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

Key Highlights

  • Covid-19 uptrend amid booster hesitancy

  • BN, Harapan launch manifestos

  • Malacca polls candidate highlights



Covid-19 uptrend amid booster hesitancy

The two-month downtrend in Covid-19 cases is showing signs of what could be a reversal in direction.

For two days in a row, new cases have outpaced recoveries, pushing the number of active cases up.

The number of new cases yesterday is also the highest in two weeks (the R-naught has gone above 1.00 in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya indicating that infection is picking up pace).

This comes amid what appears to be hesitancy to take Covid-19 booster shots, which are now available to those above 60, among others.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said 40 percent of those scheduled to receive booster shots have missed their appointments.

He warned that a low take-up in booster shots among the elderly and those with comorbidities will lead to a rise in hospitalisation numbers.

Boosters are currently available for Sinovac and Pfizer recipients, with a decision for AstraZeneca recipients soon.

HIGHLIGHTS

Show-cause letters for unvaccinated civil servants
28,000 have not been vaccinated.
Govt to improve ‘Long Covid’ care
Socso payments in the works.
Muhyiddin moots aid coordination mechanism
'This is to ensure a more efficient distribution.'

 



BN, Harapan launch manifestos

BN and Pakatan Harapan have launched their manifestos for the Malacca state election.

Both are promising to bring political stability to the state, with equal funding for all elected representatives if either coalition wins.

BN's plan, however, includes amending the state Constitution to appoint additional assemblypersons to bolster the winning coalition's majority.

Harapan, meanwhile, is proposing an anti-hopping enactment.

HIGHLIGHTS

Adly believes Harapan can play up track record
This is amid focus on party hopping.
Govt mulls campaign airtime for all parties 
The opposition may get equal time on TV.
SOP breach: Cops to call up five more candidates
Umno, Harapan candidates among them.

 



Malacca polls candidate highlights

PKR's Farzana Hayani Nasir, who is the youngest candidate in Malacca at just 21, seeks to revitalise youths' interest in politics while proving her worth in serving her potential constituents in Sungai Rambai.

DAP Malacca chief Tey Kok Kiew says his 'dangerous' foray into the Malay-majority Bemban seat is an attempt to improve the party's standing among Malays, without relying on allies to win votes for them.

Malacca Umno Youth chief Fairul Nizam Roslan wants to be a big brother to residents in Asahan, saying that if elected, he will look from before they are born until the end of their lives.

HIGHLIGHTS

Zuraida wants more women in 'winnable seats'
'Most Malacca women candidates in tough seats.'
Campaigning hindered by strict SOPs
But grassroots believe SOPs are necessary.
Malacca campaign reminds voters of the 70s
'New' methods harken back to the old days.

 


A daily glance at Covid-19

  •  6,243 new cases yesterday (Nov 10)

  • The R-naught has breached 1.00 in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya.


What else is happening?

  • Putrajaya claimed there was no evidence to support former inspector-general of police Abdul Hamid Bador's claim that a powerful "cartel of dirty cops" is causing problems to the police service.

  • The government is spending RM50,000 per month each on three advisors to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, including for their staff.

  • Local telcos are reportedly snubbing the government's 5G network being rolled out via Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) due to transparency and pricing issues.

  • Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man defended Malaysia’s greenhouse gas emissions reporting mechanism after the Washington Post accused the country of providing skewed data.

HIGHLIGHTS

Court gives Bung passport back temporarily
It's for a Middle East business trip.
Nazri calls for death penalty abolition
He says execution is illogical.
M'sia, Indonesia to implement travel corridor
It will be done in stages.

 


What are people saying?

What Malacca political battle means to all parties
By James Chai
Malacca polls: A voting retrospective
By Bridget Welsh
Amateur hour in Najib, Rosmah forfeiture suit
By Malaysiakini readers