Hadi's son-in-law demands apology from Sim
This was in regard to a statement made by Sim last week, where the DAP deputy secretary-general criticised Zaharudin's controversial remarks about the promotion of the army's first Chinese lieutenant general.
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The Star
11 hours ago
- The Star
Where do trade talks stand in the rush to avert higher US tariffs?
WASHINGTON (AFP): As a Wednesday deadline approaches for steeper US tariffs to hit dozens of economies ranging from the EU to India, trade negotiations with President Donald Trump's administration are coming down to the wire. The levies taking effect July 9 were announced in April, with the White House citing a lack of "reciprocity" in trade relations. But they were swiftly halted, allowing room for talks. Days before their reimposition, where do things stand? - EU: 'Ready' for deal - The European Union said it is "ready for a deal" with Washington, with the bloc's trade chief meeting his US counterparts Thursday. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the EU was targeting an "agreement in principle" when it came to the July 9 cutoff. With no deal, the US tariff on EU goods doubles from the "baseline" of 10 percent to 20 percent -- with Trump previously threatening a 50 percent level. - Vietnam: A pact with uncertainties - Washington and Hanoi unveiled a trade pact Wednesday with much fanfare and few details, but it allowed Vietnam to avoid Trump's initial 46 percent tariff. Under the agreement, Vietnamese goods face a minimum 20 percent tariff while products made elsewhere face a 40 percent levy -- a clause to restrict "transshipping" by Chinese groups. But there remain questions on how the higher levy would apply to products using foreign parts. There is also a risk that Beijing will adopt retaliatory measures, analysts warned. - Japan: Rice, autos at stake - Despite being a close US ally and major source of foreign investment, Japan might not escape Trump's tariff hike. Tokyo's trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa has made numerous trips to Washington through the end of June. But Trump recently criticized what he described as Japan's reluctance to open up further to US rice and auto exports. "I'm not sure we're going to make a deal," Trump said, adding that the country could pay a tariff of "30 percent, 35 percent, or whatever the number is that we determine." - India: A good position - Indian manufacturers and exporters want to believe they can avoid a 26 percent tariff. Negotiations between both countries have been going well for weeks, and Trump himself suggested at the end of June that a "very big" agreement was imminent. Ajay Sahai, director general of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, said the feedback he received "suggests positive developments." But he maintained that the situation was fluid. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has stressed that agriculture and dairy products remain "very big red lines." - South Korea: Muted optimism - Seoul, which is already reeling from US tariffs on steel and autos, wants to avert a sweeping 25 percent levy on its other exports. Cooperation in shipbuilding could be a bargaining chip, but "at this stage, both sides still haven't clearly defined what exactly they want," said new President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday. "I can't say with confidence that we'll be able to wrap everything up by July 8," he added. - Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan in the wings - Other Asian economies including Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia, which faces a 49 percent tariff, wait with bated breath. Indonesia has indicated willingness to boost energy, agriculture and merchandise imports from the United States. Bangladesh meanwhile is proposing to buy Boeing planes and step up imports of US agriculture products. Taiwan, for whom Washington is a vital security partner, faces a 32 percent duty without a pact. Although both sides have faced bumps along the way, Taiwanese Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim said "negotiators from both sides are working diligently" to find a path forward. - Switzerland: Hope for delay - Switzerland's government said Washington has acknowledged it was acting in good faith, and assumes its tariff level will remain at 10 percent on July 9 while negotiations continue. But without a decision by the president as of the end of June, Switzerland did not rule out that levies could still rise to a promised 31 percent. - AFP
The Star
16 hours ago
- The Star
National security offenders to be disqualified from Hong Kong's Legco elections
Hong Kong authorities have proposed disqualifying anyone convicted of offences endangering national security from being nominated to run in a Legislative Council election or serving as a lawmaker. The Electoral Affairs Commission said a public consultation for the proposed guidelines, which include several changes related to national security, was launched on Thursday and would wrap up on August 1. The proposals were shared months before the next Legco election on December 7, the second to be held since the process was overhauled to follow a 'patriots only' system. The changes include the disqualification of anyone convicted of offences that endanger national security from being nominated or elected as a lawmaker, in adherence to the city's existing national security legislation. Members of the Election Committee who are convicted of the same offences are also barred from voting in the polls for the Election Committee constituency. Election candidates will also be prohibited from sending by mail any publications that constitute a national security risk. 'In relation to national security, we only reflect what has been reflected in the relevant legislation,' commission chairman David Lok Kai-hong said. 'So, if there is any amendment because of a change in the national security [laws], it also has corresponding changes in our election law as well as in relation to the qualification of a person running for the seat or [being] qualified to be a councillor. 'So in such a case, I don't think we have made any substantial changes.' Asked if the proposed guidelines covered national security offenders who had completed their sentences, Lok only said that the laws had been written very clearly and urged the public to look at the terms of the relevant legislation. The Registration and Electoral Office, meanwhile, discussed promotional efforts for the coming election and said they would be widespread and take reference from the 2023 district council poll. 'We hope to be able to raise the election atmosphere; we are currently going through the preparation work,' said Natalie Chan, the body's chief electoral officer. In a paper submitted to Legco's Finance Committee in April, the government said it planned to spend HK$1.28 billion (US$163 million) on the coming election. Authorities aimed to allocate HK$177 million for promotional efforts, HK$814 million for technological appliances and voting venues' rents and HK$289 million for paying an expected 37,000 personnel, according to the paper. The planned budget represents a 52 per cent increase from the HK$841 million spent on the 2021 Legco election, which had a turnout of only 30.2 per cent – the lowest since the city's return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. Chan added that authorities had completed their purchase of electronic vote-counting machines for the Legco functional constituency election, with the cost expected to be about HK$160 million. She said the high cost accounted for hiring service contractors to design the system, software, hardware and support services. Authorities also needed a large amount of vote-counting equipment, as the poll would involve about 200,000 voters, while the sum included expenses for on-site support staff to tackle any potential equipment issues during the vote count, she said. But Lok said authorities had yet to decide on whether they would use the machines for the constituency poll, noting the decision would depend on further testing. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
Free Malaysia Today
16 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Umno to conduct studies, surveys to recapture seats from PN, says Zahid
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi urged all members not to be swayed by the 'Umdap' narrative propagated by the opposition. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Barisan Nasional intends to recapture several seats it lost to Perikatan Nasional in the last general election. BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the coalition has decided to carry out studies and surveys to identify potential seats where it has a strong chance of defeating candidates from Bersatu and PAS in the next general election (GE16), Bernama reported. 'We will work hard to ensure that these seats are recaptured by candidates from Umno in GE16,' he said at the closing of the Sri Gading Umno delegates' meeting here today. Present were Johor Umno liaison committee chairman and menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi, and Sri Gading Umno chief Lassim Burhan. Zahid, who is also the Umno president, urged all members not to be swayed by the 'Umdap' narrative propagated by the opposition, stressing that the current unity government is a political cooperation between BN and Pakatan Harapan. 'In BN, we also have MCA and MIC. PH comprises DAP, PKR and Amanah. 'So, let's not fall for the opposition's propaganda aimed at driving a wedge between BN and PH just so they can resort to the 'tebuk atap' (backdoor) tactic again,' he was quoted as saying. The deputy prime minister said the political cooperation currently being forged is a reality that all party members must accept and understand to ensure the stability of the government and to pave the way for Umno's return to dominance. 'If we want to win, we must find a way to win. While we are in government, we must work seriously. 'We cannot expect victory if we are complacent, fight among ourselves, betray one another, or allow others to attack us without defending ourselves,' he said.
