Pentagon team reveals Covid-19-detecting chip that can be implanted in the body

‘A team of US scientists working under the US Department of Defense has unveiled a chip that it said can detect signs of the new coronavirus in human bodies within minutes when it is implanted under the skin. Retired Colonel Matt Hepburn said that the implant invented by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a Pentagon unit that develops emerging technologies for military use, can continuously test blood.’

Read here (South China Morning Post, Apr 18, 2021)

Emergency: Minister says govt benefits from more power to manage Covid-19

‘Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has defended the government’s use of the national emergency, saying it allows Putrajaya additional powers it can use to better manage the Covid-19 pandemic. Such powers include fining private hospitals up to RM5 million for refusing government requests.

‘Provided the Yang di-Pertuan Agong assents to the relevant ordinances, Ismail said the state of emergency also accords the army “the same powers” as the police. “Like now, the army can arrest undocumented workers. They can take direct action by arresting them and putting them in a lock-up.’

Read here (Malaysiakini, Jan 14, 2021)

Military gets emergency power to detain MCO offenders

‘Officers and personnel of the Malaysian armed forces now have the power to detain and take action against those found violating the movement control order, senior minister for security Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today. He said that the Emergency Ordinance provides similar authority to the police and military, which would help efforts to manage the Covid-19 crisis better.

“If previously the armed forces could only take action if there was border intrusion, now they can detain suspects for further action without the presence of police,” he said at his daily media briefing.’

Read here (Free Malaysia Today, Jan 14, 2021) 

Anger in Japan as US army bases report mounting Covid-19 outbreak

‘An escalating Covid-19 outbreak at American bases in Okinawa has seen 136 US military personnel and dependents infected so far, with the governor of the southern Japanese island complaining that United States officials have refused to provide details of infections among service members...

‘The question of quarantine regulations for US troops and their family members is a particularly contentious one, with local media reporting that Tokyo has little control over the US nationals who fly into Japan, even if they are arriving at commercial airports. The SOFA [Status of Forces Agreement between Japan and the US] permits service personnel to sidestep testing that is presently mandatory for all other arrivals from overseas.’

Read here (South China Morning Post, July 16, 2020)

Australia calls military in after virus surge

‘Australia's military was called in Wednesday to help tackle a coronavirus outbreak in Melbourne -- a surge in infections that has rattled the country's second-most populous city. Victoria has recorded double-digit increases in new daily cases for more than a week -- mostly in the state capital Melbourne -- representing a sizeable spike in cases in a country that has otherwise successfully curbed Covid-19.’

Read here (Today Online, June 24, 2020)

The coming post-Covid anarchy: Kevin Rudd

‘As with other historical inflection points, three factors will shape the future of the global order: changes in the relative military and economic strength of the great powers, how those changes are perceived around the world, and what strategies the great powers deploy. Based on all three factors, China and the United States have reason to worry about their global influence in the post-pandemic world.

Read here (Foreign Affairs, May 6, 2020)

Expanding the military’s role?

The MAF has been deployed since 21 March to help patrol and enforce the MCO in response to COVID-19. At the time of writing, the MCO has been extended twice and is now set to end on 28 April 2020. During this prolonged period, some thought should be given to the possibility of the MAF’s expanded role in the crisis.

Read here (ISIS Malaysia, April 17, 2020)