PAS playing victim after own leader's racist post: DAP
DAP has hit back at PAS after the latter accused the government party of stoking racial sentiments over the promotion of a non-Malay to lieutenant general in the armed forces.
Turning the tables on PAS by claiming the Islamist party holds no regard for non-Malays' contributions to the nation, DAP vice-chairperson Syahredzan Johan took aim at allegations by PAS supreme council member Zuhdi Marzuki yesterday.
Amid ongoing controversy over Sungai Buloh PAS division chief Zaharuddin Muhammad's remarks appearing to...
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The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
Hamas struggles with tribal defiance and Iran uncertainty in Gaza
CAIRO/LONDON: Short of commanders, deprived of much of its tunnel network and unsure of support from its ally Iran, Hamas is battling to survive in Gaza in the face of rebellious local clans and relentless Israeli military pressure. Hamas fighters are operating autonomously under orders to hold out as long as possible but the Islamist group is struggling to maintain its grip as Israel openly backs tribes opposing it, three sources close to Hamas said. With a humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensifying international pressure for a ceasefire, Hamas badly needs a pause in the fighting, one of the people said. Not only would a ceasefire offer respite to weary Gazans, who are growing increasingly critical of Hamas, but it would also allow the Islamist group to crush rogue elements, including some clans and looters who have been stealing aid, the person said. To counter the immediate threat, Hamas has sent some of its top fighters to kill one rebellious leader, Yasser Abu Shabab, but so far he has remained beyond their reach in the Rafah area held by Israeli troops, according to two Hamas sources and two other sources familiar with the situation. Reuters spoke to 16 sources including people close to Hamas, Israeli security sources and diplomats who painted a picture of a severely weakened group, retaining some sway and operational capacity in Gaza despite its setbacks, but facing stiff challenges. Hamas is still capable of landing blows: it killed seven Israeli soldiers in an attack in southern Gaza on Tuesday. But three diplomats in the Middle East said intelligence assessments showed it had lost its centralised command and control and was reduced to limited, surprise attacks. An Israeli military official estimated Israel had killed 20,000 or more Hamas fighters and destroyed or rendered unusable hundreds of miles of tunnels under the coastal strip. Much of Gaza has been turned to rubble in 20 months of conflict. One Israeli security source said the average age of Hamas fighters was 'getting lower by the day'. Israeli security sources say Hamas is recruiting from hundreds of thousands of impoverished, unemployed, displaced young men. Hamas does not disclose how many of its fighters have died. 'They're hiding because they are being instantly hit by planes but they appear here and there, organising queues in front of bakeries, protecting aid trucks, or punishing criminals,' said Essam, 57 a construction worker in Gaza City. 'They're not like before the war, but they exist.' Asked for comment for this story, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said the group was working for an agreement to end the war with Israel but 'surrender is not an option'. Hamas remained committed to negotiations and was 'ready to release all prisoners at once', he said, referring to Israeli hostages, but it wanted the killing to stop and Israel to withdraw. 'IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD' Hamas is a shadow of the group that attacked Israel in 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking another 251 hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's offensive has killed more than 56,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities. The damage inflicted by Israel is unlike anything Hamas has suffered since its creation, with most of its top military commanders in Gaza killed. Founded in 1987, Hamas had gradually established itself as the main rival of the Fatah faction led by President Mahmoud Abbas and finally seized Gaza from his control in 2007. With a U.S.-brokered truce in the Iran-Israel war holding, attention has switched back to the possibility of a Gaza deal that might end the conflict and release the remaining hostages. One of the people close to Hamas told Reuters it would welcome a truce, even for a couple of months, to confront the local clans that are gaining influence. But he said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's terms for ending the war - including Hamas leaders leaving Gaza - would amount to total defeat, and Hamas would never surrender. 'We keep the faith, but in reality it doesn't look good,' the source said. Yezid Sayigh, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, said he believed Hamas was simply trying to survive. That was not just a physical challenge of holding out militarily, he said, but above all a political one. 'They face being eliminated on the ground in Gaza if the war doesn't stop, but they also face being erased from any governing formula that ends the war in Gaza (if such a thing can be found),' he wrote in response to Reuters' questions. Palestinian tribes have emerged as part of Israel's strategy to counter Hamas. Netanyahu has said publicly that Israel has been arming clans that oppose Hamas, but has not said which. One of the most prominent challenges has come from Abu Shabab, a Palestinian Bedouin based in the Rafah area, which is under Israeli control. Hamas wants Abu Shabab captured, dead or alive, accusing him of collaboration with Israel and planning attacks on the Islamist group, three Hamas sources told Reuters. Abu Shabab controls eastern Rafah and his group is believed to have freedom of movement in the wider Rafah area. Images on their Facebook page show their armed men organising the entry of aid trucks from the Kerem Shalom crossing. Announcements by his group indicate that it is trying to build an independent administration in the area, though they deny trying to become a governing authority. The group has called on people from Rafah now in other areas of Gaza to return home, promising food and shelter. In response to Reuters' questions, Abu Shabab's group denied getting support from Israel or contacts with the Israeli army, describing itself as a popular force protecting humanitarian aid from looting by escorting aid trucks. It accused Hamas of violence and muzzling dissent. A Hamas security official said the Palestinian security services would 'strike with an iron fist to uproot the gangs of the collaborator Yasser Abu Shabab', saying they would show no mercy or hesitation and accusing him of being part of 'an effort to create chaos and lawlessness'. Not all of Gaza's clans are at odds with Hamas, however. On Thursday, a tribal alliance said its men had protected aid trucks from looters in northern Gaza. Sources close to Hamas said the group had approved of the alliance's involvement. Israel said Hamas fighters had in fact commandeered the trucks, which both the clans and Hamas denied. IRAN UNCERTAINTY Palestinian analyst Akram Attallah said the emergence of Abu Shabab was a result of the weakness of Hamas, though he expected him to fail ultimately because Palestinians broadly reject any hint of collaboration with Israel. Nevertheless, regardless of how small Abu Shabab's group is, the fact Hamas has an enemy from the same culture was dangerous, he said. 'It remains a threat until it is dealt with.' Israel's bombing campaign against Iran has added to the uncertainties facing Hamas. Tehran's backing for Hamas played a big part in developing its armed wing into a force capable of shooting missiles deep into Israel. While both Iran and Israel have claimed victory, Netanyahu on Sunday indicated the Israeli campaign against Tehran had further strengthened his hand in Gaza, saying it would 'help us expedite our victory and the release of all our hostages'. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that great progress was being made on Gaza, adding that the strike on Iran would help get the hostages released. A Palestinian official close to Hamas said the group was weighing the risk of diminished Iranian backing, anticipating 'the impact will be on the shape of funding and the expertise Iran used to give to the resistance and Hamas'. One target of Israel's campaign in Iran was a Revolutionary Guards officer who oversaw coordination with Hamas. Israel said Saeed Izadi, whose death it announced on Saturday, was the driving force behind the Iran-Hamas axis. Hamas extended condolences to Iran on Thursday, calling Izadi a friend who was directly responsible for ties with 'the leadership of the Palestinian resistance'. A source from an Iran-backed group in the region said Izadi helped develop Hamas capabilities, including how to carry out complex attacks, including rocket launches, infiltration operations, and drones. Asked about how the Israeli campaign against Iran might affect its support for Hamas, Abu Zuhri said Iran was a large and powerful country that would not be defeated.
The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Trump's proposed remittance tax raises alarms among Filipino migrants
LOS ANGELES: For millions of Filipino workers in the United States, sending money back home is more than a financial transaction – it's a vital act of care and survival. A proposed 3.5 per cent tax on remittances, embedded in the Trump administration's sweeping 'One Big, Beautiful Bill,' has raised alarms among Filipino immigrants who rely on remittances to support families in the Philippines. If enacted, the tax would take effect on Jan 1, 2026, and apply to remittances sent by non-US citizens, including green card holders and H-1B visa holders. Aquilina Soriano Versoza, executive director of the Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California (PWC), a grassroots nonprofit that services and organises low-wage and immigrant Filipino communities in the US, warned that the proposed measure would significantly harm the Filipino community. 'This bill will significantly affect Filipino workers who are not only making a living for themselves but also working hard to support their families back home in the Philippines,' she said. Versoza further criticised the proposal as discriminatory: 'Targeting remittances sent by non-US citizens with increased taxes is a clear act of discrimination that unfairly burdens immigrant communities. Tax policies should be applied equitably to all individuals, regardless of their immigration status.' The proposed levy comes at a time when many Filipino families in the Philippines are already struggling with inflation and economic instability. For countless households, remittances from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) spell the difference between financial security and hardship. Josephine Biclar, a caregiver and worker leader at the Pilipino Workers Center in Los Angeles, shared how inflation has already strained her ability to send money home. 'In our caregiving jobs, no work equals no pay. So right now, we are barely making ends meet, hardly sending anything to the Philippines because of inflation. If there are additional taxes on remittances, there will hardly be any money left to send.' Remittances are a key pillar of the Philippine economy, accounting for 8.3 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 7.4 pe cent of Gross National Income (GNI). The United States remains the largest source of these funds. In 2024, Filipino migrant workers sent a record-breaking $38.34 billion back to the Philippines – an increase of 3 per cent from the previous year, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). This growth was driven by both land-based and sea-based workers, highlighting the enduring commitment of OFWs to their families. Analysts warn that the proposed tax could reduce remittance flows by as much as 5.6 percent, potentially costing the Philippines an estimated $500 million annually. The US plays a central role in remittance transactions, as most remittance centers abroad channel funds through correspondent banks based in the US. BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr responded cautiously, saying the central bank is still evaluating the proposed legislation and hopes it will not have a significant negative impact. Filipino immigrant communities in the US fear the measure will make their already difficult lives even harder. Some worry the tax may push workers to rely on informal and riskier channels to send money home. Versoza also pointed out logistical and ethical challenges the law could introduce: 'Additionally, money remittance service providers currently do not require information about a sender's immigration or citizenship status. Implementing this bill would not only force these companies to begin verifying this information, it would also raise significant concerns about privacy, data security and potential racial profiling. Singling out non-citizens for additional financial penalties is evidently discriminatory.' Biclar emphasised how the combined effects of inflation, taxes, and immigration fears are affecting Filipino workers' lives: 'Life for Filipinos in the US is difficult because of inflation and tariffs on remittances. Due to the high cost of living, we are forced to reduce the amount of money we send to our families in the Philippines. Sending money is really affected because even our survival here is a struggle, and if additional taxes are imposed on remittances, where else will we get extra money?' Beyond the economic impact, advocates warn that the remittance tax is part of a broader legislative package that also includes cuts to social safety nets – measures that could further marginalise immigrant communities. Biclar also cited growing anxiety among immigrants amid heightened immigration enforcement: 'Aside from tariffs and inflation, the current immigration situation in the US is affecting everyone, not only the undocumented but also those with papers. We have no choice but to slow down at work. It's scary to go out because of ICE raids.' As the bill continues to face deliberation in the Senate, its final outcome remains unclear. Still, Filipino workers and advocacy groups are preparing for the possibility that the remittance tax could become law – an outcome many believe would deeply undermine the cross-border bonds that sustain Filipino families around the world. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
New Straits Times
9 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Umno must decide: 'Are we going solo for GE16?' says Asyraf Wajdi
RANTAU PANJANG: Umno must decide whether it will go solo and contest all 191 parliamentary seats in the next general election, said party secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki. "These are the questions we need to address," he said, adding the importance of charting a clear path forward for the 16th General Election (GE16), which is less than two years away. Speaking at the opening of the Rantau Panjang Umno division delegates' meeting today, Asyraf said the party must regain its dominance and strengthen internal unity to avoid divisions that could jeopardise its chances at the polls. "We must not allow 'cah keting' (backstabbing) or internal divisions to persist. "Strengthening the party is crucial in defending Islam and upholding the Malay agenda," he said. He noted that while Umno rarely faces direct contests with DAP—pointing out that 40 seats are traditionally uncontested between the two—the DAP remains wary of Umno forging alliances with others. "We do not go head-to-head with DAP or PKR in most areas. Our main political opponent is Perikatan Nasional (PN)," he said. Asyraf also reminded members that Umno's goal is not about clinging to power, but about safeguarding the rights of Malays and the sanctity of Islam. "Every party has been given a chance to govern, but it was clear that the best administration was under Umno, especially during Datuk Seri Najib Razak's leadership," he said. He called on members to place full trust in party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and to rally behind the party's leadership strategy. "To achieve our goals is not impossible, but the top leadership must be sensitive to the needs of grassroots leaders. "Don't waste time on leadership choices. Let's focus on winning GE16 first," he added.
