GE15 should be held soon, says Umno deputy president

Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan today said it would be appropriate for the 15th general election to be held in the near future in order to obtain a fresh mandate from the people.Hasan, who is Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman, said such a move would also provide the best chance for BN based on the people’s current sentiments towards the coalition.He said he had conveyed the message to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob after BN won the Melaka state election yesterday.“I spoke with the prime minister yesterday that we need to consider expediting GE15. Like it or not, we have to wait until next July because the agreement (memorandum of understanding between the government and the opposition) is until then.“Even this we do not know because many lost badly in Melaka… it’s unsure whether they will withdraw because anything can happen in politics. The dynamics change every day and are not static. As such, it’s up to BN and Umno to conduct a review,” he told reporters in Seremban.He said BN’s victory in Melaka had been a decision by the people who gave a clear sign of their desire for a stable government to provide for the well-being and prosperity of the state and country.“That is the signal I am reading. I am thankful for the win but it is great trust placed in BN so that the new Melaka state government will practise good governance.“I hope this is also the sentiment nationwide. I want to thank all of the Melaka people and voters for having faith in us,” he said.In the state election, BN won 21 out of the 28 state legislative assembly seats while Pakatan Harapan (PH) won five seats and Perikatan Nasional (PN) two.Mohamad said BN would conduct a post-mortem on Monday on the Melaka state election results, adding that Umno was still open to continuing its cooperation with PAS through Muafakat Nasional.


Taliban appeal to US Congress to release Afghan assets

The Taliban called Wednesday on US Congress members to release Afghan assets frozen after their takeover of the country, warning economic turmoil at home could lead to trouble abroad.In an open letter, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said the biggest challenge facing Afghanistan was financial insecurity, “and the roots of this concern lead back to the freezing of assets of our people by the American government”.Washington has seized nearly US$9.5 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank, and the aid-dependent economy has effectively collapsed – with civil servants unpaid for months and the treasury unable to pay for imports.Concerned nations have pledged hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, but are reluctant to commit funds unless the Taliban agree to a more inclusive government and to guarantee the rights of women and minorities.“I present to you our compliments and would like to share a few thoughts on our bilateral relations,” Muttaqi wrote, noting that 2021 was the centenary of Washington recognising Afghanistan’s sovereignty.In measured understatement, he added: “Akin to other world countries, our bilateral relations have also experienced ups and downs.”‘Mass migration’ threatMuttaqi said Afghanistan was enjoying stable government for the first time in over 40 years – a period that started with an invasion by the Soviet Union in 1979 and ended with the withdrawal of the last US troops on Aug 31.From 1996 to 2001, the Taliban ruled Afghanistan with an iron fist, brutally violating human rights in the name of Islamic law, sparking fears of a return of their abuses.The Taliban have since returning to power gone to great lengths to convince the international community that they intend to do things differently this time – though no female ministers have been named, and girls are still barred from returning to secondary school.“Practical steps have been taken towards good governance, security and transparency,” Muttaqi wrote.“No threat is posed to the region or world from Afghanistan and a pathway has been paved for positive cooperation.”Muttaqi said Afghans “understand the concerns of the international community”, but that it was necessary for all sides to take positive steps to build trust.He warned, however, that the economic situation could spark a mass exodus.“If the current situation prevails, the Afghan government and people will face problems and will become a cause for mass migration in the region and world which will consequently create further humanitarian and economic issues,” he said.Muttaqi said the US risked further damaging its reputation in the country “and this will serve as the worst memory ingrained in Afghans at the hands of America”.“We hope that the members of the American Congress will think thoroughly in this regard,” he added.“I request… so that doors for future relations are opened, assets of Afghanistan’s Central Bank are unfrozen and sanctions on our banks are lifted.”


Govt planning special vaccinated lanes for Singapore-Malaysia travel

The government plans to set up special vaccinated travel lanes for those who travel between Malaysia and Singapore to facilitate cross-border travel between the two countries.Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Nancy Shukri said discussions on the matter involving several ministries from both countries are underway.She said once approved, the establishment of the special vaccinated travel lanes would be announced by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.“Other ministers will also discuss with their counterparts from Singapore, in order to ensure that it goes ahead smoothly.“We will also bring up this matter at the National Security Council (NSC) meeting,” she told a press conference at the Parliament building today.Singapore has opened up quarantine-free travel with conditions for vaccinated tourists from several countries such as the US and the K.Meanwhile, Nancy said tourism industry players are ready to receive foreign tourists and will ensure that all SOPs set by the NSC are strictly followed.


Indian Covid variant found in at least 17 countries, says WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday that a variant of Covid-19 feared to be contributing to a surge in coronavirus cases in India has been found in over a dozen countries.The UN health agency said the B.1.617 variant of Covid-19 first found in India had as of Tuesday been detected in over 1,200 sequences uploaded to the Gisaid open-access database “from at least 17 countries”.“Most sequences were uploaded from India, the UK, the US and Singapore,” WHO said in its weekly epidemiological update on the pandemic.WHO recently listed B.1.617 – which counts several sub-lineages with slightly different mutations and characteristics – as a “variant of interest”.But so far it has stopped short of declaring it a “variant of concern”.That label would indicate that it is more dangerous that the original version of the virus by for instance being more transmissible, deadly or able to dodge vaccine protections.India is facing surging new cases and deaths in the pandemic, and fears are rising that the variant could be contributing to the unfolding catastrophe.The explosion in infections in India – 350,000 new cases were recorded there on Tuesday alone – has driven a surge in global cases to 147.7 million.The virus has now killed more than 3.1 million people worldwide.WHO acknowledged that its preliminary modelling based on sequences submitted to Gisaid indicates “that B.1.617 has a higher growth rate than other circulating variants in India, suggesting potential increased transmissibility”.It stressed that other variants circulating at the same time were also showing increased transmissibility, and that the combination “may be playing a role in the current resurgence in this country”.“Indeed, studies have highlighted that the spread of the second wave has been much faster than the first,” WHO said.It highlighted though that “other drivers” could be contributing to the surge, including lax adherence to public health measures as well as mass gatherings.“Further investigation is needed to understand the relative contribution of these factors,” it said.The UN agency also stressed that “further robust studies” into the characteristics of B.1.617 and other variants, including impacts on transmissibility, severity and the risk of reinfection, were “urgently needed”.


Sorry.


7 bills tabled for abolition of mandatory death penalty

In line with Malaysia's move to abolish the mandatory death penalty, seven bills were tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today for the necessary amendments to be made.
They were the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2022, Kidnapping (Amendment) Bill 2022, Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2022 and Arms (Amendment) Bill 2022).
The other three were the Penal Code (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2022, Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) (No.3) Bill 2022 and Firearms (Increased Penalties) (Amendment) Bill 2022.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who tabled the bills, said the second readings were scheduled to take place in the current Parliament sitting.
The Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2022 to amend Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 (Act 234), among others, allows judges discretion on whether to impose the death penalty or not.
The Firearms (Increased Penalties) (Amendment) Bill 2022, meanwhile, states that a person who trades in firearms shall be punished with life imprisonment and not less than 10 stokes of the cane.
The Penal Code (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2022 aims to abolish the mandatory death penalty for offences under the Penal Code, including through an amendment to Section 302 which gives discretion to judges regarding the imposition of the death penalty.
The Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2022, meanwhile, is to amend the Criminal Justice Act 1953 (Act 345) by inserting a new section, 3A, to clarify the terms of life imprisonment.
Section 3A, titled "Natural life sentences" states: "Where any person is treated as having been sentenced or is hereafter sentenced to imprisonment for natural life, such sentence shall be deemed for all purposes to be a sentence of imprisonment until the death of the person on whom the sentence is imposed."


Statements of late developer admitted as evidence in Guan Eng’s graft trial

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today allowed the statements recorded from Ewein Bhd founder and executive chairman Ewe Swee Keng before his death two months ago to be admitted as evidence in the corruption trial of former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng.Judge Azura Alwi granted an application by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin for the statements of Ewe, 53, to be marked as exhibits and used in the trial of Lim in connection with the Penang undersea tunnel and paired roads project.“The court is satisfied that the statements were given by Ewe himself to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) recording officer as part of investigation under Section 30 of the MACC Act 2009, especially Subsection 38 of the same act.“Therefore, any dispute on non-compliance with this subsection is rejected. In this connection, the court allows the statements of Ewe to be admitted as exhibits in this case,” she said.Ewe, who was supposed to have been called as the 15th prosecution witness, died after he reportedly fell from a luxury condominium in Jalan Kelawei, Penang, on Oct 5.Defence lawyer Gobind Singh Deo had objected to the statements, claiming that they were fabricated.At today’s hearing, the court heard the testimony of former Penang state financial officer Mokhtar Mohd Jait, 64, who confirmed that the paired roads and undersea tunnel construction project was awarded by open tender to Consortium Zenith Beijing Urban Construction Group Sdn Bhd (CZBUCG).The 21st prosecution witness said the project was offered to CZBUCG through a bidding process according to the prescribed terms and conditions.CZBUCG was appointed to implement the project because the company had scored the “highest marks” in the overall financial and technical evaluation, he said.According to the first amended charge, Lim, 60, is accused of using his position as then Penang chief minister to obtain a bribe of RM3.3 million for helping a company owned by Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli secure the construction project worth RM6,341,383,702. The offence was allegedly committed at the Penang Chief Minister’s Office, Level 28, Komtar in George Town between January 2011 and August 2017.According to the second amended charge, Lim is accused of soliciting bribes amounting to 10% of the profits from Zarul to be earned by the company as gratification for helping Zarul’s company secure the project. The offence was allegedly committed near The Garden Hotels, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City in March 2011.The DAP secretary-general also faces two charges of causing two plots of land worth RM208.8 million belonging to the Penang government to be disposed of to two companies linked to the undersea tunnel project, between February 2015 and March 2017.The offences were allegedly committed at the Penang Land and Mines Office, Level 21, Komtar on Feb 17, 2015 and March 22, 2017.The hearing continues tomorrow.


Replace EPF withdrawals with long-term sustainable measures

Many who are in desperate need of cash would have felt huge relief after the revised decision by the EPF to allow a more flexible withdrawal from Account 1 for those severely affected by the unprecedented crisis. But this should not be made an extended solution, hence the need for sustainable and adequate measures.During the tabling of Budget 2021, some EPF-related measures intended to support the people in the short term were raised:• Reduction in employee contribution rate from 11% to 9% beginning January 2021;• Targeted withdrawals from Account 1 of RM500 a month for a total of RM6,000 over 12 months for members who have lost their jobs; and• Withdrawals from Account 2 for the purchase of insurance and takaful products.Withdrawals from Account 2 were already allowed in April via i-Lestari which allows contributors to take out RM500 per month for 12 months for a total of up to RM6,000.This mechanism was said to have benefited 4.7 million members with a total withdrawal value of RM11.6 billion.The mixed reactions from the public regarding the limited coverage of Account 1 withdrawals in Budget 2021 resulted in a revision by the EPF with expanded coverage for those who have lost their jobs, been given unpaid leave and have no source of income, in what is known as as i-Sinar facility, announced on Nov 16.A greater number of members will benefit under the revised facility, from 600,000 to two million, with the total value of withdrawals rising from RM4 billion to RM14 billion.As much as these actions reflect the “Economics of Empathy” coined by EMIR Research for the sake of helping the vulnerable people, we also need to be mindful of what’s ahead, especially with continuing uncertainties and a growing ageing population (10.3% in 2019).The latest available statistics from EPF show that around 54% of its members aged 54 and above have savings of less than RM50,000 while only 34% have reached RM240,000 in basic savings by the age of 55.As reported by Edge Markets, EPF also conducted a Covid-19 impact survey in July on 21,665 members working in both formal and informal sectors, more than half of whom came from B40 households.Findings from the survey showed that their main long-term concerns are income stability (66%), health (53%) and retirement savings (51%).These findings are broadly in line with our poll findings for 3Q20 dominated by respondents from low-income households (65.6% earning RM3,000 and below) through which it was discovered that job loss, inadequate income and quality of healthcare were respondents’ main concerns with worry levels at 85%, 80% and 75% accordingly.As important as it is to provide the people with fast-track cash, their savings should not be made an easy or compulsory option so long as the crisis continues because the savings came from their long years of hard work.According to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in an interview with television stations prior to the budget, the first round of reductions in the EPF contribution rate (11% to 7%) already saw 70% of members opting for the move – another channel of bringing down savings.Given the poor social safety net that plenty of Malaysians have, especially the B40 households and informal sector workers, measures to safeguard people’s savings also need to be considered.Instead of workers needing to draw down their hard-earned savings, more sustainable and sufficient measures should be thought of by the more powerful stakeholders, i.e. propping up workers’ wages and creating jobs which match the industrial demand to mitigate longstanding issue of unemployment and underemployment.Increasing wages has become increasingly important after the upward revision of the national poverty line income to RM2,208 as it implies that households with incomes of below RM2,208 are in absolute poverty – a situation in which household income is not enough to meet the basic needs of food, shelter and clothing.It is also good to see that the EPF has come up with an advisory measure for its members through its Retirement Advisory Services and/or the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency.It is crucial to get a second opinion from this body as retirement savings withdrawals should be performed wisely with sufficient financial literacy. Members also need to be made aware of other suitable options.Yes, unprecedented times require unprecedented actions given that many people are still suffering from the impact of this crisis. But a long-term and feasible perspective is critically needed. Sacrificing Malaysians’ savings shouldn’t be done for too long.Sofea Azahar is a research analyst at independent think tank Emir Research.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


US suing Google in biggest antitrust case in decades

The US government was suing Google Tuesday in what would be the biggest antitrust case in decades and a major test for the technology sector.A judicial source familiar with the matter confirmed the case was being filed, after the Wall Street Journal and New York Times reported that the Justice Department suit will accuse the California tech giant of illegal monopoly behaviour to preserve its dominance in internet search and advertising.The move comes after months of investigations by federal and state antitrust enforcers seeking to check the power of the massive technology firm and parallel probes into other giants such as Amazon, Facebook and Apple.It was not immediately clear what remedy the government was seeking in the suit, which could take years to resolve. But it could force changes in business practices or break off segments of the Google empire.Google and other Big Tech firms have been under pressure from both the political left and right in recent years.Progressives have claimed the massive firms have stifled competition and worsened economic inequality. A recent House of Representatives report suggested Google and others should be broken up to preserve competition. Conservatives have accused the internet giants of political bias, although evidence has been scant.A longtime Big Tech critic, Republican senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, said the case would be “the most important antitrust suit in a generation”, and welcomed the Department of Justice move.The main unit of holding firm Alphabet, Google operates the dominant search engine used in most of the world and a variety of related services such as maps, email, advertising and shopping. It also operates the Android mobile operating system used on the majority of smartphones worldwide.Google has been hit with big fines in the European Union for unfair competition, and has challenged those cases. The company has consistently denied claims of monopoly abuse.News reports said 11 states, all led by Republican attorneys-general, were joining the US lawsuit, suggesting a political split on the case just two weeks before the November election.Michael Carrier, a Rutgers University law professor specialising in antitrust issues, said the case could seek to force Google to remove some of its software from Android phones, and in that sense would be similar to the Microsoft case of the 1990s where customers were forced to use proprietary programmes.But Carrier said the filing just two weeks before the election without states controlled by Democrats “raises the possibility that political concerns are playing a role here”.


Mrs World arrested over Mrs Sri Lanka pageant bust-up

Police in Sri Lanka on Thursday arrested Mrs World Caroline Jurie after she allegedly injured a fellow beauty queen in an on-stage fracas at the climax of the Mrs Sri Lanka competition held on Sunday.Pushpika De Silva won the title in the televised ceremony and former winner Jurie was meant to crown her.Instead, she pulled the crown off De Silva’s head, claiming the title had been wrongly awarded as the new winner was divorced.“There is a rule that prevents women who have already been married and are divorced, so I am taking steps to make the crown go to second place,” Jurie told the audience.Jurie placed the crown on the runner-up, prompting a tearful De Silva to leave the stage. She later clarified that she is separated from her husband, not divorced.Mrs Sri Lanka is part of the international Mrs World beauty pageant series for married women. The winners of each country’s title progress to the overall Mrs World competition.In a Facebook post, De Silva said she went to hospital to be treated for head injuries after the onstage incident.“There are a lot of single mums like me today who are suffering in Sri Lanka,” she later told a press conference. “This crown is dedicated to those women, suffering to raise their kids alone.”She added that she would take legal action for the “unreasonable and insulting” way she was treated.Another Sri Lankan model involved in the fracas was also arrested as a result of the fracas.“Police arrested Caroline Jurie and model Chula Padmendra over Sunday’s incident on charges of simple hurt and criminal cause,” police spokesman Ajith Rohana told the BBC.Jurie and Padmendra were bailed to appear in Colombo Magistrates Court on April 19.De Silva has now been re-crowned, and the pageant’s organisers have said they expect Jurie to issue a public apology.Chief organiser of the pageant, Chandimal Jayasinghe, told the BBC, “It was a disgrace how Caroline Jurie behaved on the stage and the Mrs World organisation has already begun an investigation on the matter.”The Mrs Sri Lanka beauty pageant is a major contest in Sri Lanka and the melee at the finale caused consternation among distinguished guests, one of whom was the prime minister’s wife.


Paradise islands’ ex-president injured in bomb blast

The former president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, has been injured in a bomb blast in the island nation’s capital, Male.The explosion happened just before a nightly Covid-19 curfew was due to begin.Supporters from the governing Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said the explosion happened as he was about to get into a car outside his home on Thursday.Initial reports suggested an explosive device had been fastened to a motorbike that was parked nearby.Nasheed was the first democratically elected president of the Maldives, winning multi-party elections in 2008 but was ousted in a coup four years later.Nasheed, 53, is currently serving as the speaker in parliament which is the Indian Ocean nation’s second-most powerful position.“Following an explosion, the speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment,” a police statement said.The hospital treating Nasheed said he had suffered multiple injuries but was in a stable condition. Several other people are reported to have been injured.Ali Azim, an MP from the MDP, told the BBC the explosion appeared to be “a targeted attack against Nasheed”. However, no one has claimed the attack and there are no reports of arrests.Supporters of Nasheed have gathered outside the hospital where he is being treated. The situation is reported to be tense and police with riot gear have been deployed.The BBC comments that for many people the Maldives is a dream tourist destination with turquoise water and sandy beaches, but most Western tourists do not go beyond their hedonistic holiday resorts.This Indian Ocean archipelago is an Islamic country where its residents follow Islamic traditions and beliefs. In some of the distant islands and atolls, some people are conservative or even radicalised. The authorities blame foreign hard-line preachers for the radicalisation.The Maldivian security agencies say dozens of jihadists from the Maldives went to Syria to fight on behalf of the Islamic State group and other extremist organisations. After the war ended in Syria, many of the survivors returned.Nasheed is not only a pro-democracy icon, but also someone who doesn’t hesitate to talk against religious radicals.With so many foreigners visiting the country – bringing much-needed tourist dollars – they do not want any jihadist attacks attracting international headlines.


Johari urged to meet with PM on Kampung Sungai Baru evictions

Titiwangsa MP Johari Abdul Ghani has been urged to meet with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the fate of Kampung Sungai Baru residents, who were issued an eviction notice on Dec 19.
Samsuri Suradi, vice-president of the Malay Agricultural Settlement (MAS) board, said the land acquisition was made without the consent of all of the residents involved.
"Why are the authorities using the law on behalf of the developers?" he added. "Are they colluding?"
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said the residents had no voice of their own and needed their representatives to speak to the government and developers on their behalf.
Kampung Sungai Baru is part of the iconic Kampung Baru enclave, located in the heart of the capital city.
Some 90 residents there were told by the land and mines department to vacate their homes within 30 days.
Johari, in a statement to a news portal, had said that residents should be given six months.
MalaysiaNow previously reported that the Kampung Sungai Baru residents were unsatisfied with the offer made by the government, which they said differed from the price given by a private appraiser.
Samsuri said while developers might think it easy to take land in Kampung Sungai Baru, land under MAS cannot easily change over to non-Malays.
"They might think, why not take over land in Sungai Baru first and then Kampung Baru later on," he added.
The Kampong Bharu Development Corporation said in June that a total of 219 unit owners covering 27 terrace lots and 192 flat units had agreed to sign a joint venture agreement.
The land acquisition status for 37 terrace lots, meanwhile, is still pending.
The development of Kampung Baru was an issue of dispute in the Titiwangsa constituency at the Nov 19 election between rival candidates Johari and Khalid Samad.
MAS meanwhile said that a meeting with the prime minister was important to prevent a situation in which the people become the victims.
"Khalid wants to take the opportunity to be seen as a hero as he is no longer a star," Samsuri said.
"But in the past, he was the one who forced the residents to accept the offer of RM850 per square foot," he added, referring to a press statement issued by Khalid, a former federal territories minister, regarding the eviction notice.


Hanoi goes into lockdown as virus cases soar

Vietnam locked down eight million people in Hanoi on Saturday, the latest attempt to curb a serious coronavirus outbreak that has already forced a third of the country to stay home.Authorities reported more than 7,000 new infections across the nation on Friday – the third record number of daily infections in a week.The centre of the normally bustling capital was empty and shops were shuttered as the lockdown came into force, although people could still be seen on the streets in the outskirts of the city.“I think people in Hanoi as myself agree with the city’s sudden decision of locking down the city,” said local resident Nguyen Van Chien.“We have to take economic risks to fight the pandemic,” he added.After successfully containing limited coronavirus outbreaks last year, Vietnam has seen cases skyrocket since late April.About a third of Vietnam’s 100 million people are already subject to lockdown orders.But the outbreak has showed few signs of slowing and southern commercial hub Ho Chi Minh City – which has recorded the majority of recent cases – extended its stay at home order on Friday.“I have been indoors for a month. The situation in our city is scary,” resident Le Bich Thanh told AFP.Authorities began a campaign to disinfect the entire city, which they say will take a week.Vietnam was one of the few economies that expanded last year due to its success in containing the virus during the first wave of the pandemic.But the Southeast Asian country has been slow to procure and administer vaccines, with just almost 4.5 million doses given so far.It is also developing its own inoculations and authorities say they hope to reach herd immunity by early 2022.Vietnam has a policy of hospitalising all virus carriers, putting medical workers and hospitals under huge strain, although the rule has been lifted in some areas.


Wife of North Korea’s Kim reappears in public after over a year

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s wife, Ri Sol Ju, appeared for the first time in more than a year on Wednesday, joining her husband at a concert on one of the country’s biggest holidays.Ri often used to accompany Kim to major public events but had not been seen since January last year at an event for the Lunar New Year holiday.North Korea analysts said her disappearance stoked speculation over her health and perhaps a potential pregnancy.The official ruling Worker’s Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun released photos of the pair at the event to mark the birthday of Kim’s late father and former leader Kim Jong Il.Ri and Kim smiled as they watched the concert at Mansudae Art Theatre in the capital Pyongyang.Unlike previous events, nobody in the photographs was wearing masks or maintaining social distancing measures.The newspaper also reported that Kim visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, which houses the embalmed bodies of his father and grandfather, to lay wreaths for the anniversary, called the Day of the Shining Star.South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) said on Tuesday that Ri appeared to have avoided outside activities to protect herself from coronavirus infections but was “playing well with their children”.The NIS believes Ri and Kim have three children but very little is publicly known about them.North Korea has not confirmed any Covid-19 cases, but the NIS has said an outbreak could not be ruled out as the country had active exchanges with China, where the virus first emerged, before closing the border early last year.


Special Dewan Rakyat sitting to discuss flood issues

A special sitting of the fourth session of the 14th Parliament for the Dewan Rakyat will be held on Jan 20 for the government to explain to the people its actions and plans to tackle the floods issue.Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the special meeting would be the best platform for MPs to obtain feedback on flood issues.“The special sitting will be held in line with Standing Order 11 (3) of the Dewan Rakyat.“It is to discuss matters relating to national interests namely the flood and post-flood assistance coordination for the Malaysian Family and the long-term flood management plans,” he said in a statement today.He added that the special sitting had received the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.


10 die in apartment block fire in France

Ten people, five of them children, died in a pre-dawn blaze Friday in a rundown apartment block in a deprived suburb of Lyon, the French government said.
The blaze in Vaulx-en-Velin broke out at around 3am (0200 GMT) in a building known as a drug dealing spot, said Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
"All the flats were destroyed by fire... It's pretty shocking," 22-year-old Yasmine told AFP. "There were no fire doors, no fire extinguisher."
The student, who declined to give her last name, said one of the building's doors had been "blocked by police, which undermined everyone's safety".
Other eyewitnesses also reported the door being blocked.
Lyon police have launched an inquiry into the cause, including possible arson.
Darmanin said it was too early to determine how the fire started but hailed the work of firefighters, who arrived on the scene 12 minutes after being alerted.
They "were able to save 15 people by taking considerable risks for their own lives by climbing the building from the outside because they couldn't get inside and saving children and babies up to the seventh floor", he said.
"Without the rapidity of the fire services and their heroism, the toll would have been much worse."
Twenty four people were injured, including four "whose lives are still in danger", Darmanin said. Some of the bodies of the deceased were still being identified, he added.
Children dropped from windows
The fire broke out on the ground floor and needed 180 firefighters and 70 fire engines to bring it under control, the authorities said.
Witnesses at the scene described panicked occupants of the building screaming for help as smoke billowed from the windows.
Several described children being dropped to crowds at the foot of the building, while one woman was said to have died after jumping from an upper floor to escape.
"I heard people shouting 'help, help, help, help us'," said Assed Belal, a young resident of the neighbourhood.
"There were people on the ground, others stuck on the balconies and the firefighters had difficulty in intervening because of the trees," he told AFP.
He said his friends had told him they managed to catch a 10-year-old boy who was dropped to safety by his mother.
"After, she jumped but then she died from her injuries," he added.
"My cousin got trapped and she's still missing. We're waiting for the police and the fire service to tell us if she's on the list of people confirmed dead," Murat Kara told AFP.
Darmanin said residents had complained about drug dealing and squatters in the building, which was described as "rundown" by Lyon city authorities.
Housing Minister Olivier Klein told reporters it had undergone emergency repairs in 2019.
"At this stage, we can't blame the state of the building (for the fire)," he added.
Donations for the homeless
Thirty eight families – around 100 people – have been made homeless, said officials in Lyon.
Local authorities took the survivors to a council hall, where locals brought them food and clothing. The head of the regional authority said he would provide 96 beds in a boarding school dormitory until the end of the Christmas holidays.
Vaulx-en-Velin, home to a large immigrant population, is just 5km from the centre of Lyon but a world away from its fancy restaurants and elegant buildings.
Thirty-three percent of people there live in poverty, according to the latest figures from national statistics institute Insee.
The formerly industrial area is dotted with high-rise public housing blocks, and was the scene of violent riots in 1990 sparked by the death of a youth who was hit by a police car.
It has been a laboratory for various urban renewal efforts since.
In the early 2000s, the Lyon authorities injected €100 million (RM468.93 million) into the area to improve living conditions, providing local shops and public transport.
In 2005, 24 people died in a fire in a rundown Paris hostel housing families of African origin.
A woman was jailed for starting it by throwing clothes onto lit candles during an argument.


Back door? It’s palace door, PM’s critics told

Prominent thinker Chandra Muzaffar has challenged those who describe Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration as a “backdoor government”, saying the sudden political change in Putrajaya last year would not be seen as unusual in many parts of the world.“He is not a backdoor PM. If we’re going with the door analogy, he was actually appointed through the palace door. It is a fact that he was chosen by the Agong and the other rulers,” Chandra told state broadcaster RTM in an hour-long interview in conjunction with Muhyiddin’s first year in power.“Backdoor government” is a phrase often used by opposition leaders in questioning Muhyiddin’s legitimacy as prime minister.Since coming to power, Muhyiddin in several of his speeches had admitted that his administration was not necessarily elected, but pledged to lead the nation in its battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.Muhyiddin was named as prime minister after a power vacuum caused by the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government, with a series of interviews between the 222 MPs and the Agong to find which political leader had the majority support.Chandra said it would be wrong to use the term “backdoor government” on Muhyiddin’s administration.“Let me state from the onset that I do not consider it to be a backdoor government. As a political scientist, this is not a backdoor government because what happened was something that is usual in many other countries,” he said.He said in the past, political crises and realigments of loyalties had shaped Malaysia’s political landscape.He said Barisan Nasional (BN), which dominated the government for decades, had evolved from political realignments as well as party hopping.“Such is the phenomenon of politics,” he added.Chandra meanwhile said it would also be wrong to blame the collapse of the PH government on Muhyiddin or the Perikatan Nasional coalition.Instead, he said the root of the collapse could be traced to those who were pressuring then-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to state a departure date.He said one strategy by Mahathir’s critics was to get foreign media to ask him about handing over power to Anwar Ibrahim.He said it was unacceptable to ask such a question to a person who was largely credited with achieving what was thought to be impossible.“Before him, we could not bring down BN even after four general elections.“But every time he addressed a press conference abroad, the same question would be asked by the Western media on when he would make way for Anwar,” said Chandra, who was one of the founders of Parti Keadilan Nasional, the precursor to the current PKR.


1,327 new cases take total past 333,000

Another 1,327 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 333,040.Selangor recorded 356 cases, Sarawak 276, Penang 205, Johor 141 and Kuala Lumpur 115.Perak recorded 55 cases, Sabah 50, Kedah and Kelantan 30 each, Negeri Sembilan 22, Terengganu 18, Pahang 11, Melaka 10, Perlis five and Putrajaya three.Active cases stand at 14,518 with 154 in the ICU and 65 in need of respiratory assistance.Five new clusters were detected:1. Jalan Permas Baru (Johor Bahru in Johor; 41 screened, 12 positive)2. Jalan Gemilang Tiga (Johor Bahru and Kota Tinggi in Johor; 202 screened, 53 positive)3. Tapak Bina Jalan You City (Hulu Langat in Selangor; 234 screened, 25 positive)4. Bukit Tambun (Seberang Perai Selatan in Penang; 348 screened, 16 positive)5. D Gana (Keningau in Sabah; 32 screened, 20 positive)Ten others ended, leaving 416 active clusters across the country.Another 1,247 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 317,289.However, four more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,233.


223,923 given first Covid-19 jab so far

A total of 223,923 individuals had received their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine as of March 10.Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said Sarawak recorded the highest number of vaccine recipients at 28,194, followed by Selangor (24,211), Kuala Lumpur (20,510) and Sabah (18,670).“Johor has 17,476 individuals who have received the vaccine; Perak, 17,450; Pahang, 17,434; Kelantan, 14,982; Kedah, 14,200; Terengganu, 13,070; and Negeri Sembilan, 10,741.“Penang follows with 9,811 individuals; Melaka, 6,258; Perlis, 5,241; Putrajaya, 3,337; and Labuan, 2,338,” he said through an infographic posted on his Twitter account today.The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme was launched on Feb 24 with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah among the first to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.


Daily cases continue to hover over 9,000

Another 9,751 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,323,478.Selangor recorded 1,796 cases, Sarawak 1,339 and Kelantan 1,052.Johor recorded 864 cases, Sabah 705, Terengganu 650, Perak 643, Penang 632, Kedah 578, Pahang 551, Kuala Lumpur 313, Melaka 244 and Negeri Sembilan 243.Perlis recorded 94 cases, Putrajaya 45 and Labuan two.Another 12,724 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,170,289.Meanwhile 792 are in the ICU, including 715 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 386 are in need of respiratory assistance including 302 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 9,751 cases reported today, 206 (2.1%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 9,545 (97.9%) are in Category One and Two.


Najib-Irwan CBT case postponed over 'new developments'

The prosecution in the criminal breach of trust (CBT) case involving Najib Razak and former treasury secretary-general Irwan Serigar Abdullah on the International Petroleum Investment Company (Opic) today requested that the hearing of the case be postponed due to new developments.
Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi told High Court judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin that this followed a letter of representation sent by K Kumaraendran, representing Irwan, to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).
"The representation has been referred to the attorney-general (Idrus Harun) and his instructions are for me to apply for a postponement of the case... Many new matters were raised in the representation by Irwan's lawyer and we need time to confirm it," he said.
Saifuddin said the prosecution also received a copy of a letter from lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, representing Najib, likewise requesting a postponement of the case today. Meanwhile, Shafee told the court that he had sent a letter asking for the trial of the case this month and in May to be postponed in view of discussions involving a settlement between the Malaysian government and Ipic.
However, he said he could not reveal details as the matter was sensitive.
"Therefore, we request that the hearing be postponed to allow negotiations to proceed smoothly. If there is a development, this case may not need to continue," said the lawyer.
Today was the first day of the case trial. The court had also set April 4, April 8 to 11 and in May to hear the case.
Shafee told the court that he had sent a letter of representation for the charges against his client to be dropped two years ago, but it was rejected by the AGC.
"We plan to send a letter of representation again to withdraw the charges if there are new developments (regarding the settlement)," he added.
Kumaraendran then informed the court that he, too, had sent a representation in February 2020 without any response, and that a new representation was sent last month.
Judge Jamil allowed the trial to be postponed and fixed May 29 for mention for the prosecution to inform the court of the status of the representation of the two accused.
On Oct 24, 2018, Najib and Irwan pleaded not guilty to six charges of CBT amounting to RM6.6 billion in government funds involving payments to Ipic.
Najib and Irwan were jointly accused of committing the offences at the finance ministry complex, Putrajaya, between Dec 21, 2016, and Dec 18, 2017.
The charges were framed under Section 409 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same law, which provides for a maximum of 20 years in jail and whipping as well as a fine upon conviction.


Living wage, the way forward?

More and more Malaysians are feeling the pinch of the pandemic and inflation. They complain that their monthly salaries are insufficient to purchase daily necessities and pay their bills.
Although the inflation rate eased from 4% in November 2022 to 3.8% in December 2022, the price of food and beverages is higher than in pre-pandemic days. Rice, bread and other cereals, meats and milk, cheese and eggs are among the three food and beverage subcategories that recorded a more than 7% increase in inflation in the final month of last year.
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has put Malaysia in a more vulnerable position. With less land for agricultural production since transforming into an industrialised country in the 1970s, Malaysia has been over-reliant on imported food items.
Industrialisation speeds up the development of major cities in Malaysia like Kuala Lumpur, George Town, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. Yet, Malaysia remains stuck in the low-wage, low-cost economic model, with a high influx of low-skilled foreign labour.
During a recent interview, Deputy Human Resources Minister Mustapha Sakmud stated that his salary was only RM1,800 per month despite engineering already emerging as a highly-skilled profession in 1993. When his son graduated from engineering in 2019, the starting salary had increased by merely 28% (i.e. RM2,300) compared to two decades ago.
My friend working as an ophthalmologist at a public hospital mentioned that he can only earn RM14 per hour when working overtime or on call for 24 hours during weekdays. It is even worse during weekends: only RM9 per hour.
How can fresh graduates survive with the increasing cost of living? If employers did not provide salary increments during the past two years of the pandemic, how can employees manage their expenses with a shrinking disposable income?
Many contract medical officers are leaving Malaysia for good due to low wages, improper public hospital and clinic facilities, and bleak career prospects. Young Malaysians who pursue degrees overseas also make up their mind not to return to their home country for professional opportunities after graduation as they can earn at least two to three times more than the salary they would receive in Malaysia.
As many skilled and talented Malaysians opt for greener pastures, Malaysia faces a serious brain drain issue. The human resources ministry indicated that Singapore has almost one million Malaysian workers, followed by Australia, the US, the UK and Canada.
Bank Negara Malaysia also stated that the living wage for an adult based in Kuala Lumpur was RM2,700 as of 2018. It would not be surprising if the current desired living wage rises by 25% (i.e. RM3,375).
I previously mentioned that the optimal living wage in my home state, Sabah, might require RM3,000.
Kota Kinabalu, my home town, does not have a proper public transportation system even today. The locals need cars to get around. With a four-time increase in the overnight policy rate (OPR) last year, those obliged with housing and car loan instalments have had to fork out at least an extra RM100 each month.
The worst is, the food in Kota Kinabalu is relatively more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur. During my recent trip back to Kota Kinabalu for the Chinese New Year break, the average price of pork noodles at a coffee shop (without air-con) was around RM12. In contrast, when I have lunch or dinner at shopping malls around Kuala Lumpur, I only have to pay RM3 extra (i.e. RM15).
While Anwar Ibrahim repeatedly emphasised his priority on resolving the cost of living crisis the moment he was sworn in as prime minister at the end of November last year, the government administration also has to put great emphasis on a living wage instead of a minimum wage – the benchmark to match the actual cost of living among Malaysians.
Bank Negara defines a living wage in its report "The Living Wage: Beyond Making Ends Meet" (2018) as the wage level that can afford the minimum acceptable living standard.
As more middle-income earners fell into the lower-income category during the pandemic, there was an increasing concern that more Malaysians might only be able to afford basic needs for their living.
Some Malaysians have started to experience difficulties coping with the rising cost of inflation and recently pleaded with the government to allow another round of Employees Provident Fund withdrawals.
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli acknowledging the issue of insufficient high-skilled, high-paid job opportunities is a good sign. Nonetheless, to ensure that high-skilled jobs are associated with good remuneration packages, he has to pay attention to the existing labour laws and revise them accordingly.
In particular, the Employment Act of 1955 remains associated with a time-based wage system instead of a productivity-linked one. Adopting a productivity-linked wage system would raise the country’s overall salary level, boost employees' morale and be more reflective of the current standard of living.
When Malaysians can secure high-skilled, high-income employment within their country, they will be less likely to seek better job opportunities elsewhere.
Amanda Yeo is a senior fellow at Pacific Research Center.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


More than 700 monkeypox cases globally, 21 in US, says CDC

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Friday it was aware of more than 700 global cases of monkeypox, including 21 in the US, with investigations now suggesting it is spreading inside the country.Sixteen of the first 17 cases were among people who identify as men who have sex with men, according to a new CDC report, and 14 were thought to be travel associated.All patients are in recovery or have recovered, and no cases have been fatal.“There have also been some cases in the US that we know are linked to known cases,” Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the CDC’s Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, told reporters on a call.“We also have at least one case in the US that does not have a travel link or know how they acquired their infection.”Monkeypox is a rare disease that is related to but less severe than smallpox, causing a rash that spreads, fever, chills, and aches, among other symptoms.Generally confined to western and central Africa, cases have been reported in Europe since May and the number of countries affected has grown since.Canada also released new figures Friday, counting 77 confirmed cases – almost all of them detected in Quebec province, where vaccines have been delivered.Though its new spread may be linked to particular gay festivals in Europe, monkeypox is not thought to be a sexually transmitted disease, with the main risk factor being close skin-to-skin contact with someone who has monkey pox sores.A person is contagious until all the sores have scabbed and new skin is formed.‘More than enough vaccine’Raj Panjabi, senior director for the White House’s global health security and biodefense division, added that 1,200 vaccines and 100 treatment courses had been delivered to US states, where they were offered to close contacts of those infected.There are currently two authorised vaccines: ACAM2000 and JYNNEOS, which were originally developed against smallpox.Though smallpox has been eliminated, the US retains the vaccines in a strategic national reserve in case it is deployed as a biological weapon.JYNNEOS is the more modern of the two vaccines, with fewer side effects.“We continue to have more than enough vaccine available,” Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response in the Department of Health and Human Services, told reporters.In late May, the CDC said it had 100 million doses of ACAM200 and 1,000 doses of JYNNEOS available, but O’Connell said Friday the figures had shifted, though she could not divulge precise numbers for strategic reasons.The CDC has also authorised two antivirals used to treat smallpox, TPOXX and Cidofovir, to be repurposed to treat monkeypox.“Anyone can get monkeypox and we are carefully monitoring for monkeypox that may be spreading in any population, including those who are not identifying as men who have sex with men,” said McQuiston.That being said, the CDC is undertaking special outreach in the LGBT community, she added.A suspected case “should be anyone with a new characteristic rash,” or anyone who meets the criteria for high suspicion such as relevant travel, close contact, or being a man who has sex with men.


DAP to stay out of Anwar’s ‘formidable’ bloc as Umno MPs keep a distance

DAP leaders have been incensed by the latest move by PKR president Anwar Ibrahim to seize power through defections, in the most recent sign of trouble in the Pakatan Harapan coalition since its fall from power this year.This comes after Anwar sought the backing of his former loyalist Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the Umno president, as well as from several Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs who are facing corruption allegations in court.MalaysiaNow understands that DAP leaders “made it very clear” to Anwar that the party, with 42 MPs in the Dewan Rakyat, would not join any bloc made up of Umno MPs, “in particular those smeared by corruption”.“That is the reason why Anwar went ahead to secure an appointment with the Agong, hoping to get groundswell support from many more Umno MPs,” said an aide to a top PKR politician.Zahid is facing 47 charges of corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering, topping all former leaders of the BN government who have been slapped with graft charges since the coalition’s fall from power in 2018.Yesterday, Anwar said Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah had consented to a royal audience on Oct 13, at which he would furnish details of his claim to having a “formidable and convincing” majority support from MPs to form the government.This came almost three weeks after Anwar declared that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s government had fallen, and that he was on the verge of forming a “Malay-majority” government.But a source said that even without the numbers, Anwar would be content with getting an appointment with the king.But a source said that even without the numbers, Anwar would be content with getting an appointment with the king.“Between today and next Tuesday, there is every possibility that anxious businessmen and tycoons unfamiliar with the numbers game will be willing to put their stake with Anwar, all because of this royal audience,” the source quipped without going into details.MalaysiaNow also understands that several Umno MPs distanced themselves from Anwar after finding their names on a list of MPs that the PKR politician said would be presented to the palace.At least one of them, Jerantut MP Ahmad Nazlan Idris, lodged a police report yesterday alleging that he had not given consent for his name to be on the list.Two others who have strongly denied backing Anwar are Padang Terap MP Mahdzir Khalid and Jempol MP Salim Shariff.


Failing to protect Palestinian children

“We regret we failed to protect you.” This was part of a statement issued by United Nations human rights experts on July 14, urging the Israeli government to release Palestinian prisoner Ahmad Manasra. Only 14 years old at the time of his arrest and torture by Israeli forces, Manasra is now 20 years old. His case is a representation of Israel’s overall inhumane treatment of Palestinian children.  The experts’ statement was forceful and heartfelt. It accused Israel of depriving young Manasra “of his childhood, family environment, protection and all the rights he should have been guaranteed as a child”. It referred to the case as "haunting", considering Manasra’s “deteriorating mental conditions”. The statement went further, declaring that “this case... is a stain on all of us as part of the international human rights community”. Condemning Israel for its ill-treatment of Palestinian children, whether those under siege in war-stricken Gaza, or under military occupation and apartheid in the rest of the occupied territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, is commonplace. Yet, somehow, Israel was still spared a spot on the unflattering list, issued annually by the United Nations secretary-general, naming and shaming governments and groups that commit grave violations against children and minors anywhere in the world.  Oddly, the report does recognise Israel’s horrific record of violating children’s rights in Palestine. It details some of these violations, which UN workers have directly verified. This includes “2,934 grave violations against 1,208 Palestinian children” in the year 2021 alone. However, the report equates between Israel’s record, one of the most dismal in the world, and that of Palestinians, namely the fact that nine Israeli children were impacted by Palestinian violence in that whole year. Though the deliberate harming of a single child is regrettable regardless of the circumstances or the perpetrator, it is mind-boggling that UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres found it appropriate to equate the systematic violations carried out by the Israeli military as a matter of course and the nine Israeli minors harmed by Palestinian armed groups, whether intentionally or not.  To deal with the obvious discrepancy between Palestinian and Israeli child victims, the UN report lumped together all categories to distract from the identity of the perpetrator, thus lessening the focus on the Israeli crimes. For example, the report states that a total of 88 children were killed throughout Palestine, of whom 69 were killed in Gaza and 17 in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. However, the report breaks down these murders in such a way that conflates Palestinian and Israeli children as if purposely trying to confuse the reader. When read carefully, one discovers that all of these killings were carried out by Israeli forces, except for two. More, the report uses the same logic to break down the number of children maimed in the conflict, though of the 1,128 maimed children, only seven were Israelis. Of the remainder, 661 were maimed in Gaza and 464 in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.  The report goes on to blame “armed Palestinian groups” for some of the Palestinian casualties, who were allegedly injured as a result of “accidents involving children who were near to military training exercises”. Assuming that this is the case, accidents of this nature cannot be considered “grave violations” as they are, by the UN’s own definition, accidental.  The confusing breakdown of these numbers, however, was itself not accidental, as it allowed Guterres the space to declare that “should the situation repeat itself in 2022, without meaningful improvement, Israel should be listed". Worse, Guterres’ report went further to reassure the Israelis that they are on the right track by stating that “so far this year, we have not witnessed a similar number of violations”, as if to suggest that the right-wing Israeli government of Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid has purposely changed its policies regarding the targeting of Palestinian children. Of course, there is no evidence of this whatsoever.  On June 27, Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCIP) reported that Israel “had been intensifying its aggression” against children in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the beginning of 2022. DCIP confirmed that as many as 15 Palestinian children were killed by Israeli forces in the first six months of 2022, almost the same number killed in the same regions throughout the entirety of the previous year. This number includes five children in the occupied city of Jenin alone. Israel even targeted journalists who attempted to report on these violations, including Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed on May 11, and Ali Samoudi, who was shot in the back on the very same day. Much more can be said, of course, about the besiegement of hundreds of thousands of children in the Gaza Strip, known as the "world’s largest open-air prison", and many more in the occupied West Bank. The lack of basic human rights, including life-saving medicine and, in the case of Gaza, clean water, hardly suggests any measurable improvement in Israel’s track record as far as Palestinian children’s rights are concerned.  If you think that the UN report is a step in the right direction, think again. 2014 was one of the most tragic years for Palestinian children where, according to a previous UN report, 557 children were killed and 4,249 were injured, the vast majority of whom were targeted during the Israeli war on Gaza. Human Rights Watch stated that the number of killed Palestinians “was the third-highest in the world that year”. Still, Israel was not blacklisted on the UN "List of Shame". The clear message here is that Israel may target Palestinian children as it pleases, as there will be no legal, political or moral accountability for its actions.  This is not what Palestinians are expecting from the United Nations, an organization that supposedly exists to end armed conflicts and bring about peace and security for all. For now, the message emanating from the world’s largest international institution to Manasra and the rest of Palestine's children will remain unchanged: “We regret we failed to protect you.”
Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and editor of The Palestine Chronicle.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


US court to weigh FBI surveillance of mosque

The US Supreme Court on Monday will take up a case involving three Muslim men in California who say they were surveilled at their mosque by the FBI after the Sept 11, 2001 attacks based solely on their religion.The three men – Yassir Fazaga, imam of the Orange County Islamic Foundation, along with Ali Uddin Malik and Yasser Abdelrahim – say the FBI sent a confidential informant to several mosques in the county in 2006 and 2007, ordering the man to pose as a convert and gather information.“The FBI employed a paid informant person with a prior criminal history to infiltrate these mosques,” said Ahilan Arulanantham, a lawyer with the ACLU civil rights group who will represent the plaintiffs before the high court.The informant, he said, “told everybody that he was a convert, that he was wanting to rediscover his French-Algerian roots.”“He then was instructed by the FBI to gather as much information as possible on people in this community – cell phones, email addresses, conversations, which he secretly recorded,” Arulanantham told reporters.The ACLU says the informant recorded religious prayer groups in the mosque, leaving a secret recording device hidden in his car key fob, as well as secretly making videos in mosques, homes and businesses.Arulanantham said the informant “started, again at his FBI handlers’ behalf, to try to incite violence, but he scared a bunch of people, when he was talking about things like bombing, jihad and the war in Iraq and Afghanistan (and) they reported him to the FBI.”The lawyer said the informant then “became disgruntled,” argued with his FBI handlers, and ultimately decided to go public with his experience.The imam and his two congregants then filed a complaint against the FBI for spying on them in violation of federal law and their constitutional rights.Religious discriminationThe Justice Department has maintained that it launched the surveillance programme for objective reasons – not because those being watched were Muslims.But it has invoked an official state secrets act in refusing to say what the alleged reasons were and it called on the courts to reject the case.A district court in California dismissed the plaintiffs’ claim, accepting the FBI argument that state secrets risked being revealed.But the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed, saying the lower court should have held closed-door hearings to evaluate any secret evidence.The FBI appealed that decision, and the US high court agreed to hear the case.It will decide whether a district court can consider classified evidence in determining whether secret government surveillance is lawful.The case is “tremendously important,” Arulanantham said, because it goes to the question of whether the government can simply invoke state secrets to quash any challenge to its surveillance programs – even in the face of “very serious claims, well supported by declarations, of religious discrimination.”The case is Federal Bureau of Investigation v Fazaga, and the court is expected to render its decision by June 2022.


Facing the noose in Singapore, Malaysian Kalwant Singh never says die

For nearly 10 years now, Sonia has grasped at every opportunity she has to visit her brother, who is on death row in Singapore's Changi prison.
Conscious that he is running out of time, she must nonetheless steel herself before every trip to the prison and the all-too familiar routine of getting into the grim building.
Security is tight, and it takes a long time for the green light to come. But each time it does, Sonia knows that it has all been worth it to see him at least once more.
Kalwant Singh was arrested in the island republic on Oct 24, 2013 for trafficking in just over 60g of diamorphine. He was 23 at the time of his arrest.
On June 1, 2016, he was handed the death penalty – a sentence scheduled to be carried out on July 7.
Throughout his time behind bars, Sonia has faithfully visited him whenever she can. Often, she came with their father and her daughter, who is close to Kalwant.
In order to get to Changi prison, her father would drive his taxi from their home in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, all the way to Singapore.
Together, the small family would spend the night in the taxi after reaching Changi Village before heading to the prison the following day to visit Kalwant.
He also fought hard to ensure that his son received the best legal aid possible.
He died of cancer last year, but not before clocking in 820,000km on his taxi metre.
"That was his sacrifice – he drove all that distance for Kalwant," Sonia said in a recent interview with MalaysiaNow.
'Don't cry'
Sonia said Kalwant never liked it if the visits were filled with tears.
"He hates it," she said. "So we would go and see him with all the latest news and gossip and funny stories.
"The time we spent together was always filled with laughter and happy memories."

Kalwant Singh as a child with his mother and father.

Adding that Kalwant was more of a child to her than a brother, she said he was a loving person who was always ready to help anyone in need.
"We have been close since we were both small, always getting into trouble together," she said.
"But he is really special because he will do anything he can to help. That was what he always did for us as a family."
As for her daughter, Kellvina, she said the girl loved her uncle as he had always taken care of her.
Kellvina was only 11 when Kalwant was arrested. Even then, Sonia said, the girl seemed to understand what had happened to her uncle.
"She saw that I was always sad," she said, adding that she had been going through depression at the time.
"But she helped me so much to be at peace and to be patient. And she has never once forgotten to write to Kalwant in prison."
Now, at 21, Kellvina still faithfully visits her uncle in prison whenever she can.
She is also a happy sight for the other prisoners on death row, who have watched her come and go since she was a child.
Although they are separated by many miles, Sonia said, her daughter and Kalwant had become closer than ever since his arrest in 2013.
"From day one, I knew Kalwant loved his niece."
Never give up
Kalwant's date with the gallows comes less than three months after the execution of Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam, which took place despite an international outcry and amid increasing scrutiny of the republic’s use of the death penalty.
He had an IQ of 69, a level recognised as a disability, and was reportedly coerced into committing the crime of drug trafficking.
Kalwant himself has filed a notice of motion to the Singapore Court of Appeal for a stay of his execution as well as a review of his conviction and sentence.
His stay application will be heard by a three-man bench at 3pm today.
Sonia said she and several other family members had been in Singapore since late last week.
They came early in order to spend time with Kalwant, and to consult with their lawyer.
But despite his looming execution, Sonia said Kalwant was still positive and in good spirits.
"He won't give up," she added. "He will keep fighting his death sentence because he believes that this is not the end for him."
For herself, Sonia only hopes that her brother is truly as upbeat as he seems.
"I hope he is not pretending for our sakes, to protect our feelings."


Sorry.


Govt offers discounts on compounds for SOP offences

The Cabinet has agreed to put in place guidelines to determine the amount of compound and applicable discount rate under Act 342, with discounts of 50% and 25% available for those who settle their compounds within a particular time frame.Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Takiyuddin Hassan said individuals or companies compounded under Act 342 would automatically be given a 50% discount if the compound is paid within seven days of the date it was issued.“For example, for not wearing a face mask, the compound imposed is RM1,500 but if it is settled within seven days, you only have to pay RM750,” he said at a joint press conference with Health Minister Dr Adham Baba in Putrajaya today.“If the compound is paid between the eighth and 14th day, the individual or company is eligible for a 25% discount, but if it is settled after 14 days, no discount will be given,” he added.He said the government would also take into consideration appeals for a reduction in compound by persons with disabilities, those in the B40 group, students, and the chronically ill.Individuals in these groups can file an appeal with the health ministry by filling up a form and including supporting documents.In the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak, appeals may be submitted to designated ministry officers including the state health director, deputy director (public health), district epidemiologist and at the district health office.In the Labuan, appeals can be made to designated officers, namely the state health director, deputy director (public health services) and epidemiological officer.“Only these people have the authority to give consideration to people who have been compounded, based on their appeal and supporting documents,” Takiyuddin said.He also said those who were issued compounds during the implementation of the Emergency (Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, effective March 11, are eligible for a discount with today counted as the first day, regardless of when the compound was issued.Takiyuddin said under the guidelines, offences are categorised as serious, moderate and normal with compound amounts corresponding to the severity of the offence.A serious offence is one that causes large-scale community transmission and has a high impact on the community; a moderate offence is one that causes high virus transmission but does not have a significant impact on the community; while a normal offence involves low-risk transmission and has no impact on the community.“An example of a high-risk or Category One offence is when a medical practitioner fails to inform the health ministry of a positive case, as required under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Regulations,” he said.“If private medical practitioners do not inform the health ministry that Covid-19 positive patients have sought treatment at their clinics, we propose a compound of RM5,000,” he said.For defying rules related to visits to nightclubs, pubs or restaurants, individuals can be fined RM10,000 while premise owners or operators can be fined up to RM50,000.Takiyuddin said an example of an offence in the moderate category is when a person enters an area under enhanced movement control order, which could mean a fine of RM3,000.Those who refuse to comply with instructions given by personnel empowered under Section 15 can be fined RM4,000.Takiyuddin said offences categorised as normal are when employees, customers or suppliers do not wear a face mask. For this, the compound has been set at RM1,500.For those who fail to register using the log book or MySejahtera application when entering a premise or who do not observe physical distancing, the compound is RM1,500, he said.For companies that do not comply with rules on operating hours, the compound is RM10,000.“The ministry has instructed its officers, and the police too have briefed their personnel, that the compounds are to be issued as a last resort, after advice has been given,” he added.Takiyuddin said enforcement teams comprising the police, army, People’s Volunteer Corps or Rela and local authority personnel would start to monitor compliance with SOPs by April 1 at the latest.“The aim is to monitor the SOP implementation among the people and to give them advice before issuing compounds to the defiers,” he said.


Twitter's new CEO Linda Yaccarino logs first day in role

Twitter's new Chief Executive Officer Linda Yaccarino has begun her role at the social media company, she tweeted late on Monday, about a month after Elon Musk named her as the new CEO.
"It happened — first day in the books!," she tweeted, without providing further details.
Yaccarino, the former advertising chief at NBCUniversal, is taking over Twitter at a time when the social media platform has been trying to reverse a plunge in ad revenue.
Musk, who has served as the CEO since his US$44 billion (about RM202.4 billion) buyout of Twitter last October, previously said that Yaccarino would help build an "everything app".
Former NBCUniversal executive Joe Benarroch also joined Twitter on Monday. He oversaw communication strategy for the Comcast-owned company's Advertising and Partnerships division, reporting to Yaccarino, before joining Twitter.


Daily deaths hit new high of 25

Another 2,712 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 274,875.Selangor recorded 1,013 cases followed by Johor (426), Kuala Lumpur (212), Sarawak (200), Perak (198), Kedah (182), Penang (116) and Sabah (114).Negeri Sembilan recorded 81 cases, Pahang 52, Kelantan 43, Melaka 38, Terengganu 19, Putrajaya seven, Perlis six and Labuan five.Active cases stand at 38,763 with 227 in the ICU and 103 in need of respiratory assistance.Seventeen new clusters were detected:1. Jalan Bukit Kemuning (Klang in Selangor; 147 screened, 55 positive)2. Jalan Industri Kidamai (Hulu Langat in Selangor; 510 screened, 22 positive)3. Jalan Jitu (Klang in Selangor; 516 screened, 39 positive)4. Jalan Hulu Tinggi (Petaling, Klang, Kuala Selangor and Gombak in Selangor; 800 screened, 61 positive)5. Mayang (Petaling in Selangor; 52 screened, 24 positive)6. Jalan Perindustrian Estate (Kulai, Kota Tinggi and Johor Bahru in Johor; 239 screened, 53 positive)7. Jalan DPB Tiga (Johor Bahru in Johor; 97 screened, 41 positive)8. Perindustrian Fasa Dua (Kulai and Kota Tinggi in Johor; 146 screened, 27 positive)9. Jalan Sri Putri (Kulai in Johor; 30 screened, 22 positive)10. Jalan Tebrau Dua (Johor Bahru in Johor; 96 screened, 12 positive)11. Mediacity (Cheras, Titiwangsa and Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur; 258 screened, 15 positive)12. Jalan Changkat Jong (Hilir Perak and Perak Tengah in Perak; 471 screened, 166 positive)13. Lot Satu (Penampang in Sabah; 11 screened, nine positive)14. Lot Tujuh (Penampang in Sabah; 30 screened, eight positive)15. Lintang Kampung Jawa (Seberang Perai Selatan, Barat Daya, Timur Laut, Seberang Perai Tengah and Seberang Perai Utara in Penang; 208 screened, 86 positive)16. Jalan Telok Ira (Temerloh in Pahang; 263 screened, 47 positive)17. Kampung Jawek (Besut in Terengganu; 146 screened, nine positive)Another 10 ended, leaving 506 active clusters across the country.Another 5,320 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 235,082.However, 25 more deaths were reported including a 100-year-old woman in Selangor and a three-year-old girl in Sabah, pushing the virus toll to 1,030.


Muhyiddin's challenges as PM amid Covid spread depicted in new book

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun yesterday launched a biography entitled "Muhyiddin Yassin: Leading A Nation In Unprecedented Crisis", written by Media Prima Bhd former chairman, Abdul Mutalib Razak.
The book captures the challenging moments faced by Muhyiddin Yassin, who took over the leadership of the country as the eigth prime minister when the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
Mutalib, when speaking at the launch of the book, said one part of it deals with the challenges faced by Muhyiddin and his Cabinet, especially when the entire world had not fully understood the impact of Covid-19.
He said the book also covered the challenges of facing the Covid-19 pandemic, including efforts to obtain vaccines, the economic impact of the pandemic and the political turmoil faced by Muhyiddin.
"When I started gathering the editorial team for this book in June 2020, it was based on a firsthand account of events, but then this crisis became so big from various angles that it took a long time to produce a biography as complete as this," he said.
Muhyiddin and his wife Norainee Abdul Rahman were also present at the launch.


UN chief in talks on restoring Ukraine grain exports amid global food crisis

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that he is in “intense contact” with Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, the US and the European Union in an effort to restore Ukrainian grain export as a global food crisis worsens.“I am hopeful, but there is still a way to go,” said Guterres, who visited Moscow and Kyiv late last month. “The complex security, economic and financial implications require goodwill on all sides.”Addressing a food security meeting at the United Nations hosted by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Guterres appealed to Russia to allow “the safe and secure export of grain stored in Ukrainian ports” and for Russian food and fertilisers to “have full and unrestricted access to world markets.”Russia’s war in Ukraine has caused global prices for grains, cooking oils, fuel and fertiliser to soar, and Guterres warned this will worsen food, energy and economic crises in poor countries.“It threatens to tip tens of millions of people over the edge into food insecurity, followed by malnutrition, mass hunger and famine, in a crisis that could last for years,” Guterres said.Ukraine used to export most of its goods through seaports but since Russia’s Feb 24 invasion, it has been forced to export by train or via its small Danube River ports.UN food chief David Beasley appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin: “If you have any heart at all, please open these ports.” Beasley heads the World Food Programme, which feeds some 125 million people and buys 50% of its grain from Ukraine.“This is not just about Ukraine. This is about the poorest of the poor who are on the brink of starvation as we speak,” Beasley said.Russia and Ukraine together account for nearly a third of global wheat supplies. Ukraine is also a major exporter of corn, barley, sunflower oil and rapeseed oil, while Russia and Belarus – which has backed Moscow in its war in Ukraine – account for more than 40% of global exports of potash, a crop nutrient.‘Prepared to do our share’Blinken said Russia must be compelled to create corridors so that food and other vital supplies can safely leave Ukraine by land or sea.“There are an estimated 22 million tons of grain sitting in silos in Ukraine right now. Food that could immediately go toward helping those in need if it can simply get out of the country,” Blinken said.The United Nations has said 36 countries count on Russia and Ukraine for more than half of their wheat imports, including some of the poorest and most vulnerable in the world, including Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Democratic Republic of Congo.Guterres spoke with Russia’s first deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov on Tuesday about Russian exports of fertilisers and grains, said Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia.“The discussions, as far as I know, went well and positive,” Nebenzia told reporters on Wednesday, but he signaled that Ukrainian access to international markets was a separate issue.“We are prepared to do our share. The Ukrainian grain market access, that’s another thing,” Nebenzia said.Nebenzia said that while there were no direct sanctions on Russian fertilisers or grains, there had been a chilling effect on shipping, insurance and banking after the US and others began punishing Russia over what Moscow calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine.Blinken said it was “false” to blame sanctions because the US had created exceptions and was working to ensure measures imposed by Washington “are not preventing food or fertiliser from leaving Russia or anywhere else.”


More explanation needed for ending Convent Bukit Nanas lease

The FT land and mines director’s explanation reported in the media as to why the lease for Convent Bukit Nanas was not renewed is not convincing nor does it make any sense.Normally the FT land and mines office does not get involved in such type of public deliberations nor does it make such policy decisions. Such policy decisions are made by the Cabinet after input from the relevant ministers as they involve the continued role of mission schools in Malaysia.These are matters to be decided by the Cabinet after extensive stakeholder discussions and not something the federal comissioner of land or the director of lands and mines are authorised to do on their own.In fact the former various ministers in charge of natural resources at the relevant times should shed light on this matter as the application to renew the lease was allegedly made as reported in the media on Oct 4, 2017 and the rejection received on Dec 18, 2020 (nearly three years later). They should let the public know whether such an application was ever referred to them at all during their tenure or if such a policy decision made as the basis of rejecting the application especially since a similiar male mission school nearby had its lease extended.It seems, from the media reports, the effective reason that they would not renew the lease is because they want to give the Convent Bukit Nanas school more funds by making it a fully aided school is certainly not a convincing or acceptable reason at all for a school that has been operating fine on its own for 120 years despite being only partly funded by the government and yet expected to do national service and educate all Malaysians regardless of race, religion or economic status and without profit and fully in accodence with the government’s education syllabus.Can the director of land and mines confirm if he informed the trustees of the school or the PTA that the government wanted to give them more money and upgrade their facilities if they gave up the land and agreed to the school being a fully funded school?Was such a letter issued or were there various meetings held to explain the situation to the school as would be expected of the government when dealing with a 120-year-old school of national reputation?Please enlighten the public. After all such “generosity” was not extended to a similiar male mission school nearby, or is this special treatment for girls’ schools only?Was the education ministry involved in stakeholder dialogues?Was the school even asked in writing if it could continue to run and educate Malaysians as it had done for 120 years according to the government’s standards without full funding?Surely this question would have to be asked before such a policy based decision was allegedly made.Sadly there is no indication of this process which would be a legitimate expection of the school if there was such a policy.Moreover such an alleged policy is totally without merit and even if true, would be totally outdated because it is based on an illogical distinction between fully aided and partially schools in 2021.This purported distinction ignores the basic fact that such schools are open to all Malaysians, irrespective of race and religion, and the government syllabus is taught to all without discrimination.The government should fund all schools regardless of such a distinction where the school provides national education for all Malaysians without profit according to the government syllabus and curriculum.Such schools were originally built with money raised by the IJ Sisters and publuc donations and with no financial assistance from the government.The dedication of educationists who made huge sacrifices, who devoted their lives to the education of all Malaysians, especially the last, the lost and the least.Many MPs, corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, parents and citizens have benefited greatly from their efforts as has the whole nation.These mission schools have become some of the leading educational institutions in the country.Many even today owe their standing in life and society to the sisters because of the sacrifices of these educationists.The education provided was wholesome and holistic, and they instilled good moral values, loyalty and discipline in every student.This explanation, if it is to be believed, suggests that as repayment and gratitude for their efforts, the sisters and educationists of Convent Bukit Nanas who gave their all to educate tens of thousands of Malaysians without salary or pension at standards of excellence that only dedicated educationists can do, are now told that the school will revert back to the government so they can repair the slope if and when it collapses or give them more money to upgrade.This appears to be the thanks for them after 120 years of service but they can appeal to the federal commissioner of lands if the sisters want a futher role. I hope the government will realise the travesty and gross injustice of what is being done and renew the lease of Convent Bukit Nanas for a better Malaysia and the dedicated educationists who have fought so hard to educate our women, many who have since made tremendous contributions to nation-building and society.It is not lost upon us that it seems this is not the first partially funded women’s school in Kuala Lumpur to suffer this fate, and the government can no longer ignore this.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Ismail hits back at DAP over claim of GE15 ‘flip-flop’

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has hit back at claims by DAP that he is issuing “flip-flop” statements in calling for the next general election, maintaining that the prerogative for the polls ultimately lies with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.“It’s good that I ‘flip-flop’ so that they will not know when the general election will be held,” he told reporters today, adding that none of the prime ministers before him had announced the date of general elections, in order to catch the opposition by surprise.“If you asked Dr Mahathir at that time, he would say ‘I haven’t got inspiration’,” he said.“If I announce earlier, DAP will be happy as it could make early preparations.”Ismail has been facing pressure from a group of Umno top brass, especially its president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former leader Najib Razak, to dissolve Parliament to make way for the 15th general election, which is not due until May next year.But the prime minister, who came to power on the back of support from non-Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs such as Perikatan Nasional and GPS, reiterated that he would only call for an election after going through the proper channels including consultation with Cabinet members.“The Cabinet will give me the mandate to have an audience with the Agong to advise him. The ultimate decision rests with the Agong.“Under the constitution, the Agong can either accept or reject (the recommendation to dissolve Parliament),” Ismail said today, adding that he respected the Agong’s powers.“I cannot give the exact date. It is constitutionally wrong for me to fix a date. If I did that, I would be pre-empting the Agong. Perhaps DAP’s way is not to respect the Agong, but I respect the Agong,” he said after attending a World Environment Day celebration at the Taman Tugu forest park.This is the second time that Ismail has appeared to ward off pressure from Umno leaders urging him to call for a general election, in the hope that the party could repeat its winning streak in several previous state polls.Many observers believe that the clamour for elections by Umno leaders has to do with their impending court cases, where those in the so-called “court cluster” group including Zahid and Najib face hundreds of corruption charges involving billions of ringgit.The group was also behind the proposal to postpone party polls until after the general election, seen as a move to stop Ismail’s rise in the party leadership.Unlike the tradition followed during the previous BN era, Ismail became prime minister despite not being the Umno president.Earlier this week, vocal Umno veteran and Padang Rengas MP Nazri Aziz said the move to stop party elections was to keep Ismail from becoming the president.Nazri said the present Umno leadership could lose if party elections were held now.As for the general election, Nazri said ordinary Umno members are against any move to call for polls at this time.“They don’t want an early election,” Nazri told MalaysiaNow. “They are honest people who have also been affected by what is going on.“It is only the court cluster and those who lost at the last election who want another one now.”


South Korean giant announces first overseas plant in Malaysia in another major pandemic-season investment

The world’s leading producer of copper foil for electric vehicle (EV) battery cells will build its first overseas plant in Sabah, with an investment of up to RM2.3 billion in the next two years.SK Nexilis, part of South Korean giant conglomerate SK Group, a Fortune 500 company, said the plant at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) will be capable of producing 50,000 tonnes of copper foil once it begins operations in 2023.In a joint statement with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida), the company said KKIP was chosen due to its stable and competitively priced electricity supply.“Malaysia provides the most stable and competitively priced electricity supply among its Southeast Asian counterpart.“The selected site also has excellent infrastructure such as gas and water and high accessibility to ports and large international airports which are required for exports,” the statement said.International Trade and Industry Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali welcomed the announcement as another achievement by Mida despite the economic gloom brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.“Indeed, this investment will also boost Malaysia’s talent network and capabilities through initiatives with domestic universities and technical institutes.“Despite the ongoing pandemic, Mida continues to draw high technology investments such as these into the country to provide tangible opportunities for innovation and local supply chain development,” he said.SK Nexilis is a global leader in thin-tech innovation for copper foil manufacturing, which is crucial for batteries used in electric vehicles.Data from SNE Research indicates that the EV market will increase by 41% annually, with demand for batteries going up by 38% by 2025.“We will be able to respond more quickly to customer requests by establishing a production facility in Malaysia with the best technology to produce the world’s thinnest copper foil for secondary batteries,” said a spokesman for SK Nexilis.The announcement marks the second major investment this month by a global conglomerate after German carmaker Volkswagen Group announced a massive parts hub in Johor.Meanwhile, SK Nexilis CEO Kim Young-tae said the Malaysian plant will boast facilities with cutting-edge technology that could produce “the thinnest and widest battery copper foil”.“By building the plant in Malaysia, we will improve cost competitiveness and enhance our commitment to RE100, so we can consolidate our status as the world’s No. 1 supplier of battery copper foil,” Kim was quoted as saying by South Korean media today.The thinner the copper foil is, the more it can accommodate active material in a limited space.Demand for ultra-thin copper foil has been on the rise as EV makers look to increase battery energy.


After Umno's GE victory, new AG will protect crooks, warns Dr Mahathir

Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said that a newly elected government led by Umno would appoint a new attorney-general who would "protect the crooks".
In a response to growing pressure from the Umno leadership on Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to dissolve Parliament, Mahathir said the former ruling party was depending on the next general election to return to power.
"So the PM can steal money, can appoint the attorney-general and the AG can protect the crooks," the former prime minister said in a short, five-point statement titled "I want to advise you something", a line attributed to Rosmah Mansor, the wife of jailed former leader Najib Razak, in a telephone conversation leaked by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
Days after Najib's jailing in August, Umno's Azalina Othman Said controversially suggested that Ismail should use his prime ministerial powers to appoint a friendly attorney-general.
"Whoever is prime minister must make the attorney-general his man," the former law minister told Umno members at a gathering to protest the Federal Court decision to send Najib to jail after dismissing his final appeal in the SRC International case.


Anwar sues Kedah MB for defamation over campaign speech

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has filed a lawsuit against Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor on allegedly defamatory remarks linking him with immoral behaviour made during a "PN Best Tambun Tour" campaign.
Anwar, 75, as the plaintiff, filed the suit through Messrs SN Nair & Partners at the Alor Setar High Court, Kedah, naming Sanusi, 48, as the sole defendant.
According to the statement of claim, Anwar alleged that on Nov 13, Sanusi, who is also Kedah Perikatan National (PN) chairman, gave an election speech at a talk in support of the PN candidate for the Tambun parliamentary seat, Ahmad Faizal Azumu, with hundreds of visitors in attendance.
Anwar said the speech had been published or caused to be republished and broadcast live on Facebook under the name "Faizal Azumu" which received more than 88,000 views, 531 reactions, 58 shares and 384 comments as of the date of filing the suit.
The Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman claimed that on Nov 14, defamatory statements from the video were quoted by Malaysiakini with articles published in Bahasa Malaysia and English.
According to Anwar, the statement meant that the plaintiff had obtained a royal pardon through fraud while remaining not pardoned, and that he had deceived the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and was a liar, untrustworthy and unethical, and had betrayed the people's mandate.
He claimed that the statements were untrue, repulsive and malicious with the aim of inciting the public and creating personal hatred towards him and PH during the campaign period leading up to the 15th general election on Nov 19.
Anwar said the statement caused him to be insulted and ridiculed by the community, and had damaged his image and reputation as the president of PKR, PH chairman, MP for Tambun, the 10th prime minister and finance minister.
Anwar said that on Nov 16, he had demanded through his lawyer that the defendant retract, apologise, promise not to repeat the matter and pay damages to the plaintiff. However, the defendant through a lawyer's letter dated Dec 7, replied expressing an unequivocal acknowledgment of the facts in the speech.
Anwar is seeking general, severe and exemplary damages in addition to an order to prevent the defendant from continuing to reveal, compose, publish or publish similar statements against the plaintiff as well as other reliefs deemed fit by the court.
When contacted by Bernama, lawyer SN Nair, representing Anwar, said the suit was filed at 4.30pm.


UK’s Johnson submits response to ‘partygate’ probe

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has submitted his response to a police questionnaire relating to Downing Street parties that may have breached coronavirus regulations, his office said Friday.Police are investigating claims Johnson attended gatherings that may have violated Britain’s strict distancing and virus prevention rules.Public outcry over the so-called “partygate” scandal has left Johnson fighting for political survival. Several MPs from his Conservative party have publicly called for his resignation, although he denies any wrongdoing.Police confirmed last week that they would be sending “formal questionnaires to more than 50 people” to ask about their activities on the dates of at least 12 gatherings in Downing Street over 2020 and 2021.The document “has formal legal status and must be answered truthfully” within seven days, according to the police.Johnson faces a fine unless he can explain why he was at events held during coronavirus restrictions.Johnson has already apologised in parliament for a series of gatherings identified in an official inquiry led by senior civil servant Sue Gray, but vowed to fight on in office.Gray admitted her 12-page report was limited in scope after London’s Metropolitan police force launched its own investigation into 12 parties held in Downing Street over the past two years.


BN 'no power', PN and PH should combine to form govt, says Tok Mat

Barisan Nasional (BN) has no power to form the federal government as the people rejected the coalition in Saturday’s 15th general election (GE15), its deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan said.
Instead, he proposed that Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) combine and form the government as both coalitions had obtained a higher number of seats.
"BN is prepared to play the role of an effective opposition to ensure there is check and balance," he said in a Facebook post last night.
However, Mohamad, who is also Umno deputy president, said that if BN’s help was needed in the post-GE15 period, the coalition was ready to contribute to open and sincere talks.
"And if the government still cannot be formed, then don’t blame us (BN). This is the result of a democratic process to return the mandate to the people. We will respect the decision," he said.
GE15 ended in a hung Parliament, with no party or coalition obtaining a simple majority to form the federal government.
The polls on Nov 19 saw PH winning 82 parliamentary seats, followed by PN (73), BN (30), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (23), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (six), Warisan (three), independents (two) and one each by Parti Bangsa Malaysia and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat.