Public examinations postponed or cancelled and 9 news from yesterday

KINI ROUNDUP | Here are key headlines you may have missed yesterday, in brief.

1. The government has cancelled Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Pentaksiran Tingkatan Tiga (PT3) examinations for this year, while Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM) and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) examinations will be postponed to the first quarter of 2021.

2. The intake for various programmes at public institutions of higher learning is likewise postponed. Higher learning institutions in the private sector will consider admitting students based on their forecast examination results.

3. An Education Ministry survey has found that 36.9 percent of 900,000 students surveyed have no access to an electronic device for e-learning.

4. Restrictions under the movement control order have forced the Mah Meri people in Kampung Orang Asli Pulau Indah to rely on food handouts - and the Rural Development Ministry disputed allegations that the food supply had been disrupted.

5. The Prisons Department is considering to convert public buildings into temporary prisons to cope with an anticipated influx of movement control order violators, according to sources. Police said 5,835 people have been charged so far.

6. The government is drafting standard operating procedures for holding Ramadan bazaars to streamline regulations being enacted by various state governments.

7. Born without arms, 32-year-old Norfarrah Syahirah Shaari has been operating a sewing machine with her feet to fashion personal protective equipment for healthcare workers at Teluk Intan Hospital and Teluk Intan health clinic.

8. Political analysts say Perikatan Nasional’s move to appoint many MPs to head government-linked companies is driven by a desire to maintain its slim majority in Parliament, and the fact that it is not held back by election promises.

9. The Health Ministry has recommended against using disinfection tunnels to curb the spread of Covid-19, after finding no evidence of its efficacy and due to concern it could cause harm to its users.

10. Malaysia’s policy of admitting all Covid-19 patients to hospitals regardless of whether they show symptoms has helped curb the spread of the disease, said Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.