Malaysia lifts travel restrictions for fully vaccinated people

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia on Sunday lifted interstate and international travel restrictions for residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as the country achieved its target of inoculating 90 percent of its adult population.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government has agreed to allow fully vaccinated Malaysians to travel overseas without applying for permission.

The new rules take effect on Monday.

The government is preparing to shift into an endemic COVID-19 phase where it will not impose wide lockdowns again if cases rise, Ismail Sabri told a news conference.

"We have to train ourselves to live with COVID, because COVID may not be eliminated fully," he said.

Nearly 65% of the country's 32 million population, including those aged 12 to 17, were fully vaccinated as of Saturday.

The Southeast Asian nation has recorded 2.3 million coronavirus infections and 27,265 deaths from COVID-19.

(Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Editing by David Goodman and William Mallard)

-reuters

Malaysian doctors stage walkout amid worsening COVID-19 outbreak

Hundreds of junior doctors at state-run Malaysian hospitals staged walkouts Monday demanding better conditions as the country faces its worst coronavirus outbreak yet. 

Dressed in black and holding signs with slogans including "equal pay, equal rights, equal opportunity" and "we are your future specialists", they protested at medical facilities nationwide. 

The doctors are on contracts for a set period and say their treatment is worse than that of permanent government staff, even as they have found themselves on the frontline of the fight against Covid-19.

They complain of a lack of job security, poor benefits and that very few are eventually offered permanent positions.

We want "equal rights, to be a permanent doctor," said a medic at a government hospital that treats virus patients outside Kuala Lumpur. 

"We would definitely not be here if we were treated fairly... we should be appreciated for what we do," the doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters.

The medic was among dozens who took part in the action at the hospital, which lasted around half an hour. 

Local media reported that several hundred participated across the country, but some doctors complained they were threatened by police and senior hospital staff in a bid to halt the protests.

Those involved said senior doctors took over their duties before they walked out, to ensure that patient care was not jeopardized. 

Malaysia is currently battling its most serious outbreak, driven by the highly contagious Delta variant. Officials have reported over one million cases and about 8,000 deaths.

There are over 23,000 doctors on these contracts in Malaysia -- about 45 percent of the total medical doctors in the public healthcare system, according to official estimates.

Last week, the government said it would extend junior doctors' contracts for up to four years in a bid to forestall the protests. 

But they stopped short of offering permanent jobs, and the organizers of Monday's walkout criticized the move as "short-sighted".

Agence France-Presse

Malaysia to ramp up COVID-19 vaccinations as new infections surge

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia is planning to set up more mega vaccination centers and get private doctors to join immunization efforts, after five consecutive days of record daily coronavirus infections.

Science Minister Khairy Jamaluddin told a virtual news briefing on Sunday that the government will set up another five mega vaccination centers around the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and are considering two in the northern state of Penang and in the southern state of Johor.

The government will also train general practitioners to administer COVID-19 vaccines, he said, noting some vaccines need to be handled and stored differently than usual vaccines.

"Before this, there was no need (to involve the private healthcare sector) because the vaccine supply was not a lot. As the supply increases, we want to facilitate private clinics, (general practitioner) clinics, private hospitals to roll out the vaccines via our program, for free," he said.

The private vaccination centers could administer a total of 40,000 doses a day, he said, adding that the government aims to raise daily vaccinations to 150,000 doses. It has reached 107,000 doses a day this week.

Nearly 6 percent of the country's 32 million people have been vaccinated, according to the website of the governmental Special Committee for Ensuring Access to COVID-19 Vaccine Supply.

Khairy said the government is also looking to allow drive-through vaccination centers in the country, after guidelines are firmed up.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday announced a nationwide total lockdown from June 1-14 in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

Malaysia reported 6,999 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, bringing the total infections in the country to 565,533.

New cases and deaths rose to records on Saturday.

(Reporting by Liz Lee; Editing by Kim Coghill)

-reuters

Malaysia's last known Sumatran rhino dies

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The last surviving Sumatran rhino in Malaysia has died, wildlife officials said Sunday.

Once found as far away as eastern India and throughout Malaysia, the Sumatran rhino has been almost wiped out, with fewer than 80 left anywhere, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Only a handful of the creatures remain in the wilds of Indonesia.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga told AFP the 25-year-old female named Iman died on the island of Borneo from cancer.

"She was starting to suffer significant pain from the growing pressure of the tumors," Tuuga said.

"I think we can confirm that the Sumatran rhino is now extinct in Malaysia," he added.

Malaysia's last male Sumatran rhino died in May this year. Tam also had lived in the same nature reserve with Iman on Borneo island in Malaysia's Sabah state.

John Payne, executive director of Borneo Rhino Alliance said the Sumatran rhinos have been hard hit by factors including changes in climate, vegetation and hunting for traditional Chinese medicine. 

source: philstar.com

Malaysia ex-PM Najib's biggest 1MDB trial begins

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia’s ex-prime minister Najib Razak played a pivotal role in plundering the state's 1MDB fund and channelled hundreds of millions of dollars into his own bank account, a prosecutor said Wednesday at the opening of his most significant graft trial.

Claims that Najib and his cronies pilfered massive sums from the fund and spent it on everything from real estate to artwork contributed to the defeat of his long-ruling coalition to a reformist alliance.

After losing power last year, the former prime minister was arrested and hit with dozens of charges related to 1MDB. He is expected to face several trials.

The first started in April but Wednesday's is the biggest, with Najib accused of 21 counts of money-laundering and four of abuse of power, centring on allegations that he illicitly obtained 2.28 billion ringgit ($540 million) from 1MDB.

Opening the trial, lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur that Najib was a key player in the plunder of 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a fund established with the ostensible aim of boosting Malaysia's economy.

"His objective was to enrich himself," the prosecutor told the packed courtroom, as he outlined a series of complex financial transactions between 2011 and 2014 he said were used to funnel cash to Najib.

Najib -- who was also finance minister -- put himself in "sole control" of the fund's important affairs and used his position "to exert influence over the board of 1MDB to carry out certain abnormal transactions with undue haste".

Gopal said the former premier was the "mirror image" of fugitive financier Jho Low, who has been charged in both Malaysia and the United States.


"Jho Low and the accused acted as one at all material times," he said. Low held no official positions at 1MDB but was believed to have exerted huge influence over its operations.

In addition, Najib "took active steps to evade justice. He interfered with the course of investigation of this case," Gopal said.

Crucial part of 1MDB saga 

The 66-year-old, who was in court for the start of the trial, denies all the charges.

The case relates to a crucial part of the 1MDB saga.

When reports surfaced in 2015 that huge sums linked to the fund had flowed into Najib's bank account, it dramatically ratcheted up pressure on the leader and his inner circle.

The attorney-general later cleared Najib of any wrongdoing, saying the money was a personal donation from the Saudi royal family, and closed down domestic investigations.

As allegations surrounding the fund multiplied, Najib became increasingly authoritarian, jailing political opponents and introducing laws that critics said were aimed at stifling dissent.

Prosecutors plan to call about 60 witnesses in a trial that is likely to be lengthy and complex but Najib's lawyers have complained they have not had sufficient time to prepare for such a major case.

Prosecutors wrapped up their case Tuesday in Najib's first trial, which involves the theft of 42 million ringgit from a former unit of 1MDB. The judge will rule in November whether it is strong enough to continue.

The new government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Najib's mentor-turned-nemesis, came to power partly on a pledge to probe 1MDB and has been keen to push ahead with the cases against the toppled leader.

The US Department of Justice, which is seizing assets in America allegedly bought with looted 1MDB money, believes that $4.5 billion was stolen from the fund.

Investment bank Goldman Sachs is also under scrutiny over 1MDB as it helped arrange bond issues for the fund. Malaysia claims large amounts were misappropriated in the process and has filed charges against the bank and some current and former executives.

The bank has vowed to fight the charges.

source: philstar.com

Mahathir says Malaysia will use Huawei 'as much as possible'

TOKYO, Japan — Malaysia will continue using Huawei products "as much as possible," bucking a global trend prompted by security concerns and a US ban on the Chinese firm, the country's prime minister said Thursday.

Mahathir Mohamad, speaking at a conference in Tokyo, acknowledged the security concerns but said they would not deter Malaysia.


"Yes, there may be some spying. But what is there to spy (on) exactly in Malaysia? We are an open book," the 93-year-old said at the Future of Asia forum.

Mahathir said Huawei had access to research "far bigger than the whole of Malaysia's research equivalent."

"So we try to make use of their technology as much as possible."

"Everybody knows, if any country wants to invade Malaysia, they can walk through, and we will not resist because it's a waste of time," he added.

His comment came after a wave of controversy over the Chinese telecommunications firm, which has been hit by allegations of espionage and faces a US ban.

A number of countries have blocked Huawei from working on their mobile networks and companies have stepped back from the firm after the US ban, citing legal requirements.

The spat comes as the United States and China raise tariffs in tit-for-tat moves along with blistering rhetoric accusing each other of unfair trade practices.

Mahathir warned about the heated exchanges between Beijing and Washington, which come as the powers and their allies lock horns in the hotly contested South China Sea.

Mahathir said the United States and "the West" must accept that Asian nations now produce competitive products, and should not "threaten" business rivals.

"Yes, I understand Huawei has tremendous advance(s) over American technology even," he said.

"The US must compete with China. At times China will win, other times the US will win," he said.

He warned that the tense relations between the US and China might impact the situation in the South China Sea, where China claims sovereignty despite rival claims from other regional nations.

And he urged calm in the area, warning that small incidents could easily escalate into violence.

source: philstar.com

Najib Razak concedes defeat in Malaysia election

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia  — The Latest on Malaysia's election (all times local):

11:30 a.m.

Malaysia's prime minister Najib Razak, who led the ruling National Front coalition to a historic loss in a national election on Wednesday, has conceded defeat.

At a televised press conference, Najib said, "I and my colleagues accept the verdict of the people."


He said the National Front "will honor the principle of democracy in the parliament."

Opposition parties, led by Malaysia's former authoritarian leader Mahathir Mohamad, tapped into anger over a corruption scandal and a new tax to end the National Front's 60-year hold on power.

Because no single party won a majority in the election, Najib said the country's king will have responsibility for appointing the next prime minister.

"The national front will respect whatever decision is made by the king," he said. "I urge all Malaysians to be calm and to trust the king's wisdom to make the best choice."

___

10:45 a.m.

Supporters of Malaysia's new government have taken to the streets of Kuala Lumpur to celebrate their unexpected election victory.

People stood on roadsides waving the white, blue and red flag of the opposition alliance that triumphed in Wednesday's national election. Cars honked their horns as they sped past.
"I'm so happy," said a woman waving the opposition flag. "I hope we'll have a better Malaysia now. Malaysia reborn!"

Malaysian voters were angered by a corruption scandal involving Prime Minister Najib Razak and new taxes. The opposition victory ends the ruling National Front's 60-year-old on power,

___

3:40 a.m.

Mahathir Mohamad says the new Malaysian government will not be seeking revenge on defeated prime minister Najib Razak, who is accused of involvement in a corruption scandal at state investment fund 1MDB.

U.S. investigators say at least $4.5 billion was stolen from the fund by associates of Najib between 2009 and 2014, including $700 million that landed in Najib's bank account.

Najib, who denies any wrongdoing, clamped down on dissent to survive the scandal.

Mahathir said he is not seeking revenge and wants to restore the rule of law.

He added that those found to have breached the law will be prosecuted.

___

3 a.m.

Mahathir Mohamad has said after he led a Malaysian opposition alliance to a historic election victory that he expects a prime minister will be sworn in within a day.

Mahathir was the country's authoritarian leader for 22 years until 2003. He says the opposition's majority is bigger than announced so far.

The 92-year-old Mahathir says a representative of Malaysia's constitutional monarchy has contacted the opposition to acknowledge its victory.

Mahathir emerged from retirement and joined the opposition after being angered by an epic corruption scandal involving Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The opposition's win ends the National Front's 60 year hold on power.

___

2:40 a.m.

Official results from Malaysia's national election show the opposition alliance led by the country's former authoritarian ruler Mahathir Mohamad has won a majority in parliament, ending the 60-year rule of the National Front.

The Election Commission says the opposition has so far won 112 seats and the National Front has 76 seats.

The opposition is also sweeping state elections, including Johor state where the dominant Malay party in the National Front was founded.

Malaysian voters have been angered by a corruption scandal involving Prime Minister Najib Razak and new taxes.

Mahathir is 92 and leads an alliance of opposition parties.

source: philstar.com

Malaysia, Indonesia markets roiled as investors scramble for hedge on Trump

JAKARTA -- Emerging markets in Southeast Asia were slammed on Friday as the stunning upset of Donald Trump's presidential win in the United States reverberated around the world, with Malaysia and Indonesian central banks intervening to try to stem the flow of money out of stocks and bonds.

The latest selloff was triggered by markets recalibrating their expectations of a Trump presidency on broad economic policy, with a growing consensus that his policies will be inflationary and push US rates up driving investors out of emerging markets and into dollar-based assets.

Yields on benchmark 10-year Treasuries have spiked 41 basis points in the past two days as investors scrambled to readjust their positions.

Emerging markets in Asia are particularly vulnerable to hot money outflows, and deep uncertainty over how broad US and international policy will ultimately play out under Trump has unsettled investors.

On Friday's Asian session, the differential between the onshore spot rate in the Malaysian ringgit and the offshore NDF rate spread hit its widest since 2009.

Ringgit one-month non-deliverable forwards plunged to 4.5280 per dollar, while spot ringgit stood at 4.2670. As a result, the dollar/ringgit's NDFs premium over the dollar/ringgit spot widened to 0.2610, the widest since at least April 2008, according to Reuters data.

The subdued spot rate belied the drama because Bank Negara Malaysia was acting to stem any panic, traders said.

Malaysia's central bank governor Muhammad Ibrahim told reporters on Friday the ringgit should not be priced out of sync with fundamentals, and that it has a responsibility to tell banks to take temporary measures to calm the market

"We don't want to be dictated by factors that have nothing to do with the country's fundamentals," Ibrahim said.

Traders in Kuala Lumpur said the central bank had told them not to quote offshore rates and was approving large ringgits sell orders on a one-off basis in a bid to keep a lid on things. The tactic seemed to work with onshore trade reportedly very thin.

Hot money headache

However, yields on Malaysian government bonds told another story. Yields on 10-years have widened 22 basis points since Wednesday, while those on 20-year and 30 year bonds have widened 21 basis points and 10 basis points respectively over the same period.

Almost 40 percent of Malaysian government bonds are in foreign hands.

Malaysian stocks were down almost one percent.

Indonesian markets also dived in early trade. Indonesia has enjoyed relatively high inflows into stocks and bonds markets in the past few months, making it vulnerable to hot money outflows at times of uncertainty.

The rupiah  fell as much as 2.7 percent, while Jakarta Composite Index fell as much as 3.2 percent to its lowest since Sept 16.

Bank Indonesia sold dollars to stabilize the currency, traders said, but it still fell to a four-month low.

Nanang Hendarsah, an official at BI, said the rupiah's sharp drop was caused by sudden hedging activity in the NDF market, but noted outflows from Indonesian markets were contained so far.

Yield of Indonesia's 10-year government bonds jumped on Friday to 7.462 percent from 7.417 percent. Foreigners own 38.4 percent of outstanding Indonesian government bonds.

Philippine stocks were also caught in the selloff with the main index tumbling more than 2.5 percent. The Philippines peso, however, was steady at 48.99.

The short term might prove a head-spinning affair for investors, especially for those in emerging markets.

"With the market now pricing in low expectations of further US Federal Reserve rate hikes beyond the one expected in December, Mr. Trump’s economic policies present an upside risk to rates," said Khoon Goh, head of Asia research at ANZ.

"This, coupled with the depreciation pressure on Asian currencies, has put serious pressure on Asia’s carry trades."

source: interaksyon.com

Malaysia reports first suspected Zika case

SINGAPORE - Malaysia on Thursday reported its first suspected case of Zika, a 58-year-old woman believed to have contracted it in neighboring Singapore where more than 100 cases have been confirmed.

The Malaysian woman had made a brief trip in late August to visit her daughter, who has already been confirmed as having the Zika virus, Malaysia's health ministry said in a statement.

After returning to her home near Kuala Lumpur, the woman fell ill and was diagnosed with "suspected" Zika, based on a urine test. Full confirmation via blood tests is pending.

"The source of infection is suspected to have occurred in Singapore," the statement said.

The Aedes mosquito-borne Zika, which has been detected in 67 countries and territories including hard-hit Brazil, causes only mild symptoms for most people such as fever and a rash.

But pregnant women who catch it can give birth to babies with microcephaly, a deformation marked by abnormally small brains and heads.

Singapore authorities say 115 people have now tested positive for the virus, including a pregnant woman and 57 foreigners living and working in the city-state.

Singapore depends heavily on foreign labor, and industries like construction and the marine sector are dominated by workers from China and South Asia.

Among the foreigners infected, 23 are from China, 15 are from India and 10 from Bangladesh, the health ministry said Thursday. The rest are from Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia and Taiwan.

"All had mild illness. Most have recovered while the rest are recovering well,” the ministry said in a statement.

The city-state's environment agency workers have been ramping up efforts to eradicate mosquitoes in a bid to curb the spread of the disease, expanding a fumigation campaign centered on the "ground zero" of the outbreak in the eastern suburb of Aljunied.

They have also turned efforts to three other areas beyond the original cluster, sending teams of inspectors round homes fumigating and checking for breeding sites.

Indonesia and Malaysia have intensified monitoring of border points for passengers arriving from Singapore, while Indonesian health official Muhammad Subuh said those arriving from the city will be given a card telling them to report to hospitals if they show Zika symptoms within 10 days of arrival.

Tropical Malaysia -- which already has struggled in recent years to control the spread of Aedes-borne dengue fever -- has been bracing for Zika after Singapore last weekend reported a surge in cases.

The United States and Britain have joined Australia and Taiwan in advising pregnant women to avoid non-essential travel to Singapore, while a local health expert has warned the infection rate would rise.

Despite the rise in Zika cases, a spokesman for the Singapore Grand Prix told AFP Wednesday the Formula One race will go on as scheduled from September 16-18.

source: interaksyon.com

Chinese smart phone ‘Mi 3′ enters Malaysia market

KUALA LUMPUR — Chinese-made smart phone “Mi 3″ entered the Malaysian market and started selling Tuesday, said Beijing Xiaomi Technology Co., Ltd president Lin Bin in Kuala Lumpur.

Lin said “Mi 3″ is honored as the fastest smart phone in the world.

Since its marketing in September in the mainland market of China, the smart phone has also entered the markets of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore and received warm welcome from the consumers.

A mature and free market, Malaysia is not only the palace for issuance of world’s most advanced smart phones, but a place of fiercest competition, Lin added.

He believed the impeccable quality and service of the phone will win the customers, adding the company will set up after-sales service centers in Kuala Lumpur, Pulau Pinang and other two cities and form “Xiaomi Family” within this year.

source: interaksyon.com

Malaysia says French satellite detects debris in plane search area

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia said Sunday it had received new satellite data from France indicating floating objects in the search area for a missing Malaysian jet in the southern Indian Ocean.

The Transport Ministry said the information had been passed on to Australian authorities who are coordinating the search for the plane, now focused on a remote stretch of ocean 2,500 kilometres (1,562 miles) southwest of Perth.

The ministry said the latest data came in the form of images but France's foreign ministry later clarified this, saying it came in the form of "satellite-generated radar echoes".

A radar echo is an electronic signal that contains information about the location and distance of the object which bounces the signal back.

According to the French statement, the debris was floating around 2,300 kilometres from Perth.

It said France would increase its satellite capacity to continue the search in the zone.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing on March 8 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard.

Malaysia, which later revealed the plane turned back over the Malaysian peninsula after losing contact, has enlisted 25 other countries to help hunt for the plane.

Efforts in recent days have focused on the coast off Australia after previous satellite images of large objects there were released, and a plane spotted a wooden cargo pallet, along with some belts or straps.

source: interaksyon.com

Malaysia rejects jet 'debris' images and 4-hour flight report

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia said Thursday that satellite images of suspected debris from a missing jet were yet another false lead, and debunked a report the plane had flown on for hours after losing contact -- leaving the nearly week-old mystery no closer to being solved.

China had sparked talk of a breakthrough in the riddle of the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) jet with satellite images of three large floating objects near where flight 370 with 239 people on board lost contact on Saturday, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

But Vietnamese and Malaysian planes that searched the area in the South China Sea on Thursday found no sign of wreckage of the Boeing 777, which has one of the best safety records of any jet.

Adding to confusion, the Wall Street Journal reported that US investigators suspected the plane flew for four hours after its last known contact with air traffic control at 1:30 a.m. Malaysian time, based on data automatically sent from its Rolls-Royce engines.

It would mean flight MH370 travelled for hundreds of miles after it dropped off the radar, expanding the potential crash site far beyond the vast zone under scrutiny now.

The WSJ said US counterterrorism officials were probing the possibility that a pilot or someone else on board diverted the jet towards an unknown location after turning off its communication transponder.

But Malaysia denied the report as "inaccurate".

"The last (data) transmission from the aircraft was at 0107 hours which indicated that everything was normal," Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told reporters.

"Rolls-Royce and Boeing teams are here in Kuala Lumpur and have worked with MAS and investigation teams since Sunday. These issues have never been raised."

He added that China had told Malaysia that the satellite photos posted on the website of a Chinese state science agency were released "by mistake and did not show any debris".

'Every day like eternity'

The day of Malaysian denials only exacerbated the puzzles surrounding the search for flight MH370, which has been blighted by false alarms, swirling rumours and contradictory statements about its fate.

Authorities have chased up all manner of leads, including oil slicks, a supposed life raft found at sea and even witness accounts of a night-time explosion, only to rule them all out.

"Every day it just seems like it's an eternity," Danica Weeks, whose husband Paul was on board, told CNN from their home in the Australian city of Perth.

Fighting back tears, she described how Paul had left his wedding ring and watch with her for safekeeping before starting his journey to a mining venture in Mongolia.

"I'm praying that I can give (them) back to him. It's all I can hold onto. Because there's no finality to it and we're not getting any information," she said.

Malaysia has contributed to the confusion by saying the plane may have turned back after taking off.

Military radar detected an unidentified object early Saturday north of the Malacca Strait off west Malaysia but it is unclear if it was the missing airliner.

The search for the plane now encompasses both sides of peninsular Malaysia, over an area of nearly 27,000 nautical miles (more than 90,000 square kilometres) -- roughly the size of Portugal -- and involves the navies and air forces of multiple nations.

Theories about the possible cause of the disappearance range from a catastrophic technical failure to a mid-air explosion, hijacking, rogue missile strike and even pilot suicide.

Beijing will keep up the search "as long as there is a glimmer of hope", Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said.

The passengers included 153 Chinese citizens, and Li told his once-a-year news conference: "Those people's families and friends are burning with anxiety."

Pursuing all 'concrete clues'


The satellite information prompted the focus of the search to swing back Thursday to the original flight path, after a shift in recent days to Malaysia's west coast -- far from the last known location.

"We will look at all areas especially the ones with concrete clues," a spokesman for Malaysia's civil aviation department said.

The China Centre for Resources Satellite Data and Application said in a statement on its website earlier this week that it had deployed eight land observation satellites to scour the suspected crash area.

By Tuesday morning, it had obtained images covering 120,000 square kilometres, describing their quality as "rather good".

China has also requested assistance from a fleet of Earth-monitoring satellites under an international charter designed to aid emergency efforts.

US authorities said their spy satellites had detected no sign of a mid-air explosion.

Malaysian police said Thursday they were investigating the two pilots, after an Australian television report of a past cockpit security breach, although the transport minister denied that their homes had been raided.

Malaysia Airlines has said it was "shocked" over allegations that First Officer Fariq Abdul Hamid, 27, along with a fellow pilot, violated airline rules in 2011 by allowing two young South African women into their cockpit during a flight.

It also emerged that months before the Malaysia Airlines jet vanished, US regulators had warned of a "cracking and corrosion" problem on Boeing 777s beneath their satellite antenna that could lead to a drastic drop in cabin pressure and possible mid-air break-up.

But Gerry Soejatman, a Jakarta-based independent aviation analyst, said the warning did not apply to the missing aircraft, a Boeing 777-200ER, which has a different kind of antenna.

"When an aircraft simply disappears from radar with no trace whatsoever, normally it means a rapid deterioration of the aircraft -- an explosion or structural failure that's very rapid," he added.

"That means the wreckage would be found near where it was last reported. But in this case, this doesn't seem to be the case."

On Thursday, Malaysia Airlines said it would retire the flight codes MH370 and MH371 -- the return flight from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur -- as a mark of respect.

source: interaksyon.com

Malaysians mounting fresh assault, says sultan's wife

MANILA, Philippines -- Malaysian forces appear to have launched another assault against followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III in Lahad Datu, Sabah Wednesday afternoon, the wife of the sultan said.

Dr. Fatima Kiram said they received a text message from a follower in Sabah saying they were preparing for another assault.

She could not confirm, however, reports overe Malaysian media that a Filipino fighter was killed in a fresh encounter Wednesday morning.

Kiram said the group of Raja Muda Agbimuddin remains "intact."

source: interaksyon.com

Aquino insists Sabah sojourn of sultan's men a conspiracy, vows to hold plotters liable

MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III on Monday reiterated his administration’s theory that the ongoing crisis in Sabah was the result of a conspiracy, and not solely the handiwork of the Sultan of Sulu, and vowed to hold liable those who deliberately put Filipino lives in harm’s way.

Looking grim, Aquino preceded a hastily called press conference with a short speech, saying authorities had evidence that several people, some of them high-profile, others working “in the shadows,” had instigated the mission to send hundreds of the sultan’s followers to Sabah, to reclaim their homeland, triggering the deadly standoff that was broken with sporadic shootings since Saturday. More than a dozen people were dead on both sides, in at least three areas in Sabah.

"Mulat tayo na may mga taong nagkuntsabahan upang humantong tayo sa sitwasyong ito. Isang sitwasying walang agarang solusyon. Ilan po sa kanila ay nakikita natin, habang ang iba naman ay nagkukubli pa rin sa dilim," the President said.

Aquino said Kiram III's group won't be able to launch such action in Sabah without conspirators, whom he said were critics of the government.

He said he had also observed that the critics were espousing only one line to instigate and further worsen the situation, adding that "concerted criticisms all point to a conspiracy."

"Pinalubha nila ang isyung ito at ginagawa nila ito habang nilalagay sa peligro ang daan-daang libong Pilipino," he said.

He warned those behind Kiram III's group that "they will not succeed."

"Pananagutin natin ang mga nagkasala sa bansa," Aquino said.

His earlier assertion last week that the mission was a “conspiracy” had angered Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, and drew flak from critics, who said the President spoke from a position of ignorance and insensitivity by implying the sultanate could be manipulated by others.

Also on Monday, Aquino stood pat on his demand to Kiram III's followeres to lay down their arms, saying a negotiation with the group over its claim to Sabah won't materialize if they would not surrender.

"Hindi pa rin nagbabago ang panawagan ko sa angkan ni Jamalul Kiram III. Hindi resonableng humingi ng pang-unawa kung nakatutok ang iyong armas sa mukha ng iyong kausap. Mgasisimula lamang ang resonableng usapan oras na maging handa kayong huminahon at magtimpi at humarap sa mesa ng may bukas na pag-iisip."

source: interaksyon.com

Ateneo HR Center 'disappointed' with 'insensitive' govt handling of Sabah row

MANILA, Philippines -- The human rights center of President Benigno Aquino III’s alma mater on Saturday voiced its “disappointment” over what it said was the “insensitivity” and “impaired knowledge” with which the government has handled the continuing problem in Sabah.

At the same time, the Ateneo Human Rights Center urged Aquino, in a statement, to “take the appropriate actions to achieve an amicable settlement on the issues surrounding the turmoil in Sabah.”

“From its public demeanor and dismissive statements, it (government) has exhibited an insensitivity to the root cause of the incident and an impaired knowledge of the historical, cultural, political and personal dimensions of the aspirations of our Tausug brothers and sisters in relation to Sabah,” the AHRC said.

It cited Aquino’s call for Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III to order his followers who had occupied a village in Lahad Datu, Sabah to leave and abandon their “hopeless cause” and his threat to use the “full force of the law” if they ignored him.

The AHRC also hinted that Aquino may have been ill advised on handling the Sabah issue, urging him “to get the best possible counsel in relation to this recent tragedy” and adding that, “the threats made by our own Department of Justice towards the Sultan and the members of the Sultanate of Sulu do not solve the problem.”

On Friday, the weeks-long standoff in Lahad Datu between Kiram’s followers, led by his brother Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, and Malaysian security forces erupted in violence.

Malaysia has placed the death toll at 12 Filipinos and two Malaysian police commandos dead. But the sultan’s brother said 10 of his party died, four were wounded and another 10 had been captured.

The AHRC said that, even while disapproving the manner the sultanate had chosen to pursue its claim to Sabah, the government “should have, in the same breath, sympathized and expressed its solidarity with the noble cause and territorial objectives of our Muslim countrymen/women.”

“Indeed,” it said, “the government may have unduly alienated citizens who have hitherto exhibited loyalty to the Philippines.”

Following is the full text of the AHRC statement:

In recent weeks, the Sultanate of Sulu, headed by Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and a group of Tausugs forming part of the Royal Army of Sulu, went to the town of Lahad Datu in Sabah. They asked that the Sultanate receive royalties commensurate to Sabah’s economic growth and that they be allowed to peacefully settle there, which they consider their homeland.

However, in a press conference held on February 26, 2013, President Benigno Aquino III appealed to Sultan Kiram and his supporters to withdraw from Sabah, and peacefully end their standoff. He, unfortunately, referred to their cause as a “hopeless cause.” Further, the President threatened them with prosecution by issuing a stern warning that if they choose not to cooperate, they will face the “full force of the law.”

The Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC) expresses its deep concern on what transpired in Lahad Datu, Sabah which escalated into violence resulting in the death of a number of our Muslim countrymen/women. The AHRC likewise expresses its disappointment on the government’s treatment of the problem. From its public demeanor and dismissive statements, it has exhibited an insensitivity to the root cause of the incident and an impaired knowledge of the historical, cultural, political and personal dimensions of the aspirations of our Tausug brothers and sisters in relation to Sabah.

While the Government may have expressed its non-conformity to the manner by which the claim was pursued, it should have, in the same breath, sympathized and expressed its solidarity with the noble cause and territorial objectives of our Muslim countrymen/women. Indeed, the Government may have unduly alienated citizens who have hitherto exhibited loyalty to the Philippines.

While not condoning any form of violence, the Philippine Government should demonstrate that the interests of our Filipino Muslim brothers and sisters involved are its paramount concern; and it has not derogated from its responsibility to protect their human rights.

Therefore, we call on President Benigno Aquino III to take the appropriate actions to achieve an amicable settlement on the issues surrounding the turmoil in Sabah. Also, we urge the government to extend all the possible assistance to our brother/sister Muslims involved in this tragic event. Moreover, we implore the President to get the best possible counsel in relation to this recent tragedy. The threats made by our own Department of Justice towards the Sultan and the members of the Sultanate of Sulu do not solve the problem. President Aquino should assure them that the Government will take the matter seriously in order to arrive at a peaceful solution. The Philippine Government should also guarantee the Sultanate of Sulu that it continues to honor the claim over Sabah, a place which our Tausug brothers and sisters rightfully claim and assert as our own.

source: interaksyon.com

Malaysian Islamic party urges Elton John show ban

KUALA LUMPUR – An Islamic political party on Tuesday urged the government of predominantly Muslim Malaysia to ban a concert by Elton John, saying the openly gay British pop icon promotes “immoral” values.

John, who is popular in Malaysia, is scheduled to perform on Thursday at a resort outside the capital Kuala Lumpur.

“This concert must be cancelled. Artists who are involved in gay and lesbian activities must not be allowed to perform in Malaysia as they will promote the wrong values,” Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi, chief of the youth wing of the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), told AFP.

The legendary singer-songwriter, who is on the Asian leg of a worldwide tour, performed in Malaysia last November to a sell-out crowd despite a similar protest from the Islamic party.

The 65-year-old singer was married to his Canadian partner David Furnish, 49, in a civil ceremony in England in 2005. On Christmas Day 2010 they became parents to a child conceived using a donor egg and born to a surrogate mother.

Nasrudin said PAS did not plan any street protests to oppose the concert, but “will instead demand that authorities cancel the immoral performance to protect our society from social degradation”.

On Monday, John courted controversy during a performance in China by dedicating his Beijing show to Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei.

PAS often protests concerts by Western acts, saying they promote promiscuity and corrupt the minds of youngsters.

The party is a key member of an opposition alliance led by Anwar Ibrahim that hopes to unseat Malaysia’s long-ruling coalition in elections that must be called by mid-2013.

Homosexuality has long been taboo in Malaysia, where 60 percent of the population is Muslim and sodomy is a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

source: interaksyon.com

Malaysians mount Web ‘blackout’ to protest law

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian NGOs, well-known bloggers and opposition politicians on Tuesday staged a one-day “Internet blackout” to protest a legal amendment that they say threatens free expression on the Web.

Participants replaced their home pages with black screens featuring messages attacking the new section of the Evidence Act, which went into effect in April despite widespread opposition.

Critics say under the amendment any web host, provider of a wi-fi network, or ordinary user of a computer or mobile device can be found liable for any defamatory or harmful Web content sent via its systems.

Activists have called it an attempt by the ruling coalition government, which has been in power for more than five decades, to clamp down on the Internet.

Prime Minister Najib Razak must call elections by next year against a formidable opposition that gets most of its message out via the Internet due to a government stranglehold on traditional media.

The government promised in the 1990s not to censor the Internet in a bid to draw in foreign high-tech investment, although authorities are accused of blocking some sites.

The effort has been spearheaded by Malaysia’s Centre for Independent Journalism, which calls the amendment “a bad law passed in haste and does not take into account public interest and participation.”

The CIJ and other critics — which also have included some figures in the ruling coalition — have called for it to be scrapped or revised.

The 24-hour blackout was to last until midnight.

Users attempting to access Paultan.org, a highly popular automotive-themed blog, were greeted with a black pop-up screen that said: “This is what the web could look like” under the legal change.

Malaysia has long been known for its authoritarian rule but Najib, who came to power in 2009, has launched a campaign to repeal some repressive laws to gain voter support.

However, the opposition and rights groups have dismissed the drive as a sham, saying that various laws introduced to replace the previous legislation have been little better than the old statutes.

source: interaksyon.com

Jobseekers warned as 4 more Filipino victims of human trafficking are rescued in Malaysia

MANILA, Philippines – Four Filipino women victimized by human traffickers and forced to work in nightclubs were rescued by the Royal Malaysia Police earlier this week, the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has reported.

The four were locked up and forced to work in a night club in Johor Baru, some 220 kilometers away from Kuala Lumpur and is near the Malaysian border with Singapore.

The Embassy lauded the quick action undertaken by the Malaysian police, through its Criminal Investigation Division (CID)-Anti-Human Trafficking Section, Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya said.

The victims, all residents of Metro Manila, were allegedly recruited and escorted by a certain Ramil Garcia from Manila to Zamboanga and then Sandakan in Sabah, with the promise of high-paying jobs in Malaysia .

When they arrived in Sandakan, Garcia turned them over to a certain Norminda Buko Whigan for "sale" to night club owners as customer service workers. The Filipinas were informed of their real work only upon their arrival in Sandakan .

After a two-week stay in Sandakan and with no offers from club owners there, the traffickers brought the women by plane to Johor Bahru in West Malaysia, where they were offered to a club owner Emy Wong.

The ladies were locked up at the Wong residence, and made to work at the club the following day.

The women, with ages between 27 to 36 years old, eventually were able to ask for help from the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and others, which alerted the Embassy.

In the evening of April 18, Malaysian CID agents, accompanied by two Embassy officials, proceeded to Johor Bahru in West Malaysia and raided the club.

The club owner had left the club, together with the Filipinas, minutes before the police arrived.

The team then proceeded to the Wong residence, where the Filipinas were locked up, and rescued the four Filipinas. The police also arrested Mrs. Wong's husband, who was in the house. Mrs. Wong is now being pursued by authorities.

The Filipinas were then brought before a local judge, who issued an interim protection order. They are now in a shelter run by Malaysian police and welfare authorities. They will later be turned over to the Embassy for repatriation to Manila .

The Embassy reminded Filipinos to be aware of the modus operandi of trafficking syndicates, so as to protect themselves from becoming victims.

"Our Filipinos should already beware anytime they are made to exit through the ‘back door’ in the Tawi-Tawi area without proper documentations. In most likelihood, they are being trafficked already," the Embassy said.

source: interaksyon.com