Malaysians Concerned About Job Security, Want More Aid And Up-skilling, Survey Says

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The Movement Control Order (MCO) has been in effect for almost two months, causing many to feel stressed over their job security.
According to Malay Mail, a recent study by market research company Green Zebras Sdn Bhd showed that most Malaysians hope the government will consider taking certain measures to revive the economy post-Covid-19.
This survey was undertaken to understand how Malaysians feel about their jobs today and what they suggest the government should do to safeguard jobs as we move forward in the new normal.Steve Murphy, managing director and co-founder of Green Zebras
Malaysians are hoping for more government aid: 74% wanted the government to provide financial aid to employees, while 59% wanted financial aid for employers.
52% of respondents believe that unemployment will go up significantly. Another 37% believe that unemployment will only increase somewhat. Only 5% said that unemployment rates will remain unaffected, while 6% said the employment rate will decrease after the CMCO is lifted.

Job security is also weighing heavily on Malaysian’s minds, as 28% of respondents have reported experiencing a salary cut, while 13% have lost their jobs. 9% reported a high level of uncertainty in their current jobs, foreseeing a salary cut or job loss in the near future.
Only 34% of respondents reported that their salary has remained the same, while a measly 2% noted an increase in salary.
Crime also seems to be a big worry during this time. 58% consider it important to counter the black market as a key solution to safeguard jobs during this MCO, while 47% stated that businesses must be protected from criminal activities.
This points to Malaysia’s shadow economy, which is estimated at RM300 billion, worth about 20% of the country’s GDP. The shadow economy is trade and income that is not reported, often coming from corruption, smuggling, and other illegal activities.
Yep, trade of illegal goods contribute to a whole economy on its own.(Credit: Freepik)
Retail and Trade Brands Advocacy Malaysia Chapter managing director Datuk Fazli Nordin commented on the survey findings, noting that if authorities focus their efforts on reducing the shadow economy and black market, legitimate businesses and Malaysia’s regular economy can recover at a much faster pace and provide enough jobs to reverse unemployment.
Moreover, by curtailing the black market, businesses compete on a level playing field that can accelerate Malaysia towards a high-income nation.Datuk Fazli Nordin
He advises the government to address the problem with rigorous enforcement coupled with reviewing taxes and excise duties to close the price gap between legitimate products and illegal goods.
See the survey report here:

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Single Mother Went Missing In Terengganu After Sending Mother To Clinic

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A single mother, Zaizura Mat Hussin, 45, has gone missing after sending her mother, Hamimah Latif, 67, to a private clinic in Kemaman, Terengganu, on 8 March.

Her stepsister, Che Ku Noraini Che Ku Mohd Arifin, 37, accompanied both women to the clinic around 11am.
Zaizura followed her mother into the clinic while Che Ku waited in the car. Not long after, Zaizura messaged Che Ku and told her to head home first.
Zaizura told Che Ku that she was planning to head out after sending their mother home.
Around 3.30pm, Che Ku went back to the clinic but only found Hamimah there. Zaizura was no where in sight.
Harian Metro reported that Zaizura’s phone was also inactive and unreachable when Che Ku tried calling.
Che Ku said everyone in the family is worried about Zaizura’s safety. Che Ku said Zaizura didn’t show any changes in character and was always cheerful.
Previously, Zaizura lived in Pasir Putih, Kelantan, but moved back to Kemaman to care for her mother after her husband passed two years ago.
Zaizura’s four children aged between 14 to 22 didn’t follow her to Kemaman and she has wished to return to Kelantan to meet them. She still remains unreachable and I’ve lodged a missing persons report in Chukai police station on 9 March. Anyone with information can contact me at 016-5090689 or the police.Che Ku Noraini Che Ku Mohd Arifin.

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Timeline: Najib’s SRC International 1MDB Trial

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3 July 2018 – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was arrested at his residence in Langgak Duta at around 3pm and brought to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters.

MACC later released a statement confirming that the arrest was related to the SRC International Sdn Bhd investigations, a former unit of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). [The Star]

Najib’s house in Jalan Langgak Duta, Kuala Lumpur.(Credit: NST)
4 July 2018 – Najib charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT), one count of power abuse over ex-1MDB unit SRC International’s RM42 million funds.
The three CBT counts under Section 409 of the penal code where he is accused of receiving proceeds from unlawful activities into two of his AmIslamic Bank Bhd accounts are:
RM 27 million between 24 & 29 December 2014.RM 5 million between 24 & 29 December 2014RM10 million between 10 February & 2 March 2015
For the abuse of power charge under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009, he is accused of accepting RM42 million from SRC International Bhd, a former unit of 1MDB, in exchange of giving government guarantees on SRC’s RM4 billion loan from the pensioner’s fund Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (KWAP).
The judge granted a RM1 million bail with two sureties and Najib was asked to surrender his two passports. [NST, Bernama & The Malaysian Insight]

8 August 2018 – Najib charged with three counts of money laundering over the same RM42 million funds. The money-laundering charges are related to three tranches – RM27 million, RM5 million and RM10 million each – banked into Najib’s AmBank account between December 2014 and February 2015.
Now facing a total of 7 charges, he could be jailed 125 years if found guilty on all charges. [The Malaysian Insight]

3 April 2019 – Najib’s trial begins with first prosecution witness called.
The witness told the court that SRC International was issued a capital of RM1 million when it registered with SSM on 7 January 2011. Checks on shareholders found that all one million shares were owned by the Finance Ministry (Incorporated). [Bernama]

24 April 2019 – The court heard that a total of RM64 million went into an AmBank account belonging to Najib in 2014 and 2015.
A witness from AmBank shared in court that RM37 million out of the RM64 million was credited into Najib’s account between December 2014 and February 2015 from the bank account of Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd (IPSB) – the corporate social responsibility unit of SRC International. [The Stairts Times]

2 May 2019 – Former KWAP assistant vice-president Amirul Imran Ahmat testified that the pensioners fund was under intense pressure to proceed quickly with a RM3.95 billion loan application from SRC International in 2011.
He said the pensioner’s fund was pushed to approve it quickly even though SRC International failed to submit sufficient documentation for the loan approval. [NST]

KWAP’s former assistant vice president Amirul Imran Ahmat testified that the loan to SRC International had been rushed.(Credit: The Edge)
6 May 2019 – The 30th witness, Affin Bank employee Norhayati Mohd Yunus, confirmed in court that the three transactions totalling RM42 million into both Najib’s bank accounts from the Affin Bank account of Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd. [Astro Awani]

8 May 2019 – Ex-KWAP officer Amirul Imran Ahmat testified that Najib had signed the federal government’s guarantee for an RM2 billion loan from KWAP to SRC International in 2012, as prime minister and finance minister.
SRC International received a total of RM4 billion in loans from KWAP – the largest loan ever given out by the retirement fund. [Malaysiakini]

KWAP is Malaysia’s largest public services pension fund with a total fund size of RM140.8 billion incorporated in 2007. It manages investment portfolios, employer contributions and pension services. (Credit: Azhan.co)
29 May 2019 – A witness told court that Najib was ‘shocked and upset’ when he found out that millions had been banked into his personal bank accounts in 2015.
The witness, Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Dr Shamsul Anwar Sulaiman, said he told Najib about it after being released by MACC who were investigating funds funnelled from 1MDB account to various of its subsidiary companies, including SRC International Sdn Bhd and IPSB. [NST]

A witness testified that Najib was “shocked and upset” when he found out that millions had been transferred into his personal bank accounts.(Credit: Miera Zulyana/Malay Mail)
3 July 2019 – Non-executive chairperson of SRC International, Datuk Suboh Md Yassin testified in court that he had no knowledge on how the RM4 billion loan from KWAP was utilised. He said he had no knowledge of how and where the money was transferred to.
He also did not know that KWAP’s second RM2 billion loan came into SRC’s account and was transferred to another account two days later. [Bernama]

15 July 2019 – AmBank’s senior vice-president of credit card authorisation and fraud management Yeoh Eng Leong testified that two credit cards in Najib’s name had been charged RM3.36 million in 10 transactions on the same day at an Italian outlet of jeweller De Grisogono in 2014.
Najib later defended the charge on Facebook, saying that it was used to purchase “gifts” for the royalty of another country. [Malaysiakini]

17 July 2019 – Former group managing director of AmBank Cheah Tek Kuang testified that he met with Low Taek Jho, aka Jho Low, at Najib’s house in Jalan Langgak Duta in Kuala Lumpur, regarding the former prime minister’s request to open bank accounts in AmBank.
Cheah described Jho Low as a person who is never punctual and a liar and that he never trusted the man. [Bernama]

Ex-AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu testified in court as a prosecution witness.(Credit: Miera Zulyana/Malay Mail)
22 July 2019 – Former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu Ging Ping told the High Court that Jho Low had suggested a code name to be used for Najib’s accounts with the bank to ensure confidentiality.
Joanna stated that this was the first individual account to have been designated with a code name, based on her dealings with her portfolio of corporate clients.
She also said Najib’s current accounts with the bank had a high volume of transactions between 2011 and 2015, which included inward fund transfers from overseas in foreign currencies.
For the purposes of reporting the overseas inward fund transfer to Bank Negara Malaysia, she was told that they were ‘gifts’ by former SRC managing director Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, who is also the mandated holder to oversee Najib’s AmBank accounts. [The Edge]

Najib celebrated his 66th birthday at the KL Court Complex on 23 July 2019.(Credit: Mukhriz Hazim/Malay Mail)
25 July 2019 – The cross examination of Joanna by the defence continued. She explained in court that Jho Low had insisted in 2011 that Najib’s banking statements not be sent to the former prime minister’s house in Jalan Langgak Duta.
Earlier in the day, the hearing proceedings were halted after a bomb threat was issued for the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex.
Everyone was forced to vacate the building as the bomb squad and K-9 unit swept the complex for explosive devices. The police gave the all clear about 2pm and the hearing resumed. [NST]

Credit: Police cordon off the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex with yellow tape following a bomb threat on 25 July 2019.(Credit: Firdaus Latif/Malay Mail)
31 July 2019 – Cross examination of Joanna revealed that the former AmBank employee drafted email replies for Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, mandate holder of Najib’s personal AmBank accounts, to send to her colleagues in the bank to ensure cheques issued from the account in 2014-2015 did not bounce.
Defence counsel Harvinderjit Singh asserted that Nik Faisal was merely a ‘rubberstamp’ to approve instructions that were given by Jho Low to Joanna.
At that time, Nik Faisal was also the chief executive officer and managing director of SRC International Sdn Bhd. [The Edge]

Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, mandate holder of Najib’s personal AmBank accounts and formeo CEO of SRC International.(Credit: The Star)
1 August 2019 – Joanna testified that Jho Low informed her that a RM27 million transfer – codenamed ‘Eagle 27’ – into Najib’s personal account was a donation from a royalty. It was actually from SRC International Sdn Bhd’s account.
The cross examination also revealed Jho Low’s strong influence on the transfer of millions of ringgit out of SRC International Sdn Bhd’s accounts. [The Edge & Malaysiakini]

5 August 2019 – Joanna confirmed Jho Low’s various tactics to bypass Bank Negara Malaysia’s anti-money laundering controls in funnelling money out of SRC’s accounts into Najib’s accounts, which include denoting the funds as “gift” or “donation” in the supporting documents required by the central bank.
The defence had spent a week going into her chat logs with Jho Low, particularly on how he had issued fund transfer instructions despite not being a mandate holder of the accounts. [The Edge]

Fugitive businessman Low Thaek Jho aka Jho Low is presented as a key figure in instrumenting the transfer of funds into Najib’s personal bank accounts.(Credit: @jho_low/Twitter)
8 August 2019 – Former second finance minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah testified that the parties tasked to implement the debt rationalisation plan of 1MDB did not follow the original plan.
Husni explained that he prepared the rationalisation plan, but the implementation was done by former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy.
This was his reason for resigning  in June 2016.
He also testified that he was instructed to sign documents pertaining to the government guarantee for SRC’s first RM2 billion loan from KWAP despite not having sufficient documentation to scrutinise the arrangement.
Husni also told the court that his request to recover some RM3.6 billion of SRC International’s funds frozen in Switzerland was denied by Najib, then prime minister and finance minister. [The Edge & Malaysiakini]

Former finance minister II Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah at the Kuala Lumpur High Court in August 2019.(Credit: Firdaus Latif/Malay Mail)
22 & 23 August 2019 – MACC investigating officer Rosli Husain said the commission did not investigate claims by Najib that he had received donations from the King of Saudi Arabia as he thought it was irrelevant to the ongoing SRC International trial.
He also consistently rejected the defence counsel’s suggestions that Najib had been duped by Jho Low, who was blamed for manipulating SRC International and several other companies implicated in the scandal.
Rosli said his investigation showed that whatever was done “did not benefit Low”. [NST & NST]

27 August 2019 – Prosecution’s case closed after 57 prosecution witnesses testify in 57 days. [Malaysiakini]

11 November 2019 – High Court rules prosecution proved prima facie case on all 7 charges of abuse of power, corruption and money-laundering involving RM42 million of funds from SRC International and orders Najib to enter defence.
In a press conference, Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said his client was shocked and was expecting to be acquitted of all charges. [Malay Mail]

3 December 2019 – Najib’s defence begins and he chooses to testify as a witness in his own defence opening himself to cross-examination from prosecutors and public scrutiny.
Reading from a prepared statement, Najib explained that the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund started off as the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) – which was established in 2009 by the then-Yang DiPertuan Agong, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin.
Najib said TIA was established based on discussions between Jho Low, Sultan Mizan and the Terengganu government, but it ran into trouble when the Terengganu government could not agree with some of the Islamic Medium Term Notes (IMTN) terms, even though the RM5 billion bonds had been issued.
He testified that the cabinet decided to take over to protect the state government and the YDP Agong from embarrassment, as well as to avoid a negative impact on the Malaysian bond market, globally.
Najib also asserted that he was never directly involved in the management of 1MDB, only dealing with the CEO of the fund.
On Jho Low, Najib said that the businessman gave the impression of being close to local and Middle Eastern royalty, and seemed capable of helping 1MDB achieve its goals.
Regarding the RM4 billion KWAP loan to SRC International, Najib said he only provided support by writing “setuju” on a letter but it was not a carte blanche approval. [Malay Mail & NST]

Lawyer Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah leads Najib’s defence counsel in the SRC trial.(Credit: Firdaus Latif/Malay Mail)
4 December 2019 – Najib testfied that it was Jho Low who convinced him to open the AmBank accounts in 2010 in anticipation of personal donations from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah.
Najib said he received a huge sum of money between 2011 and 2014, believed to be donations by King Abdullah, with Jho Low as the intermediary on behalf of the Saudi Arabia’s royal family.
Najib claimed he has returned over RM2.1 billion of the “donation”. [Malay Mail]

Najib with King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia in 2010 when he was still prime minister.(Credit: The Star)
18 December 2019 – Najib refused to verify if the signatures on documents tendered in the trial were his and insisted that a handwriting expert be called to establish authenticity.
The photocopied documents bearing his signatures were initially shown to him by the MACC during the investigation, which he confirmed was his but maintained he had “reservations” and “doubts” at that time.
Later in the trial, he verified the signatures’ authenticity. [Malay Mail & Malay Mail]

9 January 2020 – Najib said that he only liaised with Jho Low in “very few instances” over the operations of his bank accounts such as personal credit card transactions and cheque issuance.
He said that most of the time, it would be done through his former private secretary, the late Datuk Azlin Alias.
Najib told the court he was kept informed on his AmBank account by Azlin who was kept updated by Nik Faisal.
Regarding SRC International’s frozen funds in Switzerland, Najib explained that he wanted former second finance minister Husni Hanadzlah to come up with a “proper plan” to retrieve funds but chose to keep silent over his intention. [Malay Mail & Malay Mail]

21 & 22 January 2020 – Najib testified in court that he had agreed to a government guarantee for the second RM2 billion KWAP loan to SRC International despite no solid developments from the first RM2 billion loan.
Although there was no concrete evidence of any progress since SRC’s inception in 2011, Najib said SRC would be able to do better with the second loan.
Najib also admitted to keeping former SRC CEO Nik Faisal as his personal bank accounts’ mandate holder despite the questionable track record in managing the firm’s finances.
He told the court that he kept Nik Faisal as an SRC International director, after removing him from the CEO, as he wanted “continuity” in order to repatriate SRC funds frozen by the Switzerland’s authorities. [The Edge & Malay Mail]

23 January 2020 – It would be difficult to get Saudi royal family to testify over the RM2.6 billion donation, Najib told the court during cross-examination by deputy public prosecutor Datuk V Sithambaram.
He also did not check with the donor whether the unused donation money was properly returned, relying on Jho Low to confirm as he was a conduit to the royal family.
Prosecution concludes its cross-examination on the former prime minister.[Bernama/The Star]

3 February 2020 – Stating that he’s not that stupid to do something so bizzare, Najib asserts his innocence in the entire SRC International affair by saying that he would not brazenly put stolen money into his personal bank accounts.
Najib said it was “ludicrous” that he would siphon funds from a company listed under the Minister of Finance (Incorporated) Department straight into his personal bank account. [Malay Mail]

A lot of people must give me credit; I not that stupid. I am maybe not the most intelligent person, but I am not stupid to do something so bizarre.Datuk Seri Najib Razak via Malay Mail
4 February 2020 – Najib claimed that Jho Low had used the RM42 million as an “investment” to maintain Najib’s trust and to prevent the financier’s alleged scams from being revealed. Najib alleged that this amount was miniscule compared to the financial gains that Jho Low made from wrongdoings that Najib claimed to have been unaware of at the time.
Najib said he only began doubting the Jho Low’s legitimacy when he had his statement recorded by MACC in 2015. [Malay Mail]

11 February 2020 – Former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom testified today that Najib had made a request for donations from the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
He said he had never heard of Jho Low being involved in this request and that it was a direct discussion between the late King Abdullah and Najib. [The Edge]

13 February 2020 – Former foreign affairs minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman told the court that the Cabinet was not alerted of the alleged donation from the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia as it was a personal contribution.
Anifah explained that since Najib was given the funds in a personal capacity, it was separate from the government. [The Edge]

27 February 2020 – MACC investigating officer Mohd Nasharudin Amir confirmed the authenticity of four letters linked to an alleged donation that the Saudi Arabia royals had given to the former prime minister.
Nasharudin also testified that the admission did not come from the Saudi royal but his legal representative when MACC had gone to Riyadh in November 2015 to record a statement from Prince Saud Abdul Aziz Malik Abdul Aziz al-Saud at the palace. [The Edge]

6 March 2020 – “Can I advise you something?”
Then MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya testified in court that the decision to publicly release the infamous audio recordings allegedly related to 1MDB and SRC International dealings was so that officials from the MACC, Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Prime Minister’s Office would never again be involved in criminal activity. [The Edge]

9 March 2020 – Royal Malaysia Police deputy director for corporate crime investigations, assistant commissioner (ACP) R Rajagopal testified in court as a witness.
He told the court that former MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed has suggested charging former prime minister Najib Razak in a July 2015 1MDB special task force meeting over offences related to the sovereign fund and SRC International.
However, the suggestion fell through when then attorney-general (AG) Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail was removed from his position three weeks after the meeting. [The Edge]

11 March 2020 – The defence concludes their case in the SRC International Sdn Bhd trial  after 33 days of hearing with 19 witness testimonies, including Najib. [The Edge]

1 – 3 June 2020 – Najib’s defence team presents oral submissions for three consecutive days.
In the oral submission, the defence claims that Najib’s alleged spending of the RM42 million did not constitute a criminal breach of trust, as misappropriation was committed by “third parties”. The defence named former SRC chief executive Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil and Jho Low responsible.
The defence insisted that Najib genuinely believed part of RM42 million spent was from Arab ‘donations’.
They also argued on the admissibility of evidence produced by the prosecution, stressing on inconsistencies within witness’ testimonies. They pointed out that the funds transacted into Najb’s accounts were done without his knowledge, arguing the absence of mens rea (intention or knowledge of wrongdoing that constitutes part of a crime).
However, the prosecution argued that Najib “deliberately” chose to not inquire about the source of the RM42 million deposited in his bank accounts.
They also highlighted that Najib did not deny knowledge of funds entering his accounts but claimed that it was Arab donations.
The prosecution also laid down that Najib was well aware of the bank accounts’ finances, proven through evidence showing how he had spent all of the RM42 million he is accused of misappropriating. [Malay Mail, Malay Mail, Malay Mail & Malay Mail]

4 June 2020 – Lead defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah insists that Najib is a victim of scam, placing the blame on Jho Low, Nik Faisal and “a bunch or rogue bankers like Joanna Yu and other senior management of SRC.”
He also argued that the case was hamstrung by circumstances surrounding the allegations and the number of personalities involved.
Oral submissions end. [Malay Mail]

28 July 2020 – High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali finds Najib guilty of all seven charges.
Najib was sentenced to a hefty fine and cumulative 72 years of jail time, of which are:
12 years jail for abuse of power and RM210 million fine under Section 23 of the MACC Act.10 years jail for each of the three criminal breach of trust charges under Section 409 of the penal code.10 years jail for each of the three money laundering charges under the Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA).
The judge ruled that the jail sentences will run concurrently but 5 years jail time will be added if he fails to pay the fine. Najib was exempted from whipping due to his age.
However, the defence filed for a stay of execution for his sentence arguing that it would cause Najib grave inconvenience and impinge on his right to defend himself in his other cases.
They also argued that Najib was unable to pay the RM210 million fine as he was already ordered to pay RM1.69 billion to the Inland Revenue Board for overdue tax.
The judge granted the stay application but ordered bail increased by another RM1 million with two sureties to be paid by the next day. He also has to report to the nearest police station on the 1st and 15th of every month.
Najib’s status as an accused has changed to a convict.
In a press conference after the sentencing, Shaffee said that they will be appealing Najib’s conviction and sentencing within three months, believing that they have a good chance. [Malay Mail, Malay Mail, Astro Awani]

Datuk Seri Najib Razak arrives at the Kuala Lumpur High Court Complex on 28 July for the verdic.(Credit: Yusof Mat Isa/Malay Mail)

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Source:
Najib arrested
Ex-PM Najib claims trial to 4 charges
Najib staring at 125 years in jail... if found guilty of 7 charges
Infografik Bernama
'Pensioners fund pressured over RM3.95b SRC International loan application'
RM42 juta dipindahkan daripada akaun anak syarikat SRC kepada akaun Najib - Saksi
Najib signed the gov't guarantee for KWAP loan to SRC
Najib 'shocked and upset' after finding out millions banked into his accounts
More explosive evidence disclosed in Najib’s trial this week
'RM64 million went into Najib's account', says bank employee during corruption trial
First mention of Jho Low in Najib's trial this week
Najib defends spending RM3.36m on Swiss jewellery
MACC: Najib to be charged tomorrow
Najib's SRC trial: Witness says Jho Low suggested code name for ex-PM's AmBank account
Day 47 of Najib's SRC trial: Joanna Yu to continue testifying for seventh day
'Fat boy' Jho Low's role in Najib's bank accounts revealed
Joanna Yu drafted emails for Nik Faisal to send to AmBank, High Court told
Jho Low heavily involved in transfer of millions from SRC International's accounts
Jho Low misrepresented 'Eagle 27' transaction as donation from royalty
Husni: Najib blocked me from recovering frozen funds in Switzerland
SRC trial: 1MDB did not follow my rationalisation plan, says Husni
MACC witness: I did not investigate Najib's claim about donations from Saudi King
MACC man disputes assertion Jho Low was ultimate culprit in SRC scandal
SRC trial - Najib to know on Nov 11 whether to enter defence
With Najib’s SRC verdict set to be known today, a recap of the 95-day trial
Najib forgets IC; starts day one of testimony by saying 1MDB was hangover caused by TIA
Najib ordered to enter defence in RM42m SRC corruption trial
In SRC trial, Najib suspects signatures on documents forged, insists need expert to verify
SRC trial: Now, Najib says can verify signatures' authenticity on photocopied documents
SRC trial: Najib wanted Husni to come up with 'proper plan' to retrieve frozen SRC funds but did not tell him
SRC trial: Najib admits liaised with Jho Low 'in very few instances' over credit card, cheque transactions
SRC trial: Najib admits to keeping Nik Faisal as account handler, director despite dodgy financial management
Najib ‘hoped’ SRC would do better with second RM2b loan
SRC trial: Najib once again paints Jho Low as the villain as he concludes his testimony
Najib: Jho Low suggested I open AmBank accounts for Arab donations
SRC trial: ‘People must give me credit, I am not that stupid,’ says Najib
Difficult to get Saudi royal family to testify over RM2.6bil donation, says Najib
It was Najib who asked late Saudi King for donation — ex-minister
Ex- foreign affairs minister says Cabinet not alerted to Saudi funds as it was personal donation
SRC Trial: MACC officer confirms authenticity of donation letter from Saudi prince
‘Clips released to stop officials from engaging in criminal activity’
Ex-MACC chief Abu Kassim suggested charging Najib with 1MDB, SRC-related crimes in 2015
Defence concludes case in SRC trial
SRC trial: Defence claims prosecution departed from CBT charges, blames Nik Faisal and Jho Low for misappropriation of company funds
SRC trial: In oral submission, defence insists Najib genuinely believed part of RM42m spent was from Arab ‘donations’
SRC Trial: Najib’s lawyers begin oral submissions by questioning veracity of prosecution’s evidence
SRC Trial: Najib aware RM42m he spent not proceeds of Arab donation, says prosecutors in final submission
SRC trial: Najib’s lawyer says defence effort hampered by complexities caused by circumstances, personalities involved
Najib fined RM210m and given 12-year jail term for power abuse charge, 10-year jail term each for all six other charges to be served concurrently
Despite SRC conviction, Najib avoids jail for now after High Court grants stay of execution pending appeal


Omicron Wave Is Here, But High Vax Rates Might Help Reduce Its Severity, Says KJ

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The Omicron wave has arrived in Malaysia according to Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Retweeting Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Khairy said cases will increase, but will hopefully be controlled by a high vaccination rate.
He also mentioned in the Tweet that the national health system is ready to tackle this new wave and added that serious cases have been in decline.
Earlier, Dr Noor Hisham tweeted that 4,744 cases have been recorded on 26 January, taking the number of cumulative cases to 2,844,969 cases.
Gelombang Omicron bermula di Malaysia. Kes akan ⬆ namun Insya’Allah terkawal dengan kadar vaksinasi yang tinggi. Sistem kesihatan sudah bersiap siaga. Kes serius semakin kurang. Sama2 kita mengatasi gelombang ini. Mask. #TRIIS. Booster. #PICKids. https://t.co/KYLzwPon1w— Khairy Jamaluddin 🇲🇾🌺 (@Khairykj) January 26, 2022

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Dugongs Are Functionally Extinct In China Due To Hunting And Habitat Loss

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Dugongs are now functionally extinct in China’s coastal waters due to hunting and habitat degradation.

According to New York Times, functional extinction means that the number of dugongs is too small to maintain a viable population.
These docile creatures are often caught in fishing nets and the seagrass they eat in the South China Sea’s northern reaches has degraded over the years.
Although the Chinese state council classified the dugong as a grade one national key protected animal in 1988, it seems like the damage from human impact is lasting.
The Guardian reported that there were already no records of the dugong’s presence in China since 2008.
For illustration purposes.
A recent study suggests that the dugong population have been documented in Chinese waters for several hundred years but a rapid decline began in the 1970s.
788 professional fishermen across four Chinese provinces were surveyed about dugong sightings and only 5% of the respondents saw dugongs in the sea.
The fishermen, who averaged 25 years of fishing experience, last saw a dugong 23 years ago. Only five fishermen spotted a dugong in the last five years.
While it might seem like a subjective research method, the fishermen’s accounts do present an image of the dugong population’s decline in Chinese waters.
Where are the dugongs now?
Dugongs in Thailand during Covid-19 lockdown. Credit: AFP
Helene Marsh, an emeritus professor of environmental science at James Cook University in Queensland, Australia, said there are still approximately 100,000 dugongs living in the waters off around 40 countries.
READ MORE: Dugongs, Leatherback Turtles Sighted At Thai Islands During Covid-19 Lockdown
However, the latest findings do not paint a good picture for dugongs in Japan and Southeast Asia.
Australia currently has the world’s largest dugong population today due to the abundance of seagrass on its coasts.
Marsh added that the dugong population wasn’t robust in southern China in the first place because there wasn’t much seagrass there.
Although seagrass restoration and recovery efforts are considered a priority in China, the process can be lengthy and it may be already too late for the dugongs in the area.
Prof Samuel Turvey of ZSL’s Institute of Zoology said the research is a wake-up call.
[The new research is] a sobering reminder that extinctions can occur before effective conservation actions are developed.Prof Samuel Turvey of ZSL’s Institute of Zoology
What about the dugongs in Malaysia?

According to Dugong Seagrass, the dugong is listed as an endangered species in Malaysia. Most of the dugongs flock around Sibu and Tinggi islands, in the southern state of Johor.
Over in Sabah, they can be found around Mantanani, Bangi and Mengalum Islands. Aerial surveys also observed dugongs in the waters of Brunei Bay, Lawas, in Sarawak.
READ MORE: Malaysian Ecologist Jillian Ooi Receives US$150,000 Pew Grant To Save Local Seagrass Meadows

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Dr Mahathir most admired man in Malaysia, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar close second

 British market research firm, YouGov, has released their annual list of public figures most admired by the people.
In Malaysia, our Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad tops the list again as the countryâ€™s most admired man with 16% of votes (he was voted most admired man last year too!).
Tun Harapan GIF from Tun GIFs

Malaysiaâ€™s first astronaut, Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor comes in at second place with 9% while Hong Kong martial arts actor Jackie Chan rounds off the top three at 7%. Yes, the lovable Jackie Chan is Malaysiaâ€™s third most admired man!

via GIPHY
Technology billionaires Bill Gates and Jack Ma make fourth and fifth place respectively before another notable Malaysian, retired Olympic badminton hero Datuk Lee Chong Wei, comes in as the sixth most admired man in Malaysia with 6% of votes.

 View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Datuk Wira Lee Chong Wei (@leechongweiofficial) on Mar 9, 2018 at 5:13am PST

The rest of the list is made up by non-Malaysian men.
Portugese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo makes seventh place, former United States President Barack Obama came in eighth, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg in ninth and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 10th.

via GIPHY
Picture credit: YouGov
Hold on, weâ€™re not done.
IN THE WOMENâ€™S CORNER.
Three notable Malaysian women were voted into the top three spots as Malaysiaâ€™s most admired women.
Topping the list is Malaysian sweetheart songbird Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza (Like Dr Mahathir, this is also Toktiâ€™s second time topping the list!), followed by Malaysiaâ€™s favourite first lady, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah in second place.
Siti Nurhaliza Stare GIF from Sitinurhaliza GIFs

Meanwhile, Malaysiaâ€™s first female Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is the third most admired woman in Malaysia.

 View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dr Wan Azizah Dr Wan Ismail (@drwanazizah) on Jul 11, 2019 at 9:44pm PDT

The next three spots are conquered by non-Malaysian women, popular American talk show host Oprah Winfrey came in at fourth place followed by actresses Angelina Jolie in fifth and Emma Watson in sixth.
Then, Malaysian entrepreneur and co-founder of FashionValet and The dUCK Group, Datin Vivy Yusof completes the listâ€™s notable Malaysian females in seventh place.

 View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vivy Yusof (@vivyyusof) on Jul 17, 2019 at 10:12pm PDT

Interestingly, the worldâ€™s most admired woman, former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, comes in at eighth place in Malaysia. She is followed by Queen Elizabeth II in ninth place and the super famous singer Taylor Swift rounds off the top tenth spot.

via GIPHY
FYI, YouGov comes up with their annual list by gathering nominations from panellists in 41 countries with the question: â€œThinking about people alive in the world today, which [man or woman] do you most admire?â€

via GIPHY
The 20 men and women who received the most nominations were then compiled into the global list and an additional 10 local figures were added to the list for individual countries.
In Malaysia, a total of 1,075 Malaysians participated in the survey. Which is a pretty small sample size if you ask us (these results are not statistically significant!).

via GIPHY
So, what say you tell us: â€œThinking about people alive in the world today, which [man or woman] do you most admire?â€


Ku Li Tests Positive For Covid-19 But Is Stable

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Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has tested positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus and is currently being treated at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).

Quoting a source, Astro Awani reports that Tengku Razaleigh’s condition is stable and he has no complications.
At 83 years old, he is a veteran politician with a long history of butting heads with fellow UMNO members including former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, though the two had recently formed an alliance.
Tengku Razaleigh, or Ku Li as he is often called, was apparently a close contact of Nenggiri assembleyman Ab Aziz Yusof who tested positive for the virus recently.
UMNO Gua Musang Youth Chief Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani and a staffer of Ku Li’s, Lokman Abdul Ghani, had previously also tested positive for the virus.

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Source:
Tengku Razaleigh positif COVID-19


No, Kaamatan And Gawai Are Not Interchangeable

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Kaamatan and Gawai are festivals celebrated in East Malaysia during the middle of the year. While both are rice harvest festivals and it may be easy to lump them together, the two festivals are not quite the same!
Kaamatan in Sabah
Kaamatan is celebrated by the Kadazan-Dusun people of Sabah. It is more than just a harvest festival, as it ties closely with the Kadazan-Dusun belief of Momolianism, in which the earth is a gift from the creator.
Momolianism is still alive today, headed by a ritual leader high priestess called a Bobohizan or Bobolian. Come Kaamatan, the Bobohizan will lead a procession through rice paddy fields under the full moon to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. Although Kaamatan lasts for the whole month of May, the date it ends is a public holiday chosen by the Bobohizan.
Fun fact: Bobohizan high priestesses were traditionally a role for women only!(Credit: Wikimedia Commons/CEphoto, Uwe Aranas)
In Kadazan-Dusun culture, the Kaamatan harvest festival is the celebration of a noble sacrifice by a fair maiden named Huminodun. According to legend, Huminodun was the daughter of the god Kinoringan who punished the humans who had forgotten him with a devastating famine. As the human starved, Huminodun scarified herself and her body transformed into lush food and crop that saved humankind.
Nowadays, a majority of Kadazan-Dusuns are Christians (nearly 75%), but they still celebrate Kaamatan for the sake for tradition, history, and reunion.
In modern times, Kaamatan includes plenty of fun activities such as an annual beauty pageant that is held to commemorate the spirit of Huminodun. The beauty pageant is called Unduk Ngadau and is one of the most uniquely recognizable cultural events in Sabah.
Hari Gawai in Sarawak
Gawai is celebrated by the Dayak people in Sarawak and West Kalimantan. The celebration is two days long, on 31 May and 1 June yearly.
Gawai is more of a thanksgiving day to mark a bountiful harvest and to celebrate unity. The special day has been recognized since 1957 as a celebration of the Dayak community.
Instead of the observation of a sacrifice, Gawai Dayak focuses more on providing offerings and ritualistic actions to give thanks during the harvest festival. The Dayak also concentrate more on the physical representations of nature, such as conducting hunting trips in preparations for Gawai Dayak, repairing their long house, and decorating with nature-based murals of tree and wild animal motifs.
Traditional Dayak clothing include accessories from hunts: feathers, fur, and pelt.(Photo credit: Abdul Malik Mohd Eusoff/Flickr)
The Gawai Dayak also refreshes blessings, protection, and general luck of the people. All gods, good spirits, and even ghosts are invited to the Gawai feast made of traditional foods.
On the first day, offerings to the deities are placed in strategic spots in homes for protection. Some even place offerings for protection of prized possessions such as cars or family heirlooms! Wallets are placed among the offerings to increase the fortune of owners, and any additional charms must be brought out to refresh its effectiveness.
At night, respect is paid to elders of the community as choice food and drinks are offered according to social rank. This is the day for merrymaking including many traditional dances, games, and even poetry readings of traditional pantun!
On the second day, the long houses are opened up to guests in a practice called ngabang. Ngabang can continue until the end of June, seeing a steady procession of friends and visitors for a full month.
A traditional Iban longhouse can house anywhere from 30-150 families, depending on size!(Photo credit: Peter Ashby/Flickr)
This is when all kinds of traditional food and drinks are offered and gifted to guests, like the well-known rice wine tuak. Dayaks also take this time to reinforce kinship within the community by discussing genealogy.
Same-same but different
At first glance, it may seem that Kaamatan and Gawai are almost the same celebration of a harvest festival, but the historical and cultural differences are quite significant.
Even though it’s difficult to celebrate either festival during this trying time, we can always learn a bit more about our own Malaysian culture!

To all our brothers and sisters in East Malaysia, Selamat Tadau Kaamatan and Hari Gawai! Stay safe and share your thoughts with us on TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram


COVID-19 Takes Its 15th Victim, Another Tabligh-Linked Death

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Another Malaysian has died to COVID-19 today, bringing the death toll to 15.
According to the Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, the victim is referred to as Patient 1,519.
The 71-year-old man from Melaka is believed to have been in contact with Patient 703, one of the attendees of the tabligh gathering at Sri Petaling Mosque.
Patient 1,519 has a history of chronic illness and was being treated at Sultanah Fatimah specialist hospital in Muar Johor since 18 March after developing symptoms.
He died at 5.35am this morning. Of the 15 deaths from COVID-19 so far, 9 were due to the Sri Petaling tabligh cluster.
Yesterday, the Health Ministry announced that they found 212 new cases, the biggest single-day increase in cases in Malaysia since the beginning of the outbreak.

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We Raided Astro And UnifiTV Offices Too, Says Police

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In an effort to show that they are not targeting only Al Jazeera, the police noted that they have raided the offices of Astro and UnifiTV as well, seizing computers and taking witness statements there.

What you need to know: Yesterday, Al Jazeera’s office in Kuala Lumpur was raided by police, who seized computers and digital devices linked to the controversial documentary Locked Up In Malaysia’s Lockdown. Since then, the police has publicized that they have raided the offices of other broadcasting news outlets in Malaysia as well.
Who said what: Bukit Aman CID Director Comm Datuk Huzir Mohamed said that the items seized will be sent to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for analysis and the findings shall be forwarded to the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC).
Al Jazeera, on the other hand, condemned the raid, stating this action taken by Malaysian authorities is not only an attack on itself, but on press freedom as a whole.

Al Jazeera condemns Malaysian Police raid on its Kuala Lumpur officeThis comes on the back of international condemnation of the actions of the authorities. Al Jazeera views this not only as an attack on itself but on press freedom as a whole. pic.twitter.com/DxSHbSofqg— Al Jazeera PR (@AlJazeera) August 4, 2020

Read more:Al Jazeera’s Office In KL Raided By Authorities [TRP]TLDR: Rayhan Kabir Arrested, To Be Deported & Blacklisted From Malaysia Forever [TRP]Al Jazeera Documentary Backlash: 5 Important Things You Need To Know [TRP]Al Jazeera Dismisses Finas’ Requirement For A License, Saying It’s Not A Credible Argument [TRP]All film producers must apply for Finas licence even for social media, multimedia minister insists [Malay Mail]Al Jazeera’s License And Accreditation With Finas To Be Checked By Communications Ministry [TRP]If Al Jazeera’s Documentary Was Illegal, So Is Any Other Malaysian Video Content, Says Lawyer [TRP]

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Man Uses Helmet To Beat Wife In Public Over Money

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A video showing a man scolding and beating a woman, believed to be his wife, had gone viral.

The incident, which took place by a roadside, is said to have occurred on Thursday somewhere in the East Coast.
The man was abusive towards his wife in a video uploaded on Oh Melayu’s Facebook page on Thursday.

In the video lasting one minute and 47 seconds, the man in question also hit his wife on the head with a helmet.
However, the woman seemed calm and did not fight back despite being hit and pushed several times.
The Biggest Relationship Stressors In Relationships
Meanwhile, netizens expressed anger at the man’s actions.
Many Malay commenters said that violence against women is never encouraged nor allowed in Islam.
The relationship should be one of mutual love, respect and kindness.

Some said the woman should report the matter to the police or seek appropriate help, while others pointed out that money is the most common cause of arguments between couples.
Money disputes, or lack of open and constructive discussions, are among the leading causes of fights in relationships.
To avoid fights, couples should set ground rules and a budget for spending and investing money.
here’s how domestic abuse victims can report their abuser in malaysia https://t.co/Fnj22kWSst via @asklegalmy— AinulIshak (@ainuulishak) October 14, 2022
READ MORE: 76-Year-Old Senior Citizen Dies In Sentul, Beaten With Chair Over RM250 Debt

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“Stranger Things 4” Shakes Down KL Tower And Kwai Chai Hong

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If you’re a big fan of Netflix’s Stranger Things, then you’ll know that their fourth season is out! Finally after almost 3 years (season three was in July 2019)!

Celebrating their big return, the Stranger Things 4 premiered in 14 countries at 15 different locations with each location projecting the series’s teaser on their respective majestic landmarks. Malaysia is super lucky to be one of those 14 countries with our landmark being the KL Tower.
Fun Fact: The United States had the projection on the Empire State Building in New York and XBox Plaza in Los Angeles, Australia on their Bondi Beach and India on their Gateway of India. Check out more here.
What was Actually Projected on the Tower?
On 27th May, Stranger Things 4 premiered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at nighttime where the teasers of scenes from seasons 3 and 4 were projected onto the 421-metre tall KL Tower. Visitors will have to crane their necks a bit to witness the awesome scenes from the series. Who knew you could project stuff on the KL Tower huh? Petition to do a drive-in cinema at the tower! Kidding.
(Credit: AllsAmazing / Netflix Malaysia, @mustbekhaer / Instagram)
The projection started with a massive countdown and was followed by a scene from a grandfather clock. Next, the Rift was open between the real world and the Upside Down (an alternate dimension parallel to ours except with a dark, creepy and toxic atmosphere) with some scenes from seasons 3 and 4 playing afterwards. The projection ended with a cool vertical hashtag of #BalikKeTerbalik or Return To The Upside Down.
Where and When
Also at the KL Tower, there’s a section prepared for photo opportunities at the Creel House with complete true-to-series props and the house’s ominous grandfather clock. At the back of the house, you’ll find the villain of season 4, Vecna, alongside the Mind Flayer and Demogorgon.
(Credit: AllsAmazing / Netflix Malaysia)
 The gateway to the Upside Down at KL Tower is open to the public until 29 May, with the projection show set to play in 30-minute intervals between 8 pm and 12 am. If you have time, do visit the KL Tower for photos!
(Credit: AllsAmazing / Netflix Malaysia)
Besides that, there are also art installations at Kwai Chai Hong, a few kilometres away from the tower. There, you’ll witness an enormous mural on the walls of the alleyway created by a Malaccan-born artist Amir Andhar @andha.ras which was inspired by key moments from the past seasons of Stranger Things.
(Credit: AllsAmazing / Netflix Malaysia, @mustbekhaer / Instagram)
If you walk into the entrance of Kwai Chai Hong, you’ll notice the Bayer’s iconic alphabet Christmas lights before the bridge and another Rift opening in a deep corner of the laneway. You’ll need to visit these spots at night for a more awesome effect.
(Credit: @mustbekhaer / Instagram)
You can experience the Kwai Chai Hong Upside Down takeover until 12 June between 9 am and 12 am daily.
Stranger Things 4 features two volumes with volume 1 (released 27 May) having 7 episodes and volume 2 (will be released on 1 July) having 2 episodes with a longer running time than the others. Rumour has it that the 9th episode will be for 2 hours and 30 minutes! That’s like a movie! Talk about more drama. You can enjoy the new episodes of Volume 1 now on Netflix.
#StrangerThings4 #BalikKeTerbalik

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Twitter Might Add An Edit Button, But Only “When Everyone Starts Wearing Masks”

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Unlike the United States, Malaysian authorities have been very strict with standard operating procedures pertaining to the Covid-19 pandemic. Most places won’t let you in without first checking your temperature, taking down your details, and making sure you’re wearing a mask.
However, as the rules become laxer under the recovery movement control order, I’m sure everyone has noticed one or two “brave” people out in the public not wearing masks. Obviously, in the U.S, it’s worse.
It must be pretty bad there if even the team at Twitter have joked that the platform might FINALLY implement an edit button on tweets as long as everyone started wearing masks. And by everyone, they meant everyone.
everyone means EVERYONE https://t.co/nJh5qMV0us— Twitter Comms (@TwitterComms) July 2, 2020
Twitter has been around for donkey years (since 2006), and its users have repeatedly asked for an edit button for tweets, especially every time the app gets updated.
However, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said in an interview that there’s actually a reason why the company won’t implement it.
The reason there’s no edit button [and] there hasn’t been an edit button traditionally is we started as an SMS text messaging service. So as you all know, when you send a text, you can’t really take it back. We wanted to preserve that vibe and that feeling in the early days.Jack Dorsey via Wired
Public health experts, including the World Health Organisation, have strongly encouraged people to wear masks when in public to slow the spread of Covid-19. In Malaysia, you won’t be allowed into many places without a mask on. Yet, some people are still opting to go without one wherever they can.
In the U.S, where such rules aren’t stringently adhered to, the latest tally of Covid-19 cases is over 2.7 million and more than 128,000 deaths. On Wednesday (1 July) the country recorded 50,000 new cases for that day alone.
Realising that such a feat may never be achieved, users replied to the company’s tweet pessimistically.
I think that’s the point.— BBROCKMAN (@BBROCKMAN) July 2, 2020
even @realDonaldTrump?— Pol Turrents (@polispol) July 2, 2020
So never?— Mohammed Rouainia🚀 (@Moh__Gs) July 2, 2020
can you do like 75% of everyone?— rafa 🏳🌈 (@rafacst) July 2, 2020
FYI, U.S President Donald Trump has refused to wear a mask several times, especially in public and when the press is around saying he “didn’t want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it.”
He has reportedly said in an interview with Fox Business News that he supports the act of wearing one, only he thinks to make it mandatory is unnecessary.

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Haze Returns And It Might Not Be Indonesia’s Fault This Time

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You’re not hallucinating. It has been hot lately and the air quality is bad. The transboundary haze and hot spots are back and this time, the source is not from Indonesia.

According to Sinar Daily, the transboundary haze is likely due to the return of economic activities such as agricultural activities post Covid-19 in the Mekong Subregion, which comprises Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) geologist Dr Azmi Hassan said it started late last year during the start of the dry season in the Mekong region.
Universiti Malaya (UM) geologist Dr Mariney Mohd Yusoff echoed Dr Azmi’s claims and said there’s also forest burning in Thailand. The wind movement has now brought polluted air to Malaysia.
This is also likely why northern Malaysian states such as Penang, Kedah, and Perlis are the most affected.
In addition, the number of peat fires, open burning, and industrial activities in Malaysia does not help to improve the air quality.
Me when there’s haze again in Malaysia. https://t.co/RxnHvNZByC pic.twitter.com/bdW82TJ47U— Lee Seng Foo🇲🇾李成富 (@sengfoo88) April 14, 2023
As of 9am on 17 April, Cheras recorded the highest API reading at 151, followed by Seberang Jaya (Penang) at 145, and Segamat at 108.
An API reading between 0 and 50 is categorised as good, 51 to 100 is considered moderate, 101 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy, and 300 and above is hazardous.
On Saturday, Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad instructed the Department of Environment to monitor the API readings across the country, as reported by New Straits Times.
He also urged the department to increase enforcement on open burning and other activities that could contribute to air pollution.
It’s hard to predict when the haze and hot spots will stop, but it’s hoped that the rains and the change of winds will slightly improve things.
Meanwhile, the public is advised to avoid outdoor activities as the polluted air can badly affect health.
READ MORE: How to protect your pets from the worsening haze

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You Can Actually Self-Test For Influenza A, Here’s How To Do It

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Are your cough and congestion symptoms of Covid-19, the flu, or another respiratory illness?

You can now find out with a single test. You can do a self-test (saliva) using a self-test kit that you can buy at a pharmacy.
The advice was recommended by Public Health Malaysia, a Facebook page that promotes a healthy lifestyle with tips and guidelines on how to prevent and deal with illness.

Some test kits can detect both Covid-19 and Influenza at the same time.
You can select from a list of test kits that have been approved by MDA.
Some test kits can detect both influenza A/B and Covid-19. (Pix: MKN)
If the test produces two lines in the Flu A/ Flu B section, it means a positive result for influenza.
Symptoms of influenza may be worse than Covid-19 because you could experience a high fever of above 38°C along with mild to severe cough, and sneezing.
If you have symptoms, avoid going to crowded public places.
Children should not be sent to school if they’re not feeling well: if symptoms persist, get a medical check.
Perlukah saya risau dengan peningkatan kejadian Jangkitan Influenza di Malaysia❓Wabak yang disebabkan virus influenza bermusim hanya menyebabkan demam selsema (flu) yang ringan pada orang biasa tetapi boleh menyebabkan jangkitan yang teruk kepada kumpulan berisiko tinggi. – pic.twitter.com/26HTCMBzwC— JaPen Selangor (@japenselangor1) June 28, 2022
How to Use the Influenza Test Kit
The Influenza A+B Rapid Test cassette (Swab/Nasal Aspirate) qualitatively detects the presence of Influenza A and/or Influenza B antigen.
It relies on a nasopharyngeal swab, throat swab, or nasal aspirate specimens, providing results within 15 minutes.
The test uses antibodies specific for Influenza A and Influenza B to selectively detect Influenza A and Influenza B antigens in the nasopharyngeal swab, throat swab or nasal aspirate specimens.
Remove the test cassette from the sealed foil pouch and use it as soon as possible. Best results will be obtained if the assay is performed immediately after opening the foil pouch.Place the Extraction Tube in the workstation. Hold the extraction reagent bottle upside down vertically. Squeeze the bottle and let the solution drop into the extraction tube freely without touching the edge of the tube. Add 10 drops of extraction reagent (Approx. 400ul) to the Extraction Tube. See illustration 1.Place the swab specimen in the Extraction Tube. Rotate the swab for approximately 10 seconds while pressing the head against the inside of the tube to release the antigen in the swab. See illustration 2.Remove the swab while squeezing the swab head against the inside of the Extraction Tube as you remove it to expel as much liquid as possible from the swab. Discard the swab per the biohazard waste disposal protocol. See illustration 3.Fit the dropper tip on top of the extraction tube. Place the test cassette on a clean and level surface. See illustration 4.Add three drops of the solution (approx.120ul) to the sample well and start the timer.Wait for the coloured line(s) to appear. Read the result in 15 minutes. Do not interpret the result after 20 minutes.

Still Under Control
Cases of Influenza-Like Diseases (ILI) in the country are currently under control, although there are several clusters involving boarding schools detected, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
He said the public, especially parents, do not have to worry as the disease is a common infection and will arise from time to time.
READ MORE: Subang Boarding School Forced To Close After Students Fell Ill, Could Be Influenza A
Patients would need monitoring and isolation only.
Khairy said the influenza cases would increase from time to time because the Movement Control Order (MCO) had been lifted.
He explained that if the case of the disease is at an alarming level, certain measures will be implemented as soon as possible.
#ICYMI #BuletinBernama : Kes Penyakit Seperti Influenza (ILI), dalam negara pada masa ini adalah terkawal meskipun terdapat beberapa kluster melibatkan sekolah berasrama dikesan – Khairy Jamaluddinhttps://t.co/jWaQdotb3b— BERNAMA TV 🇲🇾 (@BernamaTV) June 27, 2022

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MPs To Play Football For Charity? Syed Saddiq Says Bring It On

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Is it ever a good idea for members of Parliament to be playing football.

No doubt many Malaysians would love to see their MPs thrash it out on the field, especially when it’s for a good cause.
Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said he had been wanting to play football with fellow Parliamentarians but they had always been tied up with work.
The MUDA president was met by TRP after playing a charity football match between MUDA Wilayah and MUDA Johor.
Sporting action for a good cause between MUDA Wilayah and MUDA Johor. (Pix: Fernando Fong)
In his role as a centre midfielder, Syed Saddiq played the beautiful game for more than two hours at the KL Football Academy in Kuala Lumpur.
MUDA have come up with playing football as a different way to raise charity. If the MPs are up for a match, we are all for it.Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman to TRP on football as charity.
The football charity match raised funds for HOPE Worldwide Malaysia, a non-religious charity organization helping the urban poor families and marginalized communities.
READ MORE: Old But Gold: The Retired Nurse Who’s Still Changing Lives At A Sentul Free Clinic
Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman exchanging memorabilia with Hope Worldwide Malaysia country director Darick Wong after the game. (Pix: Fernando Fong)
For The Love Of The Game
A match between MPs will certainly set tongues wagging.
There is no shortage of football lovers among the elected representatives in the august hall of Dewan Rakyat.
In fact, many MPs have taken a deep interest in the game, notably Pekan MP and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is a Manchester United fan.

Rembau MP and present Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin even helmed the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) for a period.
Even when they are not playing the game, MPs have ensured that the game gets the resources it needs.
They include Puchong MP Gobind Singh, Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng, Kubang Kerian MP Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and Sembrong MP, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, to name a few.
Some MPs even admitted that they missed playing the game.
Satu pertandingan bola sepak Bandar Kinrara anjuran MPP Zon 18 telah diadakan bertempat di Padang Bola Sepak MBSJ Bandar Kinrara 3. Program ini turut dihadiri oleh YB Tuan GobindSingh Deo, Ahli Parlimen Puchong untuk memberi semangat kepada pasukan bola sepak. pic.twitter.com/Tpg4SsNdlV— Majlis Bandaraya Subang Jaya (@SJcitycouncil) May 30, 2022
Kelab Bola Sepak Butterworth City yang memerlukan bantuan bagi membiayai perbelanjaan yang akan digunakan untuk menyertai pertandingan bola sepak piala veteran turut menerima bantuan kewangan daripada Pusat Khidmat Ahli Parlimen Bagan.(2/2) pic.twitter.com/B8RWZz17p9— Lim Guan Eng (@guanenglim) May 20, 2022
Merakam aksi Perlawanan Akhir Kejohanan Bola Sepak Piala Ahli Parlimen Kubang Kerian di Stadium Sultan Muhammad IV Kota Bharu, semalam. Alhamdulillah, kedua-dua pasukan bermain dengan cukup baik, semangat kesukanan yang tinggi dan hubungan ukhwah terus dijaga. pic.twitter.com/7VEoomC4cb— Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (@titm_official) April 2, 2022
Amacam, ada gaya #CR7 tak? Lama tak tendang bola. 📸 ni masa score gol terakhir saya tahun 2019 😂 Selamat #HariSukanNegara! 🙌⚽ https://t.co/FiBDbq1Ubj— Hishammuddin Hussein 🇲🇾 (@HishammuddinH2O) October 9, 2021
With the 2022 World Cup around the corner, it’s all the more reason for MPs to do a different kind of legwork.
Hopefully, Malaysians will be treated to an epic match between the MPs soon enough.
Once Upon A Time
On 29 September 1988, a football match was organized between the Cabinet Members and the BN Backbenchers Club in Kuala Lumpur.
Among those who participated in the match were Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed, who was then Prime Minister of Malaysia, and Najib, who was then Minister of Youth and Sports.
Najib was the Minister of Youth and Sports from August 1986 to October 1990. He suffered a knee injury during the match.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed laughing at the exposed legs of his Cabinet members during the game. (Pix: Facebook)
The match was organized as the last game for former national football legend, the late and great Datuk Mokhtar Dahari, affectionately known as Supermokh.
Supermokh, popular with the number 10 jersey, was later reported to be aware of his disease, ‘motor neurone’, a condition of the muscles and nerves, in November 1988.
The disease left Supermokh weak and lifeless: when walking, he staggered.
Supermokh is dearly missed by Malaysian football fans, especially at a time when Malaysian football is at its lowest.
He is considered a legendary player in Malaysian football history, notably with Selangor FA.
Semalam nampak news player blame padang becak. I’m not a footie fan sangat but zaman Mokhtar Dahari dulu ada ka depa blame external factors like cheers and wet field bila kalah? https://t.co/WMIT2YTBb0— Farah Harith (@farahharith) June 14, 2022
READ MORE: Faizal Azumu Apologises Over “Fan’s Cheers Made Players Lose Focus” Remarks

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No More Quarantines For Vaccinated Foreign Travellers Soon, Says Muhyiddin

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The government is looking to allow fully vaccinated foreign tourists from certain countries to come into Malaysia without having to undergo the two-week quarantine period, according to National Recovery Council Chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He was quoted by Bernama saying that the government will implement a joint recognition programme for vaccine certificates which have been used in several other countries.
This is a positive development in the process of opening the country’s borders which I am sure will revive economic activities, especially the tourism sector, international conventions, trade and others, as well as facilitate the affairs of business visitors and social visitors.National Recovery Council Chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Muhyiddin also said that he was briefed by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and was satisfied with the progress achieved, especially in terms of the decline in daily positive cases, the use of intensive care unit beds to treat Covid-19 patients and the high vaccination rate of the adult population .
The reopening of the country’s borders would allow Malaysians to go abroad without cumbersome rules, he said, while social visitors and foreign tourists could come to the country by complying with the conditions set.
When asked by the media on when the matter would be finalized, Muhyiddin said he was informed that the matter would be discussed and considered in a government meeting today.

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No Booster, No Friday Prayers – Netizens Are Furious With Latest Restriction

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Social media is abuzz with the anger of the netizens as Muslims are not allowed to perform Friday prayers at the mosque.

Many questioned the new law enforced by mosques in Selangor, to the point of preventing people from fulfilling their duties.
A number of viral videos are making the rounds in social media which showed worshipers praying outside the mosque compound.
They were seen spreading prayer rugs they fulfil their religious responsibility.

  @masilhan #dose  2 tak boleh masuk masjid, terpaksa sholat jum’at di luar ♬ original sound – Liza Nottujuh – Liza NotTujuh

You’ll Answer For It In The Afterlife, Say Netizens
By and large, netizens are dissatisfied and even angry with the new restriction which started on 25 February.
Many accused the clergies of denigrating their religion by blocking Friday prayers in large numbers.
Netizens are also bewildered as to why other avenues have no such restrictions.

At the same time, netizens pointed out that everyone deserves the freedom to worship God.

Nak tanya kat JAIS, hari ni yang tak booster tak boleh masuk masjid sembahyang Jumaat. Yang bawah 18 tahun tak wajib booster kan? @Khairykj? Tapi masih dihalang masuk.. Apa jenis undang2 ni 😠😠😠😠😠😠😠😠— Afizal Jaini (@AfizalJaini) February 25, 2022
Be Considerate, Say Muslim NGOs
President of Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organisations (Mapim) Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid urged the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) to reconsider the decision.
He said it is hardly surprising that netizens are outraged as Friday is a dedicated day of worship in Islam.
At the same time, the new rule creates an unfair assumption that mosques are breeding grounds for the Covid-19 virus.

Mosques have been unfairly targeted during the pandemic. The authorities must be fair and meticulous in implementing Covid-19 guidelines.Mapim president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid on the probihition of Friday prayer for those without booster shots.

Safety Precautions
The restriction is not without reason, as new daily cases in the country surged past 32,000 recently.
Active cases with probable infection stood at 294,430 based on COVIDNOW data from the Ministry of Health (MOH) as of 25 February, with cumulative fatalities soaring to 32,591 cases.
Selangor recorded the highest daily number with 7,458 cases, followed by Sabah (4,892), Johor (2,699), Kedah (2,579), Penang (2,575), Kuala Lumpur (2100), Negeri Sembilan (1,840), Kelantan (1,746), Pahang (1,647) and Perak (1,552).
With a cumulative figure of 3,337,227 cases, Malaysia is now ranked 26th in the list of 225 nations/territories struck by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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It’s ‘Official,’ Nat Geo UK Says Singapore Is Malaysia

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It’s already a norm for Malaysians to meet people who confuse Malaysia with Singapore, Thailand and many other Asian countries. Some people don’t even know where Malaysia is but they know where Thailand and Singapore are.

However, the latest Facebook post caption by National Geographic UK takes the cake.
In the post, the caption read, “From the Archive: A family from India walks through the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, Malaysia.”
Screenshot from National Geographic UK/ FB
Reactions from netizens were mixed. Some quickly corrected the post by posting up different pictures of the Kuala Lumpur skyline.
Others found the humour in it all with one netizen even welcoming Singapore back to the Peninsular.
However, another person jokingly corrected everyone and explained that Singapore is actually another Johor district so it should be written as “Singapore, Johor.”
A few netizens posted edited photos of various foreign landmarks and claimed them as Malaysia’s own such as claiming London’s Tower Bridge is the Penang bridge.
Truth be told, the people at National Geographic UK should retake their geography lessons!

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Lee Zii Jia Taking A Break From Badminton

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Lee Zii Jia has stunned the badminton world and his fans with his recent decision to take a break from playing in tournaments.

The world’s number 11 made the announcement after his defeat to Lakshya Sen in the Indonesia Open 2023, as reported by Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The Malaysian shuttler faced yet another early exit from a tournament when he lost 21-17, 21-13 to the Indian shuttler who has also been struggling with his form due to a health issue.
“I think for now I will probably temporarily quit badminton. I don’t know how long I will take, but I will quit badminton for a while, until I get motivation again. I will take a break and get rest for a while.”
Lee also stated that he is uncertain about participating in the qualification for Paris 2024. He stated that he has been thinking about taking a break for some time now.
“…It’s too much for me on the court, I can’t concentrate 100 per cent. It will be good for me to take a break. The priority for me is to find my passion on court. I did well at the Sudirman Cup, but I haven’t done much different after that.”
As mentioned above, the news gave his fans a shock and they shared their opinions on the matter.
The pressure on LZJ is huge. I understand he is tired mentally and needs a break from badminton. But I really hope he comes back. He is such a fantastic player. Badminton is not the same without him. Take care, LZJ ❤— Hanne Nielsen (@hannepiano) June 14, 2023
Good desicion jia, take a short break ,rest well ya,we will waiting you till comeback— spicy🐣 (@me_i2rkf28) June 14, 2023
We will be waiting for you Lee Zii Jia you are more capable skillful player you can think of 🔥Find back the Lee Zii Jia you wanna be Come back like a BEAST TIGER LEE 🫡— SJ28 (@sujeitra) June 14, 2023
Not long ago, the Youth and Sports Minister, Hannah Yeoh met with Lee to discuss about the Road to Gold (RTG) programme. This meeting took place in the month of April.
Yeoh was impressed with Lee during the meet as he showed his desire to become the first Malaysian shuttler to secure a gold medal in the upcoming Olympics in Paris next year, as reported by New Straits Times.
Months later, for Lee to release such a statement is truly heartbreaking and leaves many worrying about his future.

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Hero Bomba Men Help Kitten In Rat Trap

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When there’s trouble you know who to call… Abang Bomba!

A video of a group of firefighters trying to save a kitten that found itself caught in a rat cage recently went viral online.
TikTok user @izzatizwan_official uploaded a video on how the rescue mission went down with his teammates.
A kind samaritan had found the kitten in the trap and called the local fire department for assistance.
The team of firemen wasted no time and worked hard and efficiently to free the trapped feline.
Thankfully, their efforts paid off well in the end.
After a cut here and there, the cat was freed and the hook of the trap was carefully taken out of the little creature’s mouth.
In the viral video, the cat is then seen being placed into a small pet carrier to be carried off to the veterinarian for further medical attention.
In the comment section, Izzatizwan said, “Thank you to the Servant of God who cared about this kitten. I hope there are many more people out there who care about animals. Thanks.”

It was a bittersweet moment indeed when netizens of various backgrounds took to the comment section to praise the team for rescuing the little kitten — many of which were brought to tears by the painful cries of the injured kitten.

Of the 6,000 comments, many also wished the team well and blessed them for their kind act.

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Astro Is Being Fined By MCMC For An Al Jazeera Documentary They Aired In 2015

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Astro is being fined by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for airing an Al-Jazeera documentary in 2015 about the controversial murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, titled “Murder In Malaysia”.

What you need to know: Malaysiakini reported that MCMC sent a notice on 7 July to Measat Broadcast Network System, which operates Astro, over the airing of the Al-Jazeera documentary on 11 September 2015.
According to the report, MCMC said its investigations had concluded that the content of the documentary was indecent and had led Astro to violate Section 211 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
Astro was fined a total of RM4,000 by MCMC for airing the episode 4 times (RM1,000 for each time the episode was aired), and the company has 30 days to appeal against the fine.
Why it matters: Al-Jazeera was also criticised by the Perikatan Nasional government after it’s documentary “Locked up in Malaysia’s Lockdown” aired on 3 July. Since then, the government has taken action on several fronts against the publication, and those involved in the documentary.
The government’s response to the documentary has been criticised by several parties as being a threat to press freedom in the country.
How it got here: The 2015 documentary about Altantuya’s death was aired as a part of Al-Jazeera’s Asia Pacific current affairs programme titled “101 East”. It linked the death of Altantuya in October 2006 to former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The documentary also resulted in its producer, Mary Ann Jolley, being deported from Malaysia during its production five years ago.
Read more:Govt Slams Al Jazeera Report, Said They Weren’t Racist When Handling Immigrants During MCO (TRP)Al Jazeera Documentary Backlash: 5 Important Things You Need To Know (TRP)Al Jazeera Defends Documentary Filmed During Lockdown in Malaysia (TRP)Rayhan Kabir’s Work Permit Revoked By Immigration Dept, Say Police (TRP)Now, Syed Saddiq Called In By Cops Over Al-Jazeera Interview In March (TRP)Al Jazeera’s License And Accreditation With Finas To Be Checked By Communications Ministry (TRP)If Al Jazeera’s Documentary Was Illegal, So Is Any Other Malaysian Video Content, Says Lawyer (TRP)Report: MCMC fines Astro for airing Al-Jazeera documentary on Altantuya murder five years ago (Malay Mail)

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Headmaster Leaves RM100K School Cash Aid In Car, Gets Robbed

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A school’s Bantuan Awal Persekolahan (BAP) fund went missing after it was allegedly stolen from a school headmaster’s car.

According to Buletin TV3, the school headmaster withdrew more than RM100,000 from a bank in Kampung Baru Semenyih around 10am to be distributed to students the next day.
However, he hid the bag of money under the side passenger seat in the car when he stopped to buy a drink from a shop that’s about 30 metres from the bank.
When he returned to his car, he found the side passenger seat window was broken and the bag of money missing.
The headmaster lodged a police report around 12.17pm.
Kajang police chief Mohd Zaid Hassan said the case will be investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code and the police are currently trying to track the thief via CCTV recording.
They’re not ruling out negligence and the involvement of “insiders” in the case.
Mohd Zaid also expressed disappointment that the headmaster did not request for security escort when he withdrew the money from the bank, Sinar Harian reported.
He said the police have always provided security services for more than 100 schools in Kajang whenever they needed to withdraw cash from the bank.
When we questioned the headmaster, he said he had never requested for any police escort in his 10 years of service at the school. He also said this was the first time he had experienced an incident (robbery) like this. We recommend that schools always get the police to escort them from the bank to a safe place.Kajang police chief Mohd Zaid Hassan
Anyone with information is urged to contact the police.

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Service Charge In Malaysia:  Can You Really Not Pay?

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Service Charge has long been the bane of customers who often find a 10% fee slapped on receipts after dining in a restaurant or checking out of a hotel.

What’s Service Charge?
According to the Malaysian Customs Department, Service Charge is a – well – charge imposed on the cost of goods or services imposed by business in a bill. This is normally applied in the hospitality industry, usually at a rate of 10% though the amount differs across various establishments.
10% service charge as indicated in a restaurant bill.(Credit: TRP)
The money collected from the Service Charge is accumulated and pooled into a fund to be paid to the workers.
Do take note that Service Charge is different from the Sales and Service Tax (SST), sometimes known as Service Tax. The Service Tax is fixed at 6% and can only be imposed by businesses in the hospitality industry under license by the Customs Department.
The bill on the left indicates service charge, while the bill on the right shows the service tax (which is zero in this case).(Credit: TRP)
This tax is imposed as stipulated by the Service Tax Act 1975 and it is paid to the government once every two months. Essentially, they’re collecting it from customers on behalf of the government.
Service Tax is not imposed on the Service Charge, but on the cost of goods or services provided.
Why does Service Charge even exist in Malaysia?
Service Charge is a replacement for tipping, though not necessarily so.
When we asked the Malaysian Association Hotel Owners (MAHO), they told us that the Service Charge is a practice of over 50 years by a majority of hotels in lieu of taking tips from their guests.
Tipping isn’t a standard practice in Malaysia as the service charge is considered a tipping system.(Credit: Pixabay)
They distribute the collected amount to “deserving staff based on points system.” Depending on position and seniority, staff will be given a number of service points.
Example of worker’s salary calculation based on the Points Wage System.(Credit: TRP)
In Malaysia, the general practice is that the Service Charge is distributed to non-management level employees. This practice was later adopted by restaurants to cover employee wages.
It should be noted that the Service Charge cannot be used to pay minimum wage and the 10% charge must be stipulated in the collective agreement (CA) between employers and employees before businesses can impose it.
Does the money really go back to the workers?
For the most part, yes.
While the majority of the Service Charge collected goes back to the staff, The Star  reports that it is standard practice to retain a certain percentage of the Service Charge collected to cover breakages and staff events.
(Credit: Saw Siow Feng/Malay Mail)
A Putrajaya restaurant owner who wishes to remain anonymous told us that most restaurateurs do distribute the amount among the staff, though he’s heard of unscrupulous establishments who keep the collected Service Charge instead.
It should be noted that this is an offence under the Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
Okay, so can I refuse to pay Service Charge?
Unfortunately, we’ve got some bad news for you.
You can’t really refuse to pay the Service Charge despite reports surfacing in 2015 that hotel and restaurant patrons had the option not to pay the 10% Service Charge.
A customs senior director later told TRP that patrons should pay the Service Charge since they receive a service from the restaurant like serving meals and cleaning tables.
Customers have the right to dispute service charge if they’re not notified before dining or engaging in a service.(Credit: Yusof Mat Isa/Malay Mail)
We also asked a lawyer who basically said if the customer is informed that Service Charge applies at an establishment and they opt to use the service, it is considered an agreement. The Service Charge notice is usually displayed in the establishment or indicated in the menu.
If there is no indication of a Service Charge upfront, you do have a choice to decide if you want to pay the 10%.
You still have rights as a consumer under the Consumer Protection Act 1999 which indicates that there is implied guarantee as to reasonable care and skill, time of completion and price.
As a customer, you can opt to discuss with the manager to have the charge removed or file a complaint with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs.
This would be an example of less than stellar service.(Credit: Bernama via Malay Mail)
The future of Service Charge
The public interest in Service Charge ebbs and flows with the conversation of SST and Goods and Service Tax (GST) implementation.
In a 2018 report by Free Malaysia Today,  former Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said that the 10% Service Charge was too high and that operators should lower it.
He argues that the government has given relaxations to businesses, such as raising the Service Tax threshold to RM1.5 million and above on food and drinks and tax exemption on the rent for small stalls and food shops.
While many may echo his sentiment, workers in the hospitality and services industry are generally in favour of keeping the Service Charge.
When speaking to restaurant workers in Petaling Jaya, Malay Mail found that many workers depended on the Service Charge to survive – even with a basic salary of RM1,200.
Workers in the Malaysian hospitality and services industry depend on the service charge to make a living wage.(Credit: Pexels)
MAHO also indicated to TRP that hotel employers are now choosing to go on a clean wage system where all allowances are merged into one fixed salary.
This decision is made due to the implementation of the minimum wage in 2013 and subsequent court ruling that the Service Charge collected cannot be used to pay the minimum wage. However, hotels facing strong objection from unionised staff are currently settling the matter in industrial courts.
So, for now at least, it looks like the Service Charge is here to stay.

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Source:
Explaination On Service Charge / Government Tax / Service Tax
Letters - Clean wage answer to service charge issue
Restaurants and hotels to get service charge certificates
10% service charge is not govt tax
CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT 1999
Restaurant workers worried over service charge backlash
10% service charge too high, Guan Eng tells restaurants


UK Michellin-Star Chef Accused Of Stealing Singaporean Recipe On Rasa Malaysia Food Blog

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It seems that the colonists aren’t done with stealing our Southeast Asian resources, because it turns out that a London-based, Singapore-born Michellin-Star Chef may have been ripping off Singaporean recipes for her new cookbook.

Elizabeth Haigh owns and runs a kopitiam in London’s food haven Borough Market called Mei Mei and formerly competed on MasterChef in 2011. She also regularly shows up with our own Malaysian comedian Uncle Roger in his YouTube videos as ‘Auntie Liz’.
Now, she is being accused of plagiarism in her new cookbook titled Makan.
Left: Sharon Wee’s book published in 2012, and Elizabeth Haigh’s book publish in 2021.(Credit: Google Books)
How It Began
Sharon Wee is a New York-based Singaporean who published Growing Up in a Nyonya Kitchen in 2012, a cookbook that included her mother’s recipes, personal anecdotes, childhood stories, and interviews with older relatives.
However, after reading Elizabeth Haigh’s new cookbook Makan published in May 2021, she pinpointed more than 15 recipes that were lifted from her cookbook, including her own personal histories and stories with her family.
Not only did Haigh lift the recipes themselves, it is alleged that she also paraphrased the personal anecdotes and stories Wee had written into her book. Poet and critic Daryl Lim Wei Jie compiled some of the similarities on his Instagram.
        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Daryl Lim Wei Jie (@daryllwj)
Just one of the examples provided by Daryl on his Instagram.(Credit: Daryl Lim Wei Jie)
Wee has notifed Bloomsbury, the publisher of the Makan cookbook, of the similarities.

Malaysians Get Involved
Malaysian food blogger Low Bee Yinn, who runs the food blog Rasa Malaysia, was bewildered when a reader accused her of copying the same recipe for ngo hiang (also known as Penang lobak in Malaysia).
The reader, Alice Lin, claimed that this recipe on Rasa Malaysia’s blog is the exact same as the one from Haigh’s.

The recipe posted on Rasa Malaysia was published in 2010, a contribution from a Singaporean food blogger by the name of Danielle. This recipe was hosted on the Rasa Malaysia site with full credit. There, Danielle says that this is her mother’s recipe.
At that time, Low was not concerned about the comment, until she came across the post by Sharon Wee.
Only then did Low connect the dots and realized that Elizabeth Haigh had pilfered recipes– not only from Growing Up In A Nonya Kitchen, but also from the food blog Rasa Malaysia, and even a very old Singaporean cookbook first published in 1981.
An established chef like Elizabeth Haigh stealing all our recipes is just ethically wrong.Low Bee Yinn to TRP
Low has also submitted her concerns about how passages were plagiarised verbatim by Elizabeth Haigh to Bloomsbury but received no response.
The Fallout
Bloomsbury has already pulled Makan off the shelves, and the book is no longer on sale at stores or online except for Amazon. The publisher notes that Makan “has been withdrawn due to rights issues.”
However, Elizabeth Haigh has yet to provide a statement about the accusations of plagiarism. She has disengaged from her social media by deactivating the Instagram for her restaurant Mei Mei and making her Twitter private.
Nigel Ng, better known as his comedian persona Uncle Roger, and Elizabeth Haigh show up frequently together in cooking shows.(Credit: SORTEDfood/YouTube)
At the same time, Uncle Roger– our own Malaysian comedian Nigel Ng– released a YouTube video featuring her as Auntie Liz on the same weekend the plagiarism controvesy unfolded. The video promoted her kickstarter to open a bigger restaturant, which many found in poor taste.

TRP has reached out to Elizabeth Haigh and Nigel Ng for further comments. This article has been updated for clarity.

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Get Your Kid Registered For Free Pneumococcal Vaccine On MySejahtera

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Starting 1 June this year until 31 May, 2024, MySejahtera users will be able to register their children for a free pneumococcal vaccine via the application.

According to Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa, children aged between four and five, born between 2018 and 2019, will now be eligible to receive free pneumococcal vaccinations at all Ministry of Health (MoH) primary health facilities.
The expansion of the pneumococcal immunization program aims to include children who were previously not considered part of the target group under the National Immunization Programme.
Dr Zaliha was reported sharing this information during a press conference held after the National-Level Immunization Day 2023 celebration today.
According to Bernama, Dr Zaliha explained that children aged four and five will receive a single dose of the vaccine, as opposed to the three-dose regimen given to babies at four months, six months, and 15 months.

Parents or guardians who wish to get their children vaccinated can choose to walk into any health or village clinic across the nation or conveniently make appointments through the MySejahtera application.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa
What Is The Pneumococcal Vaccine And Why Is It Important?
The pneumococcal vaccine is vital for safeguarding against Streptococcus pneumoniae, a bacterium responsible for various diseases such as pneumonia, sinus infections, middle ear infections, meningitis, and septicaemia.
Serious complications of pneumococcal disease include hearing impairment, brain damage, and even death.
The Ministry of Health had initiated the administration of pneumococcal vaccination under the National Immunization Programme on December 1, 2020, targeting children born from January 1, 2020.
Moreover, Dr Zaliha added that in the coming year, MoH aims to vaccinate a total of 700,000 or 70 percent of one million children born between 2018 and 2019 with the pneumococcal vaccine.
Additionally, she also highlighted that the National Immunization Programme provides 11 types of vaccine products to prevent 13 vaccine-preventable diseases.
These include tuberculosis, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Haemophilus influenzae type b, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella.
Furthermore, the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine will be offered to female students aged 13 years old, while the Japanese Encephalitis vaccine will be available in Sarawak.
She also emphasized the remarkable success of the national immunization coverage for infants and children, surpassing the target set by the World Health Organization (WHO) of over 95 percent for most of the primary vaccines in the program.

This achievement has been certified by the WHO, reflecting the effectiveness of Malaysia’s immunization efforts.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa

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