Malaysia sees record 6,075 new Covid-19 infections, highest since pandemic began
New Covid-19 infections skyrocketed today to a record high of 6,075 new cases reported over the last 24-hour period, while 46 more deaths brought fatalities past the 2,000 mark. More than one-third of new cases, or 2,251 were detected in Selangor alone, followed by 699 in Johor and 660 in Kuala Lumpur as the top three states. The previous record for the most cases detected over a day was on January 30 with 5,728 infections. Yesterday’s deaths brought the nationwide death toll to 2,040, with more than 40 fatalities reported over the last three days, and with the fatality rate currently at 0.42%. Also reported were 22 more infection clusters, the highest number detected over a single day. (Malay Mail)
MB: Selangor will accept lockdown if necessary
The Selangor government has no objections if the Federal Government decides to impose a lockdown in the state, says Mentri Besar Datuk Amirudin Shari. He said even though Selangor strived to strike a balance between saving livelihoods and saving lives, it would prioritise lives if it was asked to choose. “There must also be clarity on a few measures such as having an all-round and efficient home schooling scheme, implementation of monetary aid for B40 families, standard operating procedures that are clear with no flip flops, as well as a sound exit plan,” he said. He acknowledged that any decision to impose a lockdown would fall under the jurisdiction of the National Security Council (NSC), which is chaired by the Prime Minister and not the state government. (The Star)
Bukit Aman: Non-existent loan fraud on the rise in Malaysia
A total of 5,718 cases involving non-existent loan fraud were reported last year involving losses of over RM62 million, said Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Zainuddin Yaacob. He said this was an increase from the 5,309 cases with estimated losses of RM48.4 million in the previous year. He said the economic downturn due to the Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with the strict conditions for licensed financial institutions to approve loans, was seen as an ‘opportunity’ by these non-existent money lending syndicates. “Many have lost their jobs, and the business sector has been severely affected as well. As such, loan fraud syndicates are actively promoting loans with low-interest as well as fast approval and easy conditions to attract victims,” he said. Police were taking various measures to combat the crime, including via special operations, besides trying to increase public awareness over the matter. The public may also check the Ministry of Housing and Local Government’s website for the list of licensed money lending companies at https://www.kpkt.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/585. (Malay Mail)
‘Low-risk patients can stay in hotels’
Low-risk asymptomatic Covid-positive patients can opt to stay in hotels designated as quarantine centres with permission from medical officers, if they can afford to do so, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba. He said low-risk patients in Categories 1,2 or 3 at quarantine centres such as the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) or other centres can request to do so if they or their employers can foot the bill, with the approval of medical officers. “We currently have 73 hotels nationwide which are being used to house arrivals from overseas as well as our low-risk Covid-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centres (PKRC),” said Dr Adham. He explained that those who opted for paid quarantine stay at the hotels will be confined to their hotel rooms, with no room service and around-the-clock monitoring by health officers stationed there. These low-risk patients will also have to wear tags and are not allowed to leave their hotel rooms. (The Star)
Two-thirds of world’s self-made female billionaires in China
The number of self-made female billionaires surged 30% from last year in the world to hit a record 130, with the figure increasing five-fold during the past 10 years, said Hurun Research Institute. China has two-thirds of the world’s self-made female billionaires, with a total of 85; the USA ranked second with 25, and the UK third with six. Moreover, nine Chinese women landed in the Hurun Top 10 Richest Self-Made Women in the World 2021. Among the 130 self-made female billionaires, 43 are newcomers, with 33 of them from China. Five are from the post-1980s generation, with three from China and two from the US. The Hurun report pointed out 45% of the female entrepreneurs on the list are engaged in emerging industries, including advanced manufacturing and healthcare. Total wealth of the 130 self-made female billionaires reached 3 trillion yuan in 2021, ballooning 63 per cent year-on-year. The average wealth was 22.9 billion yuan, an increase of 25% from last year. (The Star)
