..
Fake: The Covid-19 virus does not exist.
..
True: China isolated the Covid-19 virus and its genome sequence.
..
India has also isolated the Covid-19 virus. As have the USA, Japan and Thailand as well as China.
..
Scientists know the genome sequence.
..
Published 12:58 pm
Modified 1:07 pm
COMMENT | On Dec 21 and 22, 2020, a local newspaper published several exposes about a âmeat cartelâ that specialises in importing meat into Malaysia. According to the reports, the cartel has been in operation for more than 40 years.
The cartel would bring non-certified meat into Malaysia and pass it off as halal-certified products. Among the stock they bring in are kangaroo meat, horse meat, beef of poor quality, or even meat from diseased animals.
The cartel allegedly worked with several officers from government agencies to bring in the meat into this country as halal-certified meat. The officers would be bribed with money and even sex in order for the cartel to continue to operate.
Quoting from the reports, ââŠthe process began abroad, where government agency officers entrusted with supervising the quality of the meat at the slaughterhouses would sign off on the products whether or not they met Malaysia’s rigorous halal and quality standards.â
Once the cartel bypassed this first stage, they would bring the products into the country via ports, where ârepresentativesâ in government agencies based at the ports would then assist the meat to be allowed entry into Malaysia.
It was also reported that the cartel used âproxy companiesâ to ensure that the heads of the cartel were sufficiently distanced from the operations. This would make it difficult for the authorities to establish a direct link between the activities and the individuals.
The reports have caused shockwaves across the country. They have caused concern and worry especially amongst Muslims. As we know, the status of halal meat in Malaysia has a high degree of trust amongst the people, especially those of the Muslim faith. The possibility that Muslims have been consuming non-halal meat for years thinking that the meat is halal is disturbing, to say the least.
A related worry would be in relation to food safety. If indeed some of the meat were of poor quality, or from diseased animals, consumers would be exposed to health risks by consuming them. There is also the concern with regards to how these meats were handled and stored if officers can be bribed to compromise the integrity and quality of the meats.
Food safety not only concerns Muslims but society as a whole regardless of religion. When we buy meat, we want to be assured that they are safe for consumption.
The government must view these reports seriously. A thorough investigation must be conducted with no stone left unturned. It was reported that the MACC has already begun investigations into the allegations. According to reports, no fewer than four government agencies are involved with the cartel, and the MACC must ensure that these agencies are investigated too.
The fact that the cartel could carry out their operations for years and work hand-in-glove with government officials shows the extent of how embedded these operations are.
The exposes, if true, are proof once again that corruption is cancerous to society. The nation loses billions of ringgit each year due to corruption, and now we can see that corruption also has a negative effect on public trust in the integrity of halal meat imported into the country, as well as raises questions about food safety in Malaysia.
We must combat corruption as a matter of priority. There can be no tolerance for this bane to our society, and we must all work together to ensure that these sorts of activities can no longer take place in Malaysia.
We are paying a high price for corruption.
SYAHREDZAN JOHAN is a civil liberties lawyer and political secretary to Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/556405
..
..
The ‘Merry Christmas’ greeting has been the subject of contention before but this is the first time it has emerged that the greeting could affect a product’s official halal status.
Dec 24, 2020 4:46 PM
The governmentâs halal authority today said the use of âMerry Christmasâ on products would invalidate their halal certification, in a statement that is likely to reignite a debate on policies seen as regressive to Malaysiaâs multicultural identity.
A spokesman for the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) confirmed to MalaysiaNow the existence of such a condition before a company is awarded halal certification, following an incident reported by a member of the public.
MalaysiaNow earlier reported about a bakery which could not fulfil a customerâs request for âMerry Christmasâ to be written on a cake he had ordered for delivery to a friend.
Instead, the cake was delivered with the words âHappy Holidaysâ.
The bakery owner said it was because he had to abide by the rules set by Jakim as part of the application process for getting halal certification.
âThe bakery was not wrong as it is part of the regulations,â an officer from Jakimâs communications unit told MalaysiaNow.
He cited a labelling rule stated in Jakimâs manual on the procedures leading towards halal certification.
âLabelling and advertising of products and services should not involve the use of any religious or spiritual passage, symbol or noun such as the names of Allah, sunnah, idols and the like,â according to the document sighted by MalaysiaNow.
The âMerry Christmasâ greeting has been a subject of debate in Malaysia, with some Muslim preachers claiming Muslims are prohibited from using the expression as it is a veneration of Christ.
But this is the first time it has emerged that the greeting could also affect a productâs official halal status.
Earlier, the customer, who declined to be named, said it was the first time he had encountered such a problem.
âBut the management apologised to me saying it is part of the conditions during the audit process,â he added.
Jakim is legally empowered as the sole authority to issue halal certification for food and goods as well as eateries nationwide.
In the past, critics had questioned several conditions imposed by the department on food manufacturers and franchises seeking halal certification, including prohibiting certain names from being used on the product.
Popular pretzel chain Auntie Anneâs and fast food franchise A&W were forced to rename their popular products due to a requirement by Jakim that words such as âdogâ and âbeerâ are not used on their menu.
Auntie Anneâs renamed its âpretzel dogâ as âpretzel sausageâ, while A&W was forced to change the names of two popular dishes for which it is known worldwide: Coney Dog and Root Beer, which were renamed as Chicken (or Beef) Coney and RB.
..
..
It’s a bolide, a bright meteor.
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
300 million died of small pox before it was eradicated in 1977. It was officially pronounced “dead” in 1980.
Vaccination killed off small pox.
..
..
Datuk Muhamad Adlan Berhanâs name has been the subject of market talk since an RFP was called for concession of the National Integrated Immigration System
Emmanuel Samarathisa
Updated 4 hours ago · Published on 24 Dec 2020 12:00PM · 0 Comments
KUALA LUMPUR â Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassinâs son-in-law may be a key player in the RM1.2 billion National Integrated Immigration System (NIIS) concession as he has links to one of the projectâs front-runners, security solutions provider S5 Holdings Inc.
Company filings show that Datuk Muhamad Adlan Berhan, married to Muhyiddinâs daughter, Nabilah, is a shareholder of Agathistwo Jia Sdn Bhd. He was a director of the company, too, but resigned on September 21, 2018, yet remains among its owners.
The other Agathistwo Jia directors are businessmen Lim Beng Guan and Choong Khoong Liang. Lim, also the founder of boutique financial house ZJ Advisory Sdn Bhd, is the sole director and shareholder of Avocat Sdn Bhd, which is among the shareholders of S5 with a 3.62% stake.
Other S5 owners are MyEG Services Bhdâs subsidiary MyEG Capital Sdn Bhd (10%), S7 Holdings Sdn Bhd (76.38%) and Merrington Assets Ltd (10%).
NIIS was mooted by Muhyiddin, then home minister, under the previous Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, after cancelling its predecessor Sistem Kawalan Imigresen Nasional (SKIN) due to inflated costs.
Estimates put NIIS at about RM1.2 billion, a 34% discount from SKINâs RM3.5 billion, with Muhyiddin calling for a request for proposal (RFP) last year.
Prestariang Bhd, on the other hand, which was directly awarded the contract by the then Barisan Nasional government, is suing Putrajaya for compensation.
Ever since Muhyiddin called for an RFP, Adlanâs name has been the subject of market talk, especially with his involvement in S5.
While he doesnât have a direct relationship with the company, based on the data above, there is some business relation with Lim and Avocat.
But NIIS is now hanging in the balance after the PH government collapsed and was replaced by Muhyiddinâs Perikatan Nasional.
This has led to some NIISâ bidders expressing concerns, citing intense lobbying from certain participants â with some even pledging a portion of their annual revenue â and political pressure.
As for S5, it is now planning a reverse takeover of listed Ancom Logistics Bhd (ALB). In a July 16 bourse filing, ALB said it had entered into a heads of agreement with the respective vendors or S5âs shareholders.
Under the agreement, ALB will acquire S5 Holdings Inc from the vendors at a price to be agreed on by the parties in exchange of ALB shares based on 10 sen per share.
In return, ALB will issue new ordinary shares to the vendors, which would then undertake a mandatory general offer for the remaining shares of ALB upon completion of the proposed acquisition. â The Vibes, December 24, 2020
..
..
What makes Singapore able to surpass Malaysia in the fields of economy and technology?Bill Chen·Updated June 15, 2019Lived in Kuala Lumpur
Surpass? When was Malaysia ever in the lead?
The short answer: Singapore needed multipliers to survive. Malaysia didnât.
First, a little detour.
Anyone recognize this man?
Clue. This was taken in the 1920s.
Perhaps a more recent shot will help.
Deng Xiaoping was one of the student-workers sent to study Western culture and science in France. The hope was they will bring their learning and experience back to China and remake the nation to catch up with the West.
What was the backdrop? In the 1920s, China was still in civil war. There was a nominal central government but the nation was in chaos until reunification in 1949.
And yet the Chinese recognized the importance of youth and education, enough to privately invest astronomical sums (for a desperately poor semi-state) on several hundred young men and women. Unsurprisingly, many of them went on to write themselves into modern Chinaâs history. Including two guys named Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping.
But what does this have to do with Malaysia?
Malaysia is resource rich. Fantastically so, considering the population density at independence. When oil turned into liquid gold during the 1970s (the price went from $3 to $40 before the end of the decade), the bonanza helped fund the NEP. Generations of leaders pursued race-based social engineering funded by easy money to ensure political succession at the polls rather than lay the groundwork to build her up.
What happens when things are cheap? People become wasteful. Take Proton, the first indigenous car, a symbol of Malay pride and technological achievement. How old is Proton? Started in 1983, which makes her almost 40. Yet she has little to boast about. She still makes cars even Malaysiansâparticularly Federal and state officialsâdonât want to buy. Or take MAS, bleeding red year on year and kept on life support by the government.
I can go on but you get the picture. The development path Malaysia chose did not emphasize learning from the world to become strong and catching up with advanced economies.
I find it instructive to include this recollection from a famous Malaysian:
I made oneâand only oneâstrong attempt to influence the course of history of Malaysia. This took place in September 1975 during the Muslim fasting month. Tun Razak, the second Prime Minister of Malaysia, was gravely ill with terminal leukaemia, for which he was receiving treatment in a London hospital. My dear friend Hussein Onn, son of Dato Onn bin Jafar, was Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and acting Prime Minister in Tun Razakâs absence. He was soon to become Malaysiaâs third Prime Minister. I went to Kuala Lumpur and sent word that I wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk. On the phone Hussein said, âWhy donât you come in during lunch time. It is the fasting month. Come to my office at about half past one. There will be no one around and we can chat to our heartâs content.â
Hussein and I go back to 1932 when we were in the same class in school in Johor Bahru. Shortly afterwards, his father fell out with the then-Sultan of Johor and the family moved to the Siglap area of Singapore.
My father would often spend weekends with Dato Onn. Two or three years later, Hussein returned to Johor Bahru and we were classmates again at English College from 1935 to 1939. Husseinâs father, Dato Onn, did not have a tertiary education. But he read widely and was very well informed. He was a natural born politician, a gifted orator in Malay and in English. He was a very shrewd man with a tremendous air of fine breeding even though he was not from Malaysian royalty. When you were in his presence, you knew you were in the presence of someone great. Dato Onn would go on to found UMNO, the ruling party of Malaysia, and become one of the founders of the independent nation of Malaysia. He set a tone of racial harmony for the nationâand he practised it. Our families were close.
So, I went to call on his son, my old friend Hussein Onn in 1975. His office was in a magnificent old colonial building, part of the Selangor Secretariat Building. In front of it was the Kuala Lumpur padang, where, in the colonial days, the British used to play the gentlemenâs games of cricket and rugby. I climbed up a winding staircase and his aide showed me straight to his room. There was hardly another soul in that huge office complex. After greeting one another, I warmed up to my subject with Hussein very quickly. I said, âHussein, I have come to discuss two things with you. One is Tun Razakâs health. The other is the future of our nation.â I said, âYou know, Razak has been looking very poorly lately. We all know he has gone to London for treatment.â Hussein interrupted: âTun doesnât like anybody discussing his health. Do you mind if we pass on to the next subject?â I said, âOf course not.â I continued, âI had to raise the first subject because that leads to the next subject. Assuming Razak doesnât have long to liveâplease donât mind, but I have to say thatâyou are clearly going to become the new Prime Minister in a matter of months or weeks.â
âIâm listening,â he said. âHussein, we go back a long way. Our fathers were the best of friends; our families have been the best of friends. In our young days, you and I always felt a strong passion for our country, which we both still feel. Whatever has happened these past years, letâs not go backwards and ask what has gone wrong and what has not been done right. Letâs look at the future. If there was damage done, we can repair it.â
Hussein listened patiently. I pressed on, âFirst, let me ask you a few questions, Hussein. What, in your mind, is the number of people required to run a society, a community, a nation with the land mass of Malaysia?â This was 1975, when the population was about 12.5 million. He didnât reply. For the sake of time, I answered my own question. âHussein, if I say 3,000, if I say 6,000, if I say 10,000, 20,000, whatever the figure, I donât think it really matters. We are not talking in terms of hundreds of thousands or millions. To run a society or a nation requires, relatively speaking, a handful of people. So let us say six or seven or eight thousand, Hussein. And of course this covers two sectors. The public sector: government, civil service, governmental organisations, quasi-governmental bodies, executive arms, police, customs and military. The private sector: the economic engines; the engines of development, plantations, mines, industry.
âThe leaders of these two sectors are the people I am referring to, Hussein. If we are talking of a few thousand, does it matter to the masses whether it becomes a case of racially proportionate representation, where we must have for every ten such leaders five or six Malays, three Chinese, and one or two Indians?â I continued, âMust it be so? My reasoning mind tells me that it is not important. What is important is the objective of building up a very strong, very modern nation. And for that we need talented leaders, great leadership from these thousands of people. If you share my view that racial representation is unimportant and unnecessary to the nation, then letâs look at defining the qualifications for those leaders.
âNumber one, for every man or woman, the first qualification is integrity. The person must be so clean, upright and honest that there must never be a whiff of corruption or scandal. People do stray, and, when that happens, they must be eliminated, but on the day of selection they must be people of the highest integrity. Second, there must be ability; and with it comes capability. He or she must be a very able and capable person. The third criterion is that they must be hard-working men or women, people who are willing to work long hours every day, week after week, month after month, year after year. That is the only way you can build up a nation.â
I went on, âI canât think of any other important qualifications. So your job as prime minister, HusseinâI am now assuming you will become the prime ministerâyour job will then be from time to time to remove the square pegs from the round holes, and to look for square holes for square pegs and round holes for round pegs. Even candidates who fulfil those three qualifications can be slotted into the wrong jobs. So youâve got to pull them out and re-slot them until the nation is humming beautifully.â
âWe do not have all the expertise required to build up the nation,â I added. âBut with hard work and a goal of developing the nation, we can afford to employ the best people in the world. The best brains will come, in all shades and colours, all religions, all faiths. They may be the whitest of the white, the brownest of the brown or the blackest of the black. I am sure it doesnât matter. But Hussein, the foreigners must never settle in the driving seats. The days of colonialism are over. They were in the driving seats and they drove our country helter-skelter. We Malaysians must remain in the driving seats and the foreign experts will sit next to us. If they say, âSir, Madame, I think we should turn right at the next turning,â itâs up to us to heed their advice, or to do something else. We are running the show, but we need expertise.
Youâre going to be the leader of a nation, and you have three sons, Hussein ⊠your eldest son will grow up very spoiled
âYouâre going to be the leader of a nation, and you have three sons, Hussein. The first-born is Malay, the second-born is Chinese, the third-born is Indian. What we have been witnessing is that the first-born is more favoured than the second or third. Hussein, if you do that in a family, your eldest son will grow up very spoiled. As soon as he attains manhood, he will be in the nightclubs every night because Papa is doting on him. The second and third sons, feeling the discrimination, will grow up hard as nails. Year by year, they will become harder and harder, like steel, so that in the end they are going to succeed even more and the eldest will fail even more.â
I implored him, âPlease, Hussein, use the best brains, the people with their hearts in the right place, Malaysians of total integrity and strong ability, hard-working and persevering people. Use them regardless of race, colour or creed. The other way, Hussein, the way your people are going â excessive handicapping of bumiputras, showering love on your first son â your first born is going to grow up with an attitude of entitlement.â I concluded, âThat is my simple formula for the future of our country. Hussein, can you please adopt it and try?â Hussein had listened very intently to me, hardly interrupting. He may have coughed once or twice. I remember we were seated deep in a quiet room, two metres apart, so my voice came across well. He heard every word, sound and nuance. He sat quietly for a few minutes. Then he spoke, âNo, Robert. I cannot do it. The Malays are now in a state of mind such that they will not accept it.â
He clearly spelt out to me that, even with his very broad-minded views, it was going to be Malay rule. He was saying that he could not sell my formula to his people. The meeting ended on a very cordial note and I left him. I felt disappointed, but there was nothing more that I could do. Hussein was an honest man of very high integrity. Before going to see him, I had weighed his strength of character, his shrewdness and skill. We had been in the same class, sharing the same teachers. I knew Hussein was going to be the Malaysian Prime Minister whom I was closest to in my lifetime. I think Hussein understood my message, but he knew that the process had gone too far. I had seen a picture developing all along of a train moving in the wrong direction. During Husseinâs administration, he was only partially successful in stemming the tide. The train of the nation had been put on the wrong track. Hussein wasnât strong enough to lift up the train and set it down on the right track.
The capitalist world is a very hostile world. When I was building up the Kuok Group, I felt as if I was almost growing scales, talons and sharp fangs. I felt I was capable of taking on any adversary. Capitalism is a ruthless animal. For every successful businessman, there are at least 10,000 bleached skeletons of those who have failed. Itâs a very sad commentary on capitalism, but that is capitalism and real capitalism, not crony capitalism. Yet, Iâve always believed that the rules of capitalism, if properly observed, are the way forward in life. I know that, having been successful, I will be accused of having an âalright Jackâ mentality. But I am just stating facts: capitalism is a wonderful creature â just donât abuse its principles and unwritten laws.
âRobert Kuok: A Memoir
Malaysiaâs most accomplished businessman was slyly describing Singapore to the Prime Minister in-waiting.
..
..
It is hoped that the gesture is a good start towards the police strengthening the trust of the people
Updated 12 hours ago · Published on 23 Dec 2020 11:18PM · 0 Comments
I applaud the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Hamid Bador for his intervention in rescheduling the questioning of Bagan MP and former Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Lim was to be questioned by the police tomorrow (Dec 24) â Christmas eve â over two statements he issued as finance minister over a year ago.
The sudden timing of the police inquiry and summoning of Lim a day before Christmas raised concerns from all quarters, including MPs on both sides of the divide.
The Royal Malaysian Police risked being perceived as being politically biased and vindictive.
However the IGP’s decision to move Lim’s questioning by police to next year has helped to an extent in addressing these negative perceptions.
Tan Sri Hamid’s personal touch in apologising to Lim for his officer’s oversight is also reflective of a police leadership which is sensitive to the opinions and concerns of the public.
I emphasise that no one is asking for Lim to be accorded special treatment. All we are asking is for the rule of law to be applied fairly. Justice must also be seen.
There is really no conceivable reason to drag him away for hours of questioning on Christmas eve – a festival he observes.
Much needs to be done to restore the public’s trust in enforcement authorities.
I have faith in the Royal Malaysian Police and the IGP’s gesture as a good start towards mending bridges and for the police to strengthen the trust of the people. â The Vibes, December 23, 2020
Anwar Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician and opposition leader
..
..
Indonesia to get data from Brazil after its own clinical trial of Covid-19 vaccine shows slow progress
Wahyudi SoeriaatmadjaIndonesia Correspondent
JAKARTA – With the slow development of its own phase three clinical trial of a Covid-19 vaccine candidate, Indonesia said it has asked for data from Brazil, where a similar trial is progressing smoothly.
It expects to receive the safety and efficacy data on Chinese firm Sinovac Biotech’s CoronaVac by Dec 28, and hopes to finally start rolling out its vaccination programme in January.
The phase three clinical trial is the final stage that a vaccine candidate must clear before it is given the go-ahead for use by the regulatory agency in a corresponding country.
BPOM, the Indonesian equivalent to US Food and Drug Administration, has requested the data through its Foreign Affairs Ministry, which then communicated with Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency and Sinovac, said a government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“Within a matter of days after receiving the data, BPOM may issue its emergency use authorisation on the vaccine, when a thorough evaluation is done,” the official told The Straits Times.
Brazil carried out a strict clinical trial on Sinovac’s CoronaVac and started the trial earlier than Indonesia, the official added.
..
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) -Brazilian researchers said on Wednesday the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinaâs Sinovac Biotech is more than 50% effective based on trial data, but again withheld full results at the companyâs request, raising questions about transparency.
Brazil is the first country to complete a late-stage trial of the vaccine, called CoronaVac, but a release of the results, first set for early December, has now been delayed three times.
The latest delay is a blow to Beijing, which has been racing to catch up with Western drugmakers, and will add to criticism that Chinese vaccine makers have lacked transparency.
It is also likely to fan growing skepticism toward the Chinese vaccine in Brazil, just as the virus roars back to life. President Jair Bolsonaro, a coronavirus skeptic who has said he will not take a COVID-19 vaccine, has repeatedly questioned the Chinese vaccine based on its âorigins.â A poll earlier this month showed that half of Brazilians now reject it.
Officials from the Sao Paulo state governmentâs Butantan Institute declined to specify the efficacy rate from a trial they led with 13,000 volunteers, citing contractual obligations with Sinovac. They said, however, the vaccine was effective enough against the novel coronavirus for it to be approved for emergency use in Brazil. Health regulator Anvisa has stipulated an efficacy rate of at least 50% for vaccines in the pandemic.
âOur aim was for it to be over 50%. If it were 51%, it would be important for us, especially as we are living in a moment of a health crisis,â said Sao Paulo Health Secretary Jean Gorinchteyn. âFor us, it would be a moment to celebrate.â
The officials said Sinovac asked them to delay releasing precise vaccine efficacy data for up to 15 days from Wednesday while the company consolidates data from global trials.
Sinovac did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
.
âBut it hurts the image of their vaccine to have this hesitation,â she added. âThey shouldnât have made a show of something that in the end they didnât report. Thatâs the bigger problem.â
.
China has been giving experimental coronavirus vaccines, including the shot developed by Sinovac, to high-risk groups in the country since July under an emergency use program.
Sinovac has secured supply deals for its vaccine with several countries including Indonesia, Turkey, BrazilïŒChile and Singapore, and is holding talks with the Philippines and Malaysia for a potential sale.
Reporting by Pedro Fonseca; Additional reporting by Roxanne Liu in Beijing and Gabriel Araujo in Sao Paulo; Writing by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Brad Haynes, Sonya Hepinstall and Peter Cooney
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-sinovac-brazil-idUSKBN28X2CR
..
Nikkei staff writers
December 21, 2020 08:22 JST
Updated on December 24, 2020 09:53 JST
4:05 a.m. The COVID-19 vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac has an efficacy that clears the 50% level needed for approving emergency use in Brazil, according to a biological research institute in Sao Paulo state.
Sinovac has asked Brazil not to disclose the full results of trials of the so-called Coronavac for 15 days, according to the Instituto Butantan, which is overseeing the trials.
The Brazilian newspaper Folha de S. Paulo earlier reported the Coronavac had shown an efficacy greater than 50% in stage-three trials.
..
..
..
..
There was the spectacular collapse of the nurse which had nothing to do with the vaccine…
..
There were the jokes (and hopes?) about Pfizer, Viagra and penis enlargement…
..
It hasn’t happened. Perhaps with the 2nd dose?
..
There was huge publicity about people with allergic reactions to the Pfizer vaccine but those were rare reactions.
..
Anti vaxxers made the most of the stories of allergic reactions.
..
But nobody has died.
