Ten million Malaysian citizens will soon receive a special RM100 eWallet credit through the eMADANI programme! Here is what you need to know!
eMADANI : 10 Million Malaysian Citizens To Get Free RM100!
On 27 July 2023, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the Malaysian government will give a special, one-off RM100 eWallet credit.
On Wednesday, 29 November 2023, the government announced that the eMADANI programme will benefit some 10 million Malaysian citizens and 2 million businesses, with a total budget of RM 1 billion.
The eMADANI programme is a new initiative that is designed to stimulate the micro, small and medium enterprises (PMKS), as well as promote cashless payments, and alleviate inflationary pressures on the rakyat.
Here is what you need to know about the eMADANI programme, and the one-off RM100 eWallet credit…
Here is what you need to know about the eMADANI programme, and how to get the free RM100 eWallet credit:
Who Qualifies For eMADANI RM100 Free Credit?
The eMADANI programme, and the free RM100 eWallet credit, is open to Malaysian citizens who are 21 years and older as of 1 January 2023; and have either:
have an annual income of RM100,000 or less, based on LHDN records as of 15 July 2023
However, those who received the eBeliaRahmah contribution earlier will not qualify for the eMADANI programme, as they have already received eWallet cash to promote the use of cashless payments amongst the youth.
The government estimates that 10 million Malaysians will qualify for the eMADANI free RM100 eWallet credit.
When Can You Redeem The RM100 eWallet Credit?
Those who qualify for the RM100 eWallet credit will be able to redeem it through selected eWallets (see below) from 8 AM on 4 December 2023 until 11:59 PM on 20 February 2024.
Which eWallets Do You Need?
You will need one of these four eWallets to receive the free RM100 credit through the eMADANI programme:
MAE
Setel
ShopeePay, and
Touch ‘n Go eWallet
Please note that these four eWallet providers will also be offering additional incentives in the form of vouchers, cashbacks, discounts, reward points, and coins. So be sure to “shop around” for the best offers, before deciding on which eWallet to use!
To obtain the free RM100 eWallet credit, follow these steps:
Download the eWallet of your choice (from the list of four above) from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or HUAWEI AppGallery.
If you have not registered and verified your eWallet account, please do so first.
In the eWallet of your choice, tap on the eMADANI redemption link.
Key in the required information in the eMADANI redemption page, and tap on the Send button.
You will be informed if your application is successful.
If successful, the RM100 will be credited into the eWallet, and you can use the money immediately.
Please note that you can only redeem the RM100 eWallet credit from one eWallet provider.
Where Can You Spend The RM100?
The RM100 eWallet credit must be spent physically in retail stores and businesses using the the eWallet of your choice, except:
peer-to-peer transfers
cash redemptions
bill payments through the eWallet
government fee payments through the eWallet
telco postpaid payments and prepaid reloads through the eWallet
game payments through the eWallet
parking and toll payments
investment activities through the eWallet
e-commerce or online transactions
When Must You Spend The RM100?
Please note that the RM100 eWallet credit must be spent by 11:59 PM on 29 February 2024.
From 1 March 2024 onwards, any unspent eMADANI credit will automatically expire, and be removed from the eWallet.
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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Is Malaysia facing US sanctions after the US House of Representative passed a bill to sanction Hamas supporters?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Malaysia Faces US Sanctions Over Hamas Support!
People are sharing this warning on WhatsApp, which claims that Malaysia is facing US sanctions after the US House of Representative passed a bill to sanction Hamas supporters!
Malaysia already in RM1.5 trillion in debt and now will be sanctioned by US. Ringgit surely touch RM5 to US dollar and expect country to be affected economically resulting in more hardship for all Malaysians
The US House of Representatives approved a bill to sanction foreign supporters of supporters of the Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad 4terrorist movements on Wednesday night.
Ready to brace another impact on our economy! 😭
To support the claim, the viral WhatsApp warning includes a link to an MSN article, which has the title – US House approves bill to sanction Hamas supporters
No Evidence Malaysia Faces US Sanctions Over Hamas Support!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / propagated on WhatsApp, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : US House Bill Was Introduced In January 2023
First, I should point out that the US house bill in question – H.R. 340 :Hamas and Other Palestinian Terrorist Groups International Financing Prevention Act (PDF), was actually introduced on January 12, 2023 (history).
Also known as the “Hamas International Financing Prevention Act“, H.R. 340 was introduced almost 9 months before the terrible October 7 attack.
In short – this bill had nothing to do with the October 7 attack of Israel by Hamas, but its passage was accelerated by the attack.
Fact #2 : Bill Only Passed US House Of Representatives
Next, I should point out that the bill is not yet law – it only passed in the US House of Representatives, with a 363-46 vote.
The bill now heads to the US Senate for its consideration. It is uncertain whether this bill would actually pass in the US Senate in its current form.
Even if it passes the US Senate, it must be signed into law by President Joe Biden, who has the power to veto it. GovTrack rates it as having only 37% chance in being enacted.
Until it is signed into law – no country or entity faces US sanctions through this bill.
Fact #3 : MSN Article Did Not State Malaysia Faces US Sanctions
The MSN article – which is actually an article by The Jerusalem Post, was shared in the viral warning as “evidence” that Malaysia faces US sanctions over it support of Hamas.
However, anyone who spends just a few minutes to read the article would quickly realise that Malaysia was never mentioned at all. In fact, the article did not mention that any country is at risk of being sanctioned by the US for supporting Hamas.
Fact #4 : Sanctions Are Only Imposed On Foreign Persons
The bill – in its current form – only requires the US President to impose sanctions on any “foreign person” that:
a) “assists in sponsoring”, or providing “significant financial, material, or technology support” or “goods and other services” to enable acts of terrorism; or
b) engages, directly or indirectly, in a significant transaction with a senior member of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, the Lion’s Den, or their affiliates / successors.
However, HR340 leaves it to the President to determine which “foreign person” actually qualifies to be sanctioned. On top of that, the President can issue a waiver on a case-by-case basis.
Fact #5 : Only Limited Measures Are Imposed On Foreign States
The bill – in its current form – does not impose any sanctions on foreign states. It only imposes limited “measures” on foreign states that:
a) provides “significant material or financial support” for acts of terrorism; or
b) engages, directly or indirectly, in a significant transaction that contributes to the terrorist activities of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, the Lion’s Den, or their affiliates / successors.
Again, HR340 leaves it to the President to determine which “foreign state” actually qualifies to be targeted, and the President can issue a waiver on a case-by-case basis.
Even if a foreign state is identified by the US President as materially supporting terroristic activities by Hamas, HR340 only requires:
the President to suspend US assistance to that foreign state for at least 1 year,
the Treasury Secretary to oppose and vote against any loan, financial assistance, or technical assistance by any international financial institution to that foreign state for a period of 1 year
the President to prohibit the export of American weapons to that foreign state
Again – the bill does not technically impose sanctions on foreign states, only limited measures or penalties.
Fact #6 : HR340 Is Unlikely To Impact Malaysia At All
Even if it passes the US Senate in its current form, and is signed into law by President Joe Biden, HR340 – the Hamas International Financing Prevention Act is unlikely to have any impact on Malaysia.
For one thing – the bill only targets foreign states that provide “significant material or financial support for acts of international terrorism”.
And even if Malaysia is somehow identified as such a country, the limited measures imposed by HR340 will have minimal impact, if at all.
According to the US Department of State, the US government only invests $1 million annually to train Malaysian military service members as part of its International Military Education and Training. The US also provided $220 million in security assistance for the FY2018-2022 – about $44 million per year.
Assuming everything remained the same, Malaysia would only stand to lose a total of $45 million per year in US assistance. That’s a drop in the bucket – 0.05% of Malaysia’s 2023 budget of about $84 billion.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did large crowds of Canadians protest Trudeau and Zelensky at the Royal York Hotel, forcing them to run away?!
Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Major Canadian Protest Of Trudeau + Zelensky!
People are sharing a video showing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy leaving the Royal York Hotel, claiming that they were hounded by protestors who chased them away with insults:
Circulating on WhatsApp : BIG BREAKING NEWS – PM Justin Trudeau and Ukraine PM Zelensky had to run away from Royal York Hotel after massive crowd of Canadians greeted & chased them with “F*ck You, F*ck You, Get out of our country” slogans🔥🔥 This is a historic insult to the PM of any country in the history of this world. These 🐖s deserve it.
Kat Canada : TORONTO: Trudeau and Zelensky leave Royal York Hotel as an even bigger crowd of protesters shout “F**K YOU” “GET OUT OF OUR COUNTRY”
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Kyle Becker : “Get out of our country, Zelensky! Pay for your own f***ing war!”
Ukrainian President Zelensky is *ROASTED* coming out of the Royal York Hotel after meeting with Canadian PM Trudeau
Truth : Canadian Protest Of Trudeau + Zelensky Was Small
Let’s take a look at what went on before and during the viral video…
Fact #1 : Video Was Recorded On 22 September 2023
The video appears to be recorded by Dacey Media on Friday night, 22 September 2023, just outside the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
Fact #2 : There Was Only One Guy With A Megaphone
While it may sound like many people were protesting Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, and/or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, there does not appear to be many protestors.
The video actually shows a single person shouting using a megaphone. Perhaps 2-3 other protestors could be seen in the video. The other people standing around them appear to be bystanders, or just people walking past.
Fact #3 : Most Canadians Were There To Greet Zelenskyy
According to Toronto Sun reporter, Joe Warmington, most people who gathered outside the Fairmont Royal York hotel were there to greet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
It was Zelensky, donned in his famous green battle fatigues, that the crowd was most excited to catch a glimpse of. And he didn’t disappoint.
The crowd clearly appreciated seeing Zelenskyy as well and could be heard chanting “stand with Ukraine.”
In the viral video, you can see that most people were holding their smartphones up to take photos or videos of Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he came out.
He also shared that there was a group of anti-Trudeau protestors:
The Prime Minister also waved at onlookers and soaked up applause from the crowd — many tourists in for the weekend — while ignoring the taunts from a couple of dozen anti-Trudeau protesters.
The photo he took that day though only shows a few anti-Trudeau protestors.
Fact #5 : Zelenskyy Was Attending Round Table Discussion
While it has been claimed that Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau was meeting Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at the Royal York Hotel, or vice versa, that was not exactly the case.
Zelenskyy was at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel to take part in a roundtable discussion with Canadian business leaders at 6:30 PM. Justin Trudeau attended the roundtable with Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Fact #6 : They Were Leaving For A Rally At Fort York
Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau did not flee the hotel because of a protest. Neither did Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy left the Royal York Hotel with Justin Trudeau and Chrystia Freeland to attend a reception and rally at Fort York at 8:30 PM.
As this photo shows, many people were obviously very enthusiastic about meeting the Ukrainian leader at the Fort York event.
This may come across as peculiar to people in China and Russia, but Canadians enjoy the freedom of expression, which includes the right to protest peacefully.
If you look at the video, you will see police officers standing nearby to ensure that everything stayed peaceful. They were not there to block or prevent the protest or heckling. They were also not there to arrest the protestors.
Would a similar protest be possible in Russia or China? Can you imagine Russians heckling Vladimir Putin, without getting arrested by the police? Can you imagine Chinese netizens freely shouting similar insults at Xi Jinping? Of course, not.
The very fact that Canadians can shout insults at their own Prime Minister without fear, with the Prime Minister and the Canadian police ignoring all of that, is testament to the freedom of speech in Canada.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Japan will start releasing tons of treated radioactive waste water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant!
Take a look at the viral warnings, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Fukushima Waste Water Will Contaminate Japanese Food!
People are now sharing articles about the impending release of radioactive waste water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, with warnings about contaminated Japanese food!
Circulating on WhatsApp : Must avoid seafood from Japan 😭.
Avoid consuming any Japanese seafood imports. Japan will start dumping their 1million ton of radioactive ☢️ waste water into the ocean this Thursday. Keep your family safe from radiation-laced Japanese seafood products.
Circulating on WhatsApp : Good luck to shashimi lovers
Japan to release Fukushima waste water into the ocean starting on Thursday
No Evidence Fukushima Waste Water Will Contaminate Japanese Food
The decision of the Japanese government to release the radioactive Fukushima waste water is an emotionally-charged event that has triggered condemnation by many people all over the world.
It doesn’t help that there is now a wave of warnings about contaminated Japanese food on social media and instant messaging platforms.
Take some deep breaths and CALM yourself down. Then consider what we know so far about all these warnings.
Fact #1 : Japan Approved Release Of Fukushima Waste Water
On Tuesday, 22 August 2023, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida approved the release of the radioactive waste water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, at a meeting of Cabinet ministers involved in the plan.
He instructed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant’s operators, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) to get ready to release the waste water from Thursday onwards, if weather and sea conditions permit.
At the cabinet meeting, Kishida said that the release of the waste water is an essential step to decommissioning the nuclear plant, and continue with the recover of the Fukushima prefecture after the 11 March 2011 disaster.
Fact #2 : IAEA Approved Release Of Fukushima Waste Water
The International Atomic Agency (IAEA) conducted a safety review of Japan’s plans to release treated water into the Pacific Ocean.
After nearly two years of work, the IAEA released a report (PDF download) on 4 July 2023. The IAEA concluded that the plan are “consistent with relevant international safety standards“, and would have “negligible radiological impact on people and the environment“.
Fact #3 : Fukushima Uses Water To Cool Fuel Rods
Now, it is necessary to understand WHY there is even radioactive waste water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
After the plant’s cooling systems were destroyed by the massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami, three of its nuclear reactors melted down. The reactors were also damaged by explosions caused by the release of hydrogen gas.
To prevent further damage to the reactors, TEPCO has been pumping water to cool the nuclear fuel rods. The water, which is now contaminated with radioactive elements, is then stored in massive tanks.
Currently, about 1.3 million tonnes of radioactive water is stored in over 1,000 gigantic tanks at the nuclear plant.
Obviously, this is not a sustainable solution for TEPCO in the long-term, as they have to keep building new tanks, and old tanks will eventually leak. Or the water may be accidentally released.
In August 2013, TEPCO revealed that 300 metric tonnes of highly-radioactive water leaked from a storage tank.
In October 2013, TEPCO revealed that another tank was leaking, and some of the highly-radioactive water may have reached the ocean.
In February 2014, TEPCO revealed that a valve left open by mistake allowed about 100 tonnes of highly-radioactive water to overflow from a storage tank.
In October 2016, about 32 litres of highly-radioactive water leaked from a seam in a water tank.
Regardless of what we may think about the release of radioactive water into the ocean, it doesn’t appear to be practical to keep all that water in tanks that will eventually leak.
It is arguably much safer to treat and discharge the water, instead of risking these inevitable leaks of highly-radioactive water.
Fact #5 : Fukushima Waste Water Is Filtered + Treated Before Release
To be clear – TEPCO isn’t going to just release the radioactive water into the ocean. The Fukushima waste water is being filtered using the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) to remove most of its radioactivity.
The ALPS uses a series of chemical reactions to remove 62 radionuclides from the contaminated water, leaving only tritium and carbon-14. Tritium and carbon-14 are radioactive forms of hydrogen and carbon, which makes them difficult to separate from water.
The treated waste water is then diluted with seawater to reduce the concentration of tritium and carbon-14 before it is released into the ocean.
The final level of tritium is estimated at 1,500 becquerels per litre, which is lower than what is required by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for release, and even lower than the WHO limit for drinking water.
Fact #6 : Fukushima Waste Water To Be Released Over 30 Years
Most people are not aware that nuclear power plants around the world regularly release waste water containing higher tritium levels than the treated waste water from Fukushima.
Of course, TEPCO will be releasing A LOT MORE waste water than those power plants, having accumulated over 1.3 million tonnes over the last 12 years or so.
That’s why TEPCO will gradually release the treated Fukushima waste water into the Pacific Ocean over an extended period of 30 years.
According to molecular pathology expert Gerry Thomas, who worked with Japanese scientists on radiation research, and advised the IAEA on the Fukushima report:
The water released will be a drop in the ocean, both in terms of volume and radioactivity. There is no evidence that these extremely low levels of radioisotopes have a detrimental health effect.
Fact #7 : Tritium Has Short Half-Life
Tritium has a short radioactive half-life of 12.32 years. What this means is that tritium will rapidly degrade:
only half the amount would remain after 12.32 years
a quarter will remain after 24.64 years
In other words, some of the waste water in Fukushima now has half the amount of tritium than was originally present when it was collected 12 years ago!
And if water collected in August 2023 was only released at the end of the 30 year discharge timeline, only 18.5% of its original quantity of tritium would remain in the water.
This is part of the reason why tritium paint is no longer used in premium watches to provide illuminated dials – its brightness keeps halving every 12 years!
Both tritium and carbon-14 emit very low levels of radiation through beta radiation, which has low penetrating power – it can be stopped by nothing more than a layer of clothing or aluminium foil!
But more importantly, both tritium and carbon-14 occur naturally in the environment, and only pose a risk to human life if consumed in large quantities.
Unless you plan to drink a lot of undiluted Fukushima waste water to prove a point, you are unlikely to suffer radiation poisoning.
Fact #9 : Waste Water Will Be Discharged Into Ocean
Finally, let me end by simply pointing out that the Fukushima waste water isn’t going to be used to irrigate Japanese farms. So there is no risk to Japanese farm produce.
There is also no evidence that the treated waste water will contaminate Japanese seafood as the treated Fukushima waste water will be released into the ocean, which will further dilute the concentration of the tritium and carbon-14 nucleotides.
Fact #10 : Contaminated Fish Mostly Limited To Fukushima Area
There have been reports that fish living near the drainage outlets at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was found to have radioactive caesium 180X higher than Japan’s safety limit.
However, that contamination cannot be from the discharge of the treated waste water (which has not occurred and would not contain radioactive caesium), but is mostly caused by untreated contaminated water that has been leaking from the nuclear plant for many years now.
In other words, the discovery of such contaminated fish is evidence that the waste water should be treated, instead of being left untreated in storage tanks to risk further leaks.
TEPCO installed nets in January 2016 to contain contaminated fish inside the area. However, these nets have apparently failed, allowing contaminated fish to escape. That’s why regular sampling is now conducted in the area to detect such leaks.
Since contaminated water flowed into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station port immediately after the accident, Tepco has periodically removed fish from inside the port since 2012 using fishnets that have been installed to prevent the fish from escaping the port.
However, when a black rockfish with radioactive concentrations that exceed regulatory standards was caught off the coast of Soma [about 50km north of the plant] in January 2022, we began sampling again within this area in conjunction with the installation of more nets to prevent fish from leaving the port.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim just announced a slew of financial aid to help Malaysians deal with inflation this year!
Anwar Ibrahim Announces Financial Aid For Malaysians!
On Thursday, 27 July 2023, Malaysia Prime Minister announced a slew of financial aid during the launch of Ekonomi Madani: Memperkasa Rakyat (Madani Economy: Empowering the People) in Kuala Lumpur.
Here is a summary of the financial aid Anwar Ibrahim announced to help Malaysians deal with inflationary pressures this year.
Adults Earning Less Than RM100K To Get RM100
The Malaysian government will give RM100 e-Tunai cash incentive to all Malaysian citizens aged 21 years and above, earning RM100,000 or less in annual wages.
This cash incentive will be distributed via e-wallet, based on the success and impact of the e-Belia Rahman e-wallet credit rollout programme in the past. This incentive is also expected to spur digital payments, and the economy.
The government estimates that this cash incentive will benefit 10 million citizens in the B40 and M40 categories, and cost the treasury about RM1 billion (about US$ 220.9 million).
The estimated number of eligible recipients is expected to be around 10 million Rakyat comprising those of the B40 and M40 with allocations of around a billion ringgit.
Civil servants at Grade 56 and below will receive RM300 in special assistance aid within the next two weeks.
This special assistance is expected to benefit 1.3 million civil servants, while they wait for the adjustment of their salaries and allowances.
Government Pensioners To Get RM200
Government pensioners will receive RM200 in special assistance aid within the next two weeks. This special assistance is expected to benefit over a million pensioners.
Civil Servant Salaries To Be Reviewed
The Malaysian government will review the salaries of civil services, and adjust them according to the nation’s financial ability.
Minimum Wage To Be Reviewed
The Malaysian government will review the minimum wage, and explore the progressive wage model to reduce reliance on foreign workers.
120% Financing For Homes <RM300K
The Malaysian government will enhance the Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme (HCGS) provided by the Housing Credit Guarantee Company Berhad (SJKP).
The SJKP will now provide housing loans of up to 120% of the house’s value, for houses worth up to RM300,000. This will allow purchasers to cover the legal cost of the purchase, as well as renovations and furnishing their home.
The government will guarantee the scheme with a fund of RM5 billion (about US$1.1 billion).
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, just announced that there will be extra day of public holiday for Hari Raya 2023!
Updated @ 2023-04-20 : Updated with the confirmed day of public holiday Originally posted @ 2023-04-18
Extra Public Holiday For Hari Raya 2023 Confirmed!
On Thursday, 20 April 2023, the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, Tan Sri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad announced that Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2023 falls on Saturday, April 22.
In keeping with the command of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and with the consent of the Rulers, I hereby declare that the date for Hari Raya for the states in Malaysia has been set for Saturday, April 22, 2023
Now that Hari Raya 2023 has been confirmed to fall on Saturday, April 22, the extra day of public holiday will fall on Friday, April 21.
For the full list of school and public holidays for Hari Raya, please click here!
PM Anwar : Extra Public Holiday For Hari Raya 2023!
On Tuesday, 18 April 2023, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, announced that there will be an additional day of public holiday for Hari Raya 2023!
In his public announcement, he said that the extra day of public holiday will depend on the first day of Syawal:
Friday, April 21 is a public holiday if the first day of Syawal falls on Saturday, April 22
Monday, April 24 is a public holiday if the first day of Syawal falls on Friday, April 21
The International Astronomy Centre in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) predicted that the first day of Aidilfitri will fall on April 21.
The Prime Minister said the extra day of public holiday will make it easier for the public to make travel plans for the Hari Raya festivities.
This announcement only applies to Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan, based on Section 8 of the Holiday s Act 1951. Prime Minister Anwar said that it will be up to the Sabah and Sarawak state governments to declare the date for the public holiday accordingly.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Hari Raya 2023 falls on Saturday, April 22, so here is what you need to know about the school and public holidays!
Hari Raya 2023 Falls On Saturday, April 22!
On Thursday, 20 April 2023, the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, Tan Sri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad announced that Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2023 falls on Saturday, April 22.
In keeping with the command of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and with the consent of the Rulers, I hereby declare that the date for Hari Raya for the states in Malaysia has been set for Saturday, April 22, 2023
On Tuesday, 18 April 2023, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, announced that there will be an additional day of public holiday for Hari Raya 2023!
Now that Hari Raya 2023 has been confirmed to fall on Saturday, April 22, the extra day of public holiday will fall on Friday, April 21. Here are the updated public holidays for Hari Raya 2023:
Holiday
Group B
Notes
Hari Raya Aidilfitri
Friday, 21 April 2023
Saturday, 22 April 2023
Sunday, 23 April 2023
Monday, 24 April 2023
All states
All states
All states
All states *, except Johor + Kedah
* This is a carry-forward holiday for the public holiday on Sunday
School Holidays For Hari Raya 2023
On 11 April 2023, the Ministry of Education declared that April 19 would be a special school holiday, in addition to the mid-term holiday which starts on April 20.
With the announcement, here are the updated holiday schedule for Hari Raya 2023.
Group A
Group A states are Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
Festival Holidays
Group A
Notes
Hari Raya Aidilfitri
Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Thursday, 20 April 2023
2 extra days
Group B
Group B states are Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.
Festival Holidays
Group B
Notes
Hari Raya Aidilfitri
Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Thursday, 20 April 2023
Friday, 21 April 2023
3 extra days
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) is offering a special RM50 fine for all traffic offences!
Find out how you can pay for your traffic offences for just RM50!
PDRM Offers Special RM50 Fine For Traffic Offences!
On 18 April 2023, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, announced that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) will offer a special RM50 fine for all traffic offences committed in 2022 and earlier!
From Friday, 21 April until Sunday, 21 May 2023, you will be able to pay RM50 for each traffic summon at all police district or contingent headquarters, or online using its MyBayar Saman app or website.
This special offer applies only to traffic summonses issued in 2022 and earlier. It does not apply to traffic offences committed in 2023.
The PDRM launched MyBayar Saman as an alternative payment option, instead of paying over-the-counter, or using private collecting agents like MyEG.
This would also save the public money as MyBayar Saman is FREE, and does not collect service charges. They can also pay their fines at their convenience, without wasting time queuing to pay.
Alternatively, you can also pay for your traffic offence fines at:
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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, just announced that there will be no highway tolls for four days for Hari Raya 2023!
Hari Raya 2023 : No Highway Tolls For Four Days
On Tuesday, 18 April 2023, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, announced that there will be no highway tolls for four days, in conjunction with Hari Raya 2023!
In a public announcement, he said that the toll-free travel will apply to all types of vehicles travelling on 33 highways in Malaysia. The toll-free period will last for four days:
From 12:01 AM on Wednesday, April 19, to midnight on Friday, April 21, and
From 12:01 AM until midnight on Monday, April 24
The Prime Minister said that the toll free travel will reduce the travel costs for people travelling back to their hometowns to celebrate Hari Raya 2023.
But please be warned that during the Hari Raya 2023 festive season, seven traffic offences will be non-compoundable, and will be referred to the courts.
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Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Was US President Joe Biden caught on video failing to recognised UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak?!
Take a look at the viral videos, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Joe Biden Failed To Recognise UK PM Rishi Sunak
People are sharing videos on WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, which claim to show Joe Biden failing to recognise United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and even pushing him aside to greet King Charles’ representative instead.
@Spriter99880 : Arriving in Belfast, the Biden did not recognize the Prime Minister of Great Britain and pushed the “boy” away to salute the gray-haired military man.
Ian Miles Cheong : This owns. When greeted at the airport, Joe Biden shoves British PM Rishi Sunak aside to salute a random white guy.
Kim Dotcom : Joe Biden doesn’t recognize the little brown guy (Prime Minister of UK) and pushes him away to salute the old white guy. The look on the face of @RishiSunakis priceless 🤣
Did Joe Biden ignore and push Rishi Sunak aside to greet a security guard?! 😲🤨
@xziena53 : Rishi Sunak pushed out of the way by Biden #biden #sunak #pushedout #fyp
@henryjamesbarrowclough : Sleepy Joe Biden Mistakes Rishi Sunak As Local Indian Waiter On Trip To Ireland
@maxbavpk6wd : President Biden pushes Indian Sunak out of the way to greet security guard
Arriving in Belfast, Joe Biden did not recognize the Prime Minister of Great Britain and pushed the ” Indian boy ” away to salute the gray-haired military man.
Truth : Joe Biden Recognised UK PM Rishi Sunak, Did Not Push Him Aside!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by right wing activists, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Viral Videos Were Edited
The viral videos were edited from the original footage, intentionally removing the segment which shows President Joe Biden greeting and shaking Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s hand.
White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates confirmed it on April 13, telling AFP:
The footage was dishonestly manipulated.
Fact #2 : Joe Biden Greeted + Spoke With Rishi Sunak
In the original video, US President Joe Biden is seen greeting and shaking UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and exchanging words for a few seconds before saluting Lord Lieutenant of County Antrim, David McCorkell, King Charles III’s representative in Northern Ireland.
After greeting other people, Biden laid his hand on Sunak’s back, before going on to greet even more people. Biden later resumed his conversation with Rishi Sunak and David McCorkell on the tarmac for a minute or two, before The Beast (the US armoured Presidential limousine) arrived.
It is quite impossible for Joe Biden not to recognise Rishi Sunak, because they met and spoke with each other on several occasions, the most recent being a month ago!
On March 13, Rishi Sunak and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined Joe Biden at San Diego to mark the AUKUS deal. Sunak and Biden not only had a bilateral meeting, they also held a press conference together, in which he spoke of Sunak in familiar terms.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: I got a brief statement to talk about my friend here for a second.
First of all, I want to welcome him back to California. He’s a Stanford man, and he still has a home here in California. That’s why I’m being very nice to him, maybe he’ll invite me to his home here in California.
In fact, Joe Biden first met Rishi Sunak in November 2022, during the G20 summit. During their first bilateral meeting on 16 November 2022, President Biden congratulated Rishi Sunak for becoming the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Fact #4 : This Is Just Fake News About Joe Biden
This is just another example of political fake news created to smear Joe Biden, and here are other examples you may have seen on social media:
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Was Prince William just caught seducing Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Prince William Was Just Caught Seducing Jacinda Ardern!
People are sharing a Music Mundial article which claims that Prince William was just caught seducing Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand!
Here is the viral Music Mundial article. Please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
Prince William is caught seducing a woman who was close friend of Meghan Markle in New Zealand
In a masterstroke, 40-year-old Prince William has just dealt a blow to Meghan Markle’s heart by assigning a seat on the board of one of his favorite organizations to 42-year-old Jacinda Ardern, the former prime minister of New Zealand, a former friend of the Sussex couple.
The former top New Zealander was a close friend of Meghan Markle‘s until the Sussexes spilled their confidences in the Netflix documentary. From then on, Ardern began to quickly distance herself from the couple, as she did not share either the form or substance of their comments or their way of involving her in the controversy.
Ardern’s anger with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex dates back to the Netflix Sussex documentary, when the former prime minister appeared in an interview she had been given more than two years ago for a collaboration between the Mandela Foundation, Blackwell & Ruth and Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Productions.
The New Zealand celebrity considered that her appearance was out of context and that PrinceHarry and Meghan Markle had used her image to try to give more credibility to the documentary. That situation marked Ardern’s estrangement and annoyance towards the couple.
Her resignation as prime minister of New Zealand last January due to personal reasons and emotional exhaustion, was the precise opportunity for Prince William to take advantage of the situation and deliver the death blow to the Sussex’s relationship with the political leader who guided the destinies of the Oceanic country.
The prince was captured having a seductive conversation with the woman to get her included in the crown. The former prime minister has just been appointed to the board of directors of the awards with which the Prince of Wales annually distinguishes those who promote environmental activities and care for the planet.
Truth : Prince William Was NOT Caught Seducing Jacinda Ardern!
This is yet another example of celebrity FAKE NEWS created to generate page views, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : That Is An Old Photo
First, let me just point out that the photo that Music Mundial used to “prove” that Prince William was recently caught seducing Jacinda Ardern is almost 4 years old!
It was taken on Thursday, 25 April 2019 at the ANZAC commemorations in New Zealand, just after the Christchurch mosque attacks.
Fact #2 : The Photo Was Cropped
The photo appears to have been cropped to convey the perception that Prince William was having an intimate moment with Jacinda Ardern.
The actual photo was taken by Australian Associated Press photographer, David Rowlands, and is larger – showing them with other people right next to them.
Fact #3 : Prince William Was Not Seducing Jacinda Ardern
Music Mundial claims that Prince William was “captured having a seductive conversation” with Jacinda Ardern.
The truth is – Jacinda Ardern greeted Prince William with a traditional Māori hongi (nose press) when he arrived to attend a service in Auckland. They then travelled to Christchurch to meet with survivors of the two mosque attacks.
Prince William didn’t just share the intimate hongi with Jacinda Ardern. He also greeted other people with the hongi, including this former ANZAC serviceman.
Fact #4 : No Evidence Jacinda Ardern + Meghan Markle Are Close Friends
There is no basis for the claim that Jacinda Ardern and Meghan Markle are close friends.
Jacinda Ardern first met Prince Harry and Meghan Markle when they toured New Zealand in 2018, and appeared to have forged a friendship, or at least, an appreciated of one another.
They then met on several occasions, including a private meeting at Kensington Palace in 2019. However, there is no evidence that they are particularly “close friends”.
In fact, when Harry and Meghan released their “Live to Lead” Netflix docuseries in December 2022, the New Jacinda Ardern distanced herself from their project, to the extent of issuing a statement that she was not aware of their involvement when her interview was shot.
Fact #5 : Jacinda Ardern Advised Prince William Before He Founded Earthshot Prize
There is no evidence that Prince William appointed Jacinda Ardern to the board of trustees for his Earthshot Prize charity, in order to drive her away from Meghan Markle.
After all, Jacinda Ardern already appeared to have distanced herself from Harry and Meghan after they released their Netflix docuseries in December 2022.
In fact, Prince William pointed out that she was well-suited to the board of trustees, as she was one of the first people he spoke to, and it was her advice and encouragement that led him to establish the charity.
It is an honour to welcome Jacinda to The Earthshot Prize team. Her life-long commitment to supporting sustainable and environmental solutions, along with her experience as Prime Minister of New Zealand, will bring a rich infusion of new thinking to our mission.
Four years ago, before The Earthshot Prize even had a name, Jacinda was one of the first people I spoke to, and her encouragement and advice was crucial to the prize’s early success. I am hugely grateful to her for joining us as she takes the next steps in her career.
As usual, Music Mundial offered ZERO evidence to back up its claims that Prince William had a seductive conversation with Jacinda Ardern, or that her appointed was to drive a wedge between Jacinda and Meghan.
This appears to be nothing more than yet another example of celebrity fake news posted by Music Mundial. Here are examples of Music Mundial fake news that I looked into:
Everything Music Mundial posts should be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim just announced the extension of the SSPN tax relief until 2024! Here is what you need to know!
Malaysia Extends SSPN Tax Relief Until 2024!
On Wednesday, 29 March 2023, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the extension of the SSPN tax relief until 2024!
The Prime Minister said that the decision was made after many quarters asked the government to consider the tax relief that was not included in the revised 2023 budget.
The SSPN tax break is expected to cost the government RM250 million (US$56.8 million) in tax revenue. The tax relief is limited to the first RM8,000, after being increased from RM6,000 in the 2019 budget.
I have agreed to extend this tax exemption until 2024 that will benefit 400,000 taxpayers and cost the government RM250 million.
Earlier : SSPN Tax Relief Missing From Malaysia 2023 Budget!
SSPN (Skim Simpanan Pendidikan Nasional) – the National Education Savings Scheme, is a government-backed savings scheme designed to help parents save and invest those savings for their children’s higher education.
In past years, parents in Malaysia who put away money into SSPN for their children’s higher education enjoyed tax relief on the first RM8,000 contributed to the fund for the year.
The re-tabling of Budget 2023 for Malaysia noticeably did not include an extension of the SSPN tax relief. The Finance Bill 2023, which the government is proposing to amend the Income Tax Act 1967 with, includes this amendment:
Subparagraph 4(a)(iv) seeks to delete paragraph 46(1)(k) of Act 53 as the amount deposited by an individual for his child into the Skim Simpanan Pendidikan Nasional shall no longer be allowed as a deduction under Act 53. This amendment has effect for the year of assessment 2023 and subsequent years of assessment.
As a result, SSPN earlier posted a notice on its website saying that it is seeking clarification from the government on the tax relief.
The announcement by the Prime Minister that the SSPN tax relief would be reinstated will definitely be a relief to parents who have had to put up with high inflation.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The viral photo of the Luxembourg Prime Minister and his wife is FAKE!
Here is what you need to know about that viral photo!
Updated @ 2023-03-20 : Updated with some additional details First published @ 2022-05-20
Claim : This Is Luxembourg PM Xavier Bettel + His Wife!
People have been sharing this viral photo since 2019, but it is going viral again in pro-Russia and pro-CCP groups.
Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel arriving for a function with his wife, Gauthier Destenay.
卢森堡总理和他妖艳的妻子，留着胡子穿 着鱼尾裙，很fashion，你觉得呢？
The Prime Minister of Luxembourg and his coquettish wife, with beards and fishtail skirts, are very fashionable, what do you think?
卢森堡首相贝泰尔携”夫人”昨天抵京，开始对华访问。这是全球首个首相同性恋, 可拭目以待！！
Luxembourg Prime Minister Bettel arrived in Beijing yesterday with his “Madame” and started his visit to China.This is the world’s first gay prime ministerCan wait and see!!
Truth : Viral Photo Of Luxembourg PM + His Wife Is FAKE!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS designed to disparage the LGBT community and/or European / NATO leaders.
The very fact that this claim was resurrected from 2019, after Europe heavily sanctioned Russia for invading Ukraine, tells us that this is hardly coincidental.
It then went viral again in March 2023, right after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In any case, here are the reasons why this is NOT a photo of the Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, or his wife.
Fact #1 : Xavier Bettel Is Married To Gauthier Destenay
Xavier Bettel is Luxembourg’s first openly gay Prime Minister, and he married his partner, Gauthier Destenay, a Belgian architect.
Bettel and Destenay had been civil partners since 2010, but was able to marry each other on 15 May 2015 – a year after the Luxembourg Parliament approved same-sex marriage.
Here are real photos of Luxembourg Prime Minister Bettel (right) with his partner, at their town hall wedding.
Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, right, puts his hand around the shoulder of his partner Gauthier Destenay after their marriage at the town hall in Luxembourg, on Friday, May 15, 2015. The marriage comes one year after the parliament approved legislation to turn Luxembourg into an increasing number of countries allowing for same-sex marriages. Bettel and Destenay have been civil partners since 2010. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Fact #2 : That Was Photo Of Conchita Wurst + Andre Karsai
The viral photo is actually of famous Austrian singer and drag queen, Conchita Wurst, and her business manager and the executive director of her company, Andre Karsai.
Conchita is actually the drag queen persona of Thomas Neuwirth, with a fictional backstory – Conchita was born in the mountains of Colombia, and married to French burlesque dancer Jacques Patriaque (Neuwirth’s actual friend)
He says this Conchita Wurst persona is similar to Beyoncé’s Sasha Fierce alter-ego, and uses it as a way to protect his private life.
Neuwirth is gay but not a trans woman. He uses the he/him pronouns when referring to himself, but uses she/her to describe his Conchita Wurst character.
Conchita Wurst is best known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. She also had a cameo in the 2020 movie, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.
Here is an interesting fact about the character’s name. Conchita is a Spanish slang word for vagina, while Wurst is a German slang word for penis. So Conchita Wurst literally means vagina penis!
In 2019, Neuwirth introduced a new mononymous persona called WURST, which would allow for a “more masculine expression”.
Fact #3 : That Photo Was Taken At 2019 Vienna Opera Ball
The viral photo was taken at the Vienna Opera Ball that took place 28 February, 2019, by Jeff Mangione of Kurier magazine. Here is Conchita Wurst with the Austrian Minister of Justice, Dr. Josef Moser.
And this was her Instagram post at Wiener Opernball 2019 :
Fact #4 : Luxembourg PM Bettel Visited China Twice
As Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Bettel paid two official visits to China :
11-14 June 2017 : Bettel visited China together with two ministers.
27-28 March 2019 : Bettel visited China to witness the signing of several bilateral agreements, and to speak at the Boao Forum for Asia.
There is no evidence that his partner, Destenay, ever accompanied him on his trips to China.
Just in case Chinese netizens are “confused”, let me be clear – that viral photo was not taken in China during Bettel’s official visit.
Here is an actual picture from Bettel’s official visit to China in 2017.
This photo is being circulated in pro-Russia and pro-CCP groups, as a way to both disparage LGBTQ people and EU / NATO leaders during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, just announced that there will be no highway tolls on January 20 to 21 for Chinese New Year 2023!
CNY 2023 : No Highway Tolls On January 20-21!
On Wednesday, 18 January 2023, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, announced that there will be no highway tolls on January 20 to 21 in conjunction with Chinese New Year 2023!
In a short public announcement, he said that the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Works took the initiative to discuss the matter with the highway concessionaires across Malaysia, and they agreed not to impose any highway tolls for two days.
The toll-free travel will apply to all types of vehicles travelling on all highways in Malaysia. The toll-free period will begin at 12:01 AM on January 20, and end at midnight on January 21, 2023.
The expected financial implication of these two days of toll-free travel is estimated to be about RM40 million (US$9.2 million).
The Minister of Works and the Minister of Transport took the initiative to discuss with the concessionaires, who agreed to eliminate the toll charges for the 20th and 21st (of January).
We hope that by waiving the toll charges for the two days, it will allow all Malaysians to enjoy travels during the Chinese New Year. My advice to road users is to obey the law and be safe on the road.
But please be warned that during the Chinese New Year festive season, seven traffic offences will be non-compoundable, and will be referred to the courts.
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Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Claim : Netanyahu Did Not Comment On Anwar Ibrahim As Israeli Agent!
That is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Audio Message Was Not By Hadi Awang
First, there appears to be some confusion over who said that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is an Israeli agent.
The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) opened up an investigation into claims that the audio recording was by Hadi Awang, the President of the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS).
However, it was later clarified that the audio recording was of the Baling Member of Parliament Hassan Saad, also of the PAS party.
Hadi Awang had nothing to do with the audio recording, so there is no reason for Benjamin Netanyahu to call him out for that Israel agent allegation against Anwar Ibrahim.
Fact #2 : LOD + Police Report Made Against Hasan Saad
In fact, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim filed a letter of demand against Hassan Saad on November 30, 2022, seeking an unconditional apology over the viral audio recording alleging that he is an Israeli agent.
The PDRM also initiated investigations against Hassan Saad over the viral audio message, under Section 504 and Section 500 of the Penal Code for intentionally insulting the intent to defame a person, as well as Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
Therefore, there is simply no reason for Benjamin Netanyahu or any other persons to criticise Hadi Awang for calling Anwar Ibrahim an Israel agent.
Fact #3 : Benjamin Netanyahu Does Not Post In English
Anyone who bothers to check Benjamin Netanyahu’s official Twitter account (@netanyahu) would immediately realise that the viral screenshot was faked.
The first thing you will realise is that Benjamin Netanyahu does not post in English. He only posts in Hebrew – the official language of the State of Israel.
The viral screenshot cannot be of an English translation either, because it would have shown the original Hebrew words, with a disclaimer before the English translation – Translated from Hebrew by Google.
Fact #3 : Benjamin Netanyahu Did Not Comment On Anwar Ibrahim
The second thing you would realise if you look at Benjamin Netanyahu’s official Twitter account is that he did not post any tweet that mentions Malaysia, Hadi Awang, or Anwar Ibrahim.
Going back until November 19, 2022 – the date of the 15th Malaysia General Election, Benjamin Netanyahu has only commented on Israeli issues and politics.
Note : I placed a FALSE overlay to prevent the viral message from being further abused.
Fact #4 : Benjamin Netanyahu Is No Longer Prime Minister of Israel
Benjamin Netanyahu was ousted as Prime Minister of Israel on June 13, 2021, replaced by Naftali Bennett, and then Yair Lapid on July 1, 2022.
Netanyahu has not been the Prime Minister of Israel for over 18 months now, and would not have any standing to comment or act on behalf of the State of Israel.
Fact #5 : Fake Message Likely Written By Malaysian
The viral English message that was allegedly written by Benjamin Netanyahu has a curious term – religious rider.
That is a direct English translation of a very unique Malaysian slang term – penuggang agama, which refers to a hypocrite who uses religion for personal / political / financial gain.
There is no English or Hebrew equivalent for penunggang agama that I know of, which leads me to believe that this fake message was written by a Malaysian.
Now that you know the facts, please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by SHARING this fact check article out!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri order a Mercedes-Benz S 650 Maybach Pullman limousine that costs RM3.8 million?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Ismail Sabri Ordered Maybach Pullman S 650 Limo!
At the end of November 2022, this message (together with a link and a screenshot) went viral on WhatsApp and social media, claiming to be evidence that former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri ordered a Mercedes-Benz S 650 Maybach Pullman limousine that costs RM3.8 million!
It also alleged that new Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is expected to auction off the Maybach Pullman S 650 limousine, instead of using it.
Previous PM, Ismail Sabri order a MAYBACH Pullman Benz S650, RM3,800,000 without any Tax!!
Anwar refused to use it, but soon expected for Auction it!
Note : I placed a FALSE overlay to prevent the viral message from being further abused.
Claim : Ismail Sabri Ordered Maybach Pullman S 650 Limo!
That is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : A Mercedes-Benz S600 Was Ordered, Not S 650 Maybach Pullman
On 28 November 2022, the new Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim spoke out about this claim.
He confirmed that a vehicle was ordered by a previous Prime Minister, but did not specific who it was.
He also confirmed that the model was a Mercedes-Benz S600 limousine, not the Maybach Pullman S 650.
Fact #2 : Mercedes-Benz S600 Is Different From S 650 Maybach Pullman
Both the S600 and the S 650 Maybach Pullman limousines are from the same company – Mercedes-Benz. However, they are completely different vehicles.
The S600 is an S-class sedan which seats four people. It has been discontinued, but was priced at over RM1.7 million when it was launched in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, the S 650 Maybach Pullman is an ultra-premium stretch limousine that is much longer than the Mercedes-Benz S600, seating six people.
It is also significantly more expensive, with a base price of around half a million euros or about RM2.3 million.
Fact #3 : Mercedes-Benz S600 Order Was Cancelled
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also said that he cancelled the order for the Mercedes-Benz S600 limousine, so there was no need to auction it off, as the viral message claimed.
The Mercedes has not arrived yet, so I’m using this (Toyota Camry), okay? (I’ll just use) any car that’s available.
Actually, this (the S-class Mercedes) was ordered by a previous prime minister, but I checked to see whether we could cancel. (Thankfully) we could.
Anwar Ibrahim also said that no new official car will be purchased for his use, and no renovations would be carried out at his office, as part of a new culture against public funds wastage.
Fact #4 : Mercedes-Benz S600 Purchased Over Two Administrations
Interestingly, Berita Harian said that the purchase of the Mercedes-Benz S600 was first mooted during the Muhyiddin Yassin government, but only approved during the Ismail Sabri Yaakob government.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Find out WHY the YDP Agong CANNOT just appoint Anwar Ibrahim as the interim or caretaker PM of Malaysia!
YDP Agong Asked To Meet Anwar Ibrahim + Muhyiddin Yassin
22 November 2022 will go down in history as a day of great drama, with many news portals falsely claiming that the YDP Agong appointed Anwar Ibrahim as Interim / Caretaker Prime Minister of Malaysia.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia had earlier given political coalitions and parties up to 2 PM on 22 November 2022 to gain enough support to form a government.
Unfortunately, that 2 PM deadline came and went without any announcement. So the Yang di-Pertuan Agong asked the leaders of the Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional coalitions to meet him at 4:30 PM.
The media anxiously watched as Anwar Ibrahim and Muhyiddin Yassin entered the National Palace to meet the YDP Agong.
Why Agong CANNOT Appoint Anwar Ibrahim As Interim PM!
That is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by trigger-happy Malaysian media outlets, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Many Media Outlets Prematurely Ejaculated
In an effort to beat their rivals, a number of media outlets posted that the YDP Agong appointed Anwar Ibrahim as the interim or caretaker Prime Minister of Malaysia.
It started with Free Malaysia Today (FMT) which claimed that the YDP Agong appointed Anwar Ibrahim as an interim Prime Minister, only to take the article offline shortly after, and posting an apology.
Anwar Perdana Menteri Sementara : Anwar Ibrahim dilantik sebagai Perdana Menteri sementara.
Anwar Is Interim Prime Minister : Anwar Ibrahim was appointed as interim Prime Minister
Then The Vibes claimed on Twitter that Anwar Ibrahim was named the 10th Malaysian Prime Minister.
JUST IN : @anwaribrahim has been named the 10th Malaysian Prime Minister
Even the New Straits Times (NST) posted TWICE that Anwar Ibrahim was appointed, alternately as interim and caretaker Prime Minister!
Anwar Ibrahim appointed interim PM – Party sources | New Straits Times
Anwar Ibrahim appointed caretaker PM | New Straits Times
Melissa Goh from CNA (Channel NewsAsia) also posted on Twitter, that Anwar Ibrahim was appointed as an interim Prime Minister:
JUST IN : Anwar appointed interim PM, he just needs to build his majority : Anwar’s aide
CNA also repeated that claim on TV, also stating that Anwar’s aide was very excited about it.
The truth is – the YDP Agong did not appoint Anwar Ibrahim as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia, at least not today – 22 November 2022.
Fact #2 : Anwar Ibrahim Confirmed No Decision On PM Had Been Made
After meeting the YDP Agong, Anwar Ibrahim himself addressed the press outside the National Palace, and stated clearly that no decision has been made on who would be Prime Minister of Malaysia.
I, of course, expressed my gratitude to His Highness, and said that we would do our best and digest his advice, and wait for the final decision, which is of course, at the discretion of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. There has been no decision [on who would be Prime Minister].
How did FreeMalaysiaToday, The Vibes, NST and CNA announce that Anwar Ibrahim is the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia, when the man himself said that no decision on that has been made?
Fact #3 : First Group To Exceed 111 MPs Can Form Next Government
The 15th General Election (GE15) resulted in a hung Parliament in Malaysia, with no political coalition or party winning a majority of Parliamentary seats.
Hence, the political parties in Malaysia are anxiously negotiating and bartering with each other… because the first group with at least 112 Members of Parliament will form the next government.
The winning group will then present their new political coalition, and their prime minister candidate, to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, for his consent.
Fact #4 : Agong Appoints Prime Minister With Majority MP Support
The Constitution of Malaysia is very clear about how the YDP Agong appoints the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Under Article 43 (2) (a), the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will appoint a Prime Minister who, in his judgement, is likely to command the confidence of the “majority of the members of [the House of Representative“.
In other words, the YDP Agong can only appoint Anwar Ibrahim as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia if he is confident that Anwar Ibrahim has the backing of the majority of the newly-elected Members of Parliament!
Of course, Article 40A (a) stipulates that the YDP Agong “may act in his discretion” on “the appointment of a Prime Minister“.
Even so – the YDP Agong cannot appoint Anwar Ibrahim as an Interim Prime Minister, because there is no provision for such a position in the Constitution!
If the YPD Agong ends up appointing Anwar Ibrahim as the Prime Minister of a minority government, it will be as the Prime Minister of Malaysia, not as an interim Prime Minister.
Fact #5 : Malaysia Already Has A Caretaker Prime Minister
It is also not possible for the YDP Agong to appoint a caretaker Prime Minister, because one already exists!
The previous Prime Minister of Malaysia becomes its caretaker Prime Minister once Parliament is dissolved, and until the next Prime Minister is appointed.
Currently, the caretaker Prime Minister of Malaysia remains Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Fact #6 : Muhyiddin Yassin Revealed Why Anwar Was Not Appointed As PM
After he left his audience with the YDP Agong, Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin revealed that the King suggested that Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) form a unity government.
It is likely the King “suggested” that Anwar Ibrahim would be the Prime Minister of such a unity government.
However, he rejected the suggestion as Perikatan Nasional will not cooperate with Pakatan Harapan.
I was asked to sign a document to state if we agree (to cooperate with PH) I signed the paper but I wrote at the top that we disagree (to work with PH.
Everyone knows why we can’t cooperate with PH. This is our stance before and it is still now. We will not work with Pakatan Harapan.
Because PN rejected the King’s proposal, PH still does not have the requisite number of MPs to form the government.
Hence, as per Article 43 of the Constitution of Malaysia (see Fact #4 above), the YDP Agong cannot appoint Anwar Ibrahim as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia.
That is also why the YDP Agong asked to meet all 30 MPs from the Barisan Nasional party tomorrow morning. It is likely that he wants to see if they can be convinced to join PH in forming a unity government.
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Is former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin correct that Jews overseas are praying for Pakatan Harapan to win GE15 so it can Christianise Malaysia?!
Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Muhyiddin Yassin : Jews Want Pakatan Harapan To Win GE15!
On Wednesday, 16 November 2022, former Prime Minister of Malaysia and Perikatan Nasional’s candidate for Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, made a startling claim.
At the Ceramah Mega PN Best event in Parit Jawa, Johor, he claimed that the opposition Pakatan Harapan party was an agent of Jews and Christians who want to Christianise Malaysia.
Here is a rough translated transcript of what he said in a short video clip that went viral on WhatsApp and social media:
His final decision was – don’t pick Barisan Nasional, and never ever vote for Pakatan Harapan. It’s a real danger. Pakatan Harapan is very dangerous.
I read this morning, after my morning prayers, that there is a video that shows a group of Jews (overseas) speaking about Malaysia. In their group, they are praying and talking about ways for Malaysia to “fall” into the hands of the opposition [Pakatan Harapan] that sponsors Jewish and Christian groups.
For me, this is dangerous! This could mean there will be a Christianisation process [of Malaysia]. Didn’t we hear the stories before, of Malays going to church on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya. It looks like they converted to Christianity.
I’m not think they will expand quickly because most are us are Muslims. But their agenda is that one day, they will take over Malaysia as one of their colonies. This is one of their long-term strategies.
Maybe we cannot see it now, but not too far in the future, if we are not careful, it can happen. Nauzubillah min zalik (May Allah protect us from that).
Jews May Want PH To Win GE15, But Not To Christianise Malaysia
It is sad, but not unexpected, to see yet another politician use race and religion to stoke fear in a last ditch effort to win an election.
Yes, this is yet another example of political FAKE NEWS, created by a politician to win votes, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : No Evidence Of Jews Praying For PH Win In GE15
Muhyiddin Yassin claimed that he read about a video showing a group of Jews discussing about Malaysia, and praying for Pakatan Harapan to win GE15.
There is no evidence such a video exists. There is also no evidence that is a group of overseas Jews who are praying for a Pakatan Harapan win in GE15, or discussing ways to make that a reality.
The former Prime Minister did not back up his claims with the article or the video, as one would do if it’s true.
A video showing foreigners attempting to interfere in Malaysian politics, would have been DYNAMITE! Yet, the former PM did not use that dynamite…. why?
That’s likely because the video, or the article about such a group of meddling Jews, does not exist.
Fact #2 : Nothing Wrong With Jews Praying For PH Win In GE15
Even if there are Jews overseas praying for Pakatan Harapan to win in GE15, so what? Everyone – whether they are Malaysians or foreigners, is entitled to his/her personal opinions, and preferences.
If these overseas Jews prefer Pakatan Harapan to win, that’s their right. It’s no different from how Malaysians publicly proclaim which American presidential candidate they prefer to win… or whether they prefer Benjamin Netanyahu as Israeli PM, or Naftali Bennett.
As long as the Jews, Christians, Muslims or even atheists overseas are not interfering with the 15th General Election in Malaysia, it’s their right to pray or root for whatever politician or political party in Malaysia they prefer.
Fact #3 : Jews Are Not Christians, Christians Are Not Jews
I’m shocked that the Muhyiddin Yassin is not aware that Jews are not Christians, and Christians are not Jews.
He apparently claimed that the Jews want Pakatan Harapan to win, in order to Christianise Malaysia. Why on Earth would the Jews want to Christianise Malaysia??? They are Jews, not Christians!
That is like claiming that Star Trek fans want Pakatan Harapan to win, so they can turn Malaysians into Star Wars fans. Can you see how STUPID that is?
Fact #4 : Singapore Did Not Turn Into Christian / Jewish Colony
Muhyiddin Yassin alleged that the Jewish and Christian agenda is to turn Malaysia into a Jewish and/or Christian colony.
This appears to be an attempt to weaponise Malaysia’s past as a British colony, and he did not offer any evidence to back up this “nefarious plot”.
The problem with that claim is that – we have “evidence” in the form of Singapore, that it will not happen.
Singapore used to be part of Malaysia, before leaving the federation in 1965. Despite its common roots with Malaysia, Singapore has been ruled by the People’s Action Party – whose Malaysian equivalent would be DAP (Democratic Action Party), which is a member of Pakatan Harapan.
Yet, there is no evidence that Singapore has turned into a Christian or Jewish colony of any kind. Muslims in Singapore have the same rights as Muslims in Malaysia to practice their faith.
Fact #5 : Race + Religion Are The Refuge Of The Incompetent
Race and religion are often used by incompetent politicians to win votes, because they are bereft of ideas and/or abilities.
Good politicians will SHOW YOU what they did for the country, and tell you HOW they can help further improve the country.
Bad politicians can’t do that, so they have to rely on scaring you with false claims of attacks on your race and religion, so you will vote for them even though they have proven to be corrupt and/or incompetent.
So whenever a politician starts badmouthing someone’s race and/or religion, that should set off a red flag – what is he/she trying to hide?
Please WATCH OUT about such FAKE NEWS on WhatsApp and social media.
Remember – democracy does not guarantee us a good government. Democracy only guarantees us the right to vote out a bad government!
Happy voting on 19 November 2022!
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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
November 18 and 19 will be public holidays, with no toll charges, to allow Malaysians to travel home to vote in GE15!
GE15 : No Toll + Public Holidays On November 18, 19!
On Monday, 14 November 2022, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Ismail Sabri, announced that November 18 and 19 will be public holidays, to allow Malaysians to travel home to vote in the 15th General Election (GE15).
Saturday, November 19, was declared a public holiday as some private companies operate on Saturdays, and this would free their employees to vote in the general election.
In addition, private vehicles travelling on highways will not have to pay toll charges on those two days – November 18 and 19, 2022.
The free toll will apply to highways provided by 30 concessionaires, and start from 12:01 AM on November 18, and end on 11:59 PM on November 19.
I know many have been waiting for the announcement and I hereby announce a public holiday for November 18 and 19.
We want to make sure Malaysians can exercise their rights as clearly stipulated in the Federal Constitution. No one can prevent a citizen from exercising their right to vote
The state governments of Negeri Sembilan, Penang and Selangor had earlier declared November 18 as a public holiday. So this declaration by the Prime Minister ensures that all Malaysians will have sufficient time to travel back to vote.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did Prime Minister of Malaysia Ismail Sabri Yaakob refer to Queen Elizabeth II as male in his formal condolences?!
Take a look at the viral screenshot, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Malaysia PM Referred To Queen Elizabeth II As Male!
People are sharing a screenshot of a Facebook post by Malaysia Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, in which he apparently referred to her as “male”.
The person who created it highlighted portions of the official statement in which the Prime Minister apparently referred to her Majesty as “male”.
His Majesty who is also the longest-serving ruler in the history of the world is known for his dedicated nature in protecting the welfare of his people.
His service in maintaining the good relationship of the United Kingdom and countries around the world including Malaysia is always remembered and appreciated.
I hope His Royal family and the people continue to be strong in facing this challenge.
Truth : Malaysia PM Did NOT Refer To Queen Elizabeth II As Male!
The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, is known for his poor command of the English language. So it is not surprising to see Malaysian netizens poke fun at him for that.
However, this is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media like Facebook and Twitter.
Official statements, especially on matters of great import, would certainly be vetted by government officials before they are posted.
It would have been a major faux pas if Ismail Sabri wrote and posted his own message without first getting it vetted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is after all, official communication from one government to another.
And so, when Ismail Sabri posted the message, it came in two versions – Bahasa Melayu (Malay) and in English:
Bagi pihak Kerajaan Malaysia, saya merakamkan ucapan takziah kepada Kerajaan dan rakyat United Kingdom berikutan kemangkatan Ratu Elizabeth II.
Legasi pemerintahan Baginda Ratu Elizabeth II akan terus dikenang. Baginda akan selalu dihormati atas komitmen yang tidak berbelah bahagi ke atas Komanwel, dan sumbangan berterusan Baginda dalam usaha mengukuhkan hubungan dua hala antara United Kingdom dan Malaysia.
Doa kami sentiasa bersama rakyat United Kingdom dalam menempuhi waktu sukar ini. Semoga roh Baginda bersemadi dengan tenang.
——
On behalf of the Government of Malaysia, I offer my deepest condolences to the Government and people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will always be remembered for her selfless devotion to her service. She will be respected dearly for her unwavering commitment to the Commonwealth and her contribution in efforts to strengthen bilateral ties between the United Kingdom and Malaysia.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved people of the United Kingdom during this time of mourning and sorrow. May Her Majesty’s soul rest in peace.
The person who created the fake news intentionally used Facebook’s machine translation feature to automatically translate the Bahasa Melayu version into English, even though there is already an official English version of the message.
Because Bahasa Melayu (Malay) is gender neutral and does not differentiate between he or she, the machine translation automatically defaults to the male pronoun – he / his / him, except where it refers to the Queen specifically.
Hence, the viral screenshot is genuine, but it does not show the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, referring to Queen Elizabeth as male. It only shows the limit of machine translation.
In the screenshot, you can also see Malay > English at the top of the translation – yet more proof that this was translated from Bahasa Melayu (Malay).
Now that you know the facts, please help us fight FAKE NEWS by sharing this article with your family and friends!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did the Kajang prison warden invite Najib Razak to his home, after he was convicted and jailed?!
Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Kajang Prison Warden Invited Najib Razak To His Home!
People are sharing a video that purportedly shows the Kajang prison warden showing former Prime Minister Najib Razak around his home, even though he was supposed to be in jail!
😡 Najib is seen in the house of the Prison Warden ,This Is Breaking The SOP, Najib Is Been treated as a VIP, Najib Is wearing Silk Baju, The warden should be sack & put in Jail ,Money is King,
Truth : Kajang Prison Warden Did NOT Invite Najib Razak To His Home!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : That Is Not The Kajang Prison Warden
The only person that I can visually identify is former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is seen wearing a peach coloured Baju Melayu.
The person showing him around the house is not the Kajang prison warden, but a Felda settler called Ithnin Abdullah.
That is actually a homestay that Ithnin Abdullah owns, and is not the home of the Kajang prison warden.
Fact #2 : The Video Was Posted On 17 June 2022
The video was originally posted on TikTok on 17 June 2022 – more than 2 months before Najib Razak was jailed 12 years for corruption.
You can also see the name of the original poster in the viral video – @DatoNajibRazakFan. This was the description of the original TikTok video (with my English translation) :
Cantik rumah homestay ni. Milik seorang peneroka Felda Kledang, Ithnin Abdullah.Ada disimpan gambar-gambar kenangan bersama saya juga. Ya, dahulu banyak meluangkan masa dengan peneroka.Felda ini peninggalan legasi arwah ayahanda.Saya hanya mahukan yang terbaik bukan sahaja buat generasi pertama atau kedua Felda, tetapi untuk generasi-generasi akan datang juga.
It belongs to a Kledang Felda settler, Ithnin Abdullah. There are pictures of me as well. Yes, I used to spend a lot of time with the settlers. Felda is a legacy of my late father. I only want the best not only for the first or second generation of Felda settlers, but for future generations as well.
Fact #3 : Najib Razak Only Allowed To Go To Hospital / Court
Najib Razak started serving his 12-year prison sentence on 23 August 2022. Since then, he has only been allowed to leave the Kajang prison only to go to the hospital, or to court.
On August 25 and 26, 2022, he was brought out of prison to attend two ongoing criminal trials :
Aug. 25 : Misappropriate of RM 2.28 billion from 1MDB
Aug. 26 : Tampering of the Auditor-General’s audit report on 1MDB
On September 4, 2022, he was admitted to Hospital Kuala Lumpur, allegedly for intestinal bleeding.
On September 5, 2022, he returned to the High Court to continue with the main 1MDB trial.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Is former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak staying in a swanky prison, after his conviction for corruption in the 1MDB financial scandal?!
Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Najib Razak Is Staying In This Swanky Prison!
People are sharing a viral photo, and posts, claiming that former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is staying in a swanky prison, after his conviction for corruption in the 1MDB financial scandal.
Here are a few examples of the posts that normally accompanies the viral photo (with our English translation where necessary):
PENJARA UNTUK VIP.
Penjara atau bilik tahanan untuk VIP tak sama seperti bilik banduan biasa.
Jangan terkejut , Bilik penjara VIP mungkin aksesnya lebih hebat berbanding rumah orang awam.
Diberi tv , internet , buku , aircond dan katil tilam berkualiti tinggi.
PRISON FOR VIP Prison or holding room for VIP is not the same as the standard prison room. Don’t be shocked. VIP prison room may have better facilities than a common person’s house. Includes TV, Internet, book, air-conditioning and high-quality bed and mattress.
Najib isn’t in a cell. A good friend whose cousin is a senior prison officer at Kajang said Najib is given a house within the prison grounds.
These houses are meant for senior prison officers.
Claim : Najib Razak Is Staying In This Swanky Prison!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media like Facebook and Twitter, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Prison Quarters Are Not Within Prison Compound
Malaysian prisons have staff quarters on campus for junior officers, but senior officers generally live off-campus.
Even so, the prison staff quarters are not located within the prison compound, but in a separate area some distance away.
This satellite map shows you just how far the Kajang Prison quarters are from the main prison complex.
It is therefore impossible for the Kajang Prison to allocate one of these quarters for Najib Razak’s use.
Fact #2 : Viral Photo Was Of Swiss Prison
The viral photo of the swanky prison room that was allegedly arranged for Najib Razak was actually taken in 2011.
It does not show any prison cell or accommodation in the Kajang Prison. It is a photo of a 3-inmate cell at the Champ-Dollon Prison in Switzerland.
The Champ-Dollon Prison was notorious for overcrowding, so the Swiss government refurbished the cells to make them more spacious. The new prison cells now accommodate 3 prisoners, and even comes with an attached bathroom!
This photo was taken by the Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA when the newly refurbished rooms were unveiled in July 2011.
The official caption for this photo is in French, but translates to “View of a cell for three inmates during new annex’s inaguration on July 25, 2011, in Thonex, near Geneva“.
Fact #3 : Malaysia Prisons Department Refutes Claims
On 24 August 2022, the Malaysia Prisons Department (Jabatan Penjara Malaysia) refuted the viral claims and photo, and again on 7 September 2022.
It also stated that Najib Razak will not be accorded any special treatment, and stressed that all prisoners will be treated the same.
Fact #4 : Najib Razak Already Had Some Preferential Treatment
Najib Razak was already shown some preferential treatment by being taken to the Kajang Prison in a Volvo SUV, with a rather large police escort.
However, there is really no evidence (yet) that he received any preferential treatment inside the Kajang Prison.
Many netizens are calling for the Malaysia Prisons Department to post photos of Najib Razak’s prison cell to assure them that he is not getting preferential treatment. However, that is unlikely to happen.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Prime Minister of Malaysia just announced a special pay hike and cash aid for civil servants and retirees in 2023!
Here is what you need to know…
Malaysia : Pay Hike + Cash For Civil Servants In 2023!
On 30 August 2022, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, announced a special pay hike, as well as cash aid, for civil servants and retirees in 2023.
The package of special pay hikes and cash aid will consist of:
extra RM 100 pay hike for Grades 11 to 59, in addition to the basic annual pay raise.
For example, the annual pay raise for a Grade 11 civil servant is RM 80. That civil servant will now receive RM 100 + RM 80 = RM 180.
RM 700 cash aid for Grades 56 and below.
RM 350 cash aid for government retirees and veterans without pension.
These special pay hikes and cash aid will be paid out in January 2023, the Prime Minister announced at the 18th Civil Service Premier Gathering (MAPPA XVIII).
The special pay hike alone will cover 1.28 million civil servants, and cost the Malaysian government and taxpayers RM 1.5 billion (about US$334.5 million).
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Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did the Kelantan palace ban Malaysia Chief Justice Tengku Maimun and her husband after she ruled to uphold the guilty verdict on former Prime Minister Najib Razak?
Find out what’s going on, and what the facts really are!
Claim : Kelantan Palace Banned Malaysia Chief Justice + Her Husband!
An online portal went viral after claiming that Malaysia Chief Justice Tengku Maimun binti Tuan Mat and her husband are both banned from the Kelantan Palace, after she (and four other justices) ruled to uphold the guilty verdict on former Prime Minister Najib Razak.
The online portal also said that even though Chief Justice Tengku Maimun hailed from Kelantan, the Sultan of Kelantan Muhammad V refuses to meet with her or her husband, insinuating that he is displeased with her verdict.
That online portal also claimed that two other persons were similarly blacklisted from the Kelantan Palace, including a politician who is now a government minister.
Truth : Kelantan Palace Did Not Ban Malaysia Chief Justice + Her Husband!
This appears to be FAKE NEWS created by that online portal to increase page views by generating controversy, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : There Is No Such Ban, Officially
We do not know how the Sultan of Kelantan feels about former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s guilty verdict being upheld (again).
However, the Kelantan Palace has never announced such a ban, so officially, there is no such ban.
Fact #2 : Kelantan Palace Refuted The Claim As False
On 26 August 2022, the Kelantan Royal Household Comptroller, Datuk Nik Mohd Shafriman Nik Hassan issued an official statement refuting the claim as false.
Here is their official statement in Bahasa Melayu, and our translation in English :
26 Ogos 2022 – Istana Kelantan dengan tegas menyangkal dakwaan sebuah portal yang mengatakan bahawa Ketua Hakim Negara, Yang Amat Arif Tun Tengku Maimun binti Tuan Mat dan suami dilarang ke Istana Kelantan. Kenyataan ini adalah sama sekali tidak benar dan tidak berasas. Tidak pernah ada larangan seperti yangdidakwa dikeluarkan oleh Istana Kelantan.
Istana Kelantan memandang serius tohmahan berupa fitnah seperti ini dan menyarankan agar pengamal media merujuk kepada Istana terlebih dahulu mengenai kesahihan apa-apa berita sebelum disiarkan bag mengelak dari mengelirukan masyarakat.
Pihak Istana aka mempertimbangkan untuk mengambil tindakan undang-undang terhadap portal berkenaan sekiranya fitnah tidak berasas ini berlarutan.
26 August 2022 – The Kelantan Palace firmly refutes the claim of a portal that claimed that the Chief Justice, The Most Learned Tun Tengku Maimun binti Tuan Mat and her husband are banned from the Kelantan Palace. This statement is completely untrue and baseless. No such ban as allegedly has been issued by the Kelantan Palace.
The Kelantan Palace takes this kind of slanderous accusation seriously and urges media practitioners to refer to the Palace beforehand on the veracity of any news before publishing to avoid causing public confusion.
The Palace will consider taking legal action against the portal if this baseless slander continues.
Fact #3 : Entry To Kelantan Palace By Invitation Only
The Kelantan Palace is both a royal institution and a private residence, not a public venue. Therefore, there is really no need to institute a ban.
Technically, everyone is “banned” from entering the Kelantan Palace, except for those who are invited in, or allowed to enter on official business.
Even though Chief Justice Tengku Maimun is from Kelantan, she has no reason to go to the Kelantan Palace unless she receives an invitation by the Sultan of Kelantan.
Just like how you only invite people you want to your own home, the Kelantan Palace does not need to ban anyone. It only needs to invite people it wants.
Fact #4 : This Is Just Fake News To Drive Traffic
This is yet another example of fake news created by online blogs and portals to drive traffic and increase page views for ad money.
Here are examples of other “viral” fake news that we debunked earlier:
Please be wary when you read viral celebrity news like this. Be sure to check if they are real before sharing!
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Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did Interpol just issue arrest warrants for Bill Gates, Justin Trudeau and Klaus Schwab?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Interpol Ordered Arrest Of Bill Gates, Justin Trudeau, Klaus Schwab!
Vancouver Times just posted a story claiming that Interpol has issued arrest warrants for Bill Gates, Justin Trudeau and Klaus Schwab for crimes against humanity, and genocide!
It’s a long post, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
Arrest warrants issued for Justin Trudeau, Bill Gates, Klaus Schwab
Interpol has issued arrest warrants for several people involved in the “plandemic.”
Justin Trudeau, Bill Gates, and Klaus Schwab all face international arrest warrants for crimes against humanity and genocide. If convicted, they could face the death penalty.
The director of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was arrested by Interpol earlier this week, and is currently in jail awaiting trial in the Netherlands for similar crimes.
Klaus Schwab and Bill Gates are accused of concocting a scheme to murder a significant part of the world’s population by bribing world leaders to push dangerous, untested vaccines.
Justin Trudeau is accused of accepting kickbacks in exchange for promoting the deadly vaccine to Canadians. More charges are expected to be filed against other world leaders, including Joe Biden.
Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms have resorted to mass censorship to bury the story of the arrest of Tedros, as well as the arrest warrants issued for Gates, Schwab, and Trudeau.
All parties charged with crimes against humanity and genocide face capital punishment if convicted, which could involve death by hanging or the firing squad.
The mainstream media and big tech want to hide the truth. Beat them at their own game by sharing this article!
Truth : Interpol Did Not Order Arrest Of Bill Gates, Justin Trudeau Or Klaus Schwab!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by Vancouver Times to generate page views and money from gullible people.
Fact #1 : Vancouver Times Is A Fake News Website
Vancouver Times is a “content aggregator” (copy and paste) website that is known for creating fake news to generate more page views and money.
To look legitimate, they copy and paste news from legitimate news organisations. To drive traffic, they create fake news, sometimes masked as “satire”.
To give themselves a veneer of deniability, they label themselves as a “satire website” in their About Us section.
Vancouver Times is the most trusted source for satire on the West Coast. We write satirical stories about issues that affect conservatives.
Here are some of their fake news that we debunked :
Fact #2 : Interpol Did Not Issue Arrest Warrants For Bill Gates, Justin Trudeau, Klaus Schwab
Just in case you are wondering, INTERPOL did not even issue any arrest warrant for Bill Gates, Justin Trudeau or Klaus Schwab.
To convince you that it’s genuine, Vancouver Times linked “international arrest warrants” to the INTERPOL news page.
But if you check the INTERPOL news page, you will realise that they did not announce the “international arrest warrants” for Bill Gates, Justin Trudeau or Klaus Schwab.
Fact #3 : INTERPOL Has No Jurisdiction In Any Country
INTERPOL is an international organisation that facilitates police cooperation between different countries.
It acts as a liaison between police organisations, and does NOT have any jurisdiction in any country.
INTERPOL does NOT the power to arrest or charge anyone of any crime in any country around the world.
Investigation, arrest and prosecution of any crime is conducted by the individual country’s police force, not INTERPOL.
Fact #4 : There Is No Death Penalty In The Netherlands
Even if all three of them were arrested and charged with crimes against humanity and genocide at The Hague in the Netherlands, they would not face capital punishment.
The Netherlands abolished the death penalty completely in 1983, with all references removed from Dutch law in 1991.
Regardless of whatever charge anyone may face at The Hague, there is no risk of death by hanging or firing squad upon conviction. That was just bullshit made up by Vancouver Times.
Fact #5 : Bill Gates + Klaus Schwab Were “Arrested” Before
To bait conspiracy theorists and anti-vaccination activists into sharing their fake news, Vancouver Times falsely claimed that both Bill Gates and Klaus Schwab were arrested.
They were both falsely claimed to have been arrested last year, by the infamous Conservative Beaver – a fake news website like Vancouver Times.
There are so many similarities between Conservative Beaver and Vancouver Times that it is possible that they were created by the same people.
Fact #6 : Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus Was Not Arrested For Genocide
Vancouver Times made up the fake story that INTERPOL arrested Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus for crimes against humanity.
That never happened. They only created that story to drive traffic to their website, which must not be doing well despite their prolific copying and pasting of other people’s articles.
COVID-19 vaccines underwent massive clinical trials, and were only approved after they were proven to be safe and effective.
In addition, they were constantly monitored after they received their approvals, which picked up rare side effects after they were administered to billions of people.
Anti-vaccination activists have often claimed that those who received the vaccine would die. Yet, the opposite was true – the vaccines are not only safe, they are effective in protecting people from getting hospitalised or dying from COVID-19.
Even prominent antivaxxer Steve Kirsch is healthy and well, despite being fully-vaccinated against COVID-19!
Fact #8 : There Is No Plandemic
To bait anti-vaccination activists into sharing their fake story, Vancouver Times used their favourite term – plandemic.
There is no such thing as a plandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic was not part of some nefarious scheme to bankrupt the world to bring the West under communism.
More than 2.5 years after the COVID-19 pandemic started, the world isn’t bankrupt, and the West is no closer to becoming communist.
Fact #9 : There Is No Such Thing As A Publication Ban
Vancouver Times likes to use the “media blackout” claim, to explain why you can’t find any reputable media outlet reporting on INTERPOL issuing arrest warrants against Bill Gates, Justin Trudeau or Klaus Schwab.
That’s utter and complete bullshit. No one – not a judge, not even the American, Canadian, Swiss and Dutch governments – can control the worldwide media, or prevent anyone from writing about their arrest warrants.
You can also be sure that even if the mainstream media refused to run the story, it would have been reported by many other websites and bloggers.
Yet, not a single blogger or online website published their account of this incredible story? That’s because IT NEVER HAPPENED…
Fact #10 : Mainstream Media + Big Tech Would Have Loved The Hype
Vancouver Times is gaslighting you about how mainstream media and Big Tech want to hide the “truth” about INTERPOL’s arrest warrants against Bill Gates, Justin Trudeau and Klaus Schwab.
They would all loved such shocking news, because it would have driven tons of traffic and engagement to their websites / platforms.
In fact, that was precisely why Vancouver Times created the fake story – to drive traffic, for the ad money.
Everything that Vancouver Times publishes should be regarded as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.
Please help us fight fake news websites like Vancouver Times – SHARE this fact check out, and SUPPORT our work!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Is Interpol investigating Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for crimes against humanity, and genocide?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Interpol Is Investigating Justin Trudeau For Genocide!
Vancouver Times followed up with their Dr. Tedros arrest story, with a story claiming that Interpol is now investigating Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for crimes against humanity and genocide!
It’s a long post, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
The prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, may be facing charges of crimes against humanity and genocide, according to several members of Interpol. Trudeau faces the death penalty if charged and convicted. Agents from Interpol confirmed these details with the Vancouver Times during an exclusive interview. One agent described the evidence against Trudeau as “overwhelming.”
Trudeau is under fire for turning Canada into a dictatorship and forcing millions of Canadians to take an experimental and dangerous vaccine against their will. Podcaster Joe Rogan was one of many public figures to denounce the authoritarian prime minister, referring to Trudeau as a “creepy dictator.”
This comes as Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the WHO arrives in Holland to face similar charges. Tedros was caught on an airplane to Africa with a bag of hundred dollar bills and expensive jewelry.
Vancouver Times previously reported that Bill Gates and Klaus Schwab are also under investigation by Interpol. Mainstream media outlets have yet to report on the arrest of Tedros, which is common with these types of high-profile cases.
The mainstream media and big tech want to hide the truth. Beat them at their own game by sharing this article!
Truth : Interpol Is Not Investigating Justin Trudeau For Genocide!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by Vancouver Times to generate page views and money from gullible people.
Fact #1 : Vancouver Times Is A Fake News Website
Vancouver Times is a “content aggregator” (copy and paste) website that is known for creating fake news to generate more page views and money.
To look legitimate, they copy and paste news from legitimate news organisations. To drive traffic, they create fake news, sometimes masked as “satire”.
To give themselves a veneer of deniability, they label themselves as a “satire website” in their About Us section.
Vancouver Times is the most trusted source for satire on the West Coast. We write satirical stories about issues that affect conservatives.
Here are some of their fake news that we debunked :
Fact #2 : Interpol Is Not Investigating Justin Trudeau
Just in case you are wondering, INTERPOL is not investigating Justin Trudeau. And no, Vancouver Times did not score an exclusive interview with Interpol agents.
INTERPOL would never discuss an active case with the media, and certainly not a copy + paste website like Vancouver Times.
And if Vancouver Times did somehow score an “exclusive interview” with multiple INTERPOL agents, they did not reveal any evidence beyond claiming that it is “overwhelming”.
The only thing overwhelming is the amount of bullshit in their fake news articles, as usual.
Fact #3 : INTERPOL Has No Jurisdiction In Any Country
INTERPOL is an international organisation that facilitates police cooperation between different countries.
It acts as a liaison between police organisations, and does NOT have any jurisdiction in any country.
INTERPOL does NOT the power to arrest or charge anyone of any crime in any country around the world.
Investigation, arrest and prosecution of any crime is conducted by the individual country’s police force, not INTERPOL.
Fact #4 : There Is No Death Penalty In Canada
Canada abolished the death penalty for most capital offences in 1976, and the remaining capital offences on September 1, 1999.
So Justin Trudeau most definitely does NOT face the death penalty, regardless of whatever crime he is accused of.
Fact #5 : Bill Gates + Klaus Schwab Arrests Were “Arrested” Before
To bait conspiracy theorists and anti-vaccination activists into sharing their fake news, Vancouver Times falsely claimed that both Bill Gates and Klaus Schwab are also under investigation, and could soon be arrested.
They were both falsely claimed to have been arrested last year, by the infamous Conservative Beaver.
There are so many similarities between Conservative Beaver and Vancouver Times that it is possible that they were created by the same people.
Fact #6 : Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus Was Not Arrested For Genocide
Vancouver Times made up the fake story that INTERPOL arrested Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus for crimes against humanity.
That never happened. They only created that story to drive traffic to their website, which must not be doing well despite their prolific copying and pasting of other people’s articles.
Fact #7 : There Is No Vaccine Mandate In Canada
Vancouver Times also used the typical false claim used by anti-vaccination activists that the Canadian government is forcing people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
That’s categorically false – there is no vaccine mandate in Canada. So Justin Trudeau isn’t “under fire” for turning Canada into “a dictatorship”. Neither did he force “millions of Canadians” to get vaccinated.
To bait anti-vaccination activists into sharing their fake story, Vancouver Times used their favourite claim – that COVID-19 vaccines are experimental and dangerous.
COVID-19 vaccines are no longer experimental, after they receive either an emergency use authorisation or full approval from a health authority like the US FDA or EMA.
That only happens if they successfully complete their Phase 3 trials, and undergo a stringent review process. So it is not possible to use an experimental vaccine for mass vaccination.
I should also point out that the Pfizer vaccine received its full FDA approval on 23 August 2021, while the Moderna vaccine received its full FDA Approval on 31 January 2022.
So none of those COVID-19 vaccines are experimental. They have all passed their clinical tests, and have been fully approved.
Fact #9 : There Is No Such Thing As A Publication Ban
Vancouver Times likes to use the “media blackout” claim, to explain why you can’t find any reputable media outlet reporting on INTERPOL’s investigation of Justin Trudeau.
That’s utter and complete bullshit. No one – not a judge, not even the Canadian government – can control the worldwide media, or prevent anyone from writing about his arrest.
You can also be sure that even if the mainstream media refused to run the story, it would have been reported by many other websites and bloggers.
Yet, not a single blogger or online website published their account of this incredible story? That’s because IT NEVER HAPPENED…
Fact #10 : Mainstream Media + Big Tech Would Have Loved The Hype
Vancouver Times is gaslighting you about how mainstream media and Big Tech want to hide the “truth” about INTERPOL’s (non-existent) investigation of Justin Trudeau.
They would all loved such shocking news, because it would have driven tons of traffic and engagement to their websites / platforms.
In fact, that was precisely why Vancouver Times created the fake story – to drive traffic, for the ad money.
Everything that Vancouver Times publishes should be regarded as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.
Please help us fight fake news websites like Vancouver Times – SHARE this fact check out, and SUPPORT our work!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did the Dutch government just close thousands of farms and cattle ranches to fight climate change?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Dutch Government Closed Farms To Fight Climate Change!
People have been sharing videos of angry farmers blocking roads with their tractors, claiming that they are protesting the closure of farms and cattle ranchers by the Dutch government.
Such videos are now being spread in pro-CCP groups as “evidence” of corrupt Western governments, or how Western governments oppress the common people.
28 June 2022 As the Dutch government closed dozens of farms and cattle ranches to reduce nitrogen by 30%. Angry and hungry farmers blocked the roads nationwide Corrupt Dutch govt trying to artificially create food shortage.
Following politicians’ decision to close dozens of farms and cattle ranches to reduce nitrogen to comply with absurd EU rules on nitrogen pollution, angry Dutch farmers have issued an ultimatum and are threatening to block the country’s airports, ports and distribution centers.
The Dutch government wants to close 17,000 farms out of 50,000 by 2030 to reduce Nitrogen emissions. Their “leaders” have bought into the climate change hysteria during a time of impending global food shortages. These bozos have a few screws missing.
Truth : Dutch Government Did NOT Close Farms To Fight Climate Change!
These posts appear to be an intentional “misunderstanding” of the facts surrounding these Dutch farmers’ protests.
These protests have been covered extensively, and so have the Dutch government’s proposal. So it seems incredulous that people would continue to lie about this issue.
Fact #1 : Dutch Government Did NOT Close Any Farm / Cattle Ranch
Let’s start with the most basic fact – the Dutch government did not close any farm or cattle ranch. This is complete and utter nonsense.
There are no laws in the Netherlands that would permit the Dutch government to forcibly take over, or shut down, any farm or cattle ranch.
This kind of blatant lie can only perpetuate in the minds of conspiracy nutcases, and Chinese netizens because only authoritarian governments (like the CCP in China) are capable of such actions.
Seizing and closing farms and cattle ranch may be possible for the government in China, but not in the Netherlands.
In fact, the Dutch government has offered BUY OUT (not close) farms near nature reserves.
Fact #2 : Dutch Farmers Have Been Protesting Since 2019!
What many of these “concerned netizens” (intentionally?) do not tell you is that Dutch farmers have been protesting against such climate change laws since 2019.
Dutch farmers protest in October 2019
Fact #3 : The Government Was Complying With A Court Order
This issue actually started way back in May 2019, the Dutch Administrative Court of the Council of State (the highest administrative body in the Netherlands) ruled that the Dutch government breached EU rules on protecting nature reserves from ammonia and nitrous oxide.
The Dutch Administrative Court suspended permits for all construction projects that pollute the atmosphere with nitrogen compounds, stalling the building of new homes, roads and airport runways… as well as the expansion of dairy, pig and poultry farms.
Fact #4 : Dutch Government Tried Other Measures First
To comply with the court order, the Dutch government tried other measures first.
For example, in 2020, they cut the maximum speed limit on roads in the Netherlands from 130 km/h to just 100 km/h for most of the day, to reduce nitrous oxide emissions.
The government also allocated more money to help farmers reduce emissions from pigs, and changed the composition of animal feed.
Fact #5 : Dutch Farms Produce A Lot Of Pollution
The problem is partly caused by Dutch farmers themselves. Their farms are highly concentrated, with four times more animal biomass per hectare than the EU average.
Dutch agriculture is responsible for 40% of the nitrogen pollution in the Netherlands. The entire construction sector, for example, is only responsible for 0.6% of nitrogen emissions.
Thanks to its large livestock sector, and intensive use of fertiliser, the Netherlands – the world’s second-largest agricultural exporter – is also one of the top greenhouse gas emitters in Europe.
Fact #6 : Only Farms Near Nature Reserves Are In Danger
Depending on their proximity to nature reserves (Natura-2000 areas), Dutch farms will have to reduce their nitrogen emissions by 12% to 70%.
Those located in or close to the Natura-2000 areas will be particularly hard-hit by the new nitrogen limits :
40% of the nitrogen sensitive Natura-2000 areas must be below the critical deposition value (< 255 mole per hectare) in 2025,
50% of the nitrogen sensitive Natura-2000 areas must be below the critical deposition value in 2030, and
74% of the nitrogen sensitive Natura-2000 areas must be below the critical deposition value in 2035.
Fact #7 : Provincial Government To Formulate Emission Reduction Plan
While the Dutch government came up with the plan to reduce nitrogen emissions to meet EU requirements, it is up to the Dutch provinces to develop the necessary measures to hit those targets.
Provincial governments have a year to formulate their own plans, to meet the pollution reduction targets.
Fact #8 : This Is Part Of EU Natura 2000 Conservation Efforts
This isn’t just a Dutch issue, it is actually part of the EU effort to protect the Natura 2000 network of vulnerable and endangered plant and animal habitats.
The Natura 2000 sites cover some 18% of the European Union land area, and 8% of its marine territory.
Fact #9 : Dutch Government Is Financing Agricultural Reforms
To help farmers meet those targets, the Dutch government has earmarked an extra €24.3 billion (about US$25.6 billion) to finance agricultural reforms and their existing buy-out programs.
Farmers who accept the government buy-out program can still open a new farm at a less sensitive location, as long as they substantially reduce nitrogen emissions.
Fact #10 : Protests Are ALLOWED In Real Democracies
What Chinese netizens may not be aware is that protests are not only common, they are allowed in real democracies.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, for example, defended the farmers’ right to protest, but reminded them not to break the law :
Freedom of speech and the right to demonstrate are a vital part of our democratic society, and I will always defend them.
But … it is not acceptable to create dangerous situations, it is not acceptable to intimidate officials, we will never accept that.
With the exception of a few farmers setting bales of hay on fire outside town halls and near roads, and attacking police officers, the majority of farmers have protested the proposed plan peacefully.
So what the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens are deriding as chaos, is really just people expressing their real freedom of speech, which includes the right to protest. Try that in China, and see what that gets you.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Prime Minister of Malaysia just cancelled the floating of chicken price, and maintained water and electricity power rates!
Here is what you need to know…
Earlier : Malaysia Removes Price Control + Subsidy For Chicken!
On 21 June 2022, Malaysia’s Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi, announced that price control for chicken and chicken eggs, as well as subsidies for palm oil used for cooking will be removed.
From 1 July 2022 onwards, the price of chicken was supposed to be floated, and would depend on market forces. The price of chicken was expected to increase from RM8.90 per kg currently, to about RM11.90 per kg, once its price was floated.
The government needed to remove the price control on chickens because they would stop giving subsidies to poultry farmers on 1 July 2022 as well.
Now : Malaysia Cancels Chicken Price Float, Maintains Water + Power Rates!
Just 3 days later, the Prime Minister of Malaysia announced a U-turn on removing price control on chickens.
At 5:45 PM on 24 June 2022, the Prime Minister of Malaysia Ismail Sabri announced that the government has cancelled the floating of chicken price, and will continue to impose a price ceiling.
However, this does not mean the chicken price will remain at its current ceiling prices of :
Standard whole chicken : RM 8.90 per kg
Super whole chicken (without legs, head, liver and gizzard) : RM 9.90 per kg
According to his official statement, the government will announce the new ceiling price for chicken later.
He also announced that the government has decided to maintain the current water and electricity tariffs in Peninsular Malaysia, by continuing to provide subsidies worth approximately RM 5.8 billion.
Domestic users : A rebate of 2 sen per kW-hour will be maintained, with no surcharge.
Commercial and industrial users : A surcharge of 3.70 sen per kW-hour will be maintained.
This is good news for domestic users, but not so good news for commercial and industrial users who have to put up with the surcharge.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
All Rapid KL and KTM train and bus rides are now FREE for a whole month! Here is what you need to know!
All Rapid KL + KTM Rides Are FREE For 1 Month!
On 16 June 2022, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Ismail Sabri Yaakob officially launched the opening of Phase 1 of the MRT Putrajaya Line.
In conjunction with that launch, he announced that all Rapid KL train and bus rides will be free of charge for a month, starting today.
KTM Komuter rides in the Klang Valley will also be free for an entire month, starting today.
I hope that Malaysians will take this opportunity to try these public transportation services, parking their vehicles at Park n Ride facilities.
From 16 June to 15 July 2022, you will be able to ride for free at all MRT, LRT, BRT (Bus Rapid Transit), monorail or Rapid KL bus services, as well as KTM Komuter rides in the Klang Valley.
These free rides are subsidised by the Malaysian government, to the tune of RM155 million – RM140 million will go to Rapid KL, while KTM will receive RM15 million.
The MRT Putrajaya Line, which is being developed in two phases, will serve about two million residents in the Klang Valley when it’s fully completed, running from Kwasa Damansara all the way to Putrajaya.
Phase 2 of the MRT Putrajaya line will pass through key areas in the KL city centre, with stations in Titiwangsa, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Ampang Park and the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX).
There will be 36 stations in total, including nine underground stations. But MRT Corp. plans to add another four stations to improve access to the MRT Putrajaya line.
The new Putrajaya is projected is expected to serve over 104,000 users a day when it’s fully completed. Hopefully, that will greatly alleviate traffic congestion in Kuala Lumpur.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
