Waiter killed after package left on car explodes in Ampang

Waiter killed after package left on car explodes in Ampang

Ampang Jaya district police chief ACP Mohamad Farouk Eshak said the police were alerted of the incident at 8.55pm. ― Picture by Hari Anggara

Friday, 30 Dec 2022 8:54 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 ― A waiter of a restaurant was killed when a package which was left on his car exploded at Jalan Pandan Indah 12/1, Pandan Indah, Ampang here last night.


Ampang Jaya district police chief ACP Mohamad Farouk Eshak said the police were alerted of the incident at 8.55pm.

He said the victim, who is a 28-year-old local man, was handling the package that was left on the bonnet of his Toyota Corolla Altis car when it exploded in his hand.


“The victim suffered serious injuries to his body and hands and was rushed to Ampang Hospital for treatment. He was pronounced dead at 9.45pm at the hospital,” he said in a statement today.


Following investigation, Mohamad Farouk said police found several objects and traces of the explosion, which included dents on the victim's car.

“The motive of the incident is still under investigation and the case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code,” he added. ― Bernama

Umno polls: Ismail Sabri may not gun for presidency

Umno polls: Ismail Sabri may not gun for presidency


Several Umno leaders, who were speculated to challenge Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for the presidency following the party's lukewarm performance in the 15th general election (GE15), have decided against it.

Among them is Umno vice-president cum Bera MP Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

"The political scenario has changed. I'm also certain that Ismail Sabri will not go for the presidency, more so as he's no longer the prime minister.

"After Umno's disastrous showing at the GE15, party leaders just want to focus on unifying the party," a source close to Ismail Sabri told Malaysiakini.

Earlier, Ismail Sabri, former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein and former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin were touted to challenge Zahid for the party presidency.

The source added that several Umno division leaders who were previously against Zahid are now rallying behind the latter and have ceased calls for the Bagan Datuk MP to step down.

The leaders include Batu Umno chief Yahaya Mat Ghani, Pasir Salak Umno chief Tajuddin Abdul Rahman and former Ketereh Umno chief Annuar Musa. Such calls were made after Umno only captured 30 parliamentary seats in GE15 - the worst showing in the party's history.

Zahid recently announced that the party's internal polls may be brought forward and be held way before May next year - when the six-month period after GE15 is up.


KJ may spring a surprise

Meanwhile, an Umno supreme council member who declined to be named said that while Ismail Sabri and Hishammuddin would not go for the presidency, Khairy may spring a surprise by doing so.

Khairy Jamaluddin

"I don't think Ismail Sabri and Hishammuddin will challenge Zahid due to the change in the political scenario, and there is no reason for them to do so.

"However, it is not impossible for Khairy to spring a surprise and go for the top post, especially due to his disappointment of being given a non-safe seat in GE15," said the source.

During his campaigning for the Sungai Buloh parliamentary seat prior to GE15, Khairy said that he wishes to “cleanse Umno” and bring the party back to its former glory - should he win the seat.

Khairy, however, lost the contest to PKR's R Ramanan, who emerged the victor with a 2,693 vote majority.

Malaysiakini has reached out to both Ismail Sabri and Khairy to confirm their stand on contesting in the party polls.

Singapore court sentences ex-Ngee Ann Poly lecturer to five weeks’ jail for racist remarks, fine for possessing obscene films

Singapore court sentences ex-Ngee Ann Poly lecturer to five weeks’ jail for racist remarks, fine for possessing obscene films

Former polytechnic lecturer Tan Boon Lee outside the State Courts on May 17, 2022. — TODAY pic

Friday, 30 Dec 2022 9:16 AM MYT


SINGAPORE, Dec 30 — A former Ngee Ann Polytechnic lecturer, who was seen in a viral video last year confronting an inter-ethnic couple and making racist remarks to them, was sentenced to five weeks’ imprisonment and a S$6,000 (RM19,720) fine on Thursday (Dec 29).

Tan Boon Lee, 61, pleaded guilty in November to one charge each of making racist remarks and possessing obscene films. Two other charges were taken into consideration in sentencing on Thursday.


In delivering his decision, District Judge Victor Yeo Khee Eng said a custodial sentence was warranted to send a “clear signal that such offences would not be tolerated and must be firmly dealt with by the courts”.

The judge said he took into consideration mitigating factors, such as Tan’s plea of guilt, his apology to the couple he targeted, the public apology he made as well as the proactive measures he took to better himself by going to therapy.


If not for those factors, the judge said he would be minded to impose a much longer jail sentence.


The prosecution sought a jail term of at least four weeks for the offence of making racist remarks, and a fine to be determined by the court for the possession of obscene films.

The defence counsel had asked for a community-based sentence, or a fine of S$5,000 or a lighter sentence of two weeks’ imprisonment.

What happened

The court previously heard that the incident happened on June 5 last year along the Orchard Road shopping belt.

Mr Dave Parkash, a 26-year-old Singaporean Sindhi, and Ms Jacqueline Noelle Llewelyn Ho, a 27-year-old Singaporean Chinese, were walking towards a car park along Orchard Boulevard.

When they crossed paths with Tan, he said, “such a disgrace, Indian man with a Chinese girl”.

He also accused Mr Parkash of preying on his girlfriend.

When Mr Parkash asked Tan if he had used the word “prey” to describe Indians, Tan responded: “Ya, prey, prey, prey. It’s predatory.”

Court documents stated that Tan admitted to making these remarks because he felt that inter-racial relationships were “taboo” and “predatory”.

A day after the incident, a video of the confrontation between Tan and the couple was published on Facebook by Mr Parkash, who wrote: “I feel embarrassed, humiliated and hurt by how I was treated by another fellow Singaporean.”

Less than a week later on June 12, during investigations into Tan’s offences, the police uncovered 64 obscene videos from Tan’s phone.

The videos depicted unidentified women engaging in sexual intercourse and other sexual acts. They were apparently filmed with their consent and Tan had obtained them from online sources or from his friends.

Judge: Not persuaded that racist act was out of character

District Judge Yeo said that having viewed the recording of the incident, he agreed with Deputy Public Prosecutor Yeow Xuan’s submissions on the aggravating factors that should be taken into consideration.

The judge noted that Tan was “quite gratified” to openly admit that he was racist, and was sustained and unrelenting in his actions. This was seen from how he walked back to the couple and persisted with his offensive remarks after they tried to disengage from him.

District Judge Yeo said what he found “most troubling” about Tan’s vitriol was how he insinuated that there was something wrong with being of a certain skin colour and that one race was better than another.

Referring to the defence’s mitigation submissions, the judge said he could not accept that Tan had not intended for his words to be recorded on video and posted online.

He “did not mince his words or appeared to be bothered” that his actions were done in public and that Ms Ho was recording him at that point in time.

District Judge Yeo also gave credit to the couple who remained relatively calm and restrained when matters could have easily escalated.

The judge said he “could not ignore” the humiliation and hurt endured by the two victims, nor could he set aside the disquiet generated online, adding that Tan’s actions had “clearly crossed the red line”.

He further said that he was “not persuaded” that Tan’s actions were out of character and emotionally driven by a familial matter relating to his adult daughter who was dating someone of Indian ethnicity.

He cited the two charges of committing an act prejudicial to maintenance of harmony between different religious groups, which were taken into consideration in sentencing.

Court documents showed that Tan had made comments relating to religion in July 2017 during a lecture at Ngee Ann Polytechnic and made other similar comments in August and September 2020 in an online forum.

Having taken a holistic overview of all the charges, the judge said he was of the view that Tan had “no hesitance of disregarding” the feelings of people of other racial or religious groups.

He further said that Tan’s personal experience “cannot be an excuse or justification” for his offensive and hurtful behaviour.

For uttering words with the deliberate intention of wounding the racial feelings of a person, Tan could be jailed for up to three years or fined, or both.

Possessing obscene films carries a punishment of up to 12 months jail or a fine of up to S$40,000, or both. — TODAY

Nik Nazmi: Govt can last due to public's strong desire for stability

Nik Nazmi: Govt can last due to public's strong desire for stability


INTERVIEW | In spite of the initial uncertainty that surrounded the 15th general election results, our new Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad is optimistic that the government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will bring some much-needed stability to the nation.

In an interview with Malaysiakini at his new office in Putrajaya, Nik Nazmi said he is optimistic that the government reflects the mood of the people who want to see an end to the politicking that dragged down the country ever since the Sheraton Move in February 2020.

“I do believe this government will last and we can do our jobs. I think there's a huge desire for stability.

“You speak to businesses, civil servants and civil society, and you know the fact that there was no majority, so the people knew that we need some form of a coalition government.

“I come from the opposition background, and we've never liked the government to have a dominant two-thirds majority, but having gone through the Sheraton Move and beyond, I think people appreciate that we now have a two-thirds majority,” he said.

Nik Nazmi said the new unity government has some goodwill but that it must not be squandered.

“I think that we have to use the goodwill. With the fact that Anwar is the prime minister after 24 years (since the latter’s firing as deputy prime minister) and then you have this sort of cross-party alliance and a unity government in place.

“We have to make use of what we have now and make up for the lost time. Because we see how Indonesia is growing, we see how Vietnam is growing, and I think there's a lot of desire among Malaysians for us to catch up. I think that sense of stability is important,” he said.

Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul


Last week, Anwar passed the motion of confidence tabled in the Dewan Rakyat to confirm his legitimacy as the prime minister through a voice vote.

In another test of the government’s strength, newly appointed Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul garnered 147 votes, one shy of a two-thirds majority.

Harapan needs to engage with PAS supporters

PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi admitted that one factor in bringing together the parties that have formed the current administration was a collective fear of the growing clout of PAS, particularly among rural Malay voters.

“I think one of the positive things is the fact that people are all quite concerned about the rise of Perikatan Nasional and PAS, and whether, for better or worse, that brought the unity government together.

“I think at the same time it's important to engage and not be dismissive of their growing strength. We have to understand why people are supporting them. It's not just the East Coast and the north of Peninsular Malaysia. Even in parts of Selangor, they are growing.

“And in my area, honestly I did not expect PN to be the number two party and overtake Umno,” he said.

Nik Nazmi won the Setiawangsa parliamentary seat with 34,434 votes, a majority of 12,164 over PN’s Nurul Fadzilah Kamaluddin who bagged 22,270 votes while BN/Umno’s Izudin Ishak came in third with just 16,333 votes.

“I always thought that with the money and campaign of BN being the stronger, they would prevail over PN. But it was PN. I think we like to dismiss them and make them a bogeyman.

“And then we demonise the people who voted for them without understanding why that happened. Me, I will continue to engage. The fact is that we were successful in pulling people away from Umno but many turned to PN and PAS instead.

“Due to the flooding, I went to Kelantan last Sunday and again this week. I contact local legislators and those on the ground to make sure the point of contact is always there.

“The prime minister is quite clear on this - we must not repeat the mistakes of the previous regimes that punished the people for voting for the other side. Kelantan has been penalised for so long but that didn’t stop them from voting for PAS since 1990. We have to engage, not block them out,” Nik Nazmi added.

Covid-19: Mata urges govt to suspend entry of tourists from China

Covid-19: Mata urges govt to suspend entry of tourists from China


The Malaysia Tourism Agency Association (Mata) has urged the government to temporarily suspend the entry of tourists from China into the country until the daily cases of Covid-19 in China decrease.

Mata president Mohd Khalid Harun (above) said the recent significant surge in the number of Covid-19 cases in China has increased the potential for new variants of the virus to emerge, thus causing concerns to Malaysians, especially tourism industry players.

"We are all aware that hospitals across China are facing explosions of Covid-19 cases following Beijing's decision to withdraw their strict regulations.

"The trauma faced by players in the tourism industry due to the Covid-19 outbreak has yet to be resolved, in fact, many travel agencies and hotels have been closed due to the virus, incurring billions of ringgit in losses in the past two years," he said in a statement yesterday.

Therefore, Mohd Khalid said, he hoped that it would not recur as tourism industry players are still in the process of recovery.

He said that many foreign countries have tightened the entry of tourists or businessmen from China for the time being to curb the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak in their countries.

Mohd Khalid also advised industry players to shift their focus to tourists from the Middle East and Europe and not to rely on tourists from China for now.

On Wednesday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Malaysia would see a surge in flight demands following the re-opening of China’s borders, which will be implemented by its government on Jan 8 after nearly three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

- Bernama

Brazilian football legend Pele dies aged 82

Brazilian football legend Pele dies aged 82

A photograph of Brazilian football legend Pele is displayed on a giant screen prior to the French L1 football match between Olympique de Marseille and Toulouse FC at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille on December 29, 2022. — AFP pic

Friday, 30 Dec 2022 6:58 AM MYT


Brazilian football icon Pele, a three-time World Cup winner who is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, died on Thursday at the age of 82 — triggering a wave of tributes from the sports world and beyond.

The Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo said in a statement his death after a long battle with cancer was caused by “multiple organ failure,” confirming the news from the legend’s family.


“We love you infinitely. Rest in peace,” daughter Kely Nascimento wrote on Instagram.

The football world — from his former teammates to current stars — came together to honor “O Rei” (The King), who transformed the sport during a long professional career that began when he was still a teenager.


Brazil star Neymar said Pele “transformed football into an art,” France’s Kylian Mbappe said his legacy “will never be forgotten,” and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo called him an “inspiration to millions.”


Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi simply wrote: “Rest in peace.”

Brazil’s president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva tweeted: “Thank you, Pele.”

Pele is the only footballer in history to have won three World Cups — in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

He scored a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 matches during a 21-year career.

He had been in increasingly fragile health, battling kidney problems and colon cancer — undergoing surgery for the latter in September 2021, followed by chemotherapy.

A wake will take place on Monday, followed by a funeral on Tuesday in Santos, the southeastern city where he played most of his career, his former club said.

The city also declared seven days of official mourning, as fans flocked to the team’s stadium to leave flowers.

Emotional Brazilians also descended on the hospital where Pele died — even running 1.5 kilometers (almost a mile) to get there, in the case of Antonio Perera, 46, and his son Luis Eduardo, 12.

“He’s our greatest idol, the greatest footballer of all time,” Perera told AFP.

In a testament to Pele’s influence, international figures including US President Joe Biden and former leader Barack Obama, Brazilian music legends Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, and International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach also paid tribute.

“As one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, he understood the power of sports to bring people together,” Obama wrote.

‘Samba football’

Born October 23, 1940, in the southeastern city of Tres Coracoes, Edson Arantes do Nascimento — named for American inventor Thomas Edison — grew up selling peanuts on the street to help his impoverished family get by.

He was soon given the nickname Pele, for his mispronunciation of Bile, the name of a goalkeeper at Vasco de Sao Lourenco, where his footballer father once played.

Pele dazzled from the age of 15, when he started playing professionally with Santos. He led the club to a flurry of titles, including back-to-back Intercontinental Cups in 1962-1963.

He epitomised the Brazil national team’s sublime style of play called “samba football”.

Pele set his scoring records playing for Santos (1956-74), the Brazilian national team, and the New York Cosmos (1975-77).

But beyond his landmarks, he will be remembered for revolutionising the sport, his ever-present number 10 on his back as he tapped into his preternatural athleticism despite his relatively small size — 1.70 meters (just under 5ft 7ins).

The first global football star, he played a lead role in making the game a sporting and commercial powerhouse.

He also played with heart, visible in the iconic black-and-white footage of the 17-year-old bursting into tears after helping Brazil to its first World Cup title, in 1958.

Eight years earlier, seeing his father cry when Brazil lost the 1950 World Cup final on home soil to Uruguay, Pele had promised to bring the trophy home one day.

Sports royalty

Pele reached the pinnacle of his greatness at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, the first broadcast in colour, where he starred on what many consider the greatest team of all time, with talents such as Rivellino, Tostao and Jairzinho.

He was often welcomed like royalty when travelling abroad with Santos or the national team. Legend has it in 1969 his arrival in Nigeria prompted a 48-hour truce in the bloody Biafra war.

Pele declined offers to play in Europe, but signed for a brief, lucrative swansong with the New York Cosmos at the end of his career, bringing his star power to the land of “soccer.”

His reign extended beyond the pitch, with gigs as a movie star, singer and later sports minister (1995-1998) — he was one of the first black cabinet members in Brazil.

But he faced criticism at times in Brazil for remaining quiet on social issues and racism, and for what some saw as his haughty, vain personality.

Unlike Argentine rebel Diego Maradona, one of his rivals for the title of greatest of all time, Pele was seen as close to those in power — including Brazil’s 1964-1985 military regime.

‘Eternal, unforgettable’

Pele’s health began to fail in the last decade. His public appearances grew increasingly rare, and he frequently used a walker or wheelchair.

He was hospitalised several times for urinary infections, then again in 2021 and 2022 for the colon cancer that marked the beginning of the end.

He met his health problems with typical humour.

“I will face this match with a smile on my face,” he posted on Instagram in September 2021, after surgery to remove his colon tumour.

Mario Zagallo, who won the World Cup alongside Pele in 1958 and 1962, said he had “stopped the world several times” with his formidable talent.

“He leaves an eternal, unforgettable legacy,” the 91-year-old Zagallo said. — AFP

Selangor MB proposes use of face masks by food operators in stages

Selangor MB proposes use of face masks by food operators in stages


Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari proposed that the use of face masks among food and beverage operators be implemented in stages by local authorities (PBT) statewide.

Amirudin said the wearing of face masks was seen as a good step to instil confidence in customers during the process of food preparation and serving.

However, he said the matter has not yet been decided at the state government level, because it involves several amendments to the by-laws at the local government level.

“Hence, if we want to implement (the use of face masks by food operators) there needs to be an adjustment because we see that there is a public health interest if we wear face masks.

“What is important at this stage is the education process, within a period of one to three months, because we want to ensure that the cleanliness of the food served can be guaranteed,” he said.

Selangor MB Amirudin Shari


He said this after the 'Capacity Building' Gerak Gempur Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2022 closing ceremony, at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Jenis Tamil (SKJT) Ladang Midlands in Shah Alam today.

Earlier, the Kajang Municipal Council increased enforcement by mandating the use of face masks for food and beverage operators, effective next year.

The move was followed by the Selayang Municipal Council in a post on Facebook today, which announced that it will impose a compound against traders who fail to comply with the instructions.

- Bernama

Zambry: Cases involving Indonesian domestic workers to be reviewed

Zambry: Cases involving Indonesian domestic workers to be reviewed


Malaysia will review exploitation cases of Indonesian domestic workers to ensure that justice is served based on the existing laws in the country, said Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir.

“I understand the concerns of the Indonesian authorities regarding the well-being and welfare of the domestic workers in Malaysia,” he said during a joint press conference with his counterpart Retno Marsudi after a bilateral meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia today.

Bernama reported Zambry (above) as saying that Malaysia will extend its cooperation to Indonesia to ensure that the employment and protection of domestic help are in accordance with the existing national laws.

The latest prosecution for labour violations, which outcome was viewed disapprovingly by Indonesia was the acquittal of a couple of trafficking charges under Section 12 of the amended Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007/22 (Atipsom) at the Klang Sessions Court on Dec 9.

Radzuan Abu Hadzim and his wife Rosnajihah Ramli were acquitted of trafficking their 60-year-old domestic worker Yati Karyati, who was rescued from the couple’s residence by the Selangor Labour Department in March.

Indonesia’s ambassador to Malaysia Hermono noted his disappointment over the unexpected verdict coming from the Atipsom court itself and announced that he would submit their names to Indonesia’s law minister to impose travel bans on them for exploiting its citizens.

The ambassador had also written to the Attorney-General’s Chambers requesting an appeal over the acquittal of Radzuan and Rosnajihah.

Indonesia’s ambassador to Malaysia Hermono


Radzuan and Rosnajihah are also facing charges under Section 55B of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for employing an undocumented worker as well as Section 14 and Section 66B of the Employment Act 1955/22 in relation to the recovery of unpaid wages of their domestic worker.


Strained bilateral relations

Between January 2021 and April this year, the embassy received 392 domestic workers seeking shelter from abusive employers, most of whom had not received their wages for more than six months.

This figure does not include cases of domestic workers rescued by local authorities.

This year alone, Malaysia’s disappointing commitment to improving the protection of Indonesian workers strained bilateral relations between the two countries.

Both countries inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the recruitment and protection of Indonesian domestic workers in Jakarta on April 1.

However, it has to be noted that it was the lack of commitment that led to Indonesia resorting to the extreme measure of imposing a freeze on workers entering Malaysia for employment on two separate occasions – before and after the MOU.

Meanwhile, in Jakarta today, the foreign minister recorded Malaysia’s appreciation for the contribution of the Indonesian workforce, including domestic workers towards the daily lives of Malaysians as well as to the socio-economic development of Malaysia.

He is currently on a three-day official visit to Indonesia to discuss bilateral issues, investment opportunities in Indonesia’s new capital Nusantara as well as maritime delimitation and land borders between the two countries.

“I want to assure you that Malaysia will work towards a solution in resolving the maritime and land border delimitation,” Zambry said, adding that the development of the archipelago would also lead to improved economic ties.

Bernama reported that his visit also marks a preparation for the official visit of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to Jakarta which is expected to be sometime in January 2023.

Zambry took the opportunity to reiterate the prime minister’s stance that "Indonesia remains a true friend and an important neighbour for Malaysia".

Zambry was accompanied by the Chargé d'Affaires of the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta, Adlan Mohd Shaffieq and Wisma Putra’s Southeast Asia Division secretary Roseli Abdul.

MACC probes KL Tower shares transfer, three individuals questioned

MACC probes KL Tower shares transfer, three individuals questioned

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has summoned three individuals over the suspicious acquisition of the KL Tower concession to an unknown firm after the issue was raised on social media. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Thursday, 29 Dec 2022 8:02 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has summoned three individuals over the suspicious acquisition of the Kuala Lumpur (KL) Tower concession to an unknown firm after the issue was raised on social media.

MACC said it would be investigating if there were elements of corruption involved in the sale of public-listed firm Telekom Malaysia Berhad’s (TM) shares in October from its subsidiary which manages Menara KL — Menara Kuala Lumpur Sdn Bhd (MKLSB) — to a firm called Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd (HSB).


“MACC will investigate whether there is any element of corruption in the sale of 100 per cent of Telekom Malaysia shares in MKLSB to HSB in October.

“So far, MACC has called three witnesses and obtained several documents from related parties to be examined,” the agency said in a statement this evening.


Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said that the ministry had on December 14 given him a detailed briefing regarding the concession of Menara KL’s management and that TM will on January 3 give him another briefing on this.


Fahmi said he was made to understand that the concession for the management of Menara KL is currently in its third interim term until December 31, 2022 under MKLSB.

He said his ministry will closely monitor this issue and is ready to provide full cooperation if the authorities carry out any investigation on this matter.

17 dead in days of heavy snow in Japan

theVibes.com:

17 dead in days of heavy snow in Japan


Thousands of homes suffer power outages in blizzard, authorities say

Heavy snowfall across large parts of Japan has killed 17 people over the last 10 days, with thousands of homes suffering power outages, Japanese officials say. The country’s weather agency has warned residents in the affected regions to avoid travel where possible, after cars got stuck on roads in heavy snow. – AFP pic, December 26, 2022



TOKYO – Heavy snowfall across large parts of Japan has killed 17 people over the last 10 days, with thousands of homes suffering power outages, Japanese officials said today.


Much of the country’s west coast as well as the northern region of Hokkaido have seen persistent heavy snow in recent days.

Some areas have seen almost a metre of snowfall in 24 hours, including the town of Oguni in northeastern Yamagata region, local media said.

Japan’s weather agency has warned residents in the affected regions to avoid travel where possible, after cars got stuck on roads in heavy snow.

Government officials said today that 17 people have been killed and dozens more injured in the snow since December 17.

National broadcaster NHK reported the dead included a man who fell from a roof while clearing snow and a woman found dead of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in a car.

In Hokkaido, tens of thousands of homes have lost electricity in recent days as the snow brought down power lines, though most connections have now been restored.

The heavy snowfall is expected to ease from today. – AFP, December 26, 2022

Explosions rock Kyiv, other Ukrainian cities as Russia fires scores of missiles

Reuters:

Explosions rock Kyiv, other Ukrainian cities as Russia fires scores of missiles

Rescuers work at a site of private houses heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine December 29, 2022. Ukrainian Presidential aide Kyrylo Tymoshenko via Telegram/Handout via REUTERS


KYIV, Ukraine, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Russia fired more than 100 missiles into Ukraine on Thursday morning, targetting the capital Kyiv where three people were wounded, the northeastern city of Kharkiv, and other cities in a large-scale aerial bombardment, Ukrainian authorities said.

Ukraine's Air Force said the attacks had involved sea- and air-based cruise missiles fired "from different directions" and followed an overnight assault by 'kamikaze' drones. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak put the number of missiles fired at more than 120. Air raid sirens rang out across Ukraine.


The latest blitz came hard on the heels of the Kremlin's rejection of a Ukrainian peace plan, insisting that Kyiv must accept Russia's annexation of four Ukrainian regions.

"Two private houses in Darnytskyi district were damaged by the fragments of downed missiles," the Kyiv city military administration said on Telegram.

It said a business and a playground were also damaged and the situation of the victims "is being clarified". The mayor of

Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, said 16 missiles were shot down over the capital.

Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov said officials were clarifying what had been hit and whether there were any casualties after the Russian missiles caused a series of explosions.

The mayor of Lviv, Andriy Sadovyi, said on Telegram that 90% of his city in western Ukraine was without electricity and that electric-powered public transport was not running.


Explosions were also heard in Zhytomyr and Odesa, according to a Reuters correspondent and local media reports.

Air defence units shot down 21 missiles in the Odesa region in southwest Ukraine, its governor Maksym Marcheno said. The fragments of one missile hit a residential building, though no casualties were reported, he added.

Power cuts were announced in Odesa and Dnipropetrovsk regions to minimise potential damage to energy infrastructure.

Moscow has repeatedly denied targeting civilians, but Ukraine says its daily bombardment is destroying cities, towns, and the country's power, medical and other infrastructure.
MATERNITY WARD

Russian shelling hit the maternity wing of a hospital in the southern city of Kherson on Tuesday, though no-one was hurt, according to Kyrylo Tymoshenko, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's deputy chief of staff. Staff and patients were moved to a shelter, Tymoshenko said in a post on Telegram.

"It was frightening ... The explosions began abruptly, the window handle started to tear off ... oh, my hands are still shaking," Olha Prysidko, a new mother, said. "When we came to the basement, the shelling wasn't over. Not for a minute."

Ukraine recaptured Kherson last month in a major victory but the city has remained under constant bombardment by Russian forces after they retreated to the east bank of the Dnipro River.

Zelenskiy, in a video address, urged Ukrainians to hug loved ones, tell friends they appreciate them, support colleagues, thank their parents and rejoice with their children more often.

"We have not lost our humanity, although we have endured terrible months," he said. "And we will not lose it, although there is a difficult year ahead."

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 in what President Vladimir Putin calls a "special military operation" to demilitarize its neighbour. Kyiv and its Western allies have denounced Russia's actions as an imperialist-style land grab.

Sweeping sanctions have been imposed on Russia for the war, which has killed tens of thousands of people, driven millions from their homes, left cities in ruins and shaken the global economy, driving up energy and food prices.

Russian gas exports to Europe via pipelines collapsed to a post-Soviet low in 2022 as its largest customer cut imports due to the Ukraine conflict and a major pipeline was damaged by mysterious blasts, Gazprom data and Reuters calculations show.

'TODAY'S REALITIES'

There is still no prospect of talks to end the war.

Zelenskiy is vigorously pushing a 10-point peace plan that envisages Russia respecting Ukraine's territorial integrity and pulling out all its troops.

But Moscow dismissed it on Wednesday, reiterating that Kyiv must accept Russia's annexation of the four regions - Luhansk and Donetsk in the east, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south. It also says Ukraine must accept the loss of Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

There can be no peace plan "that does not take into account today's realities regarding Russian territory, with the entry of four regions into Russia", Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Zelenskiy's idea of driving Russia out of eastern Ukraine and Crimea with Western help and getting Moscow to pay damages to Kyiv is an "illusion", the RIA news agency reported.

TASS cited Lavrov as saying that Russia would continue to build up its fighting strength and technological capabilities in Ukraine. He said Moscow's mobilised troops had undergone "serious training" and while many were now on the ground, the majority were not yet at the front.

Report: Dewan Rakyat Speaker confirms receiving ‘vacancy’ notice, pleads for time to decide on Sabah quartet

Report: Dewan Rakyat Speaker confirms receiving ‘vacancy’ notice, pleads for time to decide on Sabah quartet

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul is pictured at Parliament building in Kuala Lumpur December 19, 2022. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Thursday, 29 Dec 2022 4:28 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Datuk Johari Abdul has confirmed receiving formal notice from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) of four alleged vacant parliamentary seats in Sabah that could result in a fresh round of elections soon.

Johari said he received a letter from Bersatu vice-president Datuk Ronald Kiandee on December 27 who requested the Speaker to notify the Election Commission of the four vacancies, news portal Malaysiakini reported this afternoon.


“So, now I got all his letters and I am acting on them,” Johari was quoted as saying.

The PKR man told the news portal that Kiandee had previously suggested that the four Sabah MPs who had quit Bersatu vacate their seats, but at that time, he had not received any formal notice and could not act in accordance with the law.


Now that the gears have been put in motion, Johari said he would fulfil his role as Speaker but indicated that he will need some time.


“I need to do a lot of reading and digging. I will work out the best position on how to respond to this and that would take some time.”

Earlier today, Malay Mail reported Kiandee submitting a written notice to the Speaker in a bid to boot four Sabah MPs who had been chosen to represent Bersatu in GE15 but contested and won under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) banner.

The four MPs are Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali (Papar), Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan (Batu Sapi), Datuk Jonathan Yasin (Ranau), and Datuk Matbali Musah (Sipitang).

When the elections resulted in a hung Parliament, GRS initially pledged its support to Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister, but later switched to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which saw the Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoint the PKR chief as head of the government.

On December 10, the four MPs and 15 Sabah assemblymen led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor publicly declared their “exit” from Bersatu.

This led to Bersatu’s assertion that the four MPs had run afoul of the newly gazetted federal anti-party hopping law enshrined as Article 49A of the Federal Constitution, which requires them to vacate their seats.

However, GRS has countered that all the 19 Bersatu state and federal lawmakers exited the party before the general election was called.

It pointed out that GRS’ constitution allows membership in more than one party and that the four MPs had contested and won on the GRS ticket and not Bersatu’s.

GRS was formally registered on March 11.

Although it is known publicly as a coalition of five parties, in the eyes of the Registrar of Societies and the Election Commission, it is considered just a regular political party.

Overbooking by airlines - Wankiest Wankee Way

Overbooking by airlines has not been new though such unethical practices were mainly the American way of doing business, and eff you the passenger. Read this from Wikipedia:

2017 United Express passenger removal





On April 9, 2017 at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, four paying customers were selected to be involuntarily deplaned from United Express Flight 3411 to make room for four deadheading employees.

One of these passengers was Dr. David Dao, 69, a Vietnamese-American who was injured when he was literally dragged from the flight by Chicago Department of Aviation security officers. Dao, a pulmonologist, politely refused to leave his seat when directed because he needed to see patients the following day.

In the process of removing him, the security officers struck his face against an armrest, then pulled him – apparently unconscious – by his arms down the aircraft aisle, past rows of onlooking passengers.

The incident is widely characterized by critics – and later by United Airlines itself – as an example of mishandled customer service.

United removed the passengers to reposition a crew who had been delayed in reaching Louisville to staff a flight the next day. Prior to the confrontation, United agents made a general offer to the plane's passengers – of travel vouchers, accommodations, and a later flight – in exchange for their seats, but none of them accepted. United then algorithmically selected four passengers for involuntary removal from the flight, one of whom was Dao. The three other passengers cooperated with instructions to exit the plane.

Video of the incident recorded by passengers went viral on social media, resulting in anger over the use of force shown. Politicians expressed concern and called for an official investigation. President Donald Trump criticized United Airlines, calling its treatment of Dao "horrible".

The next morning, United CEO Oscar Munoz issued a statement that appeared to downplay the treatment of Dao, referring to the incident as "re-accommodating the customers". Munoz also sent an email to United staff commending the crew's actions for following established procedures and referring to Dao as "disruptive" and "belligerent".

This was contradicted by passengers' accounts and video of the incident; for example, Jason Powell asserted that Dao was not belligerent, saying instead, "He was very polite, matter-of-fact."

Munoz and United were sharply criticized for their initial statements, and United suffered a drop in its stock price. Two days after the incident, Munoz issued an additional statement, apologizing and promising that such an incident would never again occur on a United aircraft.

He said, "No one should ever be mistreated this way." In a televised interview, Munoz was asked, "Do you think [Dao] was at fault in any way?" Munoz responded, "No. He can't be. He was a paying passenger sitting on our seat in our aircraft."

Munoz's previously planned promotion to become United's chairman was delayed until May 2020 as a result of the incident. Dao reached an "amicable" settlement with United on April 27, 2017, though its terms were not publicly announced.

---

Dao refused to leave his seat and was dragged screaming from it. In the process, he suffered injuries to his head and mouth when, according to another passenger, aviation security officer James Long threw him against the armrest before dragging him down the aisle by his arms, apparently unconscious. 

During the altercation, several passengers distressed by the incident voluntarily left the aircraft. Passengers stated that officers laughed as Dao was dragged from the plane. The four United employees then sat in the vacated seats.

Shortly afterward, Dao boarded the aircraft again, with blood on his face, repeatedly saying, "I have to go home," and "Just kill me". After he collapsed in a seat, he was removed from the aircraft on a stretcher.

The remaining passengers were then directed to exit the plane while the blood was cleaned up. Several passengers recorded the event on video using phone cameras and the videos were widely circulated on social media. Another passenger reported hearing Dao claim that he had been chosen because of his Asian ethnicity.

Dao was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, including a broken nose, loss of two front teeth, sinus injuries, and "a significant concussion"; the injuries required reconstructive surgery, according to Dao's lawyer.

Beyond Batik Air: Netizens swamped Anthony Loke with requests to act against AirAsia, too

Beyond Batik Air: Netizens swamped Anthony Loke with requests to act against AirAsia, too





AS re-appointed Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Foke cracked the whip on Batik Air (formerly Malindo Air) for a recent prolonged domestic flight delay, former Tourism Malaysia chairman Wee Choo Kiong was quick to post the below cheeky Tweet:




While the Seremban MP was spot on to order Batik Air to apologise to all passengers of its Kuala Lumpur-Kuching flight for being left stranded for over eight hours at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) last Friday night (Dec 23), many frequent flyers indeed were left wondering why only Batik Air was faulted yet no action was taken against “the bigger culprit”.


Is there a reason for Loke to be lenient on AirAsia especially when the entire Batik Air saga has seemingly portrayed AirAsia to be “angelically innocent” when “mountains of complaints” have been levelled against the budget carrier for its poor customer service quality since ‘time immemorial’.

Does Loke have a soft spot or special respect for AirAsia considering that the airliner was one of the pioneer budget airlines in this part of the world? Or is Loke merely taking a leaf from renowned military strategist Sun Tzu’s Art of War (the management perspective) to get to the bottom of AirAsia service woes by leveraging Batik Air as the decoy?

Or perhaps all disgruntled air travellers – whether they are still flying AirAsia despite their hue and cry or if they have already boycotted the airline for good – should bear with Loke by giving him breathing space to deal their perceived ‘errant’ airline?





After all, the airline segment is only one component of Loke’s ministerial responsibility with the poor DAP secretary-general already having to juggle with a myriad of numerous land and sea transportation woes as well.

Imagine on his way this morning (Dec 28) to launch AirAsia’s extra late night flights at fixed low fares where a total of 25,020 extra seats are offered to selected cities in East Malaysia during the upcoming Chinese New Year season, Loke has seized the opportunity to conduct spot-check in klia2 a.k.a. AirAsia’s hub following unfavourable feedback from air passengers.

“There are some weaknesses especially in the e-hailing waiting room that need to be improved,” he penned in his latest Facebook post.

“One of them is uneven road lanes due to soil deposits that can be dangerous for users. The management has appointed a contactor and the upgrading work will be carried out at the end of January. The lighting system also needs improvement so that environment at night is brighter.”

Well, below are some verbatim comments left on Loke’s Facebook account by netizens with regard to AirAsia’s service (supposedly for his future action):

Yinxing Chai: Harap memberi perhatian kpd si Airasia ni yg suka menukar flight time sesuka hati 

Kia Syakira: Yinxing Chai betul. Tolonglah ada tindakan pada airasia. Dahla tiket mahal dalam negara pun mahal macam nak ke london.

Min Erl Mo: Yinxing Chai Agree. Cancel & reschedule multiple times, then delay 

Sophie Sophia: Yinxing Chai saya setuju dengan statement ini. Kalau ada meeting yg perlu dihadiri kena fikir dua kali ikut AA. AA likes to delaying and postponing flights.

Nizam Mohd: Yinxing Chai betul. Anak saya kena baru ni masa pergi KK. Dah booking tak brp lama kemudian dpt mesej tarikh dipinda.

Andy Chong: ini saya setuju YB. Airasia selalu overbooking flight, suka hati tukar flight time. cc. Tony fernandes

Joseph Foo: Yinxing Chai Betul , tukar flight masa tak bagi return money .

Eerhkaf Af: YB, kenakan denda yg ketat utk AA yg sll kensel atau postpone flight dia. Menyusahkan org ramai. – Dec 28, 2022

Thayaparan's top five news stories of the year

My top five news stories of the year

S Thayaparan


“A good newspaper, I suppose, is a nation talking to itself.”

- Arthur Miller

COMMENT | Ideally, I would like my Weltanschauung to be classed based but unfortunately, living in Malaysia and not observing complicated race-based hierarchical structures is dangerous, especially when the non-Malay dialectic is defined and controlled by one racial group and the mainstream political process is defined by race and religion.

The months leading up to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim assuming the highest office of the land was a time of racial and religious flashpoints meant to hoodwink the majority polity and demonstrations of reactionary politics by minority communities.

The following news stories demonstrate the racial quicksand we find ourselves in and how the political apparatus of this country chooses to profit politically from these flashpoints.

The narrative is defined by how the state chooses to always coddle the racial anxieties of the majority polity but retreats to the fig leaf of inclusivity when it suits their agendas.

I understand that the floods and other environmental issues made a major impact this year - but the reality is that with good governance and a strict policing of the nexus between political and corporate patronage, these issues could be mitigated if there is political will.

However, when it comes to race and religion, the issues get more complicated. We have never had an honest discussion about race and religion in this country and perhaps we never will. This, of course, is the Malaysian dilemma.

Deep down inside, we know what is wrong but to commit to solutions that would right these wrongs would not be politically feasible, especially when young people have been indoctrinated by the vast religious bureaucracy and electoral legerdemain remains an issue which, so far, Pakatan Harapan has shown no will to address.

Imbalanced civil service

When former minister Teresa Kok drew attention to this issue, she received strong pushback from Cuepacs president Adnan Mat, who claimed that not only was Teresa politicising the issue but Pakatan Harapan never did anything but threaten and intimidate the civil service.

Of course, the old canard that folks who join the civil service do it out of “patriotism” is a dog whistle of how non-Malays are not loyal to the country.

In 2017, former Treasury secretary-general Mohd Sheriff Mohd Kassim opined that the government of the day should cut down on the oversized civil service.

As reported in the press, he said the country's bloated civil service has created inefficiencies in the economy and failures in the financial disciplines of ministries and government departments.

There is a reason why the civil service has become bloated. This has everything to do with a sustained effort by successive governments to create a class of voters loyal to racial and religious hegemony.

Disrespecting national language

Is it any wonder that a regime bankrupt of ideas would weaponise language to rile up the base? In June, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) board of governors’ chairperson Awang Sariyan proposed individuals “who do not respect the national language can be fined up to RM50,000 or jailed in proposed amendments to the (DBP) Act 1959.”

In reality, non-Malays use the language among themselves more often than they use English, especially when interacting with people from different backgrounds and educational levels where mother tongues and English are just not utilitarian.

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) board of governors’ chairperson Awang Sariyan


“Disrespect” in ketuanan (supremacist) ideology is shorthand for anything the Malay uber alles cretins say is disrespectful.

It is not based on any qualitative or objective standards and that is the point. Anyone at any time could be accused of being disrespectful and minions of the state, funded by our tax ringgit, will jump into action.

Basikal lajak

Next year, the Court of Appeal will hear the appeal of clerk Sam Ke Ting after she was acquitted by the Magistrate Court - but a High Court judge allowed the prosecution’s appeal to set aside the lower court’s decision.

Not only was the racial sentiment running high but bleeding hearts were claiming that the basikal lajak phenomenon is society's fault.

It is difficult to make the case that society is to blame for the basikal lajak tragedy because as citizens of this country, we do not participate in society as equals.

Sam Ke Ting


The political system is predicated on race. Economic, social and legal policies are predicated on race and the non-Malays are constantly told to be grateful for their citizenship.

The Lowyat 2 fiasco, fire-fighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim’s untimely death and the demonisation of non-Malay economic interest point to a system predicated on antagonising the different racial communities in this country.

Anyone who has driven when these basikal lajak kids are around will tell you how dangerous it is. They will tell you how these kids sometimes barely have control of their bikes.

They will tell you of the fear they have of a kid falling down in front of their car and the fear of losing control of their vehicle.

And they will also tell you how these kids have no concern for their behaviour but more importantly, any concern for the people driving around them. There are no victims here, only “volunteers”.

Loh Siew Hong saga

To understand the tragedy of this single mother, Loh Siew Hong and how unilateral conversion is a threat to disenfranchised non-Malays in this country, please read her story here.

Loh eventually found the twins, now 14, with an Islamic NGO and her 10-year-old son at a tahfiz school in Tasek Gelugor, Penang. All three were unilaterally converted to Islam without her knowledge.

Loh Siew Hong


To understand the role of the Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin in this tragedy, please read his comments here.

“But the problem is, the kids do not want to. We are not holding them because that is not within our powers, but they (the children) told us to help defend them, that they want Islam, they want to go to a religious school,” Asri reportedly said.

Even PAS weighed in on the issue.

The PAS Ulama wing urged the government and all parties to give priority to the welfare of Loh’s three children who have chosen Islam as their faith so they will not be disturbed and forced to return to apostasy, saying: “Muslims have been patient for a long time and we do not want the religious harmony guaranteed by the Federal Constitution to inflame the sentiments and anger of Muslims.”

The fact that Asri posted this on his social media account is a testament that the state does not view this as a crime. If it did, Asri would immediately be arrested for aiding and abetting in a criminal endeavour.

Now we know what Asri thinks of “cow worshippers” because, in this country, the historical legacy of Hinduism and the profound way in which it influenced native cultures have, over the decades, been “ketuanan-washed”.

The fact that Asri had to apologise for his racist poem about Indians but took it as an opportunity to wonder at the ungratefulness of non-Malays should tell us about the kind of religious operatives we are dealing with.

There will be more of these types of cases because the perpetrators understand they will not be sanctioned by the state.

Keep in mind that for these religious operatives, there are always "enemies" of Islam and conversion turns these enemies (even children) into "friendlies".

Bon Odori

Bon Odori is the beginning of the end. What the Selangor Sultan was advocating in defence of this festival was for Muslims to embrace the multicultural aspects of the Malaysian experience.

And what was PAS' response to one of the pillars of our nation? A total snub of the royal advice. Indeed, so bold was PAS that the party encouraged other religionists to disregard the advice of the sultan.

And the state did not do anything. It kept quiet.

Here they are advocating that people disobey the sultan and question his religious credentials, but when activist lawyer Fadiah Nadwa Fikri explored themes of power and suppression regarding the royalty, she was hauled up by the state security apparatus.

What PAS is demonstrating is the shape of things to come.

Well, that is it, folks. For a certain section of Malaysian polity, we end the year with guarded optimism.

Let us hope it holds for 2023.

S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”

From 'Who Else Is There?' To 'Who Can Be The Next PM?'

OutSyed The Box

Wednesday, December 28, 2022


From 'Who Else Is There?' To 'Who Can Be The Next PM?'


Yesterday I met some friends one of whom is closely involved in property and real estate. The shopping mall owners and operators as well as the apartment buildings, condominiums and high rises are worried about that 20 sen per kWh electricity surcharge that will kick in beginning January 2023.

These folks, especially the shopping malls are heavy consumers of electricity (as a portion of their total operating costs) to keep the escalators and lifts running the whole day, to keep the lights on in the building and the lights in the car parking areas. They expect their power bills to shoot up. What this means is the maintenance costs, maintenance fees and hence the rentals in shopping malls, office buildings, apartments and condos are all going to go up. The Kos Sara Hidup is going to go up.

My friends who are generally sympathetic towards the PH also asked "How la RM75 Billion for the ECRL?"

In short PH supporters are beginning to have serious doubts about the present set of honchos running the country.

Another perceptive observer said about the PH - "They are screwing up big time bro. Even my friend who is a PH supporter says they are not going to last long. 🤪 He said they have too many hands to feed and also the Cabinet is not capable."

Another friend, also a supporter of the PH sent this Whatsapp:




I told another person yesterday "Things are going sideways. Actually falling off the cliff" to which he replied 'Yes, even ... is trying to remind them to keep on track'.

All the people above were or are PH sympathisers or supporters. But that view appears to be changing very quickly.

Before the new PM was 'selected' there was a viral message going around asking "Who else is there?" (who could be PM). Implying quite arrogantly that there was no one else.

Now just over a month after the new team has been 'selected' the question that is popping up is 'Who can be the next PM?' People are already doubtful if this government can last.

I look at it this way. The policies that were put in place 50 years ago are not changing. We are doomed.

Along the way we have committed suicide a few more times. The Minimum Wage laws beginning in 2012 have caused unemployment among entry level workers, especially Malays. The Minimum Wage has also caused serious price inflation.

Then the killer was the GST in 2014 which also sent prices skyrocketing and killed off many businesses.

After that there was the severe cut in the availability of foreign workers which has caused another round of business closures.

Now this electricity surcharge of 20 sen per kWh is going to send prices through the roof again. The economy is going to die.

Now the World Economic Forum conmen were in town and we dont know what mischief they were up to.

There is always some mischief going around. The dunggus are always up to no good.

Lets see how long this government lasts. So 'Who can be the next PM?'








By Syed Akbar Ali at December 28, 2022

Year 2023 – Food Crisis To Worsen As Fertilizer Shortage, High Price, Inflation, Interest Rate Hikes Continue

Year 2023 – Food Crisis To Worsen As Fertilizer Shortage, High Price, Inflation, Interest Rate Hikes Continue



Supply chain shortages and the rising cost of doing business, as well as drought and interest rate hikes are some of the factors that contributed to food crisis this year. But if you think food shortages and high prices will magically disappear next year, think again. American farmers believe 2023 could be even worse, after a difficult 2022 as the same problems continue to hit the world next year.



Climate change and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war are just some of the reasons why food shortages will likely continue in 2023. Many thought the war was the only reason we are plagued with food crisis. On Feb 2, before the invasion, Russia banned the export of ammonium nitrate to ensure affordable supplies for domestic farmers.



Russia exports two-thirds of the world’s ammonium nitrate, which is used in fertilizers to improve yields for crops like wheat, corn and cotton. Worse, natural gas is the main ingredient of fertilizer. Therefore, farmers who could not afford the increase in costs of fertilizers have seen lower crop production, which in turn will hit global food security.



It didn’t help that Russia is one of the biggest oil and gas producers in the world. The best part is Ukraine is a critical route for oil that flows into Eastern Europe and subsequently to all the European Union countries. Like it or not, Russia’s attack on Ukraine is not only about oil and gas, but also the entire supply chain of other commodities that threaten global food prices.



But the biggest nightmare was the supply-chain disruptions that spread across the global economy. Both Russia and Ukraine are huge producers of agricultural products like wheat, barley, grains and rye that are badly needed by Europe. And because 71% of its land is agricultural, Ukraine is considered the “breadbasket” of Europe. Ukraine is the fifth largest exporter of wheat – 7% of global sales.



However, the shortage of fertilizer did not happen overnight after Russian president Vladimir Putin launched the “special military operation”. The fertilizer crisis has been steadily growing since 2021 – before the Ukraine War – when the World Bank reported a 66% increase in the price of fertilizer thanks to shortages. And the issue is likely to persist throughout 2023, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).



The Russia-Ukraine War simply makes it more challenging to procure the agricultural commodities as fertilizers and the compounds used to make them become increasingly more expensive. This has led to inflation. In fact, food prices have been outpacing overall inflation in 2022 as November food prices showed a 10.6% increase compared to inflation of 7.1% in the same month.



Adding salt to the wound, the U.S. Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hikes from as low as 0% to as high as 4.25% are hurting farmers. Because most American farmers depend on short-term loans every year to pay for basically everything, from seeds to fertilizer and from livestock to machinery, the increase in interest rates has raised the cost of farm operations.




According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the farming sector’s total interest expense alone is projected to hit US$26.5 billion this year – nearly 32% higher than in 2021. The higher costs of fertilizer, fuel and land cost are forcing farmers to decide whether to reduce their crops and cattle or to struggle with higher loan repayment, which again contribute to shortages of food.



China, in line with its “Covid-Zero” policy, has basically restricted its markets for exports such as the phosphate used to create fertilizer – further worsening the food crisis. Fertilizer accounts for between 35% and 36% of farmers’ costs when cultivating core crops such as wheat and corn. The price volatility obviously affects global food security.



A report released by consulting firm McKinsey said next year may be worse as it estimated that crop production in Ukraine will decline by 35% to 45% in the next harvesting season, which started in July. As a result, many bakeries and factories may struggle to obtain the necessary ingredients to make bread, leading to a potential shortage in 2023.



Essentially, this year’s food crisis is mostly due to a logistical disruption tied to issues in shipping Ukrainian and Russian grains out of the countries. Next year, however, the food supply itself could be in trouble – particularly in Ukraine. The deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey that allows Ukraine to restart grain exports out of the Black Sea could be interrupted anytime if the conflict escalates.



The aluminium shortage, which started in 2020, and the labour shortages due to Covid-19 pandemic also mean canned food, pet food, beer and other beverages will continue to be expensive. Already, from the United Kingdom to Malaysia, some supermarkets have reported shortages of eggs as it costs more to feed and raise chickens.



Interestingly, in 2017, humanitarian organization Oxfam has predicted the world will run out of food around 2050 when a growing world population exceeds food growing capacity. According to the study, climate change, crop failures, and a rise in food prices for items like corn and rice will also contribute to the world’s population outpacing the amount of food it produces.



However, Gro Intelligence, an agricultural data technology company, said the world’s agricultural system will not produce enough food to feed everyone in the world by 2023 – that’s next year! Both studies done in 2017 did not take into account a conflict as serious as Russia-Ukraine War. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that severely hungry people around the world have jumped from 282 million to 345 million in 2022.




***

kt comments:

Time to rethink about growing tapioca, one of the easiest root food to cultivate. Down in Oz and nearby Pacific islands, it's known as cassava. All one has to do is to strike into the ground a snapped-off branch of the plant and that will grow easily and very fast. 

But there seems to be a bias against tapioca. People of my (late) mum's peerage frown upon tapioca as a stable food, only considering the crop as just good for baking Kueh Bengka (baked tapioca cake).

Yummy Kueh Bengka (baked tapioca cake)

I suspect she and mateys associate tapioca with the horrendous hardship of the WWII Jap occupation of our country.

Mind, my sar-hor-fun chef in the Ayer Itam market uses (used to anyway) tapioca power as a gravy thickener. And I like tapioca and used to eat its younger roots raw - it was sweet and crunchy.

Yummy sar-hor-fun

Alas, times may change soon so tapioca may come back into popularity (or necessity) as it did during my mum's days during the Japanese occupation of Malaya.