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Showing posts with label Learning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Learning. Show all posts

Saturday, August 28, 2021

Malaysia’s new PM, Ismail Sabri brings graft-tainted UMNO back to power, announces new Cabinet; Azmin Ali, Tengku Zafrul keep respective portfolios

UMNO politician Ismail Sabri's rise to become Malaysia's prime minister
 

Malaysia's new PM brings graft-tainted UMNO back to power

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/20/malaysian-king-picks-ex-deputy-pm-as-nations-new-leader

 Notably, Ismail Sabri (pic) has decided to maintain the ministers in three of the senior portfolios — Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali as the international trade and industry minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof as the works minister and Datuk Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin as the education minister. (Photo by Zahid Izzani Mohd Said/The Edge)

Notably, Ismail Sabri (pic) has decided to maintain the ministers in three of the senior portfolios — Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali as the international trade and industry minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof as the works minister and Datuk Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin as the education minister. (Photo by Zahid Izzani Mohd Said/The Edge)

 KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 27): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has continued the practice of his predecessor Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to not appoint a deputy prime minister, and instead has four senior ministers, namely the minister of international trade and industry, minister of defence, minister of works and minister of education, in his Cabinet.

` Notably, Ismail Sabri has decided to maintain the ministers in three of the senior portfolios — Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali as the international trade and industry minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof as the works minister and Datuk Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin as the education minister.

` Meanwhile, taking over Ismail Sabri's defence portfolio is his Umno comrade Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

` Besides that, Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz has also been maintained as the finance minister.

` Other notable ministers who are keeping their portfolios in Ismail Sabri's administration are Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed as the minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of economics, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong as the transport minister, Datuk Seri M Saravanan as the human resources minister, Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun as the women, family and community development minister, Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad as the higher education minister, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin as the home minister, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi as the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri as the tourism minister and Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique as the national unity minister.

` Interestingly, Khairy Jamaluddin has swapped portfolios with Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba as they are now the health minister and the science, technology and innovation minister respectively.

` Ministries have 100 days to hit initial targets

` Earlier in his speech, Ismail Sabri said that he will ensure his Cabinet line-up is committed to achieving the national agenda through cross-party cooperation in order to drive economic recovery for the well-being of the people.

` "The Cabinet line-up was selected from a combination of those who are experienced, believed to be able to help the country revive the economy by supporting entrepreneurs, facilitating business, and reviving economic activity as well as increasing investor confidence," he said.

` In order to face the current challenging economic, health and political environment, Ismail Sabri said the Cabinet will be results-oriented and will work based on three principles, namely being attentive to current needs, responsible and trustworthy, and restoring the confidence of the rakyat.

` As such, Ismail Sabri has committed that ministries will need to come up with their short-term and long-term plans within the first 100 days in office in order to ensure a high-performance work culture.

` "I hope the appointment of this Cabinet will give a new sense of confidence for the country to rise up and unite in the fight against Covid-19 as well as for the Malaysian Family to come out of this pandemic," he said.

` The prime minister added that the ministers will be taking their oaths at the palace next Monday (Aug 30) at 2.30pm. 

 


` Below is the full list of ministers and deputy ministers:

` Senior Minister - Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Minister - YB Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali (Bersatu) Deputy Minister - YB Datuk Lim Ban Hong (MCA)

` Senior Minister - Ministry of Defence Minister - YB Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein (Umno) Deputy Minister - YB Datuk Seri Ikhmal Hisham bin Abdul Aziz (Umno)

` Ministry of Finance Minister - YB Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz (Senator) Deputy Minister I - YB Mohd Shahar Abdullah (Umno) Deputy Minister II - YB Tuan Haji Yamani Hafez Musa (Bersatu)

` Senior Minister - Minister of Works Minister - YB Datuk Seri Haji Fadillah Yusof (GPS) Deputy Minister - YB Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup (PBRS)

` Senior Minister - Minister of Education Minister - YB Senator Datuk Dr. Mohd Radzi Md Jidin (Senator - Bersatu) Deputy Minister I - YB Senator Dato’ Dr Mah Hang Soon (Senator) Deputy Minister II - YB Datuk Mohamad Alamin (Umno)

` Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Minister - YB Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (Bersatu) Deputy Minister - YB Eddin Syazlee Shith (Bersatu)

` Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Minister - YB Datuk Dr Hj Abdul Latiff Ahmad (Bersatu) Deputy Minister - YB Datuk Mastura Tan Sri Dato’ Mohd Yazid (Umno)

` Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Minister - YB Datuk Seri Dr Haji Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (GPS) Deputy Minister - YB Datuk Wira Hajjah Mas Ermieyati Samsuddin (Bersatu)

` Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Minister - YB Senator Tuan Idris Ahmad (Senator) Deputy Minister - YB Datuk Haji Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PAS)

` Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Minister - YB Datuk Seri Panglima Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili (PBS) Deputy Minister - YB Dato’ Hajah Hanifah Hajar Taib (GPS)

` Ministry of Transportation Minister - YB Datuk Seri Ir. Dr. Wee Ka Siong (MCA) Deputy Minister - YB Dato’ Henry Sum Agong (GPS)

` Ministry of Environment Minister - YB Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PAS) Deputy Minister - YB Dato’ Dr Mansor Othman (Bersatu)

` Ministry of Human Resources Minister - YB Datuk Seri Saravanan Murugan (MIC) Deputy Minister - YB Datuk Haji Awang Hashim (PAS)

` Ministry of Federal Territories Minister - YB Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (Umno) Deputy Minister - YB Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias (Umno)

` Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Minister - YB Datuk Seri Rina Harun (Bersatu) Deputy Minister - YB Dato’ Hajah Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS)

` Ministry of Higher Education Minister - YB. Dato’ Dr Noraini Ahmad (Umno) Deputy Minister - YB Senator Datuk Dr. Ahmad Masrizal Muhammad (Senator)

` Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Minister - YB Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS) Deputy Minister - YB Datuk Ali Anak Biju (Bersatu)

` Ministry of Home Affairs Minister - YB Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin (Bersatu) Deputy Minister I - YB Datuk Seri Dr Haji Ismail Haji Mohamed Said (Umno) Deputy Minister II - YB Jonathan Yassin (Bersatu)

` Ministry of Health Minister - YB Tuan Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar (Umno) Deputy Minister I - YB Dato’ Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali (Bersatu) Deputy Minister II - YB Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang (GPS)

` Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries Minister - YB Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (Bersatu) Deputy Minister I - YB Datuk Seri Hj Ahmad Hamzah (Umno) Deputy Minister II - YB Dr. Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh (PAS)

` Ministry of Rural Development Minister - YB Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (Umno) Deputy Minister I - YB Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad (Umno) Deputy Minister II - YB Datuk Haji Hasbi Habibollah (GPS)

` Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister - YB Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah (Bersatu) Deputy Minister - YB Haji Kamarudin Jaffar (Bersatu)

` Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister - YB Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi (GPS) Deputy Minister - YB Dato’ Rosol Wahid (Bersatu)

` Ministry of Communication and Multimedia Minister - YB Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Annuar Haji Musa (Umno) Deputy Minister - YB Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin (Umno)

` Ministry of Housing and Local Government Minister - YB Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican (Umno) Deputy Minister - YB Datuk Sri Ismail Abdul Mutalib (Umno)

` Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Minister - YB Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba (Umno) Deputy Minister - YB Datuk Haji Amzad Mohamed @ Hashim (PAS)

` Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister - YB Tan Sri Noh Haji Omar (Umno) Deputy Minister - YB Tuan Muslimin Yahaya (Bersatu)

` Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister - YB Datuk Dr Hajah Zuraidah binti Kamaruddin (Bersatu) Deputy Minister I - YB Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng (MCA) Deputy Minister II - YB Willie Mongin (Bersatu)

` Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister - YB Datuk Seri Hajah Nancy Shukri (GPS) Deputy Minister - YB Datuk Seri Dr Santhara Kumar Ramanaidu (Bersatu)

` Ministry of National Unity Minister - YB Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique (Umno) Deputy Minister - YB Senator Tuan Wan Ahmad Fayshal Wan Ahmad Kamal (Senator - Bersatu)

` Ministry of Youth and Sports Minister - YB Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Datuk Azumu (Bersatu) Deputy Minister - YB Senator Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker (Senator - MCA)

` ` Source link

 

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Ministers ready to get to work | The Star

 

PM'S 'Cabinet of compromise' - PressReader

Some Malaysians petition to stop Umno's Ismail - The Straits ...

 https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/some-malaysians-petition-to-stop-ismail-from-becoming-next-pm

Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob has a slim majority in the 220-strong Parliament. 

 https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/some-malaysians-petition-to-stop-ismail-from-becoming-next-pm

MACC chief: Covid-19 has seen rise in large-scale corruption ...


I am 60 years old, I have seen during Tungku Abdul Rahman times, we had one of the best Government servant, one of the best police officers, one of the best military officers, its because we had multi racial workforce in all Government sector. Why is it BN government remove non muslim and "Operasi isi Penuh"( Fill in full)  muslim population in all government Departments ? During Tunku Abdul Rahman we didnt come across a single mosque or surau in all government department or military or police department, we didnt come across any corruptions. WHY WITH ALL MOSQUE, SURAU, UNIVERSITY ISLAM AND UITM , we are facing one of the worse corruption scandals in the world today.  
LIST OF CORRUPTION IN MALAYSIA :
1. PKFZ RM12 billion
2. Submarine Commission RM500 million
3. Sime Darby RM964 million
4. Paya Indah Westland RM88 million
5. Pos Malaysia (Transmile) RM230 million lost
6. Eurocopter deal RM1 billion wasted
7. Terengganu Stadium collapse RM292 million
8. MRR2 repair cost RM70 million
9. Maybank overpaid BII RM4 billion
10. Tourism - NYY kickback RM10 million
11. 3 paintings bought by MAS RM1.5 million
12. Overpayment by Sport Ministry RM8.4 million
13. London’s white elephant sports complex RM70 million
14. MATRADE repairs RM120 million
15. Cost of new plane used by PM RM200 million
16. InventQ irrecoverable debt RM228 million
17. Compensation for killing crooked bridge RM257 million
18. Loss in selling Augusta RM 510 million
19. Worth of APs given out in a year RM1.8 billion
20. Submarines (future Muzium Negara artifacts) RM4.1 billion
21. PSC Naval dockyard RM6.75 billion
22. The Bank Bumiputra twin scandals in the early 1980s saw US$1 billion losses (RM3.2 billion in 2008)
23. The Maminco attempt to corner the World Tin Market in the 1980s is believed to have cost some US$500 million (RM1.6 billion)
24. Betting in foreign exchange futures cost Bank Negara Malaysia RM30 billion in the 1990s
25. Perwaja Steel’s US$800 million (RM2.56 billion) losses
26. Use of RM10 billion public funds in the Valuecap Sdn Bhd operation to shore up the stock market
27. Banking scandal of RM700 million losses in Bank Islam
28. The sale of M.V. Agusta by Proton for one Euro making a loss of €75.99 million (RM348 million) Same as No.20?
29. Wang Ehsan from oil royalty on Terengganu RM7.4 billion from 2004 – 2007
30. For the past 10 years since Philharmonic Orchestra
was established, this orchestra has swallowed a total of RM500 million. Hiring a Kwai-Lo CEO with a salary of more than RM1 million per annum!
31. In Advisors Fees, Mahathir was paid RM180,000, Shahrizat Abdul RM404,726 and Abdul Hamid Othman (religious) RM549,675 per annum
32. The government has spent a total of RM3.2 billion in teaching Maths and Science in English over the past five years. Of the amount, the government paid a whopping RM2.21 billion for the purchase of information and computer technology (ICT) equipment which it is unable to give a breakdown. Government paid more than RM6,000 per notebook vs per market price of less than RM3,000 through some new consortiums that was setup just to transact the notebook deal. There was no Maths & Science Content for the teachers and the notebooks are all with the teachers' children now.
33. The commission paid for purchase of jets and submarines to two private companies - Perimeker Sdn Bhd and IMT Defence Sdn Bhd amounted to RM910 million. Expanding on No. 2?
37. RM300 million to compensate Gerbang Perdana for the RM1.1 billion "Crooked Scenic Half-Bridge"
38. RM1.3 billion has been wasted building the white elephant Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) facilities on cancellation of the Malaysia-Singapore Scenic Bridge
39. RM100 million on renovation of Parliament building which leaks
40. National Astronaut (actually tourist) Programme – RM40 million
41. National Service Training Programme – yearly an estimate of RM 500 million
42. Eye of Malaysia - RM30 million and another RM5.7 million of free tickets
43. RM2.4 million on indelible ink
44. Samy Vellu announced in September 2006 that the government paid compensation amounting to RM38.5 billion to 20 highway companies. RM380 million windfalls for 9 toll concessionaires earned solely from the toll hike in 2008 alone
45. RM32 million timber export kickbacks involving companies connected to Sarawak Chief Minister and his family.
46. Two bailouts of Malaysia Airline System RM7.9 billion. At a time when MAS is incurring losses every year, RM1.55 million used to buy three paintings to decorate its Chairman’s (Munir) office. Expanding on No.11
47. Putra transport system bailout which cost RM4.486 billion.
48. STAR-LRT bailout costing RM3.256 billion.
49. National Sewerage System bailout costing RM192.54 million.
50. Seremban-Port Dickson Highway bailout costing RM142 million
51. Kuching Prison bailout costing RM135 million
52. Kajian Makanan dan Gunaan Orang Islam bailout costing RM8.3 million
53. Le Tour de Langkawi bailout costing RM3.5 Million
54. Wholesale distribution of tens of millions of shares in Bursa Malaysia under the guise of NEP to cronies, children and relatives of BN leaders and ministers worth billions of ringgit.
55. Alienation of tens of thousands of hectares of commercial lands and forestry concessions to children and relatives of BN leaders and Ministers worth tens of billions of ringgits.
56. Since 1997, Petronas has handed out a staggering RM30 billion in natural gas subsidies to IPPs who were reaping huge profits. In addition, there were much wastages and forward trading of Petronas oil in the 1990s based on the low price of oil then. Since the accounts of Petronas are for the eyes of the Prime Minister only, we have absolutely no idea of the amount.
57. RM5,700 for a car jack worth only RM50
58. Government-owned vehicle consumed a tank of petrol worth RM113 within a few minutes
59 A pole platform that cost RM990 was bought for RM30,000
60. A thumb drive that cost RM90 was bought for RM480
61. A cabinet that cost RM1,500 was bought for RM13,500
62. A flashlight that cost RM35 was bought for RM143
63. Expenses for 1Malaysia campaign paid to APCO?
64. RM17 billion subsidy to IPP
65. US$24 million Diamond Ring for Ro$mah - Cancellation of Order - how much compensation ?
66. CowGate . . . RM250 Million
67. Monsoon Cup . . . RM800 million per year
68. Illicit Fund Transfers out of Malaysia ( 2000 - 2009) : RM 1,077,000,000,000!
69. Tajudin-Danaharta settlement to cover up for Dr M and Daim
70. Billions of ringgit toll concessions that disadvantage the government and taxpayers”
71. With 1MDB 42 billion dollars missing .
72. MAIKA SHARE 120,000,000 SHARES IN TELEKOM
73. ABU SYAYAP TERRORIST 12 MILLION DOLLARS.

I am 60 years old. NEP suppose to end in 1999. Now NEP being use as an excuse to implement Islamic values in all over schools, Universities, Police Departments, Government Departments. WHY INDIANS TREATED LIKE GANGSTERS BY PM AND DEPUTY PM? WHY ITS ALWAYS NON MUSLIMS ARE BRANDED AS KAIFR( JAHIL - LOW CLASS HUMANS) Malaysia is possibly the most racist country in the world with the following segregation. Have a look and judge for yourself.
List of racial discrimination in Malaysia:
(1) Of the five major banks, only one is multi-racial, the rest are controlled by Malays.
(2) 99% of Petronas directors are Malays.
(3) 3% of Petronas employees are Chinese.
(4) 99% of 2000 Petronas gasoline stations are owned by Malays.
(5) 100% all contractors working under Petronas projects must be of Bumis status.
(6) 0% of non-Malay staff are legally required in Malay companies. But there must be 30% Malay staffs in Chinese companies.
(7) 5% of all new intake for government police, nurses, army, are non-Malays.
(8) 2% is the present Chinese staff in Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), a drop from 40% in 1960.
(9) 2% is the percentage of non-Malay government servants in Putrajaya, but Malays make up 98%.
(10) 7% is the percentage of Chinese government servants in the entire government (in 2004); a drop from 30% in 1960.
(11) 95% of government contracts are given to Malays.
(12) 100% all business licensees are controlled by Malay government, e.g. Taxi permits, Approved permits, etc.
(13) 80% of the Chinese rice millers in Kedah had to be sold to Malay controlled Bernas in 1980s. Otherwise, life is made difficult for Chinese rice millers.
(14) 100 big companies set up, owned and managed by Chinese Malaysians were taken over by government, and later managed by Malays since 1970s, e.g. UTC, UMBC, MISC, etc.
(15) At least 10 Chinese owned bus companies (throughout Malaysia in the past 40 years) had to be sold to MARA or other Malay transport companies due to rejection by Malay authorities to Chinese applications for bus routes and rejection for their applications for new buses.
(16) Two Chinese taxi drivers were barred from driving in Johor Larkin bus station. There are about 30 taxi drivers and three were Chinese in Oct. 2004. Spoiling taxi club properties was the reason given.
(17) 0 non-Malays are allowed to get shop lots in the new Muar bus station (Nov. 2004).
(18) 8000 billion ringgit is the total amount the government channeled to Malay pockets through ASB, ASN, MARA, privatization of government agencies, Tabung Haji etc, through NEP over a 34 years period.
(19) 48 Chinese primary schools closed down from 1968 - 2000.
(20) 144 Indian primary schools closed down from 1968 - 2000.
(21) 2637 Malay primary schools built from 1968 - 2000.
(22) 2.5% is government budget for Chinese primary schools. Indian schools got only 1%, Malay schools got 96.5%.
(23) While a Chinese parent with RM1000 salary (monthly) cannot get school textbook loan, a Malay parent with RM2000 salary is eligible.
(24) All 10 public university vice chancellors are Malays.
(25) 5% of the government universities' lecturers are of non-Malay origins. This percentage has been reduced from about 70% in 1965 to only 5% in 2004.
(26) Only 5% has been given to non-Malays for government scholarships in over 40 years.
(27) 0 Chinese or Indians were sent to Japan and Korea under the "Look East Policy."
(28) 128 STPM Chinese top students could not get into the course to which they aspired, i.e. Medicine (in 2004).
(29) 10% quotas are in place for non-Bumi students for MARA science schools beginning in 2003, but only 7% are filled. Before that it was 100% Malays.
(30) 50 cases in which Chinese and Indian Malaysians are beaten up in the National Service program in 2003.
(31) 25% of the Malaysian population was Chinese in 2004, a drop from 45% in 1957.
(32) 7% of the Malaysian population is Indian (2004), a drop from 12% in 1957.
(33) 2 million Chinese Malaysians have emigrated in the past 40 years.
(34) 0.5 million Indian Malaysians have emigrated overseas.
(35) 3 millions Indonesians have migrated to Malaysia and become Malaysian citizens with Bumis status.
(36) 600,000 Chinese and Indian Malaysians with red IC were rejected repeatedly when applying for citizenship in the past 40 years. Perhaps 60% of them had already passed away due to old age. This shows racism, based on how easily Indonesians got their citizenships compared with the Chinese and Indians.
(37) 5% - 15% discount for a Malay to buy a house. I AM 60 YEARS OLD, I LOST MY TRUST IN ALL OUR MUSLIM LEADERS

[21/01, 14:49] Dato Shahruddin Ali

👍✌I have seen these details previously which is very painful for non malays to read and digest To me these details are truthful and I am proud of the persons who complled all these facts.Hopefully more malays should read this contents to realise it is their own kind who is cheating them the most

Thursday, August 26, 2021

‘Use science, not politics': China asks WHO to investigate Fort Detrick, UNC bio labs through diplomatic channel

‘Use science, not politics’

 

China is concerned that the so-called US intelligence report on the origins of the coronavirus will contain predetermined conclusions and be unreliable, as it urged Washington to stop politicising the scientific issue.

` “Origin tracing requires science, not intelligence. It is anti-science in itself to trace the origins of the virus using intelligence agencies,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular news briefing on Tuesday.

` It was unlikely that the so-called report by the US intelligence community, which had a notorious record, would be based on facts and truth, and it was “nothing more than a setup to prove a predetermined conclusion with selective evidence”, Wang said.

` The White House said on Monday that it was likely that an unclassified version of the US intelligence community’s review of whether the coronavirus pandemic originated in a lab in China would be released as soon as next week.

` In May, US President Joe Biden ordered a 90-day probe into the origins of the virus, even though the “Wuhan lab leak” notion had been dismissed by most scientists as a fringe conspiracy theory.

` Tuesday was the deadline for the 90-day review to be completed.

` “Origin tracing requires unity, not framing others,” Wang said.

` Its purpose was to protect the lives and health of people from all countries instead of blaming others and suppressing rivals to serve one’s own interests, he added.

` “The United States, out of ulterior political motives, has demanded that its intelligence agencies conduct so-called nvestigations into the origins issue, which has undermined international cooperation and has been widely questioned and opposed by the nternational community,” Wang said.

` He urged the United States to get back on the right track of scientifically tracing the origins of the virus.

` Washington’s politicising of anti-pandemic efforts had also led to the United States having the highest number of infections and deaths in the world, and its people had paid a heavy price, Wang added.

` He also cited various US reports saying that the pandemic had multiple origins and broke out in several places, which required high attention and serious investigation.

` “The United States should stop blaming and smearing China, and invite World Health Organisation experts to conduct origin-tracing research in the country as soon as possible,” he said. — China Daily/ANN

`Source link


China upholds science-based Covid-19 origin tracing

THE Covid-19 pandemic is currently raging across the world with over 200 million people infected and 4.4 million deaths recorded. It has become the world’s most devastating infectious disease of the century.

` To defeat Covid-19, we must understand the virus. China has actively engaged in origin tracing cooperation with the World Health Organisation (WHO) since the early outbreak of Covid-19, and shared the genome sequencing of the virus at the earliest time possible.

` WHO experts were also invited to conduct origin tracing research in China and the teams were given full support. They visited every site on their list and met every individual they asked for.

` After that, WHO released the China-WHO Joint Study Report on Covid-19 origin tracing, which clearly concluded that a lab leak of the coronavirus is “extremely unlikely”.

` The report also outlined several recommendations, including “searching for possible early Covid-19 cases around the world”, and the “necessity to study the possibility of virus transmission via cold chain”.

` There is mounting evidence showing that the virus has long been lurking in human communities. Research conducted by medical institutions and experts showed that Covid-19 was detected in Europe as early as November 2019, and opined that based on the overall situation, it is obvious that the disease has multiple origins and broke out in multiple places.

` It is a common understanding among the scientific community that the virus evolves in nature. On July 5, 24 internationally renowned scientists, including a well-known Malaysian virologist, published an open letter in The Lancet noting that Covid-19 generated and evolved in nature.

` On July 7, scientists from the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia published a pre-print paper on Zenodo, a European research data-sharing platform, pointing out that no evidence showed that Covid-19 originated from the Wuhan labs.

` Nonetheless, several countries disregarded these existing scientific evidence. Instead, they politicised the matter of science, instructed their intelligence agencies to carry out origin tracing investigations, and smeared and slandered other countries. They even threatened the WHO Secretariat and international experts.

` But the voice of justice shall not be ignored. Over 80 countries, whether through letters to the WHO director-general, statements or diplomatic notes, have expressed their support for the China-WHO Joint Study Report. More than 300 political parties, organisations and think tanks from over 100 countries and regions submitted a joint statement to the WHO Secretariat, urging it to conduct Covid-19 origin tracing research in an objective and fair manner.

` The virus has no borders, nor does it recognise ethnicity. China, like other countries, is a victim of the pandemic. We all hope to find the source and stop the transmission as early as possible.

` China always upholds that Covid-19 origin tracing must be based on science, and any politicisation of the origin tracing effort must be opposed.

` Right now, respecting the science and advocating cooperation are the correct approaches. The purpose of virus origin-tracing is to enhance the scientific understanding of viruses, allowing us to deal with major infectious diseases better in the future. From mankind’s experience, the origin tracing of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), Ebola, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the 2009 swine flu involved multiple disciplines and fields. The origin tracing of Covid-19 is no different.

` Combating the pandemic remains our utmost priority. China has provided over 800 million doses of vaccines to more than 100 countries and international organisations. On Aug 5, President Xi Jinping announced that China would strive to provide two billion doses of vaccine to the world this year and donate US$100mil to the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) programme.

` I believe that as long as the whole world stands united and works together, mankind will be able to dispel the dark clouds of the pandemic and usher in a victory soon.

` OUYANG YUJING

` Ambassador of China to Malaysia
`

China asks WHO to investigate Fort Detrick, UNC bio labs through diplomatic channel


Personnel work inside the bio-level 4 lab research at the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick. Photo: AFP

 

The Chinese envoy to the UN Office at Geneva has sent a letter to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the WHO, reiterating China's consistent position on the COVID-19 origins tracing and requesting a transparent investigation with full access to the labs of Fort Detrick and the University of North Carolina (UNC) in the US..

` The letter is also attached to  a joint letter signed by more than 25 million Chinese netizens to the WHO demanding an investigation into the Fort Detrick lab. 

  It is the first time that China formally asked the WHO through diplomatic channels to conduct a probe on virus origins to Fort Detrick and the University of North Carolina. .

` Chen Xu, Permanent Representative of China to the UN Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, wrote to Ghebreyesus on Tuesday, emphasizing that the hypothesis of "introduction of SARS-CoV-2 into human population was caused by lab leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology" is extremely unlikely. .

` If some parties are of the view that the "lab leak" hypothesis remains open, it is labs like Fort Detrick and the one at the UNC that should be subject to transparent investigations, Chen said..

` At a press conference on Wednesday, Fu Cong, director general of the Department of Arms Control of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sorted out several mysteries that the international community is concerned about the two labs, and once again urged the US not to politicize the issue..

` "Scapegoating China cannot whitewash the US. If the US persists in hyping the lab leak theory, then they should set an example and invite the WHO to investigate Fort Detrick (USAMRIID) and the UNC," Fu said. .

` Fort Detrick is the center of US bio-military activities, of which the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease (USAMRIID) is the primary entity, and is known as the center of the US government's darkest experiments. USAMRIID worked with Ralph Baric's team from the UNC and published the outcome of their research in a paper, which shows that as early as 2003, these institutes already had the advanced capabilities to synthesize and modify SARS-related coronaviruses..

` The international community has grave concerns on all the bio-military activities of the US, including Fort Detrick and the over 200 bio-medical labs around the world, as they lack transparency, security and justification. .

` "Only the US military has built such a large number of bio-medical labs all over the world. What are their purposes? Do they have any hidden agenda?" Fu asked. .

` I wonder if the US obsession with Chinese biological labs signifies a change in its position on verification protocol. Is the US government ready to withdraw its opposition to the negotiations of a verification protocol under BWC? The litmus test will come as early as next week when the Meetings of the States Parties to the BWC take place in Geneva, where China will once again call for the restart of negotiations on a verification protocol, Fu said.

` Fu also pointed out that the US claims that the research by the Wuhan Institute of Virology has led to SARS-CoV-2. As a matter of fact, the US has sponsored and carried out more such research than any other country. In particular, the Baric team of the UNC leads the world in research in this field, and already has advanced capabilities to synthesize and modify coronavirus. A thorough investigation into Dr. Baric's lab will help clarify whether such researches have led to or could lead to SARS-CoV-2..

` According to the disclosed information, it's the lab in the UNC and Ralph Baric who led the biological laboratory at the UNC at Chapel Hill that are full of questions and mysteries that owe the world an explanation when coming to the lab leak theory..

` If the US persists in hyping up the lab-leak theory, then they should set an example and invite the WHO to investigate the Fort Detrick (USAMRIID) and the UNC, Fu stressed..

` The Global Times has also listed  six suspicions of mysteries behind the UNC lab, Fort Detrick and the "Coronavirus Hunter" as they owe the world the truth. .

` The WHO has not made any comments on the letter as of press time. .

` Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, pointed out that the letter shows that the probe on virus origins has been upgraded to a diplomatic issue, as a result of the US' smear campaign against China on the excuse of the pandemic. .

` "It means Chinese foreign affairs officials will actively participate in the activities organized by the WHO to express China's stance and stress its influence in the health sector. Such activities are no longer only about human health, but will be endowed with the significance of international affairs," Li told the Global Times on Wednesday. .

` Chinese scientists, experts and officials from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention were previously responsible for communicating with the WHO. .

` "We expect the WHO to not only play a role in health care and human health, but also a role that can promote cooperation between countries and can resist any forces from trying to distort the organization's functions," Li said. .

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Harris pushes ahead with Vietnam visit; 'lip service in Asia trip can't save US tainted image'

 American rules-based order only serves Washington's hegemony: Chinese diplomat

 

 The Vietnam War 1945–1975: “Napalm Girl”
 
US Vice President Kamala Harris (left) and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hold a joint news conference in Singapore on Monday during Harris' visit to the country. The two sides reached a series of agreements at combating cyberthreats, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and alleviating supply chain issues. Photo: VCG
 

https://youtu.be/LT9sv0mEgd0

 
The Chinese Foreign Ministry and experts blasted US Vice President Kamala Harris' remarks which accused China of "intimidation" in the South China Sea and undermining the rules-based order, saying that US rules-based order means "arbitrary intervention" in sovereign countries considering what is happening in Afghanistan.

` Despite intensive visits by senior US officials to Southeast Asia recently, the US "lip service" diplomacy in enhancing the US' presence in the Asia-Pacific region will only end up in vain amid its collapsing image over its hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan, severely weighing on its "America's back" strategy, which underscores that the US' so-called rules-based order only serves its own hegemony, Chinese experts said.

` Harris rebuked China during a speech in Singapore on Tuesday, accusing the country of coercion and intimidation on the question of the South China Sea, and claiming that the actions of the Chinese government continue to undermine the rules-based order and threaten the sovereignty of nations, Bloomberg reported.

` The senior US official also noted that the US engagement in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific is not against any country, nor is it designed to make anyone choose between countries, according to the media report. Harris, eager to woo allies in a bid to counter China, pushed ahead with the trip to Vietnam on Tuesday after a three-hour delay in Singapore due to an unexplained health incident potentially related to the mysterious Havana Syndrome, Reuters reported.

` Southeast Asia has been witnessing an "American comeback" in recent months as several senior officials, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, paid visits in quick succession to the region. The latest visit of Harris to Singapore and Vietnam is considered US renewed efforts in lobbying Southeast Asian nations in confronting China, playing the role of disrupter in the region for its own security and economic interests.

` "What is happening in Afghanistan clearly demonstrates that the US' so-called 'rules-based order' is a way to arbitrarily intervene militarily in a sovereign country without being held responsible for the suffering of its people," said Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, on Tuesday during a routine press conference in response to Harris' remarks.

` The US can come and go whenever it wants without consulting the international community, or even its allies. It can smear, suppress, coerce and bully other countries at will without paying any price just to keep America first - that is the order the US wants, Wang said.

` When many compared the scene in Kabul airport with America's ignominious retreat from Saigon, Vietnam in 1975, some experts said that Harris' "lip service" diplomacy in courting Southeast Asian countries will not save the US from its unprecedented crisis of credibility among allies following its Afghan retreat.

`


` When Harris is in Vietnam, the Vietnam people surely will not forget how the US escaped from Saigon, and the Vietnam party and government deeply understand America's conduct and behavior. They will not echo the US call to provoke China and damage Vietnam-China relations, Lü Xiang, a research fellow in US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

` Even before the US fiasco in Afghanistan which has damaged its image, most Southeast Asian countries did not choose sides between China and the US despite the continuous lobbying of US officials in the region, not only because Southeast Asian countries usually adopt more balanced foreign policies regarding major powers, but also many are not convinced by the empty promises made by Washington.

`

` Given the momentum of China-ASEAN trade growth during the pandemic, the US feels anxious. Harris' visit signals a US reiteration of its "promises" to the region in the hope to enhance security cooperation with the region and push Southeast Asia to decouple with China, but Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, questioned to what extent such tactics can work to serve the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy.

` The US sees Singapore and Vietnam as two "partners" that it can work with but the two have close economic connections with China and supply chain decoupling would be very difficult, Xu told the Global Times on Tuesday.

` The US wants to use such high-level visits to pacify its partners and make them believe that the US will not leave the region, but it lacks the resources to achieve its overly ambitious goal, Xu said, noting the chaos in Afghanistan was so vivid that Southeast Asian countries will definitely use that to evaluate how reliable the US' promises are.

` US defense chief Lloyd Austin completed a week-long visit to Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines in late July. Austin started his tour with hard-line remarks against China in Singapore, but this stance was not embraced by leaders of Southeast Asian countries.

` Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned earlier in August over the US against aggressively challenging China, saying Washington's increasingly hard-line views could be "very dangerous," according to the AFP.

` Harris' China-related position has not been openly echoed by leaders in Singapore, which shows that Southeast Asian countries have no intention of being hijacked by US Indo-Pacific strategy in wrestling with China, and some will continue to strike a balance between China and the US, Lü noted.

` "As long as they realize the role of US is not constructive, which only consumes diplomatic resources, they will further understand the US only serves as a regional disrupter rather than a contributor in Southeast Asia," he said.

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Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Open that window! Because fresh air can help lessen the spread of a virus and prevent infections

Fresh air can help stop infection

We need more emphasis on the need for good ventilation to avoid transmitting Covid-19.

 

University Kebangsaan Malaysia researchers have shown that the virus causing Covid-19 can remain in the air for up to eight hours in enclosed, poorly-ventilated spaces. This is why it is so important to open the window and bring in fresh air from outside. — dpa

 WASH your hands. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve heard that constantly. But tell me, how often do you hear: “Open the window”?

` We’ve fussed over sanitising, sterilising and disinfecting to prevent the virus from spreading. But what about ventilation? Where is the fuss to bring fresh air to indoor spaces to clear contaminated air?

` Don’t get me wrong, I’m very much into washing hands – ask my children, who’ve heard that for years. But people get infected with Covid-19 mainly from the air they breathe, so why doesn’t ventilation get greater attention?

` People infected with Covid-19 release the virus when they exhale – and in high concentrations when they hack, cough, sneeze, shout or sing. In a closed room, the concentration of virus particles can build up along with the risk of infection. Covid-19 is said to spread with the “3 Cs” – crowded places, confined spaces and close conversation.

` Air-conditioners that recirculate air may become transmitters of disease. In one well-known case in a restaurant in China, 10 people sitting at three different tables got infected from one person, due to the air flow of the air-con blowing virus particles about.

` Over the last year, experts have hotly contested how Covid-19 spreads, in a debate over big droplets vs aerosols (tiny airborne droplets). Health organisations now increasingly accept the major role of airborne transmission. Such details may seem trifling, but the implications are huge. Droplets fall quickly to surfaces, like raindrops; aerosols can remain suspended in the air for hours and move with air currents, like dust particles. This means that you could walk into a closed room and breathe in virus particles left behind hours ago by an infected person.

` This is why ventilation is so critical – more so with the highly infectious Delta variant raging across the country.

` Studies last year by University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) researchers have shown that the virus causing Covid-19 can remain in the air for up to eight hours in enclosed, poorly-ventilated spaces – and that the virus can also travel as far as 6m in aerosols.

` “This is why it is so important to open the window and bring in fresh air from outside – it will dilute the contaminated indoor air inside,” explains ventilation expert Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Shahrul Mohd Nadzir, from UKM’s Centre for Earth Sciences & Environment, who led the studies.

` Ideally, a cross-breeze is needed, so air moves from a window across the room.

` But what if windows can’t be opened? High-rise buildings and shopping malls have central air-conditioners with a ventilation system bringing air in from outside. But such systems need to be monitored and maintained says Dr Shahrul, adding that servicing may not be as easy as most aircons in homes. And they may be inadequate, for instance in malls during festive seasons.

` Also problematic are offices or restaurants with air-conditioners that recirculate air and have no ventilation systems. These could be potential superspreader sites.

` In May, the Singapore government issued detailed guidelines on ventilation in enclosed spaces. The key takeaway: Open the windows and turn off the aircon as often as possible. Also, run exhaust fans at full capacity in closed areas such as toilets.

` “We need to start monitoring indoor air quality to ensure good ventilation so we can prevent indoor clusters,” Dr Shahrul says, adding that air quality sensors can provide continuous monitoring.

` Clean air matters for Covid-19 – there is a strong correlation between air pollutants and Covid-19, which both cause respiratory problems. Moreover, ultrafine particles in the air can potentially carry SARS-CoV-2, as shown by Dr Shahrul’s UKM team in a study published by the Nature Scientific Reports journal early this year.

` Areas with poor indoor air quality could have more ultrafine particles, increasing the risks of Covid-19 transmission. Attached to these particles, the virus could travel over longer distances, explains Dr Shahrul, adding that this occurs with other respiratory viruses.

` The risks of transmission are also higher if many people are in a confined indoor space with poor ventilation. Indeed, we have seen explosive spread in the cramped conditions in which migrant workers live and work.

` The UKM team aims to do a study on air quality on public transport. Buses and LRT/MRT trains have ventilation systems, but when packed, these may be inadequate.

` Dr Shahrul says air purifiers with true Hepa (high efficiency particulate air) filters can help clean air. But he adds: “I wouldn’t simply trust any air purifier brand, they must use a good, proven filter.”

` The other protective measure is, of course, to wear proper, fitting masks (ideally N95 or FFP2, ie masks that filter particulates).

` The pandemic has highlighted a long-standing problem: the need for better ventilation systems and regulations.

` “Human spend 90% of their lives indoors compared with outdoors. We definitely need much stronger regulations on ventilation,” says Dr Shahrul.

` For now, the best way to protect ourselves from Covid-19 (aside from vaccination) may be what renowned infectious disease expert Dr Michael Osterholm says: “Stop swapping air” with others outside your trusted circle of contacts.

` - Mangai Balasegaram writes mostly on health, but also delves into anything on being human. She has worked with international public health bodies and has a Masters in public health. Write to her at lifestyle@thestar.com.my. The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.

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Monday, August 23, 2021

WhatsApp, Friends Reunion, missing parcels: Here’s how scammers are stealing money from netizens

 

In its report titled ‘Spam and Phishing in Q2 2021’, researchers from cybersecurity firm Kaspersky have detailed how scammers used WhatsApp for tricking users into giving up their hard-earned money in the past quarter. — AFP

 

WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging platforms on the Earth. It is used by over two billion users across the world to send around 100 billion messages every month.

` Unfortunately, its popularity among users also makes it popular among scammers who are constantly looking for new tricks to dupe innocent netizens. Now, a new report by Kaspersky has shed some light on the tricks that the fraudsters have been using to steal users’ money.

` In its report titled ‘Spam and Phishing in Q2 2021’, researchers from cybersecurity firm Kaspersky have detailed how scammers used WhatsApp for tricking users into giving up their hard-earned money in the past quarter.

` “Victims were asked, for example, to take a short survey about WhatsApp and to send messages to several contacts in order to receive a prize. 

Another traditional scam aims to persuade the user that they are the lucky winner of a tidy sum. Both scenarios end the same way: the scammers promise a large payout, but only after receiving a small commission,” the company wrote in its report.

` Another method used is sending messages through email. “Emails with a link pointing to a fake WhatsApp voice message most likely belong to the same category. 

By following it, the recipient risks not only handing over their personal data to the attackers, but also downloading malware to their computer or phone,” the company added.

` Notably, WhatsApp is just one of the many ways that these fraudsters used to defraud innocent users. Yet another method that they used for tricking people is called parcel scam, which was one of the most common tricks that they used in the past quarter. 

They used invoices from mail companies, including custom duties and shipment costs, to make Internet users pay a small sum to get their packages.

` “When trying to pay for the service, as with compensation fraud, victims were taken to a fake website, where they risked not only losing the amount itself (which could be far higher than specified in the email), but also spilling their bank card details,” the cybersecurity experts wrote in the report.

` Fraudsters also used Friends: The Reunion to defraud Internet users. Kaspersky researchers found fake sites supposedly hosting Friends: The Reunion. 

“Fans who tried to watch or download the long-awaited continuation were redirected to a Columbia Pictures splash screen. After a few seconds, the broadcast stopped, replaced by a request to pay a nominal fee,” the report added. – Hindustan Times, New Delhi/Tribune News Service

`
` Source link

 

Spam and phishing in Q2 2021 - Securelist

WhatsApp users’ phone numbers and chats exposed on Google

 

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