Author: Web Desk

MANILA – The Philippines banned firecrackers, to avoid injuries and deaths, during the New Year revelry to welcome 2022, a government official said yesterday.

Interior Secretary, Eduardo Ano, ordered local governments and the national police, to crack the whip on manufacturers, sellers, and users of illegal firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices, according to Interior Undersecretary, Jonathan Malaya.

Malaya said, the police and the local officials will enforce the ban by confiscating and destroying the prohibited firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.

The Department of Health (DOH) said, firework-related injuries increased to 25 on Dec 21-29 this year, compared with 12 cases in the same period last year. The DOH also said, the victims were primarily minors, aged from nine to 16 years old.

The government urged people to use alternatives to firecrackers, such as noise and light-producing devices, like sound systems, bells, pans, or tambourines “to prevent debilitating and life-threatening injuries.”

Filipinos make noise to greet the new year, a tradition they believe will bring good luck in the coming year.

Last year, the Philippine government also banned the use of firecrackers and urged the public to participate in community fireworks displays instead. However, at least one died and 50 others injured, as Filipinos celebrated Christmas and welcomed 2021, the health authorities said.

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

KOTA BHARU (Kelantan, Malaysia)— The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has donated essential items to the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) personnel and veterans as well Defence Ministry (MINDEF) civilian staff affected by the recent floods.

Senior Minister of Defence Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said a total of 3,000 MAF personnel involving 775 families were affected by the floods.

He said the contribution not only proved the concern of the UAE government but also highlighted the long-standing close ties between the two countries.

“The essential items include 2,000 prayer mats, 4,000 towels, 4,000 bedsheets, 4,000 blankets and 4,000 pillows,” he said here Thursday.

Hishammuddin also thanked the UAE government for always being a close friend to Malaysia.

Hishammuddin said MINDEF had so far managed to collect flood relief aid amounting to RM3.7 million (US$885,791), including cash and basic necessities.

“The donations will be fully utilised to ease the burden of not only MINDEF personnel and civilian staff, but also I personally want to focus on helping MAF veterans affected by floods that hit several states,” he said.

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

KUALA LUMPUR— The United States (US) has pledged some RM420,000 (US$100,534) for flood relief efforts to the Malaysian Red Crescent Society.

The US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur said the aid made through the United States Agency for International Development will support the provision of health services to flood affected households in Malaysia, including medical treatment, disease prevention, and mental health services.

“The United States Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, on behalf of the American people, expresses its sympathies to the victims of the recent flooding in Malaysia,” said the embassy in a statement made available to Bernama.

Meanwhile, US embassy’s Chargé d’affaires Michael Newbill said in the same statement that he and his colleagues hoped that the funds will help provide relief for the people impacted by the recent flooding.

“My colleagues and I also pulled together to raise funds to help members of our own embassy community whose homes and families were impacted by the flooding.

“We appreciate the tireless work of the Malaysian Red Crescent and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in responding to this disaster, and for their ongoing work supporting COVID-19 relief efforts,” he said.

Secretary General of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, Hakim Hamzah said these generous funds from the United States will be a big help in its ongoing efforts, as the society provides further relief efforts including food, safe water, medical supplies and hygiene kits to people across the worst affected areas in Malaysia.

Torrential rains in Malaysia have caused flooding and landslides in several states in Malaysia, claimed almost 50 lives so far, with another five still reported missing. The fatality number is the highest in the history of flood disasters in Malaysia.

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

BANGKOK— Thailand calls for an end to violence in Myanmar as clashes fuel tensions along the Thai-Myanmar border.

 

Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Tanee Sangrat said Thailand hoped all parties involved will hold talks and settle their differences as soon as possible.

 

“Besides that, all parties must restore peace and stability along the border to ensure the people are safe and are able to carry on with the routines,” he said at a press conference here today.

 

Tanee said local authorities have been working with villagers along the Thai-Myanmar border in Tak province to provide humanitarian aid to Myanmar refugees.

 

Media reported on Christmas eve, 35 people were murdered and their bodies burned in Kayah State in Eastern Myanmar.

 

They include four children and two staff members of the humanitarian organisation Save the Children.

 

As Myanmar’s neighbour, Tanee said Thailand is concerned with the violence in many parts of Myanmar.

 

Meanwhile, Tanee said Thailand hoped ASEAN and its 2022 chair, Cambodia would bring positive progress to end Myanmar crisis.

 

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

JAKARTA— After deciding to allow over 100 Rohingya refugees to safely disembark, Indonesia on Thursday dispatched one of its naval ships to tow the overcrowded stricken boat to Kruengkeukuh Port in Lhokseumawe City, near Aceh province.

On Wednesday, after initially wanting to turn away the boat, Indonesia allowed the refugees to come ashore on humanitarian grounds.

The dilapidated boat was adrift for days after it broke down and started leaking about 85 kilometres off the coast of Bireuen.

The mission to tow the boat began at 6am local time and was expected to be completed at 6.30pm amid high sea conditions, navy spokesperson First Admiral Julius Widjojono said in a statement.

On Tuesday, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, called for the immediate, life-saving disembarkation of a group of the refugees in distress on the boat.

“To prevent needless loss of life, we strongly urge the Indonesian government to allow safe disembarkation immediately,” it noted in a statement, adding that Indonesia has set an example for other countries in the region in providing refugee protection for many years.

UNHCR staff are currently on the ground, working closely with the local authorities as it stands ready to assist the government and the local community to provide immediate life-saving help for the group.

They are also coordinating with humanitarian partners to prepare for a comprehensive response, which includes a quarantine process that is in line with international standards and public health protocols.

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

KUALA LUMPUR— The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has seized various types of drugs weighing 27 metric tonnes, worth almost RM1 billion (US$239.4 million), during the period from January to Nov 30 this year.

 

Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Razarudin Husain said among the drugs seized were 7.9 tonnes of methamphetamine and 5.6 tonnes of ephedrine.

 

Based on the operational record, the success in cracking down on the biggest drug trafficking syndicates this year was in the state of Johor and Penang, which were transit locations for drug syndicates, he said.

 

However, he added that the number of drug-related arrests this year had dropped by 13 per cent, involving 120,000 people, compared with 137,738 people last year.

 

“PDRM found that 30 per cent of prisoners in Malaysia are involved with drugs, and this further reduces the country’s productivity because the government needs to increase the cost of rehabilitation, upgrade of buildings and so on,” he said in a press conference today.

 

Meanwhile, Razarudin said that a total of 346 PDRM personnel were involved in drug cases for the same period.

 

He said that a total of 340 civil servants were also involved in drug-related cases, apart from armed forces (104) and firefighters (14).

 

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK