Latest news with #Malaysiakini
Malaysiakini
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Bangladesh to stop probing workers' exploitation syndicate
Bangladesh has agreed to stop its investigation over allegations of a syndicate exploiting its labourers who wish to work in Malaysia, a high-ranking official from the Bangladeshi government told Malaysiakini. The official, who requested anonymity, claimed the decision was made during a meeting in Kuala Lumpur two weeks ago between representatives from the Bangladeshi government and the Malaysian Human Resources Ministry.
Focus Malaysia
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Trump attributes Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire to his efforts: Netizens are having none of that
TRUMP has done it again. The president of peace recently grabbed the headlines for claiming his role as a mediator of peace in the Thailand-Cambodia conflict. On Truth Social, Trump said he had spoken with Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. 'I am pleased to announce that, after the involvement of President Donald J Trump, both countries have reached a CEASEFIRE and PEACE,' he said. While he was busy typing all these on Truth Social, we are being served a manifold of headlines, most of which spoke of Palestinians being starved to death. Meanwhile, what about our PMX and his role in this effort? Netizens were flabbergasted by Trump's claim and rightly so. 'Anwar was on the phone day and night trying to settle their argument and this guy was busy to claim it,' said netizen @ilpiaduih on a Malaysiakini post carrying the news. However, @johnnymagoo198 pointed out that Anwar had no leverage to broker any deals unlike Trump. An incredulous netizen by the name of @mohdfaris1998 even asked X AI, Grok, to clarify the situation, and this was Grok's reply: But we have to say, the picture comments were as hilarious as they were sarcastic. To re-cap, Anwar Ibrahim was reportedly said by Al Jazeera that Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an 'immediate and unconditional' ceasefire. Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet met on Monday for ceasefire talks at Anwar's official residence in Malaysia's administrative capital, Putrajaya. And no, the meeting wasn't held in the White House. The Malay Mail further reported Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying the US applauds the ceasefire declaration between Cambodia and Thailand. 'We are grateful to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for his leadership and for hosting the ceasefire talks,' he said in a statement released by the State Department late on Monday. Readers can find more references from our previous articles too, such as this one: Amid trust deficit at home, PMX gets a bouquet for settling Thai-Cambodia border conflict. Meanwhile, the President of Peace will do a lot of good reining in Israel from committing further genocides in Gaza.—July 30, 2025 Main image: BBC
Malaysiakini
20 hours ago
- Health
- Malaysiakini
Rakan KKM scheme marginalises low-income patients
LETTER | The Health Ministry's newly introduced private healthcare scheme, Rakan KKM, is a cause for deep concern. This initiative risks violating principles of fairness and medical ethics, potentially disadvantaging lower-income groups in accessing essential healthcare. The MCA Consumer Affairs Bureau believes that offering an 'express lane' for paying patients distorts the fundamental purpose of public hospitals, which should operate on the principle of 'equal access based on need, not wealth.' By prioritising those who can afford faster treatment, we risk turning healthcare into a privilege rather than a right. Available data suggests that government hospitals, already struggling with staff shortages and heavy workloads, are seeing longer waiting times for general and specialist appointments since the introduction of this scheme. Resources are being diverted to serve 'premium patients,' while lower-income individuals face delays of six months to a year or worse, miss critical treatment windows entirely. This is deeply troubling. Public healthcare should guarantee timely, high-quality treatment for every citizen, regardless of financial status. Yet the Rakan KKM model effectively sells priority access to those who can pay, forcing the less privileged to endure longer waits. Their suffering should not be the cost of convenience for the wealthy. Worrying precedent While the government insists this is not a privatisation effort, the scheme's commercial approach sets a worrying precedent. If hospitals begin operating on a 'pay-to-jump-the-queue' basis, public trust in the system could erode. Healthcare is a basic human right, not a luxury. We are concerned that this scheme will deepen inequality, allowing wealth, rather than medical urgency, to determine who gets treated first. Our bureau urges the government to uphold the original mission of public healthcare: prioritising patients based on need alone. Without proper safeguards, the Rakan KKM scheme may worsen systemic inequities, strain hospital efficiency, and prolong waiting times for ordinary patients. The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Immigration officer ‘Thanos' reassigned amid KLIA syndicate allegations
PETALING JAYA: An Immigration officer nicknamed 'Thanos' has been reassigned to office duties following allegations linking him to illegal immigration syndicates at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). According to Malaysiakini, he was transferred from a KLIA Terminal 2 immigration management team to an administrative unit. 'I consider the transfer a form of 'punishment' for him,' a source from the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) headquarters was quoted as saying. The reassignment, which began last week, confines Thanos to office work, limiting his movements and hindering any further involvement in syndicate activities, the source explained. KLIA operates four rotating management teams (A to D) at each terminal, responsible for counter operations, gate control, and surveillance. Thanos is alleged to have been involved in two operations: the 'fly' syndicate, which falsifies immigration records to clear overstays and remove individuals from blacklists; and the 'phantom travels' syndicate, which enables government personnel to travel abroad without their movements being recorded. A separate KLIA source claimed Thanos remained active in the fly syndicate as a 'runner' even after the activities were publicly exposed. The source said it was unclear whether he was under investigation but noted Thanos was absent from duty for nearly two weeks before returning and allegedly resuming his role. On July 19, the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) filed a police report over a fly syndicate case involving a Chinese national. The report stated the man's passport had no entry stamp, despite immigration records showing he entered Malaysia on July 10 and overstayed by nearly two months. 'I can say Thanos is still acting as a 'runner' and collects around RM1,000 per passport,' claimed a syndicate agent.
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Immigration Officer ‘Thanos' reassigned over KLIA syndicate allegations
PETALING JAYA: An Immigration officer nicknamed 'Thanos' has been reassigned to office duties following allegations linking him to illegal immigration syndicates at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). According to Malaysiakini, he was transferred from a KLIA Terminal 2 immigration management team to an administrative unit. 'I consider the transfer a form of 'punishment' for him,' a source from the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) headquarters was quoted as saying. The reassignment, which began last week, confines Thanos to office work, limiting his movements and hindering any further involvement in syndicate activities, the source explained. KLIA operates four rotating management teams (A to D) at each terminal, responsible for counter operations, gate control, and surveillance. Thanos is alleged to have been involved in two operations: the 'fly' syndicate, which falsifies immigration records to clear overstays and remove individuals from blacklists; and the 'phantom travels' syndicate, which enables government personnel to travel abroad without their movements being recorded. A separate KLIA source claimed Thanos remained active in the fly syndicate as a 'runner' even after the activities were publicly exposed. The source said it was unclear whether he was under investigation but noted Thanos was absent from duty for nearly two weeks before returning and allegedly resuming his role. On July 19, the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) filed a police report over a fly syndicate case involving a Chinese national. The report stated the man's passport had no entry stamp, despite immigration records showing he entered Malaysia on July 10 and overstayed by nearly two months. 'I can say Thanos is still acting as a 'runner' and collects around RM1,000 per passport,' claimed a syndicate agent.
