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☆ Searing heat is back across Southeast Asia and it’s not going away anytime soon
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The death of a toddler from extreme heat highlighted the risk of climate-related illnesses across Malaysia. And in the Philippines, hundreds of schools suspended classes after daily temperatures soared past 107 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius). Sweltering heat is back in Southeast Asia, one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change. But alongside these natural variations, the world continues to blast through climate records, with deadly heat waves becoming the norm. A resident attempts to pump underground water from a dried reservoir in Vietnam's central Ninh Thuan province during a heat wave and drought on April 6, 2024.

Persons: climatologist Maximiliano Herrera, Herrera, “, ” Herrera, ”, El Niño, Stringer, Adly Zahari, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Aidil Iman Aidid, fasted Organizations: CNN, Getty, El, heatstroke, Education, Philippines Locations: Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Bangkok, Rice, Ninh Thuan, AFP, Asia, Pahang, Kelantan, Sabah, Borneo, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Manila

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attends the 26th ASEAN-China Summit at the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, on September 6, 2023. Hassan Karim, a lawmaker from Anwar's People's Justice Party, said he felt "let down" by the premier, whom he described as a close friend. The AGC has said it dropped charges against Ahmad Zahid to review new evidence, and reiterated that its decisions were made independently. On Saturday, around 1,000 people turned up at a protest in Kuala Lumpur organised by Malaysia's opposition, calling for Ahmad Zahid to be prosecuted and chanting "reforms are dead." Najib has sought a royal pardon over his conviction and requested other charges that he faces to be reviewed.

Persons: Anwar Ibrahim, Yasuyoshi, Anwar Ibrahim's, Anwar, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Najib Razak, Hassan Karim, Ahmad Zahid, Najib, MUDA, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, Ahmad Zahid's, Wong Chin Huat, Wong, Rozanna Latiff, Danial Azhar, Hasnoor Hussain, Kim Coghill Organizations: Malaysia's, China, ASEAN Summit, 1Malaysia Development, People's Justice Party, Reuters, United Malays National Organisation, Malaysia's Sunway University, Thomson Locations: ASEAN, Jakarta, Indonesia, KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

☆ Malaysia fails to appeal ex-PM Najib's acquittal in 1MDB audit tampering case
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak speaks to journalists outside the Federal Court during a court break, in Putrajaya, Malaysia August 23, 2022. Najib, 70, is serving a 12-year jail sentence for another corruption case linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). The attorney-general's chambers was expected to appeal Najib's acquittal earlier this year of a charge of abusing his position as prime minister to amend a government audit into 1MDB . But Najib's lawyers at Shafee & Co said in a statement, "the prosecution evidently found no grounds for appeal" and did not file the petition. Anwar has maintained that the move to drop the case, which triggered a widespread public backlash, was made without his interference.

Persons: Najib Razak, Lai Seng, Anwar Ibrahim, Anwar, Najib, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Danial Azhar, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Malaysian, REUTERS, 1Malaysia Development, Shafee, U.S . Justice Department, Malaysian United Democratic Alliance, Thomson Locations: Putrajaya, Malaysia, KUALA LUMPUR, 1MDB

Najib is serving a 12-year prison sentence for graft linked to the multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB and faces more bribery charges. Ahmad Zahid had pleaded not guilty to all charges, and UMNO said he was a victim of political persecution. Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, a lawyer for Ahmad Zahid, said his team will ask the court for a full acquittal. The UMNO was voted out for power for the first time in Malaysia's history in 2018 due to widespread anger over corruption allegations against Najib and Ahmad Zahid. Despite the corruption charges, Anwar appointed Ahmad Zahid to the second-highest office in the country.

Persons: Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Anwar Ibrahim's, Anwar, Ahmad Zahid's, Najib Razak, Najib, Ahmad Zahid, General's Chambers, Bernama, Zahid, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Rozanna Latiff, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Malaysian, Ahmad Zahid's United Malays National Organisation, UMNO, Court, Thomson Locations: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, KUALA LUMPUR

☆ Malaysia to review plans for 5G network - PM Anwar
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Rozanna Latiff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Malaysia's newly appointed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Monday his administration will review a plan for a state-owned 5G network introduced by a previous government, as it was not formulated transparently. Under the premiership of Muhyiddin Yassin in 2021, Malaysia unveiled a plan for a state-owned agency to own all 5G spectrum, with various carriers using the infrastructure to provide mobile services. The 5G plans will be evaluated to ensure they strictly followed procedures, Anwar said at a news conference following his first cabinet meeting. His government has defended the 5G plan, saying it will reduce costs, improve efficiency and accelerate infrastructure development. Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Writing by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ New PM Anwar says Malaysia to review plans for 5G network
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Rozanna Latiff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Malaysia's newly appointed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Monday his administration will review a plan for a state-owned 5G network introduced by a previous government, as it was not formulated transparently. The single-ownership of the 5G spectrum raised concerns from the country's major carriers over pricing, transparency and monopoly. Anwar said the 5G plans would be evaluated to ensure they strictly followed procedures, alleging that there had been "no proper tender process", without specifying details. Muhyiddin's government previously defended the 5G plan, saying it will reduce costs, improve efficiency and accelerate infrastructure development. Anwar was appointed premier by the king last month, after the election resulted in an unprecedented hung parliament.

☆ Malaysia's Mahathir fears Najib would walk free if graft-tainted party wins polls
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak speaks to journalists outside the Federal Court during a court break, in Putrajaya, Malaysia August 23, 2022. REUTERS/Lai Seng SinKUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Malaysia's veteran politician and opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad predicted on Tuesday that disgraced former prime minister Najib Razak would be released from jail if his graft-tainted ruling party wins an upcoming general election. "Should they be able to win and form the government, that is the first objective, not about the welfare of the people," Mahathir, who had two stints as prime minister, told a news conference. They were both prosecuted, along with other party leaders, after UMNO lost the 2018 election for the first time in Malaysia's history as voters punished the party for 1MDB and other corruption scandals. Investigators have said some $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB - co-founded by Najib during his first year as prime minister in 2009 - and that over $1 billion went to accounts linked to Najib.

Customers of a restaurant watch the announcement made by Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob dissolving the parliament and calling for general elections at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, October 10, 2022. "The people's mandate is a powerful antidote for the country to manifest political stability and create a strong, stable and respected government after the general election," Ismail said. UMNO is trying to win back its dominant position by pressing for early elections, having recently won state level elections. CORRUPTION FIGHTWith the dissolution of the parliament, Ismail, who came to power in August 2021, becomes the shortest serving prime minister in Malaysian history. He was named as UMNO's prime minister candidate in April, though it was unclear if he still had that support.

☆ Former Malaysia deputy prime minister acquitted of graft charges - media
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Former Malaysian deputy prime minister and current president of the ruling party UMNO Ahmad Zahid Hamidi arrives at the Kuala Lumpur High Court complex for the court's decision on whether he will have to enter his defence or be acquitted of corruption and money laundering charges in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, January 24, 2022. REUTERS/Hasnoor HussainRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterKUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (Reuters) - A Malaysian high court acquitted a former deputy prime minister of 40 bribery charges, saying the prosecution had failed to provide enough evidence, state news agency Bernama reported on Friday. The UMNO party came back to power in 2020 after an alliance led by Mahathir Mohamad that won the 2018 election collapsed from infighting. Zahid has been urging Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also from the UMNO party, to call for early elections ahead of a September, 2023 deadline. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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