Crucial day as Malaysian PM Muhyiddin is set to meet King, PN allies - The Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin faces a crucial day on Wednesday (Aug 11), after opponents ramped up pressure this week in a bid to prove to Malaysia's King that the government's majority has evaporated.

Not only will the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president have a pre-Cabinet audience with Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, but he is also due to meet chiefs of his beleaguered Perikatan Nasional (PN) pact in the afternoon after a week where the premier appears to have slipped even further from the target of more than half the 220 members of Parliament, where two seats remain vacant.

The Straits Times reported on Tuesday that letters representing the 105 MPs of the opposition were sent to the palace on Monday, confirming they reject Tan Sri Muhyiddin's leadership.

This added to the 13 Umno statutory declarations that were made public at the same time in an effort to coax the King to request that the Prime Minister resign.

Despite 11 Umno MPs withdrawing from his government last Tuesday, Mr Muhyiddin said the next day that he informed Sultan Abdullah he was convinced he still had a majority based on statutory declarations he possessed, and that the monarch had agreed to the matter being determined in a parliamentary confidence vote next month.

But critics accused him of misleading the King, who had summoned the premier to discuss whether he should resign as constitutionally required when the prime minister loses his parliamentary majority.

Should Sultan Abdullah be satisfied from the declarations he has received that Mr Muhyiddin no longer commands the confidence of the majority of MPs, he can appoint a successor to lead until the next elections which must be held in two years.

According to precedent, the sovereign may do so whether or not the incumbent offers his resignation.

Alternatively, Parliament can be dissolved to pave way for elections in 60 days. Previously, fears of stoking an already raging Covid-19 pandemic as seen after the Sabah polls last year had precluded both the palace and politicians from advocating this option. However, the government has repeatedly insisted all adults will be vaccinated by the end of October, and close to 70 per cent have already received at least one dose.

But given that not all 105 opposition MPs have sent in personally signed declarations disavowing support for Mr Muhyiddin, he could still hang on until the confidence vote is held.

However, there have been growing calls for the parliamentary sitting to be brought forward, and Sultan Abdullah may press the Prime Minister to do so.

On Monday, Umno uploaded two letters sent by party chief Zahid Hamidi to the palace last week, informing Sultan Abdullah that 14 of the party's 38 lawmakers had withdrawn support from the government, along with 13 statutory declarations.

Deputy premier Ismail Sabri Yaakob - who leads a band of Umno MPs refusing to quit government - had insisted last Friday that 31 out of 42 lawmakers from the Umno-led Barisan Nasional remained steadfast behind the coalition's decision early last year to form the Muhyiddin-led government until fresh elections are held.

But the Umno vice-president's claim has been in doubt after at least three MPs named among the 31 insisted they had not taken such a stand.

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2021-08-11 01:16:20Z
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Some unvaccinated people not moved by 'pressure' of new Covid-19 rules; those allergic hope for exceptions - TODAYonline

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1. Some unvaccinated people not moved by 'pressure' of new Covid-19 rules; those allergic hope for exceptions  TODAYonline
2. 53 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in Singapore; 13 clusters closed  CNA
3. New Covid-19 cases in Singapore fall for fifth day in a row, with 11 in ICU  The Straits Times
4. New Covid-19 cases in Singapore fall for fifth day in a row  AsiaOne
5. Singapore hits 70% full vaccination as rules start to ease  Yahoo Singapore News
6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2021-08-10 15:26:37Z
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New Covid-19 cases in Singapore fall for fifth day in a row, with 11 in ICU - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - The total number of daily Covid-19 cases here has fallen for the fifth day in a row.

On Tuesday night (Aug 10), the Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 53 local cases, and one imported case.

The last time there were fewer than 53 community cases was on July 15, when there were 42 such cases.

Fifteen of the cases on Tuesday night were unlinked.

The last time there were fewer than 15 unlinked cases was on July 21, with seven such cases.

One new case was added to the cluster at the NKF Dialysis Centre, which now has a total of four cases.

There are also currently 11 patients in critical condition in the intensive care unit, up from 10 the day before.

MOH also announced a total of 32 cases of serious illness requiring oxygen supplementation.

Six of these 43 cases are fully vaccinated. Altogether, there are 35 seniors above 60 years old who have fallen very ill, said MOH.

Of this group, 29 are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.

As at Aug 9, 8,145,237 doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered under the national vaccination programme, covering 4,373,550 individuals.

Of these, 3,897,650 people have completed the full vaccination regimen, said MOH.

In addition, 131,186 doses of other vaccines recognised in the World Health Organisation's Emergency Use Listing have been administered as of Aug 9, covering 80,459 individuals.

In total, 72 per cent of people here have received two doses of the vaccines, and 81 per cent have received at least one dose.

Overall, the number of new cases in the community has decreased from 799 cases in the week before last to 481 cases in the past week.

The number of unlinked cases in the community has also decreased from 238 cases in the week before last to 138 cases in the past week.

A total of 508 cases are currently in hospital.

Read the full MOH press release here.

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2021-08-10 14:55:08Z
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Johor sultan disappointed at politicians jostling for power when people are reeling from COVID-19 - CNA

In his address to the nation on Monday in conjunction with the Islamic new year, Malaysia's king Al Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah urged Malaysians to comply with measures set out in the country's four-phase National Recovery Plan, Malaysia's blueprint to exit from the pandemic.

Sultan Abdullah also called on Malaysians to rise together to strengthen unity, maintain health and adhere to the COVID-19 measures for the sake of the country.

Last Sunday, Mr Muhyiddin announced privileges extended to fully vaccinated individuals, included allowing long-distance married couples to cross district or state borders to meet up, while fully vaccinated parents are also allowed to travel within the country to meet their children who are under 18 years old.

Fully vaccinated Malaysians and permanent residents returning from overseas will be able to serve their quarantine at home. 

The government has also lifted certain COVID-19 curbs for states and federal territories that have already transitioned into the second and third phase of the National Recovery Plan (NPR).

Dine-in, cross-district travel and domestic tourism activities, for instance, would be allowed for fully vaccinated people. Residents in these areas would also be able to enjoy a wider range of non-contact and individual sports and recreational activities, including fishing, equestrian sports, hiking, archery and golf. 

Currently, Perlis, Sarawak and the federal territory of Labuan have transitioned into the NPR's third phase. 

Six other states, including Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak, Penang and Sabah, are in the second phase, while the rest are still in phase one.

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2021-08-10 11:25:59Z
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Hong Kong teachers' union to disband due to 'drastic' political situation - CNA

The union grabbed headlines at the end of July when China's state-run media outlets Xinhua news agency and the People's Daily condemned it as a "poisonous tumour" that must be eliminated.

Hours later, Hong Kong's Education Bureau said it would no longer recognise the opposition-leaning union, which was set up nearly 50 years ago and has around 95,000 members. It employs 200 full-time staff.

The bureau said the union's remarks in recent years were not in line with the education profession, rendering it no different than a political group, and accused it of encouraging students and teachers to take part in "unlawful activities".

Students were on the frontlines of sometimes violent anti-government protests that roiled Hong Kong in 2019, with teachers among some of the thousands arrested.

Hong Kong's security legislation requires the Chinese-ruled city to "promote national security education in schools and universities and through social organisations, the media, the Internet".

The union, which also provides medical and welfare services to members, said it had always promoted the development of the education sector, protected teachers' rights and had not incited students to join demonstrations.

Authorities have denied any erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong - which returned to China in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula aimed at preserving its freedoms and role as a financial hub - but say China's national security is a red line.

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2021-08-10 09:45:58Z
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Cambodia dam destroyed livelihoods of tens of thousands: Human Rights Watch - CNA

PHNOM PENH: A massive China-financed dam in Cambodia has "washed away the livelihoods" of tens of thousands of villagers while falling short of promised energy production, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday (Aug 10).

The 400-megawatt Lower Sesan 2 dam in the kingdom's north-east has sparked controversy since long before its December 2018 launch.

Fisheries experts had warned that damming the confluence of the Sesan and Srepok rivers - two major tributaries of the resource-rich Mekong River - would threaten fish stocks crucial to millions living along the Mekong's flood plains.

Tens of thousands of villagers living upstream and downstream have suffered steep losses to their incomes, HRW said in Tuesday's report, citing interviews conducted over two years with some 60 people from various communities.

"The Lower Sesan 2 dam washed away the livelihoods of indigenous and ethnic minority communities who previously lived communally and mostly self-sufficiently from fishing, forest-gathering and agriculture," John Sifton, Human Rights Watch's Asia advocacy director and the report's author, said on Tuesday.

"Cambodian authorities need to urgently revisit this project's compensation, resettlement, and livelihood-restoration methods."

"There's no doubt at all that (the dam) contributed significantly to the larger problems the Mekong is facing right now," said Mekong energy and water expert Brian Eyler, while adding that more research was needed on the exact losses.

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2021-08-10 05:33:35Z
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Malaysians in Singapore welcome Covid-19 home quarantine rule for those who are fully vaccinated - The Straits Times

JOHOR BARU (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Fully vaccinated Malaysians in Singapore are elated by the news that starting Tuesday (Aug 10), they can quarantine at home when they return from the Republic instead of spending two weeks at a hotel.

While describing the move as timely, some are hoping for Singapore to reciprocate by reducing its two-week compulsory quarantine period.

Technician Iskandar Mat Jusoh, 37, who has received both vaccination shots, said the announcement by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin would benefit many Malaysians who were hoping to return home from Singapore.

"This will not just save money, but will also allow people to have a longer reunion with their families," he said.

Mr Iskandar, who last met his wife and 10-year-old son in person last year, said he would have to fork out more than $2,000 for quarantine charges when he returned to Singapore.

Ms Nurbayzura Basaruddin, who works as a fast-food outlet manager in Singapore, will not be returning any time soon due to the quarantine cost in Singapore.

Ms Nurbayzuara, 34, said: "I really miss my husband and four young children as I have not been back home since the lockdown started in March last year. I have already gotten both my vaccination shots and may only come back next year. I hope that the Singapore government can also consider some leeway for those who are fully vaccinated."

Project manager Danny Tay, 43, said the latest home quarantine announcement was something many were looking forward to, especially those who had not seen their families since the border closure in March last year.

"This will also help ease the financial burden of those who have lost their jobs in Singapore and want to return home," he said, adding that he would wait a while longer for the cases in Malaysia to dip before returning home.

Mr M. Suresh, 33, who is a permanent resident in Singapore where he works in the food and beverage industry, hoped that his 14-day quarantine period would be shortened.

''I returned on Aug 6 and am serving a 14-day quarantine stay in Johor Baru. This is indeed good news and I hope to spend more time with my son, daughter and wife," he said.

Mr Suresh, who is fully inoculated, said he planned to move his family to Singapore as he missed watching his children grow up.

"I hope that Singapore will also help relax the quarantine period for those fully vaccinated," he added.

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2021-08-10 01:52:21Z
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