55 jemaah umrah Malaysia terkandas di Jeddah

 Seorang jemaah berkata mereka dijadualkan pulang dengan penerbangan Malaysia Airlines MH159 pada 9.30 malam 2 Mac ini.

Ketegangan di Timur Tengah meningkat susulan serangan bersama Amerika Syarikat dan Israel ke atas Iran pada Sabtu yang menyebabkan penutupan ruang udara di beberapa bahagian rantau itu. (Gambar EPA Images)

KUALA LUMPUR:

 Kira-kira 55 jemaah umrah Malaysia di bawah kendalian sebuah agensi terkandas di Jeddah selepas penerbangan pulang mereka yang dijadualkan awal pagi Sabtu dibatalkan.

Seorang jemaah, Nasarudin Kassim, 57, memaklumkan mereka sepatutnya berlepas pulang ke tanah air pada 1 pagi waktu tempatan, namun dimaklumkan pembatalan itu oleh syarikat penerbangan pada 8 malam sebelumnya.

Beliau berkata, kumpulan jemaah itu kini ditempatkan sementara di sebuah hotel di Jeddah oleh syarikat penerbangan sementara menunggu jadual penerbangan seterusnya.

Selain kumpulan dari agensi itu, terdapat beberapa kumpulan jemaah dari agensi lain turut terkesan dan ditempatkan di hotel sama.

Nasarudin berkata, berdasarkan maklumat terkini, mereka dijadualkan berlepas pulang melalui penerbangan Malaysia Airlines MH159 pada 9.30 malam 2 Mac ini, tetapi lokasi pelepasan diubah dari Jeddah ke Madinah.

“Situasi di sini buat masa ini tenang dan terkawal. Pihak agensi dan syarikat penerbangan menyediakan penginapan hotel untuk kami sementara menunggu Isnin nanti,” katanya ketika dihubungi Bernama.

Terdahulu, Malaysia Airlines membatalkan beberapa penerbangan hari ini serta esok antara Kuala Lumpur dan Doha, Jeddah serta Madinah susulan penutupan ruang udara di beberapa bahagian Timur Tengah.

Konsulat Jeneral Malaysia di Jeddah dalam kenyataan di Facebook malam ini memaklumkan pihaknya sentiasa memantau perkembangan dan keadaan terkini di rantau itu.

“Situasi di seluruh Arab Saudi ketika ini selamat dan terkawal. Namun, rakyat Malaysia di Arab Saudi dinasihatkan peka dengan perkembangan semasa dan diminta kekal tenang.

“Konsulat Jeneral Malaysia di Jeddah sentiasa berkomunikasi dengan pihak berkuasa mengenai situasi semasa dan sebarang perkembangan penting yang memerlukan tindakan lanjut akan dimaklumkan segera.”

Rakyat Malaysia yang menetap di wilayah barat Arab Saudi dan melaksanakan umrah serta ziarah dimohon memuat turun aplikasi MyWorldAlert bagi memantau situasi semasa dan memudahkan bantuan diberikan.

Ketegangan di Timur Tengah meningkat susulan serangan bersama Amerika Syarikat dan Israel ke atas Iran pada Sabtu, dengan Israel menyifatkannya “serangan awal” terhadap musuh ketatnya bagi “menghapuskan ancaman”.

Serangan itu menyusul tindakan AS meningkatkan kehadiran tenteranya secara besar-besaran di rantau berkenaan bagi memberi tekanan kepada Tehran untuk mengurangkan program nuklearnya serta tindakan keras di Iran terhadap protes besar-besaran. - FMT

Lelaki 44 tahun korban terbaharu rabies di Sarawak

 Siasatan mendapati mangsa tiada sejarah gigitan anjing atau kucing, namun sering memberi makanan kepada anjing liar dan memelihara 15 ekor anjing di rumahnya.

Ini menjadikan keseluruhan 91 kes dengan 84 kematian sejak wabak rabies diisytiharkan pada Julai 2017. (Gambar Pixabay)

KUCHING:

 Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri Sarawak mengesahkan satu kematian akibat rabies membabitkan lelaki 44 tahun di negeri ini, menjadikan keseluruhan 91 kes dengan 84 kematian sejak wabak itu diisytiharkan pada Julai 2017.

Mangsa yang bekerja sebagai buruh kasar dan tinggal bersendirian di Kota Samarahan, meninggal dunia di Hospital Umum Sarawak Rabu lalu.

Menurutnya, mangsa mula mengalami gejala sukar berjalan, hilang selera makan, sakit lutut kanan, badan lemah serta pening pada 15 Feb lalu, sebelum dibawa ke Pusat Jantung Sarawak dan dirujuk ke Hospital Umum Sarawak pada hari sama.

“Pesakit dimasukkan ke wad perubatan dan keadaannya semakin merosot sebelum diberikan bantuan pernafasan pada 22 Feb lalu,” katanya dalam kenyataan.

Siasatan mendapati mangsa tiada sejarah gigitan anjing atau kucing, namun sering memberi makanan kepada anjing liar serta memelihara 15 ekor anjing di rumahnya.

“Seekor anjing peliharaannya dilaporkan mati awal bulan ini dan ditanam jiran, manakala 14 ekor lagi diasingkan untuk pemantauan lanjut.” - FMT

New PN chief Samsuri rejects ‘green wave’ notion

 Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar of PAS says his appointment as chairman of Perikatan Nasional is not about labels but about positive change.

Perikatan Nasional chairman Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said external narratives should not define Perikatan Nasional’s direction. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 Perikatan Nasional’s newly-appointed chairman, Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, has dismissed the notion that his appointment is meant to reshape perceptions of the “green wave” through his image as a technocrat.

He said his focus was not on labels, but on bringing positive change into society.

“For me, it is not about waves. What is most important is that we carry a clear message, which is to make Malaysia a better country,” the New Straits Times quoted him as saying in Serdang today.

The term “green wave” became popular to describe the gains made by PAS in elections between 2018 and 2022.

Samsuri, a PAS vice-president who is also Terengganu menteri besar, said external narratives should not define the opposition coalition’s direction. “What is most important now is that we strengthen PN and reinforce national unity, including in Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

Samsuri was appointed PN chairman on Feb 22 after a two-month impasse over the post following the resignation of Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin.

PAS Youth, describing Samsuri as a “calm and results-focused” technocrat and leader, has previously proposed that he should be the PAS candidate for the prime ministership.

Samsuri has a PhD in aeronautical engineering from Leeds, and is known as Dr Sam. PAS Youth said had brought Terengganu to greater heights as a “scholar and politician who works for the people without much political drama”. - FMT

Form 6 studies now listed as post-secondary education

 Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says the Form 6 programme had been seen to be ‘neglected’ compared with matriculation and other pre-university pathways.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaking at a breaking of fast event of the education ministry and higher education ministry in Putrajaya today. (Bernama pic)

PUTRAJAYA:

 Form 6 studies will be categorised as post-secondary education, in line with pre-university, foundation and matriculation programmes, to better prepare students for entry into university, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today.

“I have directed that all Form 6 students be placed under the post-secondary category. For example, if I were a Form 6 student, I would not like to be regarded as a schoolchild. So we are making a policy change whereby all post-secondary programmes will come under the higher education ministry,” he said.

He made the announcement at a casual session with students at a breaking of fast event with staff of the education ministry and higher education ministry.

Anwar said the reclassification was also implemented following concerns that the Form 6 programme had been ‘neglected’ compared with matriculation and other pre-university pathways.

Last month Anwar said the higher education ministry would fully take over the pre-university education system involving Form 6 and matriculation from this year, thereby formally recognising both groups as higher education students. - FMT

Rafizi says he can make his own plans after Parliament dissolves

 In response to PKR's show-cause letter, Rafizi Ramli says his comments about contesting the next general election were ‘understandable by anyone with a good command of Malay’.

Rafizi Ramli said he would remain a PKR member and serve as Pandan MP until Parliament is dissolved for the 16th general election.

PETALING JAYA:

 Former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, responding to a show-cause letter issued over his intentions on contesting the next general election, said he was free to make his own plans after Parliament is dissolved.

In a letter to PKR secretary-general Fuziah Salleh today, Rafizi said the meaning of his comments on the general election, made during an interview with Sin Chew Daily, “are understandable by anyone with a good command of Malay”.

Rafizi had been given until midnight tonight to respond to the show-cause letter, which alleged that he had stated his intention to leave the party.

In the interview, he had been quoted as saying “I don’t think I will stand as a PKR candidate. I will still contest in Pandan … how I will contest in Pandan, I think that’s a secret”.

Rafizi said in his letter today: “I will remain a PKR member and serve as Pandan MP until Parliament is dissolved for the 16th general election. I have the right to make my own plans after Parliament is dissolved, and will no longer be bound by the provisions related to an MP switching parties mid-term.”

An image of the letter was posted on his Facebook page late this evening.

Rafizi said there was no need for confusing interpretations of his comments such as what the letter seemed to imply.

Yesterday, Fuziah had said the party did not want to take hasty action against Rafizi without first hearing his explanation. She said the party would hold a central leadership council meeting tomorrow.

She said Rafizi’s remark that he “would contest GE16 but not under the PKR ticket … might create the perception that he intends to leave the party”. - FMT