Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by joe_mamak

Mike Tyson Training at 53

joe_mamak — Sun, 10 May 2020 10:54:52 +0800

Only first ~ 15 seconds. The rest shows him coaching.

[YOUTUBE]8fLMHLZzG9g[/YOUTUBE]

Still fast.

Stranded foreign couple spends vacation money on

joe_mamak — Sun, 10 May 2020 10:46:39 +0800

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/05/...ions-pulau-gaya

Stranded foreign couple spends vacation money on donations for Pulau Gaya villagers
By Olivia Miwil - May 10, 2020 @ 10:13am

KOTA KINABALU: Instead of spending more money on their Sabah holiday, a foreign couple stranded here decided to help those badly affected by the Movement Control Order (MCO).

German tourist Benedict Wermeter and his Indonesian girlfriend, who wanted to be known only as Lina, had planned to travel to Sabah's storied island retreats.

"When we arrived (in Sabah), we wanted to go to the islands for a weekend, but coincidently, the MCO came into effect at the same time.

"After that, both of us spent almost two months of the MCO here in Kota Kinabalu without going anywhere else," said Wermeter, adding that they have been in the state capital since March 17.

Last week, however, the couple met news photographer Irwan Majid at a waterfront area near their accommodation.

Irwan had earlier taken pictures of villagers at Kampung Pondo in Pulau Gaya, and he shared them with the couple.

Wermeter and Lina were moved by the images, and decided to collaborate with Irwan to acquire and deliver essential goods for the people using their vacation money.

Irwan said that besides getting permission from the police to send money to the needy islanders, the couple also bought basic necessities such as rice, eggs, cooking oil and others.

"They settled everything by themselves, I just helped them to arrange boat transport and liaise with the village chief when giving out supplies yesterday.

"Wermeter told me that after giving out the donations, he still wanted to help more people, as he realised that many still need assistance," he said.

The aid was delivered to 40 households, while five food packets were given to the management of the mosque on the island.

Two killed, two hurt as car slams

joe_mamak — Sun, 10 May 2020 10:18:46 +0800

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/05/...ms-shops-pillar

Two killed, two hurt as car slams into shop's pillar
By T.N.Alagesh - May 9, 2020 @ 11:54pm

KUANTAN: Two friends were killed while another two suffered serious injuries when the car they were travelling in crashed into a pillar of a shoplot along Jalan Besar Kuantan here today.

Driver P. Kalai Vaanan, 35, and M. Praveendran, 18, who was seated behind him died on the spot while P. Mogan Raj, 20, and Minggan Lajang, 25, suffered serious injuries in the 7.50pm mishap.

Kuantan police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohamad Noor Yusof Ali said Kalai Vaanan was believed to have lost control of the vehicle before he rammed into a pillar of a shoplot on the left side of the road.

"The victims were travelling in a Suzuki Swift car from Teluk Sisek towards the town when the crash occurred.

"Investigations revealed the car driver does not have a driving licence.

"Kalai Vaanan and Praveendran sustained serious head injuries and died at the scene. Front seat passenger Minggan suffered chest injuries while Mogan Raj who was seated behind him suffered cuts on the face and leg, and both are treated at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital(HTAA)," he said in a statement today.

Noor Yusof said Kalai Vaanan from Bidor and Mogan Raj from Kampar, Perak along with Minggan from Julau, Sarawak were working at the Gebeng Industrial area here while Praveendran is from Bukit Setongkol here.

He said the two bodies were sent to HTAA for post mortem and the case is investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 198.

Meanwhile, a state Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said 11 firemen from the Kuantan fire station was dispatched to the scene after receiving an emergency call.

"Firemen used rescue equipment to free the victims who were trapped in the vehicle. Two victim were rushed to hospital while another two were killed at the scene.," he said, adding that the operation ended about 8.30pm.

Hotels may take action against quarantined

joe_mamak — Sun, 10 May 2020 10:16:43 +0800

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/05/...uals-who-damage

Hotels may take action against quarantined individuals who damage property [NSTTV]
By Tharanya Arumugam - May 9, 2020 @ 6:12pm

PUTRAJAYA: Hotels may take action against irresponsible individuals who have caused damage to the premises while staying under the 14-day mandatory quarantine for Covid-19.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this while commenting on reports that individuals from the "kluster kayangan" or elite group of Malaysians who returned from abroad have damaged hotel properties during their stay.

"Yet another issue concerning kluster kayangan arises. Everyone must adhere to the hotel's rules and regulations. If they violate them, then it is up to the hotel management to take action against them.

"I was told that they had damaged the hotel rooms, bedsheets and so on," he said at a press conference here today.

Images of a damaged hotel hallway and rooms at a property in Kuching, Sarawak, have been widely shared on Facebook since yesterday.

Little Richard, founding father of rock, dead @ 87

joe_mamak — Sun, 10 May 2020 09:33:07 +0800

https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/entert...rock-dead-at-87

Little Richard, founding father of rock, dead at 87

Music

Sunday, 10 May 2020
12:19 AM MYT

By AGENCY

2005 filepic of Little Richard performing on the stage of the Olympia Concert Hall in Paris. – AFP

Little Richard, whose outrageous showmanship and lightning-fast rhythms intoxicated crowds in the 1950s with hits like Tutti Frutti and Long Tall Sally, has died. He was 87 years old.

Citing the rock 'n' roll pioneer's son, Rolling Stone magazine said Saturday the cause of death was unknown. With a distinctive voice that ranged from robust belting to howling falsetto, Richard transfixed audiences and became an inspiration for artists including The Beatles as he transformed the blues into the feverish new style of rock 'n' roll alongside Fats Domino and Chuck Berry.

His raunchy 1955 song Tutti Frutti, even with its gay sex theme toned down for radio, became a sort of opening salvo of rock 'n' roll's entry into American life, starting with his nonsensical but instantly thrilling first line: "Awop bop a loo mop/ Alop bam boom."

But if his contemporaries kept the respectabilities of old-time musicians, Richard stunned buttoned-down post-World War II America with an otherworldly look of blindingly colourful shirts, glass-embedded dinner jackets, a needle-thin moustache and a 15cm high pompadour haircut.

A consummate entertainer since his childhood, Richard would play piano with one leg hoisted over the keys and, in one legendary concert in Britain, played dead on stage so effectively that the venue sought out medical help before he resurrected himself to an astounded crowd.

While touring, Richard's lifestyle became the epitome of the decadence of rock 'n' roll. Well before the notorious wild parties of rockers in the 1960s, Richard spoke fondly of nightly orgies in his hotel rooms where he was both an avid, bisexual participant and a self-gratifying voyeur.

But Richard was one of rock's most torn personas and he never became an obvious icon for the African American or gay communities.

Once open by the standards of his time about his attraction to men, Richard became a born-again Christian and renounced homosexuality, treating it as a temporary choice in a manner that is anathema to the modern gay rights movement and psychologists.

And while he was one of the first African American artistes to cross the racial divide, a younger generation of black DJs had little interest in an artiste seen as embedded in the white mainstream. Tributes quickly poured out Saturday for the late rock king, with co-founder of Chic Nile Rodgers dubbing it "the loss of a true giant." – AFP

Police arrest six suspects over brawl

joe_mamak — Sun, 10 May 2020 09:31:36 +0800

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020...n-jinjang-utara

Police arrest six suspects over brawl in Jinjang Utara

Nation

Sunday, 10 May 2020
8:38 AM MYT

By JO TIMBUONG

KUALA LUMPUR: Six suspects have been arrested in connection with a brawl that left two men injured in Jinjang Utara.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim said the six, all men, were aged from 21 to 24 while the injured were both aged 24.

"The fight is believed to have happened following a disagreement.

"One of the injured was found lying on the roadside with serious injuries and was sent to Hospital Selayang for treatment while the other suffered minor cuts to his head," he said.

He said police received a call about the fight at around 9.30pm on Friday (May 8) and were informed about a fight involving a group of men armed with machetes.

The fight occurred in front of a shop on Jalan Tebing Timur.

Police also seized a motorcycle, a helmet, a stick and some clothes the suspects are believed to have worn during the fight as evidence.

Comm Mazlan said three of those arrested have a history of committing violent crimes and drug offences.

The suspects have been remanded for six days from May 9.

The case is being investigated for causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means and weapons possession under Sections 326 and 148 of the Penal Code.

US: Racist films himself wearing SWASTIKA mask at

joe_mamak — Sun, 10 May 2020 09:28:04 +0800

Racist films himself wearing SWASTIKA mask at grocery store in 'protest over lockdown' just days after man wore a KKK hood to shop in same California town

Dustin Hart, who goes by Dusty Shekel on social media, posted a 14-minute clip of his encounter in a Santee Food 4 Less on Bit Chute
'We were peacefully protesting all the crazy lockdown rules that have been and are continuing to be enforced here in San Diego, California,' the 32-year-old said
Hart and a woman who was accompanying him can be seen with masks on and a Nazi flag that they use Velcro to attach
The woman with Hart is wearing a shirt with a version of the Pepe The Frog meme
Popular frog has become increasingly associated with alt-right imagery and anti-Semitic and racist ideology.
Hart lies to deputies when they ask him if the store employee offered him a replacement mask, an exchange he filmed earlier in the clip
When a deputy explains that the Nazi flag is an 'offensive symbol,' Hart responds: 'I see the LGBT flag and that is offensive to me and I don't call the cops'
The couple eventually remove their masks and make their way through the check out line

For more and photos go to link - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-83...California.html

'Shahir dan Mastura, anda wira kami'

joe_mamak — Sun, 10 May 2020 09:17:26 +0800

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/524925

'Shahir dan Mastura, anda wira kami'

Bernama
10 Mei 2020

Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah sekali lagi menggunakan media sosial untuk mengucapkan terima kasih dan penghargaan kepada petugas barisan hadapan kementerian itu.

Kali ini ditujukan kepada Inspektor Kesihatan Shahir Razali dan Mastura Maznor yang beliau anggap sebagai wira, kerana mereka benar-benar menghayati slogan Kementerian Kesihatan ‘Kami Sedia Membantu’.

“Melayan insan dengan lemah lembut tanpa sempadan kaum atau agama. Inspektor kesihatan kami Shahir Razali telah menggendong mak cik warga emas berbangsa Cina ke pusat ujian Covid-19.

“Berpuasa pada bulan Ramadan dan memberikan khidmat kepada orang yang memerlukan ketika memakai sut peralatan perlindungan diri (PPE), sesungguhnya anda adalah wira kami. Sangat bangga dengan anda berdua dan terima kasih,” kata Dr Noor Hisham dalam hantaran di Facebooknya, semalam.

Bersama hantaran itu, turut dilampirkan dua gambar yang satu daripadanya sedang memikul wanita warga emas itu manakala seorang lagi sedang memegang walker dan imej kedua menunjukkan empat petugas barisan hadapan yang memakai sut PPE dengan tertera perkataan di sarung tangan mereka, We Love Malaysia, Stay Safe (Kami Sayang Malaysia, Kekal Selamat).

Sikap baik mereka itu juga berjaya menarik perhatian netizen yang memberikan pujian dan penghargaan di ruang komen, apabila hantaran itu menerima lebih 16,000 tanda suka dan 756 perkongsian dalam tempoh satu jam.

Ida Zulridah mencatatkan: "Alhamdulillah… congratulations En Shahir Razali and Mastura Maznor.. we are proud of you and the MOH workforce… thank you Dato’… thank you frontliners. (Alhamdulillah… tahniah En Shahir Razali dan Mastura Maznor.. kami bangga dengan anda dan tenaga kerja KKM… terima kasih Dato’… terima kasih barisan hadapan).

Chong Choy Lin pula menulis: "Thank you En Shahir Razali and Mastura Maznor. Your act has touched us all. Thank you again for showing the true spirit and demands of your profession...I believe many more frontliners have noble hearts like the both of you....TQ frontliners". (Terima kasih En Shahir Razali dan Mastura Maznor. Tindakan anda telah menyentuh hati kami semua. Terima kasih sekali lagi kerana menunjukkan semangat dan tuntutan profesion anda yang sebenarnya… Saya percaya ramai lagi barisan hadapan yang mempunyai hati yang mulia seperti anda… Tk barisan hadapan).

Sementara itu, Shylaja Ramotharan dalam hantarannya: "Malaysians help one another irrespective of race. Salute you Abang Shahir Razali and Kakak Mastura Maznor. May all your undertakings be eased...” (“Rakyat Malaysia saling menolong tanpa mengira bangsa. Menyanjung tindakan anda Abang Shahir Razali dan Kakak Mastura Maznor. Semoga semua usaha anda dipermudahkan...).

- Bernama

Ismail perincikan agihan RM40 juta tabung Covid-19

joe_mamak — Sun, 10 May 2020 09:01:50 +0800

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/524851

Ismail perincikan agihan RM40 juta tabung Covid-19

Diterbitkan 9 May 2020, 3:14 pm
Dikemaskini 9 May 2020, 4:59 pm

Tabung Covid-19 yang dilancarkan kerajaan berjaya mengumpul RM40,298,699.49 dan sebahagiannya telah disalurkan kepada rakyat Malaysia yang terjejas bagi bantuan perubatan dan kewangan.

Menteri Kanan Ismail Sabri hari ini mengumumkan bahawa sebanyak RM25,229,105.44 (62 peratus) daripada jumlah itu telah disalurkan kepada Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat menerusi Yayasan Kebajikan Negara.

Sebanyak RM355,000 pula diberikan kepada 71 waris melalui Bantuan Ihsan Kematian, dengan setiap waris menerima RM5,000.

Melalui Bantuan Khas Hilang Pendapatan pula, sebanyak RM125,700 telah diberikan kepada 94 rakyat Malaysia.

Jelas Ismail, melalui bantuan itu setiap rakyat Malaysia yang telah dirawat kerana positif Covid-19 atau kontak rapat kepada pesakit akan diberi RM100 sehari bagi 14 hari tempoh kuarantin.

Bantuan Khas Hilang pendapatan ditujukan buat warganegara Malaysia yang memenuhi dua kriteria.

Kriteria pertama adalah individu yang bekerja tetapi telah kehilangan sumber pendapatan atau tidak dibayar gaji sepanjang tempoh dikenakan Perintah Pengawasan Dan Pemerhatian yang diarah kuarantin.

Kriteria kedua pula individu yang bekerja tetapi telah kehilangan sumber pendapatan atau tidak dibayar gaji sepanjang tempoh menjalani rawatan di wad hospital ekoran Covid-19.

Tabung Covid-19 telah dilancarkan oleh Perdana Menteri Muhyiddin Yassin pada 10 Mac dan berlangsung sehingga 7 Mei.

SOP taska tak lama lagi

Sementara itu, Ismail berkata prosedur operasi standard (SOP) yang "lebih terperinci" akan dikeluarkan, susulan kebimbangan Kementerian Kesihatan (KKM) berkenaan pembukaan semula taska berisiko menularkan Covid-19.

"KKM akan mengeluarkan taska (dan) akan berbincang dengan Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat untuk SOP yang lebih terperinci," katanya.

Berkenaan sembahyang berjemaah di masjid pula, beliau berkata keputusan akan diumumkan sebaik sahaja Majlis Keselamatan Negara (MKN) dan kabinet mencapai persetujuan.

Ismail juga ditanya berkenaan laporan bahawa terdapat rakyat Malaysia yang pulang dari luar negara telah menyebabkan kerosakan di bilik hotel tempat mereka dikuarantin.

"Siapa pun mereka (tetap) tertakluk kepada peraturan dan undang-undang. Jika mereka melanggar peraturan hotel...hotel mempunyai kuasa untuk mengambil tindakan," katanya.

Rare syndrome tied to COVID-19 kills 3 children

joe_mamak — Sun, 10 May 2020 01:39:12 +0800

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/world/2020/...vid-19-governor

The Star

Rare syndrome tied to COVID-19 kills three children in New York, Cuomo says

World

Sunday, 10 May 2020
12:03 AM MYT

By Nathan Layne

(Reuters) - Three children in New York have died from a rare inflammatory syndrome believed to be linked to the novel coronavirus, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday, a development that may augur a pandemic risk for children.

Cuomo had on Friday disclosed the death of a 5-year old linked to the coronavirus and a syndrome that shares symptoms with toxic shock and Kawasaki disease, which was the first known fatality tied to the rare illness in New York.

The governor told a daily briefing on Saturday that the illness had now taken the lives of at least three young people across the state. He did not provide details of their ages or the circumstances of their deaths.

But Cuomo said he was increasingly worried that the syndrome posed a newly emerging risk for children, who had previously been thought to be largely immune to severe illness from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus.

He said state health officials were reviewing 73 cases where children exposed to COVID-19 also exhibited symptoms of the syndrome, which he said included inflammation of the blood vessels, which in turn could cause heart problems.

Cuomo said the children happened to test positive for COVID-19 or the antibodies against it, "but those were not the symptoms they showed when they came into the hospital system."

Calling it a "truly disturbing" development, the governor said people had been laboring under the impression that young people were not at risk from the coronavirus.

"We are not so sure that is the fact anymore," he said. "It's very possible that this has been going on for several weeks and it hasn't been diagnosed as related to COVID."

Cuomo said New York's health department had partnered with the New York Genome Center and the Rockefeller University to look at whether there is a genetic basis for the syndrome, cases of which were first reported in Britain, Italy and Spain.

And he said the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had asked New York to develop national criteria for identifying and responding to the syndrome.

The syndrome shares symptoms with toxic shock and Kawasaki disease, which is associated with fever, skin rashes, swelling of the glands, and in severe cases, inflammation of arteries of the heart. Scientists are still trying to determine whether the syndrome is linked with the new coronavirus because not all children with it have tested positive for the virus.

New York is the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States, accounting for more than a third of the 77,313 American deaths from COVID-19, according to a Reuters tally.

Cuomo said 226 New Yorkers died from COVID-19 on Friday, up from 216 a day earlier, but less than half the levels recorded two weeks ago. He said hospitalizations and intubations continued their downward trend, further evidence the state has gained a measure of control over the virus.

SG: Doxxers wrongly identify tech CEO

joe_mamak — Sat, 09 May 2020 15:29:19 +0800

https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/doxxers-w...sovereign-woman

Doxxers wrongly identify tech CEO as 'sovereign' woman
Tech company CEO misidentified as sovereign woman

Lawyer advises her to make police report after she becomes target of racist and xenophobic comments
David Sun
May 06, 2020 06:00 am

A woman who made headlines after claiming to be a "sovereign" when she refused to wear a mask in public was apparently outed yesterday morning.

Her name, photographs and personal details were revealed on social media, prompting a string of racist and xenophobic comments against her.

But in identifying her as the chief executive officer of a tech company, the doxxers had targeted an innocent party who was not involved in the incident at Shunfu Mart on Sunday.

The New Paper is not naming the CEO to spare her from further embarrassment.

Hours later, another woman, Paramjeet Kaur, a 40-year-old physiotherapist, was charged in court with breaching safe distancing regulations and being a public nuisance.

A charge of Kaur assaulting another woman who told her to put on a mask was dropped.

Videos of the incident on Sunday show Kaur refusing to put on a mask while claiming she is a "sovereign" who is not subject to the laws here.

Soon after her arrest on Monday night, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said that her claims were odd, and he had checked what she might have meant by referring to herself as a "sovereign".

"There is a movement in the US, and adherents to that movement (broadly speaking) reject government, reject the police and any kind of authority," he wrote in a Facebook post.

"But then such people should not live within society - she should not expect any of the benefits that come from this system of governance, including her security, medical care, other benefits."

Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao reported that Kaur, a Singaporean, had lived in Australia for 20 years before returning to Singapore last year.

TNP's checks found that details of the CEO were circulating on the All Singapore Stuff Telegram chat group from 7.30am yesterday and on the Facebook page "Real Issues in Singapore Covered by Posts Published by Prabu" from 9am. Her media interviews were also shared on the SGTalk forum.

Some of the comments noted that doxxing is a crime. It became illegal after amendments to the Protection from Harassment Act this year.

Doxxing involves the publishing of someone's personal details with the intention to cause harassment, alarm or distress. They include photos, employment and education details.

Lawyer Fong Wei Li told TNP this was a clear-cut case of doxxing, and the CEO could pursue legal action against those who had targeted her.

"Theoretically, even those who share the original posts that doxxed her can be made liable, and she can pursue a criminal or civil case against them," he said.
POLICE REPORT

"But one would likely go after the root cause, making an example of the person who made the original post that incited the harassment."

Mr Fong said the CEO should make a police report.

TNP reached out to her company for comment, but it could not reply by press time.

First-time offenders publishing personal information with the intention to cause harassment, alarm or distress can be jailed for up to six months, fined up to $5,000, or both.

The maximum penalties are doubled for repeat offenders.

Perkeso: 6 sebut harga diterima, BP menang kontrak

joe_mamak — Sat, 09 May 2020 14:47:07 +0800

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/524726

Perkeso: 6 sebut harga diterima, BP menang kontrak ujian saringan

Diterbitkan 8 May 2020, 5:47 pm
Dikemaskini 8 May 2020, 5:47 pm

Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial (Perkeso) menerima enam sebut harga bagi kontrak ujian saringan Covid-19 terhadap pekerja sebelum memilih syarikat BP Healthcare bagi tujuan itu.

Dalam satu kenyataan kelmarin, Socso berkata, pemilihan tersebut berdasarkan beberapa kriteria termasuk kesediaan melakukan ujian, jangkauan perkhidmatan, pengiktirafan Kementerian Kesihatan dan juga harga ujian itu sendiri.

"Ini yang menyebabkan pelantikan pembekal semasa bagi Fasa 1 PSP (Program Saringan Prihatin)," kata Perkeso di laman Facebook rasminya.

Kerajaan sebelum ini mengarahkan ujian saringan terhadap pekerja dilakukan susulan pembukaan semula sektor ekonomi selepas pelaksanaan perintah kawalan pergerakan (PKP) akibat wabak Covid-19.

Bagaimanapun Perkeso menerima kritikan kerana hanya melantik BP Healthcare bagi tujuan itu.

Laman berita perubatan CodeBlue memetik para doktor sebagai berkata pengamal perubatan perlu terlibat dalam ujian berkenaan bagi mengelakkan masalah perlu beratur panjang dan pelaksanaan penjarakan sosial yang lemah.

Tinjauan Malaysiakini hari ini mendapati beberapa pekerja mengadu mereka tidak boleh mendapatkan temujanji untuk membuat ujian saringan, manakala yang lain diberitahu keputusan akan mengambil masa sehingga dua minggu.

Seorang pegawai makmal berkata kelewatan itu disebabkan oleh jumlah yang tinggi menjalani saringan.

BP Healthcare kini menjalankan ujian saringan terhadap pekerja menggunakan kaedah RT-PCR (Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction), yang mengambil lebih banyak masa untuk mendapatkan keputusan.

Perkeso pada Rabu lalu menjelaskan kit ujian pantas yang disyorkan oleh Kementerian Kesihatan tidak mudah diperolehi.

Oleh itu, Perkeso memutuskan fasa pertama pemeriksaan akan menggunakan kaedah RT-PCR, sementara menunggu penghantaran kit ujian pantas bagi ujian pada fasa akan datang.

Selain BP Healthcare, enam syarikat lain mendapat kelulusan Kementerian Kesihatan untuk menjalankan ujian berkenaan.

Setakat tengah hari ini terdapat sebanyak 1,564 kes aktif Covid-19 di negara ini, dengan 68 kes baru dilaporkan.

If you lost your job during the MCO

joe_mamak — Sat, 09 May 2020 14:16:04 +0800

Link -

https://asklegal.my/p/fired-lost-job-retren...tm_source=dable

14 fined RM1,000 each for having a party

joe_mamak — Sat, 09 May 2020 12:07:43 +0800

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020...-having-a-party

14 fined RM1,000 each for having a party

Nation

Saturday, 09 May 2020

Dancing to a different tune: Some of the youths being escorted into the courtroom to be charged with breaching the MCO.
IPOH: For holding a gathering with music blasting into the wee hours at an apartment unit here, 14 youths were charged at a Magistrate’s Court with breaching the movement control order (MCO).

The accused, aged 19 to 24, pleaded guilty before magistrate Noor Azreen Liana Mohd Darus yesterday.

The 14, including three females, are from various sectors such as offshore, restaurant, food delivery workers, a salesman, a barber and a student.

According to the charge sheet, the group was arrested inside the apartment in Jalan C.M. Yusuff on May 5 at 2am.

It was stated that the 14 had gathered at the place, with music blasting during that time.

The gathering for the purpose of entertainment was in violation of the MCO.

They were jointly charged under Section 6 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020 that carries a maximum fine of RM1,000 or six months’ imprisonment, or both, upon conviction.

The 14 accused, represented by counsel Awatif Ahmad Bashir and E.P. Sittan from the National Legal Aid Foundation, requested for a lower fine instead of jail term.

The counsels mitigated that some of them are working and had to go back to their jobs while the student needs to sit for exams online.

Deputy public prosecutor K. Darinee said that to serve as a

lesson for those flouting the MCO, the maximum fine should be imposed.

Noor Azreen imposed a fine of RM1,000 each, in default one month’s jail.

All the offenders paid their fines.

Unwise to seek Muhyiddin’s ouster now - Chandra

joe_mamak — Sat, 09 May 2020 11:51:54 +0800

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...w-says-chandra/

Unwise to seek Muhyiddin’s ouster now, says Chandra
Nicholas Chung -
May 9, 2020 9:16 AM
Political scientist and social activist Chandra Muzaffar.

PETALING JAYA: Political scientist and social activist Chandra Muzaffar has questioned the wisdom of seeking a vote of no-confidence in Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at a time when the nation is fighting the Covid-19 virus.

Speaking to FMT, he said the nation should be focusing on managing the interrelated health and economic crises caused by the epidemic.

He acknowledged that the question of whether Muhyiddin had the support of the lower house was something that needed to be resolved, but said it could wait.

One possible result of the vote is the dissolution of Parliament and the calling of fresh elections.

If that were to happen, Chandra said, the financial cost would be huge.

“It’s estimated that the process, just for parliamentary seats, would cost RM800 million. Given the economic crisis and all the expenses that have emerged due to the health crisis, can we afford such a huge expenditure?” he asked.

He also spoke of the health risks posed by crowds attending campaign activities, questioning whether political parties and would-be voters could observe social distancing.

If the vote does not result in the dissolution of Parliament, he added, MPs might get engaged in political horse trading to see Pakatan Harapan (PH) retake Putrajaya.

He said this would cause the government’s administration to be dysfunctional and warned of its effect on “good programmes” launched by Putrajaya to aid the people.

“All that will change dramatically because you’ll have a different government.”

Chandra maintained that the Perikatan Nasional government was ethically wrong in the way it came into power.

However, he said, overthrowing it in the midst of a global crisis would bring with it dire consequences.

“This is why I would rather Muhyiddin and his team, including civil servants in critical roles, such as the health director-general, be given all the latitude and support to carry on doing what they’re doing.”

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof has accepted former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s proposal for the motion of no-confidence, saying it was in line with Standing Order 27 (3).

However, the motion is unlikely to emerge during the single-day sitting of the Dewan Rakyat on May 18.

According to a standing order of the house, government business takes precedence over private members’ bills and motions and all other matters.

Desperation will fuel corruption post-MCO

joe_mamak — Sat, 09 May 2020 11:32:33 +0800

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...co-warn-groups/

Desperation will fuel corruption post-MCO, warn groups
Sean Augustin -
May 9, 2020 8:00 AM
Transparency International Malaysia says parties reeling from the Covid-19 crisis may turn to corrupt practices to get out of their predicament.

PETALING JAYA: Anti-corruption group Transparency International Malaysia foresees an increase in corruption once the movement control order (MCO) is lifted, citing the desperation caused by the economic slowdown in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis.

Its president Muhammad Mohan said the pandemic and the ensuing MCO – enforced to contain the outbreak – have crippled a lot of businesses and many will be trying to look for new business opportunities.

“And this is where the risk is because when they are desperate for business they will go the extra mile to bribe officials or decision-makers,” he told FMT.

Muhammad said there was an indirect link between desperation and corruption, with desperate individuals seeking those in power to help them.

They include politicians, senior government officials and key decision-makers in the private sector.

Similarly, he said, individuals who were in positions of power will use this opportunity to get kickbacks.

“Thus, there is a possibility that approvals are granted even though the applicants may not be qualified,” he said.

Muhammad’s predecessor, Akhbar Satar, said the situation caused by the MCO would increase the “space and opportunity” for corruption to breed in the public and private sector.

Noting the Department of Statistics’ finding on Friday that the number of unemployed people rose by 17.1% to over 600,000 in March due to the MCO, Akhbar said the situation would be worse once the order was lifted.

He said that when people cannot secure jobs and suffered from loss of income, there was a possibility that they would get involved in unethical practices like corruption, cybercrime, online scams and fraud, especially after exhausting all avenues.

A weakened economy would add to the hardships faced by individuals, families and organisations.

“If you can’t get a job and you have a family to feed, the only way out could be through fraud or corruption,” he said. “Those with discretionary powers will be tested.”

Meanwhile, think tank IDEAS said the rise in graft cases would depend on whether transparency, accountability and checks and balance processes continue to be upheld.

Its democracy and governance unit manager, Aira Azhari, noted that there was already a case of alleged corruption within the health ministry during the MCO, although it could be due to weakened procurement processes.

Aira was referring to an MACC probe into a company’s alleged RM30 million contract to supply the ministry with testing laboratories for Covid-19.

“In terms of small scale graft, a rise in unemployment and economic hardship might cause some to resort to desperate measures. However, this may not necessarily be corruption,” she said.

Setback for reforms if PSCs dissolved

joe_mamak — Sat, 09 May 2020 11:31:14 +0800

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...says-kit-siang/

Setback for reforms if PSCs dissolved, says Kit Siang
FMT Reporters -
May 9, 2020 10:13 AM
DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang says Parliament should set up a select committee on health and social care in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

PETALING JAYA: Parliament will be putting the clock back on reforms by dissolving the present 10 Parliamentary Select Committees (PSCs) and replacing them with one master committee, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang said.

He said Parliament should, in fact, immediately set up a PSC on health and social care to provide oversight and scrutiny of government action during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, Lim asked Takiyuddin Hassan, the minister in charge of parliamentary affairs, to clarify whether the Perikatan Nasional government proposed to replace the 10 PSCs with one master committee.

He said Takiyuddin had been quoted as saying yesterday that only government matters would be prioritised during the one-day sitting of Parliament on May 18, and that the government matters included the appointment of a select committee to replace the existing PSCs.

The PSCs set up under the previous Pakatan Harapan government are the Consideration of Bills Committee; the Budget Committee; the Rights and Gender Equality Committee; the Major Public Appointments Committee; the Defence and Home Affairs Committee; the Federal State Relations Committee; the Election Committee; the International Relations and Trade Committee; the Human Rights and Constitutional Affairs Committee; and the Science, Innovation and Environment Committee.

University of Hong Kong study finds eyes are

joe_mamak — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:31:30 +0800

University of Hong Kong study finds eyes are ‘important route’ for coronavirus, up to 100 times more infectious than Sars

Researchers from HKU’s school of public health reveal the coronavirus is up to 100 times more infectious through the eyes and airways than Sars

Study in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine says that explains ‘higher transmissibility’ of Covid-19, compared with the 2003 contagion

Go to link for more -

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-...-finds-eyes-are

Sundry shop in Sri Hartamas run by foreigners

joe_mamak — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:22:51 +0800

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020...aided-shut-down

Sundry shop in Sri Hartamas run by foreigners raided, shut down

Nation

Friday, 08 May 2020
2:48 PM MYT

By BAVANI M

KUALA LUMPUR City Hall (DBKL) raided a shop run by foreigners selling sundry products in Sri Hartamas on Friday (May 8) after receiving complaints from the public.

Speaking about the raid, a DBKL spokesman said that enforcement officers discovered that the foreign nationals were operating the shop with a licence they had sublet from the Malaysian owner who was married to a Bangladesh national.

The spokesman added that the workers also did not have proper permits to work in the country.

One of the workers was an Indian national who was carrying an expired work permit for the construction sector.

Another was a Myanmar national with a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) card. UNHCR card holders are not allowed to work in Malaysia.

The third individual was a Bangladeshi who had a work permit for the sanitation sector.

“We have cancelled the licence of the owner and have shut down the outlet and the workers have been handed to the Immigration Department," added the spokesman.

Mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan had earlier warned businesses in the city not to sublet their licences to third parties, especially foreign nationals.

The mayor also issued a stern warning that licence holders - particularly those in wet markets and food courts - should hire only foreign workers with proper Immigration Department permits and that DBKL was going all out to weed out illegals working in the city.

Thieves hid in supermarket toilet before stealing

joe_mamak — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:00:50 +0800

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020...ng-mobile-phone

Loo lurkers: Thieves hid in supermarket toilet before stealing mobile phones

Nation

Friday, 08 May 2020
4:16 PM MYT

By JO TIMBUONG

PETALING JAYA: Police arrested two men who are believed to have burgled a hypermarket by hiding in the toilets before closing time.

Sungai Buloh OCPD Supt Shafa'aton Abu Bakar said the men, aged 21 and 42, were picked up after police spent eight days tracing their movements.

"We caught one of them in a house on Jalan Cemara 3 in Saujana Utama and the other at an apartment block in the same area," she said.

The case was brought to light when a security guard at the hypermarket lodged a police report on Apr 25 after a kiosk selling mobile devices at the premises was broken into.

Police then launched an investigation between April 26 and May 3, and this led to the arrest of the duo known as Kumpulan Syamil.

Investigations revealed that one of the suspects would hide in the hypermarket's toilets and wait for closing time before striking.

He would target mobile phone shops on the premises and would pass the stolen items to his accomplice to sell online at cheaper prices.

Police also believe they would store the stolen items at an acquaintance's house.

"We managed to retrieve 22 mobile phones, four tins of coffee, 40 boxes of cigarettes, 70 lighters and RM800 in cash," she said, adding that other tools typically used in break-ins, such as wire cutters and a hammer, were also found.

Supt Shafa'aton said the younger man had a criminal record, while his older accomplice had a history of drug use.

The men have been remanded for three days, and police are also investigating the case for trespassing.