China's Tianhe space station core cabin received its first "visiting guest" - the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft early Sunday, about 8 hours after the latter's launch, setting a new record in China's space history.
According to the China Manned Space Agency, the rendezvous and docking of the Tianzhou [Heavenly Vessel] cargo spacecraft with the Tianhe core cabin took around eight hours after the former was launched from Wenchang spaceport from South China's Hainan Province via a Long March 7 carrier rocket at 8:55 pm Saturday.
The first spaceship launched in the space station construction phase, Tianzhou-2 weighed 13.5 tons at launch, and is capable of sending a payload of 6.9 tons for supply missions. Its in-orbit service is at least one year, said Feng Yong, commander-in-chief of the Tianzhou-2 mission from the project contractor China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).
The 10.6-meter-long, 3.35-meter-diameter Tianzhou-2 cargo spaceship has two components - a totally enclosed cargo cabin and a propelling cabin, according to CAST.
The carry-on onboard the Tianhe spacecraft includes consumables that are designed to support three astronauts on their space missions for three months, space suits for missions outside cabin and other supplies, Feng revealed, adding that during its docking with the space station core cabin, it will also carry out multiple in-orbit experiments.
Tianzhou-2 will also deliver propellants to refuel the Tianhe core cabin, Mu Guoxin, a CAST publicity official said.
"Next, the Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship will dock with the core cabin at the front, and altogether the three sections will form the first linear structure for China's space station," Mu noted.
There were 6.8 tons of supplies onboard the Tianzhou-2, including some 160 parcels of goods and two tons of propellants, according to CAST. "The load to total mass ratio is over 50 percent, indicating its world leading capacity."
The two space suits for the astronauts' outside-cabin activities weigh more than 100 kilograms each, it disclosed.
The Saturday mission also witnessed a substantial improvement in the Tianzhou spacecraft's fast docking capability. Compared to the Tianzhou-1's rendezvous and docking with Tiangong-2 in 2017, which took about two days, it took a mere eight hours to achieve the feat.
Lei Jianyu, deputy director designer of the Tianzhou-2 spacecraft, said that there are only two cargo spaceships in active service in the world that are capable of sending payloads of more than five tons, and Tianzhou is one of them, and has the "world class capability."
The reason behind such progress lies in the fact that all the information for the docking maneuver had been installed in software with the Tianzhou-2, saving the time needed to transfer such instructions from ground tracking and monitoring facilities, which was the case for Tianzhou-1 in executing the same move.
"Such a fast rendezvous and docking process not only shortens the stay of astronauts in the relatively narrow space in the spaceship, saving their energy, but also ensures that the transfer of fresh goods [such as biological agents] is conducted in a timely fashion," CAST developers said.
The Tianzhou-2 adopted a new long-distance guiding technology, as it was able to use the location information provided by the country's BeiDou Navigation Satellites System, or BDS, to automatically navigate itself for the rendezvous and docking with the space station, whereas the Tiangong-1 version needed artificial assistance to lead the craft to approach Tiangong-2 for the move.
In an ideal situation, the time for the rendezvous and docking of Tianzhou-2 would be reduced to some four hours, CAST announced.
In the event of an emergency, this kind of fast rendezvous and docking technology will also facilitate quick responses by providing all kinds of urgently needed materials to the space station and rescue the trapped astronauts, according to the academy.
Yang Sheng, the cargo spacecraft system's chief designer, disclosed that ground logistics technology has also been adopted for the spacecraft. For example, astronauts can obtain the location and further information of specific goods by scanning a QR code, and the inventory information is recorded in a dynamic manner so that astronauts can keep track of changes of goods.
The Long March-5B Y2 rocket, carrying the Tianhe module, blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, April 29, 2021. Photo: Xinhua
China on Thursday successfully sent into space Tianhe core module of space station. This marks China's space station construction entering the full implementation stage. It's a crucial step forward for China's manned space program. Hundreds of millions of Chinese people felt inspired by the success.
Building a space station is to build a house in space. The core module is not only the command and control center of the space station, but also lays the foundation for the station. According to the China Manned Space Engineering Office, China will kick off intensive launch missions, including three modules, four cargo spacecraft and four manned spaceships. China is expected to finalize an orbital construction next year. After the "house" is built, our astronauts can move in and start various important space experiments.
It is worth noting that China's space station will operate for at least 10 years, and the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled to come out of service in 2024. This means, at that time, China's space station would probably be the only one of its kind in space. Sending astronauts in space and building a space station are a dream comes true for Chinese people. When a Chinese astronaut looks at Earth from China's space station, it will represent not only the advancement of China's aerospace technology but also a great breakthrough of Chinese people's vision and imagination.
People know there are unlimited possibilities in outer space, but the threshold of space exploration is extremely high. Without the support of the strong comprehensive national strength and the top-level aerospace technology and research as well as manufacturing capabilities, what China has achieved would never be thinkable. We should be proud of our achievements in the aerospace cause under the West's doubt and isolation. The US once blocked China from participating in the ISS project, and thus pushed China to rapidly develop its own aerospace technology. Today, we are going to have our own space station. This will provide a profound lesson and inspiration to the Chinese people.
Chinese society has had a relatively full understanding of the significance of aerospace technology development. But every time China carries out a major space mission, some voices always emerge saying that as China still faces many difficulties in improving livelihoods, it shouldn't spend so much money on space projects that are hard to reap profits in the short term. This is narrow-minded and shortsighted. For a big country like China, it is destined to conquer space and sea. We cannot talk about China's rise if the country hasn't made breakthroughs in high-end areas such as the aerospace industry. China's livelihood development will also encounter obstacles. In the long run, when the aerospace technology progresses, it is bound to boost China's livelihood.
China's aerospace development started late from a low point, but has achieved outstanding progress in a short period of time. Through the efforts and contributions of several generations of people engaging in the aerospace cause, China has caught up with the world's aerospace powers. From the achievements of "two bombs and one satellite" to the status as an aerospace power, China has displayed Chinese people's national spirit of self-improvement and self-reliance. Without such national spirit, it's unimaginable that China could achieve such aerospace achievements. As long as the spirit exists, China will create a new legend.
Of course, compared with the US and Russia, China still lags behind. But the gap is also a driving force. China should enter space step by step. Mankind's exploration of outer space has just begun. There is infinite space waiting for human beings to explore. From this sense, the narrow-mindedness of Washington is clear as it is racking its brain to engage in geopolitical competition with China.
PETALING JAYA: An RM40bil aid package has been announced for the people to face economic challenges during the lockdown.
In a special address on Monday (May 31), Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said a number of initiatives would be implemented under the "Program Strategik Memperkasa Rakyat dan Ekonomi Tambahan" (Pemerkasa Plus).
It is anchored on three main objectives namely – (i) increasing public healthcare capacity, (ii) continuing rakyat welfare agenda, and (iii) supporting business continuity.
Muhyiddin said that the government had launched several economic stimulus packages worth RM340bil previously.
Here are the salient points of the Pemerkasa Plus package:
Objective one: Increasing public healthcare capacity
– RM450mil allocation to increase bed and ICU capacity for hospitals under the Health Ministry, teaching hospitals and ATM hospitals. Outsourcing to private hospitals will also be done.
– RM550mil to support Covid-19 related expenses by various agencies, including medicines, reagents, and contract workers' appointments.
– Increasing the service period for more than 14,000 contract medical officers and nurses until 2022. The government will also re-appoint over 500 healthcare personnel due to retire this year.
Objective two: Continuing the welfare agenda for the people
– RM2.1bil for the Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat cash aid. Households earning below RM2,500 will receive RM500; households earning between RM2,501 and RM5,000, will receive RM300. Malaysians who are single will get RM100. This additional aid will be credited to the recipients' account by June.
– All B40 groups, those who lost their jobs as well as small-medium enterprises not allowed to operate during the movement control order, are given the option of automatic approval of bank moratorium for three months or a 50% reduction in loan repayment for six months. It will start in June and is expected to benefit more than five million borrowers with funds amounting to RM30bil.
– RM1bil for the Bus and Taxi Hire Purchase Rehabilitation Scheme to allow eligible bus and taxi operators to get a loan moratorium of up to 12 months and extend the loan period of up to 36 months.
– A 30% discount on the rental of business premises will be given for the month of May to July 2021 for Mara entrepreneurs affected by the economic closure.
– RM1.5bil for the Wage Subsidy Programme under Socso for all affected economic sectors, with a limit of 500 employees per application. Expected to benefit are 2.5 million employees and more than 200,000 employers.
– Employers registered with Pembangunan Sumber Manusia Berhad will be given a levy payment exemption for one month in June 2021.
Objective three: Supporting business continuity
– Extra RM500 payout for the Prihatin Special Grant (GKP), bumping up the total payout to RM1,500.
– RM1.5bil allocation for businesses who wish to get microcredit for working capital, with financing rates as low as 3%.
– Extra RM2bil in the Targeted Relief and Recovery Facility for affected SMEs.
– One-off aid of RM500 to tourist drivers, taxi drivers, bus drivers and e-hailing drivers.
– Inland Revenue Board (IRB) to consider postponing penalties to year 2022.
– Extension of electricity bill discounts to affected sectors. Hoteliers, tourist agencies, shopping malls, convention centres, theme parks, local airlines can receive 10% electricity discounts for extra three months from July to September.
– Special tax cuts to premises owners who offer at least 30% rental discounts for six more months until Dec 31.
– The Home Ownership Campaign (HOC), which ended May 31, has been extended until 31 December 2021.
> The Sales and Services Tax (SST) exemption for imported passenger vehicles is extended until Dec 31.
Here is the text of the Prime Minister's speech in Bahasa Melayu in full:
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,
Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh dan Salam Sejahtera,
Saudara dan saudari, rakyat Malaysia yang saya kasihi,
Sepertimana yang telah diumumkan, Kerajaan akan melaksanakan Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan yang lebih ketat atau total lockdown untuk tempoh dua minggu bermula esok 1 Jun hingga 14 Jun 2021. Semua sektor sosial dan ekonomi ditutup kecuali sektor-sektor yang dikategorikan sebagai sektor ekonomi dan perkhidmatan perlu.
Tindakan ini diambil setelah trend peningkatan kes-kes COVID-19 menunjukkan kenaikan yang amat mendadak dengan mencatat kes-kes kematian yang tinggi setiap hari. Sekiranya tindakan drastik tidak diambil dengan kadar segera, dikhuatiri sistem kesihatan di negara kita akan runtuh dan kita akan berhadapan dengan satu malapetaka yang lebih besar.
3. Sepertimana yang saya telah tegaskan sebelum ini, penutupan sektor-sektor ekonomi akan memberi kesan yang amat besar kepada ekonomi negara dan kehidupan rakyat. Saya ingin berterus-terang bahawa kerajaan mempunyai ruang fiskal yang amat terhad untuk berbelanja pada masa ini.
4. Namun atas dasar keprihatinan terhadap kebajikan rakyat, Kerajaan akan berusaha sedaya upaya untuk memastikan wujud keseimbangan antara lives and livelihood iaitu keperluan untuk melindungi nyawa, dan menjamin kesejahteraan rakyat termasuk peluang saudara-saudari mencari nafkah untuk keluarga tersayang sepanjang tempoh PKP ini.
5. Semenjak COVID-19 melanda negara, Kerajaan telahpun melaksanakan pelbagai pakej bantuan dan rangsangan ekonomi berjumlah 340 bilion ringgit. Sehingga kini, ia telah memanfaatkan lebih 20 juta ahli isi rumah serta lebih dari 2 juta perniagaan dengan suntikan ekonomi melebihi 200 bilion ringgit. Justeru, terdapat lebih dari 100 bilion ringgit lagi daripada nilai pakej rangsangan untuk disalurkan sepanjang tahun ini. Sebagai tambahan, pakej tersebut dilengkapi oleh inisiatif Belanjawan 2021 berjumlah 322.5 bilion ringgit
6. Dengan suntikan fiskal dan langkah yang telah diumumkan, kita dapat lihat ekonomi semakin pulih, menggambarkan hasil dan impak positif untuk terus melonjakkan pertumbuhan ekonomi, menyokong perniagaan dan menyediakan bantuan kepada rakyat dan sektor ekonomi yang terkesan. Pertumbuhan KDNK pada bulan Mac tahun ini telah melonjak sebanyak 6.0%, nilai tertinggi semenjak pandemik COVID-19 melanda negara.
PROGRAM STRATEGIK MEMPERKASA RAKYAT DAN EKONOMI TAMBAHAN (PEMERKASA+)
Saudara-saudari yang saya kasihi sekalian,
7. Maka sepertimana yang dijanjikan, hari ini saya ingin mengumumkan program bantuan PEMERKASA Tambahan atau PEMERKASA Plus sebagai inisiatif terbaharu Kerajaan untuk membantu meredakan cabaran yang dihadapi, terutamanya ekoran pelaksanaan PKP pada masa ini.
8. Nilai keseluruhan program PEMERKASA Plus adalah berjumlah 40 bilion ringgit, di mana suntikan langsung fiskal Kerajaan sebanyak 5 bilion ringgit. Langkah baharu PEMERKASA Plus akan dilaksanakan berlandaskan 3 matlamat utama seperti berikut:
MATLAMAT PERTAMA: MEMPERTINGKATKAN KAPASITI KESIHATAN AWAM
Tuan-tuan Puan-puan sekalian,
9. Kerajaanbakan memastikan kapasiti kesihatan awam sentiasa diberi keutamaan. Seperti kenyataan saya sebelum ini, kita akan beralih ke fasa-fasa PKP secara berperingkat berdasarkan penilaian risiko oleh Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM) mengambil kira antara lain jumlah kes COVID serta penggunaan kapasiti hospital serta ICU.
10. Sehubungan itu, Kerajaan bersetuju untuk menambah peruntukan 1 bilion ringgit bagi meningkatkan kapasiti dan memperkukuhkan kesihatan awam. Pertambahan peruntukan ini adalah komitmen Kerajaan untuk memastikan sistem kesihatan tidak akan runtuh dan beroperasi dengan berkesan. Maka, langkah-langkah berikut akan diberi perhatian:
Pertama: memperuntukkan 450 juta ringgit bagi meningkatkan kapasiti katil dan peralatan ICU bagi rawatan COVID-19, bukan sahaja di Hospital seliaan KKM tetapi juga di Hospital Pengajar Universiti Awam seperti di UiTM, UPM dan UKM serta melalui hospital medan ATM seperti di Sabah dan Sarawak. Selain itu, penyumberan luar juga akan dilaksanakan kepada hospital swasta. Jumlah ini termasuk 200 juta ringgit yang diumumkan oleh YB Menteri Kewangan pada 22 Mei baru-baru ini;
Kedua: memperuntukkan 550 juta ringgit untuk menampung keperluan perbelanjaan berkaitan COVID-19 pelbagai agensi antaranya pertambahan kos operasi dan pengurusan dalam menangani krisis kesihatan COVID termasuk ubat, reagen untuk saringan dan lantikan pegawai secara kontrak. Ini juga termasuk kos pengoperasian Pusat Kuarantin dan Rawatan COVID-19 atau PKRC di MAEPS dan di peringkat negeri; dan
Ketiga: melanjutkan tempoh perkhidmatan lebih 14,000 pegawai perubatan dan jururawat lantikan kontrak sedia ada sehingga tahun 2022. Sebagai tambahan, kerajaan juga akan melantik semula lebih 500 petugas kesihatan yang bersara wajib tahun ini secara kontrak.
11. Saya juga telah mengarahkan YB Menteri MOSTI untuk mempercepatkan pemberian vaksin melalui Program Imunisasi COVID-19 Kebangsaan atau PICK. Saya dimaklumkan, pemberian dos pada bulan Mei telahpun mencapai purata 80,000 dos sehari.
12. Insha-Allah, menjelang akhir Jun nanti, kita mampu mencapai sasaran 150,000 dos sehari melalui penambahan terimaan vaksin dari syarikat pengeluar, penambahan pusat-pusat pemberian vaksin, memperkenalkan kaedah pemberian secara pandu lalu dan penambahan anggota sukarelawan. Berdasarkan unjuran, pelaksanaan PICK secara keseluruhan disasarkan untuk selesai menjelang bulan Disember 2021 dengan negeri berkepadatan penduduk tinggi seperti Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor dan Pulau Pinang menjelang Oktober.
13. Saya merayu, supaya rakyat yang telah mendapat tempahan vaksin untuk hadir di mana-mana pusat pemberian vaksin yang ditetapkan. Adalah menjadi tanggungjawab kita bersama untuk memastikan negara mencapai imuniti kelompok menjelang akhir tahun ini.
14. Saya juga mendengar keluhan rakyat, terutamanya warga emas dan mereka yang tinggal jauh yang mengalami kesukaran untuk hadir ke PPV. Oleh itu, saya telah mengarahkan supaya aset-aset Kerajaan seperti bas, van dan kenderaan pool digerakkan bagi tujuan ini. Saya amat mengalu-alukan kerjasama pihak swasta, NGO dan pertubuhan masyarakat awam untuk turut menggiatkan usaha ini.
MATLAMAT KEDUA: MENERUSKAN AGENDA PRIHATIN RAKYAT
Saudara dan saudari yang saya kasihi sekalian,
15. Bagi Matlamat Kedua, Kerajaan akan terus mengutamakan agenda prihatin rakyat. Ini terutamanya bagi memastikan kesejahteraan dan kelangsungan hidup golongan rentan dan pekerja yang bergantung kepada upah harian dapat terus dibantu. Tidak dinafikan, mereka inilah antara yang paling terkesan susulan penguatkuasaan PKP ini.
16. Sehubungan itu, Kerajaan bersetuju untuk memperuntukkan 2.1 bilion ringgit bagi menambah kadar program Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat atau BPR. Bagi kategori isi rumah yang berpendapatan di bawah 2,500 ringgit, mereka akan menerima kadar BPR tambahan sebanyak 500 ringgit dan isi rumah berpendapatan antara 2,501 hingga 5,000, akan menerima kadar sebanyak 300 ringgit. Golongan bujang pula akan menerima 100 ringgit.
17. BPR tambahan ini akan mula dimasukkan ke akaun penerima pada hujung bulan Jun nanti. Bayaran ini merupakan tambahan kepada fasa bayaran terakhir BPR bulan September kelak sebanyak 2.4 bilion ringgit.
18. Seterusnya, saya juga mendengar permintaan rakyat supaya Kerajaan menimbang semula pemberian moratorium.
19. Sehubungan itu, hasil perbincangan bersama Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), industri perbankan memberi jaminan dan komitmen penuh untuk terus memberikan bantuan pembayaran balik pinjaman dan moratorium. Oleh itu, bagi semua golongan B40 dan rakyat yang terjejas ekoran kehilangan pekerjaan serta perusahaan mikro dan PKS yang tidak dibenarkan beroperasi dalam tempoh PKP, anda diberi pilihan untuk mendapatkan kelulusan moratorium secara automatik selama 3 bulan atau boleh memilih untuk mendapatkan pengurangan bayaran balik secara ansuran sebanyak 50% selama tempoh 6 bulan.
20. Inisiatif ini akan dilaksanakan segera pada bulan Jun yang dijangka memanfaatkan lebih dari 5 juta peminjam dengan nilai sehingga 30 bilion ringgit. Insha-Allah, industri perbankan akan memberikan maklumat lebih terperinci berhubung perkara ini mulai esok. Saya berharap, pengumuman moratorium automatik ini dapat memberi sedikit kelegaan kepada peminjam institusi perbankan. Para peminjam hanya perlu menghubungi bank masing-masing untuk mendapat manfaat bantuan ini.
21. Kerajaan juga akan melancarkan Skim Rehabilitasi Sewa Beli Bas dan Teksi pada minggu ini dengan nilai peruntukan 1 bilion ringgit. Melalui skim ini, pengusaha bas dan teksi yang layak boleh mendapatkan moratorium pinjaman sehingga 12 bulan dan melanjutkan tempoh pinjaman sehingga 36 bulan.
22. Saya menyarankan supaya agensi dan syarikat Kerajaan menawarkan penangguhan bayaran balik pinjaman serta diskaun sewa premis perniagaan. Pihak MARA akan meneruskan program MARA PRIHATIN Peace of Mind yang dibuka sehingga 31 Julai 2021. Peminjam boleh memohon secara dalam talian untuk membuat penjadualan semula bayaran balik pinjaman pelajaran atau moratorium. Bagi usahawan MARA yang terkesan akibat penutupan ekonomi, pemberian diskaun 30% ke atas sewaan premis perniagaan akan diberi untuk bulan Mei sehingga Julai 2021.
23. Seterusnya adalah berkaitan pekerjaan. Tidak dinafikan, pelaksanaan PKP 3.0 akan memberi kesan kepada sebilangan besar rakyat terutama risiko kehilangan pekerjaan dan pengurangan pendapatan akibat penutupan kebanyakan sektor ekonomi.
24. Maka, Kerajaan bersetuju untuk melanjutkan Program Subsidi Upah di bawah PERKESO selama 1 bulan bagi semua sektor ekonomi yang terkesan dengan kos 1.5 bilion ringgit dengan had 500 pekerja bagi setiap permohonan, ditanggung oleh Kerajaan. Adalah dijangkakan 2.5 juta pekerja dan lebih 200 ribu majikan akan mendapat manfaat.
25. Selain itu, majikan yang berdaftar dengan Pembangunan Sumber Manusia Berhad akan diberikan pengecualian pembayaran levi selama satu bulan pada bulan Jun 2021. Pada masa yang sama, pekerja juga boleh meningkatkan pengetahuan dan kemahiran melalui portal pembelajaran e-LATiH secara percuma yang melibatkan lebih 400 modul dan kursus kemahiran.
MATLAMAT KETIGA: MENYOKONG KELANGSUNGAN PERNIAGAAN
Saudara dan saudari yang saya kasihi sekalian,
26. Seterusnya bagi Matlamat Ketiga, Kerajaan akan terus membantu untuk memastikan kelangsungan perniagaan, khususnya kepada PKS dalam menguruskan aliran tunai mereka. Salah satu inisiatif yang telah diperkenalkan oleh Kerajaan adalah melalui pemberian Geran Khas Prihatin atau GKP. Sehubungan itu, sukacita diumumkan kadar GKP akan ditambah sebanyak 500 ringgit kepada 1,500 ringgit. Ini bermakna, hampir 1 juta PKS dan perusahaan mikro akan menerima 1,000 ringgit pada pertengahan bulan Jun dan 500 ringgit lagi akan disalurkan pada bulan Julai.
27. Saya juga ingin tegaskan, berdasarkan SOP terbaharu yang diumumkan, Kerajaan masih membenarkan operasi jual-beli peniaga kecil, penjaja jalanan dan termasuk perusahaan mikro. Oleh itu, sekiranya para peniaga ingin mendapatkan pembiayaan mikro kredit sebagai modal kerja, sebanyak 1.5 bilion ringgit disediakan bagi sepanjang tahun ini oleh BSN, TEKUN, MARA, SME Corp. dan YAPEIM dengan kadar pembiayaan serendah 3%.
28. Selain itu, bagi membantu aliran tunai syarikat dan PKS, institusi perbankan akan terus menawarkan kemudahan pembiayaan dan pinjaman. Dana institusi perbankan telah dimantapkan lagi melalui pelbagai fasiliti pinjaman mudah PKS pembiayaan BNM yang masih berbaki 5 bilion ringgit. Untuk menyokong lagi PKS, BNM akan menambah fasiliti Kemudahan Bantuan dan Pemulihan Bersasar untuk PKS terjejas sebanyak 2 bilion ringgit. Dengan itu, jumlah dana pinjaman untuk PKS dengan kadar pinjaman serendah 3.5% yang masih tersedia adalah sebanyak 7 bilion ringgit.
29. Selain itu, tidak dinafikan semasa tempoh PKP ini, ia turut memberi kesan kepada pemandu teksi, kereta sewa dan bas sekolah. Bagi mengurangkan beban mereka, Kerajaan bersetuju memberi Bantuan Khas secara one-off sebanyak 500 ringgit kepada 17 ribu pemandu pelancong, 40 ribu pemandu teksi, 11 ribu pemandu bas sekolah, 4 ribu bas persiaran dan 62 ribu pemandu kereta sewa dan e-hailing. Bantuan ini yang berjumlah RM68 juta akan disalurkan kepada penerima yang berdaftar pada bulan Julai.
30. Selain itu, sebagai salah satu usaha mengurangkan beban perniagaan, Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri akan mempertimbangkan rayuan pengenaan penalti dan menangguhkan pembayaran penalti ke tahun 2022 serta menyediakan penjadualan semula bayaran cukai tertunggak bagi pembayar cukai dan perniagaan yang terjejas.
31. Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia juga bersetuju untuk memperkenalkan semula pelanjutan untuk penghantaran penyata kewangan, pelaksanaan mesyuarat tahunan bagi syarikat awam yang tersenarai di Bursa Malaysia dan moratorium denda bagi penghantaran lambat dokumen berkanun. SSM juga akan mengecualikan bayaran lewat untuk membaharui lesen perniagaan sehingga 31 Disember 2021 bagi PKS mikro serta perniagaan milikan tunggal dan perkongsian.
32. Di samping itu, Akta Langkah Sementara bagi Mengurangkan Kesan Penyakit COVID-19 atau Akta 829 akan ditambahbaik bagi membantu individu dan perniagaan yang terkesan. Perlindungan berkaitan ketidakupayaan untuk melaksanakan obligasi kontrak akan dilanjutkan tempoh kuatkuasa sehingga 31 Disember 2021. Sehubungan ini, Kerajaan menyediakan bantuan perkhidmatan pengantaraan atau mediation secara percuma melalui Pusat Mediasi COVID kepada semua individu atau perniagaan tanpa mengira latar belakang.
33. Seterusnya, Kerajaan akan melanjutkan pemberian diskaun bil elektrik kepada sektor yang terjejas. Sehubungan itu, pengendali hotel, agensi pengembaraan dan pelancongan, premis dan kompleks membeli belah, pusat-pusat konvensyen, taman tema dan pejabat syarikat penerbangan tempatan layak menerima diskaun bil elektrik sebanyak 10% selama 3 bulan tambahan antara bulan Julai hingga September 2021.
34. Kerajaan juga bersetuju memberi potongan khas kepada pemilik bangunan dan ruang perniagaan yang menawarkan pengurangan sewa premis perniagaan kepada PKS dan bukan PKS untuk tempoh 6 bulan lagi sehingga 31 Disember 2021 bagi pengurangan sewa sekurang-kurangnya 30% daripada kadar sewa semasa. Selain itu, pelanjutan sehingga 31 Disember 2021 bagi pengecualian cukai pelancongan dan cukai perkhidmatan ke atas penginapan yang disediakan oleh pengendali hotel masih berterusan.
35. Semasa pembentangan pakej PENJANA pada Jun 2020, Kerajaan telah mengumumkan pengecualian duti setem Kempen Pemilikan Rumah atau HOC yang akan berakhir pada hari ini, 31 Mei. Sukacita diumumkan Kerajaan bersetuju melanjutkan pengecualian duti setem HOC tersebut sehingga 31 Disember 2021.
36. Kerajaan juga bersetuju melanjutkan pengecualian cukai jualan ke atas kenderaan penumpang CKD dan CBU import yang sebelum ini diumumkan di bawah inisiatif PENJANA mulai 1 Julai 2021 hingga 31 Disember 2021.
Saudara dan saudari yang dikasihi sekalian,
37. Ingin saya tekankan sekali lagi, selain inisiatif yang diumumkan pada malam ini, masih terdapat pelbagai program pakej rangsangan bernilai lebih daripada 100 bilion ringgit yang masih dalam pelaksanaan. Dari segi perbelanjaan langsung daripada Kerajaan, Kumpulan Wang COVID-19 telah diluluskan dengan siling 65 bilion ringgit. Sebanyak 38 bilion ringgit telah dibelanjakan pada tahun 2020 dan sehingga April 2021, 10 bilion ringgit lagi telah disalurkan. Baki sebanyak 17 bilion ringgit akan dibelanjakan pada tempoh yang terdekat. Antara inisiatif dan program ini termasuklah:
Pertama: BPR Fasa 2 yang baharu sahaja dilaksanakan awal Mei lepas dengan peruntukan sebanyak 2.7 bilion ringgit yang telah disalurkan kepada 8.4 juta penerima dengan bayaran Fasa 3 bernilai 2.4 bilion ringgit dijadualkan untuk bulan September;
Kedua: Program subsidi upah, insentif penggajian serta program latihan untuk membantu menjamin pekerjaan sedia ada serta menggalakkan penyediaan pekerjaan baharu dengan sasaran 500,000 untuk tahun ini;
Ketiga: Pelaksanaan projek-projek kecil dengan peruntukan lebih 2 bilion ringgit untuk dibelanjakan memanfaatkan kontraktor kelas G1 hingga G4 bagi pembaikan infrastruktur dan fasiliti awam;
Keempat: Program Jaringan Prihatin bernilai 2 bilion ringgit yang juga dilancarkan pada awal Mei lalu bagi membantu 8.4 juta penerima BPR untuk melanggan perkhidmatan telekomunikasi atau mendapatkan peranti telefon mudah alih; dan
Kelima: Program e-Belia yang akan dibuka pendaftaran mulai esok, 1 Jun 2021 bagi membolehkan 2 juta belia dan pelajar IPT yang layak untuk mendapatkan kredit bernilai 150 ringgit dari penyedia perkhidmatan e-tunai.
PENUTUP
Saudara-saudari yang dikasihi sekalian,
38. Inilah antara usaha Kerajaan sebagai meneruskan agenda prihatin rakyat dan komitmen Kerajaan dalam mengurus krisis yang melanda kini. Saya amat menghargai dan berterima kasih kepada semua pihak yang kekal teguh bersama-sama Kerajaan tanpa mengira kawan atau lawan dalam menghadapi situasi yang tidak pernah kita jangkakan ini.
39. Dalam mencapai matlamat ini, Kerajaan akan terus mengutamakan pendekatan whole-of-government dan whole-of-society dalam memerangi pandemik COVID-19. Ini merujuk usaha mengoptimumkan seluruh tenaga kerja kesihatan dan peranan frontliners yang bertindak di lapangan serta peranan seluruh rakyat Malaysia yang turut sama membantu untuk memutuskan rantaian COVID-19 ini.
40. Sebagai penutup kepada inisiatif PEMERKASA+ ini, sepertimana yang telah diamalkan semasa PKP pertama tahun lalu, saya ingin memaklumkan tanda sokongan barisan Menteri dan Timbalan Menteri dengan tidak mengambil gaji selama 3 bulan mulai Jun 2021. Gaji yang tidak diambil ini akan disumbangkan ke dalam Akaun Amanah Bencana sebagai membiayai perbelanjaan berkaitan COVID-19.
Saudara dan saudari yang saya kasihi sekalian,
41. Keputusan untuk melaksanakan lockdown ini adalah satu keputusan yang sukar tetapi terpaksa dibuat. Samada lockdown yang dilaksanakan ini akan berjaya atau tidak semuanya terserah kepada saudara dan saudari serta ketentuan Ilahi. Kerajaan telah menutup hampir semua sektor ekonomi dan sosial untuk mengurangkan pergerakan rakyat dan memutuskan rantaian jangkitan COVID-19.
42. Saudara dan saudari dikehendaki duduk di rumah – stay at home – saya ulangi stay at home – dan sentiasa patuh kepada SOP. Jika saudara dan saudari gagal mematuhi arahan ini, maka kita semua akan gagal, na'uzubillah.
43. Kepada para frontliners, bertabahlah. Saya tahu anda semua penat berperang melawan virus ini sejak lebih setahun yang lalu. Saya ingin ulangi penghargaan kerajaan yang tidak terhingga atas segala jasa dan pengorbanan para frontliners kita di seluruh negara. Saya doakan agar anda semua terus diberikan kekuatan oleh Allah s.w.t. untuk mengharungi cabaran dan dugaan yang amat besar ini.
44. Saya juga mendoakan agar semua pesakit yang sedang bertarung melawan COVID-19 ini diberikan kesembuhan segera, amin ya rabbal alamin. Saya dengan penuh dukacitanya mengucapkan takziah kepada seluruh ahli keluarga mangsa COVID-19 yang telah meninggal dunia. Mudah-mudahan anda semua tabah menghadapi dugaan yang amat berat ini.
45. Marilah kita bersama-sama panjatkan doa ke hadrat Allah s.w.t. mudah-mudahan wabak yang sedang melanda negara kita dan seluruh dunia pada masa ini segera berakhir.
Wabillahi al-taufik walhidayah wassalamu'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
State Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood
Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said that her ministry
has given the green light to those centres that have applied.
“For other childcare centres, however, if there is a need, they must
apply to the childhood division of the ministry before they are allowed
to accept the children of essential workers,” Fatimah said in a
statement.
Trade negotiators from China and the U.S. have held their first meeting
under the Biden presidency, which coincided with the fallout over President Biden ordering a new intelligence report on the origins of COVID-19. The theory that the virus was leaked from a lab in China's Wuhan has resurfaced, although no new evidence has been presented. China is calling the move a smear campaign.
U.S. politicizing COVID-19 origin tracing by openly denying WHO report
US is "preparing some bold moves" against China regarding tracing the origins of the pandemic
.
Cornerstone of China’s strategic deterrence against the US: more nuclear missiles and warheads
A formation of Dongfeng-41 intercontinental strategic nuclear missiles
takes part in a military parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Beijing, capital of China, October 1, 2019. Photo: Xinhua
As the US strategic containment of Chinas has increasingly intensified, I would like to remind again that we have plenty of urgent tasks, but among the most important ones is to rapidly increase the number of commissioned nuclear warheads, and the DF-41s, the strategic missiles that are capable to strike long-range and have high-survivability, in the Chinese arsenal. This is the cornerstone of China's strategic deterrence against the US.
We must be prepared for an intense showdown between China and the US. In that scenario, a large number of Dongfeng-41, and JL-2 and JL-3 (both intercontinental-range submarine-launched ballistic missile) will form the pillar of our strategic will. The number of China's nuclear warheads must reach the quantity that makes US elites shiver should they entertain the idea of engaging in a military confrontation with China.
On this basis, we can calmly and actively manage divergences with Washington to avoid a minor incident sparking a war. US hostility toward China is burning. We must use our strength, and consequences that Washington cannot afford to bear if it takes risky moves, to keep them sober.
The Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) isolated the
first viral strain of the novel coronavirus and handed it over to the
World Health Organization (WHO) as early as January 12, 2020, media
reported.
MALAYSIA recorded 6,976 new Covid-19 cases on May 23, the highest number of daily cases reported since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. The number of Covid-19 deaths and severe cases that require intensive care has also increased tremendously.
According to Health Ministry statistics, from May 1 to 21, Malaysia lost 643 people, close to one-third of all Covid-19 deaths in the country since the pandemic started. Within the same period, patients admitted to ICUs increased by 91% (from 337 to 643) and patients requiring ventilation support doubled from 176 to 363.
Covid-19 has negatively impacted the care of patients with noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Hypertension (high blood pressure) is the most common pre-existing medical condition among Covid-19 patients globally as well as in Malaysia. Patients with hypertension are 95% more likely to require ICU admission and 160% more likely to succumb to the disease. A local study reported that 49% of patients with the severe form of Covid-19 had hypertension, compared with 13% among mild cases. The high prevalence of hypertension in Malaysia – three in every 10 adults have it – means that a substantial proportion of our adult population is at risk.
Adherence to and compliance with medication is crucial. Stop-ping antihypertensive medications could lead to poor blood pressure control, which in turn can result in adverse cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure. All these are linked to poor Covid-19 outcomes.
In addition, once the virus enters the body, it could lead to overactivation of the immune system resulting in a cytokine storm, further burdening a cardiovascular and respiratory system that is already in a suboptimal state. This probably explains why hypertension is the most common comorbidity among Covid-19 patients, especially among those who experience the severe version of the disease.
Maintaining a healthy blood pressure (below 140/90mmHg for systolic and diastolic respectively) is important. Take these steps to control your blood pressure:
> Know your blood pressure levels. Monitor them regularly. This is important to see whether efforts to control the pressure are sufficient or should be improved.
> Limit salt intake in your diet according to daily recommendations. This can be achieved by carefully inspecting food labels for salt and sodium content, avoiding preserved and processed foods, and replacing salt with herbs and spices in cooking.
> Keep your body weight within the normal range. For overweight people, weight loss of 3% to 9% from current body weight has been shown to reduce blood pressure readings by 3mmHg to 6mmHg.
> Exercise consistently. Regular aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking and jogging, for at least 150 minutes a week is recommended as it is beneficial for the cardiovascular system and can help lower blood pressure.
> Quit smoking and avoid alcohol intake as both activities have been shown to increase blood pressure.
> Keep taking your current medications and continue to go for follow-up appointments if you are hypertensive. Be assured that the medications are safe. Do not hesitate to contact your doctor if you are in doubt about your blood pressure control or medications.
Apart from all this, hypertensive patients must seriously follow the current Covid-19 SOP and make every effort to protect yourselves from contracting the disease.
DR NOR AFIQAH NORDIN, DR ANG SWEE HUNG, PROF DR MOY FOONG MING & PROF DR NORAN NAQIAH HAIRI
Public Health Department, Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC)
A healthcare worker holds a vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine arranged at the University Hospital in Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia, on Tuesday, March 2,2021. The first phase of the vaccine roll-out that will run through April involves about 500,000 frontliners comprising health-care, defense and security personnel, as well as teachers with co-morbidities, according to the government. Photographer: Samsul Said/Bloomberg
Of course not. The Covid-19 and its variants do not discriminate between race, creed or borders. They simply infect everyone indiscriminately, so the only defence is vaccines and social distancing.
But the handling of the pandemic has become intensely political along racial, class and national lines. To debate whether it should be called a China virus or an Indian variant is racist by implication. What matters urgently is how each individual, community or nation handles the pandemic. To distribute to the rich and powerful first before the poor and weak is discriminatory, but that is exactly what has happened in many countries.
The virus transmits through people. The epidemiologists suggest that minimising people travel and contacts would slow the transmission.
Those who care more about money object to shutting down the economy. Asians reacted more quickly by adopting masks and staying at home.
The West cared more about individualism and objected to masks, allowing the pandemic to get out of control.
But money and vaccines have begun to bring matters under control, except that if the coronavirus and its variants continue to spread in countries which cannot afford vaccines or can’t get enough supplies, no one is safe.
Thus, a microscopic virus has opened up the Pandora’s Box of almost all social divisions that were ignored and unaddressed. It is clear that science and technology, as well as competent organisation, plus mass cooperation would be the way to solve the pandemic.
But these three factors require trust that everyone should be protected justly.
The record so far shows that those governments which preach democracy, equality and rules-based order may be practising something rather different.
Why is it that in the United States, Pacific Islander, Latino and Black Americans have double the Covid-19 death rate than White and Asian Americans?
Israel is leading in the world vaccination rollout, and yet Palestinians have been slow to get vaccines. The UN Human Rights body has called the Israeli differential treatment of Palestinians “morally and legally unacceptable”.
Israel has illegally occupied Palestinian territory since the 1967 war, and even in the Holy Month, physically raided the Al Aqsa Mosque, sparking off the current conflict that has raged on in the middle of the pandemic.
This is not an equal fight. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed, including 64 children, versus 12 dead in Israel. More than 58,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been rendered homeless and Israelis have knocked out the only lab in the territory that processes covid tests.
An Arab-Israeli member of the Israeli Parliament has openly called the Israel action in Jerusalem as “ethnic cleansing”. The Israeli government can ignore world opinion because of the US’ strong backing.
The humanitarian crisis in Palestine is beyond a tragedy. But the Israel-Palestinian crisis shows how science and technology play a role in turning a David to a Goliath, switching the roles from victims of the Holocaust to become perpetrators of Occupation by might alone.
As geopolitical futurist George Friedman writes about “Gaza: Morality and Reality”, the moral question is extremely complex because both sides see themselves as victims.
In his geopolitical realist view, as long as Israel holds the greater military superiority, with the backing of the strongest military power of all – the United States – the conflict will not be resolved by anyone else.
This point is fully understood by the Israelis, who were scattered and not particularly powerful as a wandering people until 1947. But it was their brains and deep application of science and technology that overcame the Palestinian and Arab numerical superiority.
There are 1-2-3 options for the Israel-Palestine situation. If Israel-occupied territory were to be governed as one country, the demographics would favour the Palestinians with higher birth rates, so this solution was ruled out.
Logic suggests that perhaps a two-country solution of a separate Palestine and Israel state would be possible. The rest of the world supports this option, but the Palestinians are divided into the Fatah faction controlling the West Bank and the Hamas controlling Gaza. This creates a three-state possibility. Indeed, the greater the division between its enemies and their supporters, the more secure Israel’s position. This is classic “divide and rule” domination exercised by imperial colonials.
The Egyptian economist Samir Amin summed up this perennial Arab dilemma, commenting on the 2011 Arab Spring.
If it succeeds, then the Arab world will break out of the imperialist centre’s control. If it fails, then the Arab world will remain in “its current status as a submissive periphery, prohibiting its elevation to the rank of an active participant in shaping the world”.
Samir’s critique of Capitalism in the Age of Globalisation saw a capitalist centre comprising America, Europe and Japan, controlling a periphery of the rest.
This is achieved through five monopolies over technology, financial control, monopoly access to natural resources, media and communications, and weapons of mass destruction. The Israelis understood these perfectly and exploited them to achieve success and survival.
Thus, Israeli devotion to science and technology, military equipment, media and communications and their lobbying power playing guilt on the Eurocentric countries, ensure their dominance over the Palestinian and Arab opponents.
This is why faith or ideology alone will not control the pandemic, because it is through science and organisational power that domination continues over the weak and oppressed.
The Arab world may have physical control over much of the fossil-fuel natural resources, but as long as they remain technologically backward and divided, they will always be victims.
So, the coronavirus is not racist.
Guns do not kill people, people kill or dominate other people.
Friedman is right. Might decides geopolitical reality. For him and his ilk, morality is for the victim to complain and the victor to preach.
Those who do not learn from history will remain its victims.
Andrew Sheng comments on global affairs from an Asian perspective. The views expressed here are his own.
