Singgang, Kari Tidak Boleh Rawat COVID-19 - Pakar

Foto: MSTAR

KUALA NERUS: Menu ikan singgang dan kari tidak boleh merawat COVID-19.

Demikian ditegaskan oleh Pengarah Pusat Penyelidikan dan Pendidikan Penyakit Berjangkit Tropika (TIDREC) Universiti Malaya (UM), Prof Dr Sazaly Abu Bakar, berikutan penularan pelbagai dakwaan berkaitan menu yang didakwa boleh mengubati COVID-19.

Beliau berkata bukan sahaja menu ikan singgang tetapi kari juga antara menu yang kini tular kononnya mempunyai potensi merawat COVID-19 itu.

“Ikan singgang didakwa mempunyai potensi merawat COVID-19 kerana alasan mengandungi bahan tertentu seperti kunyit dan lengkuas yang boleh melawan mikrob.

“Menu kari pula didakwa berkhasiat dan mampu mencegah dan merawat COVID-19 kerana penduduk di India yang suka makan kari setakat ini tiada kes dijangkiti penyakit berkenaan,” katanya ketika ditemui pada Forum COVID-19 antara Spekulasi dan Realiti di Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) di sini, hari ini.

Turut hadir dan menjadi panel pada forum itu, Pakar Kesihatan Keluarga Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri Terengganu, Dr Darisah Lah dan Pengarah Pusat Kesihatan UMT Dr Arnie A Rahim.

Dr Sazaly berkata, virus SARS Coronavirus Dua itu masih baru oleh itu tiada sebarang kajian dan penyelidikan yang dibuat ke atas ikan singgang atau kari bagi membuktikan keberkesanan masakan itu melawan penyakit.

“Tiada mana-mana pihak yang pernah atau sedang menjalankan kajian klinikal ke atas menu ikan singgang ke atas COVID-19 itu dan tiada pihak yang boleh mengesahkan dakwaan berkenaan.

“Oleh itu saya meminta supaya menghentikan sebarang maklumat tidak benar berhubung COVID-19 dan memberi tumpuan terhadap langkah pencegahan yang dikeluarkan Kementerian Kesihatan.

“Bagaimanapun, jika suka dan gemarkan ikan singgang atau kari, boleh teruskan untuk makan kerana kedua-duanya memang hidangan yang sedap,” katanya.

Tambahnya, virus SARS Coronavirus Dua itu dijangkiti melalui tiga saluran utama iaitu mata, hidung dan mulut.

“Orang ramai perlu memastikan tangan tidak selalu menyentuh bahagian muka selain kerap mencuci tangan.

“Bagi yang mempunyai tanda penyakit seperti batuk, mereka perlu memakai penutup hidung dan mulut serta mendapat rawatan segera di klinik.

“Semua orang perlu bertanggungjawab dan memainkan peranan penting bagi mencegah penularan wabak dengan membuat pemeriksaan sekiranya berisiko dijangkiti COVID-19,” katanya.

Menurutnya, penggunaan alat penghawa dingin juga boleh dikurangkan kerana virus SARS Coronavirus Dua gemar pada suhu yang sejuk.

“Bukan tidak boleh menggunakan alat penghawa dingin tetapi pastikan peredaran udara di dalam sesuatu bangunan itu baik dan sentiasa bertukar ganti,” katanya.

SUMBER: BH ONLINE

The 4 Most Important Economies In The World For Startups

BY: Georg Chmiel · 

I believe the countries that provide the best growth environment for startups today are in Southeast Asia.

Usually, the US, China, and India get all the attention, but for startups, Southeast Asia is where the real action is. Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia have just the right mix of economic growth, population size, investment, and entrepreneurial ferment to make them the critical countries in the world for these companies.

Southeast asia

These markets are among the fastest growing in the world, and together, they have an average gross domestic product growth rate of 5.3%. Vietnam has the fastest growth, with 7.1% in 2018.

These countries have large populations where the young make up a significant share. Combined, they have a total population of more than 460 million, with tech-oriented under-25s accounting for two out of every five citizens.


This is partly why the internet economies in these four countries are rapidly growing. Research by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company puts internet economy growth in Indonesia as high as 49% per year since 2015. Even Malaysia, which is at the lower end of the regional spectrum with 20% annual growth rates, is a standout compared to most other countries in the world.

One for all

Business models that work well in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, or Malaysia will often be transferrable to other countries inthe region. That’s not to say that you can afford to underestimate local conditions. Indonesian unicorn Gojek is expanding via local “founder teams” and brand names in other countries, for instance.

But in all four economies, startups are helping solve problems that are common to their populations. That might mean bringing financial services to the previously unbanked or helping farmers get better prices for their goods. It could also mean serving the large fast-growing middle-class market with entertainment, delivery, travel, and other services.

“If you are growing in any one of these countries, you can use the same marketing channels to expand into the others,” Duco van Breemen, general manager of Sydney-based startup hub Haymarket HQ, told me. With his experience in the field, he has advised hundreds of founders.

If your business is located in one of these countries, you could also get a helping hand worth at least US$50,000 a year for an early-stage startup, said van Breemen. Local governments are aggressively courting startups with visas, grants, free co-working spaces, and networking programs.

The Malaysia Digital Hub, for example, offers free or easy visas, company registration, banking, housing, and connections to mentors and entrepreneurs. They make it extremely easy for foreign founders to grow their businesses in Malaysia as well.

Similar programs are on offer in the other countries. In Thailand, for example, the Board of Investment promotes investment with a range of support and services. Indonesia hopes its programs, which include workshops, hackathons, bootcamps, and incubation programs, will help startups succeed in its vast market.

Malaysia
Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, has the country’s best startup climate. The successes that have been born there include ride-sharing giant Grab, wedding portal Wedding.com.my, deal site Sale Duck, and fintech firm iMoney.

One of Malaysia’s biggest advantages is that English is the country’s second-most spoken language. Most locals speak it fluently.

Compared to nearby Singapore, labor, housing, and office expenses are significantly cheaper. Statistics on Numbeo show that rent is 308% higher in Singapore than in Kuala Lumpur, eating out costs 120% more, and overall consumer prices are 90% higher. Your funding will go much further in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Singapore and its wealthy investors are only a 60-minute flight away.

Thailand

Thailand is no longer just a great place for a beach vacation. Its fast-growing internet economy, high quality of life, low cost of living, and regional connectivity provide startups with tremendous opportunities. Thailand has Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy.

Its capital Bangkok is by far the most favorable city for a startup. Personally, I think it has the best pool of recruits, largest investor community, and most extensive startup ecosystem in the country. Regional center Chiang Mai is a distant second.

You can rent a high-quality co-working space in central Bangkok for about US$12 per day, and the monthly cost of living for a single person can be as little as US$650. Your bootstrapping can go much further with lower expenses.

It’s good to note though that Thailand doesn’t have the fastest-growing economy among its Southeast Asian peers. It does offer a large market that’s full of opportunities and a government eager to use startup grants and other assistance to push its country into a future that it calls “Thailand 4.0.”

Vietnam

A 2019 report from StartupBlink shows that of the countries discussed here, Vietnam has the least developed startup ecosystem, and I believe that is true. Despite this, its economy is thriving, thanks to the investment displaced from China due to the trade war.

Foreign direct investment jumped 7.2% in fiscal year 2019 as manufacturers moved production to Vietnam to avoid higher costs and tariffs in China. The northern port city of Haiphong, home to at least 90 companies with Greater China investment, saw its gross domestic product surge by 16% in 2019 alone.

Vietnam has a large population of 95 million. Despite its communist past, I believe the country has an almost national obsession for technology and entrepreneurship.

Take Vietnamese coder Dong Nguyen’s story, for instance. In 2013, the Hanoi native created the game Flappy Bird, which still has the Apple App Store record for the most downloads in a single month. CNET recently named Flappy Bird one of the 25 most important apps of the decade, alongside such giants as Twitter, Facebook, and Google Maps.

Because of success stories like this, Vietnam’s startup ecosystem attracted triple the investment in 2018 and 2017, hitting almost US$900 million. There are huge opportunities in the market. In fintech alone, a recent survey found 120 Vietnamese companies operating in the space. The mobile payments market could also expand by 18% a year to reach nearly US$71 billion by 2025.

Indonesia

In a region full of unpolished gems, Indonesia is the largest of all. Yes, it struggles with poor governance and infrastructure. Even so, it has a bigger population and economy than Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia put together, offering businesses unparalleled opportunities.

Francisco Widjojo, managing partner at private investment firm Arkblu Capital, told me that smart entrepreneurs see the challenges of doing business in Indonesia as a barrier to entry. The business environment protects you from new competitors, especially from offshore rivals.

“We focus on businesses that target the mass market,” he said. “Price point is very important. You can build brand loyalty not just in the major cities like Jakarta, but right across the country.”

Mass market strategies make sense in Indonesia because of the huge size of its population, the fourth largest in the world. The country already has four unicorns -Bukalapak, Tokopedia, Traveloka, and Ovo – in addition to the decacorn ride-hailing company, Gojek (see my analysis here). The government wants three more unicorns by 2024, and the internet economy is forecast to grow to US$100 billion by 2025.

For founders, it helps that Indonesia is the second-largest recipient of venture capital in Southeast Asia, behind only Singapore. The government’s push to eliminate poverty and become a prosperous country by 2045 provides many opportunities as well.

Whether you choose Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, or Vietnam, or choose to operate across all of these large Southeast Asian economies, I believe they provide the best growth environment in the world today.

SOURCE: https://www.techinasia.com/

Turkish drones game-changer for Russia in Syria: Report

Turkish military's "devastating display of power" with its effective domestic drone program against the Syrian regime in Idlib has changed the military equation against Russia, NATO officials said, according to a report.

American news site, Insider, said Tuesday that security officials stressed Turkey has "a new ace up its sleeve" with new weapons that forced Russia to think twice about escalating against the Turkish government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The report called Turkey's 100 domestically produced drones, which was used in offensives, "cheap guided munitions with deadly efficiency."

"The Turks have been developing their own drone program for almost a decade now and Idlib highlights how successful they have been," a NATO military official, who has been regularly based in the region in the past 10 years, told Insider anonymously.

"By domestically producing them with commercially available technology, they managed to build a very large and effective fleet far more cheaply than purchasing them from the US or other allies.

"And because of their conflict with the PKK [terror group], they've had years to practice and hone their capability without concerns about human rights conditions," the official said.

The source said the U.S. restriction on arms sales helped Turkey's development with drone technology.

"By 2007 the Turkish military had tired of limitations on what it could buy from the Americans. Disappointed by the poor performance of Israeli drones on the market, it then began to develop their own program," the official said.

"Flying dozens of these drones over Idlib and dropping these bomblets on Syrian regime tanks all night got [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's attention," the NATO official added.

Turkey realized its program for developing and producing drones over a short span of 10 years. With these products, the Turkish armed forces have gained serious experience through operations in Syria and Iraq.

Ankara has the most extensive operational capabilities and experience in the use of drones among European countries.

Idlib escalation

Erdogan and, Putin agreed on a new cease-fire in Idlib starting after March 5.

Under the deal, all military activities are to end in Idlib with the establishment of a security corridor 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) to the north and south of the key M4 highway.

Joint Turkish-Russian patrols will also begin March 15 along the highway from the settlement of Trumba -- 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) to the west of Saraqib -- to the settlement of Ain al-Havr, under the deal.

Turkey launched Operation Spring Shield on Feb. 27 after at least 34 Turkish soldiers were martyred in an Assad regime airstrike in Idlib province, and after repeated violations of previous cease-fires.

Under a 2018 deal with Russia, Turkish troops were in Idlib to protect civilians from attacks by the regime and terrorist groups.

Idlib is currently home to 4 million civilians, including hundreds of thousands displaced in recent years by regime forces throughout the war-torn country.

In recent months, upwards of 1 million Syrians have moved near the Turkish border due to intense attacks by the Assad regime and its allies.

SOURCE: Anadolu Agency

Harga Minyak Dunia Jatuh Enam Peratus Kepada AS$33.67

TOKYO: Harga minyak mentah merosot semula hari ini di tengah-tengah kemerosotan pasaran yang lebih luas selepas Amerika Syarikat (AS) melarang perjalanan dari Eropah berikutan perisytiharan bahawa wabak COVID-19 kini menjadi pandemik.

Ancaman kebanjiran bekalan murah memburukkan lagi kebimbangan pasaran kerana Arab Saudi berjanji untuk meningkatkan pengeluaran minyak ke rekod tinggi.

Minyak mentah Brent didagangkan rendah AS$2.12 atau 5.9 peratus kepada AS$33.67 pada sekitar 0214 GMT, yang berlegar antara turun naik sebelum pengumuman AS.

Kontrak penanda aras minyak mentah global itu merosot hampir 4.0 peratus pada Khamis.

Minyak AS susut AS$1.87 atau 5.7 peratus kepada AS$31.11 selepas susut 4.0 peratus pada sesi sebelumnya.

Harga minyak jatuh sekitar 50 peratus daripada paras tinggi yang dicatatkan pada Januari.

-Reuters

Kematian Akibat COVID-19 Di Itali Meningkat Kepada 631

ITALI

ROM: Itali mencatatkan hari yang paling dahsyat dalam krisis COVID-19 walaupun mengkuarantin seluruh negara, ketika New York menggunakan Pengawal Kebangsaan untuk membendung penyakit yang telah mencetuskan panik di seluruh dunia.

Negara yang paling teruk dilanda wabak itu di Eropah berkata, jumlah kematiannya akibat COVID-19 telah meningkat sebanyak satu pertiga kepada 631 semalam, dengan wabak yang semakin meningkat itu memberi kesan terhadap acara sukan, budaya dan politik global.

Walaupun pihak berkuasa di China, di mana wabak itu bermula, telah mengisytiharkan ia ‘pada dasarnya dibendung’, kes-kes berganda di seluruh dunia, mencetuskan pembelian panik di kedai-kedai, dan perubahan liar di pasaran kewangan.

China kekal paling teruk terjejas secara keseluruhan dengan lebih daripada 80,000 kes dan lebih 3,000 kematian, daripada jumlah keseluruhan 117,339 kes dan 4,251 kematian di 107 negara dan wilayah, menurut AFP.

Virus itu menjangkiti semua lapisan masyarakat, termasuk ahli politik, dengan calon presiden Demokrat Amerika Syarikat (AS), Bernie Sanders dan Joe Biden, kedua-duanya membatalkan perhimpunan kempen dan Menteri Kesihatan Britain, Nadine Dorries, berkata beliau telah diuji positif.

Di tengah-tengah kritikan terhadap reaksi pihak berkuasa AS, New York mengerahkan Pengawal Kebangsaan buat kali pertama semasa krisis untuk membantu membendung merebaknya penyebaran penyakit itu dari sebuah kawasan pinggiran bandar yang terkena jangkitan.

Terdapat 173 kes disahkan di New York, termasuk 108 di Westchester County, tuan rumah kepada New Rochelle di mana majoriti jangkitan telah dikesan.

"Ini adalah tindakan yang dramatik, tetapi ia adalah kluster terbesar di negara ini. Ini secara asasnya adalah perkara mengenai kehidupan dan kematian," kata gabenor negeri, Andrew Cuomo.

"Orang ramai takut, ia adalah satu keadaan yang luar biasa," kata Miles Goldberg, yang mengendalikan bar New Rochelle, memberitahu AFP.

"Ia membuatkan orang ramai gementar berada di sekeliling orang lain, ia membuatkan orang ramai bimbang untuk memasuki premis perniagaan dan sebagainya," katanya. 

SUMBER: AFP

New Plot Twists In Saudi Game Of Thrones

Friday (March 6th) morning, international news agencies reported the arrest of prominent figures of the dynasty and a large number of military-civilian bureaucrats in Saudi Arabia, bringing the Kingdom's domestic politics back to the forefront of the global agenda.

Following the appointment of Mohammad bin Salman as crown prince in 2017, we witnessed a series of “intimidation of intra-dynastic rivals” operations, in which numerous senior princes were arrested. 

Looking at the charges against those arrested in the operations against senior figures of the dynasty so far, it can be said that the operations were shown as a legal action.

Saudi ministers, princes and businessmen, including prominent figures such as al-Waleed bin Talal, were detained in 2017 as part of the fight against corruption and held for months at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh. The arrest warrant was issued by the “Anti-Corruption Commission”.

On the other hand, a look at the identities of those arrested in Friday’s operation and the accusations on them – point to a severe crisis in domestic politics of the Kingdom.

Those arrested include Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, son of King Abdulaziz; and Mohammad bin Nayef, former crown prince. The arrests were made on the direct orders of Mohammad bin Salman, also known by his initials MBS, and the accusations – attempted coup and treason – are vastly different from the ones we have witnessed in the past.

In addition to these two, the arrest of Nayef bin Ahmed, the head of the land forces and intelligence agency and son of Ahmad Bin Abdulaziz; Nawwaf, the brother of Mohammad bin Nayef; and more than 20 high-ranking princes and soldiers indicate a new inter-dynasty purge.

When we look closely at Saudi politics, we can assert that the recent arrests are closely connected with the domestic politics of the country and with a number of international developments.


Is Riyadh preparing for post-King Salman era?

Friday's arrests reignited concerns over King Salman's health. His deteriorating health and age were already concerns that have intensified over time.

The game of thrones post-Salman has kicked off.

Because the 5th Article of the Saudi Constitution establishes the structure of the Saudi regime as absolute monarchy, it states that the sons of King Abdulaziz (not his descendants like MBS) have the primary right to the Saudi throne. 
Although MBS was appointed crown prince, it seems legally possible under this article of the Constitution that Abdulaziz's living son, Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, could claim the throne.

The second aspect of Friday's arrests is the possibility that Mohammad bin Salman, who recently led radical changes in Saudi domestic policy, has upset the balance of the dynasty that has existed since the country's founding and could provoke a reaction among members of the dynasty.

Although the Saudi political system is described as an “absolute monarchy”, it is based on a politics of balance between members of the dynasty. 

According to this balance policy, not all power is gathered in the hands of the king, and political decisions (such as army commands, governorships, ministries) are based on a compromise between the powerful members of the dynasty who are appointed to influential positions and the king who is the head of the Saudi state.

The Saudi system could originally be described as a “dynastic democracy,” unlike one-person monarchies. The members of the dynasty, whose numbers are over 10,000, struggle to be influential in the Saudi political system, as they are divided into 34 branches, similar to political parties in democratic countries.

In this system, a possible crisis situation can be easily overcome through mutual concessions and alliances among members of the dynasty. 

The ulema, who hold a very important position in the Saudi political system, have always been influential in decision-making processes.

With the death of the previous King Abdullah in 2015, MBS’ growing power in the Saudi political system prompted a process that resulted in the exclusion of the two most important elements of the Saudi regime; members of the dynasty and the ulema from the political system.

In order to ensure a smooth change of hands from Salman bin Abdulaziz to MBS, powerful candidates for the throne, such as al-Waleed bin Talal, Mutaib bin Abdullah, Mohammad bin Nayef, and many powerful dynasty members who supported them, were systematically intimidated by arrests.

This resulted in the monopolization of power in the hands of MBS, upsetting the dynastic balance that had existed in the country in the past.

Theoretically, the selection of the new king upon the death of the current king or if he becomes unable to accomplish his duties (due to health problems or other problems) is performed by the Commitment Council (Allegiance Council) composed of high-ranked dynasty members.

It is known that Ahmed bin Abdulaziz is the most important council member who is against the selection of MBS as the new king.

 Again, the “moderate Islam” policy that has been launched by MBS resulted with the decrease in the role of ulema in both Saudi political system and the social construction of the state.

Thus, the policy of “moderate Islam" broke the pact created in 1744 between Mohammad bin Saud and Mohammad bin Abdul Wahhab, the founder of the first Saudi state, alienating and enraging the ulema -- the most important element of the country's politics for three centuries.

These developments in Saudi domestic policy remind us of what happened to Saud bin Abdulaziz, the country's first king after its founder, King Abdulaziz in 1964.

The 1960s were a period in the Middle East when Socialist Arab nationalism, led by Egyptian President Jamal Nasser, posed the most significant threat to conservative Arab monarchies, mainly Saudi Arabia.

The members of the dynasty supported by the ulema, who were troubled by the rise of socialism due to the incompetent politics of Saud bin Abdulaziz -- deposed and replaced him with Faisal bin Abdulaziz in a palace coup.

This event represents a first in Saudi political history since the king was deposed in a coup while he was alive and replaced by another king.


Global developments that push MBS

A number of developments in the global arena starting in early 2020 have started a process that has weakened MBS’ hand both in the country's domestic politics and on the regional front.

The most important of these developments is the coronavirus threat that emerged in China's Wuhan province in December 2019 and spread very rapidly around the world. 

Although initially perceived as an ordinary health problem, the rate of spread of the virus and the increasing number of casualties has raised serious concerns about the course of the global economy.

The rapid spread of the virus in the Far East, which is the engine of the global economy and oil demand, especially in China, caused a significant slowdown in economic activity in the region, and due to this slowdown, the oil demand of the Far Eastern economies, especially in China, decreased by 20-30%.

Moreover, this slowdown in demand for oil from China affects Saudi Arabia the most, as China imports half of its oil from the Gulf region, and a recovery in oil demand is not expected in the short term.

This economic slowdown in the region has revealed two important results in terms of Saudi Arabia. This serious weakening in the demand for oil firstly caused steep decreases in the prices. Oil prices which had marched around $70 on January 2020, decreased by 60% and came down to $30 as of the first week of March. Given the fact that Saudi Arabia is dependent on oil for 90% of the country's income, and economic stability in the country is only possible with oil prices around $80-90, this “oil shock” will have a profound impact on the country.

With Saudi Arabia already in trouble with severe budget deficits recently, this oil shock poses a huge threat to the country's economic stability.

Saudi Arabia's total budget for fiscal year 2020 is set at 1.02 trillion riyals ($272 billion), according to the budget announced in early December.

That figure falls further behind the 2019 fiscal year's budget of 1.048 billion riyals ($279.5 billion). However, while the targeted amount of revenue for 2019 is 917 billion riyals ($244.5 billion), it is set at 833 billion riyals ($222.1 billion) in the 2020 budget.

Looking closely at these figures, the Saudi budget deficit in 2019 was $35 billion, while that figure for 2020 (an increase of about 50%) was $50 billion. Given the recent sharp decline in oil prices, the budget deficit is likely to be well above the projected figure.

The deteriorating economic outlook in the country is the most important evidence of this situation.

Secondly, these recent developments also revealed that Saudi Arabia has no longer had any influence in the global energy market, of which it was the biggest actor in the past. Indeed, Qatar's departure from OPEC last year had made the power of that institution, which is largely controlled by the Saudis, controversial.

Recent developments have reinforced comments that the Saudis have lost their most important policy tool -- the energy card -- due to Russia's opposition to proposals to cut production to curb hard falls in oil prices. 
In the past, the Kingdom had a deterministic monopoly on the price of oil by harshly reducing and increasing its oil supply.

In this period, both the inclusion of major producers such as the United States and Russia in the market and the costly foreign policy of the Kingdom recently, make it impossible for the Kingdom to attempt to cut production at the risk of declining oil revenues.

A closer look at the structure of today's global energy market suggests that a possible production cut by the Saudis would result in large producers such as the U.S. and Russia increasing their production, not just reducing the amount of oil on the market, but seizing the Saudis' Sunday Share.

After responding to a rejection of Russia's demand to cut production from OPEC at the weekend, the Riyadh administration decided to increase oil production further, opting for a policy of inflicting losses on its strong rivals in the global oil market.

Thirdly, the suspension of visits to umrah under the threat of viruses and the temporary closure of Masjid Al-Haram and Masjid Al-Nabawi for precautionary purposes also endangers the Kingdom's annual Hajj and Umrah revenues of around $25-40 billion, deepening the economic downturn.

Another consequence of the weakening of hajj and umrah tourism is the wearing of the “Khadim Al-Haremayni'sh-Sharifayn” (servant of the two holy places) attributes of the kings of Saudi Arabia, which for many years has been a basis for their own political legitimacy and the country's claim to the leadership in the Islamic world.

This could raise a question of legitimacy within the country and undermine the reputation of the Saudis in the Islamic world.

In Riyadh, the swamp that the country fell into during the Yemen war, which began with the initiative of MBS, the damage to the international reputation of the Saudis by the murder of Khashoggi, the bottleneck that developments in the global energy market have put the Saudi economy into, the alienation of the Saudi ulema in the name of the “moderate Islam”, the revival of the entertainment sector, and the purging of the members of the powerful dynasty.

The failures of the MBS administration make it easier for this dissatisfaction to turn into action in the country's politics. Recent developments show that MBS deeply feels this growing discontent of political actors and their anti-administration actions. The arrest of Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, the son of Abdulaziz, the founding king of the Saudi state and the most important name of the dynasty, is impossible to explain otherwise.



[Dr. Necmettin Acar is the Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences of Mardin Artuklu University]

*Opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Anadolu Agency

**Translated by Merve Dastan for Anadolu Agency

Covid-19: KWSP Jalan Raja Laut KL Ditutup Sementara

KWSP

KUMPULAN Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) mengesahkan seorang pengunjung yang datang ke cawangan di Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur pada 27 Februari, positif Covid-19.

Ia berkata, cawangan itu ditutup buat sementara untuk memudahkan proses disinfeksi dan dibuka semula pada 16 Mac.

Menurut KWSP, ahli yang disahkan positif Covid-19 pada 3 Mac berurusan di pejabat itu antara pukul 2 petang dan 2.30 petang 27 Februari.

“Namun, tiada sebarang pengesahan sama ada ahli tersebut telah dijangkiti COVID-19 sebelum dia berurusan di pejabat KWSP,” menurut KWSP dalam satu kenyataan pada Selasa malam.


Ia berkata, pegawai KWSP yang berkemungkinan terdedah kepada ahli tersebut dihantar untuk menjalani pemeriksaan, dan pegawai-pegawai lain dari pejabat tersebut juga dikuarantin. 

“KWSP bekerjasama rapat dengan pihak berkuasa untuk sebarang tindakan lanjutan.

“Langkah proaktif telah diambil dengan menutup pejabat tersebut sehingga Jumaat, 13 Mac untuk menjalankan proses disinfeksi ke atas ruang pejabat dan kawasan persekitaran.

“Pejabat KWSP ini akan beroperasi semula pada Isnin, 16 Mac,” katanya.

KWSP turut memberitahu bahawa menjalankan langkah-langkah awal pencegahan sejak Februari untuk meminimumkan risiko pendedahan kepada Covid-19. 

“Semua kaunter dan permukaan yang terdedah di premis KWSP dibersihkan secara berterusan sepanjang hari. Pegawai kaunter juga diperlukan untuk membersihkan tangan mereka setiap 30 minit.

“Pelawat-pelawat juga perlu menjalani pemeriksaan suhu badan sebelum memasuki premis KWSP.

“Sebagai langkah berjaga-jaga yang lebih lanjut, ahli mesti menjalani pemeriksaan suhu wajib sebelum memasuki mana-mana premis KWSP,” katanya.

Sementara itu, menurut KWSP, kaunter-kaunternya di lokasi lain akan beroperasi seperti biasa.

KWSP juga menasihatkan ahli membuat transaksi secara dalam talian melalui aplikasi i-Akaun kecuali bagi urusan yang memerlukan kehadiran ke kaunter.

“Ahli juga dinasihatkan untuk mengunjungi penyedia perkhidmatan kesihatan terdekat sekiranya mempunyai simptom-simptom berkaitan, mengamalkan kebersihan diri dan memakai peralatan perlindungan diri yang bersesuaian sebelum berurusan di kaunter,” menurut kenyataan itu.

SUMBER: MSTAR ONLINE

AirAsia Lanjut Pembatalan Sementara Penerbangan Dari Dan Ke Wuhan

Pembatalan sementara semua penerbangan AirAsia dari Kota Kinabalu, Bangkok dan Phuket ke Wuhan, China dilanjutkan sehingga akhir bulan depan.

Dalam satu kenyataan hari ini, syarikat penerbangan itu berkata pelanggan dengan tempahan penerbangan dari dan ke semua destinasi di tanah besar China boleh memperoleh akaun kredit atau pulangan bayaran penuh.

"Destinasi tertentu dalam rangkaian penerbangan AirAsia telah mengenakan larangan perjalanan untuk pelanggan berdasarkan kewarganegaraan, bandar asal, sejarah perjalanan atau tujuan perjalanan.

"Pelanggan disaran menyemak dengan kerajaan atau pejabat kedutaan masing-masing sebelum memulakan perjalanan," kata syarikat itu.

Menurut kenyataan itu, pelanggan yang terjejas dengan perubahan penerbangan dan larangan perjalanan boleh memilih akaun kredit, mengekalkan nilai tambang dalam akaun AirAsia BIG Loyalty mereka untuk perjalanan akan datang atau pulangan bayaran penuh.

Menurut kenyataan itu, akaun kredit hanya terpakai untuk semua penerbangan dari dan ke tanah besar China sehingga 15 Feb (atau 29 Feb untuk penerbangan dari dan ke Wuhan sahaja) bagi tiket yang dikeluarkan sebelum 28 Jan.

Pulangan bayaran penuh hanya terpakai untuk semua penerbangan dari dan ke tanah besar China sehingga 15 Feb dan penerbangan balik dari 16 hingga 29 Feb untuk tiket yang dikeluarkan sebelum 28 Jan.

AirAsia pada 23 Jan mengumumkan pembatalan sementara semua penerbangannya dari Kota Kinabalu, Bangkok dan Phuket ke Wuhan, China sehingga hari ini berikutan kebimbangan koronavirus Wuhan.

Menurut syarikat itu, ia memantau keadaan dan berhak mengumumkan polisi selanjutnya berdasarkan perkembangan terkini.

Untuk maklumat dan perkembangan terkini, orang ramai boleh mengikuti AirAsia di Twitter (@AAAsia) dan Facebook (facebook.com/AirAsia), atau menghubungi pasukan sokongan pelanggan di support.airasia.com.

SUMBER: BERNAMA

Hujan, ribut petir padamkan kebakaran hutan di Australia

SYDNEY: Hujan dan ribut petir memadamkan kebakaran hutan di sebahagian timur Australia, namun turut membawa ancaman banjir di beberapa kawasan.

Bagaimanapun, kebakaran hutan masih berterusan di kawasan selatan dan tenggara Australia yang belum mendapat hujan, setakat ini, termasuk di hutan kaya dengan hidupan liar di Pulau Kangaroo.

Menurut pasukan bomba di New South Wales (NSW) yang mempunyai bilangan penduduk tertinggi dan paling teruk dilanda krisis itu, 75 kebakaran terus berlaku, menurun berbanding lebih 100 beberapa hari sebelum ini.

“Hujan masih melanda beberapa kawasan yang dijilat api,” kata pihak bomba sambil menambah bahawa keadaan itu bersama suhu lebih sejuk membantu usaha membendung kebakaran.

Queensland turut dilanda ribut petir semalaman menyebabkan banjir kilat berlaku dan jalan terpaksa ditutup, namun tiada kematian atau kecederaan dilaporkan.

Kedua-dua negeri berkenaan mengalami antara kemarau paling panjang dalam sejarah Australia moden, dan keadaan cuaca selama dua hari itu menyaksikan beberapa kawasan menerima jumlah hujan lebih banyak berbanding taburan diterima dalam tempoh lebih sedekad lalu.

Api terus marak di selatan NSW dan negeri jiran, Victoria, tetapi kawasan terbabit diramalkan hujan, sekali gus meningkatkan harapan agar sebahagian kebakaran berkenaan dapat dikawal.

Kebakaran tidak pernah berlaku itu yang turut didorong perubahan iklim dan kemarau panjang, sudah meragut 28 nyawa sejak lima bulan lalu.

Bencana itu memusnahkan hutan serta belukar di timur dan selatan Australia, lebih 2,000 kediaman serta haiwan ternakan di ladang.

Di Pulau Kangaroo yang memiliki banyak hidupan liar dan haiwan unik, kebakaran terus marak di sebuah taman negara.

Kebakaran itu memberi kesan teruk terhadap populasi koala, burung dan spesies lain di pulau berkenaan.

Pihak berkuasa memberi amaran bahawa krisis itu boleh menjadi semakin buruk semula dengan Australia baru menempuhi separuh musim panas. 

SUMBER: AFP