Cinmpring kici

Selasa, 13 Oktober 2020

King to study relevant documents and consult party leaders, says Anwar after audience to demonstrate parliamentary majority - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday (Oct 13) that the king will study relevant documents he has presented on the members of parliament (MPs) backing his bid to form a new government, while consulting the leaders of various political parties.

Speaking at a press conference after an audience with King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah at the Istana Negara, Mr Anwar said: "With these documents, it is abundantly clear that we have registered a formidable, convincing majority among parliamentarians.

"I would appeal to Malaysians to exercise patience, wisdom and to allow the king to digest, decide based on the spirit of the Constitution and the discretion of his Highness."

Anwar Ibrahim and Malaysian King — Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim met King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah on Oct 13, 2020. (Photo: Bernama)

Mr Anwar also stressed that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has lost his parliamentary majority and it would be appropriate for him to resign.

He added that his audience with the king was not about victory or defeat, but to build a country that is "progressive and fair" to overcome COVID-19 and boost the economy.

Mr Anwar added that he was aware of some concerns expressed that the list of MPs backing him were mostly Malay-Muslim bumiputera.

In addressing this, Mr Anwar said: "Let me reiterate and categorically assure Malaysians at large - this is Malaysia and we have to accord rights to every single citizen in this country."

READ: Malaysia opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim leaves Istana Negara after audience with king

Responding to questions from journalists, Mr Anwar also confirmed that he has more than 120 MPs backing his bid.

He added that his government will be "an inclusive government" and that there was no "political or personal vendetta" against anyone.

However, he maintained that there has been no "deals" made with any individuals.

"It's very important to appreciate that I have already made it abundantly clear that we are committed to institutional reform, judicial independence and the rule of law. So there's no question about cutting deals with individuals, as alleged by some parties - that's completely irrelevant and irresponsible," said Mr Anwar.

Malaysia's Istana Negara — Istana Negara, the official residence of Malaysia's King. (Photo: Bernama)

However, Istana Negara issued a statement on Tuesday indicating that while Mr Anwar had presented the number of MPs who he claims are in support of him, he did not present a list of names to the king.

Meanwhile, Democratic Action Party's secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has also confirmed that he has been summoned to the palace to meet the king.

Mr Anwar's meeting with the king came almost three weeks after he announced on Sep 23 that he has a “strong, formidable, convincing majority” of MPs to oust Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

His scheduled audience with the king a day earlier had to be postponed as the latter was hospitalised for food poisoning. The king was later discharged on Oct 2.

The king plays a largely ceremonial role in Malaysia but he could appoint a prime minister who in his view is likely to command a majority in parliament. He could also dissolve parliament and trigger elections on the premier's advice.

Mr Anwar had said he commanded support from close to two-thirds of parliament's 222 lawmakers, without giving actual numbers or disclosing who had pledged support.

Mr Muhyiddin, whose seven-month-old coalition has survived on a razor-thin majority, has cast doubt over Mr Anwar's claims and has called for him to prove his majority.

A list of 121 MPs who purportedly backed Mr Anwar was widely circulated, which led to a police investigation following the lodging of six police reports.

Police said an investigation has been initiated under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code over “the spread of rumours that can cause fear and alarm to the public” and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for the sharing of false, offensive or menacing content.

Mr Anwar has been summoned by the police to give a statement.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMibmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vbmV3cy9hc2lhL21hbGF5c2lhLWFud2FyLWlicmFoaW0ta2luZy1zdHVkeS1kb2N1bWVudHMtY29uc3VsdC1wYXJ0aWVzLTEzMjcxMjU00gEA?oc=5

2020-10-13 07:37:57Z
52781110822127

Malaysia's Anwar presents majority claim to King, leaves decision to ruler - The Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia’s opposition leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, on Tuesday (Oct 13) said he has presented documentation proving his claim of a majority in Parliament to the King, with the ruler now expected to make a decision in the coming days based on the evidence submitted to him.

Mr Anwar, the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and MP for Port Dickson, said he has the backing of more than 120 lawmakers in the 222-member Parliament, and as such, it would be "appropriate" for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to resign, considering the latter had lost his majority in Malaysia’s lower house.

"With these documents, it is abundantly clear that we have registered a formidable convincing majority among parliamentarians," Mr Anwar said.

Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin will now call the heads of parties to verify the claims made by Mr Anwar in the documents presented.

Umno veteran leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is meeting the King on Tuesday afternoon while news portal Malaysiakini reported that DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and MIC president SA Vigneswaran have also received invitations to the palace.

Mr Anwar said the King assured him he would respect the Constitution, and the issue of a snap election did not arise.

"Today is not the day of victory, or a day of loss for anyone," Mr Anwar said during a press conference after his audience with the King on Tuesday morning.

He also urged Malaysians to give space to the ruler to exercise his discretion and be given adequate time to study the documents and consult party leaders.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMif2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0cmFpdHN0aW1lcy5jb20vYXNpYS9zZS1hc2lhL21hbGF5c2lhcy1hbndhci1jbGFpbXMtdG8taGF2ZS1mb3JtaWRhYmxlLWNvbnZpbmNpbmctbWFqb3JpdHktYW1vbmctbXBzLWFmdGVyLW1lZXRpbmfSAQA?oc=5

2020-10-13 06:24:22Z
52781110822127

Senin, 12 Oktober 2020

Malaysia's Anwar to make 'important announcement' after showing proof to King he has majority support from MPs - The Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR - Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Anwar Ibrahim left the national palace late Tuesday morning (Oct 13) after an audience with the King to discuss his claim of having majority support in Parliament to form a new government.

Datuk Seri Anwar is expected to make an "important announcement" this afternoon, according to a media invite sent out by PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil.

The opposition leader had earlier arrived at the palace at around 10.30am in a black Jaguar car, and left at 11.30am.

He waved to reporters from his car on his way out but did not respond to queries from the media, which had gathered in front of the palace gates since morning.

A group of Mr Anwar's supporters, wearing face masks and black shirts, were chanting "Reformasi" (Reformation) as his car made its way out of the palace.

In a Facebook post ahead of his meeting, Mr Anwar wrote: "Hope everything goes smoothly today."

Mr Anwar had claimed on Sept 23 that he had the backing of a "formidable" group of federal lawmakers to become the next prime minister.

He had also claimed that the seven-month-old government of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had "fallen".

Mr Anwar's audience with Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin last month was delayed by three weeks, after the 61-year-old ruler was hospitalised for 12 days with food poisoning and sports injuries.

The constitutional monarch will play a major role on what will happen next in Malaysian politics.

Sultan Abdullah, if he is convinced that Mr Anwar has the numbers, could ask Tan Sri Muhyiddin to step down, as allowed under the Constitution.

A car carrying Mr Anwar leaves the national palace in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 13, 2020. PHOTO: AFP

Alternatively, the monarch could consult Mr Muhyiddin, 73, as the sitting prime minister, on whether he would like to call a fresh general election.

The King could also request that the Speaker of Parliament bring forward the next parliamentary sitting, currently set for Nov 2, to hold a vote of confidence earlier.

At the end of February, when the government of then Premier Mahathir Mohamad collapsed, Sultan Abdullah met each of the 222 MPs in turn to ask them who they would support as the eighth prime minister of Malaysia.

Mr Muhyiddin had the highest number of MPs backing him then and so was appointed prime minister on March 1.

Mr Anwar, 73, has declined to give the exact number of MPs supporting his bid to form a new government, saying he must show the list to Sultan Abdullah first.

Mr Anwar will need at least 112 MPs in the 222-seat Parliament to claim control of the House.

Mr Anwar declined to give the exact number of MPs supporting his bid to form a new government, saying he must show the list to the Malaysian King first. PHOTO: ANWAR IBRAHIM/FACEBOOK

Before last month's claim by Mr Anwar of a switch in support to his side, Mr Muhyiddin had the support of 113 MPs.

Pakatan Harapan, the three-party coalition led by Mr Anwar, has a total of 91 MPs. In this bid for power, Mr Anwar is not seeking support from a bloc of 15 opposition MPs, amid tensions between both sides.

This group consists of Tun Dr Mahathir's new Pejuang party (five MPs), Sabah chieftain Shafie Apdal (nine MPs) and young politician Syed Syed Abdul Rahman (one seat).

Mr Anwar would thus need to draw support from MPs in Mr Muhyiddin's loose Perikatan Nasional alliance that includes Umno, Mr Muhyiddin's own Bersatu party, the Gabungan Parti Sarawak coalition and other small parties in Sabah.

Supporters of Mr Anwar outside the Istana Negara chanting "Reformasi" (Reformation) on Oct 13, 2020. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM THE VIBE/FACEBOOK

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMifGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0cmFpdHN0aW1lcy5jb20vYXNpYS9zZS1hc2lhL21hbGF5c2lhcy1hbndhci1leHBlY3RlZC10by1hcnJpdmUtYXQtcGFsYWNlLXRvLXNob3ctcHJvb2YtdG8ta2luZy1oZS1oYXMtbWFqb3JpdHnSAQA?oc=5

2020-10-13 04:19:50Z
52781110822127

Malaysia opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim arrives at Istana Negara for audience with king - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim arrived at Istana Negara on Tuesday (Oct 13) morning for an audience with the king to present his case on commanding a parliamentary majority.

A vehicle carrying him was seen arriving at Istana Negara at 10.25am, according to Bernama.

Earlier, Mr Anwar posted a photo of him and his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail on his Facebook page with the caption of: "May all of today's tasks be eased."

Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim (right) and wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. (Photo: Facebook/Anwar Ibrahim)

Mr Anwar’s Tuesday meeting with Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah came after he announced on Sep 23 that he has a “strong, formidable, convincing majority” of Members of Parliament (MPs) to form a new government.

His scheduled audience with the king a day earlier had to be postponed as the king was hospitalised for food poisoning.

The king was later discharged on Oct 2.

READ: Malaysia PM Muhyiddin casts doubt on Anwar's claim of majority parliamentary support

Mr Anwar, who is the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), was elected MP for Port Dickson in a by-election in October 2018, five months after Pakatan Harapan (PH) dethroned Barisan Nasional (BN) in the general election to form the federal government.

Mr Anwar, who was serving a jail term for sodomy at the time the general election was held, was granted a royal pardon days after PH’s shock victory.

He was tipped to be Dr Mahathir Mahathir’s successor for the prime minister’s post under the PH regime, but it had collapsed earlier this year when a group of MPs from PKR and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) defected to join forces with rival MPs.

Mr Muhyiddin Yassin, president of Bersatu, is currently leading the Perikatan Nasional (BN) government comprising the defectors and BN lawmakers.

Mr Anwar, in his Sep 23 announcement, had declined to name the MPs who are now aligned with him.

Several politicial parties in the ruling camp, such as Malaysian Chinese Association and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia, have publicly denied supporting him.

United Malays National Organisation president Ahmad Zahid Hamid said he was aware that MPs from his party as well BN have voiced their support for Mr Anwar and that he respects their decision.

However, PN secretary-general Hamzah Zainuddin said in a statement on Monday that MPs from BN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Parti Bersatu Sabah have pledged their strong support for Mr Muhyiddin as Malaysia’s eighth prime minister.

READ: Mahathir says he will not contest Malaysia’s 2023 general election

A list of 121 MPs who purportedly backed Mr Anwar was widely circulated, which led to a police investigation following the lodging of six police reports.

Mr Anwar has been summoned by the police to give a statement, but the appointment on Monday morning has to be postponed to a later date.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMibmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vbmV3cy9hc2lhL21hbGF5c2lhLWFud2FyLWlicmFoaW0tbWVldC1raW5nLXBhcmxpYW1lbnRhcnktbWFqb3JpdHktcGtyLTEzMjcwMzI20gEA?oc=5

2020-10-13 03:14:41Z
52781110822127

Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine study paused due to unexplained illness in participant - The Straits Times

NEW JERSEY (BLOOMBERG) - Johnson & Johnson said its Covid-19 vaccine study has been temporarily halted due to an unexplained illness in a trial participant, the second time that a front-runner developer has encountered this situation in the intensifying race for immunisation.

The New Brunswick, New Jersey-based company said in a statement late Monday the participant’s illness is being evaluated, and that it would share more information after investigation. J&J’s statement confirmed an earlier report by health-care news provider Stat that the study was paused.

“We are committed to providing transparent updates throughout the clinical development process of our vaccine candidate,” J&J said in its statement.

“Adverse events – illnesses, accidents, etc. – even those that are serious, are an expected part of any clinical study, especially large studies.”

While pauses in late-stage testing is a routine event for the pharmaceutical industry, J&J’s interruption raises concern over safety issues as Covid-19 vaccine candidates have progressed at unprecedented speed this year.

AstraZeneca Plc last month temporarily stopped tests of its vaccine after a trial participant fell ill. That study has resumed in a number of countries but remains halted in the US.

J&J executives will likely face questions about the trial halt Tuesday morning during their presentation of third-quarter earnings.

Representatives for the US Food and Drug Administration could not immediately be reached by phone or email after business hours.

J&J’s setback is the latest reality check for a world anxiously awaiting a vaccine against the pandemic that has sickened more than 37 million.

It’s a reminder of how long it takes to bring a successful shot to the market, despite promises from politicians and governments that a Covid-19 fix is around the corner.

The pursuit of a vaccine has become a political topic, with some observers concerned that US President Donald Trump’s eagerness to see a vaccine authorised before the election could run counter to the scientific process.

While there are hundreds of Covid-19 vaccines being developed around the world, Johnson & Johnson is among a short list of vaccine makers which have progressed into final-stage human studies.

The company is dosing up to 60,000 volunteers in the first big trial of an Covid-19 inoculation that may work after just one shot.

AstraZeneca is still waiting for a decision from US regulators on whether it can resume tests in the country after halting global trials on Sept 6 due to concerns about a UK participant who became ill.

Developed with Oxford University, that experimental vaccine has seen trials resume outside the US in locations including the UK and South Africa.

Malaysia's Anwar expected to arrive at palace to show proof to King he has majority support from MPs - The Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR - Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Anwar Ibrahim arrived at the national palace on Tuesday morning (Oct 13) for an audience with the King to discuss his claim of having majority support in Parliament to form a new government.

Local media reported that Datuk Seri Anwar arrived at around 10.30am in a black Jaguar car. He did not respond to queries from the reporters who had gathered in front of the palace gates since morning.

In a Facebook post ahead of his meeting, Mr Anwar wrote: "Hope everything goes smoothly today."

The opposition leader had claimed on Sept 23 that he had the backing of a "formidable" group of federal lawmakers to become the next prime minister.

He had also claimed that the seven-month-old government of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had "fallen".

Mr Anwar's audience with Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin last month was delayed by three weeks, after the 61-year-old ruler was hospitalised for 12 days with food poisoning and sports injuries.

The constitutional monarch will play a major role on what will happen next in Malaysian politics.

Sultan Abdullah, if he is convinced that Mr Anwar has the numbers, could ask Tan Sri Muhyiddin to step down, as allowed under the Constitution.

Alternatively, the monarch could consult Mr Muhyiddin, 73, as the sitting prime minister, on whether he would like to call a fresh general election.

The King could also request that the Speaker of Parliament bring forward the next parliamentary sitting, currently set for Nov 2, to hold a vote of confidence earlier.

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil said he was yet to receive any instructions on whether a press conference would be held later in the day.

"I will provide all official information as soon as possible, when or if I receive instructions on the matter. I apologise for this, as it is a rather unique and sensitive situation," he told The Star.

Mr Muhyiddin had the highest number of MPs backing him then and so was appointed prime minister on March 1.

Mr Anwar, 73, has declined to give the exact number of MPs supporting his bid to form a new government, saying he must show the list to Sultan Abdullah first.

Mr Anwar will need at least 112 MPs in the 222-seat Parliament to claim control of the House.

Before last month's claim by Mr Anwar of a switch in support to his side, Mr Muhyiddin had the support of 113 MPs.

This group consists of Tun Dr Mahathir's new Pejuang party (five MPs), Sabah chieftain Shafie Apdal (nine MPs) and young politician Syed Syed Abdul Rahman (one seat).

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Johnson & Johnson pauses COVID-19 vaccine trials due to unexplained illness in participant - CNA

REUTERS: Johnson & Johnson said on Monday (Oct 12) it has temporarily paused its COVID-19 vaccine candidate clinical trials due to an unexplained illness in a study participant.

The participant's illness is being reviewed and evaluated by an independent data and safety monitoring board, as well as the company's clinical and safety physicians, it said in a statement.

"Adverse events – illnesses, accidents, etc - even those that are serious, are an expected part of any clinical study, especially large studies," said the company.

"Based on our strong commitment to safety, all clinical studies conducted by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson have prespecified guidelines.

"These ensure our studies may be paused if an unexpected serious adverse event that might be related to a vaccine or study drug is reported, so there can be a careful review of all of the medical information before deciding whether to restart the study."

READ: EU's potential COVID-19 vaccine doses top 1 billion with Johnson & Johnson deal

Last week, the European Union announced it has sealed a deal with Johnson & Johnson to supply up to 400 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine, as the bloc builds up stocks amid a global scramble to secure shots.

The deal is its third advance purchase contract with makers of COVID-19 vaccines after deals with AstraZeneca and Sanofi, bringing the number of doses secured by the EU for its population of 450 million to 1.1 billion.

Under the terms of the deal, the 27 EU states will be able to order up to 400 million doses of the potential vaccine after it is authorised by the EU medicine regulator.

To secure the vaccines, the EU made an undisclosed down payment to Johnson & Johnson, which confirmed the deal in a statement in which it reiterated plans to allocate up to 500 million additional doses to poorer countries from mid-2021.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

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

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vbmV3cy93b3JsZC9qb2huc29uLWpvaG5zb24tY292aWQtMTktdmFjY2luZS1zdHVkeS1wYXVzZWQtaWxsbmVzcy0xMzI3MDIyNtIBAA?oc=5

2020-10-13 01:15:26Z
52781110128790

Selasa, 13 Oktober 2020

Senin, 12 Oktober 2020

Related Stories: