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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asean/40020208

Mixed Opinions In Vietnam Over Proposal For Limited-Term Apartment Ownership

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

Mixed Opinions Have Arisen Around The Ministry Of Construction’s Proposal Of Setting Limited Terms For Apartment Ownership, Which Were Repeated In The Latest Draft Amendments To The Law On Housing.

In the draft, which the ministry recently made public for comments, the ministry added a new section on “Term for apartment ownership” with two options.

In the first option, the term for apartment ownership would be defined based on the lifespan of the building. In the second option, there would be no change, meaning that there would be no regulation about the ownership term.

Experts said that it was essential to give careful consideration to the proposal of limiting apartment ownership terms because this was a new thing in Vietam and could have a significant impact on the market and residents.

The view of the first option was similar to the proposal setting a limited term of 50-70 years for apartment ownership raised four months ago which had caused a stir among the public.

Most residents and experts did not agree with the proposal, pointing out that a limited term for apartment ownership was not appropriate for buildings that were developed on long-term residential land as apartment owners still had the right to own the land in the long term following the established land laws.

Van Quang, who lives in an apartment building in Binh Thanh District, HCM City, said that his family saved up for 10 years to buy the apartment. He was worried he would lose his biggest asset when the ownership term expired.

Another resident said that he planned to sell a house to buy an apartment close to the city centre which was more convenient for travelling to work. However, when he heard about the ministry’s proposal, he changed his mind.

If the proposal was passed, people might rush to buy land instead of apartments and this would cause a problem for the market, he said.

According to David Jackson, general director of property market research firm Colliers Vietnam, in any approach, the Ministry of Construction aimed for stable growth of the real estate market, and clarifying issues related to housing ownership and ownership terms was an important part of the process.

It was necessary to have an appropriate approach with a specific roadmap and transparent regulations, which would help diversify the housing market and open up more opportunities for customers and real estate developers, he said.

Limited-term apartment ownership was currently applied in many countries in the world but is a completely new thing in Việt Nam, thus, careful consideration was needed to harmonise benefits and achieve long-term development goals, he said.

Limited terms for apartment ownership were expected to tackle difficulties in urban development and management, he said, pointing out that like other types of housing, the quality of apartment buildings gradually decreased years over years, affecting the safety and life of residents.

He said applying limited ownership terms would also bring many opportunities for redevelopment and change of land use purposes, thereby better serving social needs in the future while providing access to housing for the next generations as the land was a finite resource.

Nguyen Duy Thanh, chairman of Global Home, said that it was important to have solutions to handle construction works that expired and ownership issues to protect the legitimate rights of residents.

If the buildings had to be demolished and rebuilt, the old owners should have the right to receive compensation at market prices to settle down, he said, stressing that every building had its lifespan and would degrade over time.

In response to the public, Deputy Director of the Housing and Real Estate Market Management Department under the Ministry of Construction Nguyen Manh Khoi told Viet Nam News Agency that the proposal was raised to tackle existing difficulties in the renovation and rebuilding of old and degraded apartment buildings.

Many buildings had been degraded and seriously affected the lives of residents, but it was difficult to demolish and rebuild because ownership was permanent, he pointed out.

He said that in the first option, there was no specific limit on the number of years for ownership, but it would depend on the work’s lifespan in accordance with the law on construction.

Khoi said that the ministry would listen to every contribution and ensure benefit harmonisation in policy-making, in which the benefits of residents would be the top priority.

Khoi said that with the limited-term apartment ownership, some people would switch to buying land but not the majority. The regulations on apartment ownership terms might affect housing prices and create conditions for prices to drop, he said.

The Ministry of Construction was made public for comments on two draft amendments to the Law on Housing and the Law on Real Estate Business, both had significant impacts on the real estate market and enterprises operating in the industry.

The amended Law on Real Estate was expected to be submitted to the National Assembly in May 2023 and passed in October 2023 while the amended Law on Housing was expected to be discussed at the National Assembly for the first time in October and passed in May 2023.

Both were expected to come into force on January 1, 2024, to put the development of the real estate market on track.

Other points in the drafts which were drawing attention included the legal framework for condotels, officetels and shophouses, the operation of real estate brokers, house ownership of foreigners, and transactions via real estate trading centres. 

Viet Nam News

Asia News Network

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asean/40020205

$1 Donation Campaign For Preah Vihear Canal To Save Wildlife

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

Benjamin Joseph Davis – A Well-Known Natural Resource Conservationist And Environmentalist In Cambodia Has Dug More Than 30km Of Trenches Around The Area Under His Protection To Prevent The Wildlife From Straying Into Farmers’ Fields And Eating Their Crops.

Davis, known to most in the Kingdom simply as Ben, was most recently digging a protective ditch in the Phnom Tnaot-Phnom Pok wildlife sanctuary in Preah Vihear province, but the project ran out of funds during the rainy season so he decided to suspend work for a while.

After hearing about this problem, the founder of the Eatame website, which is an online marketplace for local community-made goods – started up a “Let’s Play the $1 Game” campaign to help Ben complete his canals and protect Cambodia’s forests and wildlife.

Ben told The Post on September 18 that the main purpose of digging the ditches was to keep animals from eating farmers’ crops and keep them from getting caught in traps like snares or pits.

“Animals go to eat people’s crops and the people are then angry and they set traps and hunt them, so we lose a lot of wildlife, which is why we have to dig trenches and build fences in some places,” he said.

“The budget received from the Ministry of Environment is just $20,000 a year. We have already used all of that money up and we still lack about $60,000 to finish digging the canals for another 16km,” he continued.

He said that, according to their plans, they plan to dig a protective ditch with a length of 32km at a depth of 2.5m. So far they’ve dug about 16km of the planned route.

“Maybe in the dry season we will start digging again because we also have to observe what percentage of the digging is actually effective and what percentage is subsequently lost to landslides, though we have planted 13,000 bamboo trees along these canals to prevent landslides,” he said.

The founder of the Eatame Facebook page and website went up to Preah Vihear to see Ben’s work in person. He said that seeing Ben – a foreigner – struggling mightily to protect Cambodia’s natural resources inspired him to find a way to help.

So he launched a campaign called “$1 for Ben’s Canals to protect Cambodia’s forests and wildlife.” He said that through this campaign he hopes that environmentally conscious Cambodians will show their support by donating at least $1 each to support the digging of the protective canals.

Ben said that in about two days of taking donations, the campaign has already raised nearly $20,000.

“I am thankful and happy to see so many Cambodians involved in funding the digging of this canal. We are continuing to ask those who are willing to help to give what they can because we still lack about $40,000 now at the current donation total. Hopefully all of the work will be completed by 2023, but if there are no funds to carry it out then it will end completely,” he said.

He said that each year during the dry season the wild animals venture out of the forest to eat farmers’ crops because the area adjacent to the farms and fields is a core natural area with thick forests.

“Every year, when the wild animals go and eat the farmers’ crops, we pay the farmers $1,000 or sometimes even $2,000 in compensation, but now the farmers are suing us and asking for too much money, but we have no money to pay them.

“We believe that the digging of this canal will reduce the number of animals entering the plantations because most of the animals are in this area, which is densely forested,” he said.

He also revealed that the Natural Resources and Wildlife Conservation Area in the Phnom Tnaot–Phnom Pok Wildlife Sanctuary, which the environment ministry collaborated on with him to develop as an eco-tourist destination, is preparing to welcome tourists in the coming dry season.

Environment ministry secretary of state Neth Pheaktra thanked all Cambodians and others who donated for their contributions to the protection and management of natural resources and wildlife in the Phnom Pok–Phnom Tnaot Wildlife Sanctuary.

“The digging of the canal is a measure that was approved by the ministry as a way to prevent wildlife from leaving the protected area and to mark the boundaries of the site to identify it as a core area for high-level conservation and wildlife protection. Once flooded, the canals will also provide an additional source of water for the wildlife that lives in the area,” he said.

He said the ministry has approved Ben and his family’s participation in the protection and conservation of forests and wildlife and provided him with both material and financial support and that they have worked well with the park rangers and the community throughout all of the projects they’ve undertaken in the Kingdom.

He also noted that the ministry – through the Social and Environmental Fund – assisted Ben and the sanctuary community with developing the area as an eco-tourism destination with funds in the amount of $20,000 per year for 5 years starting from 2019 and this year should see their first guests arrive.

The Phnom Pehn Post

Asia News Network

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asean/40020202

Google Faces Indonesian Antitrust Probe, At Risk Of $1.67 Million Fine

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

Google And Its Subsidiary In Indonesia Could Potentially Be Fined A Maximum Of Rp 25 Billion (US$1.67 Million) If They Have Violated The Country’s Antitrust Law, Due To The Mandatory Use Of Google Pay Billing (GPB).

The Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) announced its plan to undertake a preliminary investigation into Google over the next 60 days or so, on suspicion of monopoly, product tying, abuse of dominant position and discrimination, all through the use of GPB.

The antitrust agency underscored that such practices were potentially in violation of Law No. 5/1999 on the prohibition of monopolistic practices and unfair business competition, with a maximum fine of Rp 25 billion, according to article 47 paragraph 2 letter g of the law.

Edmon Makarim, dean of the University of Indonesia’s Law School, explained that this law was in place to ensure a fair playing field.

“The goal [of the antimonopoly regulation] is to open equal business opportunities. Whenever there are business opportunities, they must be opened for newcomers, and more established players are not allowed to obstruct the competition,” Edmon explained on Friday.

“It wouldn’t be a problem if the monopoly was born through ‘naturalia’ or the law. However, if [the competition] is decided by the market, then the market needs to be regulated to ensure fairness. For the technology [sector], the competition is decided by the market,” he added, explaining that Google’s conduct of restricting market entries could be viewed as a monopoly attempt.

Global antitrust cases against Google have plagued the company in the past few years, with the most recent happening in the European Union, where the court handed down a penalty of $4.12 billion, making it the largest antitrust fine ever given out by the European Commission.

“If you are in the act of tying people just to Google and its products, that will barricade the growth of new businesses,” said Edmon, explaining the legal logic behind the Google cases.

“A new development may translate to growing industries and new players, so the opportunity must be equally available to everyone for the sake of people’s prosperity,” he added.

On Thursday, the KPPU announced that the preliminary investigation into Google had been initiated on Wednesday after months of research into Google’s policy of binding GPB use for certain applications, through which the multinational tech giant collects a service fee of 15 to 30 per cent, substantially higher than other payment providers’ fees, which stand at 5 per cent or lower.

“The KPPU found this situation to be encumbering for Indonesian app developers because of the high service fees. […] Besides causing an increase in production costs and prices, this [fee] obligation also results in disruption to consumers’ user experience,” stated the antitrust agency.

The agency further explained that being subject to the policy, apps had no option but to comply, and they would be removed from the Google Play Store or their updates would not show up in the store if they declined to implement GPB as their transaction method.

“The policy of compulsory GPB use obliges applications downloaded from the Google Play Store to use GPB as their transaction method [for product purchasing and service payments] and content providers or app developers must meet the provisions within GPB,” the KPPU stated.

“Google also does not allow the use of alternative payment methods in GPB. This GPB use policy was effective on Jun. 1, 2022,” added the agency, highlighting the point of the monopoly in the fact that the United States company held 93 percent of the market share in Indonesian app platforms.

Furthermore, the KPPU also suspects that Google has been selling Google Play Store and GPB services as a means of product tying, the practice of selling one product or service as a mandatory addition to the purchase of a separate product or service.

“It has also been found that for in-app purchases, Google only partners with one provider of payment gateway/systems, while other providers in Indonesia cannot get equal opportunity in negotiating their payment method. [This is] different from Google’s treatment of global digital content providers, wherein Google is open to alternative payment systems,” the KPPU stated in a press statement released on Thursday.

Albeit not mentioning them specifically, the agency revealed that the types of apps that were subject to this policy consisted of those that offered cloud software, digital items that can be used in games, subscription services such as education, health, music or video as well as certain apps that provided content.

Abuse of dominant position

Meanwhile, Google argued that it did not see what it was doing as an abuse of its dominant position — on the contrary, the giant enterprise saw that it was helping local developers.

“Google Play [store] has enabled Indonesian developers to become successful by providing them access to tools and capabilities that help them build successful apps and businesses, and support all the great things that they’re doing. We listen and continuously improve based on the feedback we receive from the Play community,” a Google spokesperson told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

“For example, earlier this month, we rolled out the next phase of our user choice billing pilot in Indonesia, allowing developers to offer users an alternative billing system alongside Google Play’s billing system. We look forward to working with the KPPU to demonstrate how Google Play supports developers,” they added.

Head of economic opportunities research at the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS) Trissia Wijaya said that the KPPU must be careful about handling this particular antitrust case.

“This monopoly issue needs to be reassessed because there are many factors. Google itself may have faced the same case in other countries like the US, but even the US itself decided to suspend its assessment due to lacking validation; everything comes back to the users’ rights to pick which browser they want to use,” Trissia said.

The Jarkata Post

Asia News Network

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/europe/40020198

World Leaders Descend On London Ahead Of Queen Elizabeth’s Funeral

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

World Leaders Descended On London On Sunday To Pay Tribute To Queen Elizabeth On The Eve Of Her State Funeral. U.S. President Joe Biden, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro And Canada’s Justin Trudeau Were Among A Host Of World Leaders In The British Capital Ahead Of The Funeral Service On Monday.

Biden, among scores of dignitaries and royals from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas who have arrived in London for Monday’s funeral, said the queen’s death at 96 years of age had left a giant hole on the global stage.

He said he had consoled the queen’s heir, King Charles, that the queen would be “with him every step of the way, every minute, every moment, and that’s a reassuring notion.”

Hundreds of thousands of people have flooded London to bid farewell to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, with people from all walks of life from around the country and overseas queuing for hours to file past her coffin in a solemn stream.

Biden followed other world leaders in appearing on a balcony overlooking the coffin in the vast, historic Westminster Hall, making a sign of the cross and briefly placing his hand on his heart in reverence.

The U.S. president later joined Charles and other leaders for an evening reception ahead of the state funeral.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/europe/40020197

Royal Fans Camp Out For The Queen’s Procession To Windsor Castle

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

Scores Of Royal Fans Were Already In Their Seats On Sunday Evening Waiting To Watch The Procession On Monday That Will Take Queen Elizabeth To Her Final Resting Place At Windsor Castle.

Having secured their front-row seats, they put up chairs, rolled out sleeping bags and even settled down to read the newspaper.

“Why would you not be here? This is not just a once in a lifetime, it’s once in everybody’s lifetime,” said Wendy Dunford, a nurse from Farnborough who was getting ready to spend the night outdoors with her family.

The queen’s death, aged 96, at her Scottish castle on September 8 has prompted a national outpouring of emotion, drawing huge crowds with thousands queuing to join sometimes-sombre, sometimes-celebratory gatherings for a monarch who spent seven decades on the throne.

The funeral will begin at 1100 (1000 GMT) at Westminster Abbey in London before the queen is taken to be buried at Windsor Castle.

The state hearse will convey the coffin to the castle where there will be a further procession before a service at the castle’s St George’s Chapel.

In a later private ceremony, Elizabeth will be buried with her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, who died last year, at the King George VI Memorial Chapel where her parents and sister, Princess Margaret, were also laid to rest.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/europe/40020196

‘Final Farewell’ – British Newspapers Reflect Ahead Of Queen’s Funeral

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

British Newspapers Paid Tribute To Queen Elizabeth II On Monday The Day She Is Due To Be Laid To Rest After A State Funeral.

“God Bless” read the headline in the Sun newspaper and “Final Farewell” read the headline in The Times, both showing a previously unseen portrait of the Queen released by Buckingham Palace on the eve of her funeral.

Britain, world leaders and royalty from across the globe will gather later on Monday at a state funeral of inimitable pageantry.

At 6.30 a.m. (0530 GMT), an official lying-in-state period ends after four days in which hundreds of thousands have queued to file past the casket of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch at London’s historic Westminster Hall.

They, like many across the globe including U.S. President Joe Biden, had wanted to pay tribute to the 96-year-old who had spent seven decades on the British throne.

“You were fortunate to have had her for 70 years,” Biden said, “We all were.”

Shortly before 11 a.m., the oak coffin, covered in the Royal Standard flag with the Imperial State Crown on top, will be placed on a gun carriage and pulled by naval personnel to Westminster Abbey for her funeral.

Tens of millions in Britain and abroad are expected to watch the funeral of the monarch, something which has never been televised before.

It will end with the Last Post trumpet salute before the church and the nation falls silent for two minutes.

Afterwards, the coffin will be brought through central London, past the queen’s Buckingham Palace home to the Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner, with the monarch and the royal family following again on foot during the 1.5 miles (2.4 km) procession.

From there, it will be placed on a hearse to be driven to Windsor Castle, west of London, for a service at St. George’s Chapel. This will conclude with the crown, orb and sceptre – symbols of the monarch’s power and governance – being removed from the coffin and placed on the altar.

The Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official in the royal household, will break his ‘Wand of Office’, signifying the end of his service to the sovereign, and place it on the casket.

It will then be lowered into the royal vault as the Sovereign’s Piper plays a lament, slowly walking away until music in the chapel gradually fades.

Later in the evening, in private family service, the coffin of Elizabeth and her husband of more than seven decades Prince Philip, who died last year aged 99, will be buried together at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, where her parents and sister, Princess Margaret, also rest.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asia-pacific/40020190

Earthquakes Jolt Taiwan, No Casualties Reported

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

A 6.8 Magnitude Earthquake Hit The Sparsely Populated Southeastern Part Of Taiwan On Sunday, Sending People Who Felt The Jolt In The Capital Crouching On The Floor For Safety.

Taiwan’s fire department said two people were trapped in a building housing a convenience store that collapsed in Yuli and two people had been rescued, while three people whose vehicle fell off a damaged bridge were rescued and taken to hospital. The Taiwan Railways Administration said three carriages came off the rails at Dongli station in eastern Taiwan after part of the platform canopy collapsed. The fire department said one person was injured.

The weather bureau said the epicentre was in Taitung county and followed a 6.4 magnitude temblor on Saturday evening in the same area, which caused no casualties. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at a magnitude of 7.2 and at a depth of 10 km (six miles).

The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a warning for Taiwan after the tremor but later lifted the alert. Japan’s weather agency also lifted an earlier tsunami warning for part of Okinawa prefecture.

Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asia-pacific/40020187

S Korean Construction Plan For New State Guest House Discarded

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

President Yoon Suk-Yeol Has Called Off A Plan To Construct A New State Guest House To Replace Yeongbingwan, The Former Reception Hall At Cheong Wa Dae, Following Criticism That The Construction Would Be A Waste Of Taxpayers’ Money.

Previously at Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office and residence, Yeongbingwan functioned as a venue for the president to greet and serve guests. It has been closed following Yoon’s decision to relocate to Yongsan-gu, central Seoul, as he took office earlier this year.

Though the presidential office submitted a plan to build a new state guest house to replace the venue, which would involve an 87.8 billion won ($63 million) budget, to the National Assembly, Yoon withdrew the plan Friday.

“The president said the new construction was to prepare a venue for events that meet the standard of state dignity as a future asset for the nation, not that of the presidential office following the return of Cheong Wa Dae for the people,” Kim Eun-hye, senior presidential secretary for public affairs, said, quoting Yoon.

“However, it is regretful that (the office) did not give enough explanation on the purpose (of the construction for a new building),” the spokesperson said, adding Yoon ordered an immediate cancellation of the project.

The new construction plan drew controversy, with the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea denouncing the plan as a waste of taxpayers’ money. The party, which had opposed Yoon’s relocation scheme to Yongsan, slammed the administration for wasting money from the budget.

It also claimed the plan was first lady Kim Keon-hee’s idea. The ruling People Power Party refuted the allegation, calling it a “collective delusion” by the main opposition party.

The relocation of the presidential office, a project pushed by Yoon himself, has caused controversy over its finances.

Though the presidential transition committee initially announced it would cost 49.6 billion won in total to relocate the presidential office, it was reported that spending had already overrun by at least 30 billion won.

With the plan scrapped, Yoon will use the reception room at the presidential office or the War Memorial of Korea to meet with guests for now.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/middle-east-africa/40020185

Egypt’s Suez Canal To Raise Transit Fees In 2023

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

The Suez Canal’s Transit Tolls Will Increase By 15 Per Cent For All Types Of Vessels And 10 Per Cent For Dry Bulk And Cruise Ships Starting Next Year, The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Announced In A Statement On Saturday.

The authority said rising energy prices, freight rates, and daily charter rates for ships, predicted to continue next year, are the main reason for raising transit tolls along the vital canal connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.

“The (tolls) increase is inevitable and is a necessity in light of the current global inflation, which translates into increased operational costs and the costs of the navigational services provided in the canal,” SCA Chairman Ossama Rabiee said in the statement.

He said the SCA adjusted the tolls through clear mechanisms incorporating the changes in the maritime transport market, noting the canal remains the most efficient and least costly route compared to alternative routes.

China Daily

Asia News Network

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Malaysia PM: We’re Very Close To The Polls

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

There Were Loud Calls For The Dissolution Of Parliament To Pave The Way For The 15th General Election (GE15) At The Launch Of The Barisan Nasional Youth Machinery In Kuala Lumpur.

An estimated 10,000 youths, all in blue Barisan attire, packed Stadium Titiwangsa here chanting “bubar” or “dissolve Parliament” while Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Barisan chairman  Ahmad Zahid Hamidi delivered their speeches at the event.

Ahmad Zahid, who took the stage last, echoed the clarion call, saying in his speech that the message was clear the time to call for the general election is now.

The Umno president said what is needed now from the Prime Minister is for him to announce the call for a general election.

Barisan is also willing to weather the floods and heavy rain if GE15 is held this year, he added.

“Let’s not wait … it is loud and clear. I am confident the Prime Minister can see clearly that we cannot wait any longer.

“We want a win for Barisan and we don’t want people to continue to be incited (by controversial issues raised by the Opposition).”

“They (Opposition) can have large gatherings but we don’t need large gatherings, we have bigger spirits, and if such a high level of spirit is translated into the general election, we will win,” Ahmad Zahid said yesterday.

Also present at the gathering were MCA president  Wee Ka Siong, MIC president SA Vigneswaran, MCA Youth chief Nicole Wong, MIC Youth chief K. Raven Kumar and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) Youth exco leader Edwin Laimin.

Ahmad Zahid said the top five Umno leaders have met and discussed a few times a suitable date for GE15.

He said Barisan will have roadshows to counter all the allegations and issues brought up by the Opposition against Barisan.

He also said there is no personal problem, whether politically or personally, between him and the Prime Minister.

He said both of them have great chemistry together despite outside chatter on their relationship.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri, who said that the general election is just a short wait away, urged Barisan members to “lock in” nearly eight million new voters who will be added to the electoral roll for GE15.

He said this key demographic section includes some four million voters aged 21 and below, adding that far-reaching engagement campaigns must be made with them if Barisan wants to win, as the elections are considered a “numbers game”.

“There will be a huge increase in voters in GE15, from 14.9 million in GE14 to a minimum of 22.7 million in GE15.

“Out of this, it is estimated that around four million are aged 21 years and below.

“It’s a numbers game. How many we approach and meet with, that’s what will secure our win,” Ismail Sabri said.

Amendments to the law that came into effect in December 2021 have lowered the voting age to 18 from 21 and enabled automatic registration for those who qualify.

The effect of these new laws meant that there will be millions of new voters for GE15.

Ismail Sabri said GE15 will be a “different ball game”, with it being a virtual battle compared to what was done in previous elections.

He called for Barisan Youth members to thoroughly master and win the virtual war by providing answers to the missives delivered by the Opposition via social media.

“If we fail to answer as we did in GE14, we will pay dearly,” he said.

Responding to the chants made by Barisan Youth members for the dissolution of Parliament, Ismail Sabri, who is an Umno vice-president, said the party’s top five will be meeting soon to set the date.

“We are very close to the elections. I will set the date with the president (Ahmad Zahid).

“Sikit lagi, percayalah (just a bit more time, trust me).

“I hear your calls clearly. What is important is that when Parliament is dissolved and GE15 is held, we must win,” said the Prime Minister.

Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the party’s divisions nationwide were prepared and the machinery well-oiled and ready to roll out for the general election.

“We have done roadshows across 191 divisions covering all the states, from Padang Besar in Perlis to Sipitang in Sabah.

“I have witnessed for myself together with all the division heads that our preparedness is at a very good level and ready to roll out at any given time should the elections be called,” he said.

Barisan Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki also said the Youth machinery is battle-ready even if the polls were to be held tomorrow.

Their spirits are high, having waited for the past four years, he said, adding that preparations on the ground by the 191 Barisan divisions are going well.

“The mandate to set the date for the 15th General Election is with the Prime Minister, the president and deputy president of Umno, so we trust them to decide.

“But even if the Prime Minister were to dissolve Parliament tomorrow, the machinery is ready,” he added.

He also called for the rejuvenation of the party, adding that the previous Johor and Melaka state elections won by Barisan had featured a majority of young candidates and this aspect was clearly well-received by the voters.

As such, Barisan must continue fielding fresh faces that can meet the people’s aspirations in GE15, said Asyraf Wajdi.

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The Star

Asia News Network