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☆ Malaysia to screen inbound travellers, including from China, for fever
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Malaysia on Friday said it will screen all inbound travellers for fever and test wastewater from aircraft arriving from China for COVID-19 as part of fresh measures to prevent an outbreak following Beijing's decision to lift strict zero-COVID policies. The Health Ministry is taking preventative measures as the country faces a risk of an influx of coronavirus cases from abroad, Minister Zaliha Mustafa said in a statement. Malaysia joins countries like United States, India, Italy and Japan in taking new measures as a wave of infections erupted across China after Beijing's abrupt decision to dismantle COVID restrictions. Zaliha said Malaysia will screen body temperatures of all inbound travellers, including those from China, and those detected with fever or other symptoms will be tested for COVID-19. Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"It's not a question of if it will happen, it's now just a matter of how many and how fast." As the Lunar New Year holiday - typically a peak travel period for Chinese tourists - starts on Jan. 21, some businesses are already gearing up. Japan, however, is being cautious about Chinese tourism due to the rapid spread of the virus in China. Australia, Germany, Thailand and others, however, said they would not impose additional rules on Chinese travel for now, with France taking to social media platform Sina Weibo to emphasise it welcomed Chinese friends "with open arms". "I suspect any meaningful rebound will have to wait until the travel boom in June or July next year."

☆ Malaysia finds body of last person unaccounted for in campsite landside
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Rescuers work during a rescue and evacuation operation following a landslide at a campsite in Batang Kali, Selangor, Malaysia, December 17, 2022. REUTERS/Hasnoor HussainKUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Rescue teams in Malaysia on Saturday recovered the body of the last person unaccounted for after a landslide that flattened a campsite last week, bringing what is thought to be the final death toll to 31. Rescue workers, in their ninth day of search operations, found the body of a boy in a sleeping bag while digging through mud and debris, Hulu Selangor police chief Suffian Abdullah said. Suffian said they believe all victims have now been found, but search operations will continue to assist in investigations. Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Thailand hosts Myanmar junta figures in talks, key ASEAN nations skip
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Foreign ministers of Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia and Vietnam's deputy foreign minister joined the talks hosted by Thailand's foreign minister, according to Thai foreign ministry spokeswoman Kanchana Patarachoke. "The consultation was a non-ASEAN meeting but intended to complement ASEAN’s ongoing collective efforts to find a peaceful political resolution," Kanchana said in a statement. Myanmar Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin attended along with Kan Zaw, minister for investment and foreign economic relations, and Ko Ko Hlaing, minister for international cooperation, Myanmar's foreign ministry said in a statement. The Philippines said its foreign minister would also not join, without elaborating. "Any meeting convened under ASEAN, formal or informal, should not divert from this decision," it said, according to the source.

☆ Malaysia floods force tens of thousands to evacuate
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Mei Mei Chu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

At least two people have died as floods hit five states this week, and authorities have set up hundreds of relief shelters as the number of people displaced grows. [1/5] Residents are rescued by a boat from the flood relief centre as the flood water rise and partially submerged the building at Dungun, Terengganu, Malaysia December 21, 2022. More than 70000 were forced into relief centres, with numbers rising in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang, according to local media. REUTERS/Stringer 1 2 3 4 5Videos on social media showed brown water gushing into fields and streets, submerging cars and causing rivers to breach their banks. Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ethiopian Airlines sees passenger rebound from COVID this year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Duncan Miriri | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NAIROBI, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Ethiopian Airlines (ETHA.UL) expects its passenger business to recover to pre-pandemic levels in its financial year ending in June, its chief executive told Reuters. Africa's biggest carrier will ferry 12.7 million passengers during the year, Mesfin Tasew Bekele said in an interview, up from 8.6 million passengers in the previous financial year and 12.1 million before the pandemic struck. Any delays in re-opening of China could however curb the projections, Mesfin said, since it is a key market for both passengers and cargo. Ethiopian fared much better than other African carriers during the pandemic, thanks to its cargo business that was able to compensate for a steep drop in passenger traffic. "Unless we grow, we cannot be successful," Mesfin said, adding that a larger network will give the business economies of scale.

Of the 94 people caught in the landslide, 61 were safe and nine still missing, the Selangor state fire and rescue department said. Hulu Selangor police chief Suffian Abdullah said police have questioned the operator and two workers of the campsite at Father's Organic Farm. [1/2] A rescuer crew member pats a sniffer dog being used to aid in the search for victims of the landslide in Batang Kali, Selangor, Malaysia, December 17, 2022. Flooding is also common, with about 21,000 people displaced last year by torrential rain in seven states. Reporting by Mei Mei Chu amd Yuddy Cahya Budiman; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Death toll rises to 24 in Malaysia campsite landslide; 9 remain missing
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

BATANG KALI, Malaysia — Rescuers on Saturday found the bodies of a woman and two children, raising the death toll from a landslide on an unlicensed campground in Malaysia to 24 with nine others still missing. Selangor state fire chief Norazam Khamis told reporters the bodies of a mother and son were found buried under 3 feet of mud and debris. Wearing helmets and carrying shovels and other equipment, rescuers worked in teams Saturday to comb through debris as deep as 26 feet. Officials said nearly 16 million cubic feet of debris — enough to fill 180 Olympic-sized swimming pools — hit the campsite. Norazam said rescuers were treading carefully as underground water streams may trigger further landslides.

☆ Search continues for 9 campers caught in Malaysia landslide
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A rescuer crew member pats a sniffer dog being used to aid in the search for victims of the landslide in Batang Kali, Selangor, Malaysia, December 17, 2022. REUTERS/Hasnoor HussainKUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The search for missing campers caught in a deadly landslide at an unlicensed campsite in Malaysia continued for a third day on Sunday, with the fire department saying the chance of finding survivors is slim. Of the 94 people caught in the landslide, 61 were safe and nine still missing, the Selangor state fire and rescue department said. Responders have deployed excavators and rescue dogs to search for people trapped under mud and debris, while heavy rain has raised concern of further landslides. Flooding is also common, with about 21,000 people displaced last year by torrential rain in seven states.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Rescue teams searching for survivors from a landslide that tore though a campsite in Malaysia recovered the bodies of a woman and two children on Saturday, officials said, raising the death toll to 24. The landslide in Batang Kali, a popular hilly area about 50 km (30 miles) north of Kuala Lumpur, flattened the unlicensed campsite early on Friday while people slept in their tents. Of the 94 people caught in the slide, 61 were safe and nine still missing, according to the Selangor state fire and rescue department. Search and rescue operations resumed for a second day earlier on Saturday, after a halt overnight due to heavy rains. Survivors are in stable condition and will also receive trauma counselling, said Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa.

☆ Malaysia campsite search continues as 12 still missing after deadly landslide
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Rescuers work during a rescue and evacuation operation following a landslide at a campsite in Batang Kali, Selangor state, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, December 16, 2022, in this picture obtained from social media. Korporat JBPM/via REUTERSKUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The search for the remaining 12 campers caught in Friday's deadly landslide at an unlicensed campsite in Malaysia continued for a second day after an overnight halt due to bad weather, officials said. At least 21 people, including five children, were killed after a landslide in Batang Kali, a popular hilly area about 50 km (30 miles) north of Kuala Lumpur, tore down while people slept in their tents. There were 94 people caught in the landslide but 61 were safe, with 12 still missing, according to the Malaysia National Disaster Management Agency. ($1 = 4.4220 ringgit)Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Malaysia landslide deaths reach 21 as search for survivors continues
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The search for the remaining 12 campers caught in Friday's deadly landslide at an unlicensed campsite in Malaysia continued for a second day after an overnight halt due to bad weather, officials said. There were 94 people caught in the landslide but 61 were safe, with 12 still missing, according to the Malaysia National Disaster Management Agency. The earth fell from an estimated height of 30 meters (100 ft) and covered an area of about an acre (0.4 hectares). Landslides are common in Malaysia, but typically only after heavy rains. Flooding occurs often, with about 21,000 people displaced last year by torrential rain in seven states.

☆ Two dead, 51 missing after landslide hits campsite in Malaysia
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Two people died and 51 others were feared buried after a landslide hit a campsite outside Kuala Lumpur early Friday, Malaysia’s fire department said. A fire department official in central Selangor said 79 people were believed to have been at the campsite in Batang Kali, around 31 miles north of Kuala Lumpur, when the incident occurred. Three people were injured while rescuers were searching for the estimated 51 missing people, the official said. The scene of a landslide at a campsite in Malaysia. According to its website, there are three camping sites with facilities at the farm popular with locals and that people can bring their own tents and equipment or rent them from the farm.

☆ Nine dead, 25 missing after landslide hits Malaysia campsite
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

A landslide killed at least nine people as they slept at a campsite in Malaysia early on Friday, officials said, with search teams scouring thick mud and downed trees for about two dozen people still missing. The landslide in Selangor state, on the outskirts of capital, Kuala Lumpur, occurred about 3 a.m. (1900 GMT) on the side of a road near an organic farm with camping facilities, the state fire and rescue department said in a statement. More than 90 people were caught in the landslide and 60 had been found safe, with 25 still missing, according to a message on social media by the National Disaster Management Agency. In addition to the nine dead, seven were injured, it said. District police chief Suffian Abdullah said the dead were Malaysians and included a child about 5 years old.

☆ Malaysia PM signs cooperation pact with smaller parties ahead of confidence vote
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Malaysian political parties supporting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday signed a cooperation pact promising to ensure stability, ahead of a confidence vote on the premier next week. Anwar - who has spent more than two decades as an opposition figure - became prime minister last month, forming a government with rival political blocs after an election that produced a hung parliament. Anwar is Malaysia's fourth prime minister since 2020, after two previous administrations collapsed due to political turmoil. "We agreed on the broad parameters and broad policies including to ensure the government is stable," he said after a ceremony where political party chiefs signed the pact. Barisan had ruled Malaysia for more than six decades before being voted out in a 2018 election amid widespread corruption allegations.

☆ Around 100 people feared trapped in Malaysia landslide -officials
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Around 100 people are feared trapped after a landslide at a campsite in Malaysia in the early hours on Friday, officials said. The landslide in Selangor state, on the outskirts of capital Kuala Lumpur, occurred at 3 a.m. (1900 GMT) on the side of a road near a farmhouse that provides camping facilities, the state fire and rescue department said in a statement. At least 31 people were rescued at the campsite, said the department's director Norazam Khamis. The landslide fell from an estimated height of 30 metres (98.43 ft) above the campsite, and covered an area of about one acre (0.4 hectare), he said. Reporting by Rozanna Latiff and Angie Teo Editing by Ed DaviesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Food inflation: Tight grain, oilseed supplies to keep prices elevated
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Naveen Thukral | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"As this stage, it looks highly unlikely, if we look at the global production prospects for cereals and oilseeds." Wheat, corn and palm oil futures have from dropped from record or multi-year highs but prices in the retail market remain elevated and tight supplies are forecast to support prices in 2023. Food imports costs are already on course to hit a near $2 trillion record in 2022, forcing poor countries to cut consumption. Corn and soybeans climbed to their highest in a decade, while Malaysia's benchmark crude palm oil prices climbed to a record high in March. For rice, prices are expected to remain high as long as export duties imposed earlier this year by India, the world's biggest supplier, remain in place, traders said.

☆ 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 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.

☆ Malaysia PM Anwar says cabinet line-up to be announced on Friday -report
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Malaysian new Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim waves at the photographer as he arrives at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia November 24, 2022. Fazry Ismail/Pool via REUTERSKUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Malaysia's newly-appointed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will announce his cabinet line-up on Friday, state news agency Bernama reported. Anwar was sworn in as premier by Malaysia's king last week, after an election that saw no coalition winning a simple majority. He had earlier indicated he would appoint two deputy prime ministers from those key blocs, and that he would have a smaller cabinet than previous administrations. Investors have cheered his appointment, hoping Anwar would bring stability after political uncertainty that saw three prime ministers in as many years.

☆ Dutch prosecutors won't appeal in MH17 case, making verdicts final
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AMSTERDAM, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Dutch prosecutors said on Thursday they would not file an appeal regarding the outcome in the trial over the 2014 downing of Flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, making the verdicts final although the suspects remain at large. A Dutch court last month convicted three men and sentenced them to life in prison for the shooting-down of the Malaysian airliner as it flew over eastern Ukraine on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014. The three convicted were former Russian intelligence agents Igor Girkin and Sergey Dubinskiy, and Leonid Kharchenko, a Ukrainian separatist leader. Prosecutors said on Thursday they were satisfied with the "clarity" the case had brought to relatives of the victims about what had happened to MH17. Reporting by Bart Meijer Editing by Mark Heinrich and Alistair BellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Malaysia PM Anwar eyes targeted subsidies for low-income groups
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Malaysia is reviewing its government subsidies programme, aiming to direct money toward low-income groups, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Sunday, prioritising the rising cost of living as he takes office at a time of slowing growth. Government agencies have two weeks to review the implications of narrowing the subsidies, he told a news conference. Malaysia offers subsidies to all citizens, with fuel and cooking oil accounting for the biggest expense. Malaysia is estimated to spend a record 77.7 billion ringgit ($17.4 billion) this year on subsidies. Anwar said on Friday he would have a smaller cabinet than those of previous administrations.

☆ Malaysia's new prime minister Anwar Ibrahim vows to unify the country and fight corruption
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Su-Lin Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

watch nowNew prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has pledged to make "Malaysia for all Malaysians," fight corruption and reiterated that he won't be taking a salary as Malaysians battle rising costs of living. International relationsCongratulations poured in from leaders from all over the world including Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim takes his first press conference after being appointed prime minister. Perikatan Nasional won 73 seats and was runner-up to Anwar's Pakatan Harapan which won 82 seats. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim swron in by Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah on Thursday Mohd Rasfan | Afp | Getty Images

☆ Analysis: Gains for Malaysia's hardline Islamist party a challenge for new PM Anwar
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( A. Ananthalakshmi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/4] A pillion waves a Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) flag on the eve of Malaysia's general election at Permatang Pauh, Penang, Malaysia November 18, 2022. Anwar, who is ethnic Malay and Muslim, addressed race and religion in his first news conference as prime minister, promising to uphold Islam as the official religion of the country and the rights of the ethnic Malay majority, while also safeguarding the rights of all. Race and religion are thorny issues in Malaysia, where Muslim ethnic Malays form a majority in a country with significant ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indian minorities, most of them Hindu, Buddhist or Christian. As the biggest party in parliament, PAS could push for Islamisation and more affirmative action for Malays - a long-standing policy that Anwar has opposed, analysts said. "They see PAS as a clean party and its political leaders have no integrity problems," said Mohd Izani.

☆ Malaysia's Anwar begins work as PM after polarising election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] Malaysia's newly appointed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim greets his supporters as he leaves his news conference in Sungai Long, Selangor, Malaysia November 24, 2022. Office of Anwar Ibrahim/Afiq Hambali/Handout via REUTERSKUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim is expected to start discussions on forming his cabinet on Friday as he begins work as prime minister at a challenging time, with the economy slowing and the country deeply split after a close election. Anwar, who was appointed by Malaysia's king following an inconclusive election, said that the people of Malaysia had long been awaiting change. Both men's coalitions failed to win a majority in Saturday's election, but Malaysia's constitutional monarch, King Al-Sultan Abdullah, appointed Anwar after speaking to several lawmakers. Markets surged on Thursday on the end of political deadlock, but investors will be monitoring how Anwar manages the aftermath of the election.

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