.


Anwar says treaties with Indonesia do not solve maritime dispute

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today said that the recent treaties signed with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, hailed by both countries as a milestone in solving an 18-year-old maritime dispute in the Straits of Melaka and the Sulawesi Sea, are not yet complete.
He said Malaysia remained adamant on its claims in the Sulawesi Sea as well as the southernmost part of the Straits of Melaka.
"These agreements do not include areas that are still being negotiated, including Pulau Sebatik in South Sulawesi, because we will be inviting representatives of Sabah to finalise them, and since there is no agreement yet, this small part has not yet been resolved.
"Similarly, the agreements do not involve the limits of Tanjung Pelepas Port, not at all.
"Negotiations to complete the territorial boundary lines in the Sulawesi Sea are still ongoing. I told President Jokowi, Malaysia still insists it is Malaysia's, while Jokowi said that his experts told him they belong to him (Indonesia). So we have postponed and will continue discussions."
He was responding to a question from Perikatan Nasional's Takiyuddin Hassan, who asked if the treaties were signed with the blessings of maritime experts.
Reports said that the treaties signed on June 8 during Jokowi's visit to Malaysia had ended the longstanding maritime border dispute between the two neighbours.
"After 18 years of negotiations... praise be to God, it has finally been resolved," Jokowi was quoted by AP as saying during a joint press conference with Anwar.
In their joint statement, meanwhile, Anwar and Jokowi said the Straits of Melaka treaty and Sulawesi Sea treaty were among six instruments signed.
"Both leaders expressed their views that the signing of the treaties symbolises the harmonious relationship and camaraderie between both countries and provides a solid foundation for future maritime boundary negotiations between the two countries.
"The two leaders also agreed to task their maritime boundary negotiation teams to commence as soon as possible negotiations on all remaining and outstanding maritime boundaries between both countries simultaneously," the statement said.
A day before the signing of the treaties, MalaysiaNow reported that maritime experts had warned Putrajaya against signing any new agreements with Indonesia to settle the dispute, saying Malaysia could not afford to compromise on its claims.
"If Malaysia makes any compromises, not only will Johor stand to lose its sea territory, it will also face a negative impact on its maritime economic activities including those related to the Tanjong Pelepas Port," MalaysiaNow reported, quoting Wisma Putra and diplomatic sources.
They said Sabah's Tawau Port would also be affected by any agreement that surrenders Malaysia's claims in the Sulawesi Sea, adding that maritime experts had concluded that Malaysia could claim areas within three nautical miles from the Johor coast.
Takiyuddin said the government had gone against expert opinions in signing the treaties.
"These agreements are not a proactive step to resolving the dispute, but appear to be more of an incautious compromise that could harm efforts to protect Malaysia's territorial rights and touch on the issue of national sovereignty," he said.
Anwar however dismissed the assertion, asking who the experts were.
He said the government had already consulted the foreign ministry, the maritime department, the National Security Council, the Department of Survey and Mapping as well as the attorney-general.
He also said the sultan of Johor had been informed that the maritime disputes involved only the territory of Sabah and not Johor's.
Pagoh MP Muhyiddin Yassin meanwhile asked for the prime minister's assurance that Malaysia's demands would not be compromised amid attempts by both sides to reach a solution.
Anwar agreed, saying this was the government's stand to begin with.


Businessman accused of assaulting bodyguards slapped with fresh charges

A businessman who was yesterday charged with assaulting and threatening his two bodyguards with a pistol was again charged in the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court today, with four counts of beating up the same victims.Chung Chee Yang, 44, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out to him by an interpreter before magistrate Mohamad Fared Abdul Latif.Chung was charged with four counts of voluntarily causing hurt to Mohd Azminizam Zulkepli, 44, and Ahmad Shamsuri Zailani, 27, at the lobby area and lift of a condominium in Kuala Lumpur between 8.40pm and 8.43pm on April 13.The charges framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code provide for a maximum jail term of one year, a fine of up to RM2,000 or both.Deputy prosecutor Nur Ashikin Mokhtar urged the court to set bail at RM20,000 for each charge with one surety, on grounds that the offence was serious as it touched on sensitive aspects of others’ religious beliefs.“As his employees, they should be protected and humanely treated, and both victims have served the accused between three and seven years,” she added.But Chung’s lawyer, Abdul Hakim Aiman, appealed for a lower bail taking into consideration his client’s health condition and the need to support his dependents.“My client has his parents, his wife and four children to support and he is suffering from cancer and insomnia. He has also contributed a lot to the community in Klang,” he said.The court allowed Chung bail of RM10,000 for all of the charges with one surety, and fixed June 2 for mention.Yesterday Chung and his personal assistant, Choo Hin Voon, 43, claimed trial to seven charges, including of assaulting and threatening the two bodyguards with a pistol over their fast.


Chicken egg subsidies extended to June

The provision of subsidies for chicken eggs will continue until June 2023 at a total cost of RM1.28 billion, the agriculture and food security ministry says.
It said in a statement that the Cabinet agreed to continue subsidising chicken eggs at its meeting on Feb 17.
"This step is being taken to ensure that the supply of chicken eggs in the country remains stable, while the study on the mechanism and policy of targeted subsidies can be finalised soon," said the ministry.
It said the need to bring in chicken eggs from abroad would also be reviewed once the supply in the country stabilised.
"The initiative to bring in chicken eggs from outside sources is a temporary measure to ensure that supply in the country remains stable and uninterrupted," it said.


Unprecedented 66% drop in air passengers last year, says industry group

Global air passenger traffic plunged by an unprecedented 66% in 2020 owing to travel restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic, an industry group said Wednesday.The International Air Transport Association (IATA) also warned that new, more transmissible variants of the coronavirus could hurt prospects for a recovery this year.Given that travel restrictions have been applied mostly to international travel, domestic passenger traffic fared better, falling by 49%, compared with 76% for foreign passenger traffic.Travel restrictions imposed during the first wave of the pandemic caused global passenger traffic to reach just 5% of its normal level, with airlines parking planes on runways because no other space was available.“Last year was a catastrophe. There is no other way to describe it,” an IATA statement quoted director-general Alexandre de Juniac as saying.“What recovery there was over the Northern hemisphere summer season stalled in autumn and the situation turned dramatically worse over the year-end holiday season, as more severe travel restrictions were imposed in the face of new outbreaks and new strains of Covid-19.”IATA chief economist Brian Pearce told a video news briefing: “Overall, global passengers kilometers flown were down two thirds, this is the biggest shock the industry of air travel has ever experienced.”IATA, which represents 290 airlines, did not formally lower its outlook for a pickup in traffic this year thanks to a global rollout of vaccines, but warned that the emergence of new variants of the virus clouded the forecast.And “we begin 2021, which we still expect to be a year of recovery, from a very low point,” Pearce noted.The association officially expects traffic to increase by 50% from last years levels, but that would still represent just half of the result seen in 2019.‘Challenging outlook’And “the proliferation of restrictions on travel that we have seen since the beginning of the year could make even that modest outlook very challenging,” de Juniac told the press briefing.“We are eager to work with governments as partners to understand what the benchmarks and conditions will be for a decision to give people back their freedom of movement,” he added.One relative bright spot last year came from air freight, which declined by a relatively modest 10.6% from the 2019 level as measured in cargo tonne-kilometres, or CTKs.That was nonetheless the worst drop since IATA began using the measure in 1990.As a result, global airlines suffered a combined loss of US$370 billion last year, according to data compiled by the UN aviation agency ICAO.


Miti committed to maintaining sharp investment growth, attracting quality players

Miti committed to maintaining sharp investment growth, attract quality players
The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) believes that the RM1.557 bilion allocation to it as announced in the 2023 Budget speech yesterday will help the current trend of extraordinary growth in investments, adding that the 13 agencies under the ministry are working hard to to attract quality investments.
"Miti remains committed to efforts to create the nation's wealth, drive sustainable economic growth, provide quality employment opportunities, improve people's living standards and ensure shared prosperity," said minister Mohamed Azmin Ali.
He said the ministry would also continue its efforts to keep Malaysia the choice investment destination for high quality, high-tech and green-tech investments.
"This is in line with the newly launched New Investment Policy that emphasises environmental, social and governance and that will boost the country's long-term growth trajectory," he added.
He said as part of efforts for sustainable development that takes into account the environment, the finance ministry had agreed to Miti's request for a RM10,000 exemption of import permit (AP) fees for companies licensed by Miti to import electric vehicles.
"This exemption is expected to support Miti's efforts to increase the supply of EV cars, which can directly help in the development of the EV ecosystem in line with the National Automotive Policy 2020 as well as the target of making Malaysia a regional automotive hub for the production of energy efficient vehicles, including EVs," he added.
The Malaysian economy continues on the path of growth and recovery, recording a total of RM123.3 billion in approved investments in the manufacturing, service and primary sectors in the first six months of the year, and creating some 58,000 job opportunities.
Azmin listed several priorities of Miti, including taking advantage of two major trade blocs that Malaysia is part of – the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Miti announced on Wednesday that the government had ratified the CPTPP, an 11-member trans-pacific trade pact, giving Malaysian businesses wider access to new markets including countries with which it has yet to sign free trade deals.
"As such, we will pursue export market opportunities through free trade agreements such as RCEP and CPTPP, adopt a business-friendly and pragmatic regulatory environment, and provide support to our industries especially the SMEs and the younger generation in facing the challenges ahead," Azmin said.


No PH-PN cooperation at GE15, Rafizi says

PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli says Pakatan Harapan (PH) remains firm in its stand that it will not cooperate with Perikatan Nasional (PN) in facing the 15th general election (GE15).
Rafizi said the decision was made at a PH meeting on Aug 24.
"The PH meeting last Wednesday made a final decision, which means we will campaign in GE15 as PH," he told reporters after an event in Seremban last night.
He said PKR, as the backbone of PH, adhered to the principle of a coalition that involves all races, and that if the intention to cooperate with PN was not correct, that is only to topple Barisan Nasional (BN), it would create an unstable government.
"Win or lose is a different story. We (PKR) want to defend our idealism. But I cannot speak on behalf of DAP and Amanah. They have senior leaders with decades of experience, it's up to them... I only stick to the decision at the PH level which is full-stop (no cooperation with PN)," he said.
PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin was previously reported as saying that opposition party leaders should consider re-opening the door to negotiations with PN, if they all agreed that the main enemy in GE15 was BN.
The current Parliament's term expires in July next year.


Ahmad Maslan claims trial again after graft case brought to High Court

Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan claimed trial to two charges of failing to declare RM2 million received from former prime minister Najib Razak and giving false statements to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) at the Kuala Lumpur High Court where his case was brought for re-mention today.The case was originally set for trial at the Sessions Court. However, Ahmad’s application to have it transferred to the High Court was allowed on July 13.At today’s proceeding, the prosecution, conducted by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Mukhzany Fariz Mohd Mokhtar, informed the court that 10 witnesses would be called to testify.Hearing of the case has been set for 23 days next year, from June 7 to 9 and 13 to 15; July 18 to 21 and 25 to 28; and Aug 15 to 19 and 22 to 25.On the charge of money laundering, Ahmad was alleged to have violated Section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967 by not stating his real income on the RM2 million he received from Najib in the income tax return form for assessment year 2013.He is alleged to have received the money, believed to be the proceeds of illegal activities, through a check from AmIslamic Bank Bhd dated Nov 27, 2013, which he personally cashed on the same day.The offence was allegedly committed at the LHDN Duta branch on April 30, 2014.The charge, framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, provides a maximum fine of RM5 million, imprisonment for up to five years, or both, upon conviction.The other charge was for giving false statements to the MACC when questioned by investigating officer Mohd Zairi Zainal over the issue at the media conference room at the Parliament building between 2.45pm and 3.30pm on July 4, 2019.The charge, framed under Section 32(8)c) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, provides a maximum fine of RM3 million, imprisonment for up to five years, or both, upon conviction.


2 students arrested in Turkey for ‘inciting hatred’ over Mecca LGBT poster

Two students have been arrested in Turkey on charges of inciting hatred and insulting religious values over a poster depicting Islam’s most sacred site with LGBT flags, the Associated Press reported.Their arrest at the weekend came after top Turkish officials criticised the poster, displayed at an exhibition in Turkey’s prestigious Bogazici University.Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu tweeted that “LGBT perverts” had been detained for “disrespecting the Great Kaaba”. Top government officials from Turkey’s conservative, Islamic-based ruling party condemned the poster.The spokesman for the staunchly secular, main opposition party called the artwork a provocation attacking holy values.Their statements came after the university’s Islamic research club denounced the poster on social media, prompting people to take to Twitter slamming the poster, LGBTs and the university.The country’s director of religious affairs, who previously created a stir by saying homosexuality brings disease and was defended by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan when he came under criticism, said he would take legal action.The poster depicted a mythical half-woman and half-snake found in Middle Eastern folklore on the Kaaba along with the flags of LGBT, lesbian, trans and asexual people. The text below said the artwork was a critique of traditional gender roles.The Kaaba in Mecca is the holiest site in Islam with believers across the world praying in its direction.Police searched LGBTI+ student clubs at the university. The statement said police found books on an outlawed Kurdish group and rainbow flags.For weeks, students and faculty have been protesting over the Turkish president’s appointment of a new rector who has links to his ruling party and clashes have broken out with police.Melih Bulu, the rector under protest, tweeted that an attack on Islamic values was unacceptable and had no place in the university’s values.Student group Bogazici Solidarity said the exhibition of more than 300 artworks was partly to protest the new rector and acknowledged that Muslim students had issues with the poster.“All artwork is open for criticism. But putting art on trial is simply a restriction of the freedom of expression,” their statement read. The group emphasised the value of pluralism in the university and said hate speech based on sexual orientation and gender identity was unacceptable.The university’s LGBTI+ group tweeted they stood with their friends and said they reject the new rector “who targeted his own students”.


Sorry.


Machap rep Onn Hafiz sworn in as Johor MB

Machap assemblyman Onn Hafiz Ghazi was today sworn in as the 19th menteri besar of Johor, ending days of speculation over who would be appointed following Barisan Nasional’s (BN) victory in the March 12 election.He took his oath of office at Istana Bukit Serene before Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.In a Facebook post, he expressed his thanks to the sultan for consenting to his appointment to the post.He also thanked Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and other BN leaders including Najib Razak and Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob for their support.“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Hasni Mohammad, the former menteri besar, for his sacrifices, commitment, aid and leadership in maintaining stability in Johor, as well as towards me on a personal level all this time,” he said.“Insha Allah, I will always seek advice from him as he has far more experience than I do.”Zahid had previously said that Hasni would be BN’s choice for menteri besar if it won the Johor state election.But Hasni, who is Johor BN chairman, said yesterday that a young candidate should be chosen to lead.Hasni had contested and won the Benut state seat in the March 12 election in Johor.


Conditions imposed on Lynas have not changed since 2020, minister says

The government has never changed the operating licence policy and conditions imposed on Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Lynas Malaysia) since 2020, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang said the government was consistent with the matter and the conditions are still in force until now.
"Lynas Malaysia is also aware of and accepts the set conditions including building a cracking and leaching (C&L) plant in Australia.
"We have imposed those conditions since 2020 and today the conditions are still the same, there is no change... there is no element of surprise. We have examined all the conditions and there is no decision to make changes, consistency is important because this involves foreign investment," he said when replying to a supplementary question from Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (PN-Machang).
Chang explained that the conditions imposed were based on government policy factors, the impact on the environment and the local community's response to the operation of Lynas Malaysia for the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant project in Gebeng, Pahang.
Meanwhile, he said the government's decision to extend the period of the factory to carry out C&L activities for another six months was to avoid affecting the supply chain of rare earth at the global level.


Perlis religious council fails in bid to intervene in single mum’s divorce petition

The High Court today dismissed the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council’s (MAIP) application to intervene in a divorce petition between a single mother, Loh Siew Hong, and her ex-husband Muhammad Nagahswaran Muniandy, who converted to Islam with their three children.Judge Evrol Mariette Peters made the decision after finding that MAIPs had failed to show that it was an interested party in relation to the children, and ordered MAIPs to pay Loh costs of RM8,000.“The children are not orphans. They do not belong to the community of Perlis. They reside in Selangor and went to Perlis for the conversion only,” she said.The judge added that the state religious body had also failed to seek the views of the former husband in relation to the bid to vary Loh’s full custody order.On March 7, MAIPs filed the intervention application so that it would have locus standi to apply for a variation on the terms of the sole custody order granted to Loh.In the divorce petition, Loh, 34, was granted the sole custody, care and control over the three children: 14-year-old twin girls and a 10-year-old boy.Peters, in her judgment, said even in the event that the children’s conversion was done properly, MAIPs would not be allowed to intervene as it only has jurisdiction over Muslims in Perlis.She added that MAIPs had failed to prove that Loh did not ensure that her children continued to receive religious education.She said the family’s role of safeguarding the interest of the children could be seen in the analogy of inviting guests into the family home.“The application to seek leave to intervene in Loh’s divorce proceedings is equivalent to asking the court with MAIPs as the dinner host to enter the home and eventually sit at dinner with the family.“The host here is the family court which has to be cautious of the guests invited to dinner as there are children in the house that need to be protected. If the host is cautious of the guests, it is better not to allow them to enter as that would waste not only their time but also the host’s.“My decision is that even if the children are in fact Muslims, this intervener application by MAIPs must fail as it failed to show it is an interested party,” said the judge.Loh was also present in court.After the judge delivered the decision, Nagahswaran’s counsel, Malcom Fernandez, said his client who is currently serving a jail term in Machang, Kelantan, had filed an application to obtain access to communicate with his children via video conference each week.However, Loh’s counsel A Srimurugan said he needed to seek instruction from his client on the matter.Fernandez then proposed that the court interview the children on the matter to which the judge disagreed.“I do not like to interview the children because it can be intimidating. Please remember, this is about children’s rights and not about parent’s rights,” she said and set July 4 for further case management.


Death toll tops 9,000 as daily cases surge past 17,700 to new high

Another 17,786 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 1,113,272.Selangor recorded 6,400 cases, Kuala Lumpur 1,962, Kedah 1,389, Johor 1,144 and Sabah 1,035.Negeri Sembilan recorded 929 cases, Terengganu 883, Perak 775, Penang 713, Melaka 697, Pahang 653, Kelantan 580, Sarawak 485 and Putrajaya 116.Perlis recorded 16 cases and Labuan nine.Active cases stand at 189,609 with 1,062 in the ICU and 534 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 11,718 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 914,639.However, 165 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 9,024.


Removing hatred from democracy

Malaysia’s 15th general election was anticipated with hope, but the events surrounding GE15 have highlighted that the divisions in our society are reaching a level that is very concerning.
This is evident in the discourse on social media that is rife with hatred and racial and religious undertones. Hate speech has manifested in different forms, depending on the particular platform. The hostile tweets and despicable TikTok videos are only the tip of the iceberg.
This gives rise to the question of who or what is responsible for fuelling racial and religious sensitivities. There are many contributing factors to this complex problem but one reason is the politics of fear that is being used by certain politicians and their supporters. This is a dangerous strategy that has harmed Malaysia and the multicultural relations of its people.
In an attempt to gain support and attract votes, some have resorted to sensationalising, politicising, and manipulating racial and religious issues to inflame public sentiments by pitting one group against "the other".
On one end, fear is being stoked that this country may fall into the hands of "Taliban extremists" that would mark the regression of Malaysia into a hudud state where democratic rights are curtailed, women lose their autonomy and non-Muslims will be oppressed. On the other end, there has been an emphasis on the narrative that certain parties would compromise the position of Malay-Muslims and threaten the religion of Islam if they are voted into power.
Hate speech on its own is already insidious but when politicians participate in it, it adds a sense of "legitimacy" to the public, who may be influenced by what is being said. Research has indicated that countries with higher incidences of hateful political rhetoric tend to have a higher level of violence – specifically, an average of 107.9 domestic terrorist attacks per year between 2000 and 2017.
Many governments acknowledge that when politicians engage in hate speech, it becomes an aggravating factor that may amplify intergroup tension. This is why certain legal systems have increased punishments for offenders in this category.
At present, Malaysia does not differentiate between offenders based on their level of influence, which may contribute to the indifference shown by certain politicians who continue to participate in the politics of fear. That said, the act of promoting animosity and hatred among the people is punishable by law. Section 4 of the Election Offences Act is meant to prevent voters from being influenced to vote based on racial and religious sentiments, as well as protect the people from related hostilities. If a person is found guilty under Section 4, he or she may be barred from voting, or if he/she was elected as a representative in the legislature, the seat would need to be vacated.
Despite the strong legal repercussions, it would appear that various political parties from both ends of the political spectrum have inflamed racial and religious sensitivities. Professor Teo Kok Seng attributes racial and religious tensions to certain factors such as divisive speech among certain politicians. This has influenced the public to adopt a hostile attitude towards people of other groups based on identifying factors such as race, religion, and nationality – as indicated by the public’s engagement in online hate speech, acts of incitement, and threats to public order, pre- and post-GE15.
The government understands the weight of the problem at hand, which is why Barisan Nasional (BN) attempted to table the National Harmony & Reconciliation Bill of 2014. Subsequently, Pakatan Harapan (PH) started a legislative initiative through the Anti-Discrimination Bill, the National Harmony and Reconciliation Commission Bill, and the Racial and Religious Hate Crimes Bill. Unfortunately, these bills did not come to fruition due to several factors, including criticism that such laws would be misused and abused, as well as a lack of political will to push the legislation through.
This was made more challenging by several changes in government since 2018, which inadvertently put a halt to legislative reforms. As such, there has not been any tangible legal change in this area.
It is high time that we move away from employing polarising narratives in our effort to realise a more democratic Malaysia because true democracy cannot be achieved when people are influenced by fear rather than guided by knowledge when they go to the polls.
We share a bond with each other and must respect the rights of others, as well as observe our responsibilities. We must move past petty arguments that only magnify our perceived differences. Our leaders can lead by example by following the mean in their thoughts, statements, and actions – as in the Quran (2:143) it is stated, "thus We willed you to be a community of the middle way, so that [with your lives] you may bear witness to the truth before all of mankind, and that the Apostle might bear witness to it before you."
Malaysians are hoping and praying that the new government under the administration of Anwar Ibrahim will be a positive new era that does away with money politics and implement good governance. To achieve this aim, Malaysians all play a role in determining the course of this nation.
The question is, what path will be taken? If we hope to build on our common ethical and moral values as the foundation for forging a better future that is inclusive of all Malaysians, it must start by gathering our inner strength to walk the middle path.
Murni Wan Mohd Nor is a senior lecturer at the Department of Government and Civilisation Studies and a research assistant at the Institute of Social Sciences, UPM.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Beijing city offers elderly Covid shot-related health insurance to ease hesitancy

China’s capital is offering elderly residents state-backed insurance for “medical accidents” linked to Covid-19 shots to ease vaccination hesitancy among those most vulnerable, as Beijing ramps up inoculations during its worst outbreak.Chinese officials have pointed to relatively lower vaccination rates among the elderly as a key weakness in its “dynamic zero-Covid” strategy.The city of 22 million people had fully inoculated 97.7% of its adult residents as of September last year, but only 80.6% of people aged 60 and over had received their first dose by mid-April this year, according to city officials.The new insurance plan, with premiums covered by the government, aims to “alleviate concerns over vaccination among the elderly group and their family members”, state television reported late on Thursday, citing information from the Beijing office of China’s banking and insurance regulator.The insurance policy payout could be as high as 500,000 yuan (US$74,200) per person for a single benefit, according to the report, which didn’t provide specific details of the plan.Elsewhere, several districts in the northern city of Tianjin, also battling a fresh Omicron cluster, have pledged to “strictly limit” entry into venues such as stadiums for unvaccinated senior citizens who don’t have medical conditions that render vaccination unsuitable.


No easy yes to Bersatu-Pejuang cooperation, says Hamzah

Matters pertaining to political cooperation between Bersatu and Pejuang in the 15th general election (GE15) need to be discussed by all parties, including Perikatan Nasional (PN) component parties, Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said today.
He said if Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin was willing to work with Pejuang, he would need to bring the matter to the party's highest meeting.
"We can’t easily say yes because we still have friends in the coalition," the home minister told a press conference after launching an event in Putrajaya.
Previously, Muhyiddin said Bersatu was ready to consider cooperation with Pejuang in GE15 if the party was serious about the matter.
PN comprises Bersatu, PAS, Gerakan, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) and Parti Maju Sabah (SAPP).
Meanwhile, Hamzah said political parties could hold talks and campaigning activities provided that they comply with the SOPs and laws set by the authorities.


Hungary anti-graft body describes ventilators deal as ‘hotbed of abuse’

The Hungarian chapter of a global anti-corruption body views the country’s purchase of medical equipment last year as mired in secrecy, and has filed a freedom of information request to obtain further details.Transparency International Hungary (TI-Hungary) also described the purchase by Budapest spanning dozens of contracts as rife with suspicions.“Beyond doubt, the procurement of respirators… it is a hotbed of abuse and mismanagement,” the anti-graft watchdog’s Miklos Ligeti told MalaysiaNow.Hungary’s purchase of ventilators and other medical equipment last year was touted as the single biggest purchase of medical equipment by a European Union member-state.Last month, MalaysiaNow reported that several of the purchases were linked to Malaysian businessman Vinod Sekhar, who is believed to have received the lion’s share of the deal totalling over half a billion dollars.Vinod Sekhar.Hungary’s purchases of ventilators kicked up a storm last year, with opposition politicians calling out the deals for being opaque as well as resulting in an oversupply.Vinod, who operates a chain of companies and organisations under the Petra Group, has secured more than US$500 million, or about RM2.5 billion, worth of contracts to supply ventilators to the Hungarian government.MalaysiaNow had viewed documents furnished by a Hungarian journalist who investigated the controversial deals, after the papers were made available by the Hungarian foreign ministry following pressure from the media.Among others, the documents showed that the Hungarian government had agreed to pay a total of US$559,600,000, which at the time of the contract in May 2020 was equivalent to about RM2.43 billion, to GR Technologies, a company Vinod represented.In an interview with a news website yesterday, Vinod confirmed his involvement in supplying ventilators to the Hungarian government, but said “everything was above board”.“Will we make money? It’s the normal percentage (in commissions). People gave their time and energy to secure it, and they should be paid,” he said. “Eventually, I’ll get the commission and I’ll make a donation to Hungary.”In October last year, a prominent Hungarian political activist who is also a member of the European parliament questioned why the bulk of the purchases was made through the country’s foreign affairs ministry.“It is strange in itself that the procurement of health equipment is not handled by the government ministry responsible for healthcare, but by the foreign affairs department,” István Ujhelyi had said.Ligeti meanwhile said the concerns over the purchase of the ventilators were not only due to its sheer size, but also the “incredibly overpriced process”.He said suppliers in Hungary’s purchase of ventilators were “selected arbitrarily in a non-transparent and no-bid process”.“TI-Hungary tried to follow this story, we issued freedom of information requests to Hungary’s ministry of foreign affairs and trade, and at least we uncovered from the responses that none of the respirators bought were resold in the market, so financially this transaction was a disaster,” he told MalaysiaNow.“TI-Hungary is convinced that the perpetrators of this scandal should be brought before justice and we are happy to cooperate in this regard.”


New cases still below 2,000

Another 1,470 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 322,409.Selangor recorded 551 cases, Sarawak 222, Penang 178, Kuala Lumpur 158 and Johor 101.Perak recorded 72 cases, Sabah 71, Kelantan 40, Perlis 29, Terengganu 14, Kedah 13, Pahang eight, Negeri Sembilan six, Putrajaya four, Melaka two and Labuan one.Active cases stand at 16,711 with 162 in the ICU and 70 in need of respiratory assistance.Two new clusters were detected:1. Jalan Mega Cemerlang (Johor Bahru in Johor; 54 screened, 19 positive)2. Jalan Pria (Titiwangsa and Cheras in Kuala Lumpur; 37 screened, 10 positive)Sixteen others ended, leaving 426 active clusters across the country.Another 1,830 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 304,492.However, three more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,206.


Dilemma for Anwar amid Zahid's 'justice for Najib' call

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's open call for Najib Razak to be given justice could jeopardise the image of the government led by Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Anwar Ibrahim, an analyst says ahead of the former prime minister's review application on his conviction, 12-year jail term and fine for the misappropriation of tens of millions.
Zahid had made the call in his policy speech at the recent Umno general assembly in Kuala Lumpur, labelling the charges against Najib as "political and selective prosecution".
"Now, he is alone there," the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman added, referring to Kajang Prison where Najib is serving a 12-year jail term.
"We demand that he be given justice in court. We demand a fair trial be given to Najib."
Ahmad Atory Hussain of Universiti Sains Malaysia said it was inappropriate for Zahid, as one of Anwar's two deputy prime ministers, to issue political statements and touch on what had already been decided in court.
"The courts made their decision," Atory added.
"Zahid is making political statements. This is between Najib and the courts, so other people, especially ministers, should stay out of it."
Najib was convicted in July 2020 by the High Court of misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International funds.
The decision was upheld by both the Court of Appeal and Federal Court.
His review application for his conviction and sentence will be heard later today at the apex court.
Atory said that Anwar, as prime minister, should advise his Cabinet members to behave professionally and to refrain from issuing statements that could be seen as attempts to interfere in court decisions.
He said Anwar's real challenge at this point was not the cooperation between PH and BN, but rather the handful of Umno leaders facing charges in court.
"Anwar is in a dilemma," he said. "He's caught between a rock and a hard place.
"He wouldn't be in this position if it weren't for the court cases."
From a legal perspective, senior lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdulla said Najib had already been given justice and exercised his rights by filing an appeal.
Given that the appeal had been heard in accordance with the appropriate laws, he said, it was inappropriate for anyone to go ahead of the court by issuing statements.
"If Najib can show the Federal Court in the review proceedings that a miscarriage of justice took place, then the decision could be set aside," he said.
"If he can prove this, then there should be a re-appeal of the Federal Court decision."
Haniff said if Najib could prove a miscarriage of justice in terms of conflict of interest involving Mohd Nazlan Ghazali, the High Court judge who convicted him in 2020, a retrial might be possible.
And if he could show that there was no need for a retrial as the decision related to the evidence was wrong, then the former Umno president could be released, he added.
"If Najib does not succeed in this upcoming review application, then he will have exhausted all of his legal and judicial avenues in the country," he said.
"This should have ended at his appeal to the Federal Court, but there is still the matter of review.
"So when that is over, there will be no more appeals or reviews."


In racially charged speech, 'Superman Hew' urges support for PH while condemning 'head-wrapped Malays'

A video showing a Pakatan Harapan (PH) speaker urging the Chinese community to exploit the disunity within the Malay community by giving them a "knockout punch" at the general election is making the rounds on social media, just hours before campaining officially ends at midnight.
In the video, controversial DAP-linked speaker Hew Kuan Yew is seen telling his audience that Malay disunity should be welcomed by the Chinese community.
"Now let the Malays who want Malay supremacy, the head-wrapped Malays who want Islamic supremacy, meaning those PAS b******ds," Hew said in Cantonese.
"When they unite, we Chinese cannot live. When they are divided, that's when we pound them to *****."
The one-minute video is also accompanied by Malay subtitles.
Hew, popularly known as "Superman Hew", has admitted making the speech, but claims the Malay subtitles do not accurately reflect what he said.
In a Facebook post, he also accused MCA of editing the video and adding subtitles for Umno's use, so that it could be distributed to the Malays.
Contacted by MalaysiaNow, Hew said he was against any "right wing" and "racist" political parties which use religion to fish for votes.
"Malaysia's diverse and multiracial society should give strong support to PH in order to form a new government that is clean and moderate, with a genuine reform mindset, respecting the rights of various races, especially in socio-cultural terms," he said.
Hew also said he would continue campaigning for PH, describing the coalition as "progressive and inclusive".
"I am always ready to help anyone who is against the hypocritical BN and PN, this has been my principle and criteria when considering invitations to speak," he added.
'Look at my punch'
In the video which has gone viral, Hew urged support for PKR, DAP, Amanah, Upko and Muda, the parties that make up PH.
"Malay politics, racial politics and religious politics, let them stab each other," he said.
"Now that they are divided, we must stay united."
Brandishing his fist, Hew went on to demonstrate how he would deliver a knockout punch.
"Look at my fist... (censored)!
He also said a funeral was being prepared on Monday for those dressed in blue, believed to be a reference to Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional, the two Malay-led coalitions contesting at the polls.
"It would be nice to have the funeral on Saturday itself," he added.
This is not the first time Hew has uttered racially charged remarks.
In 2016, he was recorded in a video urging Sarawakians to "screw the Malays" during the state election at that time. He resigned from DAP the same year but continued to promote the party.
After PH came to power, Hew was appointed as CEO of the Malaysia-China Business Council. He then became the centre of another controversy, over the publication of a comic book banned for communist propaganda.


PH agrees Parliament not to be dissolved before July 31, 2022

Pakatan Harapan (PH) has agreed that Parliament will not be dissolved before July 31, 2022, to ensure political stability in the country to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.PH chief whip coordinator Anthony Loke said there was no need to hold a snap general election, and that instead the country should focus on battling Covid-19.“An important aspect of this understanding is to restore political stability. An important element of the understanding is that with this cooperation the government has also agreed that Parliament will not be dissolved before July 31, 2022.“So, the focus is on fighting Covid-19,” he told a press conference after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on transformation and political stability between the government and PH at the Parliament building today.He said the agreement was also to enable the implementation of the transformation of Parliament, among others, by reinstating the Parliamentary Services Act and the tabling of an anti-hopping law.“This provides a timeline for the implementation of matters that have been agreed upon as they have their set deadlines. For example, the deadline for the tabling of the anti-hopping law is the first session of next year and the Parliamentary Services Act by the second session of next year,” he said.


Covid-19 survivor UK PM Johnson self-isolating again after meeting with infected MP

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in isolation after coming into contact with an MP  infected with Covid-19, a Downing Street spokesperson said on Sunday evening.He is taking this course of action even though he has had Covid-19 himself and spent time recovering in hospital.Johnson said on Twitter on Monday morning that he is in good health and has no symptoms.He posted a video in which he added that “the good news is that our National Health Service Test and Tracing app is working efficiently. The bad news is that they pinged me. It doesn’t matter that I feel great and that I’ve had the disease so am bursting with antibodies, I still need to self-isolate.”Johnson had met with a small group of MPs for about half an hour last Thursday, including one who subsequently developed coronavirus symptoms and tested positive.“We’ve got to interrupt the spread of the disease and one of the ways we can do that now is by self-isolating for 14 days and I do it with a high heart, full of optimism and confidence,” the prime minister said.Officials said they will discuss with parliamentary authorities how Johnson can take part remotely in Parliament’s business. “He plans to continue speaking to the country during his self-isolation period,” they added.In April, Johnson was hospitalised in intensive care for three nights after contracting Covid-19. After he was discharged, he thanked health workers for saving his life and said for 48 hours during his hospital stay “things could have gone either way”.His partner, Carrie Symonds, who was pregnant at the time, also experienced symptoms and had to self-isolate.The prime minister later said he wanted to build up his fitness, and in the summer he launched a national campaign to tackle obesity after acknowledging that he was “too fat” when he fell ill.


Total booster jabs top 6 million

A total of 22,855,374 individuals or 97.6% of adults had completed their Covid-19 vaccination as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow portal, 23,148,776 individuals or 98.9% have received at least one dose of vaccine.In terms of teenagers, a total of 2,753,927 individuals or 87.5% have completed their vaccination while 2,846,238 individuals or 90.4% have received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine.A total of 205,259 vaccine doses were administered yesterday, of which 197,121 were booster doses, 4,719 were second shots and 3,419 were first jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 57,515,286 doses, including 6,109,673 booster shots.


Melbourne to lift virus lockdown as Delta outbreak contained

Melbourne’s coronavirus lockdown will be lifted late Tuesday, as authorities signalled a Delta variant outbreak in Australia’s second-biggest city had been contained.Neighbouring South Australia state will also ease stay-at-home rules, but the country’s largest city Sydney was facing a likely extension to a lockdown now in its fifth week.After almost two weeks under stay-at-home orders, millions in Melbourne and surrounding Victoria state will exit their fifth lockdown just before midnight Tuesday.The state had now “seen off two Delta outbreaks” in recent months, premier Dan Andrews said.“It’s not over, though, and we’ve got to be vigilant against this virus, the Delta strain, in the days and weeks and months ahead until we get as many people vaccinated as we possibly can,” he added.“That is some time away.”Schools, restaurants and shops will reopen but restrictions including mask-wearing will remain.For at least two weeks, people cannot invite visitors into their homes and numbers at outdoor gatherings will be limited.Victoria detected 10 new cases Monday, with all in quarantine while infectious.In Sydney, officials announced 172 new cases linked to an outbreak that began in June when a local driver contracted the virus from an international flight crew.Australia was lauded for its early pandemic success, after slamming shut its international borders and moving quickly to quash Covid-19 clusters.But with a largely unvaccinated population, it has struggled to respond to the highly contagious Delta variant, repeatedly sending cities into lockdown.Roughly 13% of Australians have been vaccinated, with low supplies of Pfizer-BioNTech shots and scepticism about the AstraZeneca jab.The country has recorded more than 33,000 infections and 920 Covid-related deaths in a population of 25 million.


Govt scores narrow victory in final budget vote

The 2021 budget debate in the Dewan Rakyat came to an end today with the government scoring another victory in its final reading, following weeks of speculation on MPs’ support for the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.The third reading of the budget was passed with 111 votes against 108. There was one absentee: Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.This follows days of intense debate since Nov 30 on allocations for 27 ministries, all of which were passed, nine of them through bloc vote.The 2021 budget, the first by the PN government since it was formed on the back of the Covid-19 crisis in March this year, has been keenly followed for its political ramifications as any failure to approve the allocations could be interpreted as a loss of confidence in Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.A much expected vote on Nov 26 did not materialise after Pakatan Harapan MPs were instructed to stand down at the last minute by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. Several MPs who stood up to demand a bloc vote failed to achieve the minimum number, causing the budget to be passed by voice vote.What followed were failed attempts by opposition MPs to shoot down allocations for nine ministries.They did not challenge the budgets for the 18 others.


China promises Sri Lanka deal on debt treatment in coming months

The Export-Import Bank of China has told Sri Lanka it will try to finalise in the months ahead how it treats debt owed by the crisis-hit nation, according to a letter seen by Reuters which also reiterated a moratorium for debt due in 2022 and 2023.
The International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday that Sri Lanka had secured financing assurances from China, India and all its major bilateral creditors, setting the stage for final approval of the IMF's US$2.9 billion (about RM13 billion), four-year bailout for the island nation on March 20.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades and a shortage of dollars has disrupted imports of essentials, though the situation has improved this year from last year when protesters ousted its president.
China has extended its "firm support to Sri Lanka through a debt treatment", Exim Bank wrote in the letter to the Sri Lankan government on March 6.
The bank's Vice President, Zhang Wencai, said in the letter that the island nation would not have to immediately repay the principal and interest due on its loans for the two years, "so as to help relieve your short-term debt repayment pressure".
"Meanwhile, we would like to expedite the negotiation process with your side regarding medium- and long-term debt treatment in this window period, with a view to finalising the specifics of a debt treatment in the coming months. We will make our best efforts to contribute to the debt sustainability of Sri Lanka."
The letter mirrors what Exim Bank sent to Sri Lanka in January, except for the target of finalising debt-treatment specifics in the coming months.
By end-2020, Sri Lanka owed Exim US$2.83 billion, or 3.5% of its central government debt, according to IMF data.
The letter added that China would call on "commercial creditors to provide debt treatment in an equally comparable manner, and encourage multilateral creditors to do their utmost to make contributions to help you better respond to the crisis and emerge from it".
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson confirmed the contents of the letter.
"It fully reflects our sincerity and efforts to support Sri Lanka in achieving debt sustainability, and we hope that relevant parties will respond positively to Sri Lanka's loan application as soon as possible,” Mao Ning told a regular news conference.
Long talks with China
Winning the support of China, the world's and Sri Lanka's biggest sovereign creditor, was crucial for the IMF deal to go ahead.
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament on Tuesday that the government received the China letter on Monday night and soon after, he and the central bank governor sent a letter of intent to the IMF.
A source at Wickremesinghe's office said the president had been expecting the letter from Exim Bank from Thursday.
"Sri Lanka has been talking, discussing and negotiating with China Exim Bank for weeks, mostly virtually, because that was what we were tasked with doing," said the source, declining to be identified as he was not authorised to talk to the media.
He said the support from the international community, especially Japan and the US talking to the Chinese government, helped Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's case was also boosted by a G20 meeting in India last month, said the source.
Sri Lanka cabinet spokesperson and transport minister, Bandula Gunawardena, told a weekly news briefing that the possible final IMF approval was a "great achievement".
"Sri Lanka has worked hard and spent months to fulfill requirements for the IMF programme, at certain times the president engaged at personal level to get support," he said.
"Without the IMF programme, Sri Lanka cannot turn around its economy."


Nearly 32% of population fully vaccinated

A total of 31.9% or 10,425,300 of the country’s population had completed two doses of Covid-19 vaccine as of yesterday, says Health Minister Dr Adham Baba.He said a total of 16,868,615 people or 51.7% had received a first dose, bringing the cumulative number of doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 27,293,915 as of yesterday.In terms of percentage, 72.1% of the country’s adult population have received a first dose while 44.5% have completed both doses.In terms of daily vaccination rate, a total of 442,150 doses were administered yesterday – 161,049 first doses and 281,101 second doses.


Idrus Harun to continue as AG for another six months

Idrus Harun will continue in his role as attorney-general for another six months, Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali said today.
In a statement, Zuki said that Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah had approved the reappointment of Idrus for a period of six months effective March 6.
He said this was in line with Clause (1) Article 145 of the Federal Constitution.
Idrus was appointed in March 2020 to replace Tommy Thomas following the latter's resignation in the wake of the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.


Najib's 1MDB trial postponed after Sri Ram's death

The High Court today postponed the hearing of former prime minister Najib Razak’s trial on the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds.
Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah allowed the request by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib following the sudden passing of lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram.
"My Lord, you know Sri Ram was our boss and team leader and he was like a father to all of us. Today was set for continued hearing. But in light of the sudden demise of Sri Ram, we seek an adjournment for two days," said Akram.
He said the adjournment for today and tomorrow was to redistribute the case workload and to attend Sri Ram's wake.
"The wake for non-family members to pay their respects is tomorrow at Nirvana 2 Kuala Lumpur between 8am and 1pm, and he will then be cremated at Nirvana Shah Alam," said Akram. Najib’s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah raised no objections.
The court then allowed the postponement and fixed Thursday to continue with the hearing.
The trial had been scheduled to continue today with the defence continuing its cross-examination of former Ambank relationship manager Joanna Yu Ging Ping.
Sri Ram passed away at a private hospital yesterday at the age of 79. He was admitted to the ICU last week for a lung infection.
Sri Ram was the lead prosecutor in Najib’s 1MDB corruption case.
Najib, 70, faces four charges of using his position to get bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering.


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Health ministry sounds alarm as over 100,000 children infected with Covid this year

The health ministry today sounded the alarm over the spread of Covid-19 among children, as it revealed that more than 100,000 paediatric cases had been recorded so far this year.Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said a total of 119,719 children below the age of 12 had contracted Covid-19 from January to March, with 50,826 infected from January to mid-February alone.Of the total number of child infections recorded in the first quarter, 37,485 (31.31%) were in Category One, 81,849 (68.37%) in Category Two, 274 (0.23%) in Category Three, 86 (0.07%) in Category Four, and 25 (0.02%) in Category Five.Khairy also referred to a table showing that the number of paediatric Covid-19 cases involving children 11 and below rose from 7,730 in 2020 to 379,245 in 2021.“The use of beds for paediatric patients below the age of 12 from January 2022 to the end of February 2022 also showed a significant increase,” he said.The admission rate of children to paediatric intensive care units (PICU) meanwhile rose 94% for those in Category Three and above, with an increase of 200% for Category Four and 125% for Category Five.From June 2020 to December 2021, a total of 174 children below the age of 18 had experienced MIS-C or multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children, a condition where inflamation occurs in the internal organs especially the heart, lungs and brain.Seven cases or 4% of child deaths so far have been caused by MIS-C following a diagnosis of Covid-19.Khairy said children were also at risk of developing long Covid.“The limited data we have at this time shows that the risk of this is lower compared to that of adults, but for now, not much is known about the long-term effects of long Covid for children,” he added.The push to vaccinate children below the age of 12 through the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) began on Feb 3.As of yesterday, 1,060,063 or 29.9% of children in that age bracket had received a first dose of vaccine.As for adolescents aged 12 to 17, a total of 2,832,919 or 91% have completed their vaccination while 2,933,324 or 94.2% have received at least one shot.


Citigroup to exit Malaysia, 12 other consumer banking markets

Global financial services giant Citigroup announced on Thursday its plans to withdraw from 13 European and Asian markets as part of its policy shift towards expanding wealth management operations in “wealth centres” where the company has best scaling opportunities, reports Sputnik.“Citi intends to pursue exits from its consumer franchises in 13 markets across the two regions. The affected businesses include the consumer franchises in Australia, Bahrain, China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam,” the company said, adding that it would still serve its clients in these markets.The decision came as a result of the ongoing strategy review, Citi CEO Jane Fraser said.“We have decided that we are going to double down on wealth. We will operate our consumer banking franchise in Asia and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) solely from four wealth centres, Singapore, Hong Kong, UAE and London.“This positions us to capture the strong growth and attractive returns the wealth management business offers through these important hubs,” she said.In the first quarter of 2021, the bank reported an increase of US$7.9 billion in net income from the same period last year due to exceptionally strong performance in the institutional clients group.


31 babies test positive for Covid in Sabah

Thirty-one infants were among those confirmed positive for Covid-19 from a total of 3,487 cases reported in Sabah yesterday, said state Local Government and Housing Minister Masidi Manjun.The Sabah spokesman for Covid-19 said a total of 297 cases reported in Sabah yesterday involved children aged between one and five years old, and 632 cases involved those between six and 17 years old.“The majority of the 2,240 patients are between 18 and 59 years old and the rest are senior citizens aged 60 and above,” he said in a statement last night.He said all districts in the state recorded a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases with a total of 1,992 cases detected through close contact screening.“We can conclude that there is a high probability of non-compliance with the prescribed SOPs despite various calls and recommendations made by the government,” he said.Masidi said one new cluster was detected yesterday: the Hamparan 2 cluster in Kinabatangan involving those working in an oil palm plantation in Mukim Sukau, which has 21 cases to date.“The index case is a 24-year-old female clinic assistant who tested positive for Covid-19 on Aug 18 after having symptoms since Aug 12.“Out of 77 contacts screened, 20 social contacts, employees and their dependents were also infected,” he said.


Couple to hang for murder of woman’s 5-year-old son

The High Court in George Town today sentenced a pair of lovers to death after finding them guilty of murdering the woman’s five-year-old son six years ago.Judicial commisioner Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh handed down the sentence on R Saravanan Kumar, 30 and T Gayathry, 36, after finding that the defence had failed to establish reasonable doubt at the end of the trial.In his judgment, Shahrir said the court could not accept Saravanan’s alibi that he was not present at the scene as there was no written statement from witnesses.He also found that Gayathry had failed to act like a mother when faced with her son’s murder.“You were left alone at home for four hours after the first accused took the victim’s body out of the house and you did not ask for any help during that period,” he said.Shahrir added that Gayathry had been willing to wash the blood-stained toilet after witnessing her own son being murdered.“What the second accused did was beyond reasonable,” he said.On Oct 13, 2014, the duo were charged in the Bukit Mertajam Sessions Court with the murder of S Kaviarasan, five.They were charged with committing the offence at Taman Keladi in Kulim, Kedah between 8am on Sept 20 and 4pm on Sept 27, 2014.Kaviarasan’s body was found dumped in the bushes of an oil palm estate near Permatang Tinggi, Bukit Tengah, Butterworth on Sept 29, 2014.The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Yasinnisa Begam Seeni Mohideen while lawyer V Parthipan represented Saravanan Kumar and lawyer Gabriel Susayan represented Gayathry.


66 reported Covid deaths take toll to 30,718

Another 66 Covid-related deaths were reported on Dec 7, taking the cumulative death toll in the country to 30,718.According to the health ministry’s Github data repository, nine or 13.6% of these were brought-in-dead (BID) cases.Terengganu had the highest number of reported deaths at 12 or 18.2% followed by Selangor at 11 or 16.7%.Kedah reported eight deaths, Perak reported seven deaths, Penang reported six deaths, Sabah reported five deaths while Negeri Sembilan reported four deaths.Johor and Kuala Lumpur reported three deaths each; Kelantan, Pahang and Sarawak reported two deaths each; while Melaka reported one death.No deaths were reported in Perlis, Labuan and Putrajaya.A total of 4,965 new cases were reported yesterday, taking the overall total to 2,667,999.As of yesterday, there were 60,411 active Covid-19 cases reported and 4,817 recoveries.