Pandemic not a barrier to Muhyiddin’s commitment to strengthen foreign ties 28 Feb 2021 / 21:40 H. Pix for representational purpose only.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s international relations have remained largely unaffected by the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.
He said global travel restrictions had not been a hurdle to maintain strong and friendly foreign ties, and cited the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) virtual summit hosted by Kuala Lumpur late last year as a testimony to this.
The prime minister said given a choice, he personally would have preferred eye to eye meetings.
However, he stressed that the global pandemic does not mean the government must pay less attention to maintaining bilateral relations.
Indonesian police may probe coal miners over deforestation-linked floods
The Indonesian police say they might investigate coal companies for their alleged role in recent deadly floods that struck southern Borneo.
Critics accuse the companies of degrading the water catchment in South Kalimantan province through deforestation and sedimentation, which they allege amplified the impact of the rain-fueled floods.
The government, meanwhile, is under fire for issuing more permits than the previous three administrations.
Activists warn the environmental degradation in the province will only get worse under a slate of controversial deregulation measures passed by the government last year, which they say caters to coal companies at the expense of the environment.
Numerous experts have expressed appreciation for the government’s decision to make COVID-19 vaccines free of charge for all in a move announced by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Wednesday.
Sulfikar Amir, an expert in sociology of disaster at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU), gave a nod to Jokowi’s decision.
“I appreciate Pak Jokowi for making such an important and crucial decision as part of the efforts to handle the pandemic in Indonesia, which has been on for months,” Sulfikar, the initiator of Petisi Vaksin COVID-19 Gratis (Petition for free COVID-19 vaccine), said in a talk show aired by Kompas TV on Thursday, as reported by tribunnews.com.
Numerous experts have expressed appreciation for the government’s decision to make COVID-19 vaccines free of charge for all in a move announced by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Wednesday.
Sulfikar Amir, an expert in sociology of disaster at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU), gave a nod to Jokowi’s decision.
“I appreciate
Pak Jokowi for making such an important and crucial decision as part of the efforts to handle the pandemic in Indonesia, which has been on for months,” Sulfikar, the initiator of Petisi Vaksin COVID-19 Gratis (Petition for free COVID-19 vaccine), said in a talk show aired by