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

Key Highlights

• Full border reopening soon?
  
  

• MACC and political manoeuvring
  
  

• Cops want Sajat
  
  

Full border reopening soon?

The National Recovery Council led by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin has recommended to the government to fully reopen the country's borders on March 1.

A full reopening will entail allowing travellers from any country to visit Malaysia without undergoing compulsory quarantine although Covid-19 testing will still be required.

However, Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who is also the senior minister in charge of the standard operating procedures (SOPs), said a final decision will only be made after consultation with other agencies.

Hishammuddin said he needed to engage with the Health Ministry, Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry and the Immigration Department.

The proposal came amid a new Covid-19 wave due to the Omicron variant, which largely entered the country through Malaysians returning from Saudi Arabia.

In another development, temperature screening at premises will no longer be mandatory from Feb 11 onwards as it was found not to be effective in curbing Covid-19.

HIGHLIGHTS

	No way to forge Covid-19 AEFI data, says deputy health DG MOH legally bound to report side effects.
	NPRA evaluating Sinovac vaccine for young children The dossier was submitted to the agency last week.
	Physical exams begin in UM amidst Covid-19 fears Worries that students will bring Covid home to parents.

MACC and political manoeuvring

Labuan MP Rozman Isli, who was charged with corruption last October, detailed what he claimed was a political conspiracy to force him to defect, according to court documents filed in a bid to strike out the case.

The Warisan lawmaker said among those who had tried to convince him to defect from Warisan to Bersatu include a MACC officer, an aide to then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin and a deputy minister.

Rozman claimed they promised to drop the case if he left Warisan.

In December last year, Warisan's Melalap assemblyperson Peter Anthony quit his party two weeks after he was ordered to enter defence for allegedly using false documents to secure a contract.

HIGHLIGHTS

	MACC probing into Mara Corp allowance issue - Azam No report of alleged credit card abuse yet.
	Jury selection underway in ex-banker's 1MDB graft trial Roger Ng has pleaded not guilty.
	Warisan wants carbon trading deal white paper It is not satisfied with Sabah DCM's explanation.

Cops want Sajat

Entrepreneur Nur Sajat may be beyond the reach of Malaysia after being granted asylum in Australia but the local authorities are still pursuing her.

Police issued a notice to locate her for a forthcoming case where she is accused of fraudulently trying to change her name and gender in her MyKad.

Malaysia was previously unsuccessful in trying to extradite her from Thailand, where she was allowed to travel directly to Australia on grounds that she was persecuted as a transperson.

She was facing a syariah offence for dressing as a woman at a religious event.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Azmin tells Chinese businesspersons to reject kleptocrats He appeals to them ahead of the Johor polls.
	Coroner’s Court can hear contempt proceeding against ex-AG Adib’s father is allowed to commence action.
	RM16m forfeiture suit: AGC rejects representation by MP's family All parties are ordered to file written submissions by mid-May.

 

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 13,944 new cases yesterday (Feb 8), the highest since September 24 last year.
  
  
• The infectivity rate is at a record high of 1.32, putting the country on a trajectory of steep growth in fresh infections.
  

New cases by state

Selangor (3,031)
Sabah (2,069)
Johor (1,680)
Kedah (1,463)
Kelantan (1,105)
Penang (1,023)
Kuala Lumpur (1,022)
Pahang (696)
Negeri Sembilan (394)
Malacca (387)
Perak (352)
Terengganu (290)
Putrajaya (141)
Perlis (133)
Sarawak (129)
Labuan (29)

What else is happening?

• Pejuang has indicated that it does not want to cooperate with Pakatan Harapan in the Johor polls and is planning to go at it alone.
  
  
• An aide of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang defended his meeting with the Taliban, stating that it did not imply a recognition of the group.
  
  
• The local chapters of Transparency International (TI) urged transparency in the labour recruitment deal between Malaysia and Bangladesh amid the possible involvement of syndicates.
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	Activist Fahmi Reza to be charged in court on Thursday It's not revealed for which alleged offence he will be charged with.
	Athletes Mun Yee and Latif Romly granted Datukship They receive awards from Agong in conjunction with FT Day.
	Likened to girl in sex clip, student lodges police report 'I am traumatised for life.'

What are people saying?

	An open letter to my prime minister By Yusuf Hashim
	When will deaths in custody end? By AG Kalidas
	Umno’s power-sharing talk just lip service By Malaysiakini readers