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Senin, 31 Mei 2021

Commentary: With federal and state governments involved, are there too many cooks in Malaysia's vaccine drive? - CNA

SINGAPORE: Launched in February, Malaysia’s COVID-19 vaccination drive aims to reach 80 per cent of its population by February next year.

To this end, the federal government has set aside funds to procure 66.7 million doses – more than enough to inoculate every Malaysian – and rolled out a three-phase vaccination drive.

Targeting 500,000 front-liners, the first was completed in April. The second phase kicked in that month and runs to August, targeting 9.4 million over-60s as well as vulnerable people.

The final stage caters to the rest of the population and is slated to begin soon.

READ: Malaysia to enter 'total lockdown' from Jun 1 to Jun 14 as daily number of COVID-19 cases hits new record

READ: Commentary: Little wonder why Malaysians are angry over celebrity Neelofa’s repeated COVID-19 breaches

Rolling out a vaccination drive in a country as large and diverse as Malaysia is no mean feat. To its credit, the federal government has dealt with some challenges nimbly.

For example, following scares about potential side effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine, the national campaign made these jabs available through a separate voluntary scheme. The main vaccination drive has continued, and the AstraZeneca component has enjoyed record take-up since.

Nonetheless, the national vaccination drive is proceeding slower than anticipated. According to the National COVID Immunisation Programme (JKJAV), as of May 27, 11 million people had registered for the vaccine, and 1.7 million people had received at least one dose.

This means that three months after the vaccination drive’s launch, only about 5.3 per cent of the country’s population has been reached.

One reason relates to procurement, as the vaccines are delivered on a quarterly basis, and there have been some delays.

Virus Outbreak Malaysia — A health worker shows the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wednesday, May 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Another is linked to a low vaccination rate. Up until early May, the pace fluctuated between 20,000-30,000 doses administered per day. The campaign has subsequently picked up speed with at least 70,000 daily shots since May 20.

Registration and coverage rates vary across the country. According to the JKJAV, geographically smaller states and territories such as Putrajaya, Labuan and Perlis have had a high number of residents registered and vaccinated.

The larger states of Selangor, Sarawak, Penang and Johor have been lagging on a per capita basis, even if the number vaccinated is high.

READ: Commentary: Malaysia’s nationwide MCO - denial, doubts and divisions threaten effectiveness

STATE GOVERNMENTS TAKE CHARGE

Feeling under-protected and eager to avoid more lockdowns, some state governments have decided to roll out their own vaccination drives. According to the Malaysian Constitution, state governments are, along with the federal government, jointly responsible for public health, sanitation and the prevention of disease.

To this end, state governments can use their own budgets, tap into networks with local communities and leverage their deeper knowledge of local conditions.

READ: Commentary: COVID-19 unlikely to become a thing of the past anytime soon

Earlier this month, Khairy Jamaluddin – the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation and also the Coordinating Minister of the National Vaccination Campaign – clarified the conditions under which state governments can procure and administer vaccines.

First, they need to apply to the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) for approval.

Second, they can only source NPRA-approved vaccines.

Third, in the event of a conflict with the central government over vaccines from the same source, the federal vaccine drive must be given priority.

SELANGOR, SARAWAK AND PENANG

To date, three state governments have sought to secure their own vaccines. Collectively, they illustrate the benefits and perils of having more cooks in the kitchen.

Selangor, Malaysia’s economic powerhouse, announced that it was allocating RM100 million (US$24.2 million) to procure 2.5 million doses of an undisclosed type of vaccine.

Beginning in June, its scheme will target larger employers, who will pay RM190 per dose for their employees. To date, more than 3,500 employers and one million employees have expressed interest in participating.

This initiative is interesting, as it marshals additional resources from corporations happy to reduce the potential cost of workplace lockdowns. Through reducing the number of people waiting for federally-funded vaccines, it can help shorten waiting times.

READ: Commentary: Najib Razak’s fine and a tale of double standards in Malaysia

The Sarawak state government has procured 1 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine. In this case, the state government is tapping into its cash reserves in order to make the jabs available free to all Sarawakians.

The state government also has important networks in rural areas and deeper knowledge of local conditions. Thus, it will send out mobile teams to visit rural communities.

Given the logistical difficulties of repeat visits, the vaccine will be administered to all eligible people in a location – as opposed to the standard phased approach.

READ: Commentary: Malaysians in lockdown coo over pictures of returning wildlife – but there’s more than meets the eye

The Penang government offers a less positive example. In February, a businessman offered to donate two million doses of the Sinovac vaccine to the state government on behalf of a Hong Kong-based investment firm.

The federal Health Ministry rejected Penang’s request as, at that time, Sinovac had yet to be approved. In mid-May, the current and former Chief Ministers of Penang criticised the federal government for blocking the donation.

Khairy Jamaluddin subsequently charged that the offer was “bogus”, revealing that Sinovac had no record of the order. The Penang state government has since stated that it will use its own funds to procure additional vaccines.

READ: Commentary: How COVID-19 vaccines are being weaponised as countries jostle for influence

Going forward, other state governments may feel pressured to follow their more independent-minded brethren. In addition to ensuring that they do not all seek to procure vaccines from the same sources, state governments will need to think about how they can leverage their inherent advantages to add value to the existing vaccine effort.

Should this not be the case, the cooks will produce a cold and unsatisfying broth.

Listen to Malaysians share how they have been coping amid a wave of COVID-19 infections in CNA's Heart of the Matter podcast:

Francis E Hutchinson is Senior Fellow and coordinator of the Malaysia Studies Programme at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. This article was first published by ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute as a commentary in Fulcrum.

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2021-05-31 22:11:40Z
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No foreign interference, says China, as Australia, New Zealand unite over human rights - The Straits Times

BEIJING - China said on Monday (May 31) it was firmly opposed to foreign interference after Australia and New Zealand, presenting a united front, expressed concerns over China's actions in Hong Kong and the north-western Xinjiang region.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin made the comment at a regular press briefing in Beijing in response to a question about the meeting between the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand.

It was the first time they had met in person since the pandemic began 15 months ago.

China was the main topic at the post-meeting conference in Queenstown on Monday by Mr Scott Morrison and Ms Jacinda Ardern, who highlighted developments in Hong Kong and Xinjiang as issues of concern, as well as the South China Sea, where China has continued to assert its dominance.

"The prime ministers expressed serious concern over developments in the South China Sea, including the continued militarisation of disputed features and an intensification of destabilising activities at sea," said a joint statement released after the meeting.

Asked about the stance of New Zealand, whose ties with China have strengthened, Ms Ardern said her country and Australia had "broadly been positioned in exactly the same place" over human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.

In April, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta drew some criticism from Western nations when she said New Zealand was uncomfortable expanding its invocation of the Five Eyes alliance with Australia, Canada, the UK and the US beyond intelligence matters into wider policy statements.

Australia and New Zealand have starkly different bilateral ties with Beijing: Relations between China and Australia have reached their lowest point in years, with disagreements on an array of issues, including trade and diplomacy. Wellington has enjoyed relatively warmer ties, but has faced accusations across the Tasman Sea as being soft and having sold out to China.

Meanwhile, the Chinese authorities conducted a separate press briefing on Monday, focusing on human rights developments in the past five years.

China has aggressively hit back at criticism, insisting that it has a different definition of human rights from the West. Beijing considers poverty alleviation and improving its citizens' standards of living as rights to economic development.

"A happy life for the people is the greatest human right," said Mr Li Xiaojun of the State Council Information Office's Human Rights Bureau.

"The implementation of the action plan has brought the protection of the economic, social and cultural rights of the Chinese people to a new level," he told the media in Beijing.

China has achieved poverty reduction goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development a decade ahead of schedule, Mr Li said, adding that the Chinese people "enjoy extensive and true democracy and freedom".

Officials also pointed to China's participation in the United Nations Human Rights Council.

"China advocates human rights dialogue and cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual respect, opposes the politicisation of human rights and double standards, and opposes human rights interference in internal affairs," said the foreign ministry's special representative for human rights, Ms Li Xiaomei.

Beijing has come under widespread criticism from foreign governments and rights groups over its treatment of the ethnic Uighur population in Xinjiang.

Over one million are believed to have been detained in camps, which China insists are vocational training facilities to help the Muslim Uighur population escape poverty.

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2021-05-31 15:07:02Z
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PM Muhyiddin unveils RM40 billion economic stimulus package as Malaysia is set to enter total lockdown - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin unveiled a new economic stimulus package worth RM40 billion (US$9.7 billion) on Monday (May 31), in an attempt to mitigate the impacts of an impending total lockdown.

Speaking during a televised national address, Mr Muhyiddin said the package – named Strategic Programme to Empower the People and Economy (Pemerkasa) Plus – will aim to increase the capacity of public hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients, to support continuity of businesses and to help the people.

He said that RM450 million will be used to increase the capacity of beds in intensive care units and equipment for COVID-19 treatment, while RM550 million will be allocated to cover the expenses related to increased operating and management costs in dealing with the health crisis.

On extending help to Malaysians directly, he said RM2.1 billion will be distributed to lower-income households earning less than RM5,000 per month.

"This is mainly to ensure the well-being and survival of the vulnerable, as well as to ensure that workers who depend on daily wages can continue to be assisted. They are expected to be among the most affected following the enforcement of the lockdown," said Mr Muhyiddin.

FILE PHOTO: APEC Economic Leaders Meeting 2020, in Kuala Lumpur — FILE PHOTO: Malaysia?s Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin arrives for virtual APEC Economic Leaders Meeting 2020, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia November 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng

In addition, he said that an optional loan moratorium would be offered to the bottom 40 per cent group and people who have lost their jobs, as well as micro-entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which are not able to operate during the MCO.

He also announced a RM500 one-off special cash aid for 17,000 tour guides, 40,000 taxi drivers, 11,000 school bus drivers, 4,000 express bus drivers as well as 62,000 e-hailing drivers.

The financial aid, totaling RM68 million, would be transferred to registered recipients in July.

However, Mr Muhyiddin acknowledged that the government has limited finances to spare at the moment.

"I would like to be frank, the government has limited fiscal power to spend at this time. However for the sake of the people's welfare, the government will strive to find a balance between lives and livelihood ... to enable people to survive for the duration of this MCO (movement control order)," said Mr Muhyiddin.

In concluding his speech, Mr Muhyiddin added that ministers and deputy ministers will not be drawing salaries from June to August, as a show of support for the country's fight against COVID-19.

"The salaries will be channelled to the country's disaster trust account to fund COVID-19 related expenses," he said.

Prior to Monday's announcement, Putrajaya had rolled out six stimulus packages worth a total of RM340 billion.

READ: Malaysia to enter 'total lockdown' from Jun 1 to Jun 14 as daily number of COVID-19 cases hits new record

READ: Measures in place to ensure no food supply chain disruption during total lockdown, says Malaysian minister

Malaysia is grappling to curb the recent rise in COVID-19 cases. The country enters a two-week lockdown from Tuesday, during which malls will be shut while only 17 essential service sectors will be allowed to operate. These sectors include healthcare, telecommunications and media, food and beverage, utilities as well as banking.

FILE PHOTO: People receive AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia May 5, 2021. REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng

On Saturday, Malaysia reported 9,020 new COVID-19 cases, its highest daily toll since the start of the pandemic. It was the fifth straight day of record new infections.

On Monday, there were 6,425 new cases. There are now more than 570,000 cases nationwide. A total of 2,796 people have died from COVID-19 in Malaysia.

In a May 23 interview, Mr Muhyiddin said that while a full lockdown would guarantee people’s safety, there is a risk that the economy could collapse .

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram

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2021-05-31 14:06:58Z
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PM Muhyiddin unveils RM40 billion economic stimulus package as Malaysia is set to enter total lockdown - CNA

This is mainly to ensure the well-being and survival of the vulnerable, as well as ensure workers who depend on daily wages can continue to be assisted. They are expected to be among the most affected following the enforcement of the lockdown.

However, he acknowledged that the government has limited finances to spare at the present moment.

In his speech, Mr Muhyiddin added that ministers and deputy ministers will not be drawing salaries from June to September this year.

Prior to Monday's announcement, Putrajaya had rolled out six stimulus packages worth a total of RM340 billion.

READ: Malaysia to enter 'total lockdown' from Jun 1 to Jun 14 as daily number of COVID-19 cases hits new record

READ: Measures in place to ensure no food supply chain disruption during total lockdown, says Malaysian minister

On Saturday, Malaysia reported 9,020 new COVID-19 cases, its highest daily toll since the start of the pandemic. It was the fifth straight day of record new infections.

On Monday, there were 6,425 new cases. There are now more than 570,000 cases nationwide. A total of 2,796 people have died from COVID-19 in Malaysia.

In a May 23 interview, Mr Muhyiddin said that while a full lockdown would guarantee people’s safety, there is a risk that the economy could collapse .

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram

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Three-child policy: China lifts cap on births in major policy shift - The Straits Times

BEIJING (REUTERS) - Married Chinese couples may have up to three children, China announced on Monday (May 31), in a major shift from the existing limit of two after recent data showed a dramatic decline in births in the world’s most populous country.

Beijing scrapped its decades-old one-child policy in 2016, replacing it with a two-child limit to try and stave off risks to its economy from a rapidly aging population. But that failed to result in a sustained surge in births given the high cost of raising children in Chinese cities, a challenge that persists to this day.

The policy change will come with “supportive measures, which will be conducive to improving our country’s population structure, fulfilling the country’s strategy of actively coping with an ageing population”, the official Xinhua news agency said following a politburo meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping.

Among those measures, China will lower educational costs for families, step up tax and housing support, guarantee the legal interests of working women and clamp down on “sky-high” dowries, it said, without giving specifics. It would also look to educate young people “on marriage and love”.

China had a fertility rate of just 1.3 children per woman in 2020, recent data showed, on par with ageing societies like Japan and Italy and far short of the roughly 2.1 needed for replacement level.

“People are held back not by the two-children limit, but by the incredibly high costs of raising children in today’s China.

Housing, extracurricular activities, food, trips, and everything else add up quickly,” Yifei Li, a sociologist at NYU Shanghai, told Reuters.

“Raising the limit itself is unlikely to tilt anyone’s calculus in a meaningful way, in my view.” In a poll on Xinhua’s Weibo account asking #AreYouReady for the three-child policy, about 29,000 of 31,000 respondents said they would “never think of it” while the remainder chose among the options: “I’m ready and very eager to do so”, “it’s on my agenda”, or “I’m hesitating and there’s lot to consider”.

The poll was later removed.

“I am willing to have three children if you give me 5 million yuan (S$1 million),” one user posted.

Share prices in birth- and fertility-related companies surged.

‘Too late now'

Early this month, a once-in-a-decade census showed that the population grew at its slowest rate during the last decade since the 1950s, to 1.41 billion, fueling concerns that China would grow old before it gets wealthy as well as criticism that it had waited too long to address declining births.

“This is without a doubt a step in the right direction, but still it’s a bit timid,” Shuang Ding, chief economist at Standard Chartered in Hong Kong, told Reuters.

“A fully liberalised birth policy should have been implemented at least five years ago, but it’s too late now, although its better late than never,” he said.

China’s politburo also said on Monday that it would phase in delays in retirement ages, but did not provide any details.

Fines of 130,000 yuan ($26,986) were being imposed on people for having a third child as of late last year, according to a government notice in the city of Weihai.

Fearing a population explosion, in 1979 China implemented its one-child policy, which succeeded in curbing population growth but also led to coerced sterilisations and sex-selective abortions that exacerbated a gender imbalance as many parents preferred male children.

A study published earlier this year by academics from Hangzhou University found that the two-child policy encouraged wealthier couples who already had a child and were “less sensitive to child-rearing costs”, while driving up the costs of child care and education and discouraging first-time parents.

“I’m super happy,” said Su Meizhen, a human resources manager in Beijing, who is pregnant with her third child.

“We won’t have to pay the fine and we’ll be able to get a hukou,” she said, referring to the urban residence permit that enables families to receive benefits including sending their children to local public schools.

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2021-05-31 10:24:28Z
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Pregnant women can register for Covid-19 jabs from June 4; cancer patients on active treatment can also be vaccinated - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - Pregnant women and cancer patients on active treatment are among the sub-groups of individuals that can also be vaccinated, said the multi-ministry task force (MTF) in an update on Monday (May 31).

It noted that more people have been vaccinated both globally and locally, providing more evidence on the efficacy and safety of vaccine use.

This is especially in relation to specific sub-groups where clinical trial data had not been as substantive.

The task force said: "The Expert Committee on Covid-19 Vaccination has been monitoring the evidence and developments around the world closely and has revised the guidance for... specific sub-groups of individuals."

Pregnant women will be able to register and book a vaccination appointment from Friday if they are part of the population group eligible for vaccination.

But MTF added that they should discuss the risks and benefits with their doctors to make an informed decision on the vaccination.

"There is currently no evidence to suggest that the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna Covid-19 vaccines may cause harm to pregnant women or their babies," MTF said.

"However, the committee recognises that the amount of data collected on this population segment is still much smaller compared to data on the general population."

It added that it is also safe for women who are breastfeeding to be vaccinated and they do not have to suspend breastfeeding to receive the vaccine.

Meanwhile, cancer patients on active treatment can also be vaccinated, MTF said. But they should do so in a hospital setting, after assessment by their treating specialists on their suitability.

Active treatment includes chemotherapy, immunotherapy or radiation therapy that individuals have undergone in the past three months or plan to undergo in the next two months.

Under the current guidelines, cancer patients on hormonal therapy can continue to be vaccinated at any available vaccination site.

MTF said: "Cancer patients on active cancer treatment remain a vulnerable population that is at an increased risk of complications from Covid-19.

"There is currently no evidence of any safety signals or increased rates of adverse events from mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines for this group."

The task force is also finalising guidelines on vaccination for cancer patients on treatment, including those who consult private specialists.

Additionally, those with severe cutaneous adverse reactions, which are rare drug-induced disorders, can also receive the vaccine.

Such reactions include the Stevens-Johnson Syndrome - a rare, serious disorder of the skin and mucous membranes; toxic epidermal necrolysis - a rare and serious skin condition; drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms - a type of drug allergy; and drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome.

These people may go to the vaccination centres, if they are part of the population group that is eligible.

MTF said the committee is also reviewing the safety data on people with a history of anaphylaxis, which is a severe allergic reaction that can kill unless treated promptly, to allow more to be safely vaccinated. The review aims to be completed in the next two weeks and will set out guidelines.

"We will continue to review the data on other types of vaccines and explore bringing in safe and efficacious vaccines that are suitable for individuals not recommended to receive the mRNA-based vaccines," MTF said.

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2021-05-31 08:54:58Z
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Three-child policy: China lifts cap on births per family - CNA

BEIJING: China said on Monday (May 31) that married couples may have up to three children, a major policy shift from the existing limit of two after recent data showed a dramatic decline in births in the world's most populous country.

Beijing scrapped its decades-old one-child policy in 2016, replacing it with a two-child limit that failed to result in a sustained surge in births given the high cost of raising children in Chinese cities - a challenge that remains.

"To further optimise the birth policy, (China) will implement a one-married-couple-can-have-three-children policy," the official Xinhua news agency said in a report following a politburo meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping.

The policy change will come with "supportive measures, which will be conducive to improving our country's population structure, fulfilling the country's strategy of actively coping with an ageing population and maintaining the advantage, endowment of human resources", Xinhua said.

It did not specify the support measures.

"People are held back not by the two-children limit, but by the incredibly high costs of raising children in today's China. Housing, extracurricular activities, food, trips, and everything else add up quickly," Yifei Li, a sociologist at NYU Shanghai, told Reuters.

"Raising the limit itself is unlikely to tilt anyone’s calculus in a meaningful way, in my view," he said.

In a poll on Xinhua's Weibo account asking #AreYouReady for the three-child policy, about 29,000 of 31,000 respondents said they would “never think of it” while the remainder chose among the options: "I'm ready and very eager to do so", "it's on my agenda", or “I'm hesitating and there's lot to consider”.

The poll was later removed.

"I am willing to have three children if you give me 5 million yuan (US$785,650)," one user posted.

Shares in birth- and fertility-related companies surged.

SLOWING GROWTH

Early this month, China's once-in-a-decade census showed that the population grew at its slowest rate during the last decade since the 1950s, to 1.41 billion. Data also showed a fertility rate of just 1.3 children per woman for 2020 alone, on a par with ageing societies like Japan and Italy.

China's politburo also said it would phase in delays in retirement ages, but did not provide any details.

Fines of 130,000 yuan (US$20,440) were being imposed on people for having a third child as of late last year.

"I'm super happy," said Su Meizhen, a human resources manager in Beijing, who is pregnant with her third child.

"We won't have to pay the fine and we'll be able to get a hukou," she said, referring to the urban residence permit that enables families to receive benefits including sending their children to local public schools.

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2021-05-31 09:22:30Z
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Minggu, 30 Mei 2021

US tyre maker Goodyear faces allegations of labour abuse in Malaysia, documents show - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: American tyre manufacturer Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is facing accusations of unpaid wages, unlawful overtime and threats to foreign workers at its Malaysian factory, according to court documents and complaints filed by workers.

In interviews with Reuters, six current and former foreign workers, and officials with Malaysia's labour department, say that Goodyear made wrongful salary deductions, required excessive hours and denied workers full access to their passports.

The department confirmed that it had fined Goodyear in 2020 for overworking and underpaying foreign employees. One former worker said that the company illegally kept his passport, showing Reuters an acknowledgement letter he signed in January 2020 upon getting it back eight years after he started working at Goodyear.

The allegations initially surfaced when 185 foreign workers filed three complaints against Goodyear Malaysia in the country's industrial court, two in 2019 and one in 2020, over non-compliance with a collective labour agreement.

The workers alleged that the company was not giving them shift allowances, annual bonuses and pay increases even though these benefits were available to the local staff, who are represented by a labour union.

The court ruled in favour of the foreign workers in two of the cases last year, saying that they were entitled to the same rights as Malaysian employees, according to copies of the judgement published on the court's website. Goodyear was ordered to pay back wages and comply with the collective agreement, according to the judgement and the workers' lawyer.

About 150 worker payslips, which the lawyer said were submitted to the court as evidence of unpaid wages and reviewed by Reuters, showed some migrants working as many as 229 hours a month in overtime, exceeding the Malaysian limit of 104 hours.

The foreign workers are claiming about RM5 million (US$1.21 million) in unpaid wages, said their lawyer, Chandra Segaran Rajandran. The workers are from Nepal, Myanmar and India.

"They are put in a situation where they are being denied their full rights as what is provided for (by law)," he said, adding that it amounted to "discrimination".

Goodyear, one of the world's largest tyre makers, has challenged both verdicts at the high court. The appeal decision is expected on Jul 26.

The verdict for the third case, over the same issues, is due in the coming weeks.

READ: US seizes shipment from Malaysia's Top Glove over forced labour concerns

READ: US Customs seizes Malaysia's Top Glove shipment following forced labour finding

Goodyear declined to comment on any of the allegations, citing the court process.

According to the court ruling last year, Goodyear Malaysia argued that foreign workers are not entitled to the benefits of the collective agreement because they are not union members.

According to the ruling, a union representative testified that foreign workers are eligible to join and are entitled to the benefits in the collective agreement even if they are not members. The court agreed that the foreign workers' job scope entitled them to those benefits.

Goodyear told Reuters that it has strong policies and practices relating to and protecting human rights.

"We take seriously any allegations of improper behaviour relating to our associates, operations and supply chain," a representative said in an email.

The union - the National Union of Employees in Companies Manufacturing Rubber Products - did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment on the workers' complaints.

Goodyear's Malaysia operation is jointly owned by the country's largest fund manager, Permodalan Nasional Berhad, which directed queries to Goodyear.

FINES AND VIOLATIONS

Workers said that they faced intimidation from Goodyear after they filed the lawsuits. Goodyear declined to comment.

"The company had different rules for different sets of workers," said Sharan Kumar Rai, who filed one of the lawsuits and worked at Goodyear in Malaysia from 2012 until last year.

The foreign workers filed the first two lawsuits in July 2019. Soon afterwards, Goodyear asked some to sign letters, without their lawyer’s knowledge, that they would withdraw from the legal action, according to their lawyer, police complaints filed in October 2019 and a copy of the letter seen by Reuters.

Reporting a complaint to police does not always result in criminal charges but can trigger an investigation.

Industrial court chairman Anna Ng Fui Choo said in her ruling that the letter "was an act of unfair labour practice".

Malaysia's labour department told Reuters that it had investigated and charged Goodyear in 2020 over nine violations of labour laws, unrelated to the lawsuits, regarding excessive hours and wrongful salary deductions. It fined Goodyear RM41,500 (US$10,050), it said.

Malaysia has in recent years faced accusations from its own Ministry of Human Resources and authorities in the United States of labour abuse at its factories, which rely on millions of migrant workers to manufacture everything from palm oil to medical gloves and iPhone components.

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Israel inches closer to government without Netanyahu - CNA

JERUSALEM: Israeli nationalist hardliner Naftali Bennett said on Sunday (May 30) that he would join a potential coalition government that could end the rule of the country's longest-serving leader, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Lawmakers opposed to right-wing Netanyahu have been in intense talks ahead of a Wednesday deadline, as a ceasefire held following the latest deadly military conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu, 71, who faces trial on fraud, bribery and breach of trust charges, which he denies, has clung to power throughout a period of political turmoil that has seen four inconclusive elections in under two years.

A March vote saw Netanyahu's Likud party gain the most seats, but he again failed to form a government.

Opposition leader and former TV anchor Yair Lapid now has until Wednesday evening to build a rival coalition.

Lapid, 57, is seeking a diverse alliance which the Israeli media has dubbed a bloc for "change", which would include Bennett as well as Arab-Israeli lawmakers.

In his determination to bring down the hawkish prime minister, Lapid has offered to share power and let Bennett, 49, serve the first term in a rotating premiership.

Bennett, after meeting members of his religious-nationalist Yamina party, said on Sunday: "I will do everything to form a national unity government with my friend Yair Lapid."

Lapid and Bennett's parties started talks on Sunday night to formalise the deal, they said in a statement.

Religious-nationalist Yamina won seven seats in Mar 23 elections, but one member has refused to join an anti-Netanyahu coalition.

Netanyahu, who has been in office for 12 consecutive years after an earlier three-year term, in his own televised address minutes later lashed out at the plan, calling it "a danger for the security of Israel".

READ: End of Netanyahu era could be in the cards in Israeli political drama

"DESPERATE POSITION"

He had earlier on Sunday tried to cling to power by offering his own, last-ditch power-sharing agreement to several former allies including Bennett.

He warned that Israel would otherwise be ruled by a dangerous "left-wing" alliance.

Lapid has until 11.59 pm local time on Wednesday (4.59am on Thursday, Singapore time) to build a coalition of at least 61 deputies, a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

A Lapid government would also include the centrist Blue and White party of Netanyahu's rival Benny Gantz and the hawkish New Hope party of his former ally Gideon Saar.

Avigdor Lieberman's pro-settlement Yisrael Beitenu party as well as historically powerful Labour and the dovish Meretz party would also join.

The shaky arrangement would need the backing of some Arab-Israeli lawmakers of Palestinian descent in order to pass a confirmation vote in parliament.

The intense talks follow weeks of escalating tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, including a deadly 11-day exchange of rocket fire from Gaza and devastating Israeli airstrikes.

The war with Hamas that ended with a May 21 truce, as well as violence in the occupied West Bank and in mixed Jewish-Arab towns in Israel, initially appeared to leave Netanyahu more likely to hold onto power.

But political scientist Gayil Talshir at Hebrew University told AFP on Sunday that Israel was now "closer than ever" to a coalition of change, adding: "Netanyahu is in a desperate position."

Netanyahu's Likud party won 30 seats in the March elections, but failed to form a governing coalition after his far-right partners refused to sit with Arab factions or receive their support.

Lapid, whose party won 17 seats, was then given four weeks to form a government.

Netanyahu had previously pushed for yet another election - Israel's fifth in a little more than two years.

READ: Israel, Egypt meet in effort to solidify Gaza truce

READ: UN rights council votes for probe into 'crimes' committed in Gaza conflict

MORE ELECTIONS?

On Sunday, Netanyahu offered his own proposal of a rotation agreement with Bennett and Saar. But Saar on Twitter said that he remained committed to "replacing the Netanyahu regime".

Netanyahu in a video then called on Saar and Bennett to "come now, immediately" to meet him and join a three-way rotation government, warning that they were in a "crucial moment for the security, character and future of the state of Israel".

Lapid's "change" coalition also still faced several obstacles.

Some right-wing lawmakers object to a partnership with politicians from Israel's Arab minority, who make up about a fifth of the population.

The recent Gaza conflict sparked inter-communal clashes between Jewish and Arab Israelis in mixed cities.

Arab politicians have also been divided about joining a government headed by Bennett, who supports expanding Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, where Palestinians hope to create a state.

Even with support from an Arab party, a new coalition in Israel is unlikely to reverse years of Israeli settlement construction or bring peace any time soon with Hamas in Gaza.

If the anti-Netanyahu camp does not manage to form a government on time, a majority of 61 lawmakers could vote to ask the president to name a new premier.

Another scenario would see the country return, yet again, to the polls.

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Facing a Covid-19 surge, doctors will be forced to decide who gets bed in ICU, says Malaysia health chief - The Straits Times

PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysian doctors will be forced to make the tough call over which patient should be given a bed in the intensive care unit (ICU) because of the sharp rise in Covid-19 cases, the Health Ministry said on Sunday (May 30).

Health director-general, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, said if active Covid-19 cases exceed the capacity of the healthcare facilities in the country, doctors will have to prioritise ICU beds.

"The Health Ministry has warned of possible scenarios in which doctors would have to make the difficult choice to prioritise ICU beds for patients with a high recovery potential over patients with low recovery potential (poor prognosis).

"This is a difficult situation that we are all facing and the Health Ministry would like to call on all parties to work together," he said in a joint press conference with Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Dr Noor Hisham said the numbers of available beds in ICUs, Covid-19 hospitals, as well as quarantine and treatment centres, were declining because of rapidly rising cases.

The usage of ICU beds for Covid-19 patients was now at 104 per cent capacity, with 1,113 beds in use, while Covid-19 hospital beds have reached 85 per cent capacity, with 10,190 patients currently hospitalised.

As for Covid-19 quarantine and treatment centres, beds were now at 65 per cent capacity, with 27,183 beds in use while ventilators were at 60 per cent, with 2,138 total being used, of which 39 per cent were for Covid-19 patients.

He added that the Health Ministry has taken the initiative to increase the number of beds in Covid-19 hospitals and Covid-19 hybrid hospitals by repurposing certain spaces in the hospitals into ICU units.

"The Kepala Batas Hospital Field ICU, as well as the proposed temporary takeover of the UKM Children's Hospital, are also among the steps we are taking to increase ICU capacity.

"We are also collaborating with NGOs that are offering medical assistance to open more ICUs in areas that need them," he said, adding that the lack of manpower is posing a major challenge to the ministry.

Dr Noor Hisham also said the Health Ministry has increased the quarantine period for travellers arriving from overseas.

The quarantine period for five high-risk countries such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh has been extended to 21 days.

He also said Malaysia might be able to flatten the Covid-19 curve in three to four months, but this will require cooperation from the public to adhere to the standard operating procedures.

An accelerated vaccination drive would also be vital to slow the infection curve.

He said with the rise of new variants of concern (VOC), the two-week total lockdown starting Tuesday was necessary to reduce the number of cases and give front-liners much needed breathing room.

Adding to concerns, he said the Health Ministry had recently received information from Vietnam about a new VOC detected there, a hybrid of the variants first identified in Britain and India.

"The new variants are concerning as they cause more infections and deaths.

"We must ramp up vaccinations and in June, we will be able to use over 10 million doses, this is necessary for us to do.

"Our behaviour is the first line of defence and if we can increase vaccination rates, that will increase our protection against the virus.

New rule on Covid-19 test for returning S'poreans, PRs not a straightforward matter, say experts - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - A new requirement that Singapore citizens and permanent residents (PRs) must test negative for Covid-19 before being allowed to return home from high-risk countries kicked in at midnight on Sunday (May 30).

Infectious diseases experts say the move will help to protect front-line staff at the airport and could help to ease the load on Singapore's healthcare system, which has had to deal with a spike in community cases in recent weeks.

But they also note the measure has its limitations and implementing it is not as straightforward as it seems. At least one legal expert has raised the issue of the constitutionality of the new requirement with the Government.

New requirements

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said last Wednesday that, from 11.59pm on Saturday, all Singaporeans and PRs returning to the country will have to present a valid negative Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test taken within 72 hours before their departure.

This is the first time MOH has required Singaporeans and PRs to take a pre-departure test.

The ministry had previously said it did not want to make it difficult for them to return home, should they be caught unprepared by rapidly deteriorating pandemic conditions abroad.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's (ICA) SafeTravel website says those travelling by plane or by boat will have to present their test result at the air and sea checkpoints upon arrival in Singapore.

Those who have stayed in lower-risk areas, including Australia, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Macau and New Zealand, for the last 21 days are exempted.

Children aged six and below are also exempted from the new requirement.

At land checkpoints, only PRs entering Singapore will need to present a valid, negative test result.

PRs who arrive in Singapore overland without a valid, negative test result may be denied entry. Those who fail to comply with the new requirement may have their entry or re-entry permit cancelled.

Travellers must be tested by an accredited or authorised health centre in the country or region of departure.

Documentary proof is required and ICA recommends that travellers ask for a copy of the PCR test report that is in English or accompanied by an English translation, contains the traveller's name, date of birth and passport number, and shows the date and result of the test.

Anxiety over testing

Mr Fin Chua, 30, who has been living in Thailand for eight years, planned to fly back to Singapore next week to visit his father who lives alone.

After hearing about the pre-departure test requirement, the business owner considered moving his flight earlier so he could return before the measure kicked in.

Ultimately, Mr Chua did not do so. Instead, he moved his flight back by two weeks to mid-June, citing the lengthy 21-day stay-home notice he would have to serve if he came back home now.

Mr Chua feels that the new requirement is onerous as it is not easy getting a Covid-19 PCR test in Bangkok .

He said a PCR test in the Thai capital costs about 2,000 baht (S$85) at a government clinic and 4,000 baht at a government hospital, but it is hard for foreigners to get tested as Thais get priority.

The wait to get tested at the clinics can take hours, he said, unless one pays more to join a priority queue which means a wait time of 15 to 30 minutes.

A PCR test in Bangkok costs about 2,000 baht (S$85) at a government clinic and 4,000 baht at a government hospital, but it is hard for foreigners to get tested as Thais get priority. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Ms Cheryl Wong, 30, who works in the film industry in New York, said she did not mind the new requirement as getting tested for Covid-19 in the US city is easy and there are free services.

"If I lived somewhere else with less testing options and undetermined turnaround times, I'd probably be more annoyed," added Ms Wong, who is returning home on May 31 to renew her US work visa and to see her family after being away for 1½ years.

She noted, though, that the new test requirement did not appear to take into account Singaporeans or PRs who had already been vaccinated, or that individuals may still test positive even though they may no longer be infectious.

She said: "I'm pretty sure I'll test negative because I'm fully vaccinated and I am still cautious. But there is that little bit of a what if."

Mr Samuel Phua, 23, who is coming home next month after graduating from the Sibelius Academy in Finland, is also somewhat anxious about the pre-departure test.

"It is allergy season here, and pollen allergies and Covid-19 have symptoms that are quite similar. I got myself tested recently and my results were negative, but there's always that sliver of doubt and worry that the next one may be positive."

But Mr Phua also said that the new requirement is an important step towards ensuring the safety of Singaporeans both abroad and back home.

Protecting front-liners

Dr Ling Li Min, an infectious disease physician from Rophi Clinic, said the decision to require citizens and PRs to take pre-departure tests before they are allowed entry would have been a difficult one for the authorities to make.

Limited access to swab testing facilities in some countries means that Singaporeans living in places where Covid-19 is raging may not be able to return home.

But with the recent spate of unlinked community cases, Dr Ling said, the authorities now have several fires to fight and the new testing requirement will help to minimise the risk of the virus spreading in Singapore.

This is especially in the light of the fact that the Changi Airport cluster - Singapore's largest active cluster with more than 100 cases - was traced to staff interactions with a family who flew in from South Asia.

While Dr Ling acknowledged that PCR tests may not pick up every single case, she said the mandatory pre-departure tests will at least help to identify those who are infectious and prevent the virus from spreading onboard flights into Singapore.

She added: "It is evident that a key vulnerability exists from when passengers disembark until they are taken to their stay-home notice facility. This measure would further reduce the potential exposure to the virus for that part of the journey."

Professor Paul Tambyah, deputy director of the National University of Singapore (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine's Infectious Diseases Translational Research Programme, also said the new measure would protect Changi Airport staff.

"If this screening reduces the number of infected people passing through the airport even by a small proportion, it might reduce the risk to staff - in particular to those who, for some reason or another, cannot take the vaccines," he said.

Asked if the authorities should also extend the pre-departure test requirement to Singaporeans and PRs returning from lower-risk places, Prof Tambyah said it would be logical to mandate the test for everyone.

"Taiwan and Vietnam were previously considered low-risk places, as was the state of Victoria in Australia. These classifications can change rapidly," he added.

The new measure would protect Changi Airport staff, says Professor Paul Tambyah. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Not straightforward

Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of NUS' Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said implementing the new requirement may be more challenging than anticipated.

Echoing a point made by Prof Tambyah, Prof Teo said not every jurisdiction will have commercial PCR testing capacity that is accredited and trustworthy.

Hence, there is a need to ensure that Singaporeans and PRs who intend to travel to Singapore are able to access proper testing.

Otherwise, the testing requirement could be additional logistical hurdles for those returning as they would have to transit in cities where these tests are available, Prof Teo said.

He added: "It will not be useful if returning travellers simply pay for a substandard test or a forged negative PCR test certificate."

There is also the issue of the Government's responsibility towards citizens who test positive and cannot return home on a commercial flight.

MOH said travellers who test positive on their pre-departure test should seek medical care and ensure that they have fully recovered and are non-infectious before travelling to Singapore.

Singaporeans who test positive for Covid-19 while overseas and require urgent medical care can still return home via a medevac flight or any other equivalent form of conveyance.

Singapore Management University assistant professor of law Benjamin Joshua Ong noted that Article 13(1) of the Singapore Constitution states that no citizen of Singapore shall be "banished or excluded" from Singapore.

The courts have not ruled on the precise meaning of the words "banished" or "excluded", he said.

"It is possible that those words mean that anything preventing a citizen of Singapore from travelling to Singapore would be unconstitutional. On the other hand, a court might also hold that it is acceptable for certain requirements to be imposed on citizens before they can return...

"I think it is at least arguable that, if the restrictions are too onerous, then those restrictions would in substance amount to banishment or exclusion," he added.

Prof Ong said he has written to MOH for more information about the precise legal basis for the new pre-departure test requirement.

He also suggested that exceptions be allowed, citing a hypothetical case of a Singaporean abroad whose overseas visa or work permit may be expiring but cannot get access to a Covid-19 test in time to return home, putting him at risk of overstaying.

However, SMU law don Eugene Tan said that while at first glance it might appear that the pre-departure test requirement for Singaporeans is in breach of Article 13(1), this is not the case.

“While Article 13(1) is not explicitly subjected to any derogations or restrictions, a citizen who is not in Singapore voluntarily cannot be said to be banished or excluded,” Associate Professor Tan said.

Instead, the testing requirement only means that a citizen will not be allowed to board a flight or ferry to Singapore unless he has a negative Covid-19 test result. If the citizen does somehow make the journey to Singapore, he will unlikely be denied entry, Prof Tan added.

“In other words, the pre-departure test requirement imposes a duty on the flight or ferry operator to ensure that all passengers travelling to Singapore have the necessary negative test results based on their travel histories. The constitutional guarantee provided by Article 13(1) is in no way under threat.”

Travellers should ensure that they have fully recovered and are non-infectious before travelling to Singapore. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Prof Tambyah said there seems to be a reluctance to ban flights and replace them with evacuation flights like what was done with Wuhan at the start of the pandemic.

Hence, the new measure is a logical option despite its limitations.

Prof Teo said he believes that the Singapore Government will not leave any citizen in the lurch during a medical emergency, but stressed that individuals also need to bear responsibility should they choose to travel out of Singapore while the pandemic is still raging globally.

He added: "This is really a reminder to Singaporeans and PRs that they should avoid unnecessary travel out of Singapore during this period, and if they choose to do so, to ensure they have the necessary insurance coverage for Covid-19 medical evacuation if infected."

Malaysia to shut all malls, allow only 17 essential service sectors to operate during total lockdown - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian government said on Sunday (May 30) that all malls will have to be shut, while 17 essential service sectors will be allowed to operate during the impending two-week "total lockdown".

These sectors include healthcare, telecommunications and media, food and beverage, utilities as well as banking.

The government will also allow companies under 12 manufacturing sectors to continue operating, such as food and drink manufacturing, medical devices, textiles for producing personal protection equipment as well as oil and gas. They will need to operate at 60 per cent capacity.

In a press conference, Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said: "We hope the manufacturing sector will follow the government's orders, because we have given the condition that only 60 per cent could work."

"But I've read social media posts and found employers who forced their employees to exceed the 60 per cent capacity," he added. Mr Ismail Sabri said that employees could report such breaches to the human resource ministry and the police.

Shopping malls will need to close, except supermarkets and premises dealing in food and beverage and basic necessities, the minister added.

Only two people from each household would be allowed to go out to buy essentials or for medical services, with movement limited to a 10km radius.

A statement by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry also said: "The manufacturing and manufacturing related services sectors that are allowed to operate is to ensure minimal disruption to the supply chain of critical parts, components and finished products."

"This is essential to support the continued operations of critical infrastructures and front-liners such as security, healthcare systems, information and communications and as well as ensure adequate supply of basic necessities for the Rakyat (people)."

The Sunday announcement came after the Prime Minister's Office announced on Friday that Malaysia would be undergoing a "total lockdown" from Jun 1 to Jun 14.

Malaysia's COVID-19 numbers have continued to surge, with a record 9,020 new cases and 98 deaths on Saturday. On Sunday, there were 6,999 new cases. There are now more than 560,000 cases nationwide.

Putrajaya has assured people that there would be sufficient food stocks to last throughout Phase 1 of the total lockdown. However, there have been reports of lines of people flocking to buy necessities and goods in anticipation of Tuesday.

READ: Flow of goods and supplies between Malaysia and Singapore to continue during FMCO - Gan Kim Yong

During the same press conference on Sunday, health ministry director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah warned that a daily increase of 1,000 to 2,000 new cases was not impossible, and that the high number of deaths, such as 98 fatalities recorded on Saturday, might continue and even rise.

"The Health Ministry has warned that a situation might arise where doctors might have to make the difficult choice, to give priority for intensive-care unit (ICU) beds to patients with higher recovery potential, than those with poor prognosis."

Malaysia health director general Noor Hisham Abdullah — Malaysia health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. (Photo: Bernama)

Dr Noor Hisham outlined five actions that the Health Ministry would take during the two-week lockdown, including allowing breathing space for healthcare personnel and hospitals to reassess their equipment and speeding up the vaccination process.

Healthcare personnel would also do targeted screenings in the field using the Rapid Test Kit-Antigen (RTK-Ag) detection method for COVID-19, he said.

MORE VACCINATION CENTRES PLANNED, PRIVATE CLINICS TO ADMINISTER JABS

Earlier on Sunday, Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Khairy Jamaluddin said in a press conference that more vaccination centres will be opened in the coming month to speed up the vaccination process.

The first among these will be five mega vaccination centres around the Klang Valley. “Three will be in Selangor and two will be set up in Kuala Lumpur," he said, adding that the set up would begin on Jun 7.

Mr Khairy, who is also the coordinating minister for the COVID-19 Immunisation Taskforce said 1,000 private general practitioner (GP) clinics will be joining the National COVID-19 Immunisation Program by Jun 30.

He added that 500 of these clinics will begin administering vaccines starting Jun 15.

"I estimate that GPs and private hospital vaccination centres can contribute and administer 40,000 doses in a day, and 400,000 doses (in total) by Jun 30” he said, adding that this would be subject to the supply of the vaccines.

Explaining that there were currently 2,500 GP clinics registered under the immunisation program, Mr Khairy said the government will be paying the private practices to administer the vaccines.

Besides that Mr Khairy also shared that Malaysia will officially start rolling out drive-through vaccinations for the public after a successful pilot project in a university in Kota Baru, Kelantan .

“We did it in Universiti Sains Malaysia in Kubang Kerian and it was successful. We will now allow other states to start this for the public too," said the minister.

Prior to the total lockdown, the government had begun tightening restrictions under a nationwide movement control order, dubbed "MCO 3.0" which started on May 12 and will last until Jun 7.

Among the restrictions under MCO 3.0 include 80 per cent of public sector employees needing to work from home, and 40 per cent for the private sector. Businesses can only operate from 8am until 8pm daily.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram

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