The tangled business of tying the knot during the Covid-19 crisis

For months, Marvin Kudang Sawing and Natasha Jee had worked hard to prepare for their wedding.Having been in a relationship for 11 years, they were more than ready to tie the knot. They had planned for a solemnisation ceremony at their church in Kuching, and a big family reunion.Their days were filled with making sure that everyone who should be invited was sent an invitation, checking and double checking to make sure that no aunt or uncle was inadvertently left out.This was especially important for the groom’s side as Marvin, an Iban, had to invite every family member from his longhouse in Pakan.Natasha, a Chinese, also felt the importance of having family present for the occasion. But she also had a more practical goal in mind: everyone being together would help break the ice and let both sides of the family get to know one another.But just as they were moving on to finding a venue for the event, an unexpected guest showed up.Covid-19 swept across the country, bringing with it a host of restrictive measures that meant their wedding plans were now out of the question.“For us, marriage is not only about the individual. It is about the family, the people who surround you.”“We were stumped,” Natasha told MalaysiaNow.“My mind just went blank when the first lockdown to curb Covid-19 was put in place in March last year.”She and Marvin had planned to get married in December. Now, more than half a year later, they are still waiting.Much of the problem revolves around the strict limits on attendance and SOPs for weddings, enforced through the multiple lockdowns declared since the first movement control order last year.Natasha and Marvin have no interest in holding a lavish wedding. But they do have to take cultural values into consideration.In Sarawak, family gatherings for festivals and special occasions are the main focus. As Marvin is the only child in his family, the pressure is even greater.“Things are not as simple as they may seem,” Natasha said. “For us, marriage is not only about the individual. It is about the family, the people who surround you.”There are also theological factors involved.Simon Poh, the Roman Catholic archbishop in Kuching, said virtual solemnisation ceremonies are not applicable for Catholics as the recitation of vows and consent require the couple to be physically present.“For the Catholic church, marriage has to be in person, face to face,” he told MalaysiaNow.“Theologically, marriage is called the sacrament of matrimony because sacraments are administered in person and hence, to be done in person between husband and wife, physically present before a minister of the church.“There are physical moments of the marriage rite before the altar such as the holding of hands and exchange of rings which would definitely be missing online.”“For the Catholic church, marriage has to be in person, face to face.”For couples who are willing to proceed without a big ceremony, Catholic parishes in the state are ready to assist, in line with the SOPs set by the Sarawak disaster management committee and other authorities to ensure everyone’s safety, he said, adding that 60 couples had registered to be married this year.But he acknowledged that the measures had put a strain on many young couples who had been planning for a church ceremony.Couples from other religions who had settled for virtual solemnisation ceremonies agreed that it had been a strange experience.Nurul Azurin Mohd Johari, who got married last year, said the entire event took less than 20 minutes.“My husband proposed the idea, and after our parents agreed we submitted an application to the Sarawak Islamic Affairs Department,” she said.But while the wedding ceremony was cancelled, other considerations still had to be made – chief among them, how to ensure a stable internet connection.“I thought it was quite strange because we had to use either smartphones or smart televisions,” Nurul said.“But with the help of my neighbours, we managed to livestream without any disruptions to the ceremony.”For Natasha and Marvin, a scaled-down solemnisation ceremony at church is possible.“But even if we get married now at the church, we must consider Marvin’s grandmother who is back at the longhouse in Pakan,” she said.“Her presence to witness our solemnisation day is very important.”With family in mind, all they can do is watch and wait – and pray that Covid numbers will drop far enough for life to return to some semblance of normality.


New cases dip below 2,000

Another 1,828 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 302,580.Johor recorded 490 cases followed by Selangor (453), Sarawak (220), Negeri Sembilan (167), Perak (144) and Sabah (104).Penang recorded 85 cases, Kuala Lumpur 75, Kelantan 36, Kedah 16, Terengganu 15, Melaka and Pahang eight each, Putrajaya six and Perlis one.Active cases stand at 25,542 with 198 in the ICU and 90 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 2,486 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 275,903.However, five more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,135.


Selangor BN sacks Najib loyalist as spokesman

Selangor Barisan Nasional (BN) has given the sack to state information chief Isham Jalil, whose services were terminated effective June 3.A letter signed by Selangor BN secretary Mohamad Satim Diman said the decision was made through discussions with the coalition chairman, according to Clause 23 of the BN constitution which states that there are no provisions for the chairman of the state BN committee to appoint an information chief.Isham, a staunch supporter of former prime minister Najib Razak, said he accepted the decision and thanked everyone who had worked alongside him throughout his tenure as Selangor BN information chief.“Our struggle is not yet over, so I urge everyone to continue the fight and all efforts even though I am no longer party of the state BN leadership,” he said in a Facebook post.“I will help as much as I can even though I hold no position, and will continue the struggle as an ordinary member as I did before.”Isham, Najib’s former special officer, was appointed as Selangor BN information chief in May 2020.


Moderna seeks EU approval of Covid jab for kids aged 6-11

Moderna has applied to the European Union’s medicine regulator for approval of its Covid-19 vaccine for children aged six to 11, the US biotechnology company announced Tuesday.The dosage for the two injections administered four weeks apart has been adjusted to 50 micrograms, compared with the 100 micrograms for shot recipients in older age groups.“We are pleased to announce the submission of this variation to the EMA (European Medicines Agency),” Moderna’s chief executive Stephane Bancel said in a statement.“This marks our first submission for the use of our vaccine in this age group.”Moderna’s jab is currently approved for people 12 and older in Europe.But several countries, including France on Monday, advised against its use in people below a certain age (30 years old in France), because of concerns about the risks of myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle.The rare side effect has been detected in adolescents and young adults, especially males.Late last month, Moderna reported positive results from its clinical trials for children aged six to 11, with the vaccine eliciting a strong immune response with “robust” levels of neutralizing antibodies detected.The EMA is also reviewing data from Pfizer, which has filed for European approval of its own vaccine for children aged five to 11. That review could be concluded in December, the agency reported last week.Pfizer’s vaccine is already licensed for use in young children in the US, where Moderna’s is only approved for those 18 and up.Moderna had announced in late October that it would delay its application for US approval for kids six to 11 until the FDA had completed its review for the 12-17 age group, which could take until January.


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72 more deaths as daily cases dip to 5,911

Another 5,911 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 691,115.Selangor recorded 2,111 cases, Negeri Sembilan 770, Sarawak 569, Johor 498, Kuala Lumpur 483, Perak 245, Kelantan 223, Kedah 204, Sabah 201, Labuan 185, Penang 167 and Melaka 134.Terengganu recorded 62 cases, Pahang 56 and Putrajaya three.Active cases stand at 64,523 with 886 in the ICU and 441 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 6,918 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 622,244.However, 72 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 4,348.


Nasa’s Mars helicopter completes third flight farther, faster than before

Nasa’s mini helicopter Ingenuity on Sunday successfully completed its third flight on Mars, moving farther and faster than ever before, with a peak speed of 6.6 feet per second.After two initial flights during which the craft hovered above the Red Planet’s surface, the helicopter on this third flight covered 50m of distance, reaching the speed of 6.6 feet per second (2m per second) in this latest flight.“Today’s flight was what we planned for, and yet it was nothing short of amazing,” said Dave Lavery, the Ingenuity project’s programme executive.The Perseverance rover, which carried the 1.8kg rotorcraft to Mars, filmed the 80-second third flight. Nasa said Sunday that video clips would be sent to Earth in the coming days.The lateral flight was a test for the helicopter’s autonomous navigation system, which completes the route according to information received beforehand.“If Ingenuity flies too fast, the flight algorithm can’t track surface features,” Nasa explained in a statement about the flight.Ingenuity’s flights are challenging because of conditions vastly different from Earth’s – foremost among them a rarefied atmosphere that has less than 1% the density of our own.This means that Ingenuity’s rotors, which span four feet, have to spin at 2,400 revolutions per minute to achieve lift – about five times more than a helicopter on Earth.Nasa announced it is now preparing for a fourth flight. Each flight is planned to be of increasing difficulty in order to push Ingenuity to its limits.The Ingenuity experiment will end in one month in order to let Perseverance return to its main task: searching for signs of past microbial life on Mars.


Revealed: Zahid 'escaped' stormy late-night meeting as BN leaders heckled him over pro-Anwar letter to palace

Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had to be "rescued" by a group of MPs aligned with him at a noisy meeting with the coalition's top leaders last night, MalaysiaNow can reveal based on eyewitness accounts.
At least two MPs who were present at the meeting said that Zahid – already facing a barrage of calls to step down as both Umno president and BN chairman following the coalition's thrashing at the newly concluded polls – had to be whisked out of the conference room at the World Trade Center in Kuala Lumpur as the situation was "getting out of hand".
"We demanded the meeting after we found out that Zahid sent a letter to the palace claiming all of us supported Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister. It was a downright lie," said one of the MPs present, speaking to MalaysiaNow on condition of anonymity.
Zahid had written to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong claiming that he had the final say on who the coalition's MPs would support.
In the letter bearing the BN letterhead, Zahid said he was committing the coalition's 30 MPs in support of Anwar, based on his "mandate" as the BN chairman.
The letter was believed to have been submitted ahead of political party chiefs' audiences with the Agong at Istana Negara yesterday.
Zahid's letter was in conflict with BN's earlier statement that it would remain neutral in the tussle for the top office between Anwar and Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin.
It is understood that some 20 MPs had sided with Muhyiddin through the issuance of statutory declarations, giving him the majority needed to form the government. But following talks with Anwar and Muhyiddin yesterday, the Agong said he would speak individually to all BN MPs today to gauge their stance.
One Umno MP told MalaysiaNow that upon learning that Zahid had unilaterally committed BN's MPs to Anwar, they called for a meeting to demand his resignation.
"It was a very tense situation. When the discussion on removing him started gathering pace, several of Zahid's friends suddenly emerged out of nowhere and whisked him out of the room. He escaped!" he added.
He said due to what took place last night, the BN MPs had sought more time from the palace.
"We wanted to sort out the mess we are in. Right now, Zahid keeps making arbitrary decisions without any consultation. He has even deceived the palace," he added.
Contacted by MalaysiaNow, several BN MPs confirmed that "an incident" had taken place last night.
"Disappointing," read a one-word reply from MIC president SA Vigneswaran.
MCA president Wee Ka Siong meanwhile slammed Zahid for acting without consensus.
"At first, Zahid was in denial (about writing the letter), but he admitted afterwards when evidence was produced.
"Zahid went against the collective decision by the BN Supreme Council yesterday, and did not communicate BN’s resolution correctly to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong," Wee said in a statement.


Rumours swirl of 2 Umno leaders facing the sack ahead of big day

With war drums at their loudest against the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, there is strong speculation that top party leaders aligned with their president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi are mulling drastic action tonight to purge the party of those critical of him.This comes as top party leaders meet tonight ahead of the climax of the Umno general assembly tomorrow.The Umno Supreme Council traditionally meets the day before the presidential address.MalaysiaNow understands that the “drastic action” would be in the form of sacking two vocal veteran leaders from the party.When asked about the identities of the duo, a source close to the top leadership said “it is an open secret”.“And if they are indeed sacked in time for Zahid’s presidential address tomorrow, it will be shocking but not surprising,” the source told MalaysiaNow.Another source however dismissed the talk as mere “rumours”.“Rumours are a common feature at PWTC every time Umno gathers,” the source said, referring to the Putra World Trade Centre where Umno leaders are currently gathering.Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa and Perlis Umno chief Shahidan Kassim have been among the most vocal against Zahid, in the wake of the party president’s calls to cut ties with Bersatu at the next general election.“Rumours are a common feature at PWTC every time Umno gathers.”Annuar recently fell out with Zahid over the latter’s support for PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim’s bid to engineer defections to topple Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.Shahidan meanwhile has threatened that Perlis Umno will break ranks with the central Umno leadership should the party decide to sever ties with Bersatu.Zahid and scandal-tainted former prime minister Najib Razak have stepped up their criticism of Muhyiddin, accusing the former Umno deputy president of sidelining Umno for key posts in the government.A key motion being put to delegates at the ongoing general assembly is whether Umno should cut ties with Bersatu, which could see the two Malay parties clashing for seats in the next general election.That scenario has prompted PAS, an ally to both Umno and Bersatu, to repeatedly offer itself as a peacemaker.In the past, the Umno Supreme Council has summarily sacked senior leaders without a disciplinary hearing process.These leaders include Muhyiddin and Jerlun MP Mukhriz Mahathir, who were expelled from Umno in 2016 following their criticism of Najib over the 1MDB scandal.Anwar was the other Umno deputy president who was summarily expelled from Umno a day after he was sacked from the government in 1998.


Vietnam police investigate 1,300 dead newborns found in freezers

In northern Vietnam, Hanoi city police have launched an investigation into 1,300 dead babies discovered in freezers in a rented house in Ha Dong district, an inner-city area that is home to government offices and universities.District police on Saturday said they made the discovery during their search of the house after receiving reports from local residents, Tuoi Tre News reported on Sunday.The locals had told the police that a group of five or six young people often brought suspicious packages to the house.Investigators have since interrogated the group and initial investigation results showed that no criminal activity has been identified in this case.A police spokesman told local media that the young people renting the house are volunteer charity workers who often collect dead newborns abandoned at private clinics and hospitals in Hanoi for burial.The volunteers explained that they temporarily stored the dead babies in their freezers before transporting them to cemeteries far from the inner city.However, the police have said they are considering some issues relating to the group’s preservation of the bodies.If the manner in which the babies were collected, transported, and stored is found to breach health or environment laws, then the relevant government agencies will handle the case, police said.Further investigation into the case is underway.


Judge tells Syed Saddiq to be careful when making social media statements on court case

High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan today advised Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman to be more careful when issuing statements on social media regarding his court case.The judge said the former youth and sports minister should differentiate between his position as a politician and as an accused when issuing a statement.“In a way, I understand his predicament, but he has to separate his hats from being a politician and an accused.“I’m sure from time to time you will be able to consult him on what to do (in regards to his social media postings),” he told Syed Saddiq’s lawyer at the first mention proceedings of the case in the High Court today.Zaini gave the advice after deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), reminded Syed Saddiq to exercise caution when making statements on social media regarding his charges of criminal of breach of trust (CBT), money laundering and misappropriation of funds.He said Syed Saddiq should not to issue a statement to defend himself of the charges prior to the trial of the case.“This is not a gag order (prohibition order), just a piece of advice from people who are more mature than the accused. Previously there were several posts on his Facebook that commented on the course of this case, and he had given his defence.“I am just reminding the accused to be more careful because the defence he submitted on his Facebook can be used against him,” he added.Counsel Gobind Singh Deo, representing Syed Saddiq, said he took note of the judge’s remarks, but that his client should be given more flexiblility to explain his case to the public.At today’s proceedings, the court also set 22 days to hear the case, from June 7 to 10, June 20 to 22, and June 27 and 28, as well as July 4 to 8, July 13 to 15 and July 18 to 22.Syed Saddiq, 29, maintained his plea of not guilty to charges of CBT, misappropriation of funds and money laundering read out before Zaini, following the court’s decision on Nov 25 last year allowing the MP’s application to transfer the case from the Sessions Court to the High Court.On the CBT charge, Syed Saddiq was charged in his capacity as then Bersatu Youth chief, who was entrusted with the wing’s fund, of committing the offence by withdrawing RM1 million from the fund via a CIMB Bank cheque without the permission of the party’s Supreme Council.He was alleged to have committed the offence at CIMB Bank, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral on March 6, 2020, under Section 405 of the Penal Code, punishable under Section 406 of the same law which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years with whipping and the accused liable to a fine, if found guilty.Syed Saddiq was also charged with misusing RM120,000 in contributions for the GE14 campaign raised through a Maybank Islamic account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise at Maybank Islamic, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018.He faces imprisonment of up to five years with whipping and will be liable to a fine if found guilty of the offence, framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code.He was also charged with two counts of engaging in money laundering activities through two transactions of RM50,000, believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru on June 16 and June 19, 2018.The charges were framed under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, punishable under Section 4 (1) of the same act, which provides for a maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or the proceeds of illegal activities.


Batang Kali state seat declared vacant after rep's six-month no-show

The Batang Kali seat was declared vacant today effective Jan 28 as its assemblyman Harumaini Omar had failed to attend state assembly sittings for more than six months.
Speaker Ng Suee Lim said the declaration was made in accordance with Article LXIX of the Selangor State Constitution 1959.
"The assemblyman for Batang Kali, Harumaini Omar, was found to have been absent without permission from the speaker throughout the sittings from Nov 23 to 30, 2022, Dec 1 to 2, 2022 and Dec 5 to 6, 2022," he told a press conference in Shah Alam today.
He said there were no records in the Selangor state assembly office or speaker’s office to show that the Pejuang assemblyman had applied for permission from the speaker to be absent from the assembly for that period.
"Based on official records and the attendance book, Harumaini last attended a sitting on July 27, 2022. In view that the six-month period is calculated from July 28, 2022, as provided for under Article LXIX of the Selangor State Constitution 1959, his period of absence has exceeded six months," he added.
"Therefore, in exercising my power as speaker under Article LXIX of the Selangor State Constitution 1959, I hereby declare that the seat of Harumaini has fallen vacant effective Jan 28, 2023," he said.
Ng said a notice on the vacancy would be sent to the Election Commission soon, and that Harumaini would learn of the matter following today’s press conference.
When asked, Ng said Harumaini had never written to or called him regarding his absence from the assembly.
He said Harumaini would be paid his salary and allowances as assemblyman until January but would not lose his pension.
Harumaini is not allowed to appeal the speaker’s decision and has been barred from attending the state assembly sitting beginning March 13.
According to Ng, Harumaini is the second assemblyman to lose his seat due to a prolonged absence from the assembly. The first was former Port Klang assemblyman Badrul Hisham Abdullah, who lost his seat on Jan 19, 2011 during the time of speaker Teng Chang Khim.


Chicken cartel probe almost complete, says deputy minister

The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) is in the final stage of its investigation into reports of a cartel that controls the price and production of chicken supplies in the country.Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Rosol Wahid said several witnesses from among breeders and integrators have also been called to assist in the investigation.“So far, MyCC is investigating the cartel’s involvement in (controlling) the price of chicken and a full report is expected to be tabled this month on whether it is true or otherwise.“We will see based on the findings,” he said on the sidelines of a Bernama Radio programme in Kuala Lumpur today.MyCC set up a special team in February to investigate allegations of anti-competitive conduct including anti-competitive agreements and/or abuse of dominant positions in the market that could cause an increase in the price of goods.Meanwhile, Rosol said a decision on the extension of subsidies for poultry farmers scheduled to end on June 5 will be finalised by the Cabinet today.“We have some suggestions related to the matter and today the meeting will decide whether to stop or continue, but with a slight improvement.“Maybe the Cabinet has other proposals, so the decision depends on the Cabinet,” he said.


PwC Australia ties Google to tax leak scandal, sources say

PwC Australia provided Google confidential information about the start date of a new tax law leaked from Australian government tax briefings, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
This is the first time a company has been directly linked to the national scandal involving the "big four" accounting firm that was first revealed in January.
PwC is under fire because several years ago a former partner, Peter Collins, who advised the Australian government on anti-tax avoidance laws shared confidential drafts with colleagues about the government's plans that were then used to drum up business with multinational companies.
In one instance, one of these colleagues emailed a Google employee in August 2015 to confirm the likely start date for the government's Multinational Anti-Avoidance Law (MAAL), according to one of the sources.
While the Jan 1, 2016 start date for the law had been announced in the government's budget papers in May 2015, the confirmation that the government would go ahead with that date came from confidential government briefings, the source said.
At the time, a number of organisations had called for the government to delay the planned January 2016 start date.
The former partner did not tell Google the information was confidential, the source said.
The sources asked not to be named as the information has not been authorised for public release.
PwC has not publicly identified any client in relation to the scandal, which was sparked by Collins breaching confidentiality agreements signed with the government between 2013 and 2018.
Reuters could not establish if Google was a client of PwC Australia at the time, and if it used the information in any way.
Google did not respond to questions about its relationship with PwC Australia.
PwC Australia responded to a request for comment on this story and several questions about its relationship to Google by saying its clients "were not involved in any wrongdoing and no confidential information was used to enable clients to pay less tax".
Collins could not be reached for comment.
First revealed by tax authorities in January, the scandal has forced out PwC Australia's chief executive Tom Seymour, cost it at least five high-profile clients and triggered the sale of its lucrative government consulting wing for US$0.66 (about RM3).
After receiving a 144-page cache of PwC emails released by the Tax Practitioners Board, lawmakers investigating the scandal asked PwC to list companies given confidential Australian Taxation Office information about the anti-avoidance law.
PwC sent a written response in June. What sources told Reuters matches information in the letter, which was publicly released with the name of the company that received the confidential information redacted.
Tax officials told parliament in May they foiled several attempts by unnamed multinational firms to subvert the multinational anti-avoidance law in early 2016, months after confidential information had leaked.


World powers hold ‘constructive’ talks with Iran on reviving nuclear deal Trump dumped

Iran and world powers held what they described as “constructive” talks on Tuesday and agreed to discuss which sanctions Washington might lift and the nuclear curbs Tehran might observe as they try to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.European intermediaries have started shuttling between Iranian and US officials in Vienna as they seek to bring both countries back into compliance with the accord, which lifted sanctions on Iran in return for Tehran curbing its nuclear programme, reports Reuters.Former US president Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018, prompting Iran to steadily overstep the accord’s limits on its nuclear programme designed to make it harder to develop an atomic bomb – an ambition Tehran denies.Tuesday’s talks included a meeting of the remaining parties to the original deal: Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia in a group called the Joint Commission that is chaired by the European Union. The US did not attend.While neither Washington nor Tehran say they expect any rapid progress from the talks, both they and the EU described the early exchanges in positive terms.“Constructive Joint Commission meeting. There’s unity and ambition for a joint diplomatic process with two expert groups on nuclear implementation and sanctions lifting,” EU chief coordinator Enrique Mora said on Twitter. “I will intensify separate contacts here in Vienna with all relevant parties, including the US.”“The talks in Vienna were constructive,” Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi told Iranian state television.“It is a welcome step, it is a constructive step, it is a potentially useful step,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters in Washington even as he repeated the US expectation that the indirect talks would be “difficult”.A resolution of the nuclear issue could help ease tensions in the Middle East, notably between Iran and Israel as well as with Washington’s Sunni Arab allies such as Saudi Arabia who fear the possibility of Shiite Iran obtaining nuclear weapons.In a possible sign of such strains, an Iranian cargo ship came under attack in the Red Sea, Al Arabiya TV reported, citing unnamed sources, and semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim said the vessel was targeted by a limpet mine.Al Arabiya cited its sources as saying the ship was attacked off Eritrea and was affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards but gave no evidence to support the assertion.Speaking on condition of anonymity, US officials told Reuters the US did not carry out the attack.


Schools to cancel outdoor activities if API readings hit unhealthy level

Schools need to cancel all outdoor activities if the air pollution index (API) reading exceeds 101, Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying says.
She said this was part of the ministry’s SOPs, and that a circular regarding the matter had been issued to every state and district education department for further action.
"If the API reading goes up to 200 and above, the ministry will instruct the school to close. If the API reading is 101 and above, it means the air quality is not healthy, so all outdoor activities are prohibited.
"Students have been advised to wear face masks, drink lots of water frequently and reduce all activities because of the hot weather," she told reporters in Seremban today.
Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad was reported to have said that the haze situation in the country was expected to be more serious this year than in the past three years, as plantation and industrial activities resume their normal operations.


The struggles of the sightless in a society blind to their woes

Across the country, tens of thousands are locked in a quiet struggle to accomplish what others may gloss over without a second thought.For them, tasks like reading, writing and even withdrawing money from an ATM machine are challenges of considerable proportion yet few in society are aware of the difficulties they face each day.For the visually impaired, challenges in life begin at an early age.Even the books they use to attain a basic education cost up to 10 times more than materials used in regular classrooms.The Development Organization for the Blind Malaysia (PPOBM) has begun an initiative in which it works with local publishers like PTS, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, and Ikim to help meet the needs of students and teachers throughout the country who are blind or otherwise visually impaired.Together, they translate books into Braille, a form of written language for the blind comprising characters made out of patterns of raised dots that can be felt with the fingertips.These reading materials are meant to provide blind students from the age of seven to 12 with an education, and to encourage them to broaden their knowledge.It isn’t cheap putting together a book in Braille. A lengthy translation process is involved, and the pages need to be printed on a special type of paper.PPOBM president Muhammad Huzaifah Ahmad said the books will be sent to schools throughout the country based on demand and capacity.“The primary focus is on six- and seven-year-old children because they are still growing,” he told MalaysiaNow.“Reading materials are important to help them learn and to give them an opportunity to enjoy reading like other children.”Huzaifah himself suffers from glaucoma, so he knows all too well the need for these efforts.But they don’t come cheap.He said a book that would normally cost RM9 can shoot up in price to about RM120 when translated into Braille.This is because of the high printing cost and the special paper needed.A printing officer at the Development Organization for the Blind Malaysia sews pages together to create a Braille book for distribution to students and teachers across the country.Translation of books into Braille begins with purchasing the publishing rights for approval.The Braille words are then created on a computer and edited. “Once the selection process and editing is complete, the material will be printed out and glued together into a book,” Huzaifah said.Basic amenitiesBut it’s not just reading and getting an education that’s a challenge. While the rest of society transitions to modern technology in leaps and bounds, those who are visually impaired are easily left behind.Huzaifah gave the example of touch screens at ATMs. Before touch screens became the norm, he said, ATMs had keypads with Braille dots.Now, though, those who are blind struggle to withdraw money as they cannot read what is displayed on the screen.“The innovation is good, but does it meet the needs of everyone?“It’s not just the blind,” he added. “What if a wheelchair-bound person wants to use an ATM? Are the facilities provided suitable for everyone?”Muhammad Huzaifah Ahmad, president of the Development Organization for the Blind Malaysia, checks the Braille print in a sheaf of newly printed pages.Sadly, even the amenities provided specifically for blind people are sometimes hijacked by others.Huzaifah said special walkways dedicated to blind people are more often than not used as a motorcycle parking lot.Sakinah Hassan, the secretary of PPOBM, said she sees this happen all too often.“I’ve personally criticised motorcyclists who do so,” she told MalaysiaNow. “But the reason they give is always the same: ‘Who wants to use the walkway?’ or ‘There aren’t any blind people around anyway’.”Such attitudes make it difficult for blind people to live an independent life, leaving them dependent on others for help, she said.She said PPOBM also received complaints from parents about the difficulties they faced when schools were closed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and home-based teaching and learning, or PdPR, was implemented instead.“Blind students need special papers and reference materials to study, but due to the constraints, some of them were left behind.”Her concern is that blind students will be neglected if the situation continues.There is also the matter of how many blind people in the country can find employment.Hufaizah said some 45,000 visually impaired people had registered with the Social Welfare Department in 2017, of which about 20,000 were in their 20s and 30s.“How many of them have jobs?” he said. “We are well aware of our disability, but those who are responsible for such things should provide opportunities for blind people to find suitable jobs.”Instead, many end up struggling to make ends meet by selling packets of tissue at eateries, he said.“It’s tough for them to find a job, so they are forced to find other means of earning an income.”


Govt to summon sultan's heirs in dispute over Paris properties

The government said today it would summon to court the descendants of a former sultan in a dispute involving three of the government's properties in Paris, following the heirs' efforts to enforce a US$15 billion (RM67.86 billion) arbitration award.
The Filipino heirs of the last Sultan of Sulu won the award in a French arbitration court last year in a dispute over a colonial-era land agreement, which independent Malaysia honoured until 2013, paying the descendants a token sum annually.
Malaysia, which did not participate in the arbitration, maintains the process was illegal and has obtained a stay on the ruling in France.
Reuters reported this week that the heirs won approval from a French court to seize the three Malaysian properties in Paris, and that bailiffs tried to assess the properties on Monday as part of an effort to dispose of the assets. Malaysian officials turned them away, the government said.
The government said in a statement the bailiffs had approached the Malaysian embassy in Paris and two staff residences to request access to the premises to obtain a description of the properties, but were denied access by diplomatic staff.
"This was not an attempt to seize the properties," said the Sulu special secretariat, a government department looking into the heirs' claims.
It said preliminary legal advice given to Malaysia suggested the bailiffs were asked by the claimants to obtain the properties' description "on the basis of the statutory mortgage registered on the premises" in November.
Malaysia intends to summon the claimants to appear before the same court that authorised the cancellation of the registration of the mortgage, the secretariat said.
The government previously vowed to take all legal measures to protect its assets worldwide.
Elisabeth Mason, a lawyer for the heirs, said Malaysia was being misleading in suggesting that actions taken by bailiffs on Monday were beyond the seizure-order authorised by the court.
"The court order gave the bailiffs the instruction to enter non-diplomatic property with an eye to their valuation and sale to meet Malaysia's debt," Mason said.
Mason said the French seizure order was based upon a preliminary award issued in Spain, which was not bound by the stay in France.
The dispute stems from an 1878 agreement that was signed between two European colonists and the sultan of Sulu for use of his territory in present-day Malaysia.
Independent Malaysia stopped payments in 2013 after a bloody incursion by supporters of the former sultanate who wanted to reclaim land from Malaysia.
The heirs of the sultan, who once controlled a territory spanning rainforest-covered islands in the southern Philippines and parts of Borneo island, say they were not involved in the incursion and sought arbitration over the suspension of payments.


Zahid says never ordered the use of charity funds for personal matters

Former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that he had never instructed anyone to use Yayasan Akalbudi funds for his personal matters.Zahid, 69, said he was in fact the one who had footed the bill for the foundation’s expenses since its establishment in 1997.“In the early stages of its establishment, most of the Yayasan Akalbudi funds were from my contributions, my salary and savings including profits from the purchase and sale of shares for being active in the corporate world.“This was to ensure that Yayasan Akalbudi could carry out charity programmes and provide assistance as well as contributions to individuals or parties in need and in the construction of mosques, maahad and so on,” said Zahid, who has been a Yayasan Akalbudi trustee since its formation.He said this when reading his witness statement on the first day of the defence proceedings on 47 criminal breach of trust (CBT), corruption and money laundering charges involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds.Zahid said after Yayasan Akalbudi’s charitable work became known to outsiders in 2013, it began to receive donations from colleagues such as Mohamed Hashim Ali, the 29th prosecution witness, Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, Halim Saad and Ahmad Johan.“For this purpose, I would like to stress that Yayasan Akalbudi never requested for funds but only promoted to individuals and companies that they could contribute funds.“Yayasan Akalbudi never prevented any party from contributing to the foundation,” Zahid said during the examination-in-chief by his lawyer, Ahmad Zaidi Zainal.Zahid said he had mooted the idea of Yayasan Akalbudi during his time in the corporate world, where he served as chairman of Bank Simpanan Nasional (1994-1998) and CEO of Kretam Holding Bhd (1994-1998), Tekala Corporation Bhd (1995-1998), Ramatex Bhd (1995-1999) and Seng Hup Bhd (1996-1998).“I also state here that Yayasan Akalbudi is an ‘amanah’ (trust) to me from my parents, and that is something I hold to until today,” he said.The Bagan Datuk MP said the objective of establishing the foundation was to implement charitable activities for religious purposes and to help those in need, not just to focus on his parliamentary constituency.“At that time, I earned about RM120,000 a month. I only used between RM30,000 and RM40,000 for my family and myself while the rest I used for waqf, infaq and charitable activities and religious purposes,” he said.He added that the foundation was first named Yayasan Budi, but later changed to Yayasan Akalbudi to give it a wider meaning encompassing intellectual, research and academic purposes instead of just charitable activities.Zahid also confirmed that the trustees had never objected to the use of funds for building mosques or maahad, orphanages, suraus and so on.Zahid also said that his income was about RM50,000 a month during his time in the government, and that his current savings stood at around RM2 million in an account at the Bank Islam KL Sentral branch.“As a politician and Cabinet minister, I was not allowed to be involved in the corporate world, and I was not involved as a director in a corporate company while holding positions in the government, but could still hold listed or unlisted shares,” he said in the proceedings before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.“However, the shares were held by nominee companies that I appointed, on my behalf,” he said.Zahid faces 47 charges – 12 of CBT, eight of graft and 27 of money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.He was ordered to enter his defence on Jan 24, after the prosecution succeeded in proving a prima facie case against him.


Calls grow for stricter MCO as case numbers continue to spiral

The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) today joined calls for the implementation of a stricter movement control order (MCO) to flatten the curve of infections, particularly in Selangor which has recently been recording more than 1,000 new Covid-19 cases each day.However, it stopped short of calling for a full lockdown, saying this would further stifle the country’s economic recovery.“While the impact of a blanket MCO would be devastating to businesses and the economy, it is understood that there is a dire need to curb the rising number of new daily Covid-19 infections,” MEF president Syed Hussain Syed Husman said.“Any decision towards this end must also take into consideration the interest of businesses and preservation of livelihoods,” he added in a statement.Malaysia recorded 4,865 new cases today of which 1,743 were logged in Selangor. Yesterday, 4,446 cases were reported nationwide with 1,650 infections in Selangor.The Federation of Malaysian Business Associations which represents over 260 business associations and more than 950,000 businesses recently called for a full lockdown across the country, adding however that this should be accompanied by an economic recovery stimulus package.It said businesses were “ready to bite the bullet” as case numbers and mortality figures had been at an unprecedented high for the past few days.The country logged its highest number of cases – 5,728 – on Jan 30, during the second instalment of MCO.The most Covid-related deaths were recorded yesterday, with 20 of the 45 fatalities nationwide reported in Selangor.A third MCO was imposed earlier this month, covering the entire country with the exception of Sarawak which remains under conditional MCO.Syed Hussain said the current MCO, known as MCO 3.0, was expected to cost about RM300 million a day. He compared this to the total lockdown under MCO 1.0 during which time he said RM2.4 billion was lost per day.“As responsible employers and citizens, we are doing our utmost to comply with the prescribed SOPs to curb the spread of Covid-19,” he said.“Employers need to play a positive role to ensure that the health and safety of employees are safeguarded.”


MACC man gets 3 years’ jail, whipping for misappropriation of US$6.94 million

A senior superintendent of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was today sentenced to three years’ jail and two strokes of the cane by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for the misappropriation of US$6.94 million in cash evidence linked to a major corruption case.Judge Suzana Hussin handed down the sentence after Shahrum Nizam Baharuddin, 41, changed his plea to guilty to an alternative charge when the case came up for mention today.He was ordered to serve the jail sentence from the date of arrest, which was Sept 13, 2021.MACC previously confirmed having detained three of its officers for investigation into allegations of power abuse and misappropriation in the case involving former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation director-general Hasanah Abdul Hamid.On April 12, 2021, Hasanah was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by the Kuala Lumpur High Court for a charge of committing criminal breach of trust involving US$12.1 million (RM50.4 million) belonging to the Malaysian government.When handing down the sentence, Suzana said she hoped that it would be a lesson to the accused not to repeat the mistake.Suzana also ordered for the property purchased by the accused using the seized money to be forfeited to the government.The items comprised a blue Hublot Big Bang watch, a four-wheel drive Ford Raptor, a Honda Civic, a Mercedes Benz car, two high-powered Ducati motorcycles, a two-and-a half-storey house in Kota Warisan Sepang, two plots of land in Jerantut, Pahang and RM8,700 in cash.Also ordered to be forfeited to the government was cash amounting to US$4.07 million and RM1.6 million.The alternative charge against Shahrum was for the dishonest misappropriation of property by converting the money, amounting US$6.94 million, for his own use.The charge, framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code, provided for imprisonment of up to five years with whipping and a possible fine, upon conviction.He was charged with committing the offence at the Office of the Head of the Special Action Branch, Investigation Division, Level 14, Block C, MACC Headquarters, Putrajaya, between Dec 17, 2018 and April 9, 2019.During mitigation, Shahrum’s lawyer Ahmad Hafiz A Bakar said his client, who has two children, aged 10 and 12, and a family to support, had never been convicted of any criminal offence before.He said Shahrum had served with the MACC since Nov 14, 2005 and was the recipient of the excellent service award four times.He is suffering from nasal cancer and a medical report from a private hospital had been submitted to the court, added the lawyer.Hafiz said the assets purchased by his client using the money had been confiscated and sealed by the MACC.“My client also apologised for his mistake and promised not to do it again,” he added.Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib however asked the court to consider public interest when meting out the sentence.“The court must take into account the seriousness of the offence and that it was committed by a civil servant who was entrusted with a task, but took advantage for his own benefit.“The prosecution requests the court to take into account the value of the money involved and the fact that this offence committed by the accused has tarnished the image of MACC as an organisation, and also certain individuals in the organisation,” he added.


DBKL will revoke misused business licences, warns Anwar

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today made it clear that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will revoke the licences of traders and hawkers who lease them out to third parties, including foreigners.
He said the government and DBKL were now looking into methods on how to ensure that regulations are complied with for the benefit of local traders and hawkers.
"Along with the (DBKL) mayor and its directors, I have plans on how to ensure (traders and hawkers) abide by regulations and for licences to be issued to (only) locals.
"If they (traders and hawkers) hand over the licences to others we will revoke them," he told reporters after a meet and greet session with the prime minister at Pusat Penjaja Madani on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman in Kuala Lumpur today.
Also present was Kuala Lumpur Mayor Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh.
Meanwhile, the prime minister also reiterated his commitment to upgrade Kuala Lumpur's facilities and image, including hawker stalls for the people’s comfort.
He said there were several areas where drainage and roofing will be fixed by this year.
Anwar prior to this had said that local authorities, especially in urban areas, must provide comfortable infrastructure facilities to hawkers and petty traders so that they can conduct business in a conducive environment.
He said proper facilities were important as hawkers and traders also contribute to the national economy.
Earlier, Anwar spent about 40 minutes mingling with traders at Pusat Penjaja Madani, which has since been upgraded through the Lestari Niaga @ Kuala Lumpur. He also had breakfast with them.
The initiative aims to upgrade existing petty trader and hawker stalls in the federal territories so that they are more conducive and comfortable.
The hawker centre, known as the Pusat Penjaja Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman before, was built in 1974 with 20 stall lots. It was upgraded in March this year.
Among the works carried out were the replacement and improvements done on the roofing, rewiring and the replacement of fans, lights and broken pipes.
Meanwhile, in a Facebook post, Anwar said the Pusat Penjaja Madani hawker centre initiative on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman was a collaboration between the federal territories department and DBKL.
It is aimed at beautifying the centre and providing comfort to traders to earn a living, besides one of many attractions for visitors, he said.
The prime minister said under the same initiative, DBKL was conducting maintenance works at 68 DBKL-owned hawker centres around the capital.
"While constructing buildings and landmarks, we should not neglect hawkers and traders who also want comfortable spaces and facilities for themselves and their patrons," he said.


Finance ministry to lodge police report on Yayasan Albukhary tax exemption claims

The finance ministry says it will lodge a police report on allegations that former finance minister Lim Guan Eng revoked the tax exemption status of Yayasan Albukhary and that the letter of cancellation was signed by ministry officials, as is being circulated on social media.
In a statement today, the ministry said it viewed these allegations seriously as the ministry, whether through the former finance minister and/or its officers, had not revoked any approval on the tax exemption granted to Yayasan Albukhary.
It said Yayasan Albukhary had been approved as a non-profit organisation undertaking charitable works under Subsection 44(6) of the Income Tax Act, which grants it tax exemption status.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told Parliament during the Prime Minister’s Question time that Lim had never revoked the tax exemption given to Yayasan Albukhary throughout his two-year tenure as finance minister beginning May 2018.


Russia admits to world’s third-worst Covid-19 death toll

Russia on Monday said its coronavirus death toll was more than three times higher than it had previously reported, making it the country with the third-largest number of fatalities.For months President Vladimir Putin has boasted about Russia’s low fatality rate from the virus, saying earlier this month that it had done a “better” job at managing the pandemic than western countries.But since early in the pandemic, some Russian experts have said the government was playing down the country’s outbreak.On Monday Russian officials admitted that was true.The Rosstat statistics agency said that the number of deaths from all causes recorded between January and November had risen by 229,700 compared to the previous year.“More than 81% of this increase in mortality over this period is due to Covid,” said Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova, meaning that over 186,000 Russians have died from Covid-19.Russian health officials have registered more than three million infections since the start of the pandemic, putting the country’s caseload at fourth-highest in the world.But they have only reported 55,265 deaths – a much lower fatality rate than in other badly hit countries.Russia has been criticised for only listing Covid deaths where an autopsy confirms the virus was the main cause.Alexei Raksha, a demographer who left Rosstat in July, told AFP last week that the Russian health ministry and the consumer health ministry falsify coronavirus numbers.Rosstat’s new figures mean that Russia now has the world’s third-highest Covid-19 death toll behind the US with 333,140 and Brazil with 191,139, according to an AFP count.The figures came as authorities hold out against reimposing a nationwide lockdown in the hopes of buttressing a struggling economy even as the country is battered by a second wave of infections.Russia’s government predicts the economy will shrink by 3.9% this year, while the Central Bank expects an even deeper decline.During his annual end-of-year press conference earlier this month, Putin rejected the idea of imposing the kind of lockdown many European countries introduced going into the Christmas holidays.“If we follow the rules and demands of health regulators, then we do not need any lockdowns,” he said.While strict measures have been imposed in some major cities, authorities in many regions have limited restrictions to mask-wearing in public spaces and reducing mass gatherings.But many Russians flout social distancing rules and in recent weeks the country’s outbreak has overwhelmed poorly funded hospitals in the regions.Vaccine scepticismRussia has instead pinned its hopes on coralling its outbreak by vaccinating people en masse with its homemade Sputnik V jab, named after the Soviet-era satellite.The country launched a mass vaccination programme earlier this month, first inoculating high-risk workers aged between 18 and 60 without chronic illnesses.Over the weekend people older than 60 got the green light to receive the shot.On Monday Sputnik V’s developer, the state-run Gamaleya research centre, said that around 700,000 doses had so far been released for domestic use.However Russia has not said how many people it has vaccinated so far, and according to recent surveys by state-run pollster VTsIOM and the Levada polling agency only 38% of Russians plan to get the shot.


Ukraine hits Russian targets as France offers Odessa help

Ukraine tried to push back Russian troops in the east and south on Friday as France offered to help ensure access to the port of Odessa and ease a global grain crisis.The United Nations and Western countries meanwhile raised fresh concerns over death sentences handed by pro-Russian separatists to two Britons and a Moroccan who were captured while fighting for Ukraine.Kyiv said Friday it had launched new air strikes on Russian positions in the captured southern region of Kherson, one of the first areas to be taken by Russia after the Feb 24 invasion.And fierce fighting continued in the eastern Donbas region, where Moscow has concentrated its firepower, especially around the eastern industrial city of Severodonetsk.Local governor Sergiy Gaiday said on Friday that Russian forces had destroyed a major sports centre, adding: “One of the symbols of Severodonetsk was destroyed. The Ice Palace burned down.”People in the town of Lysychansk, located just across a river from Severodonetsk, spoke to AFP about their stark choices: stay and brave the shelling, or flee and abandon their homes.Yevhen Zhyryada, 39, said the only way to access water was by heading to a water distribution site in the town.“We have to go there under shelling, and under fire,” he said. “This is how we survive.”Overall, the Ukrainian army said, its forces “repelled 14 enemy attacks” on Friday.‘Victory for Ukraine’With the world still facing shockwaves from the war, an adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron said France was ready to assist in an operation to allow safe access to Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odessa.The port has been subject to a de facto blockade by Russia, and grain is waiting to be exported amid mounting fears of global food shortages, especially in developing countries.“We are at the disposal of the parties to put in place an operation which would allow access in complete safety to the port of Odessa, in other words for boats to pass through despite the fact that the sea is mined,” said Macron’s adviser, who asked not to be named.Macron will travel to Ukraine’s neighbours Moldova and Romania next week – but no date had been set for him to visit Kyiv, the adviser said.France wants “victory for Ukraine”, the adviser added, after Macron sparked controversy by suggesting Russia should not be humiliated.Russia’s invasion has put European countries on edge, and nine of them urged Nato on Friday to beef up its eastern flank.The meeting of the leaders of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia was held in the Romanian capital Bucharest less than three weeks ahead of a Nato summit meeting in Madrid.“In view of the increased security risks in Romania and the Black Sea, consolidating Nato on its eastern flank… becomes all the more urgent and crucial,” said Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.‘Shocking’ death sentencesWestern countries reacted with fresh outrage after the separatist authorities in the Donetsk region of the Donbas on Thursday ordered the death penalty for Britons Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, and Saadun Brahim of Morocco.Germany’s foreign ministry said the “shocking” sentences show “once more Russia’s complete disregard for international humanitarian law”.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office said he was “appalled”, as London pressed the case with Kyiv. Ukraine’s prosecutor general said she was probing the issue.The United Nations warned that unfair trials of prisoners of war amounted to war crimes.Zelensky separately praised British leadership and its support for Kyiv’s fight against Russia during an unannounced visit from UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.“Words turn into actions. That’s the difference between Ukraine’s relationship with Great Britain and other countries,” Zelensky said in a video statement. “Weapons, finance, sanctions – on these three issues, Britain shows leadership.”Kyiv has been critical of countries including Germany and France for the slow delivery of aid and for giving too much credence to negotiations with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.‘Take back and strengthen’Russia has repeatedly cautioned the West against getting involved, with some officials warning of the risk of nuclear war.The world’s chemical weapons watchdog said Friday it was keeping a close eye on Ukraine to monitor “threats of use of toxic chemicals as weapons”.Putin has said that what Russia calls its special military operation is meant to “de-Nazify” Ukraine and suggested he is merely taking territory back.Speaking to British university students via video link, Zelensky said Friday that Russia’s claim Ukraine was “artificially created” was as preposterous as stating Ukrainians were “not humans but a variety of plants or a species of animals.”


Exports jump 48% to RM141 billion in August

Malaysia’s trade remained sturdy in August 2022 with exports jumping 48.2% to RM141.33 billion, the 13th successive month of double-digit growth, the international trade and industry ministry said.
Trade surplus stood at RM16.92 billion as imports surged 67.6% to RM124.41 billion.
Total trade rallied 56.7% to RM265.74 billion compared to August 2021, the 19th consecutive month of double-digit growth, it said in a statement today.
"The export expansion was attributed to higher shipments of electrical and electronic (E&E) products, petroleum products, palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products, liquefied natural gas (LNG) as well as optical and scientific equipment.
"Exports of petroleum products, LNG, as well as optical and scientific equipment, registered the highest monthly value.
"Exports to major trading partners, notably Asean, China, the US, the EU and Japan, recorded double-digit growth.
"The highest monthly export value was registered to Japan. On a month-on-month basis, trade, exports, imports, and trade surplus grew by 5.2, 5.4, 5.0, and 8.6%, respectively," it said.
For January to August 2022, trade expanded by 33.1% to RM1.873 trillion from the same period last year.
"Exports surpassed RM1 trillion, the shortest period to reach this milestone, expanding by 30.3% to RM1.014 trillion.
"Imports climbed by 36.7% to RM858.83 billion and the trade surplus was up by 3.7% to RM155.57 billion. Trade, exports, imports, and trade surplus registered the highest value for the period," it said.
According to the ministry, exports of manufactured goods in August, which represented 84.5% of total exports, rose by 47.7% year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM119.48 billion, the 13th consecutive month of double-digit expansion.
It said the growth was backed by higher exports of E&E products, petroleum products, optical and scientific equipment as well as machinery, equipment, and parts, each recorded more than RM1 billion increase in exports.
"Exports of mining goods (7.6% share) soared by 59.1% y-o-y to RM10.77 billion, the 17th successive month of double-digit growth underpinned by growing exports of LNG and crude petroleum.
"Exports of agriculture goods (7.4% share) increased by 42.6% to RM10.47 billion compared to August 2021, the 18th consecutive month of double-digit growth. The expansion was aided by strong exports of palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products," it added.


Daily caseload at 164 as one new death reported

Another 164 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 5,039,650.
There were 254 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,993,388.
There are now 9,310 active cases, of which 8,978 or 96.4% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0%) are at quarantine centres while 321 (3.4%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 11 are in ICU with six in need of respiratory assistance.
One more death was reported, taking total deaths to 36,952.


Hurricane pummels US state, knocks out power for entire city

“Life-threatening” Hurricane Ida battered the southern US state of Louisiana and plunged New Orleans into darkness Sunday, 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city.Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 storm and was downgraded to a Category 3 by evening – the same strength Katrina was when it came ashore in 2005.As of 9pm, Ida was packing maximum sustained winds of 175km per hour, and the powerful storm knocked out power for all of New Orleans.“@EntergyNOLA has confirmed that New Orleans has no power,” tweeted NOLA Ready, the city’s emergency preparedness programme, referring to the area’s electricity provider.“The only power in the city is coming from generators.”Ahead of Ida’s arrival, showers and strong wind swept New Orleans’ deserted streets throughout the morning, buffeting boarded-up windows at businesses and homes surrounded by sandbags.Ida was 40 miles per hour slower than when it made landfall at Port Fourchon, Louisiana, approximately 100 miles south of New Orleans, but the National Hurricane Center said it remained a dangerous Category 3 storm.The NHC also warned that the storm surge would create a “life-threatening situation” and urged residents in affected areas to “take all necessary actions to protect life and property.”President Joe Biden had also described Ida as “a life-threatening storm” that “continues to rage and ravage everything it comes in contact with.”Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said Ida could be the most powerful storm to hit the state since 1850.“There is no doubt that the coming days and weeks are going to be extremely difficult,” he said at a briefing Sunday, adding that some people might have to shelter in place for up to 72 hours.“Find the safest place in your house and stay there until the storm passes,” he tweeted earlier.Storm surges flooded the town of Grand Isle, on a barrier island south of New Orleans, and low-lying highways in the area were covered in water.‘Not sure if I’m prepared’Most residents had heeded warnings of catastrophic damage and authorities’ instructions to flee.Roads leading out of New Orleans had bumper-to-bumper traffic in the days preceding Ida’s arrival.In one neighbourhood in eastern New Orleans, a few residents were completing preparations just hours before landfall.“I’m not sure if I’m prepared,” said Charles Fields, who was bringing his garden furniture indoors, “but we just have to ride it.”“We’ll see how it holds up,” added the 60-year-old, who in 2005 saw Hurricane Katrina flood his house with 3.3m of water.In St Bernard Parish, a large ferry boat broke free of its moorings and was being blown up the Mississippi River, according to local TV channel WWL, which posted a video of the boat.‘Very serious test’Governor Edwards warned on Sunday that Ida would be “a very serious test for our levee systems”, an extensive network of pumps, gates and earthen and concrete berms that was expanded after Katrina.He told CNN that hundreds of thousands of residents were believed to have evacuated.The storm “presents some very challenging difficulties for us, with the hospitals being so full of Covid patients,” he said.With a low rate of vaccination, Louisiana is among the states hit hardest by the pandemic, severely stressing hospitals.Hospitalisations, at 2,700 on Saturday, are near their pandemic high.The memory of Katrina, which made landfall on Aug 29, 2005, is still fresh in Louisiana, where it caused some 1,800 deaths and billions of dollars in damage.“It’s very painful to think about another powerful storm like Hurricane Ida making landfall on that anniversary,” Edwards had previously said.Rainfall of 10 to 18 inches (25 to 46cm) is expected in parts of southern Louisiana through Monday, with up to 24 inches in some areas.The storm is expected to continue weakening as it moves over land, with a predicted track taking it north over the central US before veering eastward, reaching the mid-Atlantic region by Wednesday.Ida and the coronavirusThe White House said Sunday that federal agencies had deployed more than 2,000 emergency workers to the region – including 13 urban search-and-rescue teams – along with food and water supplies and electric generators.Local authorities, the Red Cross and other organizations have prepared dozens of shelters with room for at least 16,000 people, the White House added.Plans to cope with the hurricane – and set up shelters – have been complicated by Covid-19.Biden on Saturday urged anyone in community shelters to wear masks and maintain distance.Scientists have warned of a rise in cyclone activity as the ocean surface warms due to climate change, posing an increasing threat to the world’s coastal communities.


'Too many positives!': As China rows back Covid curbs, virus fears spread

As many Chinese embraced new found freedoms on Thursday after the country dropped key parts of its tough zero-Covid regime, some cities warned residents to maintain vigilance against a virus that, until now, has been largely kept in check.
Three years into the pandemic, many in China had been itching for Beijing to start to align its rigid virus prevention measures with the rest of the world, which has largely opened up in an effort to live with the disease.
Those frustrations boiled over into widespread protests last month, the biggest show of public discontent since President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012.
Without saying it was a response to the protests, some cities and regions began relaxing Covid controls, in moves that heralded a nationwide loosening of the rules unveiled by the National Health Commission on Wednesday.
The NHC said infected people with mild symptoms can now quarantine at home and it dropped the need for testing and health status apps for a variety of activities including travelling around the country.
Domestic ticket sales for tourist and leisure spots have soared, according to state press, while some people took to social media to reveal they had tested positive for the virus - something that had previously carried heavy stigma in China.
Others expressed caution.
"I know Covid is not so 'horrifying' now, but it is still contagious and will hurt," said one post on the Weibo platform. "The fear brought to our heart cannot be easily dissipated."
China reported 21,439 new Covid-19 infections on Dec 7, compared with 25,321 a day earlier.
"Too many positives!" said another Weibo user.
Ill-prepared
Top officials have been softening their tone on the dangers posed by the virus in recent weeks, bringing China closer to what other countries have been saying for more than a year as they dropped restrictions.
But, while announcing the implementation of the new measures late on Wednesday, some cities urged residents to remain vigilant.
"The general public should maintain a good awareness of personal protection, and be the first responsible person for their own health," Zhengzhou, the central city home to the world's largest iPhone factory, said in a message to residents.
It urged residents to wear masks, maintain social distancing, seek medical attention for fever and other Covid symptoms and, especially for the elderly, to get vaccinated.
Some analysts and medical experts say China is ill-prepared for a major surge in infections, partly due to low vaccination rates among vulnerable, older people and its fragile healthcare system.
"It (China) may have to pay for its procrastination on embracing a 'living with Covid' approach," Nomura analysts said in a note on Thursday.
Infection rates in China are only around 0.13%, "far from the level needed for herd immunity", Nomura said.
Feng Zijian, a former official in China's Center for Disease Control, told the China Youth Daily that up to 60% of China's population could be infected in the first large-scale wave before stabilising.
"Ultimately, around 80%-90% of people will be infected," he said.
China's current tally of 5,235 Covid-related deaths is a tiny fraction of its population of 1.4 billion, and extremely low by global standards. Some experts have warned that toll could rise above 1.5 million if the exit is too hasty.


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Singapore arrests 16-year-old for planning Christchurch-style massacre of Muslims

Singapore authorities have arrested a 16-year-old secondary school student under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for planning a massacre of Muslims in the city-state on March 15, coinciding with the second anniversary of the New Zealand terror attacks in 2019.Investigations also revealed troubling details of a plan to carry out the killings.“He admitted during the investigation that he could only foresee two outcomes to his plan – that he is arrested before he is able to carry out the attacks, or he executes the plan and is thereafter killed by the police,” Singapore’s Internal Security Department (ISD) said in a statement.It described the youth as “a Protestant Christian of Indian ethnicity”, believing that he is the youngest to be arrested on terrorism activities in Singapore.“He was self-radicalised, motivated by a strong antipathy towards Islam and a fascination with violence,” ISD said, adding that the youth had also watched videos by the Islamic State and concluded that the terrorist group represented Islam.ISD said the teenager had made an elaborate plan to launch terrorist attacks using a machete against Muslims at the Assyafaah Mosque in Sembawang and Yusof Ishak Mosque, to replicate Australian Brenton Tarrant’s action of gunning down 51 people who were attending Friday prayers at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand two years ago.ISD said the youth was planning to launch the attack on March 15, on the second anniversary of the Christchurch massacre.“Like Tarrant, the youth intended to drive between the two attack sites, and therefore devised a plan to procure a vehicle to use during the attack,” the statement said.Investigations also revealed that the youth had planned to buy a rifle similar to the one used in the New Zealand attack.It said he also explored attacking the mosques with gasoline bombs, and “persisted to search for firearms online” before realising it was difficult to get the guns into Singapore.“He eventually dropped both ideas due to logistical and personal safety concerns. To prepare himself for the knifing attack, the youth had watched YouTube videos, and was confident that he would be able to hit the arteries of his targets by randomly slashing at the neck and chest areas.“At the point of his arrest by ISD, the youth had found his choice machete on Carousell but had not purchased it yet,” ISD added.Authorities said the youth had purchased a tactical vest and was planning to “adorn the vest with right-wing extremist symbols, and modify it so that he could strap on his mobile device to livestream the attack, just like Tarrant”.The machete and vest bought from an online platform by a Singapore youth detained under the Internal Security Act. Investigations revealed he was planning a mass killing of Muslims. Photo: ISD SingaporeMeanwhile, the ISD said the youth had acted alone.“His immediate family and others in his social circles were not aware of his attack plans and the depth of his hatred for Islam.”


US airs concerns over govt’s plan to deport 1,200 to Myanmar

Malaysia faced calls Monday to halt the deportation of 1,200 Myanmar nationals on navy ships to their homeland weeks after a coup, with the US the latest to voice concerns.The migrants, who include members of vulnerable minorities, are set to be repatriated Tuesday aboard three vessels sent from Myanmar, where the military seized power at the start of February.The ships arrived at the weekend and docked at a naval base at Lumut, on the west coast.The US embassy in Kuala Lumpur told AFP it had expressed concerns and urged authorities to allow the UN refugee agency access to the detained Myanmar nationals, which would allow them to assess if any were asylum seekers.The refugee agency has said at least six among those to be deported are registered with the body and in need of international protection, but it has not had access to the vast majority of them.Amy Smith, executive director of Fortify Rights, said the planned deportation “puts lives at risk and gives undeserving legitimacy to the abusive military coup in Myanmar”.“This is a time to extend protection to people fleeing Myanmar and grant the UN access, not put them into the hands of a military junta with a long track record of serious human rights violations.”Among those to be deported are members of the Christian Chin minority and people from conflict-riven Kachin and Shan states, according to Lilianne Fan, international director of the Geutanyoe Foundation which works with refugees.Officials say those being repatriated have committed offences including overstaying their visas and no members of the Rohingya Muslim minority, who are not recognised as citizens in Myanmar, will be repatriated.Malaysia is home to millions of migrants from poorer parts of Asia who work in low-pay jobs such as construction. As well as Myanmar, they come from countries including Bangladesh and Indonesia.


UN warns Sri Lanka could face ‘full-blown humanitarian emergency’

The United Nations warned Friday that cash-strapped Sri Lanka’s unprecedented economic crisis could develop into a dire humanitarian crisis, with millions already in need of aid.“We are concerned that this could develop into a full-blown humanitarian emergency, and we are taking action to address that concern,” Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, told reporters.The UN and its partners are appealing for US$47 million to address the immediate needs of the 1.7 million of the most vulnerable people and those most affected by the crisis, he said.Months of daily blackouts, long queues for petrol and record inflation have made daily life a misery in the South Asian island nation of 22 million people.The government has already defaulted on its US$51 billion foreign debt, and a critical shortage of foreign currency has left traders unable to import adequate supplies of food, fuel and other essential goods.Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis since independence in 1948 was already taking a heavy toll, he said, pointing out that agriculture and livelihoods had been severely affected.Many people are now “going without adequate food”, Laerke said, also warning that “families’ access to health services, protection and children’s education is at stake.”Unicef’s representative in Sri Lanka Christian Skoog also warned that the situation was dire, with 17% of children under five in the country already malnourished and stunted before the crisis.He said the UN children’s agency especially sought to help 56,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.“Potentially they could all be at risk of dying,” he told reporters via video link.Laerke highlighted that “the Sri Lankan economy is on the brink of collapse.”“We call for international solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka.”


African alarm grows as India’s crisis halts Covid-19 vaccine exports

Africa is “watching with total disbelief” as India struggles with its devastating resurgence in Covid-19 cases, the continent’s top public health official said on Thursday.African officials are worrying that the surge is jeopardising vaccine deliveries from India, and risking a similar surge in Africa, the Associated Press is reporting.The African continent, with roughly the same population as India and fragile health systems, “must be very, very prepared” for a similar scenario, John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters.“What is happening in India cannot be ignored by our continent,” he said, and urged African countries to avoid mass gatherings including political rallies. “We do not have enough healthcare workers, we do not have enough oxygen,” he warned.Africa’s vaccine supply heavily relies on India, whose Serum Institute is the source of the AstraZeneca vaccines distributed by the global Covax project.“India’s export ban on vaccines has severely impacted the predictability of the rollout of African vaccination programmes,” Nkengasong said.Just 17 million vaccine doses have been administered across the whole African continent with a population of some 1.3 billion.Phionah Atuhebwe of the World Health Organization (WHO) said most African nations that received their first vaccine doses via Covax will reach a “gap” in supply while waiting for second doses as early as May or June.“We call upon countries that have extra doses to do their part,” she said, adding that WHO is reviewing the Chinese-made Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines this week.Nkengasong said Congo wants to donate some 1.3 million doses so they can be distributed to other African nations since it hasn’t been able to administer them at home because of vaccine hesitancy.There is a five-week deadline to get the doses administered, he said, and Congo is working with Covax to hand them over. He expressed hope that the doses can reach other people quickly.Nkengasong urged other countries not to wait until the last moment to hand their unused jabs back. Other countries in Europe, North America and Asia “can have their luxury” of vaccine options, he said, but “we do not have choices”.Only 43 million tests for the virus have been conducted across the whole African continent since the pandemic began, the Africa CDC chief said, with a 26% drop in new tests conducted in the past week.However, he warned against travel bans after Kenya this week announced it will suspend all passenger flights to and from India for two weeks starting on Saturday, while cargo flights continue.“It’s really unfortunate we are reacting in a very ad hoc manner in respect to flight movements,” he said, emphasising the strength of authentic negative PCR tests. “It’s not people who are a threat, it’s the virus.”


Sarawak plantations group slams immigration over foreign worker raids

The Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (Soppoa) today hit out at the immigration department over the raids conducted on foreign workers in plantations in the state as well as the revenue collected in the form of compounds and deposits by employers who participated in the government’s recalibration programme, describing these as tantamount to “additional taxes” on the industries involved.Soppoa’s Felix Moh Mee Ho said many foreign workers had been left stranded in the country following the movement control order implemented in March 2020 and the closure of Malaysia’s borders.Given the subsequent halting of front desk governmental services, including by the immigration department, he said many foreign workers whose permits were expiring had been unable to get these renewed.“There were thousands of valid workers who became victims of circumstance just because they could not be renewed as the immigration department was not in operation,” he added.Moh said this had caused an increase in the number of undocumented migrant workers, whose data was gathered by the authorities through the applications by employers who had wished to participate in the recalibration programme.“Instead of hoping to be rehired, thousands of illegal workers ended up being deported or arrested for not having sufficient documents to support their legalisation processes,” he said.And with the data gathered, he added, the immigration department was able to carry out its raids accurately and efficiently.As of January this year, Moh said, the immigration department reportedly managed to bag RM100 million in compounds and another RM200 million in deposit payments from employers.“The total amount generated is nearly half of the revenue received by federal government from the windfall profit levy from palm oil industry in the same year,” he said.“By looking at the revenue generated through compounding and deposit payments by the immigration department from a basic accounting standpoint, the RM100 million and RM200 million generated in fact was ‘additional taxes’ on the industries on top of the usual corporate tax or levy which are already committed.“In other words, by generating such revenue by that department, it actually introduced further burdens on business communities by increasing the cost of operation, not to mention additional businesses losses caused by an insufficient workforce.”Adding that the main role of government departments was to facilitate stakeholders to improve business operations and livelihoods, he said it was not to “flex their enforcement powers at these trying times”.“Of late, there are indications that our country is heading towards recovery mode,” he said.“While that’s good news, the main issue is whether that is really perceived and experienced by the general public and business communities who have suffered so much that an immediate recovery may not bring any improvement to their lives.”


Tajuddin set to travel to Jakarta as Malaysian ambassador

Vocal politician Tajuddin Abdul Rahman is poised to travel to Jakarta later this month to begin his duties as Malaysia’s ambassador to Indonesia, confirming months of speculation surrounding his appointment.MalaysiaNow has learnt from diplomatic sources that the Pasir Salak MP’s appointment to represent the country has received approval from Indonesian government.MalaysiaNow has attempted to reach Wisma Putra and Tajuddin himself for comment.Tajuddin will fill a diplomatic void in one of Malaysia’s most important overseas missions, where Zahrain Mohd Hashim was the last politician ambassador appointed by the Najib Razak administration.Zahrain, a PKR turncoat from Penang, was replaced by Zainal Abidin Bakar after being terminated in 2018 as part of the short-lived Pakatan Harapan government’s policy of not appointing politicians as diplomats.Rumours of Tajuddin’s appointment had generated protest from opposition MPs since they were first reported by Indonesian media. They gained momentum when the politician was included in Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s official delegation to meet President Joko Widodo last November.In May last year, the administration of then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin sacked Tajuddin from his position as chairman of the government’s public transportation company Prasarana following remarks deemed insensitive in the aftermath of an LRT collision in Kuala Lumpur which left dozens of passengers injured.The 74-year-old economics graduate was an Internal Security Act detainee during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s administration, and saw his political fortunes rise after he won the Pasir Salak constituency in 2008.He is among a group of Umno backbenchers who are vocal in the Dewan Rakyat, but broke ranks with the faction aligned with former leader Najib Razak and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi when the duo launched a campaign to oust Muhyiddin as prime minister.


4.7 million vehicles expected on roads during Hari Raya

Some 4.7 million vehicles are expected to hit the road nationwide in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri next month, says Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) director Mat Kasim Karim.He said given the expected increase in vehicles, JSPT would mobilise 6,559 traffic officers and personnel at contingent and district levels to ensure traffic smoothness and safety.“The Raya holiday this year is quite long and many are expected to celebrate in their home towns after two years of not being allowed to cross borders, in 2020 and last year, when the country was still struggling with a spike in Covid-19 cases,” he told Bernama today.Mat Kasim said as in previous years, road safety operation Op Selamat 18 with the theme “Rumah Selamat, Selamat Sampai Ke Destinasi” will also be conducted from April 29 to May 8.He said it would focus on the prevention of burglaries and seek to minimise the rate of road accidents during the festive season.“In this Op Selamat 18, JSPT will focus on Op Motosikal (motorcycles), Op Had Laju (speed limit) and Op Perdagangan (trade), where no appeals will be considered to ensure that road users comply with the law,” he said.He added that JSPT had done careful planning to ensure that the accident rate could be reduced by at least 50%.“Use of JSPT assets such as motorcycles and patrol cars will also be optimised for enforcement duties and ‘omnipresent’ patrols in hotspots throughout the country,” he said.


Johor, Melaka see rise in flood evacuees

There was an increase in the number of flood victims in Johor and Melaka this morning, while the situation in Terengganu, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and Sabah remained largely unchanged.The Irrigation and Drainage Department said in a statement that nine rivers in flood-affected states had recorded dangerous water levels as of 7am: three rivers in Pahang, three in Johor, one in Negeri Sembilan and two in Melaka.In Johor, the number of flood victims in the seven affected districts increased to 5,479 people this morning compared with 4,737 yesterday.Segamat recorded the highest number of flood victims at 4,016, followed by Mersing (548), Tangkak (434), Kota Tinggi (210), Batu Pahat (107), Kluang (106) and Muar (58).State health and environment committee chairman R Vidyananthan said five new relief centres (PPS) were opened late last night and early this morning in Mersing, Batu Pahat, Muar and Tangkak, bringing the total number of PPS in the state to 78.In Melaka, the number of evacuees rose to 2,674 people as of 8am today from 2,591 people yesterday.A total of 994 evacuees were placed at nine PPS in Alor Gajah, 1,425 people at nine PPS in Melaka Tengah and 255 at four PPS in Jasin.State Civil Defence Force director Cuthbert John Martin Quadra said they were from 14 areas in Alor Gajah, nine areas in Melaka Tengah and 11 areas in Jasin.In Terengganu, the state disaster management committee secretariat said the number of flood victims increased slightly this morning to 19 people compared to 10 people yesterday after one PPS was opened at SK Lembah Jabor, Kemaman last night.In Pahang, the state disaster management committee secretariat reported that there were 2,564 evacuees at 46 PPS in Kuantan, Rompin, Raub, Jerantut, Lipis, Bera, Maran, Temerloh and Pekan this morning.It said 17 roads in seven districts had been closed, including Jalan Bohor Baru and Jalan Kemayan-Tembangau in Bera; Jalan Kampung Wau/Kertau, Jalan Serengkam (Maran); Jalan Kampung Aur, Jalan Kampung Lubuk Batu (Rompin); Jalan Mentiga Terapai, Jalan Pelak-Belimbing (Pekan); Jalan Pulau Tawar-Durian Hijau, Jalan Batu Embun-Tebing Tinggi (Jerantut) and Jalan Air Hitam (Kuantan).In Negeri Sembilan, updates on the Welfare Department’s InfoBencana application showed that the number of flood victims at 21 PPS in the state had dropped to 1,795 people from 498 families compared with 1,967 from 540 families last night.In Selangor, the number of evacuees remained the same at 40 people: 25 at Dewan Orang Ramai Kampung Kelanang and 15 at Balai Raya Majlis Pengurusan Komuniti Kampung Banting in Kuala Langat.In Sabah, the number of flood victims at 30 PPS dropped slightly to 3,310 people this morning compared to 3,329 people last night.The state disaster management secretariat said Kota Marudu had the highest number of evacuees at 2,653, followed by Pitas (296), Telupid (172) , Sandakan (46) Beluran (41) and Paitan (102).


Australia’s Qantas launches ‘mystery flights’ to boost domestic tourism

Qantas is launching a series of what the airline calls “mystery flights” to encourage domestic travel as Australia extends its international travel ban until June.From today, passengers can book flights departing from Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne, without knowing their destinationEach flight is limited to 120 passengers, with the destination within approximately two hours of the origin.Qantas has provided clues to the destinations, telling passengers boarding in Sydney they can expect “the tropics, saltwater on your skin, and long lunching on the beach”.Passengers leaving Brisbane are primed to expect “country hospitality, gourmet food and wine, and the great outdoors”, while adventurers flying out of Melbourne can expect “the great outdoors (including a little walking), gourmet food and wine, and regional farmers markets”.The all-inclusive packages cost just under US$600 for economy-class and double that for business-class.“The vaccine rollout is bringing a lot more certainty,” said Qantas Group chief customer officer, Stephanie Tully. “Domestic border restrictions should soon be a thing of the past.”She said the flights will benefit many Australian businesses.“As well as helping bring more of our people back to work, these mystery flights are another way to support tourism operators in regional areas especially, who have been hit particularly hard by several waves of travel restrictions.”Airlines around the world are coming up with different strategies to tackle travel slump caused by the pandemic.Last year, Qantas was one of the first airlines to offer flights to nowhere, which take off and land at the same airport. Those tickets sold out in 10 minutes.Qantas has said it plans to resume international flights by the end of October 2021.


Trump tests positive for Covid-19

US President Donald Trump says he and his wife Melania have tested positive for Covid-19, just hours after he announced that they would undergo quarantine following a positive diagnosis for one of his aides.“Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!,” he said in a post on Twitter.Trump earlier said that his aide, Hope Hicks, had tested positive for the virus.Hicks, 31, had travelled with Trump multiple times this week, including aboard the Marine One presidential helicopter for a rally in Minnesota on Wednesday, and aboard Air Force One to Tuesday night’s presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio.Trump’s doctor today said that both the president and his wife were well, and planned to remain at the White House during their convalescence.“The White House medical team and I will maintain a vigilant watch, and I appreciate the support provided by some of our country’s greatest medical professionals and institutions.“Rest assured I expect the president to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering,” Sean Conley said in a statement released by the White House.


Shanghai detects new infections after five days of ‘zero Covid’

Shanghai reported new Covid-19 cases outside quarantined areas for the first time after five days of no infections, prompting stricter curbs in a district, but plans to end a prolonged city-wide lockdown on June 1 appeared to remain on track.The commercial hub of 25 million found three new cases outside quarantined areas in one district on May 19. Infections also rose inside strictly controlled areas.All three, from the same family, had taken three vaccine doses, and their infection was discovered during regular testing in Qingpu district, authorities said.They have not left Xujing town in the district for the past 14 days, but recently visited at least four places, including a supermarket, all of which are now closed off to the public and undergoing disinfection, authorities added.The town’s more than 200,000 people have since been re-tested and all results were negative, the authorities said.“Our district will follow the precise prevention and control measures, do a good job in epidemic prevention and control and achieve dynamic clearing as soon as possible,” Zhang Yan, deputy head of Qingpu district, told an online press conference.City officials said parks would reopen in Shanghai suburbs from Sunday, while other parks could do so from June if they met certain conditions. However, any leisure facilities inside the parks would remain closed.A plan to reopen four metro lines from Sunday also remains on track, the city government said.Shanghai has been allowing more people to leave their homes in recent days, with many residential compounds issuing a limited number of passes to dwellers for brief walks or trips to the local supermarket. Still, most remained stuck indoors, relying on delivery apps and government rations.The almost complete shutdown of Shanghai and strict measures in other cities are the result of a national “zero-Covid” policy to end all outbreaks as soon as they occur, in contrast with the resumption of normal life in the rest of the world.Beijing, home to 22 million people, reported 62 new Covid infections for May 19, up from 55 a day earlier.China’s capital has struggled to end an outbreak since late April despite significant curbs on movement, with many Beijing residents working from home and a range of shops and venues closing.But the daily caseload has remained in the dozens rather than exploding like in Shanghai and most other major cities around the world.‘New normal’The Covid situation in China has been broadly improving.Analysts at Gravekal Dragonomics estimate fewer than 5% of Chinese cities are now reporting infections, down from a quarter in late March.To keep the situation stable, many city authorities deploy local border controls, frequent mass testing and vigilantly monitor and isolate any new infections, including through individual building lockdowns.“This new normal should allow manufacturing supply chains to gradually resume normal operation, but will continue to weigh on consumption, the services sector and small business,” Gavekal analysts wrote in a note.There have been signs of the economy responding positively to the looser controls in May after the April slump.Daily container throughput at Shanghai ports has almost completely recovered to levels seen last year, while air cargo throughput and freight vehicle traffic have bounced to about two thirds of 2021 volumes.While still down 21% from last year, retail car sales jumped 27% in the first half of May from the same period in April, data showed this week.Policymakers have promised more fiscal and monetary stimulus to help the economy.China cut its benchmark reference rate for mortgages by a bigger-than-expected margin at its May fixing on Friday, a second reduction this year, as Beijing is keen to revive credit demand to prop up the economy.Premier Li Keqiang was quoted by state media this week as saying China has policy room to cope with the challenges.