tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111093062024-03-19T17:00:24.532+08:00KTemoc Konsiders ........A meeting place to exchange views, no matter how different or diverse these may be. Keeping these civil and courteous would be appreciatedKTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.comBlogger26088125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-88970205677882497752024-03-19T16:58:00.010+08:002024-03-19T16:59:25.943+08:00‘He’s lost my vote’: Many Irish Americans turn against Biden over Gaza war<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><br /><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/3/17/does-biden-face-the-loss-of-the-irish-vote" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">al Jazeera</span></a>:<br /> <br />‘He’s lost my vote’: Many Irish Americans turn against Biden over Gaza war</b><br /><br />A series of protests on St Patrick’s Day points to the threat Biden faces from the loss of a key vote in swing states.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><img height="266" src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/St-Pats-for-All-2_DelaneyNolan_IrishBiden-1710612115.jpeg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80" width="400" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b>A pro-Palestine group marches in the 'St Pats for All' Parade, an inclusive alternative to the official city parade, in Queens, New York, on March 3 [Mike Doyle/Al Jazeera]<br />By <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/author/delaney-nolan">Delaney Nolan</a></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br />Published On 17 Mar 202417 Mar 2024</span></b></i><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.io%2F3aijnw"></a><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%98He%E2%80%99s%20lost%20my%20vote%E2%80%99%3A%20Many%20Irish-Americans%20turn%20against%20Biden%20over%20Gaza%20war&source=sharethiscom&related=sharethis&via=AJEnglish&url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.io%2F3aijnw"></a><a href="https://aje.io/3aijnw"></a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">One evening in 2004, when John Francis Mulligan, a US-born Irish citizen, was in the West Bank, a stranger asked him to walk her to a funeral.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was after curfew in Nablus, and Palestinians weren’t allowed out on the streets. A young man had been killed earlier that day, and because of religious beliefs, his family needed to bury him within 24 hours, Mulligan recalls. But if they went outside, the Israel armed forces “would open fire on them for violating curfew”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The dead man’s mother asked Mulligan: “Can you march with us? Can you stand at the front with our family? Because they’re not gonna shoot you, you’re white … I just need someone, literally, to stand with me.’”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">This moment – the struggle to bury the dead in peace – hit home for Mulligan, 54, who went to primary school in Northern Ireland during the Troubles in the late 1970s.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“It felt, to me, very much like going into political funerals in the north of Ireland, where helicopters would be overhead – in that case, it was the British Army. And here it was the Israeli army,” he says. “It really resonated.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mulligan points to these parallels as part of the reason he is rallying with other Irish Americans in the US to support Gaza.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Leaders from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are meeting Biden this weekend. First Minister Michelle O’Neill met Biden on Friday, telling him “</span><a href="https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/first-minister-urges-biden-to-play-constructive-role-in-securing-gaza-ceasefire/a2094477390.html" style="font-family: verdana;">the world watches on in horror</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> at the genocide of the Palestinian people,” and urging him to work towards an immediate ceasefire and sovereign Palestinian state.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">But only Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar will attend the St Patrick’s Day White House ceremony on March 17, where he will present President Biden with a bowl of shamrocks, in a token of friendship, as per the decades-long tradition. But the annual ceremony and meeting between the taoiseach and Biden promises to be unusually tense this year, as a growing chorus of voters – both within Ireland, and among the Irish American diaspora – voice outrage over Biden’s support for the war on Gaza.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“I can recognise colonial oppression, colonial state violence,” because of a childhood in Ireland, says Mulligan. Now, in Palestine, “they’re dehumanising people. They’re criminalising resistance, criminalising the complete population,” and using “starvation as a tactic” as the British did in Ireland during the </span><a href="https://www.ighm.org/learn.html" style="font-family: verdana;">Great Hunger</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“It’s the same exact playbook happening in Palestine.”</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img height="266" src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MulliganPortrait_DelaneyNolan_IrishBiden-1710612091.jpeg?w=770&resize=770%2C513&quality=80" width="400" /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">John Francis Mulligan says that after spending his formative years in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, ‘the starvation of Gaza, the blocking of aid – it’s something I really recognise’ [Courtesy of John Mulligan]</span></b></i><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>A ‘jaw-dropping’ network forms</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cuán McCann, an Irish stick fighting coach in Baltimore whose family emigrated through Ellis Island, New York, generations ago, says he’s been stunned by how rapidly a network of Irish Americans has connected around support for Palestine.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Some folks are in touch with organisers in Ireland, others are chatting through social media, many are talking to friends and siblings,” explains McCann, who has almost 20 years of experience organising for advocacy and protests. He calls the rapid and organic nature of the network-building “jaw-dropping”, adding that “every time I have a conversation, it leads to three more with three other people.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ireland has long been one of Palestine’s foremost Western supporters: The country was the first EU member to endorse a Palestinian state, and after October 7, Irish lawmakers were among the first in the West to call for a ceasefire. The Irish public’s support is even more robust than their politicians: About </span><a href="https://www.fm104.ie/news/fm104-news/almost-80-of-irish-people-support-palestine-as-protest-to-take-place-in-the-city/" style="font-family: verdana;">80 percent of Irish people</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, and many have called for a boycott of the White House meeting. In light of this fierce support, an Israeli minister recently told Palestinians to “go to </span><a href="https://www.independent.ie/world-news/middle-east/israeli-minister-says-gazans-can-go-to-ireland-or-the-desert-as-he-says-nuclear-bomb-also-a-possibility/a908253395.html" style="font-family: verdana;">Ireland or the desert</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">And so as Biden continues to support Israel’s military campaign, the Irish public has largely turned on him. In November, a </span><a href="https://www.sundayworld.com/news/irish-news/vandals-daub-genocide-joe-under-damaged-mural-of-us-president-joe-biden-in-ballina/a422488321.html" style="font-family: verdana;">mural of Biden</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> in his ancestor’s hometown was spattered over with red paint along with the words “Genocide Joe”. Irish Member of European Parliament (MEP) Clare Daly addressed recent remarks directly to “Butcher Biden” in a fiery speech, thundering, “The ancestors of the Ireland that you claim to be from </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqiT_RmIHzA" style="font-family: verdana;">disown you</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">. Keep our country out of your mouth.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now, Alison O’Connell, a lead organiser with </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/irishamericansforpalestine/" style="font-family: verdana;">Irish Americans for Palestine</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">, says her group has a chance to be effective “because Biden talks so much about his Irish heritage”. Last week, O’Connell delivered a letter in person to the Irish embassy, asking them not to meet Biden as usual. “The energy that comes up to St Patrick’s Day – people know this is our moment to at least make some kind of statement,” O’Connell adds.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">This week, protests against the White House meeting are planned in at least seven states and in multiple cities, including New York, St Louis, Washington-DC, Minneapolis and Albuquerque.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img height="266" src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Alison-OConnell_DelaneyNolan_IrishBiden-1710612065.jpeg?w=770&resize=770%2C513&quality=80" width="400" /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Alison O’Connell, lead organiser with Irish Americans for Palestine, protests for Palestine during the St Patrick’s Day March in Washington, DC [Courtesy of Alison O’Connell]</span></b></i><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Trouble at the polls</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">On March 3, Mike Doyle, a teacher in Brooklyn who is fourth-generation Irish, marched in the “</span><a href="https://www.stpatsforall.org/" style="font-family: verdana;">St Pat’s for All Parade</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">” in Queens, New York, a long-running alternative to the official New York City parade, the oldest and largest St Patrick’s Parade in the world. Some groups hoisted signs and banners for a ceasefire in Gaza, and Doyle recalls that as they walked through the historically Irish neighbourhood of Sunnyside neighbourhood, “pretty much the whole street was cheering for us and shouting, ‘Ceasefire’!”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">As the election approaches, Irish Americans who object to Biden’s support of Israel have said the plan is to make their voices heard not only at protests, but also at the polls.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">McCann voted for Biden in 2020, but says he will vote for “</span><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/6/minnesotas-stunning-uncommitted-vote-reveals-enduring-problem-for-biden" style="font-family: verdana;">uncommitted</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">” in Maryland’s primary, a vote held in May to choose the state’s Democratic presidential candidate.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">O’Connell notes that her father, once a Republican, voted for Biden in 2020, but is now undecided.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">In an “Irish Americans for Biden-Harris 2024 Campaign Kick-off” meeting on Friday, Biden told attendees that he needed Irish Americans to win in November. The swing states of New Hampshire, Maine, and Pennsylvania have the most Americans of Irish descent in the country – </span><a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/the-most-irish-states" style="font-family: verdana;">#1, #5, and #6</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> “most-Irish” respectively.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some have blamed “</span><a href="https://www.independent.ie/world-news/the-tribe-by-caitriona-perry-absorbing-interviews-offer-a-forensic-authoritative-discussion-about-irish-americans-in-us/38650406.html" style="font-family: verdana;">insufficient attention to Irish-American communities</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">”, at least in part, for Clinton’s 2016 loss to Trump.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-family: verdana;">“I just don’t understand how he can defend the bombing of hospitals, of universities, 900,000 children internally displaced,” says Mulligan. “He’s lost my vote, certainly. He would’ve had it before,” Mulligan adds, “But this went beyond the line.”</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img height="225" src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/St-Pats-for-All_DelaneyNolan_IrishBiden-1710612131.jpeg?w=770&resize=770%2C433&quality=80" width="400" /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b>A pro-Palestine group marches in the ‘St Pats for All’ Parade in Queens, New York, on March 3 [Mike Doyle/Al Jazeera]</b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img height="266" src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/St-Pats-for-All-3_DelaneyNolan_IrishBiden-1710612125.jpeg?w=770&resize=770%2C513&quality=80" width="400" /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b>The ‘St Pats for All’ Parade is an inclusive alternative to the official city parade and is supported by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs [Mike Doyle/Al Jazeera]</b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b>For others, Biden support still strong</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Brian O’Dwyer, vice-president of the Irish-American Democrats Political Action Committee (PAC) and the Irish for Biden campaign, likewise stressed the importance of the Irish vote, saying there is “no question” it is one of the few remaining swing votes in the US.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Biden won the presidency in 2020 in large part because of the Irish vote in Pennsylvania and Michigan,” which both voted for Trump in 2016, O’Dwyer says, adding that those states “certainly will be targeted in this upcoming election”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">But O’Dwyer says Irish-American Democrats remain “very supportive of the way President Biden has handled his support for Israel”. When asked about the Irish Americans who’ve protested and objected, O’Dwyer backtracks somewhat: “Of course, there’s a shift in the last few years, weeks, days. That’s become very apparent.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">O’Dwyer says that in order to hear from Irish-American voters, “this time of year, we’re meeting regularly with members of the community,” both virtually and in person. He clarified that the PAC has not done polling on the issue.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">He added that while “there certainly are a number of people” who’ve brought up concerns over Gaza, “from what I’m hearing from the broader community, they think the president’s position is exactly right.”</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Speaking just hours after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for an end to Netanyahu’s rule, O’Dwyer agreed with the Senator, calling Netanyahu “the major impediment to peace … We all think it’s time for him to go.”</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img height="225" src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Rep-Pat-Ryan_DelaneyNolan_IrishBiden-1710612098.jpeg?w=770&resize=770%2C433&quality=80" width="400" /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b>Irish- and Jewish-American protesters outside Rep. Pat Ryan’s office hold the Irish tricolour flag on March 2 in Newburgh, New York [John Francis Mulligan/Al Jazeera]</b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b>‘Palestine frees us all’</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">McCann, a registered Democrat who says he works with Irish Americans in more than 30 states, called O’Dwyer “willfully out of touch with the actual sentiment of our communities nationwide”. He estimates more than 90 percent of Irish Americans he speaks with support a free Palestine.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Asked about current US policy in Gaza, Matt Carthy, foreign affairs spokesperson for the Irish lead opposition party Sinn Fein, wrote in an email, “Quite simply the US is on the wrong side of history. They must stop funding and arming Israel while it remains in gross violation of international law.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sinn Fein Party President Mary Lou McDonald is in the US this week. She told an audience at Georgetown University that Biden was getting things “</span><a href="https://twitter.com/sinnfeinireland/status/1768654229558689952" style="font-family: verdana;">badly, badly wrong</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">”. McDonald is meeting with US leaders including Schumer and Michigan Representative Rashida Tlaib.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Carthy also notes that “we have a real sense that public opinion there has shifted, notably within the Irish-American community, who rightly have seen parallels between the fate of their ancestors and what the Palestinian people are currently enduring”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Doyle also feels the Democratic Party establishment is “misgauging, certainly the younger people” who don’t support Israeli occupation.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“That’s not what contemporary Ireland looks like,” he says. “It’s anticolonial. It’s increasingly secular. It advocates for human rights and liberation. I think there’s a lot of Irish Americans who would gladly identify with that. In fact, the widespread interest this month as folks, young and old, have started to assemble as Irish Americans for a Free Palestine demonstrates just that – it really embodies the spirit of ‘Palestine will set us all free,’ as it gives us a chance to lean into our Irish heritage and our values as people of conscience.”</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b>SOURCE: AL JAZEERA</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-2429248338994917832024-03-19T16:22:00.005+08:002024-03-19T16:22:57.301+08:00Out of money, Pentagon chief looks to convince allies of commitment to Ukraine<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><b><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/out-money-pentagon-chief-looks-convince-allies-commitment-ukraine-2024-03-18/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reuters</span></a>:<br /><br />Out of money, Pentagon chief looks to convince allies of commitment to Ukraine</b><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">March 19, 2024 10:21 AM GMT+11</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img height="267" src="https://cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/UORGUC6I55IVTMHTZWWRNX23UQ.jpg" width="400" /></span><br /><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b>U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks on the day of the Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in honor of General Mark A. Milley, 20th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and an Armed Forces Hail in honor of General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., the 21st Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at Summerall Field at Joint Base</b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany, March 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday will try and convince European allies that President Joe Biden's administration is still committed to supporting Ukraine, even as Washington has essentially run out of money to continue arming Kyiv and few signs that Congress will move to replenish funds.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson has so far <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senate-heads-toward-final-passage-ukraine-aid-bill-2024-02-13/">refused to call</a> a vote on a bill that would provide $60 billion more for Ukraine and the White House has been scrambling to find ways to send assistance to Kyiv, which has been battling Russian forces for more than two years.<br /><br />Austin will be leading the monthly meeting known as the Ukraine defense contact group (UDCG), held at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, of about 50 allies that have been militarily supporting Ukraine.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />The Pentagon said Austin, who is making his first overseas trip since a prostate cancer treatment, will reiterate that Washington is committed to Ukraine.<br />But officials say the lack of funding available is already having an impact on the ground in Ukraine and Ukrainian forces are having to manage scarce resources.<br /><br />"I think our allies are acutely aware of our funding situation and the Ukrainians more so than anyone because of the shortages that are resulting from us not being able to supply them," a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Last week the Biden administration said it would send <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-preparing-new-weapons-package-ukraine-officials-2024-03-12/">$300 million</a> in military assistance to Ukraine, but added that it was an extraordinary move after <span style="background-color: #ffe599;">unexpected savings from 😏😏😏</span> military contracts the Pentagon had made.<br /><br />Officials have not ruled out that they could find additional savings, but they say that amount would not be enough to make up for the lack of Congressional action.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />Experts say that Austin will face a skeptical audience in Europe.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />"It's becoming harder and harder for U.S. leaders to travel to Europe, with the message that the United States is committed to Ukraine in the long-term," Rachel Rizzo, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Europe Center in Washington, said.<br /><br />"The message of this long-term financial, military, economic commitment flies in the face of the reality of what's happening on Capitol Hill," Rizzo added.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />At a joint press conference in Berlin on Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, whose ammunition-starved troops face their toughest battles since the early days of Russia's invasion two years ago.<br /><br />European support has become increasingly key with Biden unable to get a big Ukraine aid package through Congress, and much of his foreign policy energy is focused on the war in Gaza.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />But U.S. officials say that the reality is that without the United States, European support for Ukraine will not be enough to fend of Russian forces.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />"There isn't a way that our allies can really combine forces to make up for the lack of U.S. support," the senior U.S. defense official said.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that Russia is preparing a new offensive against Ukraine starting in late May or summer.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-73802948627018703932024-03-19T15:39:00.007+08:002024-03-19T15:39:58.315+08:002,500 matriculation spots for Indians won’t affect support, senator tells Anwar<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><b><a href="https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/03/19/2500-matriculation-spots-for-indians-wont-affect-support-senator-tells-anwar/" target="_blank">FMT</a>:<br /><br />2,500 matriculation spots for Indians won’t affect support, senator tells Anwar</b><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">19 Mar 2024, 11:15 AM<br /><br />C Sivaraj says it is common knowledge that the community lags behind and is in need of such support.<br /><br /><br /><img height="250" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/993b1ed2-student-university-bernama-190324.webp" width="400" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Senator C Sivaraj says 2,500 matriculation seats for the Indian community would go a long way in empowering them. (Facebook pic)<br /></span></b></i><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">PETALING JAYA: A government senator has urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to show his commitment to uplifting the socio-economic status of Indians by providing 2,500 matriculation seats for the community.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">C Sivaraj said Anwar should not fear losing support from the Malays as it was common knowledge that the Indian community lagged far behind and was in need of such assistance.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><img src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/3b01336f-senator-c-sivaraj-mugshot-190324.jpg" /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">C Sivaraj.</span></b></i><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“I wish to remind him that as prime minister, he must give fair and equitable treatment to all races. I am sure that even the Chinese and Malay communities will be happy if the prime minister helps the Indian community.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“I am sure that the Chinese and Malay communities will not stop supporting you just because you help the Indians. Giving the community 2,500 seats will go a long way towards lifting them out of the vicious cycle of poverty that they are trapped in,” he said during the debate on the royal address in the Dewan Negara yesterday evening.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The former MIC vice-president, who quit the party last year, said he had raised the issue with the prime minister before but had yet to receive a response.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">When asked about the suggested figure of 2,500, Sivaraj told FMT that a total of 1,600 seats were offered to the Indians in 2017.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“In 2018, Najib Razak as prime minister promised 2,200 seats,” he added.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“However, the number has been below 2,000 since then. It was much lower last year.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">According to Sivaraj, <span style="background-color: #ffe599;">only 10% of an estimated 30,000 seats are offered to non-Malays</span>, with about 5.4% going to the Chinese and the rest to the Indian community.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Based on this, an average of about 1,100 seats were offered to Indian students from 2018. Offering them 2,500 seats would go a long way in empowering the Indian community in the long run,” he said.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-51775106559836489332024-03-19T15:33:00.001+08:002024-03-19T15:33:07.255+08:00Will Anwar’s ‘unity government’ end secularism through a ‘stealthy' Constitutional change?<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><a href="https://substack.com/profile/6645582-murray-hunter" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_80,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb7364e2-edff-483a-8948-1611a61f62c1_197x256.jpeg" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><b><a href="https://murrayhunter.substack.com/">Murray Hunter</a><br /><br /><a href="https://murrayhunter.substack.com/p/will-anwars-unity-government-end?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=347364&post_id=142713753&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=19i53w&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Will Anwar’s ‘unity government’ end secularism through a ‘stealthy' Constitutional change?</span></a></b></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />Bounding along the road towards an Islamic state<br /><br />MAR 19, 2024<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F98ce5c79-a4e9-426f-97e2-ef9d88d33673_2400x1600.jpeg"><img height="267" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F98ce5c79-a4e9-426f-97e2-ef9d88d33673_2400x1600.jpeg" width="400" /><br /></a><br /><br />The Federal Court’s recent decision to nullify 16 of 18 provisions of Kelantan’s Syariah Criminal Enactment (2019) has opened up an opportunity for the ‘unity government’. This has led to the call for a committee to examine the harmonisation of Syariah law with civil law, and look for a remedy.<br /><br />The Federal Court decision has set a precedent for the states in setting the limits of state legislature power in enacting Syariah criminal laws. The ruling also sets precedence of federal criminal code over Syariah codes, which are a state matter, considering Islam is a state matter.<br /><br />Consequently, the harmonisation committee may recommend potential changes to the Constitution to enable Syariah and civil laws to stand side by side. This would alter the boundaries between federal and state powers over Islam related issues within the Constitution.<br /><br />The harmonization of Syariah and civil laws follows calls by the religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar to <a href="https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2023/08/01/we-need-to-harmonise-shariah-civil-law-says-minister/">harmonize laws, in order the position of Islam is elevated as the religion of the Federation, by dignifying Syariah law to its rightful sovereign position</a>. Na’im reiterated this faced many challenges. However, with Anwar Ibrahim’s super majority in the Dewan Rakyat, changing the Constitution will now be much easier.<br /><br />There have <a href="https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/35882/1/35882.pdf">long been calls to modify Article 121 (1.a.) of the Constitution</a>, which prevents civil courts having jurisdiction over matters that qualify for the Syariah court, i.e., a Muslim is involved. Some academics have called Article 121 (1.a.), which was an amendment made in 1988 to the original constitution, a restriction upon freedom of religion.<br /><br />The Federal court decision has reaffirmed that Syariah Courts, by way of state legislatures have exceeded their powers, beyond the present constitution. Its certainly not likely Article 121 (1.a) will be restored to its original words, “… the judicial power of the Federation shall be vested in” the High Court.<br /><br />Its more likely in today’s political environment that Syariah law may be brought to exist as equal alongside civil law. If such will be the case, then Malaysia’s legal system will carry two parallel systems. This will create a new precedent that Islamic law will be equal to civil laws in Malaysia. This will gravely weaken the power of the Dewan Rakyat to legislate over legal matters in the future.<br /><br />At the recent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZelZRXUmkY">“The Malaysian Contours of Federal Constitution: Negotiating between the scared and the secular”</a>, Siti Kassim warned that Malaysia is moving further away from secularism. Anwar’s ‘unity government’ now has the opportunity to do so. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-74057327377585568572024-03-19T13:36:00.004+08:002024-03-19T13:36:48.057+08:00Lobbyists, politicians, cronies a noxious mix<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/"><img src="https://www.malaysiakini.com/mk-small-logo.svg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><img height="240" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2023/12/b66478361aa7d4ab23ccd80f2e9a7eee.jpg=s800" width="400" /><br /><br /><br /></span><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/699846" target="_blank"><b>Lobbyists, politicians, cronies a noxious mix</b></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/en/author/R%20Nadeswaran"><img src="https://static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/rnadeswaran.png" /></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/en/author/R%20Nadeswaran">R Nadeswaran<br />Published: Mar 19, 2024 7:00 AM<br /></a><br /><br /><i>“We are journalists - not the public prosecutor nor the modern-day version of Buford Pusser, the hero in (the movie) ‘Walking Tall’. We use our pens - we do not walk around carrying a baseball bat or have holsters strapped to our hips. We are the eyes and ears of the public - and we take pride in such a role. Our job is to inform and educate. Our system does not allow Joe Public to bring about private prosecution. We merely record the wrongdoings, in the hope that the wrongdoers would be punished and public money that has been lost is recouped.”</i><br /><br /><br />COMMENT | More than 15 years ago, I penned these words out of frustration rather than anger.<br /><br />There had been no action on several cases of misuse of power and (government) money which I exposed despite having my statement recorded by various enforcement agencies, there were no results to show.<br /><br />When I wrote a commentary on the wives of Selangor assemblypersons going on lawatan sambil belajar (study trips), the police were more interested in finding the source of information than going after the wrongdoers.<br /><br />Among those that were exposed was the “palace” built on land meant for low-cost housing by (the late) assemblyperson Zakaria Mat Deros, the alienation of state land in Selangor to cronies - some of whom were in their teens; the Petaling Jaya City Council’s billboard scandal; former Minister Ng Yen Yen being a permanent resident of Australia.<br /><br />At that time, I had written about 600 articles and commentaries but the only consolation was that a former national gymnast was charged. Even then, the charges were later withdrawn.<br /><br />Those were the days when the Umno/BN government, both at the state and national level, had their tentacles in various arms of the government. The abang-adik culture of “you scratch my back, I scratch yours” was prevalent.<br /><br />These days, not much has changed either because the influence peddlers also double up as decision-makers.<br /><br />As Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sits with his cabinet tomorrow to decide on the fate of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, a feeling of hopelessness has descended. His remarks at the end of his working trip to Germany provided little relief. It was cause for consternation.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><img height="240" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2024/03/406a5682dda2254d5d7be09416703097.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim</span></b></i><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Three weeks ago, when asked in Kuala Selangor if toll concessions for highways around Kuala Lumpur can be renegotiated, he said it could be done once the country’s financial situation improves.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Instead of bluntly saying “we can afford it in the current economic situation” to a proposal to host the Games, he said that the government would scrutinise the details and obtain the views of all parties.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“We have to </span><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/699591" style="font-family: verdana;">look in detail first</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">. Look at it as the whole before making a final decision,” Bernama quoted him as saying in Berlin.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Has the financial situation changed in a month? No.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Call me a cynic if you wish, but I can only guess that the lobbyists have got to him with all kinds of promises and undertakings. In my many years as a journalist, I know how the system works and how creative some in power can be.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Money, money, money</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Even without government funding, 10 percent of the RM600 million promised by the Commonwealth Games Federation is a lot of money.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I can picture well-connected politicians rubbing their palms in elation and glee at the many money-making opportunities that can come along.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hovering behind them, as I see it, are contractors and suppliers who can provide anything - from T-shirts and medals and from stationery to scaffoldings. At every turn, the ringgit sign will feature prominently and the slew of cash circulating will be humongous.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img height="240" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2023/07/881d51b0429d5719614371e95ddc20e8.jpg" width="400" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">A bamboo pole to hang the flag could fetch at least RM8 (that’s what a BN candidate paid during GE14) the runners’ numbers could be flogged for RM10 a pair.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">New gymnastics equipment may make someone half a million and there is plenty to be made even from the nasi bungkus for volunteers.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Looking at the lower end, making just RM3 per packet for 6,000 volunteers over 12 days will bring in RM216,000 - not bad a reward for an intermediary.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">It would be argued that because of the tight datelines, calling for tenders and evaluating them would be a waste of time, and hence, the answer would be direct negotiations.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Stranger things have happened</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The many voices of opposition to being hosts have drowned those of the proponents, but stranger things have happened in the country.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">For example, many Umno members (including cabinet ministers) continue to believe former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s ill-founded claim that he is entitled to a full pardon because he did not get a “fair trial”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">And his family continues to believe he will rise from incarceration just like Nelson Mandela, but the latter had never stolen from his people!</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img height="240" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2022/03/7316294f70667db1221afc3c1efe773f.jpg" width="400" /></span></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Najib Abdul Razak and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi</span></b></i><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Elsewhere, another problem has been placed at the attorney-general’s door, to decide whether to proceed or withdraw an appeal to overturn Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s acquittal in the foreign visa system (VLN) corruption case.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Let us also not forget that he was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal in the Yayasan Akalbudi case after his defence was called because Anwar said that the AG wanted a “clear his conscience”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">In this instance of hosting the Games, I hope and want to be proven wrong. I will certainly be thrilled and elated if the cabinet refuses. But if for any strange reason, the decision is otherwise, here is my offer.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am willing to work for a token RM1 and do national service by serving on the finance committee and ensuring there are no leaks and every sen in income expenditure is accounted for.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">We cannot put foxes in charge of the hen house, can we?</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>R NADESWARAN hopes the cabinet will make the right call but some decisions in the past have been beyond comprehension. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com</i></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-15546137582560208012024-03-19T09:01:00.002+08:002024-03-19T09:01:31.039+08:00No need for Commonwealth Games, fix domestic woes<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/"><img src="https://www.malaysiakini.com/mk-small-logo.svg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><img height="240" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/1152/a5e8792457a63265813ca3f8b25b746f.jpeg=s800" width="400" /><br /><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/699844" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">No need for Commonwealth Games, fix domestic woes</span></b></a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/en/author/Yoursay"><br />Published: Mar 19, 2024 6:30 AM<br /></a><br /><br /><i>YOURSAY | ‘Games will only add a minuscule boost to the economy.’<br /><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/699648">COMMENT | Dark truths on '98 Commonwealth Games emerge</a><br /></i><br /><br /><b>Drkam:</b> Should we still entertain the idea of hosting, especially in the wake of the scandalous 1998 Commonwealth Games?<br /><br />Malaysiakini columnist R Nadeswaran has succinctly outlined persistent concerns surrounding the games.<br /><br />Despite its prestige, it remains a costly endeavour, with financial transparency akin to the MH370 mystery.<br /><br />The aftermath resembles messy clean-ups post-ceremonies, as initial excitement wanes, leaving neglect to handle the aftermath.<br /><br />The image of officials opening stadium doors for free entry to bolster televised event crowds is undeniably embarrassing.<br /><br />Now, with a cadre of inexperienced leaders, including the Malaysian Olympic Council (OCM) and its non-sportsperson president Norza Zakaria, pushing for Malaysia to host the 2026 Games, it appears history may repeat itself with costly missteps. One can only hope they learn from <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/699056">past mistakes</a>.<br /><br /><b>Falcon:</b> The gluttony of corruption, abuse and inappropriate behaviour is still a reminder to those who witnessed the onslaught by both political and business cronies.<br /><br />Sadly, <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/699442">lessons</a> have not been learnt. We are ready to point out the shortfalls of others, but when worse things take place domestically, not a whisper can be heard.<br /><br />There are those with no conscience and willing to dip and spend money we do not have so that the glamour of photo shoots and publicity will elevate their political stature.<br /><br />But at what costs again this time? More subtle taxes? We cannot even fix our food security ecosystem but are obsessed with picking up what Australia casts out.<br /><br />Who felt we needed this? Those who lost the plot of truly committed reforms or those who don't care for the plight of the majority struggling to make ends meet while living jet-setting political lives citing untruths?<br /><br /><b>WhiteHawk2009:</b> Sports-wise, we are at a stage where we only excel in badminton, cycling and perhaps, squash.<br /><br />Let’s focus on building more public healthcare facilities and schools as well as making every corner of the country's internet accessible.<br /><br />Build proper roads in the rural areas, and ensure good libraries are built with a “workable” internet service, so kids can go to and learn. “Kita jaga kita” (we take care of each other).<br /><br /><span style="background-color: #ffe599;">The Commonwealth Games is a case of wealth not being common and glorifying colonial England’s oppressive rule of blatant oppression, murder of the indigenous people, taping and plundering in all the countries they conquered.</span><br /><br /><b>Just a Malaysian:</b> The <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/694532">standard</a> of our athletes has dropped. We are no longer world-class in many sports.<br /><br />We are not an open society and carry with us religious and social baggage. We are broke. We do not have a good administrator.<br /><br />We have cronies waiting to capitalise on the billions of ringgit to be spent. We do not have a good maintenance culture and facilities built deteriorate over time and become a burden.<br /><br />We have many other immediate problems to resolve. We have a super negative opposition that will paralyse the project to death.<br /><br />We have an overactive Islamist movement and a sensitive rightist group. We should never host the Commonwealth Games.<br /><br /><b>Focusapp:</b> Malaysia should not hold any international sports event that is contrary to its actions. The games are a beacon of diversity, inclusivity and equity.<br /><br />Solve all the racial and religious biases in your backyard. Don't go around spending millions and billions to put on a "wayang" (show) that Malaysia is a "great" and "<a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/699530">multi-racial</a>" country when it is not.<br /><br />The games will only add a minuscule boost to the economy. Cronies will benefit, but future generations will be left to shoulder the debt burden by helping to pay interest funded by taxes.<br /><br /><b>Apek superdad:</b> These old chaps would not remember anything now, selective or not. It would be better to let Singapore host the games. They'll do a better job.<br /><br />They're more organised, more efficient and have the money to do this. We'll just be fluffing around.<br /><br />Our leadership should just focus on fixing our education mess, our economy and our national issues first.<br /><br />For example, get Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB) to fix the aerotrain at KLIA to run smoothly before organising any big event in the country. That alone is another national embarrassment.<br /><br />Take a good look at ourselves.<br /><br /><b>LimeSinga1592:</b> We have very loud and strong saboteurs in this country who oppose anything the elected government does.<br /><br />Our current government is not strong enough to take these naysayers on.<br /><br />The games have the potential of creating another mega scandal and Malaysia might have to contend with boycotts from certain countries for not conforming to their worldview.<br /><br />All this could lead to massive losses.<br /><br />If the government can address the issues mentioned, I will support holding the 2026 Commonwealth Games here.<br /><br /><b>Headhunter:</b> Will they ever learn? Not as long as they can help themselves to the moneybag. If we host another Commonwealth Games, be assured that this sorry tale will be repeated.<br /><br /><span style="background-color: #ffe599;">It's just another opportunity for cronies and rent seekers to raid the treasury.<br /><br />Can anyone remember the last time that a big-budget undertaking in a country was corruption-free? I certainly can't.</span><br /><br />That's why there are so many bunglings and competencies in project management previously, because the main objective is to milk the cash cow, while all other objectives are secondary.<br /><br />Who gives a hoot if things go haywire?<br /><br />History tells us that it will soon be forgotten anyway, and the whole gang will be happily padding themselves on their backs and laughing all the way to the bank.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-59918127688469775292024-03-19T08:54:00.001+08:002024-03-19T08:54:13.166+08:00Bumiputera Economic Congress 2024<p> </p><h1 id="site-title" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro", Garamond, Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", Times, "Times New Roman", Georgia, serif; font-size: 3.2em; font-style: italic; line-height: 38.912px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://dennisignatius.com/" rel="home" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Dennis Ignatius">Dennis Ignatius</a></h1><p><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro", Garamond, Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", Times, "Times New Roman", Georgia, serif; font-size: 12.16px; font-style: italic;"> </span></p><h2 id="site-description" style="background-attachment: initial; 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margin: 0px 0px 30px;"><header class="post-title" style="padding: 0px 0px 20px; position: relative;"><h1 style="background: 0px 0px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-color: rgba(221, 221, 221, 0.3); border-image: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #990000; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro", Garamond, Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", Times, "Times New Roman", Georgia, serif; font-size: 3em; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; line-height: 36.48px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 16px 178.986px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bumiputera Economic Congress 2024</h1><a class="post-permalink" href="https://dennisignatius.com/2024/03/18/bumiputera-economic-congress-2024/" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="post-date" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; 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font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 15px; position: relative; top: 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mar 2024</span></p></a><div class="post-info clear-fix" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #555555; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px 20.4449px 0px 178.986px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 398.874px;">Posted <span class="by-author" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">by <span class="author vcard" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="url fn n" href="https://dennisignatius.com/author/dennisignatius/" rel="author" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #675f34; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="View all posts by Dennis Ignatius">Dennis Ignatius</a></span></span> in <a href="https://dennisignatius.com/category/economy/" rel="category tag" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #675f34; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Economy</a>, <a href="https://dennisignatius.com/category/good-governance/" rel="category tag" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #675f34; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">good governance</a>, <a href="https://dennisignatius.com/category/malaysia/" rel="category tag" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #675f34; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Malaysia</a>, <a href="https://dennisignatius.com/category/politics/" rel="category tag" style="background: 0px 0px; 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line-height: 20.672px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 61px 0px 50px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; width: 140.267px;"><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; clear: both; float: right; font-size: 0.9em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 140.267px;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-color: rgba(221, 221, 221, 0.3); border-image: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; float: right; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro", Garamond, Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", Times, "Times New Roman", Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.6em; margin: 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tags</span></p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; clear: both; float: right; font-size: 0.9em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 140.267px;"><a href="https://dennisignatius.com/tag/anwar-ibrahim/" rel="tag" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 10.944px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Anwar Ibrahim</a>, <a href="https://dennisignatius.com/tag/b40/" rel="tag" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 10.944px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">B40</a>, <a href="https://dennisignatius.com/tag/bumiputera-economic-congress/" rel="tag" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 10.944px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bumiputera Economic Congress</a>, <a href="https://dennisignatius.com/tag/nep/" rel="tag" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 10.944px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">NEP</a>, <a href="https://dennisignatius.com/tag/racial-polarisation/" rel="tag" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 10.944px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">racial polarisation</a>, <a href="https://dennisignatius.com/tag/umno/" rel="tag" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 10.944px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">UMNO</a>, <a href="https://dennisignatius.com/tag/zahid-hamidi/" rel="tag" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 10.944px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zahid Hamidi</a></p></div><div class="post-entry" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #333333; float: right; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 15px 20.4449px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 531.846px;"><h2 class="wp-block-heading" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 0.9236em; line-height: 1em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Part 1: Old solutions to a never-ending issue</h2><figure class="wp-block-image size-large" style="margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://dennisignatius.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zahid-bec.png" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #990000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-6364" data-attachment-id="6364" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="zahid-bec" data-large-file="https://dennisignatius.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zahid-bec.png?w=529" data-medium-file="https://dennisignatius.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zahid-bec.png?w=300" data-orig-file="https://dennisignatius.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zahid-bec.png" data-orig-size="931,504" data-permalink="https://dennisignatius.com/2024/03/18/bumiputera-economic-congress-2024/zahid-bec/" height="504" sizes="(max-width: 931px) 100vw, 931px" src="https://dennisignatius.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zahid-bec.png?w=931" srcset="https://dennisignatius.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zahid-bec.png 931w, https://dennisignatius.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zahid-bec.png?w=150 150w, https://dennisignatius.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zahid-bec.png?w=300 300w, https://dennisignatius.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/zahid-bec.png?w=768 768w" style="background: 0px 0px; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221) rgb(204, 204, 204) rgb(204, 204, 204) rgb(221, 221, 221); border-image: initial; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgb(204, 204, 204) 4px 4px 12px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; left: -4px; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: bottom;" width="931" /></a></figure><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The recently concluded Bumiputera Economic Congress (like the ones before it) was very much a political affair as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sought to position himself as the new champion of Malay nationalism.</p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">While there was a great deal of verbal incontinence about Bumiputera empowerment, it ended up being a forum to advance the power and position of privileged Bumiputera elites at the expense of the rest of the nation. </p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Once again, the B40 group – Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera – are left with the crumbs; they can look forward to yet more years of low-paying, dead-end jobs and government handouts to survive. And that’s exactly where the politicians want them to be – forever dependent on government largesse to survive and easy to manipulate to boot.</p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In the run-up to the Congress, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim raised expectations with lofty speeches about inclusivity, transformation and change.<a href="https://425eeaf1-84ec-4e29-a1d5-a4f648d0e124/#_ftn1" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #990000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; bottom: 1ex; font-size: 10px; height: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">[1]</span></a> Hopes soared that finally he would put an end to the whole wasteful, corrupt and widely abused structures that the NEP had spawned over the years, that he would move towards the kind of needs-based policies that he himself had long advocated.</p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It was not to be. The same old failed policies were trotted out camouflaged with new names, new labels, new terminologies. Bumiputera Empowerment became Bumiputera Transformation. The word “inclusiveness” which gave the impression that there would be something in it for non-Malays turned out to be nothing more than a demand that non-Bumiputeras work closely with the government to further empower the Bumiputeras. </p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bumiputeras and non-Bumiputeras working together for the good of all is something that is much needed but if the government wants to see genuine cooperation and real partnership between the two, it has to demonstrate in meaningful ways that both sides will really benefit from such cooperation. Cooperation, after all, means working together for mutual benefit. As it stands, there’s really nothing much for non-Bumiputeras to get excited about. Constantly shunting minorities aside and then expecting them to work together is simply unrealistic and ultimately self-defeating.</p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Of course, there was no shortage of people who praised the congress as a breakthrough event; it was actually a wasted opportunity. It just condemns the nation to the continuance of a failed economic framework, an albatross that keeps Malaysia at the level of mediocrity while doing nothing to ease racial polarization. </p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Zahid, perhaps sensing the growing hostility towards many of these Bumiputera policies, urged everyone not to view government assistance for Bumiputeras cynically.<a href="https://425eeaf1-84ec-4e29-a1d5-a4f648d0e124/#_ftn2" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #990000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; bottom: 1ex; font-size: 10px; height: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">[2]</span></a> He is expecting too much. Years of corruption, abuse of power and failed policies have made cynics of most Malaysians. </p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">But, no matter how bad these policies are or no matter how much money is squandered, we are all warned to respect Bumiputera sensitivities and refrain from questioning the Bumiputera agenda.<a href="https://425eeaf1-84ec-4e29-a1d5-a4f648d0e124/#_ftn3" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #990000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; bottom: 1ex; font-size: 10px; height: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">[3]</span></a> It’s the preferred method of stifling honest debate and avoiding the hard questions. All it does is perpetuate a system that is wasteful and abusive. If there is to be change, voters must demand greater accountability and transparency of all polices whether for Bumiputeras or otherwise. </p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Interestingly, UMNO emerged as the key driver of Bumiputera-related policies with Deputy Prime Minister and UMNO President Zahid Hamidi playing an outsized role in the Congress. As Chairman of the Performance and Implementation Management Committee Meeting (Steering Committee) that was set up by the Congress, he will now have a huge say in developing the Bumiputera economy and all the billions that will be channelled to it. That should translate into a great deal of political power and patronage.</p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It is another reminder that Pakatan Harapan appears to have given up trying to win Malay support on its own and has outsourced that role to UMNO now. Zahid must be congratulated for his political acumen; with only 26 seats in parliament (compared to PKR’s 31 and DAP’s 40), he has made UMNO the real lynchpin of the coalition government. Will UMNO use it to build up the Anwar Administration or strengthen its own position and challenge PH down the road?</p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">[Dennis Ignatius | Kuala Lumpur | 18<span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; bottom: 1ex; font-size: 10px; height: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">th</span> March 2024]</p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" style="background: 0px 0px rgb(204, 204, 204); border: 0px; height: 1px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://425eeaf1-84ec-4e29-a1d5-a4f648d0e124/#_ftnref1" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #990000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; bottom: 1ex; font-size: 10px; height: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">[1]</span></a> PM Anwar says Bumiputera Economic Congress 2024 will be more inclusive |Malay Mail |15 February 2024</p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://425eeaf1-84ec-4e29-a1d5-a4f648d0e124/#_ftnref2" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #990000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; bottom: 1ex; font-size: 10px; height: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">[2]</span></a> Don’t view govt assistance for Bumiputeras cynically, says Zahid |FMT |27 February 2024</p><p style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 23.4px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://425eeaf1-84ec-4e29-a1d5-a4f648d0e124/#_ftnref3" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; color: #990000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; bottom: 1ex; font-size: 10px; height: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">[3]</span></a> Respect each other’s sensitivities for stability, says Umno leader |Malaysiakini |17 March 2024</p><div class="sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled" id="jp-post-flair" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0.5em 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-icon-text sd-sharing" style="background: 0px 0px; 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font-size: large;"><br /><b><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/18/israel-asks-icj-not-to-order-new-measures-over-looming-famine-in-gaza" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">al Jazeera</span></a>:<br /> <br />Israel asks ICJ not to order new measures over looming famine in Gaza</b><br /><br />Israel asks the UN court to reject South Africa’s request for more emergency orders in the Gaza genocide case</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><img height="266" src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/12096828-1710763782.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80" width="400" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b>Displaced Palestinians collect food donated by a charity on the fourth day of Ramadan in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip [Haitham Imad/EPA]</b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br />Published On 18 Mar 2024</span></b></i><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.io%2Fiomcbb"></a><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Israel%20asks%20ICJ%20not%20to%20order%20new%20measures%20over%20looming%20famine%20in%20Gaza&source=sharethiscom&related=sharethis&via=AJEnglish&url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.io%2Fiomcbb"></a><a href="https://aje.io/iomcbb"></a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Israel has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) not to issue emergency orders for it to step up humanitarian aid to Gaza to address a looming famine, dismissing </span><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/6/south-africa-asks-icj-for-more-measures-against-israel-over-gaza-famine" style="font-family: verdana;">South Africa’s request</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> to do so as “morally repugnant”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">In a legal filing to the top United Nations court, made public on Monday, Israel said it “has real concern for the humanitarian situation and innocent lives, as demonstrated by the actions it has and is taking” in Gaza.</span><br /><br /><br /><i><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">KEEP READING</span></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/18/famine-expected-in-gaza-between-now-and-may-what-to-know?traffic_source=KeepReading">Famine expected in Gaza between now and May: What to know</a></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/6/how-to-distract-a-starving-child-hunger-in-rafah-amid-israels-war-on-gaza?traffic_source=KeepReading">How to distract a starving child: Hunger in Rafah amid Israel’s war on Gaza</a></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/18/israel-deliberately-blocking-medical-aid-from-gaza-oxfam-report-warns?traffic_source=KeepReading" style="background-color: #ffe599;">Oxfam accuses Israel of ‘deliberately’ blocking aid to famine-stalked Gaza</a></b></i></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLLCykZAYCR970n8qjDGpk_TCRzG54rM_XzptUTT3_4bgoThgYuElU42AFOXILW3QeMbH3tEjSe52S6LQ1ZfNYyumVrQBDHOy3im2VweRdupSw1v0d4Yt-wP07RGTH9VwClux9mIlEIMFFCdzFrLDh68cUDTjeAJ4enQ47_W0QMXtAYdSoj_ME" /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lawyers for Israel denied allegations of deliberately causing humanitarian suffering in the besieged enclave, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed and </span><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/18/famine-expected-in-gaza-between-now-and-may-what-to-know" style="font-family: verdana;">hunger is rising</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">. They said South Africa’s repeated requests for additional measures are an abuse of procedures.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sJzujH2W8EE" width="320" youtube-src-id="sJzujH2W8EE"></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Israel blocking aid despite ICJ genocide ruling, Oxfam says</span></b></i></div></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The filing said South Africa’s accusations in its request for new measures, filed March 6, are “wholly unfounded in fact and law, morally repugnant, and represent an abuse both of the Genocide Convention and of the court itself”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The new exchange between the parties is part of South Africa’s ongoing case accusing Israel of state-led genocide in Gaza after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599;">In January, the ICJ, also known as the World Court, ordered Israel to refrain from any acts that could fall under the Genocide Convention and ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza.</span> Israel described the genocide allegation as baseless.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Relief agencies said essential aid to Gaza’s 2.3 million people is being </span><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/18/israel-deliberately-blocking-medical-aid-from-gaza-oxfam-report-warns" style="font-family: verdana;">severely restricted</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>‘Man-made’ looming famine</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Israel has imposed a siege on Gaza since October 7 and has also prevented much-needed fuel from entering.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">ICJ emergency measures serve as temporary injunctions meant to keep a situation from deteriorating before the court in The Hague can hear the full case, a process that usually takes several years.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Israel’s response was published on the day the UN’s World Food Programme said “famine is imminent” in northern Gaza. The agency said 70 percent of its remaining population is experiencing catastrophic hunger and a further escalation of Israel’s assault could push about half of Gaza’s total population to the brink of starvation.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The more than five-month offensive has killed nearly 32,000 people in the strip, according to health officials in Gaza. Another 1,139 people died in southern Israel in Hamas attacks on October 7, after which Israel launched its war on Gaza.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1SUilbYBjCA" width="320" youtube-src-id="1SUilbYBjCA"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3q7IRdRa0PCKV_idNbTSM8Q7F8-QNDll-cCBwuuroIEPMV0o6_v21GiZX-8otBFnFY108qQNtpDof0rOY05Nn9Ddacc0SUrO9TZMwXBCsbS3eX0hPXSEsemFYT-zvvSCUD9eqyUdI-fbp74MhSqHf__RBlTKrakNLVazot7F0JW-YO-urZP47" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="224" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3q7IRdRa0PCKV_idNbTSM8Q7F8-QNDll-cCBwuuroIEPMV0o6_v21GiZX-8otBFnFY108qQNtpDof0rOY05Nn9Ddacc0SUrO9TZMwXBCsbS3eX0hPXSEsemFYT-zvvSCUD9eqyUdI-fbp74MhSqHf__RBlTKrakNLVazot7F0JW-YO-urZP47" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-family: trebuchet;">Netanyahu = Hitler</span></b></i></div></i><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599;">At least 20 people have died from malnutrition and starvation in Gaza since Israel began its assault,</span> Palestinian authorities said.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-family: verdana;">The European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, on Monday said the impending famine in Gaza was “entirely man-made” as “starvation is used as a weapon of war”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">“Trucks are stopped. People are dying while the land crossings are artificially closed,”</span> he said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">South Africa’s request to the ICJ is the second time Pretoria has asked the court for additional measures. <span style="background-color: #ffe599;">Its first request to pressure Israel to halt an offensive against the southern Gaza city of Rafah in February was denied.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-nw41ancwic5iQGcLoB-VUluw-yNLUqjxzofH9MteBCtc_jktIayd17lBJ507zLhWPukXZjc9Qjr7q_Bo0M6ST0nWiiq2FuVjAxih7j5J6oxKwnFHqlBXmQTRGEui7Udf3sHzIxaXaEnlIrku_i_PimkAKHDxP_fzJcSnNfqkSPgCdXxeSrAr" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="201" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-nw41ancwic5iQGcLoB-VUluw-yNLUqjxzofH9MteBCtc_jktIayd17lBJ507zLhWPukXZjc9Qjr7q_Bo0M6ST0nWiiq2FuVjAxih7j5J6oxKwnFHqlBXmQTRGEui7Udf3sHzIxaXaEnlIrku_i_PimkAKHDxP_fzJcSnNfqkSPgCdXxeSrAr=w320-h400" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">ICJ, UN, US, EU blardy useless</span></b></i></div></i><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b>SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-55386185555862896472024-03-19T00:11:00.000+08:002024-03-19T00:11:02.442+08:00UMNO’s Old Trick To Swing Malay Votes – Using Youth Wing To Bully Chinese And Play Race & Religious Cards<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="http://www.financetwitter.com/"><img border="0" src="http://www.financetwitter.com/wp-content/themes/FinanceTwitter/images/FinanceTwitter_Mobile.png" /></a> <br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.financetwitter.com/2024/03/umno-old-trick-to-swing-malay-votes-using-youth-wing-to-bully-chinese-and-play-race-religious-cards.html"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">UMNO’s Old Trick To Swing Malay Votes – Using Youth Wing To Bully Chinese And Play Race & Religious Cards</span></b></a><br /><br /><br /><br />UMNO Youth Chief Muhammad Akmal Salleh has gone mad again. His latest target is KK Super Mart, a local convenience store established in 2001 by Dr KK Chai (Chai Kee Kan). Companies under the KK Group include B Café International, Clara International, The Slimming Sanctuary, Hornets Marketing Sdn Bhd, KK Motorsports, and KK Kopitiam and Food Court.<br /><br /> <br /><br />With operations in Brunei, China, Nepal, and India, the KK Group also manufactures its own skincare, body care, hair care, and toiletry products. Not only the founder has been the president of the Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly Hall since 2015, he is also the vice president of the Malaysian Retail Chain Association (MRCA) since 2016 and vice president of the Malaysia-Moroccan Business Association since 2019.<br /><br /> <br /><br />As a certified chartered accountant of the Chartered Institute & Management Accountant (CIMA) and Malaysia Institute of Accountants (MIA), he knew exactly what to do when a branch of his convenience store was discovered to be selling socks with the Arabic inscription of Allah on them. The founder promptly and decisively apologized, urging consumers not to boycott his brand.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.financetwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KK-Super-Mart.jpg" /><br /><br />In fact, KK Super Mart has pro-actively checked all its outlets and admitted that the product was being sold at KK Super Mart, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya and two other branches – and quickly withdrew them. The simple fact that it was not sold in all the chain stores was the clearest proof that it was a mistake when the socks were distributed by one of its vendors.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Get real, as a businessman and a chartered accountant, it would be extremely dumb to provoke the hyper sensitive Malay-Muslims with such product. It also doesn’t make business sense that it was only sold in three branches if the intention was to insult the Malay and Islam. The profit from the socks does not commensurate with the risk even if it was sold nationwide, let alone in just 3 stores.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Born and grew up in Sarawak, the Borneo state where its 27 ethnic groups live together harmoniously, KK Chai has underestimated the capability of the Malay nationalist party in playing up race and religious politics. His apology was interpreted as weakness by the anti-Chinese UMNO Youth, who has been hunting for issues that could be capitalized and twisted to make him a Malay champion.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.financetwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Akmal-Salleh-%E2%80%93-UMNO-Youth-Chief.jpg" /><br /><br />Having failed to win a parliamentary seat in the 13th General Election in 2018, the same election that saw UMNO-led Barisan Nasional ruling government lost power for the first time after 60 years, Akmal was downgraded to contest in the Melaka state election in 2021. Since he became UMNO Youth Chief in 2023, he has made it his personal mission to bash Malaysian Chinese every second.<br /><br /> <br /><br />He had previously condemned Anwar government’s allocation of RM15.7 million for 63 Chinese independent schools, but kept silent over a whopping RM150 million for Islamic “tahfiz and pondok schools”. He had opposed a proposal for Chinese New Villages to be recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Site, spinning that it had offended the sensitivities of the Malays.<br /><br /> <br /><br />The racist had even called for Tiong King Sing to be sacked for declaring “bak kut teh” as national heritage food, only to be lectured by the Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister that the traditional Chinese herbs and spices can be boiled with any types of meat – not necessarily pork. After being humiliated by the no-nonsense Sarawakian Tiong, the UMNO scumbag moved to another issue with tail between legs.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.financetwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Vernacular-Chinese-Schools-Attract-Malay-Students.jpg" /><br /><br />The moron then demanded the abolishment of vernacular schools, despite the fact that the Federal Court has ruled that the Chinese and Tamil schools are both constitutional and legal, and are protected under the Federal Constitution. The evil intention of desperado Akmal, who is unknown and unpopular in the Malay community, is obviously to fast track himself as a Malay champion.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Despite a tearful apology from the KK Super Mart founder, the defiant UMNO Youth leader refused to move on. To impress upon the Malays how he single-handedly humiliates and bully second-class citizen Chinese, Akmal is giving KK Super Mart 48 hours to put up apology banners across all its 881 outlets nationwide, or risk a terrible rally and a so-called “full blown boycott”.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Exactly where was the UMNO Youth when ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak plundered more than RM40 billion in the infamous 1MDB scandal? Why UMNO Youth was as quiet as a church mouse when the fake halal meat scandal was exposed in Dec 2020, where an underground “meat cartel” had been selling horse and kangaroo meat as beef to Malaysian Muslims for 40 years from 1980 to 2020?<br /><br /><img src="http://www.financetwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/PAS-Hadi-Awang-and-UMNO-Zahid-Hamidi-Whispering.jpg" /><br /><br />Why UMNO Youth does not have the balls to demand PAS Islamist party puts up apology banners across all the states for accusing UMNO-Malays as “kafir (infidels) till the end of time” – indicating that members of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) won’t go to heaven and could not get 72 virgins in the afterlife? There could be two possibilities.<br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />First possibility – Mr Akmal is a mole planted by opposition Perikatan Nasional to create havoc within the unity government. Second possibility – he received a mission or blessing from UMNO top leadership to play race and religious cards by targeting ethnic Chinese, hoping that the old trick could swing Malay voters who had abandoned the corrupt party in the November 2022 General Election.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Yes, has anyone noticed how his Chinese-bashing drama receives zero reaction from UMNO top leaders? What is even more strange is the lack of support from Akmal’s own youth wing, as if he was the “Lone Ranger” in provoking the Chinese community. The only explanation is UMNO wanted the ethnic Malays to see how it could force the Chinese to kowtow to UMNO-Malays.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.financetwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/UMNO-A-Man-Walked-Passed-Logo.jpg" /><br /><br />However, at the same time, UMNO was concerned about losing Chinese votes in the next 16th General Election. The last national polls showed clearly that the once mighty political party received only 25% of the Malay vote bank – its worst performance in history. Worse, its useless sidekick, MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association) captured only 1%-5% of the Chinese votes.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Therefore, UMNO Youth was sent to do all the dirty jobs so that any backlash from angry Chinese would focus on Akmal Salleh, a low-ranking leader who can be sacrificed if necessary. Make no mistake, with only 26 MPs in the 222-seat parliament, UMNO had no choice but to seek temporary refuge from Anwar-led Pakatan Harapan coalition and formed the Unity Government.<br /><br /> <br /><br />While licking its wound, it is strategizing to return to its former glory. The first step is to free the disgraced former Prime Minister Najib Razak to lead UMNO again. The second step is to remind the Malays of “Ketuanan Melayu”, the ideology of Malay supremacy espoused by UMNO that saw 60 years of oppression of the Chinese under MCA “eunuch” Chinese leaders.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.financetwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/UMNO-Special-Meeting-Worshipping-Najib-Poster.jpg" /><br /><br />The third step is to leverage on rival-turned-ally Democratic Action Party (DAP), the largest component party in Pakatan Harapan coalition that captured up to 95% of Chinese votes, to help UMNO wins as many seats as possible in the next election. After using Chinese to win power, UMNO-led Barisan Nasional coalition can get rid of DAP (and even Anwar Ibrahim) like a soiled diaper – at least that was the plan.<br /><br /> <br /><br />There’s a reason why Akmal barked like a mad dog in the KK Super Mart fiasco. Playing good-cop-bad-cop, it also allows MCA to regain some respect from the Chinese community when it pretended to look tough by warning UMNO Youth not to exploit the sock issue for political mileage. Of course, UMNO could similarly look tough by reprimanding MCA for warning its youth wing, and the drama continues.<br /><br /> <br /><br />At the same time, the incredibly powerful DAP could be weakened, thanks to the perception that the Chinese-dominated party has lost its tongue after coming to power. Where the heck are all the DAP leaders when the Chinese are being bullied and oppressed by UMNO-Malays? It creates a narrative that for the sake of power, DAP agrees to become a lapdog in the unity government.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.financetwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Chinese-Voters-DAP1.jpg" /><br /><br />However, the strategy of inciting racial and religious sentiments could backfire on UMNO. Akmal can kiss his chance to win a parliamentary seat goodbye. There will not be a single Chinese vote for him. Even though the next election is more than 3 years away, the powerful social media will remind the voters how the douchebag declared war on the Malaysian Chinese.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Akmal overplayed his hand when he demanded KK Super Mart to put up apology banners across all its 881 outlets nationwide. Even McDonald’s will not go to such extents to apologize despite its support for Israel after slaughtering thousands of Palestinians. You can only humiliate the Chinese for so much before they retaliate. The fact that the opposition keeps quiet suggests that it isn’t a serious matter.<br /><br /> <br /><br />UMNO should remember that the Chinese voters can always choose to stay at home and not vote for anyone, including DAP. It’s already bad that UMNO only has 25% Malay votes. It becomes worse if it gets zero Chinese votes. This explains why opposition PAS Islamist party keeps quiet over the issue. PAS’ silence will give UMNO enough rope to hang itself.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.financetwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Malaysia-Minority-Chinese-Indian-Voters-Bersih.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /></span>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-79905621959190535572024-03-18T23:53:00.002+08:002024-03-18T23:53:16.363+08:00Shah Alam Stadium project faces further complications<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><a href="https://substack.com/profile/6645582-murray-hunter" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_80,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb7364e2-edff-483a-8948-1611a61f62c1_197x256.jpeg" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://murrayhunter.substack.com/">Murray Hunter</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://murrayhunter.substack.com/p/shah-alam-stadium-project-faces-further?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=347364&post_id=142683750&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=19i53w&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shah Alam Stadium project faces further complications</span></b></a></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />Failure by the Selangor Government and contractor to agree on the land swap<br /><br /><br />18 MAR 2024<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c4cfc40-0224-418c-b09e-59d0981edcd8_1168x657.jpeg"><img height="225" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c4cfc40-0224-418c-b09e-59d0981edcd8_1168x657.jpeg" width="400" /><br /></a><br /><br />Sources within the Selangor State Government claim there has not been any agreement in the land swap deal with the Shah Alam Stadium Development contractor (MRCB and its nominees).<br /><br />Consequently, the demolition of the Shah Alam Stadium has been delayed once again due to the above issue. Failure for the Selangor State government to agree to the pieces of land that will be transferred to the contractor in lieu of payment will mean the state will have to pay for the project in cash instalments. With the estimated cost of the project at RM 3.28 billion, and Selangor’s annual budget of RM 2.53 billion in 2024, this will increase the burden of state debt substantially.<br /><br />The delay of the demolition is a clear sign the state government is now trying to raise the funds to make the first instalment to the contractor.<br /><br />Where Malaysia’s national public debt stands at RM 1.7 trillion, this project is becoming a luxury the nation cannot afford.<br /><br />An RM 20 million investment could have restored the roof, and another RM 20 million restored the seating and in stadium facilities. This is cheaper than the RM 53 million that will be paid out to the contractor to demolish the stadium.<br /><br />The Shah Alam Stadium maybe needed if Malaysia goes ahead with the 2026 Commonwealth Games<br /><br />With the Victorian Government in Australia abandoning to Melbourne Commonwealth Games 2026, due to cost explosions, the Malaysian cabinet is set to make a decision whether Malaysia will jump in as the new host.<br /><br />If the Malaysian government does agree to host the games, then in the short time available to prepare, it will need support stadiums close to Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia will have to spend at least RM 1.0 billion to prepare for the games and an RM 40 million repair job to the Shah Alam Stadium would be great value. Certainly, the Shah Alam Stadium could be used for Rugby and Hockey, as the 2026 games will be much bigger than the 1998 games, where the Petaling Jaya Stadium was used. The Shah Alam Stadium has a much larger seating capacity than Petaling Jaya.<br /><br />The Melawati Stadium may also be a potential location for a number of indoor events.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3abeeb95-32d2-4cf5-bcf8-b035e68deed8_510x340.jpeg"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3abeeb95-32d2-4cf5-bcf8-b035e68deed8_510x340.jpeg" /><br /></a><br /><br />The Shah Alam sports complex may be required, and updated with federal funds.<br /><br />Its amazing there are still so many rumblings of uncertainty for an RM 3.28 billion project, deemed by the Selangor government to be so important, especially with the high level of national debt.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-65386825480846602652024-03-18T23:16:00.005+08:002024-03-18T23:17:12.479+08:00Israeli troops raid Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><b><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-military-says-troops-raid-gazas-shifa-hospital-2024-03-18/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reuters</span></a>:<br /><br />Israeli troops raid Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital</b></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />By <a href="https://www.reuters.com/authors/james-mackenzie/">James Mackenzie</a> and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/authors/nidal-al-mughrabi/">Nidal Al-Mughrabi</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">March 18, 2024 7:27 PM GMT+11</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img height="300" src="https://cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/CVJ6CWUL6ROE3HNYQ3UJGU2ZXY.jpg" width="400" /></span><br /><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b>Smoke rises as displaced Palestinians take shelter at Al Shifa hospital, amid the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza City, November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Doaa Rouqa/File Photo</b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />JERUSALEM/CAIRO, March 18 (Reuters) - Israeli troops raided the compound of Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital early on Monday in an operation that Palestinian health authorities said <span style="background-color: #ffe599;">caused multiple casualties and set off a fierce fire in one of the buildings</span>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />The Israeli military said soldiers had conducted a "precise operation" based on intelligence that the hospital was being used by senior Hamas leaders, and were fired upon when they entered the compound.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKaWS_xX0VwiG7Mxj51pKX_o2UswQlGJaglHlN8oKJDMr5nh9quhMVD9tgPip9wB-Hw7wORRK5nR9renzeMf9iAUPHhddZtXQ04nPH3R9bifYc_ot2GojkbqGZLC22KW8gIRG7-Lf3Iq31dHkeyEeKIUJzWCdbWHMcZtbJEmM7Fb2Wd0roxqWU" /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br />"The troops responded with live fire and hits were identified. Our troops are continuing to operate in the area of the hospital," it said in a statement.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />Al Shifa, the Gaza Strip's biggest hospital before the war, is now one of the only healthcare facilities that is even partially operational in the north of the territory, and is also housing hundreds of displaced civilians.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />"Suddenly, we started to hear sounds of explosions, several bombings, and soon tanks started to roll, they came from the western road and headed toward Al Shifa, then sounds of gunfire and explosions increased," Mohammad Ali, 32, a father of two, who lives around one kilometre from the hospital, told Reuters via a chat app.<br /><br />"We don't know what is happening, but it looked as if it was a re-invasion of the Gaza City," he added, saying that the military activities began at around 1:00 a.m. (2300 GMT Sunday).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said a fire broke out at the entrance of the hospital complex, causing cases of suffocation among displaced women and children sheltering in the hospital. It said communication had been cut off, with people trapped inside the surgery and emergency units of one of the buildings.<br /><br /><span style="background-color: #ffe599;">"There are casualties, including deaths and injuries, and it's impossible to rescue anyone due to the intensity of the fire and targeting of anyone approaching the windows," the ministry said.</span><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The Israeli army dropped new leaflets around the hospital in Gaza City.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />"To all those who exist or are displaced in Rimal and the displaced in Al Shifa and its vicinity: you are in a dangerous combat zone. The IDF is operating hard in its residential areas to destroy terror infrastructure," said the statement, which ordered the people to take the coastal road towards Al-Mawasi in the southern Gaza Strip.<br /><br />The military issued <span style="background-color: #ffe599;">grainy </span>drone footage of the operation which it said showed troops coming under fire from a number of buildings in the hospital complex. Footage circulated on social media appeared to show an Israeli tank blocking the main gate of Al Shifa.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />The military said troops had been instructed on the importance of operating cautiously as well as on measures to be taken to avoid harm to patients, civilians, medical staff and medical equipment, and said patients were not required to evacuate.<br /><br />Not far from Al Shifa, Israeli army forces raided a school where displaced families were sheltering, and detained several men there, residents and Hamas media said. Residents reported tanks were also operating on the edge of the Beach refugee camp and said tanks fired shells at some buildings nearby.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />Hamas said in a statement the Israeli military had committed a new crime by directly targeting the hospital buildings without caring about patients, medical staff or displaced people in it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />Israel came under <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/who-loses-contact-with-gaza-hospital-staff-after-raid-2023-11-15/">fierce criticism</a> last year when troops first raided the hospital, where they uncovered <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-army-displays-tunnel-beneath-al-shifa-it-says-served-hamas-hideout-2023-11-22/">tunnels</a> they said were used as command and control centres by Hamas. Hamas and medical staff deny the hospital has been used for military purposes or to shelter fighters.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-22734735235013913722024-03-18T22:55:00.001+08:002024-03-18T22:55:28.691+08:00Decision to end recognition of UK heart surgeons’ programme shocking, says senator<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><b><a href="https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/03/18/decision-to-end-recognition-of-uk-heart-surgeons-programme-shocking-says-senator/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">FMT</span></a>:<br /><br />Decision to end recognition of UK heart surgeons’ programme shocking, says senator</b><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">18 Mar 2024, 10:15 PM<br /><br />Dr RA Lingeswaran calls on the health ministry to clarify the move by the Malaysian Medical Council.<br /><br /><br /><img height="250" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/3d7859a2-ra-lingeswaran-screengrab-180324.webp" width="400" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Dr RA Lingeswaran said countries like Singapore and Hong Kong continue to recognise the training provided by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, but Malaysia does not.</span></b></i><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">PETALING JAYA: A senator has asked the health ministry to clarify why the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) decided to cease recognising the parallel pathway programme for cardiothoracic surgeons involved in twinning programmes with universities in the UK.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dr RA Lingeswaran said that under the programme, Malaysian doctors were sent by the government to acclaimed institutions such as the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh to train as cardiothoracic surgeons.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lingeswaran, a former director of the Sungai Bakap Hospital in Penang, said the medical fraternity was shocked over this decision.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">He said it was “nonsensical” that countries like Singapore and Hong Kong continue to recognise the training provided by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, but Malaysia does not.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Is the MMC doubting the credibility of this institution?” he asked during the debate on the royal address in the Dewan Negara.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“None of these programmes at local teaching hospitals are recognised by MMC.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“The health ministry must clarify this decision.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lingeswaran said the specialist course under the parallel programme had been recognised until 2021, according to ministry records.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">After that, he said, it suddenly went missing from the list of recognised postgraduate qualifications in the MMC website and no reason was provided.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">He said he had checked the names of certain Malaysian cardiothoracic surgeons with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and found them to have a good standing with the institution although they were not recognised locally.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">He also asked the minister to clarify claims that the MMC is opposing the recognition although the speciality subcommittee for education in the health ministry had recommended that the qualification via the parallel pathway be accepted.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lingeswaran said the government had gone on record to say it had spent RM2.4 million for the training of cardiothoracic surgeons. But with the sudden derecognition, the minister must clarify the status of those who were enrolled in the programme.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“There are those who had enrolled into the programme before 2021 when it was still recognised by MMC. When they complete the programme six years later, they cannot be registered as a cardiothoracic surgeon.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“This will be a gross injustice to them,” he said.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">***</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">kt comments:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Years back (2005) t</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">he Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) shocked many people (especially Indian Malaysians) when it stated that it would not extend recognition to Ukraine's Crimea State Medical University after Dec 31, 2006. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Prior to that date, many Malaysian medical students "on scholarships" were at CSMU training to be doctors, but presumably because of the College fees affordability, so were many privately-funded Malaysian (mainly Indian) students too </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">- yes, Indians loved (still do) being doctors.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The MMC's unexpected decision crushed the hopes and dreams of many self-funded Malaysian students, unfairly as those who graduated before </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dec 31, 2006 were chiefly "scholarship holders".</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some argued that the MMC's decisions to de-recognise the CSMU was related to the need to balance the entry of Malays and non-Malays into medical schools both here and abroad.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">Coincidentally, as we can recall, the de-recognition decision came after a Malaysian minister visiting CSMU uttered his feelings that "there were too many 'blacks'" studying at CSMU, obviously after he saw many Indian Malaysian (private) students at CSMU, who knows, maybe even more than the scholarship holders.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Could it be the same case for the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) to cease recognising the parallel pathway programme for cardiothoracic surgeons involved in twinning programmes with universities in the UK?</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">Alas, being Malaysians, we are inclined to think the worst, that is, along racist lines!</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-57063961960193861192024-03-18T21:08:00.000+08:002024-03-18T21:08:32.909+08:00Malaysia considers hosting ‘downsized’ Commonwealth Games<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /> <a href="https://www.malaymail.com/" style="font-family: verdana;"><img height="44" src="https://www.malaymail.com/theme_malaymail/images/logo.svg" width="200" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/03/18/malaysia-considers-hosting-downsized-commonwealth-games/124134" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Malaysia considers hosting ‘downsized’ Commonwealth Games</span></b></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img height="248" src="https://cdn4.premiumread.com/?url=https://malaymail.com/malaymail/uploads/images/2024/03/18/195469.jpg&w=800&q=100&f=jpg&t=2" width="400" /></span><br /><b><i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></i></b></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">The Closing Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, August 8, 2022. — Reuters file pic<br /><br />Monday, 18 Mar 2024 4:56 PM MYT</span></i></b><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) said today it was considering hosting a “downsized” Commonwealth Games in 2026 but the final decision would lie with the government.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is scrambling to find a host after the Australian state of Victoria abruptly pulled out in July last year, citing spiralling costs.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“For example, it doesn’t have to include 15 sports. It could be 10 sports, resulting in a smaller opening and closing ceremony,” OCM secretary-general Mohamad Nazifuddin Najib said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“So, all of that can be discussed, but we’ll let the decision come from the cabinet.”</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Malaysian sports minister Hannah Yeoh confirmed that the government was considering the plan to host the Games.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“The most important thing is that when the decision is made, we assure you it will be after taking into consideration all the possible angles,” she was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Victoria’s sudden move, and the lack of an obvious alternative, triggered debate about the future of the games, which take place every four years and were last held in Birmingham in 2022.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Malaysia said last week the CGF had offered “a significant financial investment of 100 million pounds” to help support the Southeast Asian nation to host the Games.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">But dissent had emerged over the prospect of hosting the games, with a former sports minister criticising the idea as “reckless” because the games are a little over two years away.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">However, the CGF has suggested that Malaysia was not the only country that could potentially stage the Games in 2026.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Singapore, which is aiming to host more large-scale sports events, said last week it was “assessing the feasibility” of the CGF’s invitation to host the games.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The wealthy city-state holds the Formula One night race annually and will be hosting the World Aquatic Championships in 2025.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Youth Olympic Games was also held in Singapore in 2010.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some observers have said both Malaysia and Singapore should co-host the event, a point that was also raised by the OCM.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“There is a possibility that we can collaborate with Singapore, but there is also a possibility that Singapore can decide to take over as the organiser and we miss this opportunity,” Nazifuddin said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Song Seng Wun, economic adviser for CGS International, said “a significantly scaled-down Games will be more do-able but will still require a significant amount of money”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">A joint bid could be “the only solution on paper”, he told AFP.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Singapore is too small and will need more infrastructure investment,” Song said. — AFP</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-28041310604232576992024-03-18T18:29:00.004+08:002024-03-18T18:29:37.080+08:00Groups call for national unity minister to resign over Mitra handling<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/"><img src="https://www.malaysiakini.com/mk-small-logo.svg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><img height="240" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2024/03/76181d7764bb18cffaaa57862fae4c3c.jpg=s800" width="400" /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/699745" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Groups call for national unity minister to resign over Mitra handling</span></b></a><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/en/author/Zarrah%20Morden"><br />Published: Mar 18, 2024 12:49 PM<br /></a><br /><br />Three groups have called for National Unity Minister Aaron Ago Dagang’s resignation over his handling of the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) being moved to his ministry.<br /><br />The Malaysian Indian Action Force (MIA Force), Malaysia-Singapore Workers Task Force (Pemas), and Future Indian Revolution In Education (Fire) handed over a memorandum on this matter to the Prime Minister’s Department via the prime minister’s special duties officer Shanmugan Mookan outside of Parliament today.<br /><br />“Aaron got no interest? Then he should resign,” Dayalan Sreebalan, the chairperson of the three groups, told the media after handing over the memorandum.<br /><br />Also present were Klang MP V Ganabatirau and around 30 people from the Indian community.<br /><br />On March 13, Aaron (above) said he was “blank” when Mitra was moved to his ministry.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><img height="240" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2024/03/fb72ffae27ac70de9f58c12dadcecdc8.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Klang MP V Ganabatirau (left) and Dayalan Sreebalan (centre) during the memorandum handover</span></b></i><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“I was blank, I did not know the purpose of Mitra. And I have to be fair because I don’t have interest,” he said, according to </span><a href="https://www.parlimen.gov.my/files/hindex/pdf/DR-13032024.pdf" style="font-family: verdana;">Hansard</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Last night, Malaysiakini contacted Aaron’s press secretary Shatesh Kumar Sangar, who said that the public had misunderstood what the minister said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“His meaning was not about lack of interest, but importance,” he said.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>‘Return Mitra to PMD’</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">In response, Dayalan said that Aaron not having importance regarding Mitra was worse than not having interest and called for Mitra to be returned to the PMD.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">He also criticised the invitation to Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, and Gerakan president Dominic Lau to an engagement session on Mitra.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“What is the purpose of inviting Hadi, Muhyiddin, Lau, and all these people to come and give their ideas on Mitra?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“First of all, what do they know about the Indian sentiments?” he asked.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dayalan went on to criticise Aaron’s move to consult the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) over Mitra.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">He claimed that Pemandu, as a Sarawak-based consultant, does not know about the issues concerning the Indian community.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">He further alleged that Pemandu had failed in implementing two programmes before, MyAtom and MyTukar.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><img height="240" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2023/12/b62c7aa7c7ac3b21f1abbc0c77836456.jpg" width="400" /></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Originally known as the Socio-economic Development of Indian Community (Sedic), it was created in 2014 as a PMD unit during Najib Abdul Razak's time in power.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">After Pakatan Harapan formed the government in 2018, Sedic was renamed Mitra and transferred to the National Unity Ministry until September 2022 before being transferred back to the PMD by then-premier Ismail Sabri Yaakob.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">In December last year, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim </span><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/691276" style="font-family: verdana;">reversed</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> the decision, which critics condemned as a confusing “demotion” for the unit.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Anwar justified the shift back to the National Unity Ministry, saying that the government had cleaned up Mitra with strict and good governance practices to ensure no abuse of power or misconduct.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The prime minister also said he would still be keeping an eye on Mitra.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-53148607627397158352024-03-18T16:56:00.001+08:002024-03-18T16:56:14.390+08:00Sunak has ‘given up’, says Davey as he urges Lib Dems to ‘smash blue wall’<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjP1VYLJcbZs84d1I4PCylb0Or0TPT6z3ls-SWotrunn6KFr0iWpDMA5XV5zg4gR6Pgc3bYYuURAhSss7MhqpzwSOCddFgBr-CywhwQrtJ5NX0sMbhaeldZS-N_xatw7zT1IlgsI2IkZipl1JM2Y6t3EIgdrMvmbFaCYhchMHb4sStSGMkJu1sD=w200-h50" width="200" /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ed-davey-lib-dems-conservative-labour-prime-minister-b2513992.html?utm_source=Newswav&utm_medium=Website" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sunak has ‘given up’, says Davey as he urges Lib Dems to ‘smash blue wall’</span></b></a></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />The party is preparing for a further push into traditional Conservative strongholds ahead of the general election.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/author/sophie-wingate" style="font-family: verdana;">Sophie Wingate</a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img height="267" src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/03/17/13/93332e010d0f04aafccb0cb25045db68Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzEwNzYyMTI4-2.73895836.jpg" width="400" /></span><br /><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b>The Lib Dem leader said his party was the only one offering ‘transformational change’ (Ben Birchall/PA)<br /> (PA Wire)</b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img height="104" src="https://static.independent.co.uk/static-assets/images/newsletter/breaking-news/breaking-news-thumb.png" width="99" /></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sir </span><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/ed-davey" style="font-family: verdana;">Ed Davey</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> has told the Liberal Democrats spring conference that the </span><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/prime-minister" style="font-family: verdana;">Prime Minister</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> “sounds like he’s already given up” and that setting the general election date is “pretty much the only thing left that Rishi Sunak controls any more”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Lib Dem leader said the Tories “no longer represent British values of decency, tolerance and the rule of law”, as he challenged members to “smash the blue wall” at the national vote.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The </span><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/lib-dems" style="font-family: verdana;">Lib Dems</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> are using the gathering in York to prepare for a further push into traditional </span><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/conservative" style="font-family: verdana;">Conservative</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> strongholds, particularly seeking to win over voters in the south and south-west of England.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sir Ed rallied members to “make this a once-in-a-generation election” as he argued that his party was the only one to offer “transformational change”, while the Tories and </span><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/labour" style="font-family: verdana;">Labour</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> were just “tinkering around the edges”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mr Sunak this week ruled out holding an election on May 2, indicating that he would send the country to the polls in the latter half of 2024.</span><br /><br /><br /><i><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></b></i></span></div><blockquote><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The party that brought us Boris Johnson, Suella Braverman and Lee Anderson, proudly funded by a man who made the most appalling racist and sexist comments - the Conservatives no longer represent British values of decency, tolerance and the rule of law</span></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">- Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey</span></b></i></span></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></b></i><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">In his speech on Sunday, Sir Ed said the election date was “pretty much the only thing left that Rishi Sunak controls any more”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“He certainly doesn’t control his party. Certainly not his Cabinet. Certainly not the healthcare crisis or the economy,” he said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“In fact, the Prime Minister sounds like he’s given up.”</span><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-18u37iz r-kzbkwu" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: horizontal; align-items: stretch; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1ny4l3l" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; align-items: stretch; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1adg3ll r-bztko3" data-testid="UserAvatar-Container-LibDems" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; 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-webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: horizontal; align-items: stretch; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div aria-hidden="true" class="css-901oao r-14j79pv r-1q142lx r-1qd0xha r-a023e6 r-16dba41 r-rjixqe r-bcqeeo r-s1qlax r-qvutc0" dir="auto" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #536471; display: inline; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px 4px; 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box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; display: inline; font: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: inherit;">We don’t yet know when election day will be.
We don’t know, because it’s in the hands of just one man.
It’s pretty much the only thing left that Rishi Sunak controls any more.
But whenever it is, we're ready.</span></div></div><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1ets6dv r-1q9bdsx r-1phboty r-rs99b7 r-1s2bzr4 r-1udh08x" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; align-items: stretch; border-radius: 12px; border: 1px solid rgb(207, 217, 222); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; margin: 12px 0px 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="css-1dbjc4n" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; align-items: stretch; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-1dbjc4n r-1loqt21 r-1pi2tsx r-1ny4l3l" href="https://twitter.com/LibDems/status/1769330200867692979/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1769330200867692979%7Ctwgr%5Ee096d77e465d9d75dc7be3d1967d5dc677feab63%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-18329930692514948739.ampproject.net%2F2402231941000%2Fframe.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" role="link" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; 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font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 4px; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; display: inline; font: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: inherit;">Share</span></div></div></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sir Ed accused the Prime Minister of “outrageously running down the clock” and “squatting” in Downing Street “while the crises facing our country just get worse and worse”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Tories were overseeing “political, economic and financial instability” because they had “been consumed by the most damaging, never-ending soap opera in British political history”, the Kingston and Surbiton MP said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“And Tory MPs have given us another episode this weekend, with plots for yet another prime minister – a fourth in less than two years,” he added.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">It comes as Mr Sunak faces reports that some Conservative MPs are plotting to replace him before the election, and criticism over his handling of the emergence of alleged racist remarks about an MP by major Tory donor Frank Hester.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Addressing the racism row, Sir Ed said: “If this week’s news has shown anything, it’s that we must also cap donations to political parties.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“So that even the wealthiest racists cannot buy power and influence over the Conservative Party.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“The party that brought us Boris Johnson, Suella Braverman and Lee Anderson, proudly funded by a man who made the most appalling racist and sexist comments – the Conservatives no longer represent British values of decency, tolerance and the rule of law.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sir Ed urged Mr Sunak to call a national vote immediately, saying the Lib Dems were “up for the fight” and “the country can’t wait a moment longer to see the back of this terrible Conservative Government”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“We can make this a once-in-a-generation election,” he said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“In so many parts of the country, only we can beat the Conservatives. And we must.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">He argued the case for having more Lib Dem MPs in Parliament, saying: “The mess our country is in demands not a plan to tweak things, but a plan to transform everything.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Tinkering around the edges won’t come close to solving anything, and yet that’s what both the Conservatives and Labour are offering. They’re both trying to cloak themselves in the costume of change, but they’re both really saying ‘keep things the same’.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“The Liberal Democrat approach is so different, because we don’t just want to change things on the surface – paper over the cracks but leave the foundations to crumble underneath – we want real change”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">He said that would only happen “if we change our political system”, as he called for proportional representation to replace the first-past-the-post set-up.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Repealing the Fixed Term Parliaments Act was “a shameless act of Conservatives rigging the system in their favour”, he added.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sir Ed also made the crisis in the NHS and social care central to his conference address, setting out “big, bold reforms” to ensure people could see a GP, NHS dentist or pharmacist when they needed to.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-18u37iz r-kzbkwu" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; 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box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; display: inline; font: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: inherit;">For the Conservative and Labour parties, the current system suits them.
It lets the Conservatives in most of the time, despite the majority of people voting against them.
But Labour knows – if they wait long enough, their turn will come.
We must win the fight for fair votes.</span></div></div><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1ets6dv r-1q9bdsx r-1phboty r-rs99b7 r-1s2bzr4 r-1udh08x" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; align-items: stretch; border-radius: 12px; border: 1px solid rgb(207, 217, 222); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; margin: 12px 0px 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="css-1dbjc4n" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; align-items: stretch; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-1dbjc4n r-1loqt21 r-1pi2tsx r-1ny4l3l" href="https://twitter.com/LibDems/status/1769332056226468051/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1769332056226468051%7Ctwgr%5Ed801f57edee34367c8f1625093251fee9e5b6710%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-18329930692514948739.ampproject.net%2F2402231941000%2Fframe.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" role="link" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; 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-webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; -webkit-box-pack: center; align-items: stretch; border-radius: 9999px; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; height: 32px; justify-content: center; margin: 0px 0px 0px -4px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 32px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="-1"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="r-14j79pv r-4qtqp9 r-yyyyoo r-1xvli5t r-dnmrzs r-bnwqim r-1plcrui r-lrvibr" viewbox="0 0 24 24"><g><path d="M12 2.59l5.7 5.7-1.41 1.42L13 6.41V16h-2V6.41l-3.3 3.3-1.41-1.42L12 2.59zM21 15l-.02 3.51c0 1.38-1.12 2.49-2.5 2.49H5.5C4.11 21 3 19.88 3 18.5V15h2v3.5c0 .28.22.5.5.5h12.98c.28 0 .5-.22.5-.5L19 15h2z"></path></g></svg></div><div class="css-901oao css-1hf3ou5 r-14j79pv r-1qd0xha r-1b43r93 r-b88u0q r-1cwl3u0 r-13hce6t r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" dir="auto" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #536471; display: inline; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 4px; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; display: inline; font: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: inherit;">Share</span></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Investing wisely in community services, to save lives and save money in the long-run, instead of just throwing cash at crisis after crisis with nothing to show for it,” he said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">He called on all parties “to include in their manifestos a cast-iron commitment to finally hold cross-party talks on social care to finally forge the agreement that has been kicked down the road for far too long”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Lib Dems won 11 seats at the 2019 general election, but have since gained formerly Conservative constituencies across southern England in a series of by-elections.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">These have included Chesham and Amersham in Buckinghamshire, Frome in Somerset and Tiverton and Honiton in Devon.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">But some polls suggest the far-right Reform UK party has overtaken the Lib Dems in popularity across the UK.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Tory Party chairman Richard Holden said: “Sir Ed Davey’s vacuous ramblings told the country nothing about what the Lib Dems stand for. Just like Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, they can’t say what they would do, because they don’t have a plan.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“A vote for the Liberal Democrats would mean going back to square one under a Sir Keir Starmer-led Labour Government – and that will inevitably mean more borrowing and more taxes on working people.”</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-49306124498582856372024-03-18T15:54:00.001+08:002024-03-18T15:54:24.370+08:00Foreign beggars who resort to oxygen mask to elicit sympathy leave netizens unimpressed<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://focusmalaysia.my/"><img height="100" src="https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/logo1x-fm.png" width="200" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://focusmalaysia.my/foreign-beggars-who-resort-to-oxygen-mask-to-elicit-sympathy-leave-netizens-unimpressed/?utm_source=Newswav&utm_medium=Website" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Foreign beggars who resort to oxygen mask to elicit sympathy leave netizens unimpressed</span></b></a><br /><br /><br /><img height="278" src="https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/Beg-Main.jpg" width="400" /><br /><br /><br />A POST on Malaysia Most Viral’s X (formerly Twitter) page has raised the ire of its followers. It shows a couple of foreigners – a man and a young boy – purportedly begging for alms at the Sungai Besi Ramadhan bazaar.<br /><br /><br />While the presence of foreigners begging at these bazaars is not uncommon, what the poster is highlighting is that these beggars are upping their game with all manner of props and signage to elicit sympathy.<br /><br />In this case, the “father” is seen to be breathing with the aid of an oxygen mask.<br /><br /><br /></span><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-18u37iz r-kzbkwu" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: horizontal; align-items: stretch; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1ny4l3l" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; align-items: stretch; 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position: relative; z-index: 0;"><a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-1dbjc4n r-1loqt21 r-1wbh5a2 r-dnmrzs r-1ny4l3l" href="https://twitter.com/MALAYSIAVIRALLL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1769010939066753477%7Ctwgr%5E2a23a66192972eeeddd55c08119f08cb62e3fb65%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffocusmalaysia.my%2Fforeign-beggars-who-resort-to-oxygen-mask-to-elicit-sympathy-leave-netizens-unimpressed%2F" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" role="link" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; align-items: stretch; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 1; font: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; z-index: 0;" target="_blank"><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1awozwy r-18u37iz r-dnmrzs" style="-webkit-box-align: center; 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min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-wrap: nowrap;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 css-1hf3ou5 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; display: inline; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; display: inline; font: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: inherit;">MALAYSIA MOST VIRAL</span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-1pos5eu r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; display: inline; font: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; white-space: inherit;"></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-xoduu5 r-18u37iz r-1q142lx r-1qd0xha r-a023e6 r-16dba41 r-rjixqe r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" dir="auto" style="-webkit-box-direction: normal; 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box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; display: inline; font: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: inherit;">Lain macam rohingya mengemis tahun ni, Bazar Ramadhan Sungai Besi.</span></div></div><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1ets6dv r-1q9bdsx r-1phboty r-rs99b7 r-1s2bzr4 r-1udh08x" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; align-items: stretch; border-radius: 12px; border: 1px solid rgb(207, 217, 222); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; margin: 12px 0px 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="css-1dbjc4n" style="-webkit-box-align: stretch; -webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; align-items: stretch; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; margin: 0px; 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font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 4px; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; display: inline; font: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: inherit;">Share</span></div></div></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />The beggars are believed to be Rohingyas with the post having generated over 860,000 views at time of writing. Their “sales pitch” has elicited a lot of responses. Here is a sample.<br /><br /><img height="468" src="https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/Beg-SS1-864x632.jpg" width="573" /><br /><br />Many questioned the veracity of the oxygen tank and that it was a mere gimmick to elicit sympathy.<br /><br /><img height="250" src="https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/Beg-SS2.jpg" width="575" /><br /><br />A few said that being able to add such props to their efforts, these beggars were inadvertently highlighting how much they must be raking in.<br /><br /><img height="397" src="https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/Beg-SS3.jpg" width="567" /><br /><br />The open hostility and overt racism was apparent in many of the comments.<br /><br /><img height="238" src="https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/Beg-SS4.jpg" width="565" /><br /><br />Despite many Malaysians exhorting solidarity with Palestinians, it would appear many did not share the same sentiments towards the Rohingyas who are facing persecution in their homeland in Myanmar.<br /><br />Forced repatriation and or even just sending them to drown at sea was this netizen’s considered response.<br /><br /><img height="253" src="https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/Beg-SS5.jpg" width="545" /><br /><br />One netizen highlighted that Rohingyas are unable to work or send their children to schools in Malaysia unlike refugees from Palestine.<br /><br /><img height="152" src="https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/Beg-SS6.jpg" width="551" /><br /><br />However, such attitude was questioned by one netizen who said while he did not support such beggars, he pointed out that such open animosity towards fellow Muslims was uncalled for.<br /><br /><img height="152" src="https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/Beg-SS7.jpg" width="558" /><br /><br />More than a few decried that the refugee status afforded to these foreigners by the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) has been abused by these visitors.<br /><br /><img height="354" src="https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/Beg-SS8.jpg" width="557" /><br /><br />Some netizens suggested that<span style="background-color: #ffe599;"> the root cause of the problem was the lack of enforcement by the authorities which is further compounded by the generosity of locals in giving alms.</span> This has caused many foreigners to choose this path of “employment”.<br /><br /><img height="167" src="https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/Beg-SS9.jpg" width="568" /><br /><br />A few said these foreigners were taking advantage of the kind heartedness of locals before making all sorts of demands on the host community.<br /><br /><img height="179" src="https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/Beg-SS10.jpg" width="555" /><br /><br />More than one netizen claimed to have seen the same duo at various Ramadan bazaars with the two taking turns to be the “sick” party.<br /><br /><img height="482" src="https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/Beg-SS11-840x632.jpg" width="559" /><br /><br />The topic of foreigners on these shores is becoming an increasingly hot topic. If ordinary Malaysians are unhappy with the presence of migrant workers who are actually employed and contribute towards the economy, the depth of ill-feeling towards those engaged in begging activities can be gauged from the many negative comments accompanying the post.<br /><br />The authorities will need to be more pro-active in ensuring these professional beggars do not become a proliferation at these Ramadan bazaars.<br /><br />The government will also need to devise schemes whereby legitimate refugees have the opportunity to earn some form of sustenance to avoid scenarios such as this.<br /><br />In the meantime, Malaysians need to understand that no matter how severe the problem may be, unbridled racism and exhortations of forced repatriation or worse, are not the solutions.<br /><br />The simple short-term solution is for Malaysians to stop giving alms to these suspected con artists. When the funds dry up, so will these prop-wielding beggars. – March 18, 2024</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-15155796154801590292024-03-18T14:52:00.005+08:002024-03-18T14:52:31.023+08:00Anwar: Focus on big issues, not squabble over bak kut teh, canteens<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/"><img src="https://www.malaysiakini.com/mk-small-logo.svg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><img height="240" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2024/03/d53b3479f1c0e2110ae124962b6455fb.jpg=s800" width="400" /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/699738" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Anwar: Focus on big issues, not squabble over bak kut teh, canteens<br /></span></b></a><br />Published: Mar 18, 2024 12:25 PM<br /><br /><br />Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today reminded Malaysians that they must focus on important issues like building up the economy and attracting investments.<br /><br />He lamented that he had returned from a successful foreign trip to Germany to find that Malaysia’s headlines were dominated by petty squabbles.<br /><br />“I discussed the issue of investment (abroad) but back in Malaysia we see the issue of the recognition of bak kut teh (as a national heritage food) and keeping school canteen operating during Ramadan.<br /><br />“They were heatedly discussed as if it is a life and death issue of our dignity. This is the situation,” said Anwar in a speech in conjunction with his meeting with members of the Prime Minister's Department at Dewan Seri Endon today.<br /><br />Anwar also urged leaders and the people to focus on debate and discussion for a healthier and fresher discourse.<br /><br />According to Bernama, the prime minister also reminded Muslims to embrace the spirit of Ramadan by strengthening self-discipline and being kind to the less fortunate. <br /><br />He said that Ramadan is also a “madrasah” to strengthen faith, morals and discipline. <br /><br />“That’s why there are scholars who say Ramadan examines wider ethical issues... and of course self-discipline.”<br /><br />Anwar added that if the spirit of Ramadan was more present in life, the country’s problems would be more manageable and its success could be better conveyed to the outside world. <br /><br />Earlier, he hailed his recent visit to Germany as a remarkable success, attributing it to the teamwork of the public service.<br /><br />“Investors perceived us to be much more efficient, quick in decision-making, and without any leakage. I also met several major companies that agreed to invest immediately.<br /><br />“Their views on the government’s policies, leadership and civil servants were highly positive,” said Anwar.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-54728639981190544622024-03-18T14:14:00.000+08:002024-03-18T14:14:12.181+08:00Syed Saddiq muddies Muda's water<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/"><img src="https://www.malaysiakini.com/mk-small-logo.svg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><img height="240" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2023/11/663f018dda13fd577a3b99766a24591d.jpg=s800" width="400" /><br /><br /><br /></span><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/699707" target="_blank"><b>Syed Saddiq muddies Muda's water</b></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/en/author/S%20Thayaparan"><img src="https://static01.malaysiakini.com/img/author/1/sthayaparan.png" /></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/en/author/S%20Thayaparan">S Thayaparan<br />Published: Mar 18, 2024<br /></a><br /><br /><i>“Amira reiterated that Muda is only engaged with PSM, specifically to raise issues concerning people across religions, races and skin colours.”</i> – From reportage<br /><br /><br />COMMENT | Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman is an ordinary member of Muda but uses his prominence as a former minister and a press-chasing political operative to hamstring the political party he created.<br /><br />His recent presser of joining Perikatan Nasional on a roadshow to highlight the plight of the people is complete horse manure.<br /><br />Syed Saddiq (above) said about this so-called “neutral” platform - “Regardless of whether from political parties or outside of politics so that in the end (the tour) is not about Muda, not about PN, not about Syed Saddiq or Muhyiddin (Yassin) but it is about the plight of the people that must be prioritised,” is not only disingenuous but also demonstrates why people have always viewed him with suspicion.<br /><br />This unfortunately affects how people view Muda.<br /><br />This is about Syed Saddiq and how he wants to remain relevant and perhaps escape whatever fate awaits him in this politically turbulent time. Even Umno Youth deputy chief Mohd Hairi Mad Shah had to remind Syed Saddiq not to act as if “…. he is the fighter who brought the Tunku Mahkota Ismail Youth Centre (TMIYC) project and ensured it was completed.<br /><br />“This effort is driven by the Regent of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim and the Johor government,” which further illustrates how badly Syed Saddiq wants to be effective but does not want to put in the hard work that is required.<br /><br /><br /><b>Different stance</b><br /><br />Muda acting president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz in a quote that opens this piece reiterated the party’s political stance specifically defining “people” as transcending religion, race and skin colour which is directly in contrast with what PN stands for.<br /><br />With PN we are dealing with a coalition unshackled by the requirements of multiculturalism or power-sharing, which was always a farce anyway, and purely operating on racial and religious imperatives in which they hope to impose majoritarian rule.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><img height="240" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2023/07/6c0f66da13c29ab26e33e47b77420635.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Muda acting president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz</span></b></i><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">These people continue to gaslight the public with terms like democracy and anti-corruption and are aided by a mainstream establishment which does not have the political will to stop them because it fears spooking the Malays.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The fact that Syed Saddiq blindsided his party with this move demonstrates the kind of person he is and truthfully, he would fit right in with the rest of the race hustlers and religious hucksters which is PN.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Indeed on social media Muda has been attempting to highlight issues which affect Malaysians, especially those from the lower income brackets.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Together with PSM, Muda has also been attempting to form an alternate narrative than that from the mainstream political parties which is defined (rightfully) for non-Malay voters by fear.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Muda not only has to contend with PN but also the supposedly democratic and progressive coalition government. More importantly, they have to contend with the Pakatan Harapan base which claims to want a better Malaysia but in reality, only wants to replicate Umno/BN era politics and policies.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Young people, especially from the Malay community, are disenchanted with mainstream politics. They view PN as a workable alternative to the power-sharing formula which, after decades of propagandising, has taught them is to their expense.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Muda secretary-general Amir Hariri Abd Hadi’s remarks that “We want to firmly remind all parties once again not to arbitrarily issue statements that go beyond the party’s decisions,” is one way of telling Syed Saddiq to keep his mouth shut.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>For a better Malaysia</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Keep in mind that the person who announced this roadshow was Muhyddin, an old comrade of Syed Saddiq from his Bersatu days, and good old Syed Saddiq was not above playing the race and religion card when it came to culture wars that afflict Malaysians.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><img height="240" src="https://i.ncdn.xyz/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2020/09/9d6cd79a0378288a432fe774119cea19.jpg" width="400" /></span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-family: verdana;">The Muar MP defended his reservations against the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, was busy signing online petitions to ban Oktoberfest in Selangor and pressuring P Waymoorthy to resign from his minister post after his objections as to how the Seafield Temple fiasco was handled and portrayed by the press and the state security apparatus.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">And look at the record of PN when it comes to people-centric issues. The failure of PN-led governments in certain states has demonstrated that PN political operatives are more than willing to lead the Malay community to the slaughterhouse - as long as PN political operatives can benefit from the gravy train that powers the ketuanan (supremacy) bureaucracy.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nobody ever goes to PN- or PAS-controlled states to look for employment, right? They come to the “infidelic” states where supposedly the Malays are oppressed. So much for thinking about “the people”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now of course all of this could be overlooked if Syed Saddiq really had a road to Damascus moment and decided that he wanted to change the political landscape in this country for the better.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">This, however, is not on the cards. By doing this, Syed Saddiq has not only compromised his party but also PSM. As it is, both parties are attempting to do something which could change Malaysia. My opinion is that it is too late but all we have is the struggle.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is a pity that Syed Saddiq does not take a page from PSM co-founder Mohana Rani Rasiah’s playbook. When PSM suffered a wipeout as reported in the press Rani said the loss deeply affected her but “… it also taught her that more needed to be done to expose the electorate to the values espoused by PSM, and this meant canvassing for votes in a way she is most comfortable in - providing service.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Maybe Muda will listen.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”</i></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-77984464488718917152024-03-18T14:04:00.005+08:002024-03-18T14:04:52.494+08:00Socks controversy: Home Ministry probing KK Mart, vendor<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/"><img src="https://www.malaysiakini.com/mk-small-logo.svg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><img height="240" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2023/06/380933c9ec2a204cbd024499b59e8448.jpg=s800" width="400" /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/699751" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Socks controversy: Home Ministry probing KK Mart, vendor</span></b></a><br /><a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/en/author/Haspaizi%20Zain,%20Zarrah%20Morden"><br />Published: Mar 18, 2024 1:27 PM<br /></a><br /><br />PARLIAMENT | The Home Ministry is investigating KK Mart following the sale of socks bearing the word Allah, despite the convenience store chain already issuing an apology.<br /><br />Deputy Home Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the police have inspected KK Mart premises nationwide and found that the socks were no longer available.<br /><br />"The Home Ministry takes this issue seriously and enforcement actions were taken by conducting inspections at all KK Marts nationwide.<br /><br />"The inspection results showed that KK Mart had withdrawn the socks from all its branches nationwide.<br /><br />"Nevertheless, we are conducting further investigations into the management and also the vendor involved to ensure that these socks are no longer available in the market," he told the Dewan Rakyat.<br /><br />Police initially said it was <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/699484">not investigating</a> the sale of the socks as no police reports were received over the matter at the time.<br /><br />During the oral question session today, Shamsul (above) said they are investigating because <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">the issue has caused public alarm and concern.</span><br /><br />He was responding to a question from Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar) who wanted to know what actions the Home Ministry had taken to address the incident that has hurt the feelings of the Muslim community.<br /><br />He said the parties involved could be fined up to RM20,000 or face imprisonment for not more than three years, or both.<br /><br />"The police have also received 36 police reports regarding dissatisfaction with the sale of the socks at KK Mart in Bandar Sunway, Selangor," he added.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><img height="240" src="https://i.newscdn.net/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2024/03/63c92e9ba24f62602ccf45a120f627b9.jpg" width="400" /><br /><br />Last Wednesday, the convenience store chain apologised following a viral video of the Miranosock socks with the word Allah being sold there.<br /><br />"To all KK Mart customers and the Muslim community in particular, KK Mart would like to apologise for the mistake in the sale of Miranosock branded socks at our branch in Bandar Sunway today.<br /><br />"We regret and take this incident seriously. Immediate action has been taken to stop the sale of these socks," it said in a statement.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-60744372535796655992024-03-18T13:46:00.007+08:002024-03-18T13:46:46.803+08:00CATL, the little-known Chinese battery maker that has the US worried<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><b><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/18/catl-chinese-battery-maker-evs-electric-vehicles" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Guardian</span></a>:<br /><br />CATL, the little-known Chinese battery maker that has the US worried</b><br /><br />It is the world’s biggest battery maker, it powers electric vehicles for Tesla, Volkswagen and BMW, and its EV technology is miles ahead of US offerings, say experts<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/amy-hawkins">Amy Hawkins</a> Senior China correspondent</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Mon 18 Mar 2024 11.34 AEDT<br /><br /><br />The world’s two superpowers are so intricately linked that it’s hard to think of a pillar of the economy that hasn’t been strained by tensions between the US and China.<br /><br />And the next frontline in the economic conflict may be the most fundamental yet: a fight for power itself.<br /><br /><br />A Chinese company that most people have never heard of is at the heart of the global race to store the clean energy needed to power the green transition in the US and the rest of the world.<br /><br />China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Limited, or CATL, is an energy storage specialist that is the world’s largest battery maker for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/29/battery-power-how-china-could-take-charge-of-the-electric-vehicle-market">electric vehicles</a> (EVs). But despite the fact that the company controls nearly two-fifths of the world’s EV battery market – and has powered cars made by brands including Tesla, <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/catl-becomes-the-first-cell-manufacturer-received-volkswagen-groups-test-lab-qualification-certificate-in-the-world-301302950.html">Volkswagen</a> and <a href="https://www.catl.com/en/news/1016.html">BMW</a> – it has long flown under the radar of US politics. Until now.<br /><br />In February, Duke Energy, a US energy company that serves more than 8 million customers, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/duke-energy-remove-chinese-battery-giant-catl-marine-corps-base-2024-02-09/">said</a> it was phasing out the use of CATL batteries. Duke said it would replace the CATL products with technology from a “domestic or allied nation supplier”.<br /><br />The decision came after lawmakers had raised concerns about the use of CATL batteries at a Marine Corps base, Camp Lejeune, in North Carolina. Duke, which provides electrical infrastructure to the military base, disconnected the CATL batteries in December and now plans to decommission them entirely, as well as phase them out from civilian projects.<br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/nov/21/breakthrough-battery-from-sweden-may-cut-dependency-on-china"><br /></a>Ford has also come under fire for doing business with CATL. A deal between the two companies to build a factory in Michigan to produce low-cost lithium iron phosphate batteries for EVs using CATL technology has repeatedly been questioned by US lawmakers. Marco Rubio, the vice-chairperson of the Senate intelligence committee, said the plan would bring “America’s greatest geopolitical adversary into the heartland” . In November, Ford scaled down its plans for the plant, reducing its capacity by about 40%.<br /><br />“This is new,” says Tu Le, the founder of Sino Auto Insights, a consultancy, of the recent scrutiny on CATL. “This is not something that had been talked about or discussed by the US government. There were never any concerns before.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><img src="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/17cd8566a2de8a90fdcd8630a7925cb91792cc32/44_0_2752_1652/master/2752.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none" /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/18/catl-chinese-battery-maker-evs-electric-vehicles#img-2"></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b>Tesla, which already uses CATL batteries, is reportedly planning to open a new battery factory using CATL machinery in Nevada this year. Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images</b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><b>US is ‘years behind’</b><br /><br />Le says there is an increasing pressure on US companies not to use any Chinese batteries, “but if the US is going to be competitive on the global stage with EVs, through 2030 they’re going to have to use Chinese batteries”.<br /><br />Critics are worried that using CATL batteries may create a dependence on Chinese technology that could become a vulnerability in the event of souring relations between Washington and Beijing. There are also concerns that US tax subsidies for green technology could flow towards Chinese entities.<br /><br />Regardless, experts agree there is no clear roadmap for the US to decarbonise its streets without cheap Chinese EV batteries – most likely from CATL or its main rival, BYD.<br /><br />Michael Dunne, the founder of Dunne Insights, an EV consultancy, says the US is “years behind when it comes to batteries, battery supply chains, critical minerals. This is where our cupboard is bare.”<br /><br />Dunne says there is now a “sense of urgency” in the US to build up domestic battery capacity but that it would take between five and 10 years to catch up with China. That may not be fast – or cheap – enough to achieve Biden’s goal of two-thirds of new car sales being EVs by 2032.<br /><br />Last week, energy secretary Jennifer Granholm told a discussion panel: “We are very concerned about China bigfooting our industry in the United States even as we’re building up now this incredible backbone of manufacturing.”<br /><br />But Granholm also acknowledged that “we need to understand that it is important for people to buy electric vehicles in an affordable fashion,” something that experts say is impossible in the current market without Chinese batteries.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><img src="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/4d121e4562cbb1d03773ca279be3e64db6cc1140/0_0_5787_3858/master/5787.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none" /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/18/catl-chinese-battery-maker-evs-electric-vehicles#img-3"></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Experts agree there is no clear roadmap for the US to decarbonise its streets without cheap Chinese EV batteries. Photograph: Martin Divíšek/EPA</span></b></i><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>A highly charged political climate</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The pushback in the US is already having an impact. Research recently published by Rhodium Group concluded that “Chinese EV and battery companies are increasingly stuck between a rock and a hard place” as they try to navigate their rising unpopularity in the US while Beijing pushes them to internationalise. Between 2022 and 2023, Chinese overseas investment in the EV supply chain in north America decreased from $4.8bn to $2.7bn, according to Rhodium, “driven by regulatory uncertainty and fears over political backlash”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Le says: “The national security aspect of it needs to be examined. That’s part of due diligence. But we also know that we don’t want to cut our nose off to spite our face either.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">CATL declined to be interviewed, but referred the Guardian to </span><a href="https://www.catl.com/en/news/6154.html" style="font-family: verdana;">a statement</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> published in December: “Accusations about CATL batteries posing security threats are false and misleading. As a global technology company, CATL welcomes responsible discourse on important safety and security issues, and we take questions about our business seriously. CATL’s business and products in the US do not collect, sell, or share data, and cannot directly interact with electrical grid or any other critical infrastructure.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Le says many Chinese companies are “anxious” to see who the US will elect as their next president in November. But although Washington is unlikely to look favourably on firms such as CATL any time soon, US companies may struggle to find alternatives. Tesla is </span><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-31/tesla-to-open-new-us-battery-plant-with-equipment-from-catl" style="font-family: verdana;">reportedly</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> planning to open a new battery factory using CATL machinery in Nevada this year.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-6297354951015239212024-03-18T13:30:00.003+08:002024-03-18T13:30:18.839+08:00Chuck Schumer: "Too many people are turning against Israel because of their dislike for Netanyahu."<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_qcoUiFRn4dSFK9Hisa1T3IlJo1N__Z9Qcw0vl7htAlW60rxzcCWX2ttn4cGa2MJ8FkCyBDd7FuRtB-2ispQt1qoeqRTlqqensXFKISPwz3HG2Kn9S4xOjWCbfLEq0DGdyeXPVBY-lcs42Uz6HWhMUTUeyEGR4XlLQDmCd0d7LMPCwN1TmhEr" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="184" data-original-width="606" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_qcoUiFRn4dSFK9Hisa1T3IlJo1N__Z9Qcw0vl7htAlW60rxzcCWX2ttn4cGa2MJ8FkCyBDd7FuRtB-2ispQt1qoeqRTlqqensXFKISPwz3HG2Kn9S4xOjWCbfLEq0DGdyeXPVBY-lcs42Uz6HWhMUTUeyEGR4XlLQDmCd0d7LMPCwN1TmhEr" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f48; font-family: Merriweather, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">UNITED STATES: PM Netanyahu </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://haaretz.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3Dd3bceadb340d6af4daf1de00d%26id%3D0b0d741284%26e%3Dc2e21e58e7&source=gmail&ust=1710825783985000&usg=AOvVaw0oUXsazxnzeehNwZRpECOA" href="https://haaretz.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d3bceadb340d6af4daf1de00d&id=0b0d741284&e=c2e21e58e7" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Merriweather, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none !important;" target="_blank">criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's watershed speech</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f48; font-family: Merriweather, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> calling for elections in Israel, saying it was "</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f48; font-family: Merriweather, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">totally inappropriate</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f48; font-family: Merriweather, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">" on CNN's State of the Union. "Israelis understand if we were to have elections now, before the war is resoundingly won, we would have at least six months of national paralysis, which means we would lose the war," he claimed.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f48; font-family: Merriweather, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" /></span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f48; font-family: Merriweather, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://haaretz.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3Dd3bceadb340d6af4daf1de00d%26id%3Dd439c801d8%26e%3Dc2e21e58e7&source=gmail&ust=1710825783985000&usg=AOvVaw3FLX8dCGFfZlKtq50T0AiK" href="https://haaretz.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d3bceadb340d6af4daf1de00d&id=d439c801d8&e=c2e21e58e7" style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none !important;" target="_blank">Schumer said</a> that "too many people are turning against Israel because of their dislike for Netanyahu…I felt an imperative to show that you could be <b>against Netanyahu and still be very pro-Israel</b>, which of course I am."<br /><br /></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff, one of the key pro-Israel voices in the House, <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://haaretz.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3Dd3bceadb340d6af4daf1de00d%26id%3D72cc051549%26e%3Dc2e21e58e7&source=gmail&ust=1710825783985000&usg=AOvVaw2oc-tB3P7OW-CQtuulHzH-" href="https://haaretz.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d3bceadb340d6af4daf1de00d&id=72cc051549&e=c2e21e58e7" style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none !important;" target="_blank">told CNN</a> that "the fact that Israel's most staunch defender in the U.S. Congress should be making these remarks should be <b>an earthquake in Israel</b>." Former House Speaker <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://haaretz.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3Dd3bceadb340d6af4daf1de00d%26id%3Dfbb38233b5%26e%3Dc2e21e58e7&source=gmail&ust=1710825783985000&usg=AOvVaw0wT85VQMtzMfmoYE9MGNDc" href="https://haaretz.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d3bceadb340d6af4daf1de00d&id=fbb38233b5&e=c2e21e58e7" style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none !important;" target="_blank">Nancy Pelosi said Schumer's speech was "an act of courage</a>, <b>an act of love to Israel</b>."</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f48; font-family: Merriweather, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">■ ISRAEL: PM Netanyahu said during a government meeting that some in the international community "are trying to stop the war now, before achieving all of its goals…by making </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f48; font-family: Merriweather, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">false accusations</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f48; font-family: Merriweather, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> against the IDF, against the Israeli government and against the prime minister of Israel." Israel, according to Netanyahu, "must not give in to this pressure."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f48; font-family: Merriweather, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" /></span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #0e1f48; font-family: Merriweather, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said military pressure in Gaza "is <b>the key</b>" to both a military victory in Gaza for the return of the hostages, "through operational means or through negotiations."<br /><br /></span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded that PM Netanyahu <b>stop the next round of appointments</b> in the IDF, claiming that Chief of General Staff Herzl Halevi does not have a mandate to promote officers following October 7.</span></li></ul>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-45059563314143114542024-03-18T13:06:00.001+08:002024-03-18T13:06:41.806+08:00Oz Government reverses cancelled Gaza visas<b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> SMH:</span></b><div><b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfLwUxXQuZ9QDdwh1C8LXPpTQ0pg8V6f9E4aElyUxtv0lus4SK8IiATqHaiXWVBjdp_Y8wO3Z6BoCzMtU7hZxZDO2ek9iwU3Ia5P2UC2lTl4ND71c2nFVt9Zf3VR5CdyN1ArSfscY46UdqV6FV8_1S0gXWYvuW4ARfHL8mzTX1LfNdtQRJlYy3=w573-h374" width="573" /></div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 800px; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 16px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px auto; table-layout: fixed; width: 600px;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px;"><h2 style="color: #0a1633; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 32px; margin: 12px 0px;">‘We are delighted’: Government reverses cancelled Gaza visas</h2></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 16px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px auto; table-layout: fixed; width: 600px;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px;"><p style="color: #0a1633; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; margin: 12px 0px;">Several Palestinians fleeing the war in Gaza who were devastated after their visas were cancelled while en route to Australia <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs%3D6d2376551ea86ebb32d5505cda6e8d35b0dd5b7ff85b02524a720a9a3b8389937c39e62764ee032f13c1d305891206cc0ab3a7a706322d3e&source=gmail&ust=1710824073941000&usg=AOvVaw35xXP1PB6HVC8ySa-GDU7-" href="https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs=6d2376551ea86ebb32d5505cda6e8d35b0dd5b7ff85b02524a720a9a3b8389937c39e62764ee032f13c1d305891206cc0ab3a7a706322d3e" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #096dd2;" target="_blank">have again been granted permission to travel</a> to the country, a move that has thrilled advocates in Australia. A government source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed several visa cancellations had been reversed following checks. The visas had <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs%3D6d2376551ea86ebbf0a39f8c6dd90e7e1e899f47e85bd39e6fcc2f65a68e67a12000b6e63c22b9c6432eb42e6ba04f387c54caff43c6cd81&source=gmail&ust=1710824073941000&usg=AOvVaw1iF-_yHAJk6SzVZTXGxDJE" href="https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs=6d2376551ea86ebbf0a39f8c6dd90e7e1e899f47e85bd39e6fcc2f65a68e67a12000b6e63c22b9c6432eb42e6ba04f387c54caff43c6cd81" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #096dd2;" target="_blank">been cancelled</a> in cases where individuals <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs%3D6d2376551ea86ebb2b7bc0c2b32a381c1268c477102fc19a63234436be33fbf3de685cc737935da3f99baf73371d9c4f5ae9293f7ae0ef5f&source=gmail&ust=1710824073941000&usg=AOvVaw2a2IPpQRG1pJqrUfe2H71I" href="https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs=6d2376551ea86ebb2b7bc0c2b32a381c1268c477102fc19a63234436be33fbf3de685cc737935da3f99baf73371d9c4f5ae9293f7ae0ef5f" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #096dd2;" target="_blank">left Gaza</a> without explanation or there had been a significant change in their circumstances, the source said.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 16px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px auto; table-layout: fixed; width: 600px;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px;"><p style="color: #0a1633; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; margin: 12px 0px;">Rasha Abbas, executive director of the Palestine Australia Relief and Action group, said eight of the 11 Palestinians her organisation was assisting had been told their cancelled visas had been reinstated. She said she was hopeful of the same outcome for the three remaining people. Among Gazans who have had their visas reinstated is Cassandra, a mother from southern Gaza whose case was <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs%3D6d2376551ea86ebb27984d79146028805ad1a7261fa2ec9c7c9fb488de7b063d6c555171c475ac87c51fb6893c74a1cc1786070b259c6369&source=gmail&ust=1710824073941000&usg=AOvVaw1zeZtV_5egFkbccDjYFNey" href="https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs=6d2376551ea86ebb27984d79146028805ad1a7261fa2ec9c7c9fb488de7b063d6c555171c475ac87c51fb6893c74a1cc1786070b259c6369" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #096dd2;" target="_blank">highlighted by the<em> Herald</em></a> last week. Cassandra, who used a pseudonym to protect her identity, said she and her children were initially allowed to board a flight from Cairo, with a stopover at another Middle Eastern airport.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 16px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px auto; table-layout: fixed; width: 600px;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px;"><p style="color: #0a1633; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; margin: 12px 0px;">However, after being told she could not board the final flight of her journey, Cassandra said she was given the option of sending her children – both aged under 13 – to Australia without any parental supervision. She said she had spent thousands of dollars on visa applications and flights, money she feared had been wasted as the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs%3D6d2376551ea86ebb9de4c4b69c35129fc580ee5a5850ff72df81432d6e084789cdfa303a2e8de9ae6929b52585f534b2a44a739e705ceca4&source=gmail&ust=1710824073941000&usg=AOvVaw3snXKEvAYB3TqdtusNOrq9" href="https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs=6d2376551ea86ebb9de4c4b69c35129fc580ee5a5850ff72df81432d6e084789cdfa303a2e8de9ae6929b52585f534b2a44a739e705ceca4" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #096dd2;" target="_blank">Coalition complained</a> the government was approving visas too hastily. It comes as a second cargo of food aid, led by the United Arab Emirates and charities, is <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs%3D6d2376551ea86ebb2663f4d2b41ebb153654a4232f4e0f303b087adc91e663b824203944e6641eeb135ae7d9180db88fd79e98e68c0ef38c&source=gmail&ust=1710824073941000&usg=AOvVaw26e0fe-35tQy93jq0rX8t4" href="https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs=6d2376551ea86ebb2663f4d2b41ebb153654a4232f4e0f303b087adc91e663b824203944e6641eeb135ae7d9180db88fd79e98e68c0ef38c" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #096dd2;" target="_blank">readied for shipment</a> from Cyprus to Gaza. One in three children aged under 2 in northern Gaza is now acutely malnourished, <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs%3D6d2376551ea86ebbc222c2afcf1890532db992787258f622ed07d375fc14e48b4ea3505549c97dbc4e9f5937e18435f9326b726d8b1fb5b5&source=gmail&ust=1710824073941000&usg=AOvVaw0Vz0kIOigg2C3mbfrZdbmQ" href="https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs=6d2376551ea86ebbc222c2afcf1890532db992787258f622ed07d375fc14e48b4ea3505549c97dbc4e9f5937e18435f9326b726d8b1fb5b5" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #096dd2;" target="_blank">the UN says.</a> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also resisting growing criticism from the US against his leadership, describing calls for a new election as <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs%3D6d2376551ea86ebbda4f1098070bc4277f95207d8d931606eb453d86106c7cc2c1c323e9616e4c210cf1352663ad402874614376a22bce40&source=gmail&ust=1710824073941000&usg=AOvVaw2TLaGRpEkxs4ubsdBC37gm" href="https://click.email.fairfaxmedia.com.au/?qs=6d2376551ea86ebbda4f1098070bc4277f95207d8d931606eb453d86106c7cc2c1c323e9616e4c210cf1352663ad402874614376a22bce40" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #096dd2;" target="_blank">“wholly inappropriate”.</a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 800px; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody></tbody></table></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-53140011840464058602024-03-18T12:43:00.006+08:002024-03-18T12:43:49.344+08:00Israeli forces (lied and) attack al-Shifa hospital<p> </p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/3/18/israels-war-on-gaza-live-ceasefire-push-as-rafah-invasion-looms" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">al Jazeera</span></a>:</b></span><p><br /></p><h1 class="compact-featured-area__title" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 2.5rem; grid-column: 1; line-height: 1.2; margin: 10px 0px;">Israeli forces attack al-Shifa hospital</h1><div><br /></div><div><div class="compact-featured-area__byline" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: row; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; grid-column: 1; justify-content: space-between; margin: 10px 0px 20px; z-index: 2;"><div class="article-b-l" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(250, 144, 0); border-left: 4px solid rgb(250, 144, 0); border-right: none rgb(250, 144, 0); border-top-color: rgb(250, 144, 0); box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px;"><div class="article-author-name" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; flex-flow: wrap; font-size: 1.125rem; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;"><span class="article-by" style="border-left-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #626262; flex-direction: column; font-size: 1.125rem; line-height: 1.72; margin: 0px; padding-right: 0px;">By </span><span class="article-author-name-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-weight: 700;"><a class="author-link" href="https://www.aljazeera.com/author/lyndal_rowlands_170519012102404" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; text-decoration-line: none;">Lyndal Rowlands</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, </span></span><span class="article-author-name-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-weight: 700;"><a class="author-link" href="https://www.aljazeera.com/author/zaheena_rasheed_170718183220824" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; text-decoration-line: none;">Zaheena Rasheed</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> </span>and<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> </span></span></span><span class="article-author-name-item" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; font-weight: 700;"><a class="author-link" href="https://www.aljazeera.com/author/alastair-mccready" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; text-decoration-line: none;">Alastair McCready</a></span></div><div class="article-dates" style="align-items: flex-start; border-color: rgb(250, 144, 0); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="date-simple css-1yjq2zp" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #595959; display: flex; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: unset; position: relative;"><span class="screen-reader-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; clip-path: inset(100%); clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: normal !important; overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; text-wrap: nowrap; width: 1px;">Published On 18 Mar 2024</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="box-sizing: border-box;">18 Mar 2024</span></div></div></div><div class="combined-share" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-top: 6px;"><div class="combined-share__wrapper" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; height: 38px; justify-content: center; position: relative; width: 38px;"><button aria-pressed="false" class="combined-share__button" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: inherit; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); align-items: center; 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font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; z-index: 0;"><div class="wysiwyg-content" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="wysiwyg wysiwyg--all-content css-1kw180w" id="wysiwyg" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--font-family-article-body); font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden;"><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; padding-left: 40px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; position: static;">Israeli forces have surrounded and opened fire at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, according to media reports, with a military spokesman <span style="background-color: #ffe599;">claiming</span> 😣😤😡 Hamas fighters have regrouped inside the medical facility.</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; position: static;">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to go ahead with a ground assault on Rafah in Gaza, as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warns against an attack on the southern city, where more than a million Palestinian civilians are sheltering.</li></ul><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-81999772574503091492024-03-18T12:25:00.005+08:002024-03-18T12:25:48.069+08:00The Australian (newspaper) should be ‘contemptuously ignored’, Keating says<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2024/mar/18/australia-politics-live-question-time-anthony-albanese-peter-dutton-jack-fitzgibbon-fuel-efficiency-jodie-belyea" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Guardian</span></b></a>:<br /><br /><br /><b>The Australian (newspaper) should be ‘contemptuously ignored’, Keating says</b><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">by Daniel Hurst</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxk0DshyQYqA7smRsR9Mp48WyjNZAZxUi0R4A8k65Lp61WT_HF3MhhcE8QkH40htdWwRkF0oe0l35zG61esnc1h-l5Al1tYa2QsprQQhSopnUhcFZ_UPzRIZg1T6nzXkSe_cRwxdaIt3Vq9fSJsayCOqbMSRZ4NqakHvjpuBkaO4X04A1vDbhS=w400-h400" width="400" /><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><br />Former prime minister Paul Keating has defended plans to meet with China’s foreign minister Wang Yi in Sydney this week. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP</span></b></i><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The Australian (newspaper) should be ‘contemptuously ignored’, Keating says</b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><br />Paul Keating ended the statement with a sting:<br /><br /><i>The Australian newspaper, for its part, remains trenchantly anti-Chinese. So it is no surprise that such a distorted report should appear in today’s edition. The Australian prosyletises that Australia either is or could be a Chinese military target. But the same newspaper urges Australia to sell the Chinese ever more tonnages of iron ore, presumably so that China would have no trouble putting together the armaments of<br />scale necessary to actually attack and damage us.<br /><br />This is how mixed up The Australian’s editorial policy is and why it should be ignored. More than that, contemptuously ignored.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11109306.post-36177660342388703162024-03-18T12:14:00.000+08:002024-03-18T12:14:12.314+08:00Penangites told to cut water usage by 10% immediately<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><b><a href="https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/03/18/penangites-told-to-cut-water-usage-by-10-immediately/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">FMT</span></a>:<br /><br />Penangites told to cut water usage by 10% immediately</b><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">18 Mar 2024, 11:30 AM<br /><br />PBAPP CEO K Pathmanathan makes urgent plea after water level in Sungai Muda drops below the 2m ‘safe’ threshold.<br /><br /><br /><img height="250" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/3e9e1e13-sungai-muda-bernama-180324-1.webp" width="400" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Penang Water Supply Corporation CEO K Pathmanathan said the company is drawing as much water as possible to feed demand. (Bernama pic)</span></b></i><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">PETALING JAYA: Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) has appealed to all its users to cut their water consumption by 10% immediately.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Its CEO K Pathmanathan said that from Thursday to Sunday Sungai Muda’s water level varied between 1.71m and 1.89m, below its 2m “safe level” for water abstraction at the Lahar Tiang intake in Seberang Perai.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><img src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/4acd1150-mugshort-k-pathmanathan-email-140623.jpg" /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">K Pathmanathan.</span></b></i><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“The 120 billion-litre Muda dam in Kedah, which releases water into Sungai Muda, reportedly dropped to 48.6% on Friday.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Thankfully, the Beris dam, which also feeds Sungai Muda, was 98.6% that day,” he said in a statement.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Pathmanathan added that PBAPP is drawing as much raw water as possible from Sungai Muda to meet demand.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“However, it is in the hands of the Kedah authorities to release water from the dams into Sungai Muda.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Nevertheless, PBAPP personnel are on stand-by to draw down a maximum of 600 million litres a day (MLD) from the expanded Mengkuang dam, as and when we are unable to draw enough water from Sungai Muda,” he said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">He added that the effective capacity of the Air Itam dam dropped by 0.8%, from 38.1% on Friday to 37.3% Sunday.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“PBAPP has been compelled to draw down more than 11MLD from the dam. The Air Itam water treatment plant had to produce 25MLD of treated water to meet increased demand,” he said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">According to Pathmanathan, if PBAPP is unable to continue pumping 33MLD of treated water from Seberang Perai to Air Itam, due to high water consumption, the Air Itam dam action plan 2024 will not work.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Moreover, there will be more widespread water supply issues.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Feb 2, Pathmanathan revealed PBAPP’s Air Itam dam action plan, which was to reduce short-term dependency on the dam to build its effective capacity to 50%, up from the current 34.6%.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>KTemochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09951253039042572381noreply@blogger.com1