01/05/2026

FRIDAY | MAY 1, 2026

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Nation condemns assault on Global Sumud Flotilla o Anwar denounces incident as grave breach of international maritime law, violation of humanitarian principles Ű BY KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Easing of S’pore-M’sia cross-border taxi rules PETALING JAYA: Cross-border taxi travel between Singapore and Malaysia will become more flexible and commuter-friendly from May 4, following sweeping reforms to expand drop-off points, increase taxi supply and tighten enforcement against illegal operators. The enhancements to the Cross-Border Taxi Scheme, jointly announced by the Transport ministeries of Singapore and Malaysia, aim to improve convenience while ensuring fair competition and stronger safeguards for licensed drivers. Under the revised rules, taxis can now drop passengers anywhere in Singapore and across key Johor areas, including Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri, Forest City, Kulai and Senai. Pick-ups remain controlled. Foreign taxis may only collect passengers at three designated points via ride-hailing bookings. Existing services at Ban San Street Terminal and Larkin Sentral continue unchanged. To meet demand, each country will add 100 taxis to the current 200, with a long-term goal of 500 each. New vehicles will include standard and premium six-seaters catering to families and business travellers. Stricter enforcement measures will require taxis to display clear identifiers and instal country-specific devices, including Singapore’s ERP unit for Malaysian taxis. “Vehicles must be under 10 years old, and drivers must hold valid Public Service Vehicle licences. “Taxis must also carry passengers when crossing borders, except during limited exemption periods.” – by KIRTINEE RAMESH

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has condemned what it described as a “piracy-like” assault on the Global Sumud Flotilla humanitarian mission after Israeli forces reportedly intercepted vessels in international waters, leaving 10 Malaysians unaccounted for. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim denounced the incident as a grave breach of international maritime law and a violation of humanitarian principles. He said in a statement that the reported actions against the flotilla resembled piracy and undermined fundamental norms governing the protection of civilian missions at sea. “Malaysia calls on all parties to act immediately and ensure that no harsh measures are taken against the activists,” he said, while expressing deep concern over the Malaysians believed to be detained and currently unreachable. He stressed that their safety must be guaranteed without compromise. Anwar added that the Madani government is actively coordinating with friendly nations to secure the swift release of all those involved. “In this critical moment, compassion and

(SNCC) confirmed that 22 vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 (GSF2.0) mission were intercepted and boarded by Israeli forces in international waters en route to Gaza, including six vessels carrying 10 Malaysians. Its director-general Datuk Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby said the mission involved 63 vessels in total, with 22 intercepted between 1am and 11am Malaysian time. A total of 186 activists were affected after vessels lost contact and were boarded during the operation, which took place about 650 nautical miles from Gaza. According to SNCC, the vessels involved included Saf Saf, Bella Blue, Romantica, Goleta, Mystere, Magic Boat, Ghea, Snap, Eros, Tam Tam, Nagual, Lapinya, Batolo, Bribon, Malia and Holy Blue . Sani Araby alleged that Israeli forces fired warning shots, jammed communications and deployed drones during the operation. SNCC said it has informed Anwar and several ministers, and is seeking diplomatic support from Greece and Turkiye.

humanity must rise above all differences. Malaysia will continue to stand firm in defending these universal values.” In urging Malaysians to keep those detained in their prayers, he expressed hope that ongoing diplomatic efforts would ensure their wellbeing. “To Allah SWT we entrust their safety alongside the comprehensive efforts being undertaken. May they all remain protected.” Meanwhile, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari also condemned what he described as attacks, obstruction and detention carried out by the Israeli regime against activists attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. He said the repeated interceptions of vessels and detention of activists near Crete, Greece, reflected a blatant disregard for international law. Amirudin alleged that the actions formed part of a broader pattern of violence and obstruction against humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people. The Sumud Nusantara Command Centre

Urgent investment needed in healthcare sector: MMA

Ű BY ANDREW SAGAYAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

“Doctors reverted to manual documentation. For patients waiting for blood results to determine chemotherapy dosing, 33 hours is not a technical issue, it is 33 hours of uncertainty.” Thirunavukarasu pointed out that four days later, a burst pipe flooded the operating theatre (OT). “Surgical equipment had to be moved. Patients who had waited weeks for surgery were sent home and told to wait again. “The Health and Finance ministries must provide a clear explanation on how this was allowed to happen.” According to media reports, the Finance Ministry had said on Wednesday that RM5.4 billion in operational expenditure cuts were proposed for the Health and Higher Education ministries as part of measures to save government funds due to the conflict in the Middle East. The Finance Ministry said the directive issued by the Treasury had suggested that cost savings could be achieved by various ministries, departments and agencies. According to the directive, a total of RM10 billion could be saved across the board, including RM3.06 billion from the Health Ministry and RM2.39 billion from the Higher Education Ministry. The Health Ministry was given RM46.5 billion under this year’s budget while the Higher Education Ministry was allocated RM18.6 billion. The Finance Ministry also instructed the postponement of government conferences, seminars and workshops as well as the hiring of new civil servants. Meanwhile, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the ministry has directed a comprehensive structural and digital audit of Hospital Ampang to address underlying issues stemming from its

KUALA LUMPUR: Urgent investment is needed in the national healthcare sector as it serves at least 70% of the Malaysian population, said Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Datuk Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo. “We acknowledge the Finance Ministry’s statement that spending adjustments will not jeopardise critical services. We hold the government to that commitment. “However, the proposed RM3.06 billion cut represents 6.6% of the Health Ministry’s operating budget, leaving the ministry with less allocation than last year. This is a significant reduction to a system already under severe strain. “Malaysia is short of nearly 11,000 specialists, while nursing vacancies stand at 18%. Hospitals nationwide are operating at or near full capacity,” Thirunavukarasu said in a statement. He also mentioned the dire situation faced by Hospital Ampang. “The conditions at Hospital Ampang puts a clear human face on what underfunding means. As Malaysia’s national referral centre for haematology, it cares for some of the most vulnerable patients, those with blood cancers and complex disorders. “With a capacity of 701 beds across 17 wards, the hospital was among the first in Malaysia to implement a fully digital Total Hospital Information System to support patient care. “On April 23, that system collapsed for 33 hours. Doctors have reported that it had not been upgraded since 2007 and was still running on Windows XP, an operating system retired over a decade ago. “During this time, patient records were inaccessible, blood test results were delayed and prescriptions could not be processed.

Dzulkefly said the Health Ministry has directed a comprehensive structural and digital audit of Hospital Ampang to address underlying issues stemming from its ageing infrastructure. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN

ageing infrastructure. He said in a post on his X account that the ministry is working to restore normalcy, and that patient safety remains a non-negotiable priority. On the disruption of the hospital’s electronic information system, Dzulkefly said it was caused by a technical maintenance error that affected system modules. “Technical teams from the Health Ministry are currently performing

He also clarified that a recent leakage in the OT complex involved a chilled water pipe within the ventilation system. “While repairs were completed swiftly, we are now conducting mandatory re-sterilisation, terminal cleaning and air-particle audits. “There will be no compromise, the OT will only resume once 100% infection control compliance is verified.”

system synchronisation and data integrity validation. “Business continuity plans are also active to ensure that clinical care continues manually without interruption.” Dzulkefly also said the CT Scan replacement project is nearing completion. Following a transition to a new leasing model, the unit is on track to be operational by today.