Actions to revoke COVID-19 emergency laws were in line with Malaysia's laws and Constitution: PMO - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Actions taken by the Malaysian government in revoking COVID-19 emergency ordinances were in line with the country's laws and Constitution, said the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) after the palace issued a statement indicating that the king did not give consent to the decision.

The PMO said the Cabinet had already advised King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to repeal the ordinances before the ongoing special parliament meeting began.

In a statement on Thursday (Jul 29) evening, the PMO provided a chronology of events on cancelling the emergency ordinances, which were put in place after a state of emergency was announced in January to curb the spread of COVID-19 cases.

In a meeting on Jul 21 ahead of the special parliament meeting, the Cabinet had decided to advise the king to revoke the ordinances, the statement read. The following day, the PMO received the draft Emergency Ordinance (Repeal) 2021 from the Attorney General’s Chamber, which provided for the ordinances to be cancelled effective Jul 21.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin then wrote to the king on Jul 23 to convey the Cabinet’s advice for the relevant ordinances to be cancelled.

“This office noted that as stated in today’s palace statement, His Majesty is aware that he has to accept and act in accordance with the Cabinet’s advice, as provided for in Article 40 of the Federal Constitution,” the PMO said.

The king then summoned de facto law minister Takiyuddin Hassan and the attorney general for an audience to provide detailed explanation on the advice, the statement added.

When the special parliamentary meeting began on Monday, all emergency ordinances were laid on the MPs’ tables. However, opposition MPs demanded for the cancellation of the emergency ordinances to go through the House of Representatives. 

Following that, Mr Takiyuddin then informed the MPs that the government, through the Cabinet, had decided to revoke the ordinances.

“This is a factual statement intended to inform the House of Representatives of the real situation in a transparent manner,” the PMO said.

Mr Takiyuddin’s announcement had raised questions on whether the king had consented to the revocation. As such, Mr Muhyiddin and the attorney general sought an audience with the king on Tuesday.

“During the audience, the prime minister once again conveyed the Cabinet’s advice on revoking the said emergency ordinances and provided an explanation over the confusion that the opposition had tried to cause in the House of Representatives,” the statement read.

READ: More than 17,000 new COVID-19 cases in Malaysia for second straight day, ICU numbers hit another high

“The prime minister also conveyed the government’s views that these emergency ordinances do not have to be annulled at the parliament, since the Cabinet had already advised the king to revoke them,” the PMO said, adding that the agenda of the ongoing meeting did not include a motion on annulling the ordinances.

“The government was of the opinion that all actions taken are orderly and in accordance with the provisions of the laws and the Federal Constitution.

“The prime minister stressed that in carrying out his duties and responsibilities, it is important for him to act in accordance with the laws and Constitution. Therefore, the prime minister advised the people to always remain calm and god willing, the issue will be resolved in accordance with laws and Constitution.”

Mr Takiyuddin had announced on Monday that the months-long state of emergency will not be extended beyond Aug 1, adding that the six emergency ordinances had been revoked and annulled by the government on Jul 21. 

Opposition politicians had pressed the minister on whether the king had consented to the revocation, but Mr Takiyuddin said he would answer related questions next Monday. 

Malaysia's Istana Negara, the national palace. (Photo: Bernama) 

However, the national palace said on Thursday that King Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah did not give consent to revoke the COVID-19 emergency ordinances. The king described the minister's statement in the parliament as "contradictory and misleading". 

"His Majesty stressed that the minister's statement in the parliament on Jul 26 is not accurate and has misled the MPs," the statement added.

Following the palace statement, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim filed a motion of no confidence at the parliament, while the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) called for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to resign.

Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the unstable political situation could jeopardise efforts to solve Malaysia’s economic problems and fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I wish to stress that the government still has the support of over 110 MPs,” he said.

“As such, I hope the people remain calm in facing the current situation and together we pray that the political turmoil will end quickly.”

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

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2021-07-29 12:07:59Z
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Covid-19 cluster linked to Punggol Primary cleaner grows to 7; mandatory swabbing for pupils, staff - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - All pupils and staff of Punggol Primary School will undergo mandatory swab tests on Thursday (July 29) and Friday.

This comes after a new cluster linked to a cleaner at Punggol Primary School was identified on Tuesday and grew to 12 cases on Thursday, according to the Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, the school will switch to home-based learning from Thursday to Aug 6.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Wednesday night gave details of six cases in the cluster.

It said  one teacher and two pupils have tested positive. The teacher is not a close contact of the pupils, and investigations are under way to see if the cases are linked.

Another two contract cleaners and one non-teaching staff from the school have tested positive for Covid-19. All of them had not been in close contact with pupils and teachers.

MOE said: "All close contacts of confirmed cases have been placed under quarantine order or leave of absence."

Punggol Primary School has also been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

The education ministry said it will continue to monitor the situation closely, and work with the school and parents to ensure the well-being of staff and pupils.

MOE said: "Students and staff should also seek medical attention immediately if they feel unwell. Continue practising good personal hygiene and adhere to safe management measures."

The first case of school-based transmission was on May 21, when an 11-year-old pupil at Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) tested positive for Covid-19 after his classmate had done so on May 19.

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2021-07-29 09:06:34Z
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More than 17000 new COVID-19 cases in Malaysia for second straight day, ICU numbers hit another high - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia reported more than 17,000 new COVID-19 cases for the second straight day on Thursday (Jul 29), with the number of critically ill patients also reaching a new high.

The 17,170 new infections - the country’s second highest daily tally to date - comes one day after a record 17,405 cases were announced on Wednesday.

The Klang Valley accounted for about half of the new cases, with 7,163 in Selangor and 2,138 in Kuala Lumpur.

The number of cases in Kedah and Johor remained high with 1,212 and 1,054 respectively. A further 884 were found in Negeri Sembilan and 776 in Sabah.

The health ministry said 49.4 per cent of the new cases were asymptomatic and 48.3 per cent only experiencing mild symptoms.

READ: Singapore got Pfizer earlier likely due to Temasek stake in BioNTech: Khairy in justifying Malaysia’s vaccine approach

Most of the new cases were also not vaccinated, it added.

There were another 174 deaths, of which 28 were brought in dead to hospital. Ninety of the deaths were in the Klang Valley.

The number of patients in the intensive care unit also reached yet another high this week, with 1,043 cases warded. Of these, 531 require respiratory support.

The health ministry on Thursday evening said that Hospital Serdang has been redesignated as a full-time COVID-19 hospital, making it the fourth hospital in the state of Selangor to do so.

All cardiac services at Hospital Serdang will be fully outsourced to provide space for the treatment of COVID-19 cases, especially critical ones, added the health ministry.

COMMENTARY: Malaysia’s coffers run dry as COVID-19 pandemic worsens

The worsening COVID-19 situation in Malaysia comes amid yet another political tussle, with opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim filing a motion of no confidence in parliament against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. 

The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has also called for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to resign.

Their calls came after the king reprimanded the government for revoking the country’s emergency ordinances without his consent on Thursday.

As of Thursday, Malaysia has reported a total of 1,078,646 COVID-19 cases, of which 179,179 are currently active or infectious. The death toll stands at 8,725.

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

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2021-07-29 13:11:55Z
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Malaysia's PM Muhyiddin advised to resign by allies in his PN ruling alliance, govt sources say - The Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been advised to resign by allies in his Perikatan Nasional (PN) government after a stunning rebuke on Thursday (July 29) by the King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah.

The Palace issued a statement insisting the King did not consent to the government's unilateral move to revoke ordinances that the ruler had earlier approved during the seven-month emergency which expires on Sunday.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin was holed up with close advisers in Cabinet as well as the Attorney General at his residence after the morning's parliamentary proceedings, with the afternoon session delayed by an hour.

"PM was told the situation has become too chaotic and untenable," a source with knowledge of the discussions told The Straits Times.

Umno Youth chief Ashraf Wajdi Dusuki made an open call for the Premier to step down, accusing him of "treason".

"Umno Youth urges Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to immediately resign," he said in a statement just hours after the royal rebuke.

Umno is the largest party in government and its president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been agitating for its MPs to leave the beleaguered administration, which has been hard pressed to defend its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Straits Times understands that Umno ministers, who have remained steadfast to Mr Muhyiddin despite pressure from Zahid, have told the Premier his grip on power has been shaken by the discord with the Palace.

However, it is not known how the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president will respond to the demands.

He has repeatedly promised fresh polls once the pandemic is under control.

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2021-07-29 07:37:01Z
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Sydney posts record daily rise in COVID-19 cases - CNA

SYDNEY: Australia's biggest city Sydney posted a record one-day rise in locally acquired COVID-19 cases on Thursday (Jul 29), and authorities warned the outbreak would get worse despite a lockdown of 6 million people poised to enter its sixth week.

Australia has struggled to contain an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant in and around Sydney in recent weeks, which threatens to push the country's A$2 trillion (US$1.5 trillion) economy into its second recession in as many years.

Despite an extended lockdown of Sydney, the state capital, New South Wales said it has recorded 239 locally acquired cases the past 24 hours, the biggest daily rise since the pandemic began.

READ: Sydney to get extra vaccines as COVID-19 cases mount

"We can only assume that things are likely to get worse before they get better given the quantity of people infectious in the community," New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney.

Berejiklian said one more person had died from COVID-19, taking the death toll from the current outbreak to 13 and the overall national total to 921.

With little sign that recent restrictions are reducing case numbers, Berejiklian said new curbs would be imposed on the southwestern and western areas of Sydney where the majority of COVID-19 cases are being found.

More than 2 million residents in eight Sydney hotspots will now be forced to wear masks outdoors and must stay within 5km of their homes.

READ: Sydney lockdown extended by 4 weeks as Australia's COVID-19 cases spike

Berejiklian on Wednesday extended the lockdown of Sydney by another month, but allowed the majority of construction projects and older students preparing for exams to return to school.

A lone bird walks past the quiet Circular Quay train station during a lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Sydney, Australia, Jul 28, 2021. (Photo: REUTERS/Loren Elliott)

The restrictions are likely to take a heavy economic toll, with New South Wales accounting for more than a third of Australia's economy.

Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he expected the national economy to shrink in the September quarter but the ability to avoid a technical recession would depend on whether New South Wales can avoid a longer lockdown.

"With respect to the December quarter, that does depend to a large extent how successful New South Wales, our largest state economy, is in getting on top of this virus," Frydenberg told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

READ: Australia's stunning economic recovery trips on Delta variant, COVID-19 vaccine snags

Berejiklian has said restrictions need to remain as too few people in Sydney are vaccinated amid tight supplies of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, with which Canberra had hoped to inoculate everyone under 60-years-old.

All adults in Sydney have now been urged to seek an AstraZeneca vaccine. But citing rare blood clots, many are reluctant and would prefer to wait several months when Australia is expected to receive additional Pfizer-BioNTech supplies.

Only about 17 per cent of people above 16 years are fully vaccinated in New South Wales.

More than 2,800 cases have been detected so far, with 182 people hospitalised. Fifty-four are in intensive care, 22 of whom require ventilation. Two new deaths were recorded, taking the total number of deaths in the latest outbreak to 13.

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

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2021-07-29 05:26:15Z
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Commentary: Malaysia's coffers run dry as COVID-19 pandemic worsens - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia continues to grapple with its growing second wave of COVID-19. The country of 32 million people has now exceeded 995,000 infections and 7,900 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

In early June, the number of infections increased by more than 7,000 in a single day, rising to over 10,000 daily cases in July. For a country in political crisis, the poor state of public health has had inevitable economic consequences.

In May 2020, unemployment rose by 5.3 per cent after the first lockdown in March 2020 had a severe impact on Malaysia’s economy.

The economy picked up as the year progressed – by January, the unemployment rate dropped to 4.9 per cent – but those gains were scuppered by elections in East Malaysia.

READ: Commentary: Malaysia king’s role comes into sharper focus as country sails through bleakest COVID-19 days

This was followed by the lax observance of standard operating procedures during the month of Ramadan, requiring a strict Movement Control Order (MCO) to be extended from Jun 1 to 28.

Up to 2 million jobs could be lost in 2021. Although the government has provided wage subsidies, cash handouts for the most disadvantaged and support for small and medium-sized enterprises, these outlays have put further stress on an already weakened fiscal position that has borne the brunt of the 1MDB scandal.

A series of support initiatives – Penjana, Prihatin, Permai, Permerkasa, Permerkasa+ and Pemulih – have been extended by the government, totalling RM380 billion (US$90 billion).

READ: Commentary: Malaysia’s Parliament reopening may not fix country's current woes; much depends on how MPs behave

DEEP DISSATISFACTION REMAINS

There remains a great deal of dissatisfaction with official efforts, despite Kuala Lumpur committing to as much fiscal relief as possible for a country of its level of income and development. The Malaysian government’s relief packages rose to 23 per cent of GDP in December 2020.

While similar to Singapore, the package exceeded that of other regional neighbours including the Philippines (6 per cent), Indonesia (11 per cent), Thailand (16 per cent) and South Korea (15 per cent).

The Malaysian government has limited fiscal space after running budget deficits for over 20 years. With the pandemic’s unprecedented crunch, there are not enough public funds to dig into.

On Apr 26, the government’s decision to withdraw RM5 billion from its National Trust Fund (KWAN) was criticised for being inconsistent with the fund’s aim to provide for future generations.

A woman wearing a face mask walks in front of the Twin Towers during the first day of the third movement control order (MCO) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 7, 2021. (Photo: AP/Vincent Thian)

The government has in the meantime been basking itself in optimistic growth forecasts. Before the June MCO, the government projected growth of 6 to 7.5 per cent – despite private sector economists forecasting between 4.5 to 5.5 per cent.

After the June MCO, growth is more likely to be closer to 4.5 per cent.

Still, the enormous economic damage inflicted by the pandemic necessitates government spending. Prior to COVID-19, the self-imposed limit for debt as a percentage of GDP was 55 per cent. 

Parliament recently agreed to increase the limit to 60 per cent of GDP until 2022.

But rating agencies like Fitch are hardly impressed by Malaysia’s fiscal management, downgrading Malaysia’s rating from A- to BBB+ after mentioning that Malaysia’s heavy fiscal burden had been exacerbated by its handling of COVID-19.

READ: Commentary: Credit ratings agency Fitch's downgrading of Malaysia has been damning

Tax revenue is also expected to fall after a downturn in household income and corporate earnings across many sectors of the economy. The decision to scrap and replace the Goods and Sales Tax in 2018 with the Sales and Services Tax is already responsible for a revenue shortfall of RM20 billion.

The present tax regime will not yield the desired revenue under the prevailing circumstances.

The number of vulnerable households that have fallen below the poverty line – RM2,200 per month – has also increased. Those in the informal sector are similarly affected. The plight of migrant workers is scarcely addressed, especially since a large proportion of them are likely to be undocumented.

READ: Commentary: Resurgent pandemic sparks unemployment crisis among Malaysia’s most vulnerable workers

MALAYSIA’S BACK AGAINST THE WALL

Malaysia is facing a dire situation requiring urgent action. Hospital beds are limited, medical staff are strained and oxygen supplies are at risk of running out.

The government must spend more on make-shift medical arrangements to test and isolate positive cases. It needs to roll out its vaccination plan more aggressively. It must extend wage subsidies and cash handouts.

Only greater spending and debt will relieve Malaysia of its immediate woes and take it sooner to recovery. As it stands, Malaysia already has its back to the wall.

Dr Shankaran Nambiar is a senior research fellow at the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research. This commentary first appeared on East Asia Forum.

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2021-07-28 22:05:40Z
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France to introduce anti-coronavirus pass for cafes, trains from Aug 9 - CNA

PARIS: France will from Aug 9 enforce new legislation that will make a health pass compulsory to visit a cafe, board a plane or travel on an inter-city train, the government's spokesman said on Wednesday (Jul 28).

The legislation passed by parliament at the weekend has sparked mass protests in France but the government is determined to press ahead and make the health pass a key part of the fight against COVID-19.

A valid health pass is generated by two jabs from a recognised vaccine, a negative coronavirus test or a recent recovery from infection. The legislation also makes vaccination compulsory for health-workers and carers.

The pass has already been obligatory from Jul 21 for visits to museums, cinemas and cultural venues with a capacity of more than 50 people. Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said it would also be obligatory in cafes, restaurants, flights and inter-city trains from Aug 9.

READ: France to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for health workers, says Macron

Rising infections driven by the Delta variant, with an average of 19,000 daily cases - 97 per cent higher than a week ago - means that the health situation in France "is continuing to get worse and remains worrying", he added.

Attal's announcement came as data showed 50 per cent of France's adult population were now vaccinated with two jabs. The government's health pass strategy makes vaccination its number-one weapon in the fight against COVID-19.

MORE VACCINE CENTRES

Attal stressed that there would be a degree of tolerance in the initial phase from Aug 9. Transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari said authorities wanted to have "a good level of control without making the lives of travellers difficult".

Ahead of the return to school after summer holidays, Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said secondary school and college students would only be pulled from classes when fellow pupils tested positive if they themselves had not been vaccinated.

He said 6,000-7,000 vaccine centres would be deployed around schools to help teenagers get their jabs.

France's health authority on Wednesday approved giving the Moderna jab to 12-17 year olds, after a similar ruling on the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in mid-June.

READ: 'Ridiculous': Travellers dismayed by UK quarantine measures for France

The implementation of the health pass legislation will come four days after the Constitutional Council, France's highest constitutional authority, issues its ruling on the legislation on Aug 5.

The Council has the power to send laws back to the legislature and government for changes but the government appears confident it will receive the green light.

The plans have proven hugely controversial, prompting two weekends of protests that on Saturday saw over 160,000 rally nationwide and dozens arrested.

The planned health pass has provoked massive protests around the country. (Photo: AFP/Alain Jocard)

President Emmanuel Macron said at the weekend that refusing to be vaccinated amounted to "irresponsibility and egoism".

Health officials meanwhile declared a health emergency in the French Caribbean overseas territories of Guadeloupe, Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy Wednesday in order to limit people's movements as cases surge there.

They also remarked that the level of vaccination in Guadeloupe is just 15 per cent.

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2021-07-28 20:26:42Z
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