Rear seatbelts compulsory by 2009

KUALA LUMPUR: The sixty day countdown to the compulsory wearing of rear seatbelts begins tomorrow.

Beginning Saturday, the authorities will be conducting daily enforcement operations to ensure motorists start wearing the seatbelts even before it becomes compulsory from Jan 1.

Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh said if motorists did not want to have their journeys interrupted, then they should wear the seatbelts.

“If not, the police will stop you, question you and give you a pep talk,” he told reporters Friday after carrying out a road safety advocacy campaign at the Sungai Besi highway here.

Suret Singh said research among some 2,000 respondents had shown that 70%-75% were aware of the importance of wearing rear seatbelts.

“However, 60% said they would only start using it when it was compulsory while 80% are not even aware that it would be compulsory effective Jan 1.”

Suret Singh also cautioned those with children saying that those under five years were not allowed to wear adult seatbelts and needed to be put on child safety seats.

“As for those between the ages of five and 10, they can use the adult seatbelt but will need a booster for height,” he said.

Suret Singh added that Proton and Perodua would be announcing in early December the schedule for the free retrofitting of cars without rear seatbelts.

He said motorists owning such cars should not feel the need to rush as the department had given the manufacturers a period of three years to ensure all these cars were retrofitted.(NST)

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Altantuya - Razak Baginda released

SHAH ALAM, Oct 31 -- Abdul Razak Baginda acquitted, while Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar ordered to make their defence against the charge of murdering Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin gives the verdict upon finding no prima facie case against Abdul Razak at the end of the prosecution case.

However, the two special action squad members, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, were called to enter defence.

Both of them chose to testify under oath.

Azilah and Sirul Azhar were charged with murdering Altantuya at Mukim Bukit Raja, Selangor, between 10pm on Oct 19, 2006 and 1am the following day.

Abdul Razak was charged with abetting them in the murder of the beautiful 28-year-old translator.

He was seen leaving the court at 10.10am with his wife and daughter. He did not give a press conference outside the court building.

"I just want to go home," said Abdul Razak briefly to the press.

It has been slightly over five weeks since the prosecution closed its case and the court is expected to decide on the fate of all three accused today.

The trial had gone on for 151 days from November 2006, during which 84 prosecution witnesses testified.

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Najib - RMAF pilots had tested Eurocopter at Lima

KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi admitted he had made an error when he spoke of the package price of the much-disputed Eurocopter helicopter deal and which had caused an uproar among Opposition lawmakers in Parliament.

Abdullah who is also the Defence Minister said he was informed by officials in the Defence Ministry this morning on his slip.

The correct figure is RM1.604 billion, but he had thought it was RM1.67 billion and had rounded it up to RM1.7 billion.

"I apologise for my mistake," he said.

Asked to respond to the opposition's calls for him to explain the price discrepancy inside the Dewan Rakyat, Abdullah said it was unnecessary as he had already announced that the deal would be deferred to a later date.

He pointed out that the price would be renegotiated again as and when the government finally decides to purchase the helicopters.

"This is academic," he said.

Speaking at the same press conference, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak also denied claims that no physical evaluation was conducted on Eurocopter aircraft.

Najib who until last month held the Minister of Defence portfolio emphasised that the Eurocopter EC725 Cougar was not a new or 'experimental' aircraft. He noted that many countries had tested it out, including in combat in Afghanistan.

He said that Royal Malaysian Air Force pilots had tested it in local flight at the Langkawi International Marine Aerospace (Lima) show previously.

Asked to comment on calls by the Opposition for an independent expert panel to evaluate the procurement process, Najib said: "They are making too much a big deal out of it." (The Malaysianinsider)


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Sex for project scandal women found missing

IPOH: The Perak Religious Department has hit a snag while investigating a sex scandal allegedly involving former Perak Tengah district councillor Zul Hassan.

The department is having trouble finding the two Chinese nationals with whom Zul and businessman Fairul Azrim Ismail had admitted to having illicit sex.

Department director Datuk Jamry Sury said JAIP had been working with its Penang counterparts to get the names and addresses of the two women.

Unable to trace them, the religious authorities had instead been trying to track down their employer.

“It’s been very difficult to find them and I suspect that they may have gone back to China,” he said.

JAIP formed a committee to investigate the scandal after Zul and Fairul lodged reports in September against one Mohamad Imran Abdullah for procuring the women in Penang.

Zul, who is a PKR member, asked JAIP to take action against those who defamed and insulted him in connection with the scandal.

Both Zul and Fairul had recently claimed trial in the Sessions Court here to offences involving receiving sexual gratification to allegedly help Imran secure a project in Perak Tengah.

Yesterday, Jamry said the department would seek the Anti-Corruption Agency’s help in tracing the women to complete the probe.

Asked if the department had taken Imran’s statement, Jamry said the department would first leave that to the ACA.

Two Perak executive councillors are among six people, including Zul and Fairul, who have so far been charged with graft over a project in Perak Tengah.(TheStar)

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Mahathir is back with a vangeance

With a hit count reaching almost nine million in just one year, it would not be wrong to describe former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as Malaysia's most successful blogger.His blog, chedet.com, routinely attracts hundreds of comments, and is frequently quoted by the mainstream media. Ironically, he started the blog only because he was blacked out in the media for his harsh criticism of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Five years to the day since his retirement in 2003, Dr Mahathir's influence seems to be growing steadily as Malaysia readies for a new prime minister by the end of March next year.

His every move is dissected for its significance. When he showed up at International Trade Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's Hari Raya open house last week, it stirred much excitement as it was perceived as an endorsement of the minister. This can count for a lot in the upcoming election in Umno, whose members still love him.

Is Dr Mahathir making a political comeback? Not exactly. But there is a strong belief that his influence is on the rise.

Observers suggest that he could have a big say in the next administration after he played a key role in securing the early retirement of Abdullah, who was blamed for the poor showing of the Barisan Nasional in the March polls.

Many believe that Dr Mahathir's skilful manoeuvres behind the scenes were instrumental in getting Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak to persuade Abdullah to retire earlier than his original plan of June 2010. The whiff of resurgent power has sent Umno leaders and the media flocking to Dr Mahathir again, and he is back in the limelight after five years of being out in the cold.

“His views are being reported more widely, precisely because many people think that he will make a comeback,” said political analyst Ong Kian Ming.

Professor Agus Yusoff, from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, agreed that this was one perception, but felt that the bigger reason was the weakness of the current leadership.

“His views are being heard now because people are looking for better leadership. They see Dr Mahathir as experienced, and his views relevant,” he said.

Things have come full circle for Dr Mahathir, 82. His star dimmed soon after his retirement when Abdullah won a massive mandate in 2004. But the former premier soon sprang back into limelight after he began to give voice to public misgivings about Abdullah's weak administration.

His attacks gripped Malaysians for months in 2005, but they soon wore thin — until the March election that saw the BN suffer heavy losses. His campaign to topple his successor gained unstoppable momentum, returning him to a position of influence. Dr Mahathir's recent blog entry criticising the reach of vote-buying, or “money politics”, in Umno was debated widely in Umno circles.

His most recent acerbic comments on Najib's alleged young advisers sparked even more talk.

In a blog entry on Tuesday, he warned Najib not to repeat the mistake of cloistering himself with young advisers as Abdullah had, to the anger of Umno.

Dr Mahathir named consultancy firm Ethos as the Deputy Premier's adviser, and claimed that it also had links to Abdullah's young advisers.

“They (Ethos) are interested in getting a portion of the EPF worth RM300 billion to manage its investments, apparently with returns of up to 40 per cent,” he wrote, referring to the Employees Provident Fund.

The management of Ethos was quoted in The Edge business weekly recently about their interest in managing part of EPF investments. Najib has not responded.

Political observers believe that he will not marginalise the former premier, especially after seeing how Dr Mahathir's constant sniping damaged Abdullah's reputation.

“Najib will certainly prefer to have Dr Mahathir inside as an adviser rather than outside lobbing criticism at him,” said Ong.

This has led some people to predict a return of Mahathirism, suggesting a stronger hand on government than Abdullah's looser style. But Najib's supporters have denied this perception.

“Najib is not a puppet, he will have his own way and will want to make his own mark,” said Agus.

Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir's every move and word will continue to be watched, and his blog can expect to hit the 10 million mark very soon. — The Straits Times


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Altantuya - Verdict on Friday - Malaysiakini

Kuala Lumpur (290ct):The Shah Alam High Court will be at the centre of attention this Friday when judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin delivers the verdict on the sensational murder trial of a Mongolian women, Altantuya Shaariibuu.Mohd Zaki’s verdict will not only decide the fate of the three accused - Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar (both members of the Special Action Unit, UTK) and a renowned political analyst and strategist Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda - but will also end wild speculations and rumours relating to the case. This high profile case has generated a big following especially when there were rumours of a public figure linked to the murder, revelations of intimate involvement of one of the accused with the victim and some shady business dealings.

The trial on the gruesome murder of Altantuya who body was blown up using explosives to cover up the crime went on for almost two years with the prosecution winding up their case on June 23.

If the court’s decides a prima facie against the trio, they will have to make their defence or if otherwise they will be discharged and freed.

KEEPING UP THEIR HOPES
When inquired by Bernama on the sidelines of the court proceedings what they would do if they were freed, Azilah, 32, who has an adopted child stated that “there are too many things to do, but above all I want to cuddle my child and hold a thanksgiving feast”. Sirul Azhar, 36, when asked the same only offered a smile, typical of this fomer aide de camp for VIPs who is known to be discreet. On the dock he sits quietly and once in a while he turns toward the members of the media sitting behind him to ask for sweets and pickled fruits.

Meanwhile Abdul Razak, 48, the Executive Director for Malaysian Strategic Research Centre wants to take a break overseas with his only daughter Rowena when everything is over.

Throughout the trial, Abdul Razak was accompanied by his wife Mazlinda Makhzan, his parents and close family members. However, at the initial stages, Mazlinda’s presence made Altantuya’s father, Shaariibuu Setev frown as he claimed she had verbally abused him and court officiers went all out to keep them apart.

Even when Mazlinda was asked on the fate of her husband, she replied:

“I will leave it to Allah. Razak is innocent.” Yet the drama did not end there. The 151 day proceeding witnessed many bizarre and hilarious incidents. Apart from this there was also a change in the presiding judge and the clash between two counsels on who should be representing one of the accused.

BIZARRE INCIDENTS
Abdul Razak caught the attention of the media with some of his antics in the courtroom. He has been noted to throw tantrums and even went to the extent of kicking the dock and cursing others. He kept pushing his counsel Wong Kian Kheong to speed up the trial without any deferment and this certainly incensed Deputy Public Prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah who ticked of Wong by saying that Abdul Razak is not the only person in prison.

The media hype had certainly attracted the wrong type of crowd into the courtroom as well. It was obvious some wanted to take advantage of the media coverage to be on the limelight, but for the wrong reasons.

Readers would probably recall the presence of a women dressed like a counsel claiming that she was a representative of peace organisation and had the authority of the police and the Attorney-General’s Department.

She wanted the media attention and would closely follow the cameras and even refused to take a back seat. When there were no seats available she would insist the court officials to make special seating arrangements for her. Her presence was unwelcome and she even dared to intercept the judge.

When her behaviour became intolerable, not only because of her constant nagging but also her handphone that rings often, a police report was made and she eventually disappeared.

During the initial stages of the hearing there appeared another women who claimed that she was a representative of a women’s right organisation carrying a placard condeming Abdul Razak for the brutal slaying of Altantuya. The one women demonstration did not go down well with the police as it was seen as disturbing the public order and the police gave her a warning and told her to leave the court compound.

However, the women in her late 40s remained unfazed and instead shouted back at the unarmed policemen, “I have the rights, you police can stop me using your firearms, let the public be the witness”. 151 DAY TRIAL Azilah and Sirul Azhar who covered their faces using the ’ninja’ mask set a new trend for accused in other cases and when inquired by Bernama why they did so Azilah had this to say: “Life is long way to go, there are something best kept secret.” Another drama that unfolded at the 151 day trial is that a policeman stationed at the courtroom Lans Corporal Othman Abdul Rahman, 47, collapsed when accompanying the three accused to the courtroom and was later confirmed dead due to heart failure. Azilah and Sirul Azhar were alleged to have murdered Altantuya between Lot 12843 and Lot 16735 Mukim Bukit Raja, Shah Alam, between 10 pm 19 Oct and 1 am 20 Oct 2006. The duo were well versed in the use of explosives and are said to have taken the plastic explosives, detonator cord and CLC (cutting liner charge) from the UTK storeroom.

Abdul Razak who is alleged to have abetted with the two UTK members, is said to have committed the crime on Oct 18 2006 at his office at 10th Floor, Bangunan Lembaga Getah Asli Malaysia (LGAM), Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur and the motive of the murder is due to demands and threats from Altantuya.

Based on the evidence adduced from the prosecution witness Deputy Superintendent Muhammad Koey Abdullah, the explosives were probably placed on the victim’s mouth or the upper torso and the impact reduced her bones to fragments. On the puzzle why no traces of the victim’s clothing was found, Dr Mohd Shah Mahmood, the Head of the Forensic Medical Department at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL), explained the victim was probably stripped of her clothing before being blown up.

JUDGE TO PORE OVER 6,000 PAGES OF PROSIDING NOTES

However, lawyer J. Kuldeep Kumar and Datuk Hazman Ahmad who represented Azilah were persistent that their client was no way involved in the murder and the Azilah was not the one who led the police to the crime scene.

Sirul Azhar’s counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, Hasnal Redzua Marican and Ahmad Zaidi Zainal pleaded their client’s innocence and stated that he was victimised just because Altantuya’s jewellery were found his home. On Atlantuya’s blood stained snickers found on Sirul Azhar’s four wheel drive, they claimed anyone could have left it there as the vehicle could be accessed by others as well.

Wong who represented Abdul Razak held that his client had nothing to do with Altantuya’s murder and throughout the trial there was no proof that the murder was carried out under Abdul Razak’s behest. He also questioned the failure of the prosecution to call several senior police officers during the trial.

Nevertheless, Mohd Zaki will make his decision based on the evidence provided by the 84 witnesses that has been compiled into 6,000 pages of proceeding notes.

Prior to delivering the decision on the main charge, Mohd Zaki is expected to decide on the prosecution’s application to challenge the credibility of Lans Corporal Rohaniza Roslan (Azilah’s girlfriend), the decision on trial within trial on Altantuya’s jewellery found at Sirul Azhar’s home and on the statement by police that Azilah is the one who led them to the crime scene. Nonetheless, all the allegations and speculations will be put to rest on Friday when Mohd Zaki delivers his verdict. (NST)


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Lombok issue - Noor Fadilah finally united with her family

NUSA TENGGARA BARAT (Mataram), Oct 29 (Bernama) -- After 54 days of separation, Noor Fadilah Ahmad finally was united with her parents in an emotional meeting here Tuesday.

She met her father, Ahmad Abdul Hamid, 46, and mother, Masitah Abdullah, 42, at the Mataram district immigration office after they were brought there by Umno Youth's caring society secretariat.

In the 1.45pm reunion, Noor Fadilah hugged her father and tried to dissuade him from looking for Nasrudin Dahrom, the Lombok Timur youth who brought her here.

The tense situation became very emotional when Masitah alighted from the car and hugged her eldest child and cried watched by more than 50 people including secretariat chairman, Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.

"Don't you love me," Masitah asked her child who sobbed loudly even as she asked for forgiveness.

The emotional meeting took 10 minutes before they entered the immigration office to settle Noor Fadilah's travel documents as she had entered Lombok illegally on Sept 6.

Noor Fadilah from Bagan Serai, Perak, followed Nasrudin to Lombok leaving Malaysia on Sept 3 without her parents' blessings as they did not approve of her love affair.

The couple is said to have married in Batu Belik, Aimal, Lombok Timur, on Oct 11 against the wishes of her father.

"We are matched and this is our destiny. I ask for forgiveness from her father. If necessary I will kiss his feet," said Nasrudin to reporters outside the immigration compound.

On Sept 4, Ahmad had made a police report asked for help to bring back Noor Fadilah and the Umno Youth secretariat had responded.

According to Indonesian law, anyone entering the country illegally can be jailed for six years or fined 30 million rupiahs.

However, as a result of negotiations between the secretariat represented by Abdul Azeez and the head of the Mataram district immigration's head of surveillance and action, M.Adnan, Noor Fadilah was allowed to go free.

"What is important is that all parties learn from this and that it does not happen again. This is a small effort of the secretariat to help people," said Abdul Azeez.

Earlier, Abdul Azeez who was mobbed by a crowd, including Nasrudin's family members, advised him to resolve the matter using Malay law and tradition.

"Do not separate them," said Nasrudin's mother, Rumini, 55, who wanted the matter to be resolved amicably after Noor Fadilah was detained by immigration since Oct 16.

Nasrudin who was allowed to meet Noor Fadilah's mother at the Silaparang airport at Mataram repeatedly asked forgiveness from Masitah for the couple's actions.

The secretariat team is expected to return to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 11.30pm.

-- BERNAMA

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Petrol price should not be less than RM1.92/L - Shahrir

PETALING JAYA (29 Oct): The minimum price of petrol should be RM1.92 per litre even if the global oil price continues to fall, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said.

He said this would bring some stability to the retail price of petrol and minimise losses by petrol station owners.

Setting a minimum price would also enable the Government to reduce its subsidy on petrol if the global price fell further.

“The upper limit will be RM2.70 and it is my feeling that this is the optimal range,” Shahrir said when commenting on the losses petrol station dealers face whenever the price of petrol is reduced.

Ahmad Sarpur, a dealer in Johor, said dealers could lose between RM13,000 and RM25,000 each time petrol is reduced by 15 sen per litre.

“This is because there is a minimum order quantity of 21,000 litres that we must pay for immediately. There is no credit,” he said.

“If the petrol is delivered in the morning and the price is reduced at night, we have to sell petrol 15 sen cheaper than what we had paid for it.”

However, Shahrir said the Govern ment had been fair to the dealers saying: “We have not reduced their margin of 12 sen per litre after it was increased in June and we will try as much as we can to keep upcoming price reductions to 15 sen at a time.”

Shahrir said this meant a minimal loss of three sen per litre.

Ahmad pointed out that it was difficult for dealers to hedge on prices as they were not given prior notice of price changes. He said the dealers should be given three days’ warning before a price change to carry their optimal amount of stock.(TheStar)

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Maradona appointed as Argentina coach

BUENOS AIRES, Oct 29 - Diego Maradona is expected to be confirmed as Argentina coach on Thursday, his 48th birthday.

Maradona and Carlos Bilardo were asked on Tuesday to lead the national team by Julio Grondona, head of the Argentine Football Association.

Maradona would be the coach and Bilardo the manager, but the pair would not confirm whether they accepted the positions after leaving the meeting with Grondona.

Although the AFA and Grondona were yet to make official statements following the meeting, Maradona was already speaking to reporters as the future coach, and local media was widely reporting he would accept the job on Thursday.

Maradona told Fox Sports that “my path is with the national team ... my path is to speak with the players, try to put together a solid group with Carlos.”

“Now we’re just awaiting for it to be official. The idea is to get started right away when it becomes official.

“I’ll put together the team, I’ll choose the players and I’m sure Carlos will take care of a ton of other things.

“For me, this only compares to the birth of my two daughters” Dalma and Giannina, added the football great.

Grondona led the search for a coach following Alfio Basile’s recent resignation for personal reasons he’s yet to make public. He stepped down on Oct 16 following a first loss to neighbor Chile in World Cup qualifying.

Argentina is third in the South American race. Argentina’s next match is a friendly at Scotland on Nov 19.

Manchester United forward Carlos Tevez was the first Argentine player to congratulate Maradona on the possible post.

“What can be better motivation for a player than to have Diego as a coach?” Tevez said.

Bilardo is currently the head of the Sports Secretariat for Buenos Aires province.

Maradona’s previous coaching experiences have not been positive.

He led Deportivo Mandiyu in 1994 and Racing Club in 1995, and in both cases abandoned the post before the contract was up.

Maradona regarded teammates from his 1986 World Cup champion side also worthy national coaches, players such as Jose Luis Brown, Pedro Troglio and Sergio Batista.

Batista, the national youth coach, guided Argentina to Olympic gold in Beijing, and was considered to be on a shortlist with River Plate’s Diego Simeone and San Lorenzo’s Miguel Angel Russo.

Maradona captained Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title, and the 1990 final. The next year, his drug-plagued fall from grace began with a positive test for cocaine leading to a 15-month ban from the Serie A. At the 1994 World Cup he tested positive for a stimulant and received another 15-month ban. He retired as a player in 1997 after failing another doping test.

This decade he has reportedly been close to death while battling heart problems, high blood pressure and obesity.

Last year he was hospitalised twice for acute hepatitis blamed on alcohol abuse, but remains wildly popular in Argentina. - AP


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Eurocopter deal still ON

PETALING JAYA: Negotiations to purchase 12 Eurocopter helicopters for the RMAF are still on, sources said.

When contacted yesterday, a source said high-level officials of the Defence Ministry had not received any instruction from the Government to cancel the programme.

Another source said no decision had been made on the matter yet.

They were commenting on a news report published on an Internet news portal which claimed that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had decided to cancel the purchase of the helicopters.

The Government had recently announced the purchase of 12 Cougar EC725 helicopters from the European firm to replace the ageing Nuris at a cost of RM2.3bil.

Najib had said last week that the Cabinet had given the Public Accounts Committee the green light to investigate the procurement process of the helicopters.

Najib, who is also the former Defence Minister, had suggested that the PAC investigate the matter.

PAC chairman Datuk Azmi Khalid had said that the committee would scrutinise the details leading to the purchase of the new helicopters during a two-day meeting starting tomorrow.

Among those who would be called in to assist the PAC is Defence Ministry secretary-general Datuk Abu Bakar Abdullah.

Dzirhan Mahadzir, a correspondent of Jane’s Defence Weekly, said the helicopter purchase programme was still at the negotiation stage between the Government and Eurocopter after the Letter of Intent (LOI) had been issued.

Dzirhan said the LOI meant that the negotiations would still be subject to pre-conditions before the final selection is made and a Letter of Award (LOA) given later on.

He added that the LOI would enable the Government and the vendor to plan and negotiate the best offer that could be worked out before the LOA is handed over.

“It will be more appropriate if a postponement is announced if the Government finds that it cannot make the deal due to external factors such as the national economic condition.

“But it will be odd if the deal is called off now, because everyone will have to go back to square one and make a new tender. There’s a lot of speculation in the news report about the cancellation if you ask me,” he added. (TheStar)

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Fuel price to be reduced as well as hypermarkets this week

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Malaysia is set to cut fuel prices again this week, while hypermarkets will slash prices as the government attempts to calm public anger over the soaring cost of living.

But while fuel prices will fall for the fourth time in as many months, the price of electricity, which rose by 12 per cent in June despite loud protests, will not be brought down.

The government has been facing pressure to lower fuel prices since raising them by an unprecedented 41 per cent in June, a move which had the knock-on effect of pushing up the general price of goods and services.

A litre of unleaded fuel was raised by 78 sen to RM2.70 in June, but the sharp fall in global crude prices — from around US$147 a barrel in July to around US$62 today — has allowed officials to reduce pump prices.

Prices were cut by 15 sen in August, 10 sen last month, and then 15 sen in the middle of this month, with the price of unleaded 97-octane fuel now at RM2.30 a litre.

Domestic Trade Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad said he expects the latest reduction to be no more than 15 sen a litre.

Officials say the moves to cut the prices of fuel and goods are aimed at easing inflation, which hit a 26-year-high of 8.5 per cent in August and remained at a still-painful 8.2 per cent last month.

But an economist at Bank Islam, Azrul Azwar, told The Straits Times that the government was being too cautious in its fuel price cuts.

“The main issue is that prices of other goods and services, like food, are taking their time to fall,” he said, adding that the best way to solve that would be to slash the cost of fuel by 50 to 70 sen.

“That should trigger a chain reaction among traders, producers and manufacturers to reduce their prices. Baby steps will not improve the situation,” he said.

There is a bright spot on the horizon for consumers feeling the effect of high prices, however, as hypermarkets are expected to slash the prices of products ranging from fruit to chicken this week, following meetings with government officials.

Mydin Hypermarkets, a big local player, will cut the prices of 300 to 500 items by up to a third from today, its managing director Ameer Mydin was quoted as saying in The Star newspaper. “Hopefully, others will follow suit,” he said.

But while the move will almost certainly be welcomed by struggling shoppers, many complain that it does not go far enough, after everyone from high-end boutiques to food hawkers raised their prices following June's fuel price hike.

One consumer, Dr Tan Eng Bee, complained in a letter to a local newspaper last week that high prices “speak of the greedy attitude of our business community who are extremely quick to increase their prices but are adamantly slow to react when the price of fuel is lowered”.

And Mrs Chen Lee, a 40-year-old housewife, told The Straits Times: “My favourite claypot chicken rice is so expensive now at RM5.80 for a bowl, and there is so much rice in it now and not as much chicken. I hope to see it go back down to around RM4.50.”

But whether or not Malaysians see a general fall in the cost of living, they appear to be stuck with paying more for electricity.

Energy, Water and Communications Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor said tariffs will not be cut as the bulk of the electricity supply is generated using gas and coal.

Meanwhile, with Malaysia also starting to feel the effects of the global financial crisis, Finance Minister Datuk Najib Razak is expected to announce an economic stimulus package next week, and reduce the growth forecast for next year from 5 per cent to around 3 per cent. — Straits Times

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Latest list of nominations for UMNO election

KUALA LUMPUR: The following is the list of nominations for key posts in the Umno Supreme Council after 18 more divisions held their delegates' meetings Monday (27 Oct).

PRESIDENT
---------
(Quota: 58 nominations)

1. Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (98 nominations)

DEPUTY PRESIDENT
----------------
(Quota: 39 nominations)

1. Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (63)
2. Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam (22)
3. Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib (13)

VICE-PRESIDENTS
---------------
(Quota: 20 nominations)

1. Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein (82)
2. Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (59)
3. Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (49)
4. Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (44)
5. Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar (20)
6. Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad (8)
7. Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim (8)
8. Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (6)
9. Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik (6)
10. Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis (5)
11. Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (3)
12. Datuk Seri Musa Aman (2)
13. Tan Sri Annuar Musa (1)
14. Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam (1)

NOMINATIONS ACCORDING TO DIVISIONS
----------------------------------
LUMUT
President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal

KUALA KANGSAR

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin

PETALING JAYA UTARA

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar

JOHOR BAHARU

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin
Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar

PERMATANG PAUH

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal
Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik

KLUANG

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

PARIT SULONG

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin
Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam

SRI GADING

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin
Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal

SIPITANG

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin

PARIT

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik
Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal

JELUTONG

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar

SEMBRONG

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal
Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim

BUKIT MERTAJAM

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar

KULAI

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal

SABAK BERNAM

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

PULAI

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

SERDANG

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin
Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

GOPENG

President
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy President
Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam

Vice-Presidents
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin
Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim (Bernama)

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Najib is ready to end the special privileges for the Malays

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is ready to end the special privileges for the Malays, but stressed that this must be done gradually.

In an interview with Bloomberg Television, the Prime Minister-designate said "if we do not change, the people will change us".

"In the not-too-distant future, we will see all the elements of the New Economic Policy being replaced." He didn't say when that might occur.

"It's a huge challenge," Najib said in the interview yesterday. "There must be this political will and desire to change within Umno. I don't think we can expect people to look at us in more favourable terms unless we change, unless we rectify our weaknesses."

The Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition used the scrapping of the NEP as a campaign pledge to inflict record losses on the ruling Barisan Nasional in the March general election.

The NEP was devised by Najib's father, Tun Abdul Razak, when he was Malaysia's second prime minister to boost the Malays' economic status — through job allocations, cheaper homes and other benefits — in a country where ethnic Chinese had long been more prosperous and remain so. About 65 per cent of country's 27 million people are Malay.

According to Bloomberg, by offering to scrap the NEP, at an unspecified time, and replace it with a needs-based system, Najib is moving closer to the stance of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who also supports a system based on economic need.

Anwar is trying to seize power but said on Wednesday he is finding it difficult to woo ruling coalition lawmakers to his side.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi plans to step down in March and has named Najib, his deputy, as his successor. Abdullah sped up his planned 2010 exit from the political stage as racial tension increased.

Some analysts Bloomberg spoke to expressed doubt that Umno, the leading party in the ruling coalition, is ready to give up a programme that helps its members. Political consultant Karim Raslan said Umno hasn't fully accepted how much it needs to change.

"I don't see enough frankness in terms of challenges facing the party," Karim said. "Many of the party leaders feel that by replacing Abdullah they will overcome these weaknesses. I have to disagree with them. I don't see many signs of revival," Bloomberg quoted him as saying.

Najib's family has held top positions in politics and business for generations. His father led Malaysia from 1970 to 1976. Najib's cousin is the current education minister. His younger brother Nazir Razak runs the country's second-biggest bank CIMB Group Bhd.

Abdullah picked Najib to succeed him despite misgivings by some over controversies surrounding the deputy prime minister.

Najib has denied suggestions that he is linked to the murder of a Mongolian woman in 2006, and that he had an affair with the victim. A political analyst who worked for Najib is on trial for abetting two police officers in the murder.

Anwar also has accused Najib of profiting from defence contracts and of being behind criminal charges that the opposition leader had sex with a man. Anwar denies the sex charge, and Najib denies both being involved in bringing the case against his opponent and making money from defence contracts.

Bloomberg also quoted former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as saying that Najib has to explain all things that are said about him. "Unfortunately, we don't have any other candidate. We have no choice but to choose Najib," Dr Mahathir said.'

In the interview, Najib called the allegations against him baseless.

"I'm telling you, I wouldn't stay in office a day longer if I knew I am involved in these allegations," he said. "There's no proof, no basis. I can sue people, but it's going to be a tedious process in court." (MalaysianInsider)

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Alternative Budget 2009 unveiled by PR

Pakatan Rakyat today unveiled what is seen to be their ‘alternative budget’ containing a wide range of promises and recommendations specifically to tackle the current global economic crisis.

The 20-page statement titled ‘Facing economic challenges and rebuilding confidence’ was read out by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim at a press conference in Parliament this morning.

Also present were several Pakatan MPs, including DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang and PAS secretary-general Kamaruddin Jaffar.

Anwar told reporters that the Budget 2009 tabled on Aug 29 by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in his capacity as finance minister then, was “deeply flawed”. Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak took over the finance portfolio later.

The nation’s leaders seem to be on auto-pilot, unaware of the challenges which have already risen in the form of runaway inflation, rising unemployment and declining foreign investment.

“More troubling is their prolonged state of denial over the grim economic forecasts,” Anwar said.

Re-engineering the growth strategies

He explained that Pakatan’s various recommendations were therefore made in the light of the global economic and financial crisis, the sharp decline in commodities markets and the anticipated impact of these factors on the Malaysian economy.

To address this, Anwar said the broad thrust of the policy would be directed at re-engineering the growth strategies for the immediate and long term and to address the vulnerabilities in the economy.

He proposed the four main strategies to be ensuring the stability of financial markets; enhancing provisions for the social safety net; maintaining domestic price stability and enhancing national competitiveness.

Some of the key recommendations - such as the auction of approved permits and the reforms of public tender system - have been made by the opposition leader in a 11–page economic policy paper last month in response to Budget 2009.

Although the recommendations made by the opposition alliance was similar to its alternative budget in previous years, Anwar and Lim nevertheless denied the document released today was Pakatan’s alternative budget.

They said this when asked why Pakatan only chose to unveil the recommendations today - the last day for the debate on Budget 2009 in Parliament.

“We don’t call it alternative budget. This is our plan in order to meet the crisis of confidence on the economical front and we give various specific measures addressing specific problems facing the country,”explained Lim.

The salient points

The salient points from the measures proposed by Pakatan today include:

* Pakatan anticipates a decrease in government’s revenue by 11 percent to approximately RM157 billion as against the government’s projection of RM176 billion due to the drop in commodity prices as well as a decline in GDP.

* Suggestion for a 15.5 percent reduction in government’s operational expenditure to RM130 billion, as opposed to the government’s proposed amount of RM154 billion. In reducing operating expenditure, Pakatan assures it will however make no reduction in government salaries.

* Pakatan believes that a RM10 billion substantial savings is feasible simply by reducing corruption and mandating open-tenders for government procurement.

* Pakatan believes the budget deficit to be 3.0 percent, down from the estimated 3.6 percent for 2009, based on the revised calculation of revenue and allocation for expenditure.

* Education, public transportation, health and housing were chosen as the four areas to be benefit from substantial increases in development expenditure. The allocation for education to be increased from RM8.4 billion to RM11.8 billion in 2009, RM3 billion for housing development as opposed to the government’s RM1.4 billion and RM3.5 billion for improving security.

* Set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) and re-allocate approximately 30 percent of the police officers from administrative departments to crime-fighting.

* The approved permits for imported vehicles are suggested to be auctioned to highest bidders in order to generate an estimated additional RM1.75 billion to government’s coffers.

* Renegotiation of “exploitative contracts” in toll concessionaires and the independent power producers for a lower cost of services to all Malaysians and savings for the government.

* A temporary reduction in employee contributions to the EPF from 11 percent to nine percent for a period of one year to increase disposable incomes. This would inject nearly RM2 billion of disposable income into the economy for domestic spending.

* Liberalising taxes and import duties on inputs used for the production of food, final goods and farming.

* The formation of a pricing mechanism which is more responsive to fluctuations in market price for crude oil.

* The enactment of a national competitiveness policy and take steps to reduce the “unfair market power” held by state-created monopolies”.

* To revitalise the SMEs sector, it is proposed that the tax rate for SMEs on their first RM500,000 chargeable income be reduced to 18 percent from the current 20 percent. A new partial tax exemption threshold is also proposed and to set at RM200,000 and taxed at 12 percent.

* A review for mega project costing more than RM1 billion to assess their socio-economic viability, affordability and intended impact on national development and employment.

* All government contracts to go through public tender. A saving of at least RM5 billion per annum is estimated to be achieved from this.

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PSD - No plan to retrench 50,000 contract employees

PUTRAJAYA (24Oct): The Public Services Department (PSD) has rubbished talk that more than 50,000 contract employees in the civil service would be retrenched by the end of this year due to budget constraints.

Its chief, Tan Sri Ismail Adam, said there was no such government policy on the matter.

He was responding to claims by the Congress of Union Employees in the Public and Civil Service (Cuepacs) that some contract workers were expected to be retrenched by the end of the year.

Ismail said all government agencies, be it at the federal or state level, as well as statutory bodies, recruited contract staff independently, based on their need for manpower.

He said it was the prerogative of these agencies to take in the employees or terminate their services when the need arose.

Cuepacs chief Omar Osman, meanwhile, when contacted, said that although it was the right of the agencies to end the services of their contract workers, they should consider the welfare of the group.

Cuepacs, he said, had long been fighting for the employees to be absorbed into the civil service as permanent staff, but to no avail.

He said scores of union members who were attached to several government agencies had reported that they had been given a month's notice to leave the civil service.

Omar added, the employees had told him that the excuse given by their respective agencies was that there was not "enough budget to accommodate them".

Some, he said, had been employed on a contract basis for up to 20 years and had recently been given a notice of termination.

"We are appealing to the government to consider the plight of these people who have been of service to the government.

"This is especially so during these hard times, when they have mouths to feed and bills to pay."

Asked to name the agencies, which were supposedly terminating their contract workers, Omar said the complainants did not want to name their employers as they feared repercussions, adding, however, that it involved government agencies across the board.

Omar said Cuepacs could not accept the excuse given by the government agencies that they could not afford to retain the services of the employees.

He said Cuepacs had sent a letter of appeal to the PSD to retain the workers, adding that he had also asked for the department to either re-deploy them or absorb them as permanent workers.

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UMNO polls will not be reverted to December - PM

BEIJING(24Oct): The Umno party polls will be held in March next year as scheduled and not reverted to December, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“We already have the transition plan and it will be in March next year,” he told reporters on Thursday when asked if the Umno general assembly would be brought to December.

It is learnt that some Umno divisions are against the party’s Supreme Council decision to postpone the general assembly to March.

Abdullah, who earlier launched Khazanah Nasional’s Beijing representative office here, arrived on Wednesday to attend the two-day Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem).

Abdullah’s official programme includes the Asean Leaders’ Working Dinner and Asean Plus Three Leaders’ Breakfast Meeting on the Financial Crisis.

Abdullah will hold talks with Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

Established in 1996, Asem is an informal process of dialogue and cooperation between its 45 members, comprising the 10 Asean member nations, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, and European Union members.

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Cockroach flavored murtabak shock

SHAH ALAM, Oct 23 -- A simple meal ordered from a nearby Indian Muslim restaurant this morning has left Selangor Information director, Saptuyah Senson, with a bitter taste in her mouth when she found a cockroach in her food.

Recounting the incident, she said she had asked her personal assistant to buy murtabak (a type of pancake) from the restaurant but found a baby cockroach after a few bites.

"I found the cockroach while I was separating the onion slices from my murtabak. Imagine my shock when I saw the pest with one of its legs gone.

"I think I may have eaten its leg and I immediately vomitted. I brought the murtabak back to the restaurant for an explanation, but a worker there had the cheek to say that the cockroach must have been from my office and not the food," she told reporters when met at the restaurant.

Saptuyah, 53, said she went into the restaurant's store room and found more than 10 cockroaches crawling on sacks of flour and onions, despite the eatery being graded Category A (excellent) for cleanliness.

"I asked the restaurant owner for an explanation, but he blamed the pest controller, who he said did not come during Hari Raya Aidilfitri. He (restaurant owner) did not cooperate, and when I said I would talk to the media, he told me to get out saying that she could not talk to the media in the restaurant.

"I immediately contacted the Shah Alam Municipal Council (MBSA) Health Department to complain, and what disappointed me was that MBSA took such a long time until I had to contact Shah Alam Mayor, Mazalan Md Noor, regarding the matter," she said.

Saptuyah's call prompted the mayor to see the restaurant's condition for himself.

Commenting on Saptuyah's report, Mazalan apologised for the delay in action and assured that a detailed investigation would be conducted on the restaurant's cleanliness and would direct the restaurant owner to clean the premises.

"Although this is an isolated case, it is not an excuse to not conduct checks because we need to stress on restaurant cleanliness at all times. An MBSA Food Sanitation Unit will conduct periodic checks to monitor the cleanliness of each restaurant. "If this restaurant does not comply to the orders to clean up its premises, we will issue a compound under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease Act 1988 and review the grade system because grades given are not static, it can rise or fall. This restaurant has been compounded before and it should be in clean condition at all times," he said.

-- BERNAMA

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Govt budget constraints would cost 50,000 Civil Servants To Be Retrenched

KUALA LUMPUR, (Oct 23) -- About 50,000 contract employees in the civil service are expected to be retrenched by the end of this year due to budget constraints, according to the Congress of Union Employees in the Public and Civil Service (Cuepacs).

But Cuepacs is not buying the lame excuse because the government could well afford to retain the services of these employees, its president, Omar Osman, told Bernama on Thursday.

He said Cuepacs had sent an urgent appeal to the Public Service Department (PSD) to help retain these staff, most of whom had served between five and 10 years and some have even served for 20 years.

These workers who were on a year-to-year contract spread among all departments and ministries nationwide did not enjoy the perks of permanent staff and yet performed the same tasks, he said.

Cuepacs had suggested that the PSD either redeploy these staff or absorb them into the permanent establishment.

Omar said Cuepacs officials would go round the country to assist these workers. The first meeting would be Kota Baharu on Nov 6.

The Congress would also discuss this issue during its delegates conference next month.

The PSD was not available for comment.

-- BERNAMA

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Syed Hamid asnwers to Hindraf, Security, Internet, Social Contract, and Media

KUALA LUMPUR(23Oct): In the second part of an interview with The Star Online and mStar Online, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar talks about the Hindraf ban, the Internet and the dissemination of information, the social contract and the role of the media.

For Part 1 of the interview, go here

BANNING OF HINDRAF
Syed Hamid: Hindraf (the Hindu Rights Action Force) has an address. It has a committee. It has operated as if it’s a registered society. Under the law, we recognise two types of society by definition. One is a registered society under the Societies Act and the other is just a society, which for all intents and purposes has many elements of a registered society. That was why we had to take action to stop the activities and ban them (Hindraf).

This is the same thing with al-Arqam. It also was not a registered society. It was formed and we had to take the decision to ban it, arresting all the leaders and the committee members, and confiscating their assets.

For Al-Maunah, we took the decision of deregistering it -- because it was a registered society -- and charging one of its leaders for treason against the King; he was hanged. That is how sensitive extremism issues pertaining to religion are.

We are not banning it (Hindraf) because it was promoting Hindu rights or Indian rights. On legitimate issues, nobody can quarrel with Hindraf. But we are taking action because we consider the way it has gone about doing things -- promoting extremism.

Hindraf has said “our enemies are the Malays, the Muslims.” This is in some of their leaders’ speeches. We have allowed them to go on. Yes, there are some issues involving the Indians that have not been totally resolved, but to say that we oppress, commit apartheid or genocide and that the police allowed murder in Kg Medan and Kg Rawa?

Hindraf has organised 17 forums and 338 street demonstrations. We took a long time before taking action because we don’t want them to think that because it is a society that seems to speak for a certain race or religion, that we took action. We took action because we considered that they have taken a very extreme approach to propagate their ideology.

Jemaah Islamiah was not allowed to operate, KMM was not allowed to operate, Darul Islamiyah was not allowed to operate. If I allow all the extreme groups to operate and wait for trouble to happen, then this country would be in trouble.

ON PEACE AND SECURITY
Syed Hamid:Somebody said, “You can imprison the body but you can’t imprison the mind.” We are not trying to imprison anybody’s mind. We are not stopping anyone from expressing their views, but you must express them within the context of ensuring that you do not jeopardise peace, security and public order.

How should one act against threats? Threats are questions of perception. If we wait for the threat to materialise, then it’s no longer preventive. It won’t help us to stop things. The fact is that today, we are able to go round, move freely, sit at roadside stalls and eat, no matter what time of the day it is. No country in the world is considered safe, where you can sit outside and enjoy life and laugh.

And yet, everybody says we are not doing our job. It is because we are doing our job that people are able to do that, living in this country peacefully and able to live a comfortable life.

I have a feeling that there is a lot of confusion over what is security and what is crime. People tend to think security and crime are synonymous. They are not. They are two different issues. Security goes deeper than simply a question of crime.

Crimes are activities conducted by criminals. Security threatens public order, threatens peace. It is important for us all, whether we are in the media or part of society, whether it comes to human rights and transparency, to see how we can promote our shared values and common destiny.

I always feel that Malaysians should represent Malaysian interests and not look at it from our narrow ethnic or religious perspectives -- we have got a very unique mix. Anything can happen, it is so delicate.

In some countries, when you take action against people, you would not be misinterpreted. In this country, if the policeman is a Malay, it could always be misinterpreted as the Malay guy is after the non-Malay. In other countries, nothing would happen. You take action because there is a need to take action.


Q: Wouldn’t the Indian community be further alienated by the banning of Hindraf, which is seen by some quarters as the voice of underprivileged Indians? There has also been talk that Hindraf was banned to help MIC make inroads into this segment of the Indian community.

Syed Hamid: I think there is a wrong perception that Hindraf represents all Hindus or all Indians. The Indians are a mixed community. The Sikhs are also Indians. There are Indian-Muslims and Indian Christians. When they (Hindraf) do their activities, there are only 100-300 people.

Twenty-eight per cent of lawyers are Indians. There are Indian doctors. There are Indian elected representatives in the various states. Even on the poverty line, the Indians are better than the bumiputras.

THE INTERNET
Syed Hamid: The Internet is now the mainstream media -- blogs, websites and chatrooms. Now the mainstream is the bloggers, not the print media. They seem to be the driving force. You can criticise the Minister and the exercise of his functions or in governance.

But not when you incite. You see, all their ideologies in support of the Opposition. When you support the Opposition, then you are already political. I believe this country depends very much on understanding. The Prime Minister always says we can accept comments and criticism, no matter how hurtful they are. But if it goes beyond that, we may have to take action because peace and security is threatened.

People ask: “Show us how peace and security is threatened?” How can we show that? It’s not something that is tangible, that we wait for the thing to happen. When it is our responsibility to prevent such a thing, we have to ensure that it does not happen.

I think so long as I’m doing my job I answer to legitimate questions that are being asked. The beauty of democracy is, we must recognise that we have a right to agree to disagree. Criticisms are also subject to responses. Give the same equal treatment and it will be fair. What we are seeking is to give us room to give our side of the story.

THE SOCIAL CONTRACT
Syed Hamid: Umno can win over all the Malays and PAS would be finished if we took the extreme way and promoted just Malay national interests, because the Malays are also feeling threatened. They feel that everything that was agreed to by our forefathers, what was called the social contract, that was put into the Constitution, has been undermined.

The debate has been reopened. In our history, I have never read about the Rulers coming out with a statement of very strong concern about this issue. So, I believe we have a role to play, whether or not we are bloggers.

People say we are just creating a bogeyman. The Opposition will use that. But it’s very political. There are certain things that should not be political. We must realise that sometimes the voice of the majority is very silent. It is for us to interpret ... the voice of the majority.

The minority voice is always vocal. The Opposition always talks like it is the voice of the majority, but they have 80 MPs, and we have 138 now.

MEDIA
Syed Hamid: I was considering whether there could be the possibility of having to issue publishing licences (under the Printing Presses and Publications Act) once only, instead of annually.

But this would also depend on how the media accepts it. How it would affect them, that their self-censorship rights are looked at with responsibility. I have never heard people talking about responsibility or being a true Malaysian but I always hear about rights. At first, the United Nations talked about about rights. But later they realised that rights must be balanced with responsibility.

In the media, you do not realise that you are a government unto yourself because of how things get propagated. The media must own up that you have a fantastic and important role in shaping opinions, that you’re opinion makers and leaders.

Embedded (American) journalists in the Iraq War - there are many things that they know but they do not publish. Why? Because they have a sense of patriotism. Same with us. We are building a nation. It is not easy. You can talk about Singapore being multiracial but it has one dominant race. Here, you have dozens of ethnic groups.

I am not blaming the media. If we criticise the paper, we get in trouble. Many times I have been rejected. None of my news came out, and there were instances, when even I had good news, it was put out in a negative manner. But coming out every day in the newspaper does not mean it’s good for you.

If you are fair, everything would come out better. The media must understand more about what the functions of the ministry are. Don’t rubbish us all the time. Give us credit when it is due.

As far as Malaysia is concerned, we are seeking to do the best for the country, for the nation. Everyone has got a role to play in nation building.

At the end of the day, if you want to talk about self-censorship and that sort of thing, there must be that sense of responsibility. That sense of not simply reporting but thinking of what is good and what is bad for the country. (TheStar)

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KLCI markets fall again in morning session

PETALING JAYA (23Oct): Asian markets including the Bursa Malaysia extended their losses on Thursday morning after the overnight slump at Wall Street and other global exchanges.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 514 points, or 5.7%, yesterday and closed at 8,519. It fell as much as 698 points during the session.

South Korea's Kospi fell the most at 7.64% to 1,047.90 points, followed by Japan's Nikkei 225 that lost 6.23% or 540.81 points to 8.133.88; Singapore's Straits Times Index fell 3.95% to 1,749.12 while the Shanghai Composite Index lost 2.80% to 1,842.76.

At the Bursa Malaysia, the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index fell 14.79 points to 889.49 points at 9.35am. Trading volume was 65.71 million shares valued at RM76.71 million.

Losers thumped gainers by 249 to 22, while 64 counters traded unchanged. Plantation and finance players fell this morning.

Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd was the top loser and fell 35 sen to RM7.65, while United Plantations Bhd lost 30 sen to RM9.25.

Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Bhd and PPB Group Bhd fell 25 sen each to RM2.50 and RM8.15, respectively. Kwantas Corporation Bhd lost 23 sen to RM2.

Other losers included Sime Darby Bhd and IOI Corporation Bhd.

Among finance counters, Malayan Banking Bhd and Bumiputra-Commerce Holdings Bhd fell 20 sen each to RM5.10 and RM6.85, respectively, while Public Bank Bhd lost 10 sen to RM8.60.

Meanwhile, crude oil prices fell more than US$5 per barrel in electronic trading as at 9.30am to US$66.75 (RM235.63), on reports of higher US inventories that escalated worries that demand was slowing down. (TheEdgeDaily)

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Pressure on Shahrizat whether to accept on challenge to Rafidah

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — Pressure is building up in Wanita Umno as more and more divisions have called on deputy chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil to go for the movement’s No. 1 post.

This runs smack against the power transition plan from Wanita chief Tan Sri Rafidah Abdul Aziz to Shahrizat in June next year, three months after the party elections.

Shahrizat, who had declared that she would not be going for the No. 1 post, has already secured the required quota of nominations to mount a challenge.

She has obtained 41 nominations out of 118 divisions which have conducted their meetings while Rafidah has garnered 78 nominations. The qualifying quota is 39 nominations.

Some members are puzzled why Rafidah will only hand over the reins three months after retaining the post.

Despite the outcry, Shahrizat is keeping mum on the turn of events. She has so far received 78 nominations for the deputy chief post.

Bandar Tun Razak Wanita chief Salmah Pin said there was no way of curtailing the tide from the grassroots.

Six of nine divisions in Federal Territories Umno have picked Shahrizat for the Wanita Umno chief post while the rest including the Bandar Tun Razak division back Rafidah.

Salmah, who is also Federal Territories Umno Liaison Committee secretary, said Bandar Tun Razak division supported the transition plan.

“What is happening is shocking as one day before the Federal Territories divisional meetings, Shahrizat told all division heads to back the transition plan. But this is what the grassroots wanted,” she told Bernama.

Jerlun Wanita chief Datuk Maznah Abdul Hamid said members do not want the No. 1 post to be contested to avoid disunity.

"Actually, when we give our nominations, it does not mean that we are goading the candidate to contest. It is an indication to Rafidah and Shahrizat to sit down and discuss again for the well-being of Wanita," she said.

The Jerlun Wanita Umno division nominated Shahrizat for the Wanita chief post and Kuala Kangsar Wanita chief Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim as deputy chief.

Maznah said her division had proposed Rafidah as Wanita Umno adviser to enable her to continue to contribute to the wing.

"I hope Shahrizat will state her stand and take the risk as she has the support of the grassroots," said Maznah.

Permatang Pauh Wanita chief Normala Abdul said the nomination for Shahrizat was out of sincerity from members who wanted her to go for the No. 1 post.

"There will not be much changes if she (Shahrizat) were to take over the reins three months after the party elections. It is better to hand over power to her right away.

"However, it depends on Shahrizat to make the decision but it is our hope at the grassroots' level that she agrees with us," said Normala, adding that if the transition plan was followed, Shahrizat would be acting Wanita chief without a deputy for three years before the next party elections. — Bernama

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Musa Hitam - UMNO is not popular anymore

KUALA LUMPUR (23 Oct): Umno is in dire need of a drastic change and young blood with new ideas are the plausible solution, said former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam.

“I understand that the experience of seniors are needed for top posts like president or vice-president, but other than that, they should choose the younger ones,” he said.

Speaking his mind: Musa (right) speaking during the Bridges – Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace launch while International Peace Foundation chairman Uwe Morawetz looks on in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Musa said the party had been raising the same issues which were raised 20 or 30 years ago, and bickering about emotional rather than substantial issues, such as the economy.

“Umno is already over 61 years old and is experiencing penyakit tua (old age sickness) which cannot be remedied by senior citizens but rather the younger generation with new ideas,” he said after launching the Bridges “ Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace forum here yesterday.

He also claimed that Umno was “too introverted” by focusing on its own problems and looking for acceptance among its own members, but not the rakyat, whose perceptions would determine its future.

“It is important for Umno to realise that it has lost its popularity because of public opinion.

“The party has many problems that it cannot rectify, like corruption, accountability issues and abuse of power,” he said.

“The new generation will not accept wholesale what politicians are saying because they don’t accept the politicians,” he said.

Musa believed that certain politicians were fighting for their own benefit rather than for the benefit of the larger community.

“What the nation wants is a party that is sensitive to their needs and is one step ahead of the citizens’ thinking,” he said.

“These are hard words, I know, but I will only say it once. When I say it, I mean it and I’ve been thinking long and hard about it,” said Musa. (TheStar)

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Najib - UMNO chiefs will meet to discuss possible election in December

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 - A confrontation is looming in Umno over the issue of Malaysia's leadership transition.

In a sign that there has been no let-up in backroom efforts to push out Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi earlier than March, his deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, has said Umno chiefs will meet next Thursday to discuss bringing back the party's internal elections to December.

"We will answer all these questions on the 30th. For now, there is no change to the date (of the Umno elections)," he said on Tuesday.

He was asked by reporters whether the internal polls, which two weeks ago were delayed from December to March, would be brought back to the earlier date.

The decision-making Umno Supreme Council will meet next Thursday for its regular monthly meeting, and Najib was the first to say the issue of the December polls would be discussed.

His comments clashed with Abdullah's wish to be in power until March.

When told last Saturday that Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin wanted the polls to be held in December, a visibly upset Abdullah said: "What is the meaning of all this? I am not happy with this. Is he trying to stop me from making reforms?"

Party chiefs, including Najib, had concurred with the Premier that he should be allowed to retire at the end of March.

But the deal caused unhappiness among the grassroots because it meant the period to campaign for top posts would drag on for three more months, instead of ending by Dec18, the original date of the triennial polls.

Added to this is anxiety in the Najib camp following a string of accusations against the PM-in-waiting.

Political analyst Yahaya Ismail said: "Abdullah was given 'injury time' to March to quit, but there are worries whether Umno will be stable with these accusations against Najib."

Two weeks ago, a website accused Najib of sending many text messages to the lawyer of Razak Baginda, his former adviser who is accused of abetting the murder of a Mongolian interpreter.

Najib was then accused of pushing a RM2.3 billion deal to buy new helicopters for the Defence Ministry just before he passed the position to Abdullah.

This was followed by a website's accusations of alleged past scandals. Also being circulated online were doctored pictures of him practising Hindu rites.

This week, a fake manifesto tried to portray him as an intolerant leader who would defend Malay rights to the "last drop" of his blood.

Najib, who has strenously denied the allegations against him in the manifesto, which was published by Malaysiakini, said yesterday he had accepted the apology given by the news website.

The group of leaders agitating to push Abdullah out earlier know they must carry the Umno ground along. So they are couching the power grab by saying that delaying the polls would drain money and energy.

A proposal has been put forward that Abdullah may remain as Premier until March, even though party polls are held in December.

"They say he could hang on. But once you have a new Umno president in December, Abdullah will not have the moral authority to stay around," said a Supreme Council member.

Muhyiddin is among those publicly in favour of a December poll date, leading Abdullah to accuse him of being "impatient to become the deputy prime minister".

Muhyiddin is the front runner to be Umno's new deputy president, and thus deputy PM. Supporting the Trade and Industry Minister is de facto Islamic Affairs Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, a front runner in the
vice-president contest.

Backing them is former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a bitter critic of Abdullah.

Dr Mahathir said soon after the March deal was announced that it was better for Abdullah to step down immediately as he must give Najib full authority to rehabilitate Umno.

But there is no guarantee that come next Thursday, the 40 Supreme Council chiefs will agree to bring the date for party polls forward because supporters say Abdullah will not budge.

Still, the flip-flops are a strain for some observers.

"I hope they can put aside politics and put people first. Many people are struggling with high costs, and now there is the global economic crisis," said political science lecturer Mohammad Agus Yusoff of the National
University of Malaysia. - The Straits Times

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Hindraf alledges Hamid misled the nation by lying to Parliament

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 - Hindraf sympathisers today handed over a document to the Opposition coalition which they claimed to be evidence of a senior minister providing false information in the Dewan Rakyat.

The group of 20, led by R.S. Thanenthiran, who was the national coordinator for the recently outlawed Indian rights movement, met up with several Pakatan Rakyat MPs including senior DAP MP for Ipoh Timur Lim Kit Siang and PKR MP for Subang R. Sivarasa at Parliament House today.

In a press conference, Thanenthiran told reporters that Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar had"misled Parliament and misled the nation" when he announced in July this year in the House that he had not revoked the international passport of Hindraf's self-exiled leader P. Waytha Moorthy who is now in London.

"We have solid evidence he lied," Thanenthiran claimed, referring to Syed Hamid.

Distributing copies of a letter to the MPs as well as to the press, Thanenthiran said they were part of an email commucation dated September 23 2008 that Waytha Moorthy's lawyers had received purportedly from the "UK Border Agency" in response to their client's queries.

Thanenthiran pointed out that the what the letter said was contrary to what Syed Hamid had said.

He also said Waytha Moorthy's sympathisers had lodged 42 police reports against Syed Hamid to date.

They want the authorities to detain the Home Minister and to investigate him for statements linking Hindraf to international terrorist groups.

They called on the government to return Waytha Moorthy's passport to him as it is his personal property and to lift the Home Minister's ban on Hindraf.

"Hindraf is one organisation that really wants progress," Thanenthiran said.

"Return to Waytha Moorthy his rights as a Malaysian citizen," he added.

The Hindraf sympathisers had arrived in four vehicles including a taxi at about 11.30am. They left without much untoward incident about one hour later.

However, upon their exit from the Parliament compound, they were stopped by police who took down their MyKad details and inspected their vehicles.

They were not arrested.

Earlier upon arrival, the group had freed several pigeons in the Parliament compound in a symbolic gesture asking the government to release the five Hindraf members detained under the Internal Security Act. (The Malaysianinsider)

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Khir denies naming Teresa as being involved in Azan issue

Selangor opposition leader and former Menteri Besar and Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo denied naming Kinrara assemblywoman Teresa Kok as the assemblywoman involved in the azan issue.

Mohd Khir claimed he had merely said that her office had acknowledged receiving a copy of the memorandum by the residents calling for the volume of the speakers at a mosque in Puchong to be reduced.

He claimed he never mentioned Kok’s name and that it was Utusan Malaysia which chose to report it the way it did.

The matter came up when Mohd Khir was debating on the state budget which was tabled by Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

“She (Kok) knows that and that’s why she has sued Utusan and not me, because she knows I never mentioned her name,” he said.

The issue was brought up midway through Mohd Khir’s debate when Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Wen San accused the former of making wild and unfounded statements and allegations against the new state government just as he had against Kok.

Mohd Khir responded by saying that he had never named Kok. Kok then stood up to argue.

Kok: You twisted the facts that was then carried in Utusan Malaysia and this caused my arrest under the Internal Security Act. This action by YB Subgai Panjang (Mohd Khir) is not appropriate and very unbecoming and irresponsible of someone who had been a former Menteri Besar.Mohd Khir: I never mentioned your name but said that there were ‘parties’ involved in the matter. If Utusan wrote it that way- then that is Utusan. Let me explain that.
Kok: But you named me in your blog and another blog pembelamelayu.com picked up that piece. Following this, e-mails started circulating accusing me of being involved in the petition against the loud call to prayer by the mosques.

Mohd Khir then brought up the issue of Kok’s erection of signboards with road names written in Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil in several areas in Kuala Lumpur to reflect the multiracial composition in the country and in protest against the Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s use of Jawi on the signboards.


Teresa Kok

Kok then stood up and said that she had already explained the issue and questioned why a matter that had happened in Kuala Lumpur was being brought up in Selangor.

“This I did after complaints from the residents in the area and this is a separate issue from the azan,” she said.

“Why are you mixing these issue up together and twisting the facts together with Utusan Malaysia?” she asked Mohd Khir.

Mohd Khir then said a journalist from Utusan Malaysia called him to ask about the memorandum asking the mosque in Puchong to reduce the volume of the loud speakers in their premises and that he had told him about the memorandum which carried a stamp of receipt by Kok’s office.

Kampung Tunku state assemblyman Lau Weng San then asked Mohd Khir if he was willing to retract the statement and apologise to Kok.

“What I said and meant in my response was that she had received the memorandum,” Mohd Khir replied.

Later when asked if he was misquoted by Utusan, Mohd Khir said: “I did not say the specific name (of the assemblywoman involved). What I said was that I received a copy of the memorandum that was also acknowledged (of receipt) by Teresa Kok’s office.”

It was stamp to acknowledge that Kok’s Kinrara office had received a copy of the memorandum, he said.

“That’s why I said Kinrara office that’s all,” Mohd Khir said.

“I don’t feel guilty, I’m speaking the fact,” he added.

In response, Kok said that she would be sending a letter of demand to Mohd Khir soon.

“It’s coming soon,” she said when asked if a lawsuit will be initiated against Mohd Khir.

Later during his debate, Ng Sue Lim (PR-Sekinchan) in wishing all Muslims Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri also cited a printed copy of the allegations Mohd Khir had apparently made against Kok and pointed out the part where he accused Kok of supporting the petition.

"You accused her of supporting it here! Masyallah!" he exclaimed.

"I have been told that in Islam slander is is worse than murder, maybe the ustaz can clarify this," he added.(TheSun)

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Khalid - State would takeover Syabas by December

THE Selangor government will take over Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) if it is able to strike a deal that will benefit the people and the state.

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said the state was doing its best to restructure the water supply system to ensure consumers pay as little as possible for water.

“We want the water restructuring plan to be done at the lowest cost while Syabas wants a much higher price.

“It is normal in business that the seller always wants to make the most profit from any deal while the buyer wants the lowest price,’’ Khalid told the state assembly in response to a written question from Yap Ee Wah (BN - Sungai Pelek).


Khalid: We want the water restructuring plan to be done at the lowest cost while Syabas wants a much higher price.

However, Khalid said he was not in a position to reveal the cost of the takeover as it would be made known to the public after the deal had been made.

“I cannot reveal the amount now but rest assured that we will only agree to a price that benefits the state and the people of Selangor.

“Hopefully, we will be able to announce it by December,” he said.

Khalid said that the plan for the restructuring of the water industry in Selangor was first proposed by the Federal government about four years ago.

“The privitisation of the water industry had resulted in several companies handling treatment and distribution of water.

“Syabas, Syarikat Pengeluar Air Sungai Selangor Sdn Bhd (Splash) and Konsortium Abbas Sdn Bhd are currently involved in processing and distributing water in the state,’’ he said.

Khalid said the state had also set-up a review committee which he headed to oversee the restructuring of the water industry.

He said the state was serious in its efforts to ensure that the people paid less for water.

“The restructuring will see the people benefiting from lower water tariff charges unlike now where the companies are more interested in reaping profits,’’ he added. (TheStar)

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Opposition slams Zaki's appointment as CJ

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 - The appointment of a former Umno lawyer as Chief Justice after a rapid rise through the ranks, has triggered criticism about the independence of the judiciary.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi announced Tuesday that Tan Sri Zaki Azmi had been promoted to be the country's most senior judge from his position as Court of Appeal president.

He was a legal adviser to Umno just last year when he became the first lawyer to be directly appointed as a judge in the Federal Court. Three months later he was appointed president of the Court of Appeal, the second-highest judicial posting in the country.

Zaki's phenomenal rise through the ranks in a short time has raised eyebrows in the judicial fraternity.

Besides his connections to the ruling party, Zaki also chaired the party's disciplinary committee, and used to be on the board of several companies. He resigned all posts when he became judge.

Lim Kit Siang, leader in the opposition Democratic Action Party, said Zaki's appointment was disappointing and that there were more senior judges suited to fill the post. Traditionally seniority determines the chief justice appointment, although there is no official system.

"This goes against the whole principle of proper judicial appointments and promotions," he told The Associated Press.

Lim said the opposition would not protest Zaki's appointment further and would give him a chance to prove his impartiality. But he said the opposition would remain "very vigilant" to ensure that Zaki would "rise above his past".

Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan said she was concerned about Zaki's political affiliations and business connections.

"These concerns can only be dispelled by him through the conduct of his duties and by a demonstration of independence and impartiality at all times," she said in a statement.

Zaki's appointment comes amid questions about the integrity of Malaysia's judiciary, which many say has been compromised following allegations that top judicial appointments in recent years have been manipulated.

A video clip recorded secretly in 2002 - and made public by the opposition last year - showed a prominent lawyer allegedly brokering judicial appointments while talking on the phone with someone who later became the chief justice. - AP

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