Good morning, here's what you need to know today.

Key Highlights

• Month-long school closure
  
  
• Govt to use RM5bil from National Trust Fund
  
  
• AstraZeneca for the elderly
  
  

Month-long school closure

Amid rising Covid-19 cases in schools, the Education Ministry outlined a plan that would see students kept at home for more than a month.

Students will go on their week-long Hari Raya break beginning May 7 and will then learn from home for two weeks, after which, their two-week long term break will begin.

In the meantime, selected schools are being closed on an ad-hoc basis whenever Covid-19 cases are detected. In Penang, 20 schools have been closed as well as six in Negeri Sembilan and 15 in Klang, Selangor.

According to the Health Ministry, 23,739 students aged 12 and below have been infected with Covid-19 this year.

In Kelantan, where Covid-19 cases are surging, a school dorm was converted into a quarantine centre, just for infected students.

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Govt to use RM5bil from National Trust Fund

The government detailed its plan to take from the National Trust Fund (Kwan) to spend on vaccines. It intends to use RM5 billion, around a quarter of the fund.

The fund, set up in 1988 to secure the country’s future development with contributions from Petronas, was reported to be at RM19.5 billion as of Dec 31, 2020.

Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the government cannot borrow more as was is already saddled with debt, including billions owed by 1MDB.

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is facing trial for purportedly looting 1MDB, demanded to know what happened to the billions of ringgit recovered from assets allegedly purchased using stolen 1MDB funds.

Amid Putrajaya’s spending without parliamentary oversight, de facto Law Minister Takiyuddin Hassan gave his assurance that the suspension of Parliament would be lifted at the right time.

Takiyuddin also maintained there are still checks and balances, citing the functions of the MACC, National Audit Department and Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

However, PAC chairperson Wong Kah Woh disputed this. He pointed out that PAC was instructed to halt proceedings while Parliament was suspended.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Burger seller fined RM50,000 He operated beyond the set hours.
	'Govt seems to value MPs' lives more than schoolchildren' Muda rep says schools can open but not Parliament.
	Worker takes life over alleged unpaid wages He claimed to not have been paid for five months.

AstraZeneca for the elderly

With the arrival of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine last Saturday, it is facing increased scrutiny as its deployment is now imminent.

Previously, other countries had reported blood clot concerns. The Health Ministry addressed this yesterday and said it will be used on those aged 60 or older.

The policy is consistent with what other countries have undertaken to manage the risk. France, Finland and Germany have all limited the AstraZeneca vaccine to older recipients.

European regulators found the AstraZeneca vaccine was linked to rare incidents of blood clots and when they do happen, usually involved younger recipients.

Putrajaya will only decide on its use for younger recipients when more data is available. There are two approved alternatives: The Pfizer-BioNTech and Sinovac vaccines.

The government is also waiting for data on adolescents. Under 18-year-olds are not included in the Covid-19 vaccination plan for now.

HIGHLIGHTS

	MOH to propose halt to flights from India A more dangerous Covid-19 variant is raging there.
	Kwan funds for vaccines expenditure - Khairy RM3bil to buy vaccines, RM2bil for expenses
	NPRA yet to approve CanSino vaccine It's still being studied, says minister.

 

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 2,776 new cases and 13 deaths yesterday (April 26).
  
  
• The number of Covid-19 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) broke 300, the first time since Feb 6.
  
  
• Almost half of the new deaths (six of 13) were from Sarawak, where healthcare access is uneven. It was the third consecutive day of double-digit deaths. Deaths tend to rise with the number of ICU patients, suggesting more may follow.
  
  
• For trends on daily cases, tests, hospital beds capacity, vaccination progress and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.
  
  

What else is happening?

• Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin finally responded to claims of menstrual period checks in school - and he said an investigation showed there was no indication these checks existed.
  
  
• The Pahang palace revoked the "Datuk Seri" title of Nicky Liow, an underworld leader who is on the run from the police.
  
  
• Police recorded the statement of a teacher who allegedly made rape jokes to his student.
  
  
• Cops dropped their plan to remand a group of Tawau protesters who were arrested after demonstrating against the purported lack of help and food while under a Covid-19 lockdown, allowing for their release.
  
  
• The High Court in Kuala Lumpur dismissed former DAP member Hew Kuan Yau's bid to challenge the ban on his comic title, "Belt and Road Initiative for Win Winnism".
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	Deputy IGP: Rape threat against teen 'may be a joke' He confirms police reports received.
	Hydroelectric dam site put under Covid-19 lockdown A total of 243 infected, more to be tested.
	Muda hauls home minister, ROS to court again This was over a bid to register as a political party.

What are people saying?

	Critical learning points for political, health governance By Dr Musa Mohd Nordin
	Sedition probe a result of broken Harapan promise By S Thayaparan
	Absurd to not use Kwan funds for Covid-19 vaccines By Edmund Loh

KINI LENS