Tag Archives: Tourism

UK imposes ETA on these 83 new countries in 2025!

The UK will require travellers from 83 new countries to register and pay for ETA in 2025! Here is what you need to know…

UK imposes ETA on 83 new countries in 2025!

On Tuesday, 10 September 2024, the UK government expanded the roll-out of its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system to 83 new countries in 2025.

The ETA is basically digital permission to travel for visitors who currently do not need a visa for short stays, or do not already have a UK immigration status. You will also need to apply for an ETA if you are only transiting through the UK (even if you are not going through border control).

The United Kingdom launched its ETA system in November 2023, with the pilot phase involving citizens of Qatar. It was then expanded in February 2024 to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan (now cancelled).

The expanded roll-out of the UK’s ETA system in 2025 will be split into two stages involving 49 countries in January, and another 34 European countries in April.

Recommended : Do you now need ETA to travel to the UK?

Who must apply for an ETA?

Travellers from the affected countries who do not have a visa will need an ETA to travel to the UK:

for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or short-term study,
for up to 3 months on the Creative Worker visa concession
for a permitted paid engagement
if transiting through the UK – including if you’re not going through UK border control

How much does UK ETA cost?

Each ETA application will cost £10 (about €12 / US$13 / RM60), and you cannot get a refund after you apply.

Every person travelling to the UK must have an ETA, including babies and children. Each person must apply separately, although you can apply for other people.

How long does UK ETA last?

Every approved UK ETA will last 2 years, and you will be allowed to make multiple visits to the UK during that two-year period, or until the passport it is tied to expires – whichever is sooner.

How soon does it take to get UK ETA?

The UK government says travellers can typically expect to get a decision on their ETA application within 3 working days, although occasionally, it may take longer than 3 working days.

Applications using the UK ETA app may get a quicker decision, according to the British High Commission.

Once your ETA is approved, you will receive an email confirmation. There is no ETA to print or bring with you. The ETA is linked electronically to the passport you applied with. You must therefore travel to the UK using the same passport.

How to apply for UK ETA?

You can apply for your ETA through this UK government application portal, or using the UK ETA mobile app which you can download from the App Store and Google Play Store.

You will need to take and upload a photo of the passport you will use to travel to the UK, and scan your face. You will also need to take and upload a photo of yourself, and answer some questions.

You will then have to pay for your ETA application using a credit card, a debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.

Please note that you will need to complete your ETA application within 20 minutes, or it will time out and you will need to start the whole process over again.

UK ETA expands to these 49 countries in January 2025

Citizens of these 49 countries and territories will need to have an ETA to travel to the UK from 8 January 2025 onwards. They will be able to apply and pay for ETA authorisation starting 27 November 2024.

Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
The Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (including British national overseas)
Israel
Japan
Kiribati
Macao Special Administrative Region
Malaysia
Maldives
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mexico
Federated States of Micronesia
Nauru
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Samoa
Seychelles
Singapore
Solomon Islands
South Korea
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Taiwan (if you have a passport issued by Taiwan that includes in it the number of the identification card issued by the competent authority in Taiwan)
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tuvalu
United States
Uruguay

UK ETA expands to European countries in April 2025

Citizens of these 34 European countries will need to have an ETA to travel to the UK without visa from 2 April 2025 onwards. They will be able to apply and pay for ETA authorisation starting 5 March 2025.

Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Monaco
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
San Marino
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Vatican City

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Did Leaked Airbnb Email Reveal June 6 Lockdown Plan?!

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Did a leaked Airbnb email reveal large-scale government plans to restrict travel and initiate a lockdown?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Leaked Airbnb Email Reveal June 6 Lockdown Plan!

People are claiming or suggesting that a leaked Airbnb email revealed large-scale government plans to restrict travel and initiate a lockdown!

Ariel : A Quick Prep & Step

It is being reported that AirBnB is anticipatiing a large-scale government event that will bring about reinstated lockdowns to begin on June 6, 2024, this is coming from a email.

But ofcourse this is not news to any of you if you have been following this channel over the last few months.

As I have along with “The Judges” forewarned everyone that this will indeed happen. The good news is that just like the last lockdown I expect many to be rounded up and sent straight to Gitmo.

I do not know about any of you but my routine from the last lockdown didn’t change in the slightest. We all know that we are watching the last hand of cards being played from the Cabal.

Atleast we have a date now and can plan accordingly.

Patrick Webb / The General : BREAKING: AirBnB is expecting large-scale government actions and lockdowns to begin on June 6, 2024, according to a newly obtained email.

Shade Level 100.

Santa Surfing : Airbnb is prepping for “Major Disruptive Events” beginning June 6, 2024. 😳💥

Have you all check out Q markers for the first week of June?? They’re BIG! 🔥💥✨💫

JayJay : AIRBNB’S LEAKED EMAIL: LOCKDOWN’S LOOMING JUNE 6, 2024 – SUMMER OF LOVE? HOW WOULD AIRBNB KNOW THIS BEFORE THE FBI AND THE PUBLIC?

Airbnb has updated its Major Disruptive Events policy, anticipating large-scale government actions and lockdowns to begin on June 6, 2024.

This update has sparked a wide range of reactions among users, from curiosity and concern to humorous speculation and skepticism.

The reasons behind Airbnb’s anticipation remain unclear, but the policy change indicates a proactive approach to potential disruptions affecting their services globally.

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Truth : Airbnb Email Did Not Reveal June 6 Lockdown Plan!

This appears to be another example of fake news circulating on social media, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Airbnb Email Did Not Reveal Any Lockdown Plan!

Let me start by quickly pointing out that the viral claims, and the viral screenshot of the leaked AirbnB email, do not reveal any government plan to restrict travel and initiate a lockdown!

The email itself only states that AirbnB was revising its Major Disruptive Events Policy from June 6, 2024 onwards. The email only mentions that the policy will now apply to foreseeable weather events too!

We’re updating our Extenuating Circumstances Policy and changing its name to make it easier to understand.

The revised Major Disruptive Events Policy will apply to all trips and Experiences taking place on or after June 6, 2024, regardless of when they were booked.

What’s changing in the policy?

Foreseeable weather events at the reservation’s location are explicitly eligible for coverage it they result in another covered event, such as a government travel restriction or large scale utility outage.

The policy will only apply to events in the place where the reservation is located. Events that impact a quest’s ability to travel to the reservation are no longer covered.

Your continued use of the Airbnb Platform from June 6, 2024 constitutes acceptance of the updated Major Disruptive Events Policy.

While the email mentioned “government travel restriction”, it was in reference to “weather events”. The email most definitely did not mention a lockdown.

Fact #2 : AirBnb Announced Update In March 2024

The Airbnb email was not “leaked” as claimed, but appears to have been sent to all AirBnb hosts, to alert them of this change. In fact, Airbnb publicly announced its policy update on 28 March 2024!

So, there is nothing secret about what was in the email, and the policy changes were already publicly revealed almost a month earlier!

Fact #3 : Policy Updates Do Not Include Lockdowns

If you read the March 28 Airbnb policy update announcement, you will see that it did not mention anything new about lockdowns.

Here is a summary of what Airbnb changed in its Major Disruptive Events Policy from 6 June 2024 onwards:

The policy will explicitly apply to foreseeable weather events, like a hurricane during hurricane season.
Coverage is limited to large-scale events at the destination location only.
Mid-trip cancellations for such events can be made with guests receiving a refund, without fees or related consequences for hosts.
Hosts are reminded that they’re obligated to cancel reservations if their hosting is uninhabitable, or no longer consistent with what was originally booked by their guests, and they can do so without cancellation fees and related consequences.

As you can see, none of the changes to Airbnb’s Major Disruptive Events Policy even suggest that there is a nefarious government plan to restrict travel, and initiate another lockdown!

Why on Earth would anyone make such a claim??? Unsurprisingly, none of them provided any evidence to back up their claims – the email they shared isn’t even proof of that!

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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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.

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Do Israelis get free healthcare + faster organ transplants in US?!

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Do Israelis get free healthcare, and faster organ transplants in the US?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Israelis Get Free Healthcare + Faster Organ Transplants In US!

People are sharing a video, which claims or suggests that Israelis get free healthcare and faster organ transplants in the US!

Stew Peters : 🚨ALERT: Israelis are fast-tracked to the top of the U.S. ORGAN DONATION list and they get the entire operation for FREE.

Again, American taxpayers are paying for Israelis to come to the US, skip to the top of organ donation list, steal American organs, and have American doctors perform the transplants.

Reconsider becoming an organ donor.

Ryan Dawson : Israelis can get free Healthcare in the US and receive organs ahead of Americans

Jayda Fransen : Well isn’t that a kick in the teeth for every hardworking tax-paying American.

ADAM : Israelis get FREE Healthcare in the US and receive AMERICAN organs ahead of Americans…

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https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Israelis-free-healthcare-and-organ-donations-in-US-video-small.mp4?_=1

Truth : Israelis Do Not Get Free Healthcare / Faster Organ Transplants In US!

This is yet another example of fake news circulating on social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Israelis Do Not Get Free Healthcare In US

Let me start by simply pointing out that Israelis do not get free healthcare in the US, even though they now

After the October 7 attack by Hamas (but unrelated to it), the United States government granted a 90-day visa waiver for Israelis to travel to the US for tourism or business purposes. However, these Israeli visitors do not get free healthcare.

Even though Israelis can travel to the US without visa for medical treatment, they cannot stay longer than 90 days. Hence, the NIH still recommends that travellers obtain a B-2 temporary visitor’s visa for medical treatment.

But the key takeaway point is that Israelis do not get special benefits like free healthcare, or longer visa-free stays, than citizens of other countries in the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

Fact #2 : Only Israeli PRs Can Access Medicaid / CHIP

Even Israeli immigrants do not get access to free healthcare in the United States. Only after they become legal permanent residents, or citizens, can they potentially access Medicaid and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), which offer free or low-cost coverage for those who meet state income and residency requirements.

However, many legal permanent residents are required to wait 5 years after receiving their “qualified immigration status” before they can get Medicaid and CHIP coverage.

To get Medicaid and CHIP coverage, many qualified non-citizens (such as many Lawful Permanent Residents, also known as LPRs or green card holders) have a 5-year waiting period. This means they must wait 5 years after getting “qualified” immigration status before they can get Medicaid and CHIP coverage. There are exceptions. For example, refugees, asylees, or LPRs who used to be refugees or asylees don’t have to wait 5 years.

To be clear – Israelis cannot simply fly to the US and get access to Medicaid or CHIP, even if they are applying for residency in the United States.

Fact #3 : Israel Has Universal Healthcare!

It is illogical for Israelis to fly all the way to the US for free healthcare, when they already get universal healthcare in Israel!

In Israel, all citizens and permanent residents are covered by its National Health Insurance Law, which guarantees them the right to receive healthcare “within a reasonable time and at a reasonable distance from their place of residence”.

This universal healthcare system is funded by Israeli citizens who pay 3% to 5% of their income, while the government funds the rest. Many new Israeli citizens are entitled to free healthcare for six months to a year.

Fact #4 : Israelis Do Not Get Priority In US Organ Transplants

There is no evidence that Israelis get special priority, or are fast tracked for organ transplants in the US. Neither have those making these claims ever provided any evidence.

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), whenever an organ is available, its centralised computer network generates a list of potential transplant candidates who have medical and biologic profiles that are compatible with the donor.

Its system ranks transplant candidates by their biologic information, as well as medical factors, disease severity, and time spent on the waiting list. Those other factors may result in a relatively new candidate receiving an organ earlier than one who spent more time on the waiting list.

However, that does not mean that they are getting fast-tracked, or special priority. It just means that the donor organs may better match them, or they may be prioritised for some other factors like delivery time and distance.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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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.

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Is FAA Planning To Eliminate White Men From Aviation Industry?!

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Is the FAA planning to eliminate white men from the aviation industry?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : FAA Plans To Eliminate White Men From Aviation Industry!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims or suggests that the FAA just admitted its plan is to eliminate white men from the aviation industry, while fast tracking disabled minorities into key roles like pilots and air traffic controllers!

Here is an excerpt from the long, and (intentionally?) rambling article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

FAA Admits Plan Is To ‘Eliminate White Men’ From Aviation Industry

A leaked Zoom call recording shows Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials admitting that the plan is to completely eliminate white men from the aviation industry while fast tracking disabled minorities into key roles like pilots and air traffic controllers.

The DailyWire’s Matt Walsh obtained the leaked Zoom call from 2022 between senior officials at the FAA’s Flight Program Operations division talking about implementing Diversity Equity and Inclusion measures in the aviation industry.

“The footage begins with FAA acting deputy chief operating officer Angela McCullough saying more workers need to go from ‘ramp to cockpit,’ meaning she wants to see more baggage handlers become airline pilots,” Walsh declared on X.

Infowars.com reports: McCullough then complains that Flight Operations is “white-male dominated” and tells the managers they need to “talk about what the future could look like.”

But the DEI insanity extends far beyond the pilots. According to Walsh, an “industry-wide embrace of overt mental illness afflicts every aspect of aviation.”

And “billions of dollars in critical grant funding” is going to DEI programs and initiatives rather than other important aspects of the industry.

This comes after the FAA announced a diversity push that would include focusing on hiring people with “severe intellectual” and “psychiatric” disabilities.

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https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/FAA-Diversity-Meeting-360p.mp4?_=2

Truth : FAA Does Not Plan To Eliminate White Men From Aviation Industry!

This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : FAA Is A US Federal Government Agency

Let me just start by pointing out that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a US federal government agency. It only has powers over civil aviation in the United States, and its surrounding international waters.

The FAA has no power or authority over civil aviation in the rest of the world.

It is therefore impossible for the FAA to “completely eliminate white men from the aviation industry“, even if it really wanted to do that (which it doesn’t).

Fact #2 : Video Does Not Show FAA Plan To Eliminate White Men

Nothing posted by Matt Walsh, Infowars, or The People’s Voice, show the FAA admitting to any plan to eliminate white men from the aviation industry.

The leaked video only shows what appears to be an FAA internal meeting on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) measures that the aviation industry can adopt to make flight operations more inclusive and representative of the population.

In fact, FAA Acting Deputy Chief Operating Officer Angela McCullough is seen stating talking about potentially developing “partnerships” with university or trade schools to encourage a more diverse flight operations team.

Are there opportunities for any partnerships with universities or trade schools which specialised… we kinda talked about from ramp to cockpit. There are some things we would want to look at.

Unfortunately, the video ended abruptly at that point, which makes me wonder – could the video be missing context about what Angela McCullough was saying in that meeting?

But even without the rest of the video, you can see that Angela never once said that she or the FAA planned to eliminate white men from the aviation industry.

In fact, Matt Walsh himself did not even claim that the FAA plans to eliminate all white men from the aviation industry. So why would anyone make that claim based on his posts???

Fact #3 : There’s Nothing Wrong With Retraining People

It is uncertain what Angela McCullough meant by “from ramp to cockpit”, but it could simply mean offering people working in aviation ramp operations the opportunity to train and become pilots.

There is nothing wrong with retraining people for a different job, if that’s what the industry needs, and if they are interested and capable in the new job.

People can, and do, learn new skills to change jobs and even industries. As long as they are qualified for those new jobs, what exactly is wrong with that?

Only fools would believe that the FAA will ever let baggage handlers become airline pilots without training or passing qualification tests.

Fact #4 : Being Transgender Is Not A Mental Illness

Matt Walsh appears to suggest or claim that being transgender is an “overt mental illness”. That’s just not true.

Being transgender was once considered a psychological problem that can be treated. However, the American Psychiatric Association revised its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 2012, to remove being transgender as a mental disorder.

With the release of DSM-5 in 2013, being transgender itself is no longer a mental disorder. Some transgender people are now diagnosed with “gender dysphoria”, if they face emotional stress related to their gender identity.

All psychiatric diagnoses occur within a cultural context. We know there is a whole community of people out there who are not seeking medical attention and live between the two binary categories. We wanted to send the message that the therapist’s job isn’t to pathologize.
– Jack Drescher, a member of the APA subcommittee responsible for the change

Just because someone disagrees with the American Psychiatric Association’s definition, does not mean that the aviation industry is embracing “overt mental illness”.

Recommended : Did Pope Francis Suddenly Become A Fashion Icon?!

Fact #5 : Photo Shows Historic Female Pilots

The People’s Voice article used a photo of two young black female pilots (above). On of the off-chance that it was chosen to convey the perception that unqualified female minority pilots may soon begin putting your lives at risk, let me just say that it couldn’t be further from the truth.

The two female pilots are Captain Tara Wright, and First Officer Mallory Cave. They made made history on 13 May 2018, as the first African-American female flight crew to fly an Alaska Airlines flight from San Francisco to Portland.

Not only are they both fully-qualified pilots, Captain Wright was also the first-ever African-American female pilot to fly for US Airways, before becoming its first African-American female pilot to be promoted to Captain in 2017.

Captain Wright is only the 7th African-American woman to ever become a captain in any major airline, which points to the lack of diversity and representation in the aviation industry.

Fact #6 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice. Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

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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.

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CNY 2024 : No Highway Tolls + Speed Limit Reduction!

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The Malaysian government just announced two days of toll-free travel and a speed limit reduction for the CNY 2024 holidays!

CNY 2024 : No Highway Tolls On February 8-9!

On Wednesday, 7 February 2024, the Ministry of Works announced that there will be no highway tolls from February 8 to 9, in conjunction with Chinese New Year 2024!

In a short public announcement, the Ministry announced that the toll-free travel would apply to all Class 1 private vehicles for two days, from 12:01 AM on Thursday, February 8, to 11:59 PM on Friday, February 9, on exiting the toll booths.

This toll-free travel will extend to all highways, except at the toll plazas at the national borders:

the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Toll Plaza
the Tanjung Kupang Toll Plaza

The expected financial implication of these two days of toll-free travel is estimated to be about RM42.99 million.

CNY 2024 : Speed Limit Reduction For 6 Days!

In conjunction with the CNY holidays, the Ministry of Works also ordered a reduction in all speed limits on all roads.

For 6 days from 8 to 13 February 2024, the speed limit will be reduced from 90 km/h to 80 km/h, on all federal roads.

This speed reduction are amongst the moves made to improve safety and reduce the risk of accidents during the CNY 2024 festivities.

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Have All Passport Collections Been Shifted To Shaftsbury PJ?!

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Have all passport collections been shifted to the Malaysia Immigration office at Shaftsbury PJ?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : All Passport Collections Have Been Shifted To Shaftsbury PJ!

This message and photo is being shared on WhatsApp, claiming that all passport collection has been shifted to Shaftsbury PJ.

Do u know that for all passport via online application/ renewals .. the collection centre is now here at Shaftsbury PJ.

Truth : Passport Collections Have Not Been Shifted To Shaftsbury PJ!

This is yet another example of fake news circulating on WhatsApp and Telegram, and here are reasons why…

Fact #1 : It’s Shaftsbury Putrajaya, Not PJ

First, let me just point out that there is no Shaftsbury PJ (Petaling Jaya).

The new Malaysia Immigration passport office is located at the Shaftsbury Putrajaya – a 3-story shopping mall located in Presint 1, Putrajaya.

You can even see it in the viral photo above. It’s stated clearly – Pejabat Passport Shaftsbury Putrajaya. Why would anyone falsely claimed that the new passport office is called Shaftsbury PJ???

Fact #2 : Shaftsbury Putrajaya Passport Office Is Small

The Shaftsbury Putrajaya passport office is just a new branch office for the Malaysia Immigration Department. It also appears to be rather small in size, as the official Imigresen TV video below shows.

The Shaftsbury Putrajaya passport office is not designed to handle all passport collection across Malaysia.

In fact, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said in July 2023, that the Shaftsbury Putrajaya passport office will cater to people living around the Putrajaya area, such as Serdang, Sungai Besi, Dengkil, Cyberjaya, Bangi, and Cheras.

To be clear – passport collection has not been shifted to this new Shaftsbury Putrajaya passport office!

Fact #3 : Shaftsbury Putrajaya Limits Walk-In Passport Renewals

You cannot just walk into the Shaftsbury Putrajaya passport office to renew your expired / expiring passport.

As we explained since May 2022, the Malaysia Immigration Department limits walk-in renewals of passports to:

People applying for a new passport
Senior citizens (60 years and older)
Special needs individuals (must bring Social Welfare Department registration card)
Children who are less than 13 years old
People planning to perform the Haj (must bring the Tabung Haji offer letter)
Students (less than 21 years old) planning to study overseas
People who lost their passports (will require a police report)
People with damaged passports

Everyone else will have to renew their passports online! The official Imigresen TV video below also mentions this.

Fact #4 : No Passport Office Can Handle All Collections!

In the first half of 2023 alone, the Immigration Department issued over 1.6 million passports. It would not be possible for a single passport office to handle the collection of all of those passports.

In fact, the Putrajaya headquarters of the Malaysia Immigration Department only processed and issued 68,416 of those 1.6 million passports!

It is also not logical to consolidate passport collection in a single office. Not only will people have to fly or drive from all over Malaysia to Shaftsbury Putrajaya to collect their passports, there would be massive queues of tens of thousands of people!

Fact #5 : Other Passport Offices Are Still Handling Passport Collection

If you go to the Malaysia Immigration Department’s official online passport application page, you can click on the list of available branches for passport collection.

As of 2 February 2024, here is the full list of available Malaysia Immigration Department offices where you can choose to collect your passport from:

Alor Setar
Batu Pahat
Besut

Bintulu
Bukit Kayu Hitam
Cameron Highland
JIM Kuala Kubu Baru
Kajang
Kangar
Kelana Jaya
Kemaman
Kompleks KDN Langkawi
Kota Kinabalu
Kuala Langat
Kuala Lumpur (Jalan Duta)
Kuala Lumpur (Wangsa Maju)
Kuala Selangor
Kuching
Kukup
Kulai
Lahad Datu
Lawas
Limbang
Lumut
Melaka
Mersing
Mini UTC Keramat
Muar
Pejabat Imigresen Kulim
Pejabat Imigresen Kluang
Pejabat Imigresen Shaftsbury Putrajaya
Pejabat Imigresen UTC Johor
Pengkalan Hulu (Bukit Berapit)
Port Dickson
Puchong
Pulau Pinang (Seberang Jaya)
Pusat Transforms Bandar Miri, Sarawak
Pusat Transforms Bandar Sibu, Sarawak
Raub
Sandakan
Segamat
Setia Tropika
Shah Alam
Sri Aman
Taiping
Teluk Intan
Temerloh
UTC Kedah
UTC Keningau
UTC Kota Bear, Kelantan
UTC Kota Kinabalu
UTC Kuala Lumpur
UTC Kuching
UTC Labuan
UTC Melaka
UTC Pahang (Kuantan)
UTC Pasir Gudang
UTC Perak
UTC Perlis
UTC Pulau Pinang
UTC Selangor
UTC Sentul
UTC Seremban
UTC Sungai Petani
UTC Tawau
UTC Terengganu

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If you scroll through the list, you can see that Shaftsbury Putrajaya is merely one of the many passport offices available for you to select as a collection point.

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How To Renew Malaysian Passport Online : 2024 Guide!

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Find out how to renew your Malaysian passport online through the MyOnline Passport service in 2024!

You Must Renew Your Malaysian Passport Online!

MyOnline Passport is a service by the Immigration Department of Malaysia, which allows you to renew your Malaysian passports online.

On 11 May 2022, the Immigration Department stopped allowing most people to walk-in for their passport renewal. Except for a selected group of people, everyone else must renew their passports online.

How To Renew Your Malaysian Passport Online!

The MyOnline Passport service was originally designed by the Immigration Department of Malaysia as a convenient, online way for people to renew their Malaysian international passports.

However, it is now the only way to renew your Malaysian passport for most people, from 11 May 2022 onwards. Here is what you need to know about the process.

Only For International Passport Renewals

The first thing you must be aware is that MyOnline Passport can only be used to renew existing international passports issued by the Immigration Department of Malaysia.

You cannot use it to apply for a new passport, or to replace a stolen or damaged passport. You also cannot use it to renew special or restricted passports.

To apply for a new passport, or to replace a stolen / damaged passport, or renew special or restricted passports, you must walk-in.

Children who are less than 13 years old, special needs individuals, and those performing the Haj, must also walk-in to renew their passports.

Who Can Apply For Online Passport Renewal?

The MyOnline Passport service is only open to applicants 13 years and older, with existing Malaysian e-passports (passport with microchip).

Underaged applicants (13-18 years old) must have the consent of their parent(s) / legal guardian(s) to apply online, and the parent(s) / legal guardian(s) must be present during the collection of passport.

Can Overseas Citizens Use MyOnline Passport?

This service is also open to Malaysian citizens living overseas, with collection centres in these countries :

Australia : Canberra, Melbourne, Perth
China : Beijing, Kunming, Guangzhou, Shanghai
Hong Kong
Indonesia : Jakarta
India : Mumbai, Chennai, New Delhi
Singapore
United Kingdom : London
United States : New York

How Soon Can You Collect Your Passport?

If you submit the online application before 3 PM on a working day, you will be able to collect the new passport on the same day.

If you submit the online application after 3 PM on a working day, or anytime during a holiday, you can collect the new passport after 10 AM on the following working day.

Where Do You Collect The Passport?

Applicants can collect their renewed passports from a Passport Recipient and Issuance Office of their choice, from a list in the system.

The collection date and time will be provided, depending on the date and time the application was submitted.

How Much Does It Cost?

The MyOnline Passport service is free. You only need to pay for the standard Malaysian international passport renewal fees :

13 to 59 Years Old : RM200
Above 60 Years Old : RM100

Payment must be made via a credit card or debit card / direct debit (FPX) on the website.

Please Check Blacklist Before Applying!

Every online passport renewal application will be vetted against the Immigration Department’s blacklist.

So please check if you are on the Immigration Department’s blacklist before you even apply.

Go to the Immigration Control Status Checking page.
Key in your 12-digit MyKad identity card number (without dash).
Click on the Check button.

If you get the green No restriction result, then you may apply to renew your passport online.

What Is Required To Submit An Application?

Here is what you need to have, before applying for online renewal of your Malaysian international passport.

an existing Malaysia e-passport (passport with microchip) that is not defaced or water-damaged
a digital passport-sized photo with these specifications :
a) background must be white, and without shadows (coloured backgrounds will not be accepted)
b) applicants must wear dark clothing that cover the shoulders and chest.
c) applicants who wear a scarf or hijab must wear dark-coloured scarf / hijab, and it must not cover the face.
d) uploaded photo must have been taken at a professional photo studio, in the format provided by the photo studio. Polaroid photos will not be accepted.
e) applications that do not meet these specifications will be put on-hold, resulting in delayed issuance and collection.
f) you may have your passport photo taken at the Passport Recipient and Issuance Office you selected to collect your passport, if your passport photo does not meet the required specifications
a valid credit card / debit card / online bank account to make the required payment

In addition, you must be sure that :

you are able to physically collect the new passport in-person (a representative may not collect for you)
for underaged applicants : both applicant and parent(s) / legal guardian(s) must be present to collect the new passport

Passport Photo Specifications

Here are the latest specifications for online submission of passport photos (source | source):

Background must be white and without shadows. Coloured backgrounds will not be accepted.
Applicants are required to wear dark clothing that cover the shoulders and chest.
Applicants may wear dark-coloured scarfs or hijabs but they must not cover the face.
Applicants must not wear glasses, coloured contact lenses, or hair/head accessories. Hair should not cover the face.
Applicants must look directly at the camera, with both eyes open, and the mouth closed.
You must take the photo at a professional photo studio, and upload the soft copy in the format provided by the photo studio. Polaroid pictures will not be accepted.

If the photo you upload do not meet the specifications, your application will be put on-hold, and you will be asked to resubmit the photo, or get one taken at a passport office.

What Is Required To Collect Passport?

Finally, when it’s time to collect your renewed passport, please make sure you bring :

your MyKad identification card
your existing Malaysian international passport
the payment receipt issued by the system
for underaged applicants : your parent(s) / legal guardian(s) must bring your Birth Certificate

You cannot send a representative to collect your passport. If you fail to bring the necessary documents, or collect your passport in person, the renewed passport will not be released.

Underage applicants must be accompanied by their parent(s) / legal guardian(s), or their renewed passport will not be released.

How Do You Start The Process?

You can start the process on this MyOnline Passport page.

You may make multiple passport renewals, but you must submit one application per person.

Please avoid registering from 10:55 PM to 12:30 AM, because that’s when the system undergoes daily maintenance and no payment can be processed during that time.

If You Get An Error Message…

If you get an error message while making payment, please contact your bank for further instructions.

If your photo was rejected, you can upload a new photo, or have your passport photo taken at the Passport Recipient and Issuance Office you selected to collect your passport.

If you get this error message – “Kindly contact the Immigration Department of Malaysia”, it means your online application was unsuccessful for one of these reasons :

The file containing your fingerprint was damaged or deleted. You will be required to go to the passport office to have your fingerprint taken again, to avoid problems at the airport arrival / departure gates.
Your application does not meet with the specifications listed on MyOnline Passport.
The information provided was inaccurate, and/or contradicts the information in the Immigration Department system.

How To Resubmit Photo / Supporting Documents

If you need to resubmit your photo or supporting documents, please use these links :

How To Check Application Status

Please use this link to check your passport renewal status.

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Malaysia : Free Highway Tolls For Christmas 2023!

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The government of Malaysia just announced free highway tolls for two days for Christmas 2023! Here is what you need to know!

Malaysia : Free Highway Tolls For Christmas 2023!

On Thursday, 21 December 2023, Malaysia Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan announced free highway tolls for two days:

Saturday, 23 December 2023
Tuesday, 26 December 2023

The toll-free travel will apply to all types of vehicles travelling on all highways in Malaysia, except the toll plazas at the national borders in Johor:

the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Toll Plaza
the Tanjung Kupang Toll Plaza

The toll-free period will begin at 12:01 AM and end at 11:59 PM on the two days – Saturday, 23 December 2023, and Tuesday, 26 December, 2023.

An estimated 2.1 million vehicles are expected to use the highways during the Christmas 2023 season, with the free toll costing the government RM20 million per day, for a total cost of RM40 million.

It is hoped that this toll waiver will reduce the burden on those who are planning to return to their home towns to visit their families and celebrate Christmas together.

This is in line with the intention of the unity government to help ease the burden of the people across the religious diversity and beliefs

Highway users should take advantage of this opportunity and plan their journeys as best as possible while observing the recommended travel time advisory schedule.

He said that the dates were chosen to avoid traffic congestion, and optimise logistics. He also advised highway users to observe the safety limits, signages, and regulations.

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Guangzhou Patients Must Be COVID Negative For Admission?!

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Guangzhou appears to have reinstated the Health Code, requiring patients and their caregivers to test negative for COVID-19 before being admitted to a hospital!

Guangzhou Patients Must Be COVID Negative For Admission?!

The city of Guangzhou has apparently reinstated the Chinese COVID-19 Health Code requirements from 2 December 2023 onwards.

In a video translated and posted by Jennifer Zeng (archive), the Deputy Director and Spokesperson for the Guangzhou Health Commission Zhang Yi appears to announce an immediate requirement for patients and their caregivers to present a Green Health Code, in order to enter all types of medical institutions.

Effective immediately, patients visiting all levels and types of medical institutions in Guangzhou City and its districts must present a green health code for entry. Dec 2, Guangzhou, Guangdong.

Zhang Yi : From now on, all levels & types of medical institutions in Guangzhou City & its districts for outpatient and emergency department visits will require a green health code for entry.

Bizarrely, patients and their caregivers are expected to undertake PCR nuclei tests for COVID-19, and show a negative test result within the past 24 hours to gain admission!

Zhang Yi : Newly admitted inpatients and their accompanying personnel must present a negative nucleic acid test result from within the past 24 hours for admission.

Less controversially, she called on fever clinics to operate at their maximum capacity, and conduct nucleic acid (PCR) tests on patients.

Zhang Yi : Fever clinics should operate to their fullest capacity. The role of the previously established 114 standardised fever clinics should be fully utilised.

Strengthen the staffing of medical personnel in fever clinics, optimise the waiting area settings and consultation process.

Conduct nucleic acid testing for visiting patients, and implement graded & categorised diagnosis and treatment.

Not Only Guangzhou Patients Must Be COVID Negative For Admission?

China has been experiencing a surge of respiratory illnesses that have alarmed many people, especially when it appeared to cause pneumonia in many children.

The WHO called on China to provide more information, after health monitoring groups like the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED) reported clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in north China.

China responded within 24 hours, stating that it has not detected any new or usual pathogens causing this surge of respiratory illness, with clusters of pneumonia being blamed on a bacteria – Mycoplasma pneumoniae which has been circulating since May, as well as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenovirus that have been circulating since October.

While the negative COVID-19 test looks really bizarre, it is possible that the Chinese government has instituted this requirement to prevent these patients, who are already suffering from pneumonia, from being infected with COVID-19 as well.

Even so, Jennifer Zeng reported (archive) that the Chinese Health Code requirement is not just being reactivated in Guangzhou, but for the entire Guangdong province, as well as the Beijing, Sichuan, Fujian, Shaanxi, and Zhejiang provinces!

The health code is a mobile app used by the CCP during the three-year COVID pandemic to control people’s movements. If your health code turns red or yellow, you can’t go anywhere.

But it’s not just Guangzhou. From what we know so far, Beijing, Sichuan, Fujian, Guangdong, Shaanxi, and Zhejiang Province are also implementing it.

So it is possible that the Chinese government at least suspects that some of these cases of respiratory illnesses may be due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.

To be clear – this reimplementation of the Chinese Health Code appears to be limited to patients attempting to seek medical assistance in clinics and hospitals. It does not appear that the Health Code is being reimplemented to restrict other types of movement in China.

However, reports of a surge in respiratory illnesses, and this (partial) reimplementation of the Health Code requirement will likely put a damper on the revival of the Chinese tourism industry. The Chinese government recently implemented visa-free travel for 6 new countries in an effort to boost tourism.

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Malaysia Digital Arrival Card Required For Foreign Visitors!

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Foreign visitors are now required to complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) prior to arrival in Malaysia! Here is what you need to know…

Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) Requirement

From 1 December 2023 onwards, the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) requires foreign visitors to complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) prior to their arrival in Malaysia.

The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) replaces the physical white arrival card that foreign visitors usually complete before or on arrival in Malaysia.

This new rule applies to all foreign visitors, except:

people transiting / transferring through Singapore without seeking immigration clearance,
Malaysian Permanent Resident, and
Malaysian Automated Clearance System (MACS) holders

As an added benefit, foreign visitors from 10 countries can register their fingerprint at the immigration country, and will thereafter be able to use the Autogate (Egate) at Malaysian airports and other ports of entry to quickly get through immigration!

Australia
Brunei
Germany
Japan
South Korea
New Zealand
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
United States
United Kingdom

But please note that the MDAC is not a visa. Neither is it an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) that some countries use to pre-register visitors for multiple entries.

Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) Steps

For The First Time

All foreign visitors (except those who were explicitly exempted above) will need to register for the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) for the first time.

Enrol for the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) at this official link.
Complete and submit the MDAC within three days (3) prior to your arrival in Malaysia.
You will be required to fill in these information:
a) Full name
b) Passport number
c) Nationality
d) Sex
e) Date of Birth
f) Date of Passport Expiry
g) Email address
h) Mobile Number
i) Date of Arrival : Must be within 3 days (including date of submission)
j) Date of Departure
k) Mode of Travel : Air / Land / Sea
l) Last Port of Embarkation
On arrival in Malaysia, you will need to enroll and verify your passport manually at the Malaysian Immigration Department counter.
After that manual enrolment, you will be allowed to use the Egate autogate system when you depart Malaysia.

On Subsequent Visits

On subsequent visits, foreign visitors will need to:

Complete and submit the MDAC within three days (3) prior to your arrival in Malaysia.
Use the Autogate system on arrival and departure

As you can see, the new Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) does more than just eliminate waste and improve efficiency through digital transformation of the physical arrival card. It also streamlines the immigration process for foreign visitors, and allows some of them to breeze through using the Egate system!

But again – please note that you can only submit the MDAC within 3 days of your trip, and this includes the date of submission.

Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) : Other Important Things

Here are other things about the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card that may be important:

You can check the status of your MDAC registration information here.
You can check the visit pass record for the latest 3 months here.
You can check your Egate eligibility status here. *

* Please note that Egate eligibility is only open to business and social travellers from these 10 countries, who have an e-Passport, and will only start after you have enrolled your fingerprints (biometric verification) at the immigration counter.

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China Visa-Free Travel For 6 Countries Starts Tomorrow!

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From tomorrow onwards, citizens from 6 countries will start enjoying visa-free travel to China for 15 days! Here is what you need to know!

China Offers Visa-Free Travel For 6 New Countries!

China will start offering visa-free travel to 6 additional countries on a trial basis, starting on 1 December 2023.

On Friday, 24 November 2023, China announced that citizens from these 6 countries will enjoy visa-free travel for up to 15 days:

France
Germany
Italy
The Netherlands
Spain
Malaysia

These six countries will join Singapore, Japan, and Brunei, whose citizens already enjoy visa-free travel to China for up to 15 days.

According to Chinese government spokesperson Mao Ning, China has taken this step to help “promote the high-quality development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges and high-level opening up to the outside world“.

This visa-free travel for those 6 countries, however, is a trial that will last from 1 December 2023 until 30 November 2024. This trial program may or may not be extended after that.

China Visa-Free Travel To Hopefully Revive Tourism

Travellers to China are generally required to apply for a visa. China is hoping that offering visa-free travel to certain favoured countries will help to revive its tourism industry that has been hard-hit by strict COVID-19 measures in the past 3 years.

China had the world’s strictest COVID-19 measures, maintaining them long after the rest of the world reopened. Even when the Chinese government decided to reopen its borders, it required inbound travellers to quarantine, which discouraged travel

It was only in March 2023 that China began issuing all types of travel visas again, and in July that it restored the 15-day visa-free travel for Singapore, Japan and Brunei. In August, China finally scrapped all COVID-19 test requirements for inbound travellers.

With visa-free travel removing the onerous application for a Chinese travel visa, it is likely that there will be tourists and business visitors who will take opportunity of the one-year trial to visit China. The only question is whether it is a surge, or merely a tiny bump.

After all, potential travellers would need to worry about the lack of access to essential apps like Google Maps, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. as well as popular apps like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube. There is also the risk of being detained in China, and prevented from returning home.

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China Announces Visa-Free Travel For 6 Countries!

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China just announced that citizens from 6 countries will enjoy visa-free travel for 15 days! Here is what you need to know!

China : Visa-Free Travel For 6 Countries!

On Friday, 24 November 2023, China announced that citizens from these 6 countries will enjoy visa-free travel for up to 15 days:

France
Germany
Italy
The Netherlands
Spain
Malaysia

These six countries will join Singapore, Japan and Brunei, whose citizens already enjoy visa-free travel to China for up to 15 days.

This visa-free travel for those 6 countries, however, is a trial that will last from 1 December 2023 until 30 November 2024. This trial program may or may not be extended after that.

Travellers to China are generally required to apply for a visa. China appears to be trying out this visa-free travel option to revive its tourism industry that has been hard-hit by strict COVID-19 measures in the past 3 years.

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Malaysia : Free Highway Tolls For Deepavali 2023!

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The government of Malaysia just announced free highway tolls for two days for Deepavali 2023! Here is what you need to know!

Malaysia : Free Highway Tolls For Deepavali 2023!

On Friday, 10 November 2023, Malaysia Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi announced free highway tolls for two days:

Saturday, 11 November 2023
Sunday, 12 November 2023

The toll-free travel will apply to all types of vehicles travelling on all highways in Malaysia, except the toll plazas at the national borders in Johor:

the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Toll Plaza
the Tanjung Kupang Toll Plaza

The toll-free period will begin at 12:01 AM on Saturday, 11 November 2023, and end at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 12 November, 2023.

About 11.8 million vehicles are expected to use the highways in Malaysia during this two-day toll-free period.

The Works Ministry, through a meeting together with concession companies, has agreed on the implementation of this free toll which starts on Nov 11 (Saturday) at 12.01 am until Nov 12 (Sunday) at 11.59 pm.

This initiative is to celebrate all Malaysians, especially the Indian Hindu community who celebrate Deepavali. This is also in line with the desire of the unity government to help ease the burden of the people regardless of diversity of religions, races and beliefs.

With the implementation of this free toll, it is hoped that highway users will be able to plan their journey well. Highway users are also advised to comply with the recommended travel time schedule or travel time advisory (TTA).

Safety aspects and safe driving must be observed so that all highway users can arrive at their destinations safely.

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2024 Public + School Holidays For Malaysia!

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To help you plan your holidays in the new year, here is a summary of the public and school holidays in Malaysia for 2024!

2024 Public Holidays For Malaysia

Here are the public holidays for Malaysia in the year 2024. Some of these days may be subject to change.

Date	Day	Holiday	States
1 Jan	Mon	New Year’s Day	All states except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Terengganu
14 Jan 15 Jan	Sun Mon	YDPB Negeri Sembilan’s Birthday	Negeri Sembilan
25 Jan	Thu	Thaipusam	Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Putrajaya and Selangor
1 Feb	Thu	Federal Territory Day	Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, Putrajaya
8 Feb	Thu	Israk and Mikraj	Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Perlis and Terengganu
10 Feb 11 Feb	Sat Sun	Chinese New Year	All states
12 Feb	Mon	Chinese New Year	All states except Johor and Kedah
20 Feb	Tue	Independence Declaration Day	Melaka
4 Mar	Mon	Accession Anniversary of Terengganu Sultan	Terengganu
12 Mar	Tue	Awal Ramadan	Johor, Kedah and Melaka
23 Mar	Sat	Sultan of Johor’s Birthday	Johor
28 Mar	Thu	Nuzul al-Quran	All states except Johor, Kedah, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak
29 Mar	Fri	Good Friday	Sabah and Sarawak
10 Apr 11 Apr	Wed Thu	Hari Raya Aidilfitri	All states
26 Apr	Fri	Sultan of Terengganu’s Birthday	Terengganu
1 May	Wed	Labour Day	All states
17 May	Fri	Raja of Perlis’ Birthday	Perlis
22 May	Mon	Wesak Day	All states
22 May 23 May	Mon Tue	Hari Hol Pahang	Pahang
30 May 31 May	Thu Fri	Harvest Festival	Labuan and Sabah
1 Jun 2 Jun 4 Jun	Sat Sun Tue	Hari Gawai	Sarawak
3 Jun	Mon	YDP Agong’s Birthday	All states
16 Jun	Sun	Arafat Day	Kelantan and Terengganu
17 Jun	Mon	Hari Raya Haji	All states
18 Jun	Tue	Hari Raya Haji	Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, Terengganu
30 Jun	Sun	Sultan of Kedah’s Birthday	Kedah
7 Jul	Sun	Awal Muharram	All states
8 Jul	Mon	Awal Muharram	All states, except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan & Terengganu
7 Jul 9 Jul	Sun Tue	Georgetown World Heritage City Day	Penang
13 Jul	Sat	Penang Governor’s Birthday	Penang
22 Jul	Mon	Sarawak Day	Sarawak
30 Jul	Tue	Sultan of Pahang’s Birthday	Pahang
11 Aug	Sun	Hari Hol Almarhum Sultan Iskandar	Johor
24 Aug	Sat	Melaka Governor’s Birthday	Melaka
31 Aug	Sat	Merdeka Day	All states
1 Sep	Sun	Merdeka Day	Kelantan & Terengganu
16 Sep	Mon	Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday	All states
16 Sep 17 Sep	Mon Tue	Malaysia Day	All states
29 Sep 30 Sep	Sun Mon	Sultan of Kelantan’s Birthday	Kelantan
5 Oct	Sat	Sabah Governor’s Birthday	Sabah
12 Oct	Sat	Sarawak Governor’s Birthday	Sarawak
31 Oct	Thu	Deepavali	All states except Sarawak
1 Nov	Fri	Sultan of Perak’s Birthday	Perak
11 Dec	Wed	Sultan of Selangor’s Birthday	Selangor
24 Dec	Tue	Christmas Eve	Sabah
25 Dec	Wed	Christmas Day	All states

2024 School Holidays For Malaysia

The COVID-19 pandemic has thoroughly screwed up the school term and holidays. Instead of starting in January and ending in December, the new term now starts in March and every year will have two “academic years”.

It will now take until 2026 for the government to shift the school term back to January-December. This is quite confusing for many of us parents, so here is a quick summary of the school holidays for the year 2024.

Group A Schools

Here are the school holidays for Group A states of Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.

Holiday	Start	End	Days
Term 1 Holiday	24 May 2024	2 June 2024	10
Term 2 Holiday	13 Sep 2024	21 Sep 2024	9
Term 3 Holiday	20 Dec 2024	28 Dec 2024	9
Year End Holiday	17 Jan 2025	15 Feb 2025	30

In addition, the government also announced these extra holidays for Group A schools:

Festival Holidays	Group A	Notes
Chinese New Year	Saturday + Sunday, 10 and 11 February 2024	Part of 2023-2024 Year-End Holiday
Hari Raya Aidilfitri	7 to 9 April 2024 10 to 11 April 2024	3 extra days Public Holiday
Hari Deepavali	30 October 2024 31 October 2024	1 extra day Public Holiday
Christmas	25 December 2024	Public Holiday
Chinese New Year	Wednesday + Thursday, 29 and 30 January 2025	Part of 2024-2025 Year-End Holiday

Group B Schools

Here are the school holidays for Group A states of Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.

Holiday	Start	End	Days
Term 1 Holiday	25 May 2024	2 June 2024	9
Term 2 Holiday	14 Sep 2024	22 Sep 2024	9
Term 3 Holiday	21 Dec 2024	29 Dec 2024	9
Year End Holiday	18 Jan 2025	16 Feb 2025	30

In addition, the government also announced these extra holidays for Group B schools:

Festival Holidays	Group B	Notes
Chinese New Year	Saturday and Sunday, 10 and 11 February 2024	Within 2023 Year-End Holiday
Hari Raya Aidilfitri	8 to 9 April 2024 10 to 11 April 2024 12 April 2024	2 extra days Public Holiday 1 extra day
Pesta Kaamatan	Only for Sabah + Labuan Thursday and Friday, 31 and 31 May 2024	Part of Term 1 Holidays
Hari Gawai Dayak	Only for Sarawak Saturday, 1 June 2024 Sunday, 2 June 2024	Part of Term 1 Holidays
Hari Deepavali	Except Sarawak 30 October 2024 31 October 2024 1 November 2024	1 extra day Public Holiday 1 extra day
Hari Deepavali	Only for Sarawak 30 October 2024 31 October 2024	1 extra day Public Holiday
Christmas	25 December 2024	Part of Term 3 Holidays
Chinese New Year	Wednesday + Thursday, 29 and 30 January 2025	Part of 2024-2025 Year-End Holiday

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2024 Petrol + Diesel Subsidies To Use 3 Methods!

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Malaysia is planning to use 3 methods to channel petrol and diesel subsidies in 2024! Here is what we know so far…

Malaysia To Use 3 Methods For 2024 Petrol + Diesel Subsidies

On Monday, 6 November 2023, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli revealed that Malaysia will use three methods to channel petrol and diesel subsidies in 2024, after the government has household income data from the PADU (Pangkalan Data Utama) central database hub that will is expected to be completed in January 2024.

According to Rafizi, the government has identified several ways to channel the petrol and diesel subsidies, but the new system will only be implemented if the cabinet approves the proposal to be presented this month (November).

The coordination of diesel and petrol subsidies is planned for 2024, through the implementation of Padu which is expected to be completed in January next year.

In addition to how the subsidies would be implemented, the engagement plan will be announced after the cabinet’s decision is reached through a proposal that will be presented this month (November).

The plan will be implemented after the cabinet’s decision is reached, in line with the engagement plan (of Padu implementation) which is set to balance the speculative inflation risks.

Recommended : Does Penang Bridge Have A Massive Crack?!

2024 Petrol + Diesel Subsidies To Be Based On Net Income

Rafizi said that the three methods will be based on net individual and household income.

The first method is based on the individual’s net income, which is the person’s take-home pay, after taxes.
The second method is based on the household’s net income through social protection or assistance schemes.
The third method is based on a combination of household and individual income, but implemented through a subsidy card.

Firstly, the subsidy provision will be based on an individual’s net income through a social protection scheme, whereas the second method will involve the net income of the households through a combination of social protection and social assistance.

Thirdly, it will be based on both individual and household net income eligibility, where a subsidy card will be implemented. Following this, specific decisions on the methods will be announced based on the specified targets in the future.

According to Rafizi, the proposed scheme for 2024 petrol and diesel subsidies was based on a nationwide survey conducted in June, to identify subsidy methods that would be suitable for Malaysians.

The planning for diesel and petrol subsidies has already taken place through several meetings held by the government since May with the Finance Ministry, Domestic and Consumer Affairs Ministry, the Prime Minister’s Economic Planning Unit as well as Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

Hence, it can be said that the proposal (for the subsidy rollout) is the result of input provided by the government, economic experts as well as the people.

Apart from that, the cabinet will also establish a communication, engagement and support plan to alleviate the people’s burden, which will be executed as a unified effort by the entire government machinery.

The proposed 2024 petrol and diesel subsidies programme will only involve peninsular Malaysia, with diesel subsidies to be reduced in phases. The reduction in diesel subsidies will not involve Sabah and Sarawak, due to the extensive use of diesel in those two states.

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Does Penang Bridge Have A Massive Crack?!

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Does a viral video show a massive crack in the second Penang bridge?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : There’s A Massive Crack In Second Penang Bridge!

People are sharing a video clip on WhatsApp, claiming that it shows a massive crack in the second Penang bridge!

WhatsApp : Penang second bridge 😲… Pls take care all driver

WhatsApp : Penang 2nd link. Beware, it is cracking. Lookout

Truth : That’s Not A Massive Crack In Second Penang Bridge!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / propagated on WhatsApp, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : That Is Not The Second Penang Bridge!

First, I should quickly point out that the bridge shown in the video is not the second Penang bridge!

It is actually the Rio–Niterói Bridge, which is located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The second-longest bridge in Latin America, the Rio-Niterói Bridge was officially opened on March 4, 1974 – some 49 years ago!

Fact #2 : The Video Is Many Years Old

First, I should point out that this video originally went viral in 2014, and appears to have been posted on the TV Revolta Facebook group, which is infamous for spreading fake news.

The video appeared to have been shared just before Brazil hosted the 2014 World Cup, with the caption:

Assinante da TV Revolta registers huge crack in Rio Niterói bridge

TV Revolta subscriber records huge crack in Rio Niterói bridge

Fact #3 : That Was An Expansion Joint

Even though the Rio-Niterói Bridge is 49 years old, that video did not show a massive crack in its structure.

That is actually an expansion joint, which was intentionally created during its construction, so parts of the bridge can move and expand without affecting the other parts.

Fact #4 : CCR Clarified Expansion Joint

When the video first went viral in Brazil in 2014, the bridge concessionaire at that time – CCR, confirmed that the crack was really just an expansion joint.

CCR also clarified that a bridge of such size and length requires this kind of opening to prevent actual cracks from forming in the slabs and beams of the bridge.

Fact #5 : Penang Government Refuted Claim

On Sunday, 29 October 2023, the Penang state government refuted claims that the viral video showed a massive crack in the second Penang bridge.

State Infrastructure Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said checks with officials from both Penang bridges showed there was no truth to the viral post.

“Checks showed the video footage which went viral was an old video. The said incident happened outside of Malaysia back in 2014,” he said.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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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.

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Infowars Proven Wrong About Biden Face Mask Mandate!

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Infowars has been proven wrong about its claims that the Biden Administration will introduce a face mask mandate in September 2023!

Claim : Biden Admin Will Order Face Mask Mandate!

People have been sharing an Infowars article which claimed that the Biden Administration will order a new face mask mandate for TSA and airport employees, followed by “full Covid lockdowns“. Here is an excerpt:

Biden Regime to Reinstate COVID-19 Restrictions Beginning with Mask Mandate as “COVID Cases Rise”, Say TSA and Border Patrol Whistleblowers

The Biden regime is preparing to reinstate full COVID-19 lockdowns, beginning with masking mandates for TSA and airport employees reportedly as early as mid-September, Infowars first to report.

A high-level TSA official reached out to Infowars, detailing a Tuesday meeting where TSA managers were informed of new memorandums and policies that would reimplement mask-wearing.

These policies will reinstate the mask mandate for TSA and airport employees starting in mid-September.

The official added that by mid-October, mask-wearing will be mandated for pilots, flight staff, passengers, and all airport patrons.

Following this disclosure from the TSA official, Infowars reached out to a trusted Border Patrol source, also in a managerial position.

This source corroborated the directives, confirming that similar measures were being planned for Border Patrol personnel.

“They were told it was not a matter of “if” but “when” official Covid numbers will go back up and they expect by mid-October a return to forced-masking policies that the Biden administration previously only reluctantly ended after massive pressure,” Infowars reported.

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Infowars Proven Wrong About Biden Face Mask Mandate!

Infowars first claimed on August 18, 2023, that TSA and Border whistleblowers leaked information about a rollout of “full Covid restrictions”, which would include a face mask mandate in September, followed by full Covid lockdowns in December.

Well, it is now October 3, 2023, and there is nary a sight of any face mask mandate for TSA or airport employees in the United States. Infowars has been proven WRONG yet again.

Frankly, that’s hardly surprising. Alex Jones and/or Infowars never actually showed any evidence that the Biden Administration is planning to introduce a face mask mandate for air travel, much less full COVID-19 restrictions which would include lockdowns.

If you watch the video above, you can see that Alex Jones has a ton of paper on his table. Unfortunately, none of them were the leaked memorandum or policy documents from his TSA and Border Patrol whistleblowers.

Rather, they appear to be nothing more than printed copies of news articles! Alex Jones never showed any evidence of the “planned COVID-19 protocols” that were supposed to roll out in the middle of September 2023.

And it’s already October 2023, without a single TSA agent or Border Patrol officer required to wear a face mask in the United States.

I should point out that lockdowns are, frankly, no longer necessary because a combination of vaccines and prior infections have given people significant protection against COVID-19 infections.

Even though cases are spiking due to new variants (which are more adept at evading protection), hospitals and healthcare workers are no longer overloaded with COVID-19 patients. In fact, there has been multiple waves of new COVID-19 variants, but they have not necessitated new lockdowns.

That’s why the WHO itself declared on 5 May 2023 that COVID-19 as a whole is no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Instead, COVID-19 is now considered “an established and ongoing health issue“.

Finally, I should also point out that any order for a face mask mandate on public transportation, including airlines, would be issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevent, not the TSA or Border Control.

It was the US CDC that issued the first and only face mask mandate for public transportation in the United States (PDF download) on January 29, 2021. The TSA and Border Control had nothing to do with that, but only issued their own directives to comply with the CDC order.

However, the CDC face mask mandate was made “unenforceable” by court order on April 18, 2022, and expired when the Biden Administration ended the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 11, 2023.

If the CDC ever issues another face mask mandate, it seems inevitable that it would be challenged in court, and made “unenforceable” by another court order. So what really is this panic over a “future” face mask mandate?

I should also point out that, long before the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers all over the world have had no issues wearing face masks to protect themselves and their patients. Seriously, stop being such a wuss.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

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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.

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Are Elderly Tourists Banned From Group Tours In China?!

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Are elderly tourists now banned from joining group tours to China?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Elderly Tourists Banned From Group Tours In China!

This warning has gone viral on WhatsApp, and social media platforms, claiming that elderly tourists are now banned from group tours in China!

New Regulations of the National Tourism Administration

Dear group members, while you are still allowed to travel, take advantage of the opportunity and travel around China! Group tours are no longer allowed after the age of 80.😀😀😀😀😀

The Mainland Tourism Administration has newly regulated the provisional rules for seniors traveling in group tours. According to the “Travel Law of the People’s Republic of China” and “Travel Agency Senior Tour Service Standards”, these rules are formulated:

Article 1: The elderly refer to tourists who are over 60 years old (inclusive) on the date of travel.
Article 2: Aged over 60 years old on the date of travel (including this
Number) – Tourists aged 69 years old should sign a “Safety Responsibility Letter” with the travel agency. The “Safety Responsibility Letter” should state personal health conditions, communication methods, and emergency contact information, and should be signed by the tourist.
Article 3: Aged over 70 years old on the date of travel (including this
Number) -Tourists who are 75 years old, unless signing in accordance with Article 2 of the Rules
The “Safety Responsibility Letter” must also provide a valid health certificate or physical examination report issued by a Class III A hospital within 3 months.
Article 4: For those who are over 75 years old on the date of travel, in addition to signing a “Safety Responsibility Letter” in accordance with Article 2 of the rules and providing a valid health certificate or physical examination report issued by a grade 3A hospital within three months, they must also be elderly Tourist visa for adult immediate family members
If you are traveling in Yu, and are accompanied by adult family members, and if you are over 80 years old on the date of travel (including your age), you are not allowed to register.
Article 5: The person in charge of the company’s business department, sales department, and branch is the person responsible for the rules. If the above rules are violated.

*#Travel agencies are not allowed to accommodate people over 80 years old! *
75-79 years old, accompanied by family members + physical examination certificate!
70-75 years old, physical examination certificate + letter of responsibility!
60-69 years old Sign the safety responsibility letter!

Show less

Truth : Elderly Tourists Are Not Banned From Group Tours In China!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms, and here are there reasons why…

Fact #1 : Viral Message Circulated Since 2019

First, let me just point out that the viral message isn’t new. It has been circulating since March 2019, if not earlier.

Initially, it started in Chinese social media platforms like Weibo and WeChat groups, but eventually made its way to WhatsApp and other social media platforms.

Fact #2 : National Tourism Administration Ceased In 2018

According to a Chinese fact check, the viral message could not have been issued by the National Tourism Administration of China, as it no longer existed in 2019.

As part of institutional reforms announced by the Chinese State Council in March 2018, it was replaced by the Culture and Tourism Administration of the People’s Republic of China Ministry of Tourism.

Fact #3 : Ministry of Culture and Tourism Has No Such Restrictions

A reporter for Jiefang Daily and Shangguan News checked the official website of the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism, but could find no announcement of any restrictions on elderly tourists travelling in group tours.

The reporter also noted that there were no specific restrictions on the “travel age for the elderly” even in previous policy documents.

Fact #4 : Shanghai Tourism Hotline Confirms No Such Restriction

The reporter also called the Shanghai tourism hotline to ask about whether there were new restrictions on elderly tourists planning to join tour groups in China.

The Shanghai tourism staff told the reporter that there is currently no national guidelines that prohibit group tours for those over 80 years old.

They suggested that the requirement that elderly people need to be accompanied by family members and/or have medical certificates may be the “voluntary requirements” of some travel agencies.

In such cases, the staff recommended that elderly tourists should consider some travel agencies in Shanghai that specialise in serving the elderly as they may be more suitable, and may not have such requirements.

Fact #5 : Travel Service Standards For Elderly Do Not Have Age Restrictions

In 2016, China issued its Travel Agency Elderly Tourism Service Standards, which stipulates that if elderly tourists participate in group tours, the travel agency should:

communicate and negotiate with the insurance company on the upper age limit for travel accident insurance,
collect detailed information of the elderly tourists,
ask elderly tourists who are over 75 years old to be accompanies by adult family members, or ask their immediate family members to sign off on their travel,
discuss the potential risks of senior tourism products and the health requirements of senior tourists before traveling, and
provide oral safety reminders and produce a “Safety Notice” to ensure that elderly tourists choose appropriate senior tourism products.

However, the 2016 Travel Agency Elderly Tourism Service Standards do not restrict elderly tourists of any age from travelling in group tours.

Fact #6 : Travel Agencies Refute Claims On Age Limits

The same reporter also reached out to Chinese travel agencies like Ctrip and CYTS on these claims of group tour restrictions on elderly tourists.

The Chinese travel agencies said that there is “no hard and fast age requirement” for seniors travelling in group tours.

They pointed out that different tours have different physical requirements, some of which may require elderly tourists to be accompanied by family members, or produce medical certificates and other documents to assure the travel agencies of their fitness.

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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.

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Are Japanese Airports Empty After Chinese Boycott?!

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Are Japanese airports now empty after Chinese tourists boycotted Japan over the release of the radioactive Fukushima waste water?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Japanese Airports Now Empty After Chinese Boycott!

People are sharing a TikTok video which claims that Japanese airports are now empty after Chinese tourists boycott Japan over the release of the radioactive Fukushima waste water!

Chinese tourists start boycotting Japan and Japanese international airport is so empty. 80% tax free stores are shutting down and hundreds employees are losing jobs. Also planned flights are cancelled because of not enough travellers to make airplane take off.

Japanese airports losing Chinese tourists
How desolate is it?
It feels like it’s really getting “cold”!
Flights are almost always late!
There is no huge purchasing power of the Chinese people
For Japan’s airports and tourism industry
It’s basically equivalent to a devastating blow
80% of shops in the airport have been closed
Even go bankrupt
Only a few stores are left to hold on.
Japan’s largest duty-free shop facing the Chinese has closed down
In the past, all the shops in Japanese airports basically spoke Chinese.
Moreover, it is overcrowded and even the checkout line has to wait for half an hour.
Now I can’t even see a ghost
Not a single passenger said anything
You can’t even see the staff
One of the busiest airports in the world
It’s basically cold in Japanese airports now
When I took this video
This should be the busiest time
However, I became the only customer in the whole place
My friend used to work at a Japanese airport
All are now unemployed
Japan is not opening up the country
Estimate Japan’s tourism industry
And the aviation industry is really going to die.

失去中国游客的日本机场
到底凄凉到什么程度？
感觉是真的快要“凉”了!
班航几乎都是欠航欠航欠航!
没有中国人庞大的购买力
对日本机场和旅游业来说
基本上就等同于毁灭性的打击
机场中80%的店铺全部关掉
甚至倒闭
只剩下极个别店铺在硬撑
日本最大的面对中国人的免税店已经倒闭了
之前日本机场的所有店铺都基本讲着中文
而且人满为患甚至结帐排队都要排半小时
现在连个鬼影都看不到
旅客一个没有不说
连工作人员你都看不到
世界上曾经最繁忙的机场之
日本机场现在基本上已经凉了
我拍这段视频的时候
本应该是最繁华的时段
然而我成了全场唯一的顾客
之前我的朋友曾在日本机场打工
现在已经全部失业
日本在不开国
估计日本的旅游业
和航空业真的要完蛋

Show less

Japanese Airports Are Not Empty + There’s No Chinese Boycott!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS surrounding the release of treated waste water from the Fukushima NPS, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Evidence Japanese Airports Are Empty

First, let me just point out that the viral video does not actually show any evidence that Japanese airports are now empty because Chinese tourists boycotted Japan over the release of the Fukushima treated waste water.

There are many videos showing empty Japanese airports like Narita and Haneda during the COVID-19 pandemic. The viral TikTok video could easily be a mishmash of those videos.

Unfortunately, the TikTok video creator covered up the video with text too much for me to trace the original videos. But it looks like a compilation of different videos.

Fact #2 : Chinese Account For 10% Of Travellers To Japan

Even if there is an unofficial Chinese travel boycott to Japan, it wouldn’t make Japanese airports empty, or force shops to close.

According to JTB Tourism Research & Consulting Co., Chinese citizens account for 10% of international tourists to Japan in June 2023.

While that makes Chinese tourists the second largest group of foreign tourists to Japan, a complete boycott wouldn’t make Japanese airports look like a ghost town, or force their shops to close down.

Fact #3 : At Least Part Of Video Was Recorded On 12 October

Although the TikTok video creator tried to mask any identifiable features in the video, he/she let something slip.

If you look closely at the date on the flight information display that showed flight cancellations, the date was 12 October.

The year is not listed, but it is only 6 September 2023 today, and the Fukushima-Daiichi NPS only started to release its waste water on 24 August 2023.

Unless the TikTok video creator has a time machine, he/she used at least one video recorded on 12 October from past years. It may not even be as recent as the COVID-19 pandemic years of 2020 and 2021.

For example, many airlines cancelled flights in or out of Japan from 11-13 October 2019, when Super Typhoon Hagibis hit Japan.

Fact #4 : Subtitles Suggest Video Was Before Japan Reopened Borders

On the other hand, the final three Chinese subtitles in the video suggest that the video was recorded before Japan reopened its borders on 11 October 2022.

Japan is not opening up the country
Estimate Japan’s tourism industry
And the aviation industry is really going to die.

日本在不开国
估计日本的旅游业
和航空业真的要完蛋

Fact #5 : No Evidence Of Chinese Travel Boycott

In any case, there is no evidence of any Chinese travel boycott, whether official or unofficial. Many airlines are still flying people from China to Japan.

I checked to see how many flights there are from Chinese cities to a single airport from 11 September to 17 September 2023.

Instead of seeing a dearth of flights since there is a Chinese boycott, I counted no less than 158 flights from Chinese cities to Narita International Airport over 1 week!

That’s an average of 22.5 flights per day from China to Narita International Airport. And that’s just one airport in Japan. What boycott???

Fact #6 : Many Narita Airport Shops Do Not Open 24/7

The viral TikTok video appears to show that the Dior and LEGO stores are shuttered and closed at the Narita International Airport. But did they really close down as the video claims?

The truth is – not all shops inside the Narita or Haneda airports open 24/7. Dior at Narita Airport, for example, opens from 7:30 AM until 9 PM daily. The LEGO Store at Narita Airport only opens from from 9 AM until 7 PM.

If you land late at night, you will be able to record a similar video showing both shops closed. Does that mean that they shut down because of a Chinese boycott? Obviously, not.

Fact #7 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

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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.

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Do you now need ETA to travel to the UK?!

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Do you now need ETA – Electronic Travel Authorisation – to travel to the UK?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : You need ETA to travel to the UK!

A video clip called New UK travel requirements has gone viral on WhatsApp and social media. It warns that people who travel to the UK on or after 15 November 2023, must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

This has led some people who already booked their flights to the UK to panic, as they were not aware of such requirements.

Truth : UK is rolling out ETA over time

Here is what you need to know about the UK ETA programme, and what countries are affected.

Video is genuine

First, I would like to point out that the video is genuine, and was originally posted by the UK Home Office on 9 March 2023.

It appears to have been edited and shared by Homely Stay UK on WhatsApp and social media, where it was shared without context, leading to mass panic.

UK will soon require ETA for non-visa travellers

The warning is, of course, true – the United Kingdom will soon require non-visa travellers to apply and pay for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

The ETA scheme is part of the UK’s plan to fully digitise its borders by 2025. But note that the ETA only applies to travellers who currently do NOT require a visa to travel to the UK.

An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will soon be a requirement for people who do not need a visa to come to the UK. It will give you permission to travel to the UK, and it will be electronically linked to your passport.

You’ll need an ETA to:

come to the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or study
come to the UK for up to 3 months on the Creative Worker visa concession
transit through the UK – including if you’re not going through UK border control

Once it is fully implemented, these travellers will not require an ETA to travel to the UK:

a British or Irish passport
permission to live, work, or study in the UK
a visa to enter the UK

Only Qatar was affected in November 2023

What the video does not reveal is that only travellers from Qatar must have an ETA to travel to the UK from 15 November 2023 onwards.

No other country is affected by this 15 November 2023 deadline, only Qatar. So stop panicking!

If you’re from another country : You do not need to apply for an ETA now. More nationalities will be added to the scheme later.

Even if you are a resident of Qatar, there is no need to panic – you can only apply for an ETA from 25 October 2023 onwards.

UK will rollout ETA through 2024-2025

The United Kingdom will slowly roll out its ETA programme throughout 2024.

From 22 February 2024 onwards, travellers from these six countries in the Middle East will need an ETA to travel to the UK:

Bahrain
Jordan
Kuwait
Oman
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates

Even travellers from these countries do not need to apply until 1 February 2024 onwards.

All non-visa travellers from all other countries will need an ETA by 2025. On 10 September 2024, the UK government finally revealed its schedule for 83 new countries to apply for ETA in 2025.

How much does UK ETA cost?

Each traveller will require his or her own ETA, including children and babies. Each ETA will cost £10 per applicant.

How long does each ETA last?

Your ETA will last for 2 years, and can use it to make multiple visits to the UK. However, you should know that having an ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK.

In addition, the ETA is not transferrable to a new / renewed passport. If your passport expires in less than 2 years, you will need to get a new ETA for your new / renewed passport.

How to apply for UK ETA?

You can apply for your UK ETA through the UK government ETA application portal, or using the UK ETA mobile app which you can download from the App Store and Google Play Store.

You will need to take and upload a photo of the passport you will use to travel to the UK, and scan your face. You will also need to take and upload a photo of yourself, and answer some questions.

You will then have to pay for your UK ETA application using a credit card, a debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.

Please note that you will need to complete your UK ETA application within 20 minutes, or it will time out and you will need to start the whole process over again.

You will usually get a decision within 3 working days, but there may be delays if the UK government needs to make further checks

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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.

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Is Joe Biden Reinstating Face Mask + Lockdowns?!

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Is the Biden Administration preparing to reinstate FULL COVID-19 lockdowns, beginning with face mask mandates in mid-September 2023?! Find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-08-30 : Added video fact check, and other updates
Originally posted @ 2023-08-25

Claim : Biden Admin Is Reinstating Full COVID Lockdowns!

People are sharing an article by The Gateway Pundit, which claims that the Biden Administration is preparing to reinstate FULL COVID-19 lockdowns, beginning with face mask mandates in mid-September 2023!

The article is pretty long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Biden Regime to Reinstate COVID-19 Restrictions Beginning with Mask Mandate as “COVID Cases Rise”, Say TSA and Border Patrol Whistleblowers

The Biden regime is preparing to reinstate full COVID-19 lockdowns, beginning with masking mandates for TSA and airport employees reportedly as early as mid-September, Infowars first to report.

A high-level TSA official reached out to Infowars, detailing a Tuesday meeting where TSA managers were informed of new memorandums and policies that would reimplement mask-wearing.

These policies will reinstate the mask mandate for TSA and airport employees starting in mid-September.

The official added that by mid-October, mask-wearing will be mandated for pilots, flight staff, passengers, and all airport patrons.

Following this disclosure from the TSA official, Infowars reached out to a trusted Border Patrol source, also in a managerial position.

This source corroborated the directives, confirming that similar measures were being planned for Border Patrol personnel.

The news outlet added, “Both whistleblowers were told this rollout will be in tandem with the new Covid “variant” hysteria that the MSM has been reporting on this week.”

The media is now pushing for another lockdown. Another fear porn from the so-called health experts and media just in time for the next election. The same old playbook.

Show less

No Evidence Biden Administration Is Reinstating COVID Lockdowns!

The Gateway Pundit was basically just summarising what Infowars claimed, and here is what you need to know:

Fact #1 : Infowars Is Notorious Fake News Website

First, let me just point out that Infowars is notorious for posting conspiracy theories and fake news.

2020 study by four universities – Northeastern, Harvard, Northwestern, and Rutgers, found that Infowars was amongst the top 5 most shared websites for COVID-19 fake news.
Infowars is listed as #4 on the Top 10 Worst Anti-Science Websites list.
Infowars video editor Josh Owens admitted to intentionally creating misleading videos – “It’s not about truth, it’s not about accuracy — it’s about what’s going to make people click on this video…In essence, we lied.“

Both Alex Jones and Infowars have been subjected to multiple lawsuits, losing them one after another. In December 2022, he and the Infowars parent company was ordered to pay about $1.5 billion for spreading lies about the 2002 Sandy Hook mass shooting.

Based on its reputation, everything posted by InfoWars should be considered as FAKE NEWS until proven otherwise.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should NEVER share anything from InfoWars. Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Fact #2 : Alex Jones + Infowars Provided No Evidence

If you watch the Infowars video where Alex Jones detailed the “exclusive news” that the Biden Administration is planning to bring back FULL COVID-19 restrictions, you may be forgiven for thinking that all those papers on his table are leaked memorandum and policy documents that TSA and Border Patrol whistleblowers provided.

Unfortunately, that does not appear to be the case. While there is A TON of papers on his massive table, they appear to be nothing more than printed copies of news articles. Alex Jones never showed any evidence of the “planned COVID-19 protocols” that will roll out in the middle of September 2023.

It’s easy to make outlandish claims, it’s quite another thing to back them with actual evidence. Needless to say, Infowars offered ZERO evidence to back up its claims.

Fact #3 : Lockdowns Were Necessary Because There Was No Vaccine

In his video, Alex Jones said that his whistleblowers were told to expect “a return to the full COVID protocol of 2020/2021” by December 2023.

The problem with that claim is that many governments implemented lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, because there was no treatment and vaccines were not yet invented or available in sufficient quantities.

Lockdowns were used as a way to limit transmission, and prevent hospitals and healthcare workers from being overloaded with COVID-19 patients.

Now that many people have some protection from a prior infection, or from COVID-19 vaccines, there has been no new need for governments to implement new lockdowns. In fact, there has been multiple waves of new COVID-19 variants, but they have not necessitated new lockdowns.

So the claim that the Biden Administration is going to implement COVID-19 lockdowns in December 2023 over the new Eris EG.5 variant is not supported by the prevailing evidence.

Fact #4 : WHO Declared COVID-19 Is No Longer PHEIC

It is interesting that the whistleblowers mentioned that the World Health Organization (WHO) may declare (an emergency?) over the new EG.5 Eris variant.

For one thing, the WHO itself declared on 5 May 2023 that COVID-19 as a whole is no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Instead, COVID-19 is now considered “an established and ongoing health issue“.

Fact #5 : Eris Variant Is Not More Dangerous

The WHO has been monitoring the new EG.5 “Eris” variant, designating it as a “variant of interest”. However, that does not mean Eris is a more dangerous variant.

According to the WHO, the EG. 5 variant has increased prevalence, growth advantage, and immune escape properties, but…

presents a low public health risk at a global level, and
has no reported changes in disease severity to date

While it is possible that EG.5 / Eris will become the dominant COVID-19 variant moving into the winter months of 2023, it has the same symptoms and severity as past variants.

Fact #6 : New Vaccines Are Coming In September 2023

Even if the Eris / EG.5 becomes dominant, it is unlikely for the United States to require lockdowns in December 2023, because new COVID-19 vaccines coming in September will offer better protection against it.

From late September 2023 onwards, Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax are introducing new COVID-19 vaccines that will target XBB variants. As EG.5 is part of the XBB lineage, the new vaccines are expected to offer better protection against this new variant.

EG.5 is part of the XBB lineage and is more closely related to the XBB variants than it is to previous vaccine strains.

For this reason, the expectation is that the reformulated vaccines that will be available this fall will offer better protection to EG.5 than previous vaccines.

– Justin Lessler, professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

In short, there really isn’t a need for new lockdowns, because the improved COVID-19 vaccines are already coming in the fall of 2023.

Fact #7 : Biden Administration Does Not Want New Lockdowns

I should now point out that it is against the Biden Administration’s interest to implement new lockdowns, which would cripple the economy. In fact, the Biden Administration mentioned this when it released its National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan (PDF download) in March 2022.

The path forward in the fight against COVID-19 is clear: schools, workers, and workplaces have resources and guidance to prevent shutdowns.

Fact #8 : Face Mask Order Would Be Issued By CDC

However, the CDC face mask mandate was made “unenforceable” by court order on April 18, 2022, and expired when the Biden Administration ended the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 11, 2023.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

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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.

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FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food Fact Check!

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Here is what you need to know about the FDA import alert 99-33 on Japanese food over radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant!

Updated @ 2023-08-25 : Updated the article
Originally posted @ 2023-03-21

Claim : FDA Issued Import Alert 99-33, Banning Japanese Food!

This message has gone viral on and off over the years, being shared again and again on WhatsApp, and social media. It’s long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts…

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a notice

A week ago, the US law came into force:
🎯 FDA Issued Alert No. 99-33, prohibiting the following
🅾️ Japanese food entering the US:
📎 Fresh milk,
📎 Butter,
📎Milk powder,
📎Baby milk powder, and others
📎Dairy products;
📎Vegetables, sweet potatoes, salt, and other products
📎Rice,
📎 Whole wheat;
📎Fish;
📎Meat and poultry;
📎Clams;
📎 sea urchin;
📎Citrus pomelo fruits;
📎 Apples, kiwis and other fruits.

❌The reason is radionuclide contamination.
Japan finally admits that its inability to control Fukushima’s daily discharge of millions of tons of radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean has caused many people to suffer from cancer or
Disease has seriously affected human beings and the ecological environment around the world. I can’t imagine it!
❌Don’t eat Japanese food.
💢In the coastal waters of the United States, it was found that the radioactivity value is getting higher and higher.
Try not to go to Japan, preferably not.
💢The Australian government has stopped visa issuance for Japanese,
💢 The US also stopped Japanese immigration to the US.
At present, the situation in Japan is more serious than we imagined. More than 70% of the entire Japanese territory is polluted.
Japan’s radioactive material has flowed into the ocean, and the affected area of the ocean is getting wider and wider.
It is more serious than imagined. The Japanese government is afraid of causing panic, and they will give up or lie to inform the surrounding people.
Japanese seafood, mushrooms do not eat.
After the last earthquake, radioactive material from the damaged Japanese nuclear power plant began to flow into the ocean or surrounding areas, and began to find
❌Deformed seafood and plants
❌ Mutated mushrooms
❌ mutated fish,
❌Varied seafood,
Foods exposed to radioactive substances will be induced within 1-2 years after eating
🅾️Esophageal cancer
🅾️Lymphoma
🅾️ Leukemia, etc., especially for young children, pregnant women will have a greater impact.
Neighboring countries have stopped seafood trade with Japan:
It is prohibited to import 📎herring, 📎shells, 📎shiitake mushrooms from Japan.
The fish caught in the waters near Japan had 380 times the radioactivity.
From now on, never eat Japanese seafood or sashimi.
Since the nuclear explosion of the tsunami in Japan, a survey of Chinese tourists to Japan who have traveled to Japan and eaten Japanese food many times shows that there are strange diseases of varying degrees, and they are on the rise!
And Japan’s radioactive nuclear-contaminated local products are all supplied to foreign tourists!
Japan eats food imported from other countries!
Dear friends and compatriots
For the health of your loved ones and the next generation, please share it in your WeChat space, and immediately boycott all nuclear-contaminated food in Japan.
Do not buy!
Remember!

Show less

The Truth About FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) to scare people into boycotting Japan and Japanese food, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : FDA Issued Import Alert #99-33 In March 2011

On March 11, 2011, Japan was hit by a massive tsunami triggered by a 9-magnitude earthquake off its Pacific coast. The force of the tsunami greatly damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, contaminating the surrounding area with radioactive material.

The Government of Japan determined that certain food products in affected prefectures were therefore not fit for human consumption, due to the risk of contamination by the radioactive material. They banned those food products from sale within Japan, and for export.

The US FDA responded by issuing Import Alert #99-33 – “Detention Without Physical Examination of Products from Japan due to Radionuclide Contamination.”

This part of the viral post is true, but everything else is false.

Fact #2 : FDA Import Alert #99-33 Was Limited To Certain Prefectures

The FDA Import Alert #99-33 did not ban the import of all Japanese food products, as the viral post claimed.

It only targeted Japan’s own restrictions at the prefecture level, using Section 801(a)(2) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act:

FDA-regulated products are subject to refusal and will be refused admission into the United States if the products appear to be forbidden or restricted for sale in the country in which they were produced or from which they were exported.

Fact #3 : FDA Cancelled Import Alert #99-33 In September 2021

On September 21, 2022, the US FDA deactivated (cancelled) Import Alert #99-33. Since then, there has been no ban on any food product from the five affected prefectures of Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and Ibaraki.

Now, after an extensive analysis of Japan’s robust control measures that include decontamination, monitoring and enforcement; after reviewing the results of 10 years of sampling food products from Japan; and after determining a very low risk to American consumers from radioactive contaminated foods imported from Japan, FDA has decided that the IA is no longer necessary to protect public health and therefore should be deactivated.

Despite this cancellation of the import ban more than a year ago, the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) continues to spread this fake story on WhatsApp, as well as social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Fact #4 : Australia Did Not Stop Issuing Visa To Japanese Travellers

Australia never suspended visa issuance for Japanese travels over the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident.

Fact #5 : US Did Not Suspend Japanese Immigration

The United States never suspended immigration of Japanese citizens over the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident.

Fact #6 : Japan Did Not Supply Contaminated Food To Tourists

This claim has been repeatedly promoted by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and is categorically false.

Japan did not reserve their contaminated food supply for consumption by tourists, while importing food for their own citizens. Neither did Chinese tourists to Japan suffer “strange diseases of varying degrees”.

Those are just lies created by the wumao to scare Chinese citizens into boycotting Japan and Japanese food products.

Fact #7 : Fukushima Radiation Only Affected A Small Area Of Japan

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident did not affect 70% of Japanese territory.

The Government of Japan established a 30 kilometre no-fly zone, and a 20 kilometre exclusion zone, around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Aerial survey of the radioactive caesium levels in May 2012 show that only a small part of Japan was affected.

Fact #8 : Harmful Radionuclides Were Removed From Wastewater

Both fresh water and seawater were used to cool down the melting nuclear fuel rods and spent fuel rods stored at the facility.

Measures were quickly taken to block the seepage of the contaminated wastewater into the sea and water table. For example, TEPCO poured a 60 cm-thick concrete wall covering 70,000 square meters of ocean seabed.

There were occasional accidental discharges of radioactive wastewater, but generally the radioactive wastewater was stored in massive storage tanks and treated using the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS).

ALPS removed harmful radionuclides like caesium and strontium from the wastewater, leaving only tritium – a mildly radioactive and far less harmful hydrogen isotope.

Fact #9 : Decontaminated Wastewater Used To Keep Reactors Cooled

The water treatment system became fully-functional, together with water recycling systems on 3 July 2011.

The decontaminated wastewater thereafter is being 100% reused to keep the reactors cooler, so no additional volume of contaminated water would be generated.

Fact #10 : Excess Decontaminated Wastewater To Be Released

A large amount of treated wastewater remain at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, and on April 13, 2021, the Government of Japan announced that the treated wastewater would be released in 2023.

The US FDA says that the treated wastewater presents an “extremely low” health risk even if consumed, which is rather minimised because it’s being discharged into the vast ocean.

According to scientific experts from interagency advisory teams and FDA representatives to the US Advisory Team for Environment, Food and Health, the release of the treated wastewater will have “no effect on the safety of foods imported from Japan“.

In other words, the FDA considers food from Japan to be perfectly safe to import and consume, even after the treated wastewater is released into the ocean.

This is just another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

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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.

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Is Biden Admin Bringing Back FULL COVID Restrictions?!

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Is the Biden Administration preparing to bring back FULL COVID-19 restrictions beginning in mid-September 2023?! Find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-08-24 : Added a fact check video, updated parts of the article
Originally posted @ 2023-08-19

Claim : Biden Admin Bringing Back Full COVID Restrictions!

People are sharing an InfoWars article which claims that the Biden Administration is preparing to bring back FULL COVID-19 restrictions, beginning in mid-September 2023!

The article is pretty long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

EXCLUSIVE: Biden Admin Preparing to Bring Back FULL Covid Restrictions, Rollout to Begin Mid-September

Whistleblowers from the TSA and Border Patrol have raised the alarm to Infowars that the Biden administration is setting the stage for full Covid lockdowns that will begin with incremental restrictions like masking TSA employees in mid-September.

The first source, a high-level TSA official confirmed and known to Infowars, reached out to Infowars and cited a Tuesday meeting in which TSA managers were told new memorandums & policies were being completed that would reimplement masking, starting with TSA & airport employees as early as mid-September.

The TSA official also said next week they will receive new guidelines on how the policy will escalate: by mid-October, mask-wearing will be required by pilots, flight staff, passengers, and airport patrons.

After hearing from the TSA manager, Infowars reached out to our trusted Border Patrol source who is also a manager. This source confirmed the same directives were being given to Border Patrol.

They were told it was not a matter of “if” but “when” official Covid numbers will go back up and they expect by mid-October a return to forced-masking policies that the Biden administration previously only reluctantly ended after massive pressure.

Both whistleblowers were told this rollout will be in tandem with the new Covid “variant” hysteria that the MSM has been reporting on this week.

Infowars’ analysis is clear: this new rollout’s timing is perfect for the embattled Biden administration to put the country back in a state of civil emergency and even martial law to further divide and confuse the public and move forward with the greatest election meddling in history.

Many times, Alex Jones has warned that the system will bring back biomedical tyranny. And the launch of this new crisis in September will allow a build-up of control that would allow the use of mail-in ballots for the next presidential election.

Remember, mail-in ballots were decisive for Biden’s victory last election.

We now know the Covid lockdowns were an international psychological warfare operation run by the Ministry of Defense and Pentagon.

Countries worldwide implemented fear campaigns for political purposes and to push experimental shots.

But this time around, the masses have awakened to the globalist playbook of conquest, and may not be as receptive to MSM hysteria.

Simply put, the Deep State is getting desperate and is behaving like a cornered animal.

Show less

No Evidence Biden Administration Is Bringing Back COVID Restrictions!

Let’s take a look at what Infowars just claimed, and find out what the facts really are!

Fact #1 : InfoWars Is Notorious Fake News Website

First, let me just point out that InfoWars is notorious for posting conspiracy theories and fake news.

2020 study by four universities – Northeastern, Harvard, Northwestern, and Rutgers, found that InfoWars was amongst the top 5 most shared websites for COVID-19 fake news.
InfoWars is listed as #4 on the Top 10 Worst Anti-Science Websites list.
InfoWars video editor Josh Owens admitted to intentionally creating misleading videos – “It’s not about truth, it’s not about accuracy — it’s about what’s going to make people click on this video…In essence, we lied.“

Both Alex Jones and InfoWars have been subjected to multiple lawsuits, losing them one after another. In December 2022, he and the InfoWars parent company was ordered to pay about $1.5 billion for spreading lies about the 2002 Sandy Hook mass shooting.

Based on its reputation, everything posted by InfoWars should be considered as FAKE NEWS until proven otherwise.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should NEVER share anything from InfoWars. Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Fact #2 : Alex Jones + InfoWars Provided No Evidence

If you watch the InfoWars video where Alex Jones detailed the “exclusive news” that the Biden Administration is planning to bring back FULL COVID-19 restrictions, you may be forgiven for thinking that all those papers on his table were leaked memorandum and policy documents that TSA and Border Patrol whistleblowers provided.

It’s easy to make outlandish claims, it’s quite another thing to back them with actual evidence. Needless to say, InfoWars offered ZERO evidence to back up its claims.

Fact #3 : Lockdowns Were Necessary Because There Was No Vaccine

In his video, Alex Jones said that his whistleblowers were told to expect “a return to the full COVID protocol of 2020/2021” by December 2023.

Lockdowns were used as a way to limit transmission, and prevent hospitals and healthcare workers from being overloaded with COVID-19 patients.

So the claim that the Biden Administration is going to implement COVID-19 lockdowns in December 2023 over the new Eris EG.5 variant is not supported by the prevailing evidence.

Fact #4 : WHO Declared COVID-19 Is No Longer PHEIC

It is interesting that the whistleblowers mentioned that the World Health Organization (WHO) may declare (an emergency?) over the new EG.5 Eris variant.

Fact #5 : Eris Variant Is Not More Dangerous

The WHO has been monitoring the new EG.5 “Eris” variant, designating it as a “variant of interest”. However, that does not mean Eris is a more dangerous variant.

According to the WHO, the EG. 5 variant has increased prevalence, growth advantage, and immune escape properties, but…

presents a low public health risk at a global level, and
has no reported changes in disease severity to date

While it is possible that EG.5 / Eris will become the dominant COVID-19 variant moving into the winter months of 2023, it has the same symptoms and severity as past variants.

Fact #6 : New Vaccines Are Coming In September 2023

EG.5 is part of the XBB lineage and is more closely related to the XBB variants than it is to previous vaccine strains.

For this reason, the expectation is that the reformulated vaccines that will be available this fall will offer better protection to EG.5 than previous vaccines.

– Justin Lessler, professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

In short, there really isn’t a need for new lockdowns, because the improved COVID-19 vaccines are already coming in the fall of 2023.

Fact #7 : Biden Administration Does Not Want New Lockdowns

The path forward in the fight against COVID-19 is clear: schools, workers, and workplaces have resources and guidance to prevent shutdowns.

Fact #8 : Face Mask Order Would Be Issued By CDC

However, the CDC face mask mandate was made “unenforceable” by court order on April 18, 2022, and expired when the Biden Administration ended the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 11, 2023.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

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.

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PSA : You Still Need Physical Driving Licence Overseas!

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Please be warned – you still need a physical driving licence when you are driving overseas! Your digital driving licence is most likely not valid or legal overseas!

Fined Overseas For Not Having Physical Driving Licence!

In May 2023, two Malaysian men were fined for failing to produce their physical driving licences in Thailand.

Both men were stopped by police while riding motorcycles on car lanes in Phuket. When the Thai police officer asked for their driving licence, they showed their digital driving licences using the MyJPJ app.

However, the Thai police officer said that their digital driving licences were not valid, even though the men explained Malaysia adopted the digital driving licence in February 2023.

In the end, both men had to pay a compound at the police station for not having a valid driving licence.

Even though the incident occurred several months ago, the issue only went viral after the men posted their video in Twitter on 3 August 2023.

And lepastu kalau bawa kenderaan ke Thailand, polis sana mintak kita fizikal kad, kalau takde boleh kena saman

Puas aku explain cakap malaysia dah tak pakai physical card, dia kata tak boleh! End up aku dgn @iqbalasyrafff kena saman jugak 😂 https://t.co/rLBuZSSRsZ pic.twitter.com/2BcCQjY7q8

— acapkay (@acapkay) August 3, 2023

PSA : You Still Need Physical Driving Licence Overseas!

Please be warned that even though Malaysia has adopted the digital driving licence (e-LLM) since 10 February 2023, it is only valid in Malaysia, and not overseas!

In the future, other countries will likely accept digital driving licences, but until that happens, you still need to bring and use a physical driving licence while driving overseas.

On 5 August 2023, Malaysia Transport Minister Anthony Loke commented on the two Malaysian men who were fined in Thailand for failing to produce a physical driving licence. He said that the digital licence is only valid in Malaysia.

He pointed out that the matter (of accepting digital licences) was subject to laws in that country, and the ministry has no authority to determine how laws in other countries are enforced.

He also said that the Road Transport Department (JPJ) will continue to issue physical driving licences, so those who wish to drive overseas should apply for one at JPJ branches when renewing their driving licence.

We have no stopped the issuance of physical copies of driving licences, so if they want to drive in a country that requires a physical licence then they can apply for it at RTD counters when renewing their licence.
– Malaysia Transport Minister Anthony Loke

Physical Driving Licence Only Available In JPJ Branches

Truth be told – this was already mentioned when the digital driving licence was adopted in February 2023. This was what I pointed out back then:

JPJ will continue to offer the physical driving licence to motorists who still prefer it, or need one to drive overseas.

But understandably, many of us probably missed that part. Or forgot that foreign governments may not readily accept the new digital driving licence.

While I’m here, I should also point out that the physical driving licence is now available only at JPJ branches. This may be a bit of a hassle, since it used to be available in Pos Malaysia branches too.

But the good news is – you can now renew your driving licence for 10 years, with a 10% discount to boot! So this should be a once-in-a-decade hassle.

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The Last Video Of Titan Sub At Titanic Wreck Fact Check!

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Does the last video of the OceanGate Titan sub show it exploring the Titanic wreck before imploding suddenly?!

Take a look at the viral videos, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : This Is The Last Video Of Titan Sub At Titanic Wreck!

People are sharing what they claim are the leaked last video showing the OceanGate Titan sub exploring the Titanic wreck before imploding suddenly!

supremewarlock2.0 : this is lost footage of the missing titan submarine that was recovered in the bebris found by divers. the camera was apart the the titansub but got detracted due to faulty installment and pressure. #missingsubmarineupdate #missingsubmarine #titanic #titansubmarine #titansub #subarmineimpolded #rip #fyp

motet.tv : Unbelievable! Titanic Submarine Footage.. #titanic #submarinemissing #viral #oceangate #news #missingsubmarine

Nick’s Excursions : The Titan submarine’s last footage #titan #titanic

A G Creation : Titanic Submarine Exclusive Footage Last moment

Truth : OceanGate Titan Sub Last Videos Are All Fake!

This is yet another example of FAKE VIDEOS created by “content creators” to generate views and/or controversy, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : There Are No Videos Of Titan Sub On Its Last Dive

First, I should just quickly point out that no videos were recorded of the OceanGate Titan at the Titanic wreck during its ill-fated dive on 18 June 2023.

It was the only submersible / submarine known to be in the area, and it was at a depth of almost 4,000 metres / 13,000 feet when it imploded.

No diver can dive that low, and there are no other deep-diving submersibles / submarines nearby. So it is impossible for anyone to have recorded its descent or its exploration of the Titanic wreck from outside.

Fact #2 : Some Of The Videos Are Computer Simulations

Some of the viral videos are computed-generated simulations of what an implosion of the OceanGate Titan sub might look like.

Unfortunately, it looks like they are being misappropriated and passed off as real implosion videos of the Titan sub on WhatsApp, TikTok, and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Fact #3 : Wreck Video Was From Barbados Submarine

One particular video called MISSING TITANIC SUBMARINE FOOTAGE BEFORE DISAPPEARANCE!! went viral on Facebook, claiming to show the leaked footage of the Titanic wreck recorded from inside the Titan sub before it imploded.

The truth is – that video was recorded from an Atlantis submarine touring the Lord Willoughby shipwreck that sank near Barbados in 1976. That was a real submarine operating in Barbados, and not a submersible like the OceanGate Titan.

The Lord Willoughby wreck sits in just sixty feet / 18 metres of water, so it is bright enough to view without external lighting. The Titanic wreck, on the other hand, is in pitch darkness at almost 4 kilometres / 2.5 miles deep!

Fact #4 : Some Are GTA V Gameplay Videos With Titan Mod

There are also quite a number of videos that claim to show the OceanGate Titan sub exploring the Titanic wreck before it imploded. In all likelihood, the Titan sub imploded before it even reached the wreck.

But what is certain is that those are just gameplay videos from the Grand Theft Auto V game, using the OceanGate Titan submarine mod that was released on June 22, 2023.

Because of the intense interest in the Titan sub tragedy, the Titan sub mod went viral, with many GTA V gamers using it to play at piloting it underwater.

Unfortunately, some people are using the Titan sub mod in GTA V to create videos that they are passing off as real videos of the OceanGate Titan sub.

Fact #5 : They Are Just Fake Videos

This is just another example of fake videos created to generate views and/or controversies. Here are some other recent examples you may have seen recently:

Because there is still so much interest in the OceanGate Titan tragedy, you can expect more fake videos to surface.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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Long Queues At KLIA From Immigration Work To Rule Protest?!

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Are travellers queuing up for hours at KLIA after immigration officers started a Work to Rule protest?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Long Queues At KLIA Due To Immigration Work To Rule Protest!

People are sharing a video, claiming that it shows long queues at KLIA after immigration officers started a Work to Rule protest, over recent accusations of corruption!

Work to rule being enforced by immigration officers in KLIA as protest over the recent issue. Terrible if true! 🫢🧐🤨🤨🤨

Here’s a You Tuber telling us his story at the KLIA today. 😰😥😱

In the 1 minute and 22 seconds long video, a foreign tourist is seen complaining that he had to spend 2 hours getting through immigration at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

After waiting in line for an hour, he was sent to an immigration office where he had to wait for another hour before he was questioned. Only after an extensive questioning was the tourist released with a 90-day pass.

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/WhatsApp-Video-2023-07-04-at-14.35.19.mp4?_=3

No Evidence Long Queues At KLIA Are Due To Immigration Protest!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why!

Fact #1 : Fake News Is Based On Immigration Corruption Claims

First, I should point out that this fake news is based on the recent accusations of corruption involving immigration officers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). Here is a quick recap.

On Thursday, 29 June 2023, two ladies arrived at KLIA from Shenzhen, China – a senior official of a Chinese government-owned TV station, and her personal assistant.

The senior official was duly cleared and allowed entry by the Immigration Department, but her personal assistant was denied entry, and allegedly told that there were discrepancies in her travel documents. The lady was allegedly told that she would need to pay several thousand ringgit to be allowed to enter Malaysia.

The Chinese TV official called up the consulate general of Malaysia in Guangzhou to seek help. The consulate general’s staff then contacted Malaysia Tourism Minister Tiong King Sing, who went to KLIA to investigate the matter. The personal assistant was later allowed to enter Malaysia, after the Minister intervened.

A day later, Tiong claimed that there was a “culture of corruption” within the Immigration Department’s handling of foreign visitors at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

I feel it is high time that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) enter KLIA in full force to probe what is actually happening in this major entry point.

I’m grateful that my presence there managed to uncover an embarrassing situation for the country, in which there is a culture of corruption among a number of officers as well as chronic abuse of power at the country’s major gateway.

Tiong also said that he learnt that some immigration officers would demand up to RM3,000 to free tourists from detention, and he would be sending the information to the MACC.

They would demand RM3,000 to enable the tourists to go through a ‘special lane’ and RM12,000 for visa processing costs.

Fact #2 : Unknown If Work To Rule Is Happening

I should also point out that the term, work to rule, refers to a situation where employees strictly follow their working hours, and do no more than the minimum required by their contract or job.

By that definition, it is unknown if any Immigration officer in KLIA is currently “protesting” through work to rule measures. They could simply be seen as doing their jobs, but nothing beyond that.

Fact #3 : Video Was Taken In May 2022

While it is impossible to know whether immigration officers are protesting through work to rule action, I can tell you that the viral video has absolutely nothing to do with the current controversy involving Malaysian Immigration officers at KLIA.

That’s because the video was originally taken in May 2022. The YouTuber in the video is called Ken Abroad, and he posted the video on 22 May 2023, with the title, “I Almost Got Denied Entry To Malaysia 🇲🇾“.

In the video, he detailed his journey from his home in Germany to Malaysia, via Turkey. When he landed in KLIA over a year ago, he spent more than 2 hours getting through immigration.

But notably – Ken Abroad was released without paying a single cent to immigration officers. Neither did he accuse them of corruption.

Fact #4 : Video Was Edited

The viral video originally had a long runtime of 15 minutes and 51 seconds, but was cropped to just 1 minute and 22 seconds.

Whoever cut this video to share on WhatsApp and social media platforms would obviously be aware that this was originally posted more than a year ago on YouTube.

Fact #5 : Complaints About KLIA Queues Are Perennial

Complaints about long queues at KLIA immigration are perennial. If you check social media, you can see people complaining about this months and years ago, even before the COVID-19 pandemic!

Such queues are also not limited to KLIA immigration counters. They have been documented in airports all over the world, especially in very busy airports (like Heathrow and LAX), and during busy times (when multiple flights land at around the same time).

Just because there is a queue at the immigration counters does not mean there is any industrial work to rule action going on. Often, it just means that there is a large number of people queuing up to get processed.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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Malaysia Airlines Passengers Won’t Need To Turn Off Devices!

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Passengers on Malaysia Airlines, Firefly and MASwings won’t need to switch off personal devices during take-off and landing! Here is what you need to know!

Malaysia Airlines Passengers Won’t Need To Turn Off Devices!

On Tuesday, 28 June 2023, the Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) announced that its airlines – Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, and MASwings – are the first airlines to enable Gate-to-Gate connectivity for passengers by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).

From 1 July 2023 onwards, passengers on three airlines can keep their personal devices switched on at all times. There is no longer the need to switch off your phone, tablet, laptop, or other devices, or stow them during take-off or landing.

As long as those devices must have their wireless connectivity turned off using the “Airplane Mode” or “Flight Mode“, you can continue to use them during take-off, or landing. This allows you to continue working on your laptop, or watch downloaded content on your phone or tablet during the entire journey, without interruption.

With this new regulatory approval, Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, and MASwings are the first airlines to allow Gate-to-Gate connectivity for passengers departing from Malaysia.

We are committed to providing exceptional customer service and innovative travel experiences which places customers at the heart of everything we do.

By enabling gate-to-gate connectivity across all our airlines, it allows passengers to stay connected throughout their journey with us; whether it’s to keep their loved ones updated on the move or even get some work done during their flight.

– MAG CEO Ahmad Luqman Mohd Azmi

Malaysia Airlines To Provide Free Wi-Fi For 2H 2023!

Malaysia Airlines also announced that it will provide limited free Wi-Fi connectivity to its Business Suite, Business Class, and Enrich Platinum (regardless of ticket class) passengers from 1 July until 31 December 2023.

Each passenger will be given up to 100 MB of free Wi-Fi data per sector to use, at a speed of up to 512 kbps. This free Wi-Fi offer will be made available on 20 Malaysia Airlines aircraft.

Beyond that free limit, passengers can continue to surf the Internet through its pay-per-use Wi-Fi offering. In addition, all passengers can access its wireless in-flight entertainment system through its web-based MHStudio service.

As part of our connectivity strategy, we will be actively expanding the number of our aircraft equipped with Wi-Fi to provide an improved in-flight experience to our valued customers. With a focus on safety, comfort, and convenience, we are dedicated to making air travel more accessible and enjoyable for all of our passengers.

We will continue to invest in innovative technologies and services to meet the changing needs and provide comfort to our passengers as guests to our ‘home’.

– MAG CEO Ahmad Luqman Mohd Azmi

The wireless connectivity onboard MAS aircraft, and passenger ability to use their devices from Gate-to-Gate, will come in handy with the refreshed Boeing 737 cabin, which feature lightweight seats that lack in-flight entertainment screens.

Instead, these new seats will come with a personal device holder, and a pair of USB Type A and USB Type C charging ports.

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2023 Public + School Holidays For Malaysia!

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To help you plan your holidays in the new year, here is a summary of the public and school holidays in Malaysia for 2023!

Updated @ 2023-06-27 : Added extra public holiday for Hari Raya Haji 2023.
Updated @ 2023-04-20 : Added extra public holiday for Hari Raya 2023.
Updated @ 2023-04-11 : Added extra school holiday for Hari Raya 2023.
Updated @ 2023-04-07 : Added extra school holidays for 2023 / 2024 school term.
Originally posted @ 2023-01-02

2023 Public Holidays For Malaysia

Here are the public holidays for Malaysia in the year 2023. Some of these days may be subject to change.

Date	Day	Holiday	States
1 Jan	Sun	New Year’s Day	All states except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Terengganu
2 Jan	Mon	New Year’s Day	All states except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu
14 Jan	Sat	YDPB Negeri Sembilan’s Birthday	Negeri Sembilan
22 Jan 23 Jan	Sun Mon	Chinese New Year	All states
24 Jan	Tue	Chinese New Year	All states except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu
1 Feb	Wed	Federal Territory Day	Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, Putrajaya
5 Feb	Sun	Thaipusam	Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Putrajaya and Selangor
6 Feb	Mon	Thaipusam	Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Putrajaya and Selangor
18 Feb	Sat	Israk and Mikraj	Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Perlis and Terengganu
19 Feb	Sun	Israk and Mikraj	Terengganu
4 Mar 5 Mar	Sat Sun	Accession Anniversary of Terengganu Sultan	Terengganu
23 Mar	Thu	Awal Ramadan	Johor, Kedah and Melaka
23 Mar	Thu	Johor Sultan’s Birthday	Johor
7 Apr	Fri	Good Friday	Sabah and Sarawak
8 Apr	Sat	Nuzul al-Quran	All states except Johor, Kedah, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak
9 Apr	Sun	Nuzul al-Quran	Kelantan and Terengganu
15 Apr	Sat	Declaration of Melaka as a Historical City	Melaka
21 Apr 22 Apr 23 Apr	Fri Sat Sun	Hari Raya Aidilfitri	All states
24 Apr	Mon	Hari Raya Aidilfitri	All states except Johor + Kedah
26 Apr	Wed	Sultan of Terengganu’s Birthday	Terengganu
1 May	Mon	Labour Day	All states
4 May	Thu	Wesak Day	All states
17 May	Wed	Raja of Perlis’ Birthday	Perlis
22 May	Mon	Hari Hol Pahang	Pahang
30 May 31 May	Tue Wed	Harvest Festival	Labuan and Sabah
1 Jun 2 Jun	Thu Fri	Hari Gawai	Sarawak
5 Jun	Mon	YDP Agong’s Birthday	All states
18 Jun	Sun	Sultan of Kedah’s Birthday	Kedah
28 Jun	Wed	Arafat Day	Kedah and Terengganu
29 Jun	Thu	Hari Raya Haji	All states
30 Jun	Fri	Hari Raya Haji	Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, Terengganu + Selangor
7 Jul	Fri	Georgetown World Heritage City Day	Penang
8 Jul	Sat	Penang Governor’s Birthday	Penang
19 Jul	Wed	Awal Muharram	All states
22 Jul	Sat	Sarawak Day	Sarawak
30 Jul 31 Jul	Sun Mon	Sultan of Pahang’s Birthday	Pahang
23 Aug	Wed	Hari Hol Almarhum Sultan Iskandar	Johor
24 Aug	Thu	Melaka Governor’s Birthday	Melaka
31 Aug	Thu	Merdeka Day	All states
16 Sep	Sat	Malaysia Day	All states
17 Sep	Sun	Malaysia Day	Kelantan and Terengganu
28 Sep	Thu	Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday	All states
7 Oct	Sat	Sabah Governor’s Birthday	Sabah
14 Oct	Sat	Sarawak Governor’s Birthday	Sarawak
3 Nov	Fri	Sultan of Perak’s Birthday	Perak
11 Nov	Sat	Sultan of Kelantan’s Birthday	Kelantan
12 Nov 13 Nov	Sun Mon	Sultan of Kelantan’s Birthday	Kelantan
12 Nov	Sun	Deepavali	All states except Sarawak
13 Nov	Mon	Deepavali	All states except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Sarawak and Terengganu
11 Dec	Mon	Sultan of Selangor’s Birthday	Selangor
24 Dec	Sun	Christmas Eve	Sabah
25 Dec	Mon	Christmas Day	All states
26 Dec	Tue	Christmas Holiday	Sabah

2023 School Holidays For Malaysia

This is quite confusing for many of us parents, so here is a quick summary of the school holidays for the year 2023.

Group A Schools

Here are the school holidays for Group A states of Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.

Holiday	Start	End	Days
2022 Year End Holiday	17 Feb	18 Mar	30
2023 Mid-Term 1 Holiday	21 Apr	29 Apr	9
2023 End-Term 1 Holiday	26 May	3 Jun	9
2023 Term 2 Holiday	25 Aug	2 Sep	9
2023 Term 3 Holiday	15 Dec	1 Jan	18

In addition, the government also announced these extra holidays for Group A schools:

Festival Holidays	Group A	Notes
Chinese New Year	Sunday to Tuesday, 22 to 24 January 2023	1 extra day
Hari Raya Aidilfitri	Wednesday, 19 April 2023 Thursday, 20 April 2023	2 extra days
Hari Raya Qurban	Wednesday, 28 June 2023	1 extra day
Hari Deepavali	Sunday, 12 November 2023 Monday, 13 November 2023	Public Holiday 1 extra day

Group B Schools

Holiday	Start	End	Days
2022 Year End Holiday	18 Feb	19 Mar	30
2023 Mid-Term 1 Holiday	22 Apr	30 Apr	9
2023 End-Term 1 Holiday	27 May	4 Jun	9
2023 Term 2 Holiday	26 Aug	3 Sep	9
2023 Term 3 Holiday	16 Dec	1 Jan	17

In addition, the government also announced these extra holidays for Group B schools:

Festival Holidays	Group B	Notes
Chinese New Year	Friday to Tuesday, 20 to 24 January 2023	1 extra day
Hari Raya Aidilfitri	Wednesday, 19 April 2023 Thursday, 20 April 2023 Friday, 21 April 2023	3 extra days
Pesta Kaamatan	Only for Sabah + Labuan Tuesday, 30 May 2023 Wednesday, 31 May 2023	2 extra days
Hari Gawai Dayak	Only for Sarawak Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023	2 extra days
Hari Raya Qurban	Wednesday, 28 June 2023 Thursday, 29 June 2023	2 extra days
Hari Deepavali	Except Sarawak Monday, 13 November 2023 Tuesday, 14 November 2023	Replacement 1 extra day
Hari Deepavali	Only for Sarawak Monday, 13 November 2023	1 extra day
Chinese New Year	Friday, 9 February 2024 Saturday, 10 February 2024 Sunday, 11 February 2024 Monday, 12 February 2024	1 extra day Public holiday Public holiday Replacement

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Selangor Civil Servants Get Extra Hari Raya Haji Holiday!

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The Selangor state government just announced an extra Hari Raya Haji holiday for civil servants!

Selangor Civil Servants Get Extra Hari Raya Haji Holiday!

On Tuesday, 27 June 2023, the Selangor State Secretary Datuk Hari Karim announced an additional Hari Raya Haji holiday on Friday, June 30, in addition to the existing holiday on Thursday, June 29.

However, this additional Hari Raya Haji holiday will only apply to civil servants in the Selangor state’s departments, agencies, and local authorities.

Government subsidiaries (GLCs) and private companies are not subject to this directive. It will be up to each respective employer to decide whether to grant their employees an additional Hari Raya Haji holiday.

Statutory bodies, government subsidiaries and private parties, however, are not subject to this directive and are left to the discretion of their respective employers under the Employment Act 1955 (Act 265).

The additional day would grant those lucky enough to receive it a long 4-day weekend, in line with the 2023 school holidays.

This would likely result in heavy traffic on the highways as people take this opportunity to return to their hometowns to celebrate Hari Raya Haji with their families.

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PM Anwar : Extra Public Holiday For Hari Raya 2023!

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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.

He also announced four days of toll-free travel. 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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