Chinese nationals make up about 44% of active pass holders for Malaysia's retirement residency visa scheme: Minister - CNA

SINGAPORE: There are over 56,000 active pass holders – comprising principals and dependents - under Malaysia’s retirement residency visa scheme as of Jan 31 of this year, with Chinese nationals forming the bulk of them.

Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Tiong King Sing on Monday (Mar 11) said that Chinese nationals form the largest number of active pass holders under the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) scheme at 24,765. This accounts for about 44 per cent of the total number of active pass holders.

This was then followed by those from Australia (9,265), South Korea (4,940), Japan (4,733), Bangladesh (3,604) and the United Kingdom (2,234), reported the Malay Mail.

Separately, there are over 1,000 active MM2H pass holders from Taiwan, the United States, Singapore as well as India.

Mr Tiong was responding to a parliamentary question from Mr Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah, who had asked the minister on the latest MM2H figures as well as the Malaysian government’s plan to improve the programme.

“(The Tourism Ministry), together with the Home Ministry and the Immigration Department, are in the midst of refining and detailing each proposal to improve the requirements of the programme taking into account input and feedback from stakeholders and industry players, so that the number of participants can be increased, encouraging the arrival of tourists and foreign investors to Malaysia,” said Mr Tiong, according to The Star.

In December last year, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture unveiled a revamped version of the MM2H programme, introducing a three-tiered structure along with updated financial requirements.

The revised guideline outlined several changes to the eligibility criteria, including the fixed deposit amount needed for the lowest-tier category as well as the minimum age of applicants.

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2024-03-12 09:51:00Z
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UK government ramps up efforts to curb immigration numbers ahead of upcoming general election - CNA

A WAITING GAME

Applying for asylum is a waiting game, and many refugees who arrive in the UK live in uncertainty for years. 

For instance, one Ethiopian asylum seeker, known only as Abiwot, told CNA that although his asylum claim was recently approved, he is unable to find a job until he receives an identity card.

He currently lives off a government handout.

Abiwot had fled civil war in his home country back in 2021, making his way to France before travelling by a small boat to the UK.

“I get like £48 (US$61.53) to £49 weekly. I just prepare myself, I just cook myself and I serve out my life. That’s good, but it’s really boring, because you always sit, you are not allowed to work, you cannot go anywhere,” he told CNA.

“But it’s fine. I don’t blame this government, because so many asylums are coming, I know.”

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2024-03-12 03:48:28Z
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Singaporeans among those killed, injured in Sabah crash - CNA

The tour van driver, a 42-year-old Malaysian man, and four Singaporean passengers were seriously injured and taken to Tawau Hospital, said Mohd Farhan. 

Semporna Fire and Rescue Station chief Mazlan Sarman said in an earlier statement that an 11-year-old girl was among the injured passengers. 

The trailer driver, a 29-year-old Malaysian man, was unhurt. He was later arrested to assist with investigations. 

Photos released by the Semporna fire and rescue department show the overturned tour van, with its windscreen shattered and roof partially crushed. 

The impact of the collision also caused debris to fly into the glass screen of a box truck that was travelling behind the trailer.

CNA has contacted Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more information.

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2024-03-12 00:22:00Z
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Chinese Man in Sarawak Marries 2 Women at the Same Time & M'sians are Wondering, Can Meh? - WORLD OF BUZZ

Polygamy, or more accurately polygyny (where a man can take up to 4 wives), is legal in Malaysia. Though, this is more so legal for the Muslim community in our country.

But, what if a Malaysian from the non-Muslim community wants to marry more than 1 woman?

Netizen, 小安娜, took to her Facebook page to showcase a Chinese wedding celebration between a man and 2 women in Kuching, Sarawak, which has left Malaysians baffled.

She wrote, “Congratulations to the groom and the 2 brides! I wish you 3 to have love forever as you grow old together.”

In the images showcased, the groom and his 2 brides could be seen as they celebrated their wedding ceremony together.

From pouring the champagne tower to cutting the wedding cake, the trio did it all together.

While many congratulated the newly married trio, others have since taken to the post to simply question, can meh? 

“In Malaysia, a Chinese person can marry 2 (wives)?”

“Is it legal in Malaysia? I am curious to know, is the wedding room at night for a group of 3, isn’t that too much?”

“They’re filming a movie, right? It’s impossible to be allowed to have 2 wives, the law doesn’t allow it.”

“The law allows for 2 (wives)?”

Many have also speculated that the groom and his brides might not have registered their marriage or might not be Malaysians, which then could allow them to be together as they please.

Either way, we wish them a happy married life!

What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.

Also read: M’sians are Allegedly Marrying 4 Wives Just to Use Their Names as Proxies for Govt Tender Bids

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2024-03-12 02:22:24Z
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UN chief "appalled and outraged" by ongoing war in Gaza in Ramadan - CNA

The United Nations says that lack of humanitarian aid means famine is a growing risk in Gaza, where 2.4 million people are under near-total siege by the Israeli military, as it battles Hamas militants.

The war, started by a bloody October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, has resulted in the deaths of 31,112 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza.

"UNPRECEDENTED IN ALL MY YEARS"

US President Joe Biden called for a temporary ceasefire ahead of Ramadan but his call went unanswered as Muslims in Gaza marked the start of the one-month holiday Monday. 

Guterres said, "The eyes of history are watching."

"We cannot look away. We must act to avoid more preventable deaths," Guterres said. 

"We have witnessed month after month of civilian killing and destruction at a level that is unprecedented in all my years as Secretary-General," he said.

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2024-03-11 18:30:38Z
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Europe must do more against 'catastrophic' climate risks: EU - CNA

COPENHAGEN: Europe could suffer "catastrophic" consequences from climate change if it fails to take urgent and decisive action to adapt to risks, a new EU analysis warned on Monday (Mar 11).

Areas in southern Europe are most at risk, the European Environment Agency (EEA) said in its first report on the climate risks the continent faces.

The dangers include fires, water shortages and their effects on agricultural production, while low-lying coastal regions face threats of flooding, erosion and saltwater intrusion.

"Many of these risks have already reached critical levels and could become catastrophic without urgent and decisive action," the agency said.

That doesn't mean northern Europe is spared the negative impact, as floods in Germany and forest fires in Sweden have demonstrated in recent years.

"Extreme heat, drought, wildfires, and flooding, as experienced in recent years, will worsen in Europe even under optimistic global warming scenarios and affect living conditions throughout the continent," the EEA warned.

The report lists 36 risks related to climate in Europe, 21 of which demand more immediate action and eight were "particularly urgent."

At the top of the list were risks to ecosystems, mainly relating to coastal and marine ones.

For instance, the combination of heat waves as well as acidification and oxygen depletion of the seas and other human-caused factors such as pollution and eutrophication - meaning an excess of nutrients which collapses aquatic ecosystem - and fishing, threaten marine ecosystems, the report noted.

"This can result in substantial biodiversity loss, including mass mortality events, and declines in ecosystem services," it said.

European governments and populations unanimously recognising the risks and agreeing to do more, faster should be the priority, according to the EEA.

"We need to do more, to have stronger policies," Yla-Mononen stressed.

Despite the alarm, the agency also acknowledged "considerable progress" made "in understanding the climate risks they are facing and preparing for them," among member states.

"These events are the new normal," EEA director Leena Yla-Mononen told a press briefing ahead of the report's release.

"It should be the wake-up call. The final wake-up call," she added.

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2024-03-10 23:57:19Z
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First post-surgery photo of Kate, UK's Princess of Wales, withdrawn by news agencies due to manipulation - CNA

The royal family has been under more scrutiny than usual in recent weeks, because both Kate and King Charles III cannot carry out their usual public duties due to health problems.

Royal officials say Charles is undergoing treatment for an unspecified form of cancer, which was discovered during treatment for an enlarged prostate. The monarch has canceled all his public engagements while he receives treatment, though he has been photographed walking to church and meeting privately with government officials and dignitaries.

Kate, 42, underwent surgery on Jan 16 and her condition and the reason for the surgery have not been revealed, though Kensington Palace, Prince William and Kate’s office said it was not cancer-related.

Although the palace initially said that it would only provide significant updates and that she would not return to royal duties before Easter - Mar 31 this year - it followed up with a statement last month amid the rumours and conspiracy theories by saying she was doing well and reiterating its previous statement.

“Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess’ recovery and we’d only be providing significant updates,” the palace said Feb 29. “That guidance stands.”

At the time, royal aides told The Sun newspaper: “We’ve seen the madness of social media and that is not going to change our strategy. There has been much on social media but the Princess has a right to privacy and asks the public to respect that.”

Further questions were raised last week when the British military appeared to jump the gun in announcing Kate would attend a Trooping the Color ceremony in June, apparently without consulting palace officials.

The appearance would have been her first major official duty since the surgery, but Kensington Palace did not confirm any scheduled public events for Kate. It’s up to palace officials, not government departments, to announce and confirm the royals’ attendance at events.

The army later removed the reference to her attendance.

British media reported that the army did not seek approval from Kensington Palace before publishing details about Kate's appearance in June, and announced the event based on the expectation that Kate, in her role as Colonel of the Irish Guards, would inspect the troops this year at the annual military ceremony.

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2024-03-11 00:37:00Z
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