YOURSAY | ‘If all these politicians do not do it what does that tell you?’ Asset declaration: Why should civil servants go first? Pink: As a civil servant, I have had to declare my assets since time immemorial. Once, my declaration was rejected because I did not put the value and the lot number of a small piece of land left by my grandfather (I could not trace the land grant), I had to write down the account number of my Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB) and got to update the declaration every year as well. I held a position involving research and training, not in approving projects. I used to drive a Proton Tiara, then an Axia and lived in a lower middle-class area. I have never heard of anybody holding the same position as I was being charged for corruption because the opportunity to do so is absolutely zero. And yet I have been harassed yearly by the human resources department about updating my asset declaration. It’s such a waste of time. Yet the biggest corruption scandals in this country occur amongst politicians, the least trusted group of people. They are reluctant to declare their assets. We truly understand that because no crooks would want to declare their assets. Asset declaration policy is stupid and not involving politicians is hypocritical and farcical. OrangePanther1466: I am all for transparency and integrity. However, for the sake of discussion, I feel that mandatory asset declaration is outdated and does not serve its purpose. There are so many ways a person can hide his wealth, making any declaration inadequate. The key to combating corruption is diligent enforcement without fear or favour. With the latest technologies, including artificial intelligence, a person’s wealth, spending patterns, lifestyle, and so on, can be determined with a few strokes of the keyboard. Efficient intelligence gathering, better whistleblower protection and even rewards may be a better deterrent to corruption. As it stands now, this asset declaration initiative is like a millstone on Pakatan Harapan’s neck as yet another example of an unfulfilled promise. MS: Why does former deputy international trade and industry minister Ong Kian Ming want former civil servants to declare their assets first? Elected politicians have a lot to hide. Declaring their assets would prick their bubble of propriety and expose their indulgences. Still, I must say that getting civil servants to declare theirs is not a bad idea. The problem is that those scrutinising the declarations could also be civil servants. And you can guess what that will lead to. Anyway, with Jakim, instructed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, looming over all departments and agencies, chances are the Malaysian civil service will overtake Singapore’s - which coincidentally has just been ranked by Oxford University as the world’s best on multiple counts. There’s one problem though - Singapore is not an Islamic state. So I guess it is not worth emulating. GreenHare9358: This declaration of assets is important. All those in government and civil service in charge of managing the country’s wealth and resources should declare. It should be voluntary for elected politicians sitting at the highest level of the nation’s government. If they have a conscience, they should be an example for those below them to follow. Our politicians seem to have “exemplary values” when they are not in power, barking incessantly at those who are in power for refusing to declare their assets. Mgpowl: Good question, but it can’t be a one-off requirement. Everyone holding public office must declare their assets. It should not be a request but a law which, for reasons best known to this self-professed reformist of a prime minister, just can’t deliver. Subang MP Wong Chen, your position in your constituency is safe because it is a Chinese-majority seat and pro-Harapan. I’m in your constituency and, to get my vote, I want to hear you expose everything unconstitutional about this government. Anonymous_3f4b: Wong is protecting his kind. It is the politicians, especially on the government side, especially the ministers, deputies, secretaries, and MPs that must declare their assets first openly, publicly, and transparently and be accountable for every sen that they take from the public coffers. Once they have the gumption and the moral guts to do it as “leadership by example”, then the civil service must follow as a matter of course. If all these politicians do not do it what does that tell you? BlueCougar1744: Just request our Agong to pass a Royal decree that all MPs must declare their assets or they will be denied the role of an MP. The Election Commission must ensure all candidates for both state and parliamentary seats declare their assets before contesting. Do it before the next state or general election. Cogito Ergo Sum: I thought civil servants were already required to declare their assets annually. Wong is out of date. It’s the MPs who seem reluctant to declare their assets. From all the latest news reports, lawmakers seem to be embroiled in one of the worst cases of corruption involving state property, land, and resources. RedWolf4463: All those who want their wealth to be hidden and not subject to public scrutiny should get out and stay out of politics. Only the really clean ones can then implement the declaration of assets to every level of government. Drngsc: Everybody who takes public money must declare their assets annually. No ifs, no buts, please. Who does it first or second is not crucial. The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now . These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact. Please join the Malaysiakini WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news and views that matter.
Pep Guardiola has insisted he will "not give up" in his attempts to oversee a turnaround in Manchester City 's fortunes after their draw with Everton left the club with one win from their last 13 games in all competitions. City's 1-1 home draw with Everton on Boxing Day left them down in seventh place, five points off the top four and 14 adrift of leaders Liverpool , who have a game in hand. Editor's Picks What's gone wrong for Pep Guardiola and Man City after 499 games together 12h Bill Connelly Man City's aura of invincibility has been shattered, and even Haaland is affected 2d Rob Dawson Premier League injury and suspension news, predicted lineups, fantasy updates 5h ESPN Guardiola said this week that City were at risk of missing out on Champions League qualification this season in what would be a shocking turn of events for the reigning champions. The 53-year-old, who signed a two-year contract extension last month, said frustration over poor results has not affected his desire to steer City back to their previous top form. "I will not give up. I want to do it. And with the situations that we have, we have to do it," Guardiola said after Thursday's match. "Of course I want it. Everybody wants it. I don't want to disappoint my people, in terms of the club, in terms of the fans, or the people who love this club." Guardiola said his team's shocking run of results, the worst stretch in his mostly glittering managerial career, has helped him realise how good they were on their run of winning an unprecedented four consecutive Premier League titles. "That makes me remember how good was the past," he said. "That's the truth, that has made me realise now what we have done, because sometimes you have injuries, and how many years we were incredibly, incredibly consistent. "But, yeah, you expect a little bit down. We didn't expect [this] much, and the main reason is having seven, eight important injured players. "But I see the team, the spirit in training, how focused they are. And we saw [progress in Saturday's] game, we saw it, but unfortunately we could not get the result that we wanted." Guardiola shook his head when asked whether his team's slump had made him even more determined to please people. "It has been since the arrival of my career as a football player, as a manager, I think every one of us in our job wants to please the people, we want to do good our jobs. That is undeniable. That is not a question mark, I would say." If City are to right the ship, the next few weeks could be the best time to do it. Sunday's match at Leicester City is the first of four successive league games against teams in the bottom half of the table.Barcelona has been dominating the news headlines recently for their impressive performance on the football field. With three of their players making it to the top five of Isco's list of the toughest opponents he has faced in his professional career, it's clear that the Catalan giants are a force to be reckoned with.
The community response to the incident has been one of concern and vigilance, with residents urging fellow citizens to prioritize their health and well-being when choosing recreational facilities. Calls for greater regulation and oversight of public establishments have been raised, emphasizing the importance of upholding strict health and safety standards to protect the public from potential hazards.Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Cumbie knows how to pull off a bowl game upset. Flash back to the 2004 Holiday Bowl, when Cumbie threw for 520 yards to lead No. 23 Texas Tech to a 45-31 win over Aaron Rodgers, Marshawn Lynch and No. 4 California. Twenty years later, Cumbie hopes to engineer another postseason surprise as Louisiana Tech (5-7) is a prohibitive underdog against No. 22 Army (11-2) in the Independence Bowl on Saturday in Shreveport, La. The Bulldogs weren't supposed to be a part of this game. They are a replacement for Marshall (10-3), which withdrew because of the exodus of at least 25 players through the transfer portal. Enter Louisiana Tech, which adds local flavor as Shreveport is an hour drive from the Bulldogs' campus in Ruston. Cumbie said that the seniors were especially excited after they had left campus for the holiday break figuring their college careers were over. "The first guys we got on the phone with were the seniors," Cumbie said. "They thought it was like a prank call. They thought we were jacking with them." Louisiana Tech is dealing with 16 portal losses, including several linemen from a defense which allowed 301.9 yards per game, the best mark in Conference USA. Defensive lineman David Blay, who led the Bulldogs in sacks (6.5) and tackles for a loss (10.5), has committed to Miami. Offensively, Louisiana Tech averages just 3.0 yards per carry. The Bulldogs rely more on Evan Bullock, who has thrown for 1,932 yards and 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions. Army has an opportunity to finish the season on a positive note after surrendering the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy in a deflating 31-13 loss to Navy on Dec. 14. It's also a chance for Bryson Daily to rebound as he threw three interceptions against Navy after tossing just one previously in the regular season. Daily, who finished sixth in voting for the Heisman Trophy, is the bell cow in Army's rush-heavy triple-option offense. He has carried for 1,532 yards and 29 touchdowns and has also thrown for nine scores. Army will be without its second-best running threat, Kanye Udoh, who announced his transfer to Arizona State hours after the Navy game, prompting Black Knights coach Jeff Monken to call the transfer landscape "off the rails." "I don't think it's healthy to have a transfer portal window open during the season," Monken said. Udoh rushed for 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. If Army can handle Louisiana Tech, it will finish with 12 wins, which would be the most in a season in program history, even if it didn't get the one it wanted the most. "Anytime you get your butt whipped, you want to get back out there and prove that's not who we are," Monken said. This will be Louisiana Tech's first bowl appearance since 2020 and its sixth time in the Independence Bowl, where it has a 3-2 record. Army was last in a bowl game in 2021, and this is its second appearance in the Independence Bowl. In its first appearance, it lost to Auburn 32-29 in 1996. Army and Louisiana Tech have met twice before, with the Black Knights winning both matchups in 2008 and 2013. --Field Level Media
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Title: Ant Group Needs More Confidence and Combativeness with Jack Ma's Return and CEO ChangeLouisville will aim to end a three-game losing streak when it hosts UTEP on Wednesday, but beating the Miners may not be an easy feat. UTEP (6-2) comes to the Derby City winners of three straight, most recently beating Seattle 88-72 on Saturday. The Miners shot 56.1 percent (32 of 57) and used a 24-2 first-half run to essentially put the game away. Coach Joe Golding said that first-half performance may have been UTEP's best in his four years leading the school. "I thought offensively and defensively the first 20 minutes we were really locked in and ready to go. (The game) never got close," he said. "We kept it at 20-plus points for the majority of the game. Our ball movement was terrific." Ahamad Bynum led the Miners with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting off the bench, while Otis Frazier III added 18 points and five assists. Frazier (13.6 points per game) and Bynum (12.1 ppg) are among four UTEP players averaging in double figures. Bynum leads the country shooting 63.3 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, though he has attempted just 30 threes, making 19. Louisville (5-4) also started hot in its last game but could not sustain its momentum in a 76-65 home loss to then-No. 9 Duke on Sunday. Coach Pat Kelsey's team, which had just seven players healthy, made 10 of its first 14 shots to build a 30-16 lead before the Cardinals' lack of depth caught up to them. Louisville shot just 9-of-37 (24.3 percent) after its hot start and was outscored 43-28 after halftime. Terrence Edwards Jr. paced the Cardinals with 21 points in his first game as a reserve this season. Edwards (11.9 ppg) is one of four Louisville scorers averaging double figures, led by Chucky Hepburn leads the team in scoring (14.3 ppg) and is second in the country with 3.2 steals per game. The Cardinals entered the season with expectations of rotating 10 or more players to utilize Kelsey's up-tempo attack. However, swingman Kasean Pryor (knee) and guard Koren Johnson (shoulder) will both miss the rest of the season, while forward Aboubacar Traore (arm) is out indefinitely. After Sunday's loss, Kelsey did not rule out adding players to the roster during the season. "Everything's on the table," he said. "I don't sleep, figuring out what buttons to push to get this team to be the best that they can be. We'll scour every inch of the Earth to figure out how we can improve our team. And whether that happens or not, I have no idea, but I'm willing to try anything." --Field Level MediaFor the players themselves, the prospect of facing off against their former teammates and friends adds an emotional dimension to the competition. TheShy and Rookie, in particular, have spoken openly about their admiration and respect for each other, despite now being rivals on the virtual battlefield. Their reunion in the group stage is sure to evoke fond memories of their time playing together and add an extra layer of motivation to the matches ahead.
Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fightingFirst demonstration of quantum teleportation over busy Internet cables
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Saturday accused the Centre of insulting Manmohan Singh, the country's first Sikh prime minister, by carrying out his last rites at the Nigambodh Ghat instead of a designated spot that could later become his memorial. The opposition party had written to the Centre for identifying a designated place for Singh's last rites, where a memorial could be set up for him. As politics over the matter erupted, the Centre said a decision to set up a memorial has already been taken and a trust would be formed to identify the place soon. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the great son of Mother India and the first prime minister from the Sikh community has been "totally insulted" by the BJP-led Centre by performing his last rites at the Nigambodh Ghat on Saturday. He said Singh was the prime minister for 10 years, the country became an economic superpower during his tenure and his policies are still the support system for the poor and backward classes. "Till date, respecting the dignity of all former prime ministers, their last rites were performed at authorised burial sites so that every person could have a last darshan and pay homage without any inconvenience. "Dr Manmohan Singh deserves our highest respect and a memorial. The government should have shown respect to this great son of the country and his proud community," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said by not providing an appropriate place for the former prime minister's cremation, the Centre has not done justice to the dignity of the post, his personality, legacy and the self-respecting Sikh community. She said earlier, all former prime ministers were given the highest honour and respect. "Dr Manmohan Singhji deserves this honour and a Samadhi Sthal. Today, the whole world is remembering his contributions. The government should have thought beyond politics and narrow-mindedness in this matter," she said in a post in Hindi on X. "This morning, I felt this when I saw Dr Manmohan Singhji's family members struggling for a place at the funeral site, trying to find a place in the crowd, and the general public getting troubled due to the lack of space and paying tributes from the road outside," Priyanka Gandhi added. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also took to X to say that he attended Singh's funeral at the Nigambodh Ghat. "It was difficult to see very much, beyond the backs of the heads of assorted dignitaries and close relatives of the departed soul, so it became more of an occasion to reflect on the life and legacy of the late great PM," Tharoor said, adding that he found himself seated next to Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was a memorable companion during the proceedings. "We shared a great regard for the late Prime Minister and agreed that a fitting memorial must be established by the government for Dr MMS without delay," he said, while sharing pictures of the funeral. Former Indian Youth Congress chief B V Srinivas said when former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on August 16, 2018, his funeral took place at the National Memorial, the designated place for the cremation of former presidents, vice-presidents and prime ministers. He referred to Vajpayee's memorial, "Sadbhav Atal", which is spread over seven acres and "where memories related to Atalji are present", and shared pictures of the memorial on X. "But during the tenure of the same prime minister, Narendra Modi, the last rites of former prime minister Manmohan Singh were performed at the public Nigambodh Ghat instead of the National Memorial. Because he was a Congress leader, not a BJP leader?" he asked in a post in Hindi on X. After the matter of a memorial for Singh took a political colour, the Centre clarified that a decision to build one was already conveyed to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge by Union Home Minister Amit Shah after Friday's Cabinet meeting. A government statement also said the funeral could be held as the process of setting up a trust and allotting land for the memorial could take a while. Kharge had written to Modi on Friday seeking a memorial for Singh. Several sections of the society have also urged the government to confer Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour of the country, on the late economist-prime minister.
A Kansas City man who stands accused of having a disregard for basic opsec made his first court appearance on Friday over a series of alleged cybercrimes. Nicholas Michael Kloster, 31, is alleged to have embarked on a confusing three-month Missouri crime spree that involved breaking and entering into a gym, causing $5,000 worth of damage to a non-profit, and abusing a credit card belonging to a company shortly after it hired him, according to the indictment [PDF]. The complaint claims Kloster was hired by what it refers to as "Company Victim 1" in March 2024 and that he quickly used the company credit card to make various purchases for himself. Only one of these was detailed in the indictment: a thumb drive that prosecutors say was advertised as one that could help users break into computers. According to the document, Kloster was fired on April 30 – which would make for a short stint of employment – and allegedly attacked "Victim 2," a health club chain, shortly before that termination. On April 26, or so the complaint claims, Kloster allegedly broke into one of the chain's health clubs shortly before midnight and the following day began telling the owner via email exactly what he had done. Note, dear reader, that prosecutors allege Kloster used his Victim 1 company email account to do this. The email detailed in the indictment read: "I managed to circumvent the login for the security cameras by using their visible IP addresses... I also gained access to the Google Fiber Router settings, which allowed me to use [redacted] to explore user accounts associated with the domain... If I can reach the files on a user's computer, it indicates potential for deeper system access." Kloster allegedly went on to forward a copy of his resume, which the indictment said "greatly differed" from the one he used to secure employment at Victim 1. He claimed to have assisted more than 30 SMBs in the region, seemingly peddling his so-called security services in some sort of guerrilla pitch for a new job. Prosecutors say health club staff noticed that Kloster's gym membership cost had allegedly been reduced to $1 following the intrusion, that he had allegedly stolen a staff member's name tag, and his account photograph had been erased. To round things off, Kloster is then alleged to have posted an image to social media of what appeared to be a stream of the gym's CCTV cameras weeks later, captioning it: "How to get a company to use your security service." Then, less than a month later, on May 20, or so the indictment claims, he entered a non-public restricted area of the nonprofit ("Victim 3") and used a boot disk on a computer, allowing him to access it using multiple user accounts, all while circumventing password protections, according to the indictment. Kloster then allegedly changed the passwords of multiple users and installed what prosecutors said was a virtual private network on the machine. The non-profit told authorities it spent around $5,000 to undo Kloster's actions. Kloster faces a two-count charge, one for accessing and obtaining information from "Victim 2's" protected computer, and another for accessing and causing reckless damage to "Victim 3's" protected computer. The scheduling conference for Kloster's trial is set for April 1, 2025. Kloster's representation was not immediately available for comment ®As one of the most anticipated shopping events in China, Double 12 has become a battleground for e-commerce platforms to showcase their strengths and attract consumers with exciting promotions, discounts, and exclusive deals. Taobao, the flagship platform of Alibaba, has launched a series of interactive games, livestreaming sessions, and limited-time offers to engage shoppers and create a festive shopping atmosphere. With its wide range of products and user-friendly interface, Taobao continues to be a top choice for millions of online shoppers during Double 12.
As soon as the news broke that Sora would be joining the roster, social media exploded with excitement and joy. Fans from all corners of the world expressed their happiness and disbelief at the long-awaited arrival of their beloved hero. Memes, fan art, and heartfelt messages flooded timelines, showcasing the depth of love and admiration fans have for Sora.Off-field controversies and personal issues also contributed to Stef K's fall from grace, further tarnishing his reputation and diminishing his market value. Despite numerous attempts to revive his career and regain his form, Stef K has so far been unable to recapture the magic that made him a star at Inter Milan.