Day: January 10, 2023

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 (Bernama) — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim suggested the creation of a unity government in Sabah to solve the political impasse in the state.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also UMNO president, said the suggestion would involve all parties in the federal government.

“For Sabah, it won’t be hard to form a unity government but the question of acceptance is an aspect we have to address first,” he told reporters after attending an event with the media here today.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman also urged all parties to have an open mind about Anwar’s suggestion.

“I’m convinced that Sabahans do not want a state election as it would not only be tiring but also burdensome. Democracy is not only about elections, but also cooperation between political parties,” he said.

Anwar and Ahmad Zahid met with Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor yesterday to look for a solution to the political impasse.

On whether action will be taken against Sabah UMNO liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin over the retraction of support to Hajiji, Ahmad Zahid said, “Several details need to be discussed and Insya-Allah, I will meet him soon.”

Bung Moktar announced last Friday that Sabah UMNO and BN had retracted their support to Hajiji as Sabah chief minister. The following day, five BN assemblymen stated their stand to support Hajiji instead, and are part of the 44 assemblymen said to be supporting Hajiji’s chief ministership and current administration.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 10 (Bernama) — The Ministry of Health (MOH) has decided to maintain the COVID-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) for now and will examine seven key indicators in the country before deciding to tighten the SOP if necessary.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the ministry will first monitor the situation in the country and further strengthen public health control before taking action.

“We will first monitor not only hospital admissions but also many other indicators such as forecast cases, daily cases and so on.

“If the data shows improvement in all available indicators, we can discuss appropriate action at that time,” he said at the Health Minister’s engagement session with the media here today.

Also present were Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa, Health deputy director-general (Public Health) Datuk Dr Norhayati Rusli and Institute for Clinical Research director Datuk Dr M. Kalairasu.

Dr Noor Hisham said indicators include the sudden increase in imported cases; currently, only three or four cases are recorded per month, and the discovery of new variants in sewage samples and at high-risk places.

“What worries us is that when a new variant is found, we are not sure whether our vaccine is effective or not. We will also check with WHO (World Health Organisation) whether another variant has been registered or not,” he said.

He said if a new variant other than Omicron is detected, the MOH will monitor the extent of infectivity of the variant and the severity or hospitalisation.

Another indicator is the increase in cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) in selected health facilities. If the records show a sudden increase in cases, the ministry will take more detailed measures to control them, he said.

Dr Noor Hisham added that another indicator is the capacity of the public health system. For example, if bed occupancy and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions for COVID-19 patients exceed 30 per cent, the ministry will take appropriate action.

The indicator that will also be monitored is the increase in death cases, which is currently one figure per day, and if there is a three-digit jump, the MOH will investigate the extent of the severity of the virus, he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 10 (Bernama) — The shelf life of the COVID-19 vaccines used in Malaysia has been extended after the manufacturing company submitted new data on the stability of the vaccine, said Health director-general, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

“When the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) gives conditional approval, there is a rolling submission such as the latest data is now available, we see that the vaccine is more stable.

“Hence, we are extending the expiry date of the vaccine vials from six months to one year depending on the stability data we get from the manufacturer,” he said at the Health Minister’s engagement session with the media here today.

In November last year, Dr Noor Hisham was reported to have said that the NPRA has approved an extension for the shelf life of SinoVac’s CoronaVac and Pfizer-BioNTech’s Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccines for six and three months, respectively, compared to the original date printed on the vial.

Meanwhile, Health Ministry’s (MOH) Public Health Physician (Family Health Development Division) Dr Saidatul Norbaya Buang said that an average of 7,000 second booster dose injections are administered daily.

She said booster vaccinations are offered at 1,293 vaccination centres (PPVs) nationwide, namely at 104 MOH hospitals, 754 clinics, and 435 private PPVs.

She added that individuals in the priority group can get the vaccinations without an appointment by walking in at hospitals, health clinics, or private PPVs, while other categories have to book an appointment through the MySejahtera application or call the PPV.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 10 (Bernama) — The mechanism for controlling the price of goods and setting the ceiling price will be reviewed soon, said Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub.

“We will definitely review it soon because it has been a year (maximum price set),” he told a press conference after delivering the ministry’s 2023 New Year’s Address here today.

The Federation of Malaysian Retailers Association recently raised that the government should re-evaluate the price control mechanism which is considered to be out of date and has resulted in the short supply of controlled goods such as eggs, sugar and cooking oil in the market.

The association also suggested that the government consider on floating the prices according to the market, but at the same time, provide purchase coupons or discounts to the target group.

On the ‘Payung Rahmah’ initiative, which includes the ‘Bakul Rahmah’, ‘Jualan Rahmah’, ‘Kafe Rahmah’ and ‘Pakej Rahmah’ programmes to reduce the cost of living, Salahuddin said KPDN will focus its implementation on the hardcore poor.

According to him, the Statistics Department’s data as of Dec 31, 2022 shows that there are 130,000 poor household heads in the country.

In a separate development, he denied that there is no packet cooking oil in the market as claimed by some parties, but assured that KPDN officials will act immediately if there are complaints about the lack of supply.

Earlier in his speech, Salahuddin also announced several other offers, among them, the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) will give a 90 per cent compound reduction from the original value of the compound on companies with a ‘dissolved’ status under the Companies Act 1965.

SSM will also continue to reduce the compound by 90 per cent of the original compound value for regular offences under the Companies Act 2016, he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PETALING JAYA, Jan 10 (Bernama) — The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) will continue the plan to purchase 18 light combat aircraft, said its Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

He said the procurement of all 18 aircraft had been approved by the previous administration.

“We want the current Cabinet to approve what was approved (18 light combat aircraft) by the previous administration.

“The acquisition of light combat aircraft still remains at 18 and hopefully, as soon as possible, but it needs to go through certain processes,” he told reporters after a working visit at Subang Air Base, here, today.

He said his ministry will also look at priorities and proposals to increase the assets of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) because it involves a large allocation.

“We want to complete what we should have and what needs to be upgraded (aircraft),” he said.

Commenting on preparations for the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2023 (LIMA ‘23), Mohamad said Mindef had invited six countries to participate in the static and air shows.

“Two countries have confirmed participation. Thus far, 80 per cent of exhibitors have expressed commitment to participate in LIMA ’23 which is the largest air and maritime show. The last time it was held was in 2019,” he said.

According to him, the LIMA ’23 exhibition also provided Mindef and the Malaysian Air Forces the opportunity to look at defence assets from abroad, in addition to meeting and having strategic defence diplomacy.

The LIMA ’23 exhibition is scheduled to take place from May 23 to 27, and is expected to see the participation of more than 600 exhibitors, from both local and international defence industry companies, and attract more than 50,000 delegates from home and abroad.

Also present were Mindef secretary-general Datuk Seri Muez Abd Aziz and Air Force chief Gen Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has ended the alert-level continuous rain warning issued for Sabah at midnight last Sunday.

In a statement on Saturday (Dec 31), MetMalaysia said that based on the analysis of weather models, it was found that there was no potential for continuous rain in the state.

Members of the public can obtain the latest weather updates via MetMalaysia’s website https://www.met.gov.my, its myCuaca mobile app, and the department’s official social media platforms.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

MELAKA, Jan 10 (Bernama) — Kampung Jawa, which has been a popular shopping destination for locals and tourists for more than 100 years, will be closed on May 31 to make way for the development of new projects.

Despite operating in a narrow lane, the business site which has more than 10 traders is not only famous among the people of Melaka but also outside the state to buy essential goods.

The closure of the business site, which is on a private land, will not only affect the traders, but also regular customers, especially the B40 group.

A trader, Sulaiman Omar, 61, said he has been selling clothes and items for haj and umrah in Kampung Jawa for almost 46 years and has regular customers from various ages and races.

“I have been doing business here since I was 15 years old. The traders here have been informed that they have to vacate their respective shops on May 31.

“We are very worried about our fate…if I don’t find a rental shop at a reasonable price, I will have to stop doing business,” he told reporters when met here today.

Sulaiman said he and other traders had to comply with the landowner’s instructions but hoped the state government could help find a new place for them to continue their business.

School uniforms trader, Salamah Mohamed, 63, who took over her late husband’s business since 2002, also hopes that the government can establish a new business site in Kampung Jawa near the existing location.

Clothes trader, Koh Lian Neo, 70, who took over her mother-in-law’s business for the past 40 years said that Kampung Jawa is not only a place to shop for necessities but is a historical and heritage site for the state of Melaka.

“Most people know Kampung Jawa. Not only Melaka people but also people from other states because we sell essential goods at cheap prices. Please keep Kampung Jawa, not for me or the traders here but for the poor and underprivileged,” she said.

Another clothes trader Ng Kien Chiew, 55, said he was grateful that the land owner still gave them time to do business until May but was sad that he had to move from the business site that he had inherited from his father more than 30 years ago.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency