Climate change lost to PM

Good morning, here's what you need to know today.

Key Highlights

• Climate change lost to PM
  
  

• No more temperature checks soon
  
  

• Orangutan gaffe
  
  

Climate change lost to PM

The Dewan Rakyat finally convened for a special meeting yesterday to discuss last month's flash floods that devastated parts of the country, particularly Selangor.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob spent a large part of his speech blaming the poor disaster response in Selangor on district and state authorities, emphasised his busy schedule during the disaster and outlined various aids for flood victims.

He made no mention of climate change or the tropical depression that directly hit the country for the second time in four years.

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, however, did address climate change concerns.

Kota Raja MP Mohamad Sabu commended Tengku Zafrul, stating that a minister's job was to oversee the planning and not engage in a "shovelling stunt", in an apparent swipe at Ismail Sabri's posing for photographers.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on Sustainable Development Goals led by GPS' Batang Lupar MP Rohani Abdul Karim, also proposed an independent climate change commission.

During the special sitting, MPs also pushed for a debate on the controversy involving MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki's shareholding but it was rejected by Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun, who said the agenda is the absolute power of the prime minister.

Ismail Sabri did not entertain their requests.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Azam can't get his story straight - Pua 'Buck stops with the PM.'
	All parties must accept SC decision on Azam - PM 'Any queries about SC's decision, ask SC.'
	Azam controversy a litmus test of Harapan-govt MOU: Kit Siang Ending MOU depends on whether 'red lines' were crossed.

No more temperature checks soon

The Health Ministry is planning to drop temperature checks and log books at entry points of public venues.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said this was because the measure was found not to be effective in curbing the spread of Covid-19.

The new policy will be implemented once the National Security Council gives the nod.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry also announced new quarantine rules for international arrivals where those who have received Covid-19 vaccine booster shots will only need to quarantine for five days while for those who are vaccinated without booster shots, it will be seven days.

Those who are not vaccinated or have incomplete vaccination will have to quarantine for 10 days.

Khairy also cautioned that a new wave of Covid-19 cases involving the Omicron variant is set to hit in a couple of months but modelling suggests that the healthcare system won't be overwhelmed this time due to the less severe nature of the variant.

HIGHLIGHTS

	No blanket school closures despite Covid-19 clusters - KJ Minister points out high vaccination rate among adolescents.
	42 'serious' AEFI reports out of 60 million shots given Health DG says they are a small minority.
	People willing to be injected with water for fake vaxx certs 23 individuals admit to not receiving Covid-19 vaccine.

Orangutan gaffe

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin gained social media attention for her spirited defence of oil palm after she hit back at accusations that orangutans were being killed for such plantations.

The minister claimed that orangutans were more likely to kill humans first than the other way around, prompting mockery on social media.

The speech was made on Jan 5 but only went viral recently.

Responding to the controversy, Zuraida's office clarified that she was only joking.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Muda: New generation must rise for M'sia to roar again Challenge the old guard with new brand of politics.
	Logging ongoing in Pahang despite moratorium Bilut rep says police report lodged.
	Anwar wants govt to reveal list of logging licences The opposition wants a moratorium enforced.

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 3,764 new cases yesterday (Jan 20), the highest in three weeks.
  
  
• 22 new fatalities put the death toll at 31,853.
  

New cases by states

Selangor (894)
Kuala Lumpur (476)
Johor (414)
Kelantan (360)
Kedah (275)
Sabah (256)
Pahang (244)
Penang (225)
Negeri Sembilan (218)
Malacca (167)
Perak (124)
Terengganu (65)
Putrajaya (20)
Sarawak (14)
Perlis (11)
Labuan (1)

What else is happening?

• World number one shuttler Viktor Axelsen voiced support for Lee Zii Jia who quit the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM). Former deputy minister Steven Sim blamed Lee's departure on the lack of leadership at the Youth and Sports Ministry.
  
  
• An anti-party hopping bill is expected to be tabled at the next Parliament sitting, which will begin at the end of February.
  
  
• The Education Ministry denied that students were only served rice and gravy under the supplementary food programme aimed at children from low-income families - after a parent's complaint.
  
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	'Pastor Hilmy and wife's disappearance follows a pattern' It coincides with a speech during a seminar on terrorism.
	NGO calls for Jan 23 gathering to stop 'victimisation' of Najib 'We appeal to all Malaysians who sympathise.'
	Chief syariah judge files RM30m suit against Umno leader It relates to sexual harassment allegations.

What are people saying?

	Muhyiddin justifies his bogus emergency By S Thayaparan
	The MACC saga - when truth emerges, lies are obliterated By R Nadeswaran
	Five ways to improve education in national schools By Ranjit Singh Malhi