Azam files RM10 million defamation suit against accuser

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki has filed a RM10 million defamation suit against an activist and is seeking a public apology over the publication of articles regarding the purchase of company shares last year.The suit was filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court against Lalitha Kunaratnam following her lack of response to a letter of demand issued on Jan 6.“Instead of responding to our client’s letter of demand issued on Jan 6, she has through her lawyer issued a press statement published on her Twitter account, wherein she has claimed to stand by her publication and republication, the contents of which our client strenuously maintains are defamatory.“Our client is therefore constrained to file this suit before the expiry of 14 days from the date of the letter of demand to protect his good name, reputation and professional standing,” his lawyers said in a statement.Azam had come under fire from Pakatan Harapan politicians over the articles published in December last year in which Lalitha, who is linked to local NGO C4 Center, claimed conflict of interest in the ownership of company shares.His letter of demand last week came as MACC lodged a police report against her, describing her claims as false and unsubstantiated by evidence.He is seeking through the suit an injunction against Lalitha and/or her family members or agents preventing her from making, publishing or causing to be published the statements in question.He is also seeking a court order for her to take down the statements and articles within three days of the date of judgment, and a public apology.


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Look in the mirror, China tells US on rights abuses after Tiananmen criticism

China on Friday ripped into the US’ human rights record and told Washington to “look in the mirror” after America’s top diplomat said he would honour those killed in the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.Beijing urged the US to “face up to its own serious human rights problems”, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, after Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington would “honour the sacrifices of those killed 32 years ago” and continue to support Chinese rights activists.Soldiers marched into Beijing and opened fire on local residents and student protesters on June 4, 1989, crushing a weeks-long wave of demonstrations calling for political change and curbs to official corruption.Hundreds were killed in the crackdown, by some estimates more than 1,000.With younger Chinese having no direct memories of the Tiananmen movement, Beijing has gone to exhaustive lengths to prevent commemorations, detaining activists and bringing livestreaming services down for “technical” reasons.Social media users on the WeChat and Weibo platforms were prevented from posting the candle emoji Friday, while searches for “64” – the date of the crackdown – are routinely blocked on the Twitter-like Weibo.Huge candlelight vigils have been held over the last three decades in semi-autonomous Hong Kong, but police have turned out in force this year to stamp out any attempts to commemorate the date en masse, with one vigil organiser arrested early Friday morning.Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang on Friday said the US needed to hold itself to account for a range of abuses, from minorities to its treatment of migrants.“Considering its irrefutable misdeeds on human rights, what qualifies the United States to lecture others?” he said.China’s ruling Communist Party made a rare acknowledgement of the Tiananmen crackdown on its 30th anniversary in 2019, with the state-run Global Times tabloid calling the handling of Tiananmen and its aftermath “a political success”.But critics say Beijing has this year gone to a new level of whitewashing of its troubled past by banning memorials in Hong Kong.“Young people in China will get education and enlightenment from history… and continue to unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics,” Wang said.


PAS rallies support for PN govt in strongest signal yet against Umno

PAS has called on all Muslim organisations in the country to defend the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, in the strongest sign yet of the party’s opposition to Umno leaders who are against the ruling bloc.PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang also said his party is opposed to any pact that deviates from the original goal of Muafakat Nasional, the charter it inked with Umno during their time in the opposition.“PAS rejects any agenda that solely aims to save individual leaders and groups, not to save the country and the people,” Hadi said in a statement.He said the original aim of Muafakat Nasional was to defend the people.He added that his party was not subject to predictions about its future based on its current actions.“PAS believes more in the promise of God, and not in political predictions such as the assumption that ‘if PAS does this, then it will be like this, and if it does that, then it will be like that’.”His remarks are seen as his strongest show of support yet for Bersatu, the party with which PAS has been a partner in the PN coalition.Umno leaders led by their president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former prime minister Najib Razak had been reminding PAS that it was bound by the Muafakat Nasional charter, saying the pact takes priority over the PN coalition.Last weekend, the Umno general assembly chose to cut ties with PN at the next general election.PAS has repeatedly stated its commitment to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, but has offered to play peacemaker between Umno and Bersatu.Hadi today said PAS would reject any charter with those who show disloyalty to the country and “extreme behaviour that challenges race and religion”.“Let us accept this new offer, one that has integrity and virtue and is based on the Federal Constitution, which celebrates a multi-religious and multiracial society,” he added.


‘Lepak’ culture: Once frowned on as social ill, now a family event?

In the heart of the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, the sound of laughter and the shouts of children fill the air as they run and play – at nearly 1.30 in the morning.In front of the Sultan Abdul Samad building and the iconic Dataran Merdeka, roads have been closed off to make way for the children and their families who are hanging out in the middle of the field.Others race about on electric scooters, chasing each other in any open space available.Checks by MalaysiaNow over the weekend found that people began coming at about 6pm and stayed out until the wee hours of the morning.People of all ages were seen laughing and chatting, accompanied by their children – even babies less than a year old.Children who grew tired while waiting to go home curled up on their mothers’ laps or gave in to sleepy tantrums.A couple with a young child scroll through their phones as the night deepens at Dataran Medeka in Kuala Lumpur.Here and there, groups of teenagers lounged with no parental supervision whatsoever. When approached by MalaysiaNow, they said they were there with their parents’ blessings to spend time with their friends. Some even said they had been given pocket money to spend while they were out.Farhan, 13, made the trip from his home in Bukit Kemuning in Selangor together with three other friends aged 15 to 17. The four paid more than RM30 for an e-hailing ride to the capital city in order to play on their e-scooters.He said his parents never asked any questions as long as he was home before 1am.Speaking to MalaysiaNow beside the Sultan Abdul Samad building at nearly 1.30am, however, he said today was an exception.“It’s crowded with people so my mum said it’s okay. If I can’t get a Grab ride home, my dad will come and pick me up,” he said.‘Release stress’Jeevan, from Batu Caves, Selangor, has brought his six-year-old son to Dataran Merdeka since the child was eight months old.The area in front of Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur teems with life despite the late hour.For him, bringing his son there gives him the space to meet and play with new friends. He also believes that spending time there helps the boy release some of the stress that he says he feels, even at such a young age.“On normal days, from Monday to Friday, I don’t let him come,” Jeevan said.“He needs to get his homework done and sleep early so that he can wake up for school the next day.“But on Friday and Saturday, he asks to be brought here. Now, everyone is familiar with him and knows who he is.“Children feel stressed too,” Jeevan added. “We can’t keep telling him just to study and to do his school work. Let them play as much as they want on the days when they don’t have to go to school. What’s wrong with that?”For Jeevan and his wife, Anu, bringing their child to Dataran Merdeka also gives them an opportunity to explain to him the history of the location and its significance.They enjoy holding hands and strolling along the river at the back of the Sultan Abdul Samad building.City folk of all ages enjoy a ride on the e-scooters up for rent at Dataran Merdeka.Jeevan’s friend Tamil Selvan, on the other hand, took a while to warm up to the idea of hanging out at so-called hotspots such as Dataran Merdeka.Tamil, who lives in Shah Alam and has a five-year-old son, grew up associating the area with negative activities such as illegal racing. But when his friend invited him to come along one day, he found it difficult to refuse.“When I came and I saw the atmosphere, I changed my mind,” he said.“The children can run around and play. It’s such a big space. At home, they can’t play like this.”It’s also safe as the roads are blocked off, he added. “We know no cars or motorcycles will come in.”Eventually, even his wife came along. “She made friends with the wives of my other friends. She can rest and unwind from all the work she does throughout the day,” Tamil said.Changing narrativeJeevan, Tamil and their friends are part of a new generation that embraces the culture of loafing about or “melepak” instead of pushing it away.Children zoom about on an e-scooter at Dataran Merdeka.Not too long ago, in the 1990s, the government spent no small amount of money trying to curb such activities, launching campaigns and policies including within the education system.In school, students were told of the dangers and negative effects of “lepaking” but today, sentiments appear very different.With such crowds readily available, traders also do a roaring business selling drinks and snacks, weaving their way in and out with their trolleys and wheelbarrows.Rabiatul, 41, told MalaysiaNow she could make up to RM400 a night selling drinks and fruit to families who come with their children.She only does this on weekends and public holidays but even so, it is enough to feed and clothe herself and her two children.“After the movement control order, I lost my job,” she said. “I couldn’t find any work. Even finding enough food was difficult.“Now, I make enough to give my children pocket money to spend in school.”A woman cradles a sleeping child as she scrolls through her phone at a drinks stall at Dataran Merdeka.Izzat, who came to Kuala Lumpur in 2018 from his home town in Pahang, also lost his job when the pandemic hit.He used to work as an assistant engineer, earning RM3,000 each month.After losing his job, he used his savings and the money he withdrew from his EPF account to buy 15 scooters which he now rents out at the square.“I charge RM25 for half an hour,” he said. “It depends on what type of scooter it is.”These days, he can make as much as RM6,000 a month.“I keep the money for the future,” he said. “I only use what I earn to pay the electricity bill which is quite high because I charge all of these vehicles at home.”As the night drew to a close, Jeevan and Tamil’s sons played on, oblivious to the late hour.When asked if they were tired or sleepy, they immediately said no. When asked what they would do after they went home, Jeevan’s son said he would rest the next day as he needed to help his mother at home.Tamil’s son, meanwhile, said with the honesty of a child: “I want to eat McDonald’s.”


UK digital residence checks lock out refugees, slavery victims

Refugees and human trafficking survivors in Britain are being forced to choose between buying food or data to access an official digital identity check system for migrants, charities said, warning the scheme is putting vulnerable people at risk.
Some have lost out on jobs because they were not able to access the system, which confirms that a migrant has the right to live and work in Britain, support organisations said, adding that it could force desperate migrants into exploitative work.
Immigration solicitor Carita Thomas said one of her clients, a human trafficking survivor, went hungry because he had to prioritise buying mobile data over food.
"He was not eating properly and getting food out of bins in order to maintain the data package on his phone," said Thomas, of the Anti Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit (ATLEU), a charity providing legal support for slavery victims.
"Many of our clients might struggle financially to maintain sufficient data packages and will now need to prioritise this over other important expenses... They cannot be without (data) because they can't prove their rights otherwise."
The Home Office, or interior ministry, in April replaced a system of physical residency cards with a digital verification process to confirm migrants' rights to rent and work, which it said can crack down on illegal migration and identity fraud.
Instead of providing their permit cards, migrants must now use an online government portal to generate a one-off digital code, which is then shared with a potential employer or landlord to prove their immigration status.
The Home Office said it aims to phase out physical documents by 2024, and that the "vast majority" of migrants have access to digital devices.
"Where they do not, we have measures in place to support them, as well as offering additional assistance for those who do not speak English," a spokesperson said in emailed comments.
But organisations that work with vulnerable migrants said the system is exacerbating digital divides, with those who are not digitally literate, lack devices, or cannot afford data costs left behind.
Digital bureaucracy
While governments across the world are adopting digital ID systems, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights says they can exclude marginalised groups.
About 6% of British households do not have access to the internet at home because they cannot pay for broadband, do not own a phone or laptop, or have poor digital skills, said a March report by Ofcom, which regulates UK communications services.
For many refugees and trafficking survivors, data is simply a luxury while they rebuild their lives in a country grappling with soaring food and energy bills, in a cost-of-living crisis triggered by the Ukraine war and Covid-19.
People claiming asylum in Britain are not allowed to work until the government has verified they are genuine refugees, and in the interim receive free government-provided housing and a weekly allowance of about 41 pounds (US$50) per person.
Once they are granted refugee status, they gain access to the benefits system and the right to work, but have only 28 days to find a new home - often in the private rental market.
This "move-on" period has left many refugees destitute, charities say, while the digital system adds another layer of bureaucracy for migrants already facing language barriers and grappling with paperwork to find jobs or rent homes.
Modern slavery victims have at least 45 days to transition to independent living after the government verifies their claim.
Some refugees using the government site are not sent codes due to technical errors, while others do not have computers or internet access, said Kama Petruczenko, a policy and research officer at the Refugee Council, a support organisation.
"We had clients who either had to stop working, or were offered a job but because of code problems their potential employer actually had to withdraw the offer," said Petruczenko.
Exploitation risk
Charities including the ATLEU and the Refugee Council said phoning the Home Office for help often meant long waiting times or being told to ask prospective employers or landlords to solve the issue instead.
They said more call operators and non-English resources were needed at the Home Office to help migrants transition to the digital system, and that physical residence cards should still be accepted in some cases.
Experts warn that some migrants struggling with digital systems could turn to informal arrangements instead, leaving them vulnerable to abuse.
"If you put in all these obstacles, the easier option would be to accept a flat where there isn't a contract," said Mischa Macaskill, who oversees the employment and integration support programme at City Hearts, which helps trafficking survivors.
"If there's a guy around the corner offering you cash-in-hand to do a bit of work, you'll automatically feel safer doing that option.
"It just increases the vulnerability, which ultimately could lead to them being exploited."


Prosecution says will prove ‘malicious’ offences as Syed Saddiq’s trial begins

The prosecution in the case of Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who faces four charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of funds and money laundering, today said it would prove that all of the offences allegedly committed by the Muar MP were dishonest and done with malicious intent.Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, who led the prosecution team, said his team would rely on a combination of direct evidence, circumstances, and documents in proving the case against the accused.“The evidence under Sections 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the Evidence Act 1950 is not in favour of the accused.“We will also not use the presumption under Section 409A of the Penal Code in proving our case against the accused later,” he said, reading the prosecution’s opening statement on the first day of the trial before High Court judge Azhar Abdul Hamid.Syed Saddiq, 29, wearing a blue batik shirt, arrived at the Kuala Lumpur court complex at about 9am.After reading the opening statement, the prosecution called its first witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Mohd Taufik Awaluddin, 30, to testify.Syed Saddiq was represented by lawyers Gobind Singh Deo, Ambiga Sreenevasan, Haijan Omar and Lim Wei Jeit.Earlier, Wan Shaharuddin informed the court that the prosecution had filed two amended charges related to CBT by removing the word “cheating” and replacing it with “dishonest”.The two charges were then read back to Syed Saddiq, who pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.Syed Saddiq was charged as Bersatu’s then Youth chief, entrusted with the control of the wing’s funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim Razali, the wing’s assistant treasurer at the time, with CBT of RM1 million.He was accused of committing the offence at CIMB Bank, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, on March 6, 2020, charged under Section 406 of the Penal Code which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years and a whipping, with the possibility of a fine upon conviction.For the second charge, Syed Saddiq was accused of misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money.He was accused of committing the offence at Malayan Banking, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018, and charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of between six months and five years, with whipping and a fine upon conviction.He also faces two counts of engaging in money laundering activities, in two transactions of RM50,000 believed to be the proceeds of unlawful activities from his Maybank Islamic account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.Syed Saddiq was accused of committing the offence at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.The charges were framed under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, punishable under Section 4 (1) of the same law, which provides for a maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or the proceeds of illegal activities, upon conviction.


Ringgit hits fresh low against US dollar

The ringgit extended its downtrend against the US dollar this morning, breaching the 4.6 level as the greenback continued to strengthen on the expectation of an interest rate hike in the US.
At 9am, the local note was trading at 4.6090/6130 against the greenback compared with Wednesday’s closing of 4.5920/5950.
Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist and social finance head Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the US equities market ended lower yesterday while the US treasury yields were higher, suggesting that the traditional asset were badly hit by the US debt impasse and the uncertainties over future interest rate hikes by the US federal reserve.
He said the Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes also suggested that the members were divided over raising the policy rate, but were unanimous in their decision to keep raising it by 25 basis points in the last meeting.
"The US debt ceiling is still wobbly as politicians might cause a delay in the decision, given the polarised political landscape in the US. Consequently, the US dollar index rose 0.39% to 103.889.
"Against such a backdrop, the ringgit-US dollar will remain weak today as market participants will stay defensive," he told Bernama.
Meanwhile, Afzanizam said the higher-than-expected UK inflation rate, which came in at 8.7% in April versus consensus estimates of 8.2%, suggested that global central banks are likely to remain guarded.
He added that the risk-off mode has been exacerbated by China's recent announcement on banning the use of micron chips and the communique by the G7 last weekend on the war in Ukraine.
On the local front, he said the ringgit was less in favour as market players believe that Bank Negara Malaysia is almost done with the overnight policy rate hike.
As such, the ringgit was traded mostly lower against a basket of major currencies this morning.
It rose against the Japanese yen at 3.3056/3087 from 3.3148/3172 at Wednesday's close but eased vis-a-vis the British pound to 5.6981/7031 from 5.6877/6914 and weakened against the euro to 4.9547/9590 from 4.9470/9502 yesterday.
The local note was also traded mostly lower against other Asean currencies.
The ringgit surpassed a two-decade low against the Singapore dollar at 3.4131/4163 from 3.4091/4115 at Wednesday's close, depreciated versus the Indonesian rupiah to 309.2/309.7 from 308.1/308.5 yesterday and slipped against the Philippines’ peso to 8.26/8.28 from 8.23/8.24 previously.
However, it had strengthened vis-a-vis the Thai baht at 13.2897/3066 from 13.2924/3073 yesterday.


Daily caseload at 237 as one more death logged

Another 237 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 5,040,087.
There were 215 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,993,758.
There are now 9,375 active cases, of which 9,050 or 96.5% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0%) are at quarantine centres while 317 (3.4%) have been hospitalised.
A total of eight are in ICU with four in need of respiratory assistance.
One more death was reported, taking total deaths to 36,954.


37 reported Covid deaths push toll to 30,147

A total of 37 Covid-related deaths were reported on Nov 24, taking the cumulative death toll in the country to 30,147.According to the health ministry’s Github data repository, nine or 24.3% of these were brought-in-dead (BID) cases.Terengganu had the highest number of reported deaths at seven or 18.9%, followed by Sabah and Negeri Sembilan at five deaths each.Selangor and Kelantan reported four deaths each; Johor and Perak reported three deaths each; Kedah and Pahang reported two deaths each while Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur reported one death each.No deaths were reported in Melaka, Perlis, Penang, Labuan and Putrajaya.A total of 5,755 new cases were reported yesterday, taking the overall total to 2,602,835. As of yesterday, there were 69,261 active Covid-19 cases reported and 5,082 recoveries.Eight more new clusters were reported, taking the total number of active clusters to 234.


Virus-hit Hong Kong invokes emergency powers to allow in China medics

Hong Kong’s government invoked emergency powers on Thursday to allow doctors and nurses from the Chinese mainland to practice in the financial hub as it struggles to tackle a spiralling coronavirus outbreak.“The Regulation will provide a legal framework for the CPG (Central People’s Government) to render the necessary emergent support to Hong Kong in a more effective and expeditious manner,” the government said in a statement.The densely populated metropolis is in the throes of its worst-ever Covid wave, registering thousands of cases every day, overwhelming hospitals and the city’s requirement that all patients are isolated in dedicated units.Local authorities adopted a zero-Covid strategy similar to China to keep infections mostly at bay for some two years.But they were caught flat-footed when the highly infectious Omicron variant broke through those defences and have increasingly called on the Chinese mainland for help.“Hong Kong is now facing a very dire epidemic situation which continues to deteriorate rapidly,” the government said in its statement announcing the use of emergency powers.Chinese mainland medics are not currently allowed to operate in Hong Kong without passing local exams and licensing regulations.The emergency powers “exempt certain persons or projects from all relevant statutory requirements” to operate “so as to increase Hong Kong’s epidemic control capacity for containing the fifth wave within a short period of time,” the statement said.


Ukraine points finger of suspicion at Russia over massive cyberattack

Ukraine on Wednesday said Russia was likely behind the largest cyberattacks of their kind on the country, which downed the web portal of the defence ministry and disrupted banking and terminal services at large state-owned lenders.The Kremlin has denied involvement in the distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, which hit Ukraine at a time when the country is bracing itself for a possible invasion after Russia massed more than 100,000 troops near its borders in recent weeks.Ukraine has previously also accused Russia of launching cyberattacks to sow panic and crash its financial system.“Yesterday, on Feb 15, the largest DDoS attack in the history of Ukraine was carried out on government websites, on the banking sector,” Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in a joint briefing with senior officials.“This attack is unprecedented, it was prepared in advance. And the key goal of this attack is destabilisation, it is to sow panic, to do everything so that a certain chaos appears in our country.”llya Vityuk, Head of the Cybersecurity Department of the state security service (SBU), said it was too early to identify specific perpetrators.But he added: “And today we know that the only country that is interested in such… attacks on our state, especially against the backdrop of massive panic about a possible military invasion, the only country that is interested is the Russian Federation.”Fedorov said the attacks came from many places and involved IP addresses from Russia, China, Uzbekistan and the Czech Republic.A senior central bank official said the hackers had succeeded in disrupting services at PrivatBank, the country’s largest lender, but that the attacks did not cause any losses in the financial system. The hackers also targeted smaller banks in a second wave.The hackers had also tried to attack the SBU systems but failed to do so.


47.8% of population, 66.7% of adults fully vaccinated

Some 47.8% of the country’s population or 15,606,818 individuals had completed their Covid-19 vaccination as of yesterday, according to the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee.As of yesterday, 20,261,734 individuals or 62% had received a first dose, bringing the total number of vaccine doses dispensed under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 35,841,103.A total of 66.7% of the adult population had completed both doses of vaccine compared to 65.9% on Thursday.In terms of daily vaccination rate, 321,349 doses were administered yesterday, of which 177,518 were second doses and the remaining 143,831 first doses.


2020, an unprecedented year filled with unprecedented measures

If there is an epitaph for the year 2020, which is coming to a close, it would be something like this: “Unprecedentedness was everywhere. It reliably eluded comprehension; past and present lenses illuminated the familiar, thus obscuring the original by turning the unprecedented into an extension of the past, contributing to the normalisation of the abnormal, which made coming to terms and fighting the unprecedented even more of an uphill struggle.”All of the major twists and turns this year can be thus summarised: an unprecedented year requiring unprecedented measures, along with unprecedent changes in mindset to cope and survive.The year started with the unprecedented Covid-19 virus rearing its ugly head in China. From an epidemic there, it became a pandemic as more and more countries were infected and impacted by the lethal virus.When things got too hot to handle, words like “lockdown”, movement control order (MCO)”, “close contacts”, “contact tracing” and “social distancing” became household names.At the time Malaysia was first stricken with this virus in the early months of 2020, daily infections were in the region of one to two digits. By mid-February, it looked like the battle against the virus had been won when daily infections stayed at zero for a consecutive number of days.This led to complacency in the form of dithering over whether the country’s borders should be unprecedentedly closed. Politicking went on an unprecedented overdrive, resulting in a political crisis that ended up with a new government taking office.During the political crisis in late February which was precipitated by the Sheraton Move, no one in the government (or rather the government of one person in the form of an interim prime minister) monitored the huge religious gathering of the Jemaah Tabligh, which by the time the new government took office in March, had the Covid-19 virus in a second wave which brought daily infection numbers back to two-digit and much sooner, unprecedented three-digit figures.By the time the tabligh cluster had ended on July 8, with no new infections reported for 28 days, a total of 42,023 individuals from this cluster had been screened and 3,375 positive cases detected, accounting for 39% of the total number of positive Covid-19 cases in Malaysia then.In combating this unprecedented second wave of the Covid attack, the new government introduced unprecedented, bold moves: the complete closure of the country’s borders and the MCO which was put into effect on March 18 for two weeks, confining people to their homes. They were urged to go out only when necessary in an attempt to flatten the infection curve.The government also ensured that the health system would not be overwhelmed by converting hospitals into a battle-ready Covid-19 zone, creating more quarantine facilities and roping in more frontliners including retired nurses and doctors.Even though the MCO crippled the economy, costing as much as RM2.4 billion a day, there was a newfound unprecedented unity and solidarity among the rakyat in supporting the government in its fight against the deadly virus, as they saw that the government was doing its best to balance lives and livelihoods.There were no protests when houses of worship were closed during the MCO – a sharp contrast to the US and Europe where things like a lockdown and even SOPs for the use of masks were the subject of protests, further worsening the state of the global economy.On the economic front, despite the perfect storm of a slowing economy and the trade spat between the US and China which was already entrenched in late 2019, and the emergence of Covid-19, Malaysia was one of the few countries that managed to record an unprecedented positive GDP growth of 0.7% during the first quarter of the year.But with the MCO extended until early May, with only essential economic sectors allowed to operate, the stage was set for a deep GDP contraction of 17.1% during the second quarter.To cushion the impact on the people and ensure the survival of the economy, the government announced an unprecedented stimulus Prihatin package of RM250 billion in March – the biggest and most generous stimulus ever announced by the prime minister of Malaysia.An automatic moratorium of six months on loans for all beginning in April was given. This was followed by the stimulus package for SMEs amounting to RM10 billion which featured, among other things, a refined wage subsidy programme and incentives for companies to go the route of digitalisation as the new norm of doing business.On May 5, the economy was given a boost when the MCO morphed into the conditional MCO with the gradual reopening of the economy. Finally, when daily infections were back to two- and one-digit figures in early June, the recovery MCO was introduced on June 10 where more sectors of the economy were opened up.Things seemed to be a bit rosy by early September when the rise in unemployment was arrested throughout the months of May up to September and the manufacturing production index exceeded 50% for much of June up to September, culminating in a contraction of GDP for the third quarter to a much smaller 2.7%.Things, however, started to unravel in late September when politicking reared its ugly head, causing political instability, first through a power grab that led to a snap state election being called in Sabah. At the federal level, it was opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim playing the numbers game by claiming the government had fallen because he had a formidable and convincing parliamentary majority with statutory declarations of support allegedly signed by some MPs to become the prime minister.The fallout from the Sabah state election was the emergence of a third wave of Covid-19 infections beginning in late September which still bedevils the nation today with daily infections in the region of four-digit figures and cumulative infections breaching the 100,000 mark as of last week.This third wave also features higher daily infections in some states, particularly Sabah, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, causing a benign conditional MCO to be reimposed which costs the country about RM300 million a day.Things came to a critical head when the government decided to advise the king to declare a national emergency which was rejected by the king who in turn commanded the rakyat to cast aside their differences and help the government in its fight against Covid-19 for the recovery of the economy, and for parliamentarians to pass Budget 2021.Meanwhile at the economic level, the stimulus pertaining to moratorium and wage subsidies came to an end by September and there was concern that this would result in more suffering for the rakyat. This led Emir Research and many others to urge the government to practise the economics of empathy at this unprecedented time by extending the moratorium and wage subsidy for another three to six months with immediate effect.This became highly politicised when, in anticipation of Budget 2021, political parties joined in the chorus asking for an extension of the moratorium and wage subsidy with a new demand for a lump sum of EPF money to be allowed to be withdrawn without any conditions as a prerequisite for their support of Budget 2021.But the government dithered on all these suggestions and instead decided to put them all together under Budget 2021 as a sign of a bipartisan budget, which meant that implementation would only be done next year, if the budget was passed.As the presentation of Budget 2021 on Nov 6 approached, politicking went on an unprecedentedly fever-pitched level, resulting in a downgrading of Malaysia’s sovereign debt by Fitch Ratings from A- to BBB+.When Budget 2021 was finally passed along partisan line on Dec 15, the country finally breathed a sigh of relief, putting the opposition in a defensive position.A postscript to the year came when it was announced that Malaysia would get its Covid-19 vaccins sin February. But this still generated mild politicking in the form of questions as to why the country would be receiving its vaccines two months later than neighbouring Singapore.Jamari Mohtar is director of media & communications 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.


Thai PM revokes emergency decree despite protests

Thailand’s premier on Thursday revoked an emergency decree that had been intended to quell pro-democracy rallies despite it failing to stamp out daily protests demanding he resign and for reforms of the unassailable monarchy.The student-led pro-democracy movement has been gaining momentum since mid-July, with mostly young demonstrators calling for Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha’s removal and a rewrite of a 2017 military-scripted constitution.Some protest leaders have also issued controversial demands to reform the ultra-powerful and wealthy monarchy, whose influence permeates every aspect of Thai society.The “severe” emergency measures were imposed last week after anti-government protesters flashed a three-finger salute to a royal motorcade – an unprecedented challenge to the monarchy.But the ban on gatherings of more than four people failed to discourage tens of thousands of demonstrators who amassed daily around major Bangkok intersections to call for Prayut to step down.The former military chief – who masterminded the 2014 coup and has held onto power since – had indicated late Wednesday he was preparing to lift the state of severe emergency as part of a move to defuse tensions.Prayut said in a televised address Wednesday that the country must “step back from the edge of the slippery slope that can easily slide to chaos”.He had earlier also called for an extraordinary session of parliament to discuss the crisis. That session will be held on Monday.However a government statement announcing the withdrawal of the emergency measures on Thursday said the decision was because the political situation had improved.“The severe state of emergency has decreased and ended into a situation in which government officials and state agencies can enforce the regular laws,” it said.“All conditions set under the severe state of emergency have been stopped.”The measures had also given the police carte-blanche to arrest protesters and seize electronic materials believed to threaten national security.Prayut’s apparent concession came after authorities deployed water cannon on Friday, firing chemical-laced water at unarmed protesters in Bangkok’s central shopping district.Police justified it as following “international standards”, but the tactics drew criticisms across Thai society and have not been repeated.Scores of activists have also been arrested over the past week, many of them prominent faces of the movement.‘Just a game’Revoking the emergency decree was “just a game” for the authorities to buy time and reduce tensions, according to political analyst Titipol Phakdeewanich.“This action has no significant meaning,” said Titipol, adding that the severe measures should not have been imposed to begin with.“People have the right to protest,” he said, adding that this was enshrined in the Thai constitution.Rally organisers had been able to defy the ban by announcing different venues an hour before gathering daily – outsmarting authorities who tried shutting down public transport lines to discourage protesters.Wednesday’s demonstration at Bangkok’s Victory Monument drew thousands who marched to Government House.One leader Passalawaree “Mind” Thanakitwibulpol – who had handed authorities a “resignation letter” for the premier – was later arrested and charged with breaking emergency measures before being released on bail Thursday morning.“They chose to arrest me at night after the protest, and in a small dark soi (alley),” she told reporters as she left the court. “This is inappropriate.”The government had also ordered the shutdown of Voice TV this week, a local media outlet partly owned by exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, over its coverage of the rallies.But Bangkok’s Criminal Court revoked the ban on Wednesday, saying: “the people’s freedom of communication must be protected”.Thailand has seen more than a dozen coups since the end of royal absolutism in 1932, the latest in 2014.Its arch-royalist army, which positions itself as a protector of the monarchy, claims that such interventions are necessary to protect the king.


Accommodation for over 90% of foreign workers not in line with regulations

Some 91.1% or 1.4 million foreign workers in the country are provided with accommodation that does not meet provisions in the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 or Act 446.Human Resources Minister M Saravanan said he found the statistics “very worrying”, especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.“The government had received applications for certificates of accommodation for only 143,587 or 8.89% of the 1.6 million foreign workers in the country as of Oct 31.“This situation clearly shows that employers and providers of centralised accommodation for 1.4 million foreign workers in Malaysia still fail to apply for the certificate from the Department of Manpower Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM),” he said at a press conference today, also attended by Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob.Saravanan said Act 446 would be continuously enforced with action taken against errant employers.“Since the enforcement of Act 446 on Sept 1, JTKSM has conducted 1,850 inspections involving 1,813 employers and 37 centralised accommodation providers throughout the peninsula and the Federal Territory of Labuan.“JTKSM is targeting 25,000 inspections by 2021,” he said.Ismail, who is also chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Workers, said the certificate of accommodation would be a pre-requisite for employers who intend to hire new foreign workers effective July 1 next year.“Before an employer makes an application to bring in foreign workers, the employer must obtain the certificate from the human resources ministry to enable the Malaysian Immigration Department to issue a visa.“This means, before foreign workers arrive in the country, employers are required to make available accommodation that complies with Act 446. Otherwise, the foreign workers are (regarded as) illegal immigrants,” he said.Ismail also reminded employers that Act 446 covers local workers as well.“The focus of Act 446 at the moment is on foreign workers due to high number of Covid-19 cases involving them,” he added.


New Year sees US hit 20 million Covid-19 cases

The US marked the New Year on Friday by passing the extraordinary milestone of 20 million Covid-19 cases, after global celebrations welcoming in 2021 were largely muted by the pandemic.The US has floundered in its efforts to quell the virus, which is spreading rapidly across the country and has already caused over 346,000 deaths – by far the highest national death toll.Worldwide hopes that Covid-19 vaccines will bring a rapid end to the pandemic in 2021 have been shaken by the slow start to the US vaccination programme, which has been beset by logistical problems and overstretched hospitals.Nearly 2.8 million people in the US have already received their first jabs, but the figure fell well behind the 20 million inoculations that President Donald Trump’s administration promised by the end of 2020.The desperate race to vaccinate is set to dominate the coming year, with the coronavirus already killing at least 1.8 million people since emerging in China in December 2019, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP.German firm BioNTech said Friday it was racing to ramp up production of its Covid-19 jab to fill a shortage left by the lack of other approved vaccines in Europe.Countries including Britain, Canada and the US approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine earlier, and have since also given the green light to jabs by US firm Moderna or Oxford-AstraZeneca.“The current situation is not rosy, there’s a hole because there’s an absence of other approved vaccines and we have to fill this gap,” BioNTech co-founder Ugur Sahin told Der Spiegel weekly.Waiting for the vaccineCriticism of the slow pace of the vaccine rollout has grown louder in recent days.In Germany, senior doctors have complained that hospital staff are left waiting for vaccines despite being in a priority group.France has seen similar complaints, prompting the government to announce that health workers aged over 50 could get the shot from Monday – sooner than originally planned.The French government on Friday announced that a nationwide nighttime curfew would be lengthened in 15 regions where infections are high. The curfew will begin at 6pm rather than 8pm, including in the Mediterranean city of Nice.“The virus is continuing to spread… but with a disparity between regions,” said a French government spokesman, confirming that theaters, cinemas and concert halls would not be able to reopen on Jan 7, the most recent earliest date given.Also in France, some 2,500 partygoers attended an illegal New Year rave near Rennes, clashing with police who tried to stop it, authorities said.But worldwide, normally extravagant midnight celebrations in cities such as Sydney, New York, Rio de Janeiro and Edinburgh were scaled back or cancelled, and crowds banned from attending.Rio saw one upside: 89% less garbage on Copacabana beach, which is left clogged with trash each year after its New Year party.“We were ready for any scenario. But congratulations to the people of Rio, who listened to the authorities’ calls to avoid large crowds and stay home,” said municipal sanitation chief Flavio Lopes.Post-holiday surgeTravelers braving trains between London and Paris on the first day after Britain’s exit from the EU customs union experienced additional checks but appeared more worried by the extra rules required for travel due to Covid-19.“I wasn’t supposed to be home for the holidays but there was an emergency. I bought my ticket at the last minute, with a test (for Covid-19) costing £200 (US$270),” said Stephanie Bapes, a 35-year-old Frenchwoman who lives in London.Britain said Thursday that it had vaccinated almost 950,000 people, as a surge in coronavirus cases prompted the reopening of field hospitals.Experts believe the worst is yet to come globally, predicting a sharp rise in cases and deaths after weeks of holiday gatherings.According to Johns Hopkins University, the US hit a record number of daily deaths on Wednesday when more than 3,900 people died of Covid-19.President-elect Joe Biden, who takes office on Jan 20, has criticised the troubled vaccine rollout, and implored Americans to wear masks.Under Trump, US authorities have given often mixed messages on mask-wearing, social distancing and shutdowns, and the outgoing president has repeatedly downplayed the risks.But in his New Year’s Eve message, Trump hailed his administration’s response, saying “our most vulnerable citizens are already receiving the vaccine, and millions of doses are quickly being shipped all across our country”.The World Health Organization on Thursday granted emergency validation to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, paving the way for countries worldwide to quickly approve its import and distribution.


Selangor water flowing again for now, but illegal factories still dumping

The latest water disruption in the Klang Valley and Selangor began on Oct 19, and has now been brought to an end but many questions remain.For consumers, the questions all boil down to this: How will future disruptions be prevented and what enforcement measures are in the pipeline to deal with the perpetrators?Earlier this week, Selangor state executive councillor Hee Loy Sian said a proposal to increase penalties for operators of illegal factories which pollute rivers with waste and organic compounds will be tabled next month.Hee said that under Section 25(1) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, the current maximum fine for polluters is RM100,000 or a jail term, and it is proposed to increase that to between RM200,000 and RM1 million, and a jail term.According to Meenakshi Raman, honorary secretary of environmental NGO Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM), more needs to be done in terms of enforcement as fines may be just a slap on the wrist to these environmental criminals.She said even a mandatory jail sentence like SAM has been proposing in order to send a message to them would probably not be a sufficient deterrent.“Polluting our rivers has been going on for a long time and environmental crimes like that should be treated seriously, even as seriously as committing murder,” she said.“The issue of river pollution has been discussed, probed and investigated for more than a decade. It has been a ticking time bomb for years and the severity of the problem is just becoming apparent now,” she said. “We need proper monitoring and enforcement. If there is a shortage of resources for monitoring, then beef up the capacity and have more modern equipment on the ground.”She indicated that SAM is pleased that the environment and water ministry is now considering this kind of pollution as an environmental crime and is working with the police on the matter.“That really is a step in the right direction as it is critical to learn from these incidents and take all measures necessary. Policing is key,” she told MalaysiaNow.Earlier, minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said although DoE officials operate for 24 hours every day, it is impossible to monitor the entire river at all times, especially as river pollution is often perpetrated after midnight.“We will increase staff and work with the police. We are also requesting allocations to add equipment and early warning systems as well as improving monitoring and plant systems,” he said.Hee meanwhile said that the state government will be using high-tech drones to monitor pollution in affected rivers. He added that RM2 million has been allocated for the drones, which will be used to ensure that water samples can be taken more effectively and more accurately.“The drones will be able to fly over remote areas,” he said. “We’ll be using them from next month to overcome this problem.”Rosli Omar, an environmentalist from NGO Treat Every Environment Special, which focuses on conservation of natural resources, said that even during the building of Sungai Selangor dam in the late 1990s, pollution was a disaster waiting to happen.“The water intake from the dam for treatment is too far away, below another river that joins the dam, passing many vulnerable industrial and agricultural areas,” said Rosli, who at that time was with an NGO studying and protesting against the building of the dam.“If the intake were above the Rawang river complex there would be no problem.”


‘Gentleman’ Muhyiddin earns praise for putting people first

A political analyst has described Muhyiddin Yassin’s move to resign at the peak of the country’s political turmoil as the act of a “gentleman”, commending him for not clinging to power after losing his majority support in Parliament.Ahmad Marthada Mohamed of Universiti Utara Malaysia said this was in the wake of criticism by several politicians who had said Muhyiddin was willing to hang on to power despite no longer possessing the support of the majority.“The people should appreciate his decision to resign as he placed their interests above his own,” Marthada told MalaysiaNow.Muhyiddin, the Pagoh MP, submitted his resignation to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong during an audience with the king at Istana Negara yesterday.This came after 15 MPs from Umno led by their president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former prime minister Najib Razak withdrew their support for Muhyiddin and his Perikatan Nasional government.Muhyiddin later said in a speech explaining his resignation that he would never interfere in the running of the judiciary to save politicians who are facing multiple corruption charges.Without the support of the Umno MPs, Muhyiddin was left with the backing of 100 MPs while 120 opposed him.However, the question remains of which MP possesses enough support in Parliament to form a new government.Marthada said Muhyiddin’s speech yesterday could be seen as a form of preparation for the 15th general election.“I believe the best solution would be to have an election to prevent instability in the government after this,” he said, but admitted that the pandemic did not allow this option at the moment.Seasoned analyst Jeniri Amir said Muhyiddin’s speech was a message to the people of the challenges and difficulties of administering the country during the Covid-19 crisis.“In my opinion, Muhyiddin’s government was not the worst, neither was it the best,” he told MalaysiaNow.“He was faced with many challenges including Covid-19 and the whims of some non-functioning ministers.”He noted how Muhyiddin’s government had managed to boost Malaysia’s rate of vaccination against Covid-19, which is currently ranked among the fastest in the world.Muhyiddin had previously said that he would face a vote of confidence in the Dewan Rakyat during the September sitting of the lower house.An offer of a cross-party consensus in exchange for support was rejected by the opposition, who hailed his resignation as in line with the constitution.Adib Zalkapli, director of Bower Group Asia, said Muhyiddin’s resignation had saved his political legacy.“He reminded the people about the situation when he was sacked in 2015, which was a watershed moment not only in his political career but also for the political landscape of the country,” he said.Muhyiddin was appointed as prime minister on March 1, 2020 following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in February, after a series of audiences by MPs with the Agong to determine who had the majority support to form the government.He will function as a caretaker prime minister until the appointment of a new leader who commands the majority support in Parliament.


Putrajaya warns of RM100,000 compound for companies breaching SOPs

Putrajaya today hinted at heavier punishments through the use of emergency powers for offences related to health SOPs, saying the Attorney-General’s Chambers is studying the proposal.Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this could mean a manifold increase in compounds.“Compounds on companies could be increased from RM1,000 to even RM100,000,” he said.He said once the AG gives the green light, the higher compounds would take effect immediately.The state of emergency declared last week gives authorities the power to come up with new laws to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.Ismail said the current laws to punish those breaching SOPs were too mild.“We find that one of the reasons for the failure to comply is due to the low fines.”He cited as example the RM1,000 compound under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act for those breaching SOPs including businesses operating beyond permitted hours during the MCO.“Many regard RM1,000 as too low for companies and businesses.“We gave a RM1,000 compound to a company for breaching SOPs which resulted in its workers testing positive for the virus. People then expressed anger because the compound was too low. But this was something unavoidable as it was based on the law.“But under the emergency, we could raise the compound,” he said.


PN support came from youth with low education levels and income, says PH

A Pakatan Harapan (PH) minister has said that the youth who voted for Perikatan Nasional (PN) at last year's general election lacked higher education and a steady income.
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this was shown in a study conducted by PH after the Nov 19, 2022 polls.
The PH secretary-general also said that young voters with a stable income and higher education were more likely to support the coalition led by Anwar Ibrahim.
"We found that the higher their education and more stable their income, the more likely they were to vote for us," he said.
"Meanwhile those with lower education levels and an uncertain income who ride on motorcycles here and there voted for PN.
"This is what the data showed," Saifuddin added in a speech at the Perak PH convention for 2023 in Sungai Petani on Feb 25.
Saifuddin was one of several PKR leaders who failed to defend their seats at the last general election.
He was appointed as a senator after losing his Kulim Bandar Baharu seat, as well as home minister under the coalition government led by PH and Barisan Nasional (BN).
PAS won 49 parliamentary seats at the election, including six under the Bersatu flag, making it the dominant Malay party with nearly 43% of Malay constituencies compared to Umno (23%) and PKR (11%).
Saifuddin said PH had also obtained data for these findings from the Election Commission, Department of Statistics and Malaysian Companies Commission.
"We covered all 222 parliamentary seats," he said. "Everything was analysed.
"And we saw several trends at the national level, but not in Kedah, including the fact that the higher the people's income and the more densely populated the area, the more voters supported PH."


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Chinese hackers stole millions worth of US Covid relief money, Secret Service says

Chinese hackers have stolen tens of millions of dollars worth of US Covid relief benefits since 2020, the Secret Service said on Monday.
The Secret Service declined to provide any additional details but confirmed a report by NBC News that said the Chinese hacking team that is reportedly responsible is known within the security research community as APT41 or Winnti.
APT41 is a prolific cybercriminal group that had conducted a mix of government-backed cyber intrusions and financially motivated data breaches, according to experts.
Several members of the hacking group were indicted in 2019 and 2020 by the US Justice Department for spying on over 100 companies, including software development companies, telecommunications providers, social media firms, and video game developers.
"Regrettably, the Chinese Communist Party has chosen a different path of making China safe for cybercriminals so long as they attack computers outside China and steal intellectual property helpful to China," former Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen said at the time.
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


Incorrect to say Najib had direct control over 1MDB, lawyer says in forfeiture suit

The High Court was today told that it was incorrect for the prosecution to say that former prime minister Najib Razak had direct control over 1MDB to exercise his power which allegedly caused the money from the sovereign wealth fund to flow into his personal bank accounts.Lawyer Tania Scivetti, representing Najib, said based on the affidavits of senior assistant commissioner R Rajagopal and superintendent Foo Wei Min regarding the alleged money trail involving funds going from 1MDB into the Pekan MP’s account, there was no documentary evidence that the money flowed into his account due to his (Najib’s) instruction.“Rajagopal has wrongly interpreted Article 117 of the Memorandum and Articles of Association (M&A) wherein he averred that all business decisions made by the 1MBD board of directors having financial implications must be referred to and approved by Najib.“He also does not exhibit any written approval where Najib had exercised his power pursuant to Article 117 of the M&A, nor he does state that the former prime minister had invoked his power under Article 117(c) of the memorandum (to cause the money movement),” said Scivetti.She said this during her submission in the government-linked forfeiture suit against Najib and 17 others before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.Scivetti further argued that the affidavits by the two investigating officers merely disclosed the movement of money deposited into and transferred out of Najib’s account, and that the mere setting out of the movement of money was not enough to prove that the seized properties were from unlawful activity.“Foo, in his affidavit, avers that during investigations, he applied the first in, first out (Fifo) method on Najib’s Ambank account number ending with 9694 and found that apart from utilising it for personal use, Najib had utilised and transferred the funds into his own Ambank account number ending with 1880, 32 political parties, 131 companies and 60 individuals.“Again, there is no evidence of the alleged movement of money from 1MDB into any purported accounts of Good Star Ltd, Aabar Investments PJS and Tanore Finance Corp to even warrant Foo to do a Fifo analysis,” she said.Citing Foo’s affidavit, Scivetti also contended that there was no nexus between the alleged 1MDB funds in Najib’s Ambank accounts and the seized luxury watches and jewellery.“Foo said based on his investigation, the foreign companies had transferred the funds allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB to the account of several foreign companies and this illegal money was then utilised for the purchase of luxury handbags and watches.“But there was no evidence furnished by Foo to show the link between the watches and the funds allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB. Likewise, there were no receipts to link the seized watches and jewellery with the bank statement by Foo. Therefore, there is no evidence at all before this court that the seized properties were proceeds of unlawful activity,” she said, urging for the dismissal of the forfeiture application.The hearing before Zaini will resume on May 7.On May 8, 2019, the Attorney-General’s Chambers filed a notice of forfeiture over hundreds of items including branded handbags and 27 vehicles seized from Najib, Rosmah, their three children and 13 individuals and companies, said to be linked to 1MDB.Money amounting to more than RM18 million in several accounts at Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd, Al-Rajhi Bank Bhd, Malayan Banking Bhd, CIMB Bank Bhd, RHB Bank Bhd, Public Bank Bhd, AmBank Bhd and Hong Leong Bank Bhd was also frozen between Aug 16, 2018, and March 11, 2019.The application named Najib as the first respondent followed by Rosmah, Riza Aziz, Nor Ashman Razak Mohd Najib, Nooryana Najwa Mohd Najib, Mohd Kyizzad Mesran, Senijauhar Sdn Bhd, Aiman Ruslan, Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia, Yayasan Semesta, Yayasan Mustika Kasih, Rembulan Kembara Sdn Bhd, Goh Gaik Ewe, Ng, Lim, Kee Kok Thiam, Tan Vern Tact and Geh Choh Hun as the second to 18th respondents.The application was filed on grounds that the prosecution, acting under Section 56 (1) read together with Section 376 of the Criminal Procedure Code, was satisfied that the items seized between May 17, 2018, and March 11, 2019, were related to an offence under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 or the result of illegal activities involving the respondents.


No targeted EPF withdrawals, Rafizi says

The government has an obligation to protect the people, especially those at risk such as Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contributors who do not have enough savings for their old age, says Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli.
He said this was why the government was not allowing targeted EPF withdrawals, adding that even though withdrawals were seen as an initiative that does not involve the government’s money or efforts, withdrawing from the EPF would reduce the people’s savings for retirement.
He said shrinking funds would limit the EPF’s ability to diversify and strengthen its investment strategy to obtain better profits.
"This will have an impact on other contributors even if they do not withdraw their EPF contributions because if the overall return is low, then other contributors will also bear the impact," he said in a video on Instagram yesterday.
Rafizi said the government wanted to increase people's contributions and savings for their old age instead of allowing withdrawals as demanded by some contributors, adding that the government had opted for a way that benefits all parties instead of a shortcut that would create problems for future leaders to solve.
He was responding to the walkout by opposition MPs during the Dewan Rakyat sitting yesterday, when the motion to debate the issue of targeted EPF withdrawals was rejected.


Investigation ongoing into doctor’s death, says health ministry

Members of the public have been told to refrain from speculating over the death of health ministry senior principal assistant director Dr Chai Koh Meow yesterday until the official results of the post-mortem are out.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said Chai completed his Covid-19 booster dose on Nov 9, and did not report any extraordinary side effects after receiving the vaccination.He said Chai was also present for duty as usual until Nov 16.Noor Hisham said an investigation into the cause of death is ongoing, and that the ministry is seeking the cooperation of the people to respect the privacy of Chai’s family.“Condolences to all family members of Dr Chai Koh Meow on his demise on Nov 17,” he said in a statement on Facebook.Noor Hisham also said the late doctor who was a senior principal assistant director at the ministry headquarters, was also well liked by his colleagues, the local community as well as the traditional and complementary medicine fraternity.“The health ministry regrets the demise of one of its committed and dedicated officers,” he said.


Wuhan bustles a year after world’s first Covid lockdown

Barriers still enclose Wuhan’s notorious seafood market – one of the few immediate reminders the city was once the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic that has transformed the world.Otherwise, the new normal in the central Chinese city of 11 million is much like the old reality; cars buzz down highways, sidewalks bustle with shoppers, and public transport and parks are busy.On Saturday, the city where Covid-19 was first detected in late 2019 marks one year since it was locked down to crush the outbreak.It was the first – and one of the most severe – coronavirus quarantines in the world, with transport to and from the city sealed off on Jan 23.Seventy-six days of fear and panic followed before the virus scourge was brought under control.Today, hospitals and pharmacies are empty of Covid-19 patients, the panic-slicked days of last year banished.The city has bounced back and is eager to move on from being known as ground zero of the deadly virus.No official commemorations of Wuhan’s first lockdown are planned.But vestiges of that nightmarish period are still visible.The boards blocking off the Huanan seafood market in the centre of the city serve as an eerie marker of the first known cluster of cases before the virus billowed out of control, spilling beyond China’s borders and claiming more than two million lives across the world.And while the streets are full again, protective face masks remain a common sight – a reminder of tight measures still in place across much of the country as fears rise over a number of local outbreaks.China had largely brought the virus under control until a sharp uptick in cases in the past few weeks, which prompted fresh lockdowns, travel restrictions and multiple rounds of mass testing.After a handful of cases were detected in Beijing in recent days, authorities banned 1.6 million residents from leaving the capital.


Education ministry to review rules on school admissions

The education ministry is looking at amending the rules on school admissions to ensure that children, including non-citizens and those undocumented, have access to education.
Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the amendment to the Education Regulations (Admission of Pupils to School, Register Keeping and Conditions for Retaining Pupils at School) 1998 would apply to admission to government and government-aided schools.
"The amendment will ensure that children in this country have access to education, guided by the existing laws, without compromising the country's sovereignty and constitution.
"It includes non-citizen children, those with undetermined citizenship status and children without identification documents who were previously not included under the regulation," she said when winding up the debate on the annual Human Rights Commission of Malaysia report for her ministry in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Fadhlina said the ministry was also in the midst of looking for ways to enable refugee children to enrol at schools through the amendment. Meanwhile, Fadhlina said the education ministry would not tolerate and had always been proactive in dealing with the spread of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ideology in schools.
She said  various cross-ministerial programmes related to education on sexual and reproductive health awareness had been implemented.


In JB, 264 fined RM1,000 for flouting RMCO

A total of 264 people have been given RM1,000 compounds for flouting the recovery movement control order (RMCO) by socialising at entertainment centres around the city and in the Kulai district.Johor Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department chief ACP Mohd Afzanizam Yahaya said they were part of 295 people inspected in four raids carried out at at several entertainment centres over the weekend.In the 11pm raid on Saturday, 152 people who were found socialising at an entertainment centre in the city were inspected. Three of them, aged 23 to 36, tested positive for drugs.“Also detained was a 32-year-old man who claimed to be the owner of the premises, who failed to comply with the terms of the business licence by selling and serving alcoholic beverages, apart from not practising physical distancing and non-compliance with the SOPs set for business,” he said in a statement yesterday.He said three other raids were carried out yesterday at entertainment premises around the city and in Kulai, in which 143 people were inspected.“The raids were carried out simultaneously from 12.30am until 8.30am on Sunday and the results of urine tests found that 31 individuals, aged 17 to 56, tested positive for drugs,” he said.


Bringing Malaysia's museums out from the past

At Muzium Negara in Jalan Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, the parking lot begins to fill even before the museum opens to the public at 10am.
Families emerge from their cars and the line at the ticket counter slowly grows as parents queue to pay for entrance for them and their children.
Inside, there is a quiet hum of voices as visitors discuss the exhibitions on display.
Some explain the life of prehistoric humans to their children while here and there, a toddler cries in fright at the figures encased in glass.
For many families, the visit to the museum is a new experience. For others, though, the exhibitions are a familiar sight.

Visitors examine a replica of the famous Borobudur Temple in Central Java, Indonesia.

"It's all the same as when I came here eight years ago," a man tells his two granddaughters. "There's nothing new."
His disappointment continues as they make their way to the gallery devoted to the colonial era.
"This is the story of the colonial ships, not our own people," he says.
There are about 128 museums and galleries throughout the country under the Department of Museums Malaysia, mostly in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Kedah.
Together, they tell the story of prehistoric and early civilisation, the colonial era, independence and post-independence in Malaysia.
They also cover cultural aspects such as art, food and Malaysian traditions.
But despite the weekend crowds at the national museum, the extent to which such institutions help Malaysians appreciate the country's history remains in question.
Past glories
Muzium Negara in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur was officially opened on Aug 31, 1963.
Patterned after the design of classic Malay palaces, it was once a tremendous tourist draw for both local and international visitors.

Visitors make their way up the steps at the entrance of Muzium Negara in Kuala Lumpur.

At that time, curators were also active in organising unique exhibitions to showcase distinctive collections of art.
This, according to historian Ahmad Murad Merican, is part of the role of museums to educate civil society about history and culture.
Murad, of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization, said museums are not just for displaying historical artefacts like textbooks and history books.
On the contrary, he said, the narrative they present must be appropriate and in line with the memories of a particular society.
"One of the shortcomings of museums in Malaysia is that the descriptions provided are not accurate," he said.
"Sometimes the language is incorrect, and sometimes there is no description at all.
"Museums are not just exhibition halls – they are alternative channels for the community to study history, events and ideas about a community and a country as a whole."
Such efforts need not be limited to inanimate objects and paintings, he added. Museums can also utilise a variety of media to tap into taste and even smell in order to tell a story.
Reading materials such as books and magazines can also be provided for purchase, to provide a more in-depth understanding of a particular theme or aspect of history, he said.

Visitors stroll through the Colonial Era Gallery which features a replica of Kota A Famosa, a Portuguese fortress built in Melaka in the 1500s.

"Talks should also be held on topics of interest," he said. "This is something that can be done throughout the year.
"And guided tours should be offered so that visitors can benefit from information and explanations."
New narrative
Like many other institutions during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, museums experienced a sharp drop of more than 70% in number of visitors.
But even before the onset of Covid-19 and the subsequent closure of the social sector, visitor data for museums was not encouraging.
Murad, who specialises in social and intellectual research, said the narrative of history offered at museums is in need of a revamp.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he cited gaps and problems including the unchanging tone which brings nothing new to the narrative found in history textbooks in schools.
Echoing the observations of the grandfather at Muzium Negara, he said there was nothing new at the galleries and exhibitions.
He suggested that new concepts be introduced, to provide a more accurate depiction of the country's culture and institutions.
He also spoke of a need to decolonise the national narrative, and to tell the history of Malaysia from a local perspective.


Khairy denies signing Umno letter of pledge

Barisan Nasional's (BN) candidate for the Sungai Buloh parliamentary seat, Khairy Jamaluddin, today said he had not signed any letter of pledge with the Umno letterhead.
He said he had signed a letter with the BN letterhead as a candidate for the 15th general election (GE15).
"I signed a pledge that has the four party logos (under BN), loyalty to the party. It had the BN letterhead, that's what I signed.
"I did not sign any pledge with the Umno letterhead as was viralled," he told reporters in Sungai Buloh today.
He said this when asked about a letter of pledge with the Umno letterhead allegedly signed by him, which has gone viral, backing Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as prime minister if BN wins GE15.
Khairy, the health minister, also reiterated that BN's candidate for the 10th prime minister is Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
"The PM candidate is Ismail. Full stop. That is BN's position as announced by the Umno president himself," he added.


US woman finds US$36,000 stuffed in free sofa

A California woman found US$36,000 stuffed in the cushions of a free couch she snagged on Craigslist – and gave the money right back.Vicky Umodu needed to furnish her new home cheaply and could not believe her luck when she found a sofa set being given away.“I just moved in, and I don’t have anything in my house,” she told ABC7 from her home in Colton, near Los Angeles this week.“I was so excited, so we picked it up and brought it in.”But it turned out there was a whole lot more to the giveaway than met the eye.The lump she found inside one of the cushions turned out to be several envelopes filled with cash – thousands of dollars’ worth.“I was just telling my son, come, come, come! I was screaming, this is money! I need to call the guy.”Umodu called the people who had given her the couch, told them of the bonanza, and returned the cash.The family, who were clearing out the home of a loved one who had recently died, said they had no idea where all the money had come from.By way of thanking her, the family gifted a surprised Umodu more than US$2,000 – enough to buy the refrigerator she needs for her new home.“I was not expecting a dime,” she said.


Shanghai targets June Covid lockdown exit as China economy slumps

Shanghai set out plans on Monday for the end of a painful Covid-19 lockdown that has lasted more than six weeks, heavily bruising China’s economy, and for the return of more normal life from June 1.In the clearest timetable yet, Deputy Mayor Zong Ming said Shanghai would reopen in stages, with movement curbs largely to remain in place until May 21 to prevent a rebound in infections, before an easing.“From June 1 to mid- and late June, as long as risks of a rebound in infections are controlled, we will fully implement epidemic prevention and control, normalise management, and fully restore normal production and life in the city,” she said.But the announcement was met with scepticism by some Shanghai residents, who have repeatedly been disappointed by shifting schedules for the lifting of restrictions.“Shanghai, Shanghai… am I still supposed to believe you?” one member of the public said on the Weibo social media platform.The full lockdown of Shanghai and Covid curbs on hundreds of millions of consumers and workers in dozens of China’s cities have inflicted economic pain across a range of sectors, adding to fears the economy could shrink in the second quarter.The restrictions, increasingly out of step with the rest of the world, which has been lifting Covid rules even as infections spread, are also sending shockwaves through global supply chains and international trade.Data on Monday showed China’s industrial output and retail sales fell in April at the fastest in more than two years, missing expectations.Recent data has been bleak: catering revenue sank 22.7%, property sales by value slumped 46.6% and auto sales crashed 47.6%.In Shanghai, China’s most populous city of 25 million people, no cars were sold last month, data showed, with dealerships shut. China Eastern Airlines, which is based in the city, said passenger numbers collapsed 90.7% in April year on year.Chinese economic activity has probably been improving somewhat in May, analysts say, and the government and central bank are expected to deploy more stimulus measures to speed things up.But the strength and durability of a rebound are uncertain given China’s uncompromising “zero Covid” policy.“The data paint a picture of a stalling economy and one in need of more aggressive stimulus and a rapid easing of Covid restrictions, neither of which are likely to be forthcoming anytime soon,” TD Securities analyst Mitul Kotecha said.The data overshadowed Shanghai’s reopening plans, sending Chinese stocks lower. Read full storyIn Beijing, the discovery of dozens of new Covid cases every day for the past three weeks shows how difficult it is to eliminate even small outbreaks.The capital has not imposed a city-wide shutdown but has tightened curbs to the point that its road traffic levels last week were similar to those in locked-down Shanghai, according to data tracked by Chinese internet giant Baidu.Dine-in services are banned, public transport curtailed and many residents have been advised to work from home.A woman surnamed Zhang, who runs a shop selling jianbing pancakes, a popular street food, outside one of Beijing’s shuttered subway stations, said her daily turnover had dropped from 2,000-3,000 yuan (US$737) to just 100-200 yuan (US$29).“Don’t we still have to pay the rent as usual? You see many small businesses have closed down,” she told Reuters from her empty, dimly lit store on Monday.‘Please don’t lie’In Shanghai, the deputy mayor said the city would begin to re-open supermarkets, convenience stores and pharmacies from Monday but that movement restrictions must remain in place until at least May 21.From Monday, operators will gradually restore train services and domestic flights, she said. From May 22, bus services will gradually resume but people will have to show a negative Covid test no older than 48 hours to take public transport.Throughout Shanghai’s lockdown, authorities have repeatedly dashed hopes for an end to the ordeal. Initially, lockdown was expected to only last until April 5 when it was introduced on March 27.Last week, many residential compounds received notices that they would be in “silent mode” for three days, which typically means not being able to leave the house and, in some cases, no deliveries. Another notice then said that the silent period would be extended to May 20.“Please don’t be lying to us this time” another Weibo user said, adding a crying emoji.Shanghai reported fewer than 1,000 new cases for May 15, all inside areas under the strictest controls.In relatively freer areas, the ones monitored to gauge progress in eradicating the outbreak, no new cases were found for a second day in a row.A third day would usually mean “zero Covid” status has been achieved and restrictions can begin to ease. Fifteen of the city’s 16 districts had reached “zero Covid”.Beijing on Monday reported 54 cases for the previous day, up from 41 a day earlier.


Goodyear settles labour abuse claims with workers at Malaysian factory

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co has reached an agreement to settle a labour dispute at its Malaysian factory with migrant workers who alleged unpaid wages and benefits, the company and five former workers told Reuters.
Goodyear, one of the world's largest tyre makers, declined to say how much it paid out, but the workers said settlement agreements signed this year ranged from about RM50,000 (US$11,061.95) to RM200,000 (US$44,247.79) per worker depending on the length of their employment.
The workers, who requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak about the settlement, said the net compensation they received was less than that because of taxes and lawyer fees.
A total of 184 current and former workers from Nepal, India and Myanmar were part of several lawsuits filed against Goodyear in Malaysia's industrial court since 2019, claiming about RM5 million in compensation. The total settlement payment exceeded that claim.
Separately, the labour department also accused Goodyear of wrongful deductions and unlawful overtime, for which it fined Goodyear RM41,500 last year.
In an email, Goodyear said the settlement was in accordance with the terms of the court rulings and followed an outside accounting analysis of compensation.
The industrial court had ordered Goodyear to pay back wages to some workers and comply with a collective agreement over compensation. Goodyear had appealed the verdict but later began settlement talks.
"The company is pleased to have achieved an outcome that is agreeable to the workers," Goodyear said, adding it was committed to human rights and fair labour standards.
The company said it has completed a thorough review of the workers' concerns, including an independent audit of its labour practices. It did not reveal the results of the audit.
Its Malaysian unit has also parted ways with a vendor and a human resources manager involved in the matter, and strengthened its vendor evaluation process to ensure compliance with its values and policies, Goodyear added.
Aside from the settlement over the legal dispute, the workers said they also received RM10,000 each from Goodyear as compensation for recruitment fee they paid to agents in their home countries. Goodyear declined to comment.
Activists say the onerous fees typically result in debt bondage.
Malaysia has faced accusations from its own human resources ministry and authorities in the US of labour abuse at its factories, which rely on millions of migrant workers to manufacture everything from palm oil to medical gloves and iPhone components.
US government investigators have interviewed workers at Goodyear's Malaysia operations about their working and living conditions, Reuters reported last year. Homeland Security Investigations, whose agents spoke to the workers, declined to comment on ongoing investigations.
Goodyear is also being investigated by US Customs and Border Protection over its labour practices, according to Liberty Shared, a Hong Kong-based rights group that is assisting the workers and urged Customs to investigate.
US Customs can ban goods it deems to be made from "forced labour". It has already sanctioned several Malaysian companies.


19 dead, thousands seek shelter in South Asia monsoon floods

At least 19 people are dead after floods triggered by South Asia's annual monsoon, with a week of relentless rains forcing thousands of people to seek shelter in India.
Floods are common and cause widespread devastation during the treacherous monsoon season, but experts say climate change is increasing their frequency, ferocity and unpredictability.
The toll from flooding and landslides last weekend in Nepal had risen to 14 by Friday, with more than two dozen still missing, according to officials.
"Search and rescue teams are still on the ground," Dhruba Bahadur Khadka, a spokesman for the country's national disaster authority, told AFP on Friday.
Four others were killed after flooding in landslides in India's remote Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh near the Chinese border, disaster management authorities there said Thursday.
Authorities in neighbouring Assam state said one person had died in floodwaters by Thursday evening, with more than 1,300 villages inundated.
Around 14,000 people had left their homes for emergency shelters, Assam's disaster agency added.
Bangladesh is also on alert after forecasters warned of potential floods in northern districts bordering India.
At least 20,000 families had so far been affected by flooding in low-lying areas around the northern district of Kurigram, authorities said.
"The major rivers in the region are swelling," district administrator Mohammad Rezaul Karin told AFP. "The situation may worsen anytime if the flow from upstream increases."
The Asian summer monsoon is essentially a colossal sea breeze that brings South Asia 70-80% of its annual rainfall between June and September every year.
It is vital for agriculture and therefore for the livelihoods of millions of farmers and food security in a region of around two billion people.
But it also brings destruction every year in landslides and floods.
A 2021 study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research tracking shifts in the monsoon from the mid-20th century suggested it was becoming stronger and more erratic.
Last year catastrophic monsoon floods put a third of Pakistan under water, damaging two million homes and killing more than 1,700 people.
Bangladesh saw record flooding the same year that killed more than 100 people and cut off seven million others, with relief efforts continuing for months.


Argentina outclass Poland despite Messi penalty miss

Lionel Messi missed a first-half penalty but Argentina's Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez scored in a 2-0 victory over Poland at Stadium 974 on Wednesday as both teams booked their places in the knockout stages of the World Cup.
Argentina's victory propelled Lionel Scaloni's side to the top of Group C and they will face Australia in the last-16 while second-placed Poland, who qualified on goal difference after Mexico beat Saudi Arabia 2-1, take on reigning champions France.
Argentina took the lead just one minute into the second half when Mac Allister got on the end of Nahuel Molina's cross and, despite making weak contact, he saw his shot creep over the line with Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny beaten.
The goal was just reward for Argentina who had dominated possession while Poland had barely managed to get out of their own half, with the South American side's goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez a mere spectator for the majority of the game.
The second goal was the result of some patient buildup where Argentina knocked the ball around before Enzo Fernandez unlocked the defence with a through-ball for Alvarez, who found space in the box and smashed it into the top corner.
"We are satisfied with the match we played. It wasn't easy, it was a must-win match," Scaloni said.
"I think that we read the match very well, my players did a great job. They played very well and I'm very happy. Sometimes you're not happy, but today I am."
Controversial penalty
Poland were up in arms in the first half when Argentina were awarded a controversial penalty after a VAR check for a foul on Messi when Szczesny's glove brushed his face as the Paris St Germain forward rose up for a header at the far post.
But Szczesny was up to the task and despite the thousands of Argentina fans raising the decibel levels inside the arena, he kept his composure and guessed correctly, diving to his left and using one hand to swat aside Messi's effort from the spot.
Despite the miss, Messi ran the show for Argentina in a match where the two skippers represented Barcelona's past and present.
With a last-16 spot and potential elimination both on the cards in a close group, it was Barca's record goal scorer Messi who was at the heart of Argentina's attacks, dictating play by dropping deep and tormenting the Polish defence.
Poland's Robert Lewandowski, who has 18 goals in 19 games for Barca this season, did not have a single attempt on goal.
"He was very much involved and committed. I'm not attacking anyone in the team, but we didn't help him score," Poland coach Czeslaw Michniewicz said.
"If our team had a higher percentage of possession, if Messi played with us and Lewandowski played with Argentina, he would score five goals... Messi didn't score, did he?"
At the other end, Szczesny had been kept busy the entire half with the Poland defence breached time and again but the Juventus keeper stood firm to deny Argentina who grew more confident with every attack.
He first denied Alvarez when the Manchester City forward broke through the offside trap before he tipped Angel Di Maria's cross over the bar when his Juve team mate attempted to score directly from a corner kick.
'Dream come true'
But Szczesny could do nothing but scramble helplessly when Mac Allister took his shot even before Poland could settle down after the restart while Alvarez's shot for the second goal was too good for any keeper.
"It's so emotional for me, for the whole squad. It's a dream come true," Mac Allister told reporters. "I debuted with this team, I'm so proud of that. And now managing to score in a World Cup - I'm so happy.
"(After Messi's penalty) we tried to stay positive, to stay calm. We did not feel down. We tried to be optimistic... Fortunately we managed to win and go through."
Argentina nearly made it 3-0 in second-half added time when Nicolas Tagliafico was released down the left and he chipped the ball over Szczesny, only to see Jakub Kiwior track back to make a timely intervention and head the ball off the line.
But Argentina got what they wanted – leapfrogging Poland to take top spot in the group and avoid an early knockout fixture against the mighty France.
Poland, meanwhile, will be relieved to reach the last-16 by the skin of their teeth for the first time since 1986.


60 more deaths as daily cases surge past 7,000 to reach new high

Another 7,289 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 525,889.Selangor recorded 2,642 cases, Johor 664, Kuala Lumpur 604, Sarawak 513, Kelantan 425, Negeri Sembilan 410, Penang 380, Kedah 336, Terengganu 268, Sabah 266, Melaka 258, Perak 218 and Pahang 211.Labuan recorded 63 cases, Putrajaya 23 and Perlis eight.Active cases stand at 63,458 with 726 in the ICU and 373 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 3,789 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 460,062.However, 60 more deaths were reported, including a three-year-old with leukaemia in Sabah, pushing the virus toll to 2,369.


Sterling drops as falling UK house prices add to recession worries

Sterling fell on Thursday against the US dollar and euro as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said Britain saw in November the most widespread house price falls since early in the Covid-19 pandemic.
The survey showed demand from buyers and sales activity slowed in the face of higher borrowing costs.
Investors also pondered how interest-rate hike bets by the Bank of England will worsen the recession outlook in Britain.
The Bank of England (BoE) is expected to raise bank rate by 50 basis points to 3.50% next week despite the economy moving towards recession, as it battles inflation running at more than five times its target, a Reuters poll found.
Quarterly forecasts suggest the economy shrank 0.2% last quarter and will contract by 0.4% in this one, meeting the technical definition of recession.
The outlook for next year is just as gloomy, with the economy expected to shrink in the first three quarters of 2023, according to economists polled by Reuters.
The UK is facing a winter of strikes as workers from rail staff to teachers and nurses demand better pay as cost of living surged, aggravated by rising energy costs following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Beyond real estate concerns, looming public sector strikes pointed towards additional macroeconomic risks, said Jeremy Stretch, head of G10 FX strategy at CIBC.
"Sliding house prices and burgeoning public sector strikes impacting activity underlines the prospect of sterling negativity, especially should risk uncertainty extend into year-end," he said.
The pound fell 0.3% against the dollar to US$1.2175 (about RM5) , slipping from an almost six-month high of US$1.2345 touched on Monday.
It fell 0.35% against the euro to 86.39 pence, after hitting a three-month high against the single currency earlier in December.
JP Morgan strategists expect sterling to fall 11% against the dollar in 2023 to US$1.08.
Traders will be closely watching a raft of major central bank decisions next week, including those from the BoE, the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank.


US green-lights Covid booster to counter declining vaccine efficacy

Covid-19 vaccination efficacy is decreasing over time, US authorities warned Wednesday as they authorised booster shots for all Americans from Sept 20 starting eight months after an individual has been fully vaccinated.The move comes as scientists and health experts grapple with how to beat back the surging Delta variant of the coronavirus, and follows extensive debate over whether a third injection of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines would be appropriate.“The available data makes very clear that protection against (coronavirus) infection begins to decrease over time following the initial doses of vaccination, the nation’s top health officials, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky and US surgeon general Vivek Murthy, said in a statement.“In association with the dominance of the Delta variant we are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease,” they added.The officials warned that while the vaccines remain “remarkably effective” in reducing the risk of severe disease, hospitalisation and death from the effects of Covid, protection could diminish in the months ahead without boosted immunisation.“We conclude that a booster shot will be needed to maximise vaccine-induced protection and prolong its durability,” the officials said.The boosters would be available beginning the week of Sept 20, with individuals eligible for a shot starting eight months after receiving a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.The officials said they also anticipate booster shots will be needed beginning later in the year for people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which rolled out in March.More than 620,000 people have died in the US from Covid-19, with case numbers increasing sharply in recent months due to the spread of the Delta variant.Last week the US authorised an extra dose of Covid-19 vaccine for people with weakened immune systems.Wednesday’s announcement highlights the concern over rapidly rising cases in several US states, as the country’s mass vaccination programme hit resistance in politically conservative regions in the South and Midwest.


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