PAS abhors racism unlike Umno, Zaid says, backing MCA ex-VP's remarks
He also accused DAP of painting the Islamist party in a bad light to keep Chinese votes for itself.
'Former MCA vice-president Ti...
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The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Foreigners' visa status does not give immunity to M'sian law, says Home Minister
KUALA LUMPUR: The visa status held by foreigners does not grant them immunity to break the law in this country, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. The Home Minister said firm and stringent action will be taken against any foreign national who violates Malaysia's laws, including breaching pass conditions, posing a security threat, or disturbing public order. He said actions taken include pass cancellation, blacklisting, and deportation to the country of origin, and this principle is applied consistently, irrespective of the individual's background or status. "Visa status, whether as a student, investor, long-term visit pass holder, or participant in the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, does not provide immunity from the laws of this country. "The safety of Malaysians and the sovereignty of the nation are non-negotiable priorities," he said in a statement Saturday (Aug 16) night. Saifuddin said the Royal Malaysia Police consistently carries out its enforcement duties in a professional manner, without discrimination or exceptions based on race or country of origin, particularly in cases involving foreigners. He added that the law investigates all reports involving foreign nationals and takes appropriate action to ensure public safety, including in cases that receive media coverage. "Recent incidents involving foreigners that have gone viral have drawn public attention, but it must be emphasised that each case will be handled properly through existing laws," he said. He further said that Malaysia has specified that the recruitment of low-skilled foreign workers is permitted only from 15 officially designated source countries, and China is not among them. He added that the presence of Chinese workers in Malaysia in the low-skilled category is tied explicitly to high-impact government projects, including the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL). "As of Aug 15, a total of 30,679 Chinese nationals were registered as professional expatriates in Malaysia, with the construction sector recording the highest number at 10,825, followed by manufacturing (6,407), services (5,385), information and communications technology (4,477), and other sectors (3,585). "The presence of Chinese nationals in Malaysia's workforce is concentrated mainly in professional sectors and large-scale projects requiring specific technical expertise, not in the category of unskilled foreign workers," he said. In line with the aspirations of the Madani government, he said Malaysia remains open to investment, education, and international cooperation, but such openness will never come at the expense of public safety and national sovereignty. Saifuddin also urged Malaysians to remain calm and confident that the authorities are carrying out their duties effectively and will continue to do so. "Every threat will be dealt with accordingly, to ensure Malaysia remains a safe, sovereign, and prosperous nation for all," he said. - Bernama
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
China's top diplomat Wang to visit India for border talks
Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit India on Delhi's invitation from Monday (Aug 18) until Wednesday. - Photo: AP BEIJING (AFP): China's top diplomat will visit India next week for talks about their shared boundary, Beijing's foreign ministry said on Saturday, as the two countries consider resuming border trade after a five-year halt. Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit India on Delhi's invitation from Monday (Aug 18) until Wednesday for "the 24th special representatives meeting on the China-India border issue", a spokesperson said in a statement. Past trade between the neighbours across icy, high-altitude Himalayan border passes was usually small in volume, but any resumption is significant for its symbolism. It stopped following a deadly 2020 clash between border troops. Indian media reported this week that Wang was expected for talks in New Delhi on Monday. He will meet Indian national security adviser Ajit Doval, New Delhi's foreign ministry confirmed in a statement on Saturday. Wang will also hold talks with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who visited Beijing in July, the statement said. The two major economic powers have long competed for strategic influence across South Asia. However, they have moved to mend ties after being caught up in global trade and geopolitical turbulence triggered by US President Donald Trump's tariff blitz. Chinese and Indian officials have said in recent weeks that the two countries were discussing the resumption of border trade. Agreements to resume direct flights and issue tourist visas have also been seen as part of an effort to rebuild their relationship. - AFP
The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Military airstrike on gem mining town kills at least 21 in Myanmar
BANGKOK (AP) - An airstrike by Myanmar's military on the town of Mogok, the centre of the South-East Asian country's lucrative gem-mining industry, has killed at least 21 people including a pregnant woman, an armed opposition group, local residents and Myanmar's online media said Saturday. The incident was the latest in a series of frequent and deadly military airstrikes, often causing civilian casualties, that have intensified in a bid to reclaim territory from resistance groups amid the ongoing civil war that erupted after the army seized power in February 2021. The attack occurred Thursday at 8:30 p.m. in Shwegu ward in Mogok township, about 115 kilometers (70 miles) northeast of Mandalay, the country's second-largest city, said Lway Yay Oo, a spokesperson for the the Ta'ang National Liberation Army. The TNLA is one of the powerful ethnic militias fighting against the army near the Chinese border. "About 21 civilians were killed. Seven others were injured. Homes and Buddhist monastery buildings were also damaged,' Lway Yay Oo said. Mogok, the ruby-mining center in the upper Mandalay region, was seized in July 2024 by the TNLA, a member of an alliance of ethnic militias that seized a large swath of territory in northeastern Myanmar in an offensive that began in late 2023. The group's statement, released Friday night on its Telegram social media channel, said 16 women were among the victims killed in the airstrike that appeared to target a Buddhist monastery in Mogok's Shwegu ward. It said 15 houses were also damaged when a jet fighter dropped a bomb. Two Mogok residents told The Associated Press on Saturday that the death toll had risen to nearly 30, though the exact casualties could not be independently confirmed. The residents, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were afraid of being arrested by the military, said the death toll was high because one of the bombed houses had been hosting visitors to the pregnant woman. Independent online media, including Myanmar Now and Democratic Voice of Burma, released pictures and videos said to be of debris in the aftermath of the airstrike. The military did not comment on the incident in Mogok. In the past, the army has said it only attacks legitimate targets of war, accusing the resistance forces of being terrorists. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. After peaceful demonstrations were put down with lethal force, many opponents of military rule took up arms, and large parts of the country are now embroiled in conflict. The military government has stepped up airstrikes against the armed pro-democracy People's Defense Force and ethnic militias that have been fighting for greater autonomy for decades. The resistance forces have no defense against air attacks. The TNLA's statement said that another 17 people including two Buddhist monks had been killed and 20 others were injured in the first two weeks of August by airstrikes in areas controlled by the group. About 16 people, mostly truck drivers, were killed in airstrikes last Monday on a convoy of trucks that were parked on the road due to heavy fighting near the town of Sagaing in central Myanmar, according to independent Myanmar media reports. Opponents and independent analysts estimate the army now controls less than half the country while maintaining a tenacious grip on much of central Myanmar, including the capital, Naypyidaw. It has accelerated counter-offensives ahead of the election it has promised to hold at the end of this year in order to retake areas controlled by opposition forces. Critics say the elections won't be democratic because there is no free media and most leaders of Suu Kyi's party have been arrested. The plan is widely seen as an attempt to legitimize and maintain the military's rule. Several opposition groups have said they would seek to derail the election. - AP
