KUCHING, March 31 (Bernama) -- Beginning July 1, those without fixed monthly income, such as farmers and fishermen, will be eligible to apply for housing loans through the Syarikat Jaminan Kredit Perumahan Berhad (SJKP) scheme.
State Housing Minister Datuk Seri Abang Johari Tun Openg said today the Finance Ministry had allocated RM50 million for the scheme, and those without fixed income could apply fir a maximum loan of RM100,000.
"Farmers and fishermen do not have fixed income, let alone a salary slip. So, it is difficult for them to apply for housing loans, even though the government has prepared low-cost houses just for them," he told reporters after chairing the 7th Housing Coordination meeting, here Monday.
Johari said, two banks, namely Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad and Bank Simpanan Nasional, had been appointed to manage the scheme.
He said the farmers and fishermen had only to deposit their money in a savings account with one of the banks on a monthly basis as proof that they have income.
He said the ministry also had the support of the federal government to speed up the housing loan process for public officers and staff, to just three days, from two months previously.
-- BERNAMA
Monday, March 31, 2008
Those Without Fixed Income Can Apply For Housing Loan
Penang welcomes formation of BN shadow executive council
GEORGE TOWN: The DAP-Parti Keadilan Rakyat state government here has welcomed the formation of a shadow executive council by Barisan Nasional elected representatives.Chief minister Lim Guan Eng said he was happy to have a check and balance mechanism to monitor Penang’s new leadership.
However, he said the BN shadow body must be constructive, objective and play a healthy role.
Lim said this when he was asked to comment on the move by the state BN to form a shadow executive council to monitor the administration of the DAP-PKR state government.
State BN chairman Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon was reported to have said that the line-up would consist of the 11 Umno state assemblymen and led by state Umno secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim.
Except for Umno, Gerakan, MCA and MIC do not have any elected representatives in the state assembly following their dismal performance in the Mar 8 general election.
Penang state government urged to conduct independent review of mega projects
GEORGE TOWN, MON: The Penang state government has been urged to conduct an independent review of several mega projects proposed for Penang to ensure they are suitable and viable.Citizens for Public Transport (CEPAT) co-ordinator Nizam Mahshar said these included the Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR) and the Light Monorail Transit (LMT), which would cost some RM5 billion.
“We hope the state government will conduct an independent review of the projects before approvals are given.
“And we hope the results of the review would be made public,” he said in a statement today.
Nizam said although CEPAT was not against the projects, the non-governmental organisation (NGO) felt the need for a thorough and independent review.
Chelsea Coach's Visit To Malaysia: Najib To Study Situation First
KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said he would study the situation concerning the travel ban on English Premier League team Chelsea coach-cum-manager Avram Grant, who is an Israeli.
Malaysia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
Najib said it would be a pity that politics got in the way of sports.
"Yes, there is a travel ban but I'm not sure what will the decision be yet.
"We'll see. I have to study the situation first and I would like to see Chelsea although it's not my team," the ardent Manchester United fan told reporters after Dayang Enterprise Holdings Berhad's prospectus launch in conjunction with its listing on Bursa Malaysia's main board here Monday.
Malaysian football fans will be able to watch a star-studded Chelsea football team play a Malaysian selection here on July 29 as part of their pre-season tour of Asia.
Chelsea Football Club's chief executive Peter Kenyon was quoted as saying that all the star players in the team, including new signings, would be available for the tour which would also include a match against the Chinese national team in China on July 23.
Najib said the Chelsea tour here would definitely be good for local football.
Chelsea, winners of the English Premier League title in 2004/2005 and 2005/2006, League Cup in 2005 and 2007 plus the FA Cup last year, are still in the Premier League title chase but trailing last season's champions Manchester United.
-- BERNAMA
PM In Deeper Crisis As 3 Cabinet Ministers Seek Leadership Reforms
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Three Cabinet ministers have endorsed demands by ruling party dissidents to hold an open contest for the party leadership, highlighting the prime minister's weakening control over power in Malaysia after disastrous election results. The three _ from the International Trade and Industry, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, and Higher Education ministries _ have come forward to say everybody should be eligible to run for the post of the United Malays National Organization party's president, news reports said Monday (31 Mar). At present, a contestant must be nominated by 30 percent of the party's divisions, which is hard to secure by someone not endorsed by the party leadership. The party president automatically becomes the prime minister. The nomination quota encourages an "unhealthy political culture," International Trade Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, was quoted as saying by The Star daily. "I hope that with the abolition, the party at all levels will have a healthy democratic election system," said Muhyiddin, who is also the party vice president. The Star said Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin also called for abolishing the nomination system. Aides of the two ministers confirmed they made the comments. Muhyiddin stressed that his call did not mean he was against the current leadership or was encouraging members to challenge Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Abdullah is facing the biggest crisis of his political career after the March 8 general elections, in which the ruling National Front retained power but lost its traditional two-thirds majority. It also conceded five states to the opposition. Being the dominant party in the coalition, Abdullah's party took most of the blame for the losses. The pressure on Abdullah increased after critics called on him to resign, a demand he rejected. He also postponed party elections, which had been due in August, until December. But it will be difficult for a challenger to dislodge Abdullah in the elections because of the quota system, which was introduced by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1987 after he narrowly survived a challenge by then-Finance Minister Razaleigh Hamzah. Mahathir, now an ordinary party member, is one of those calling for abolishing the nomination system. Among the others is Razaleigh, who has openly declared he will try to challenge Abdullah. "I have never been for the ruling. But what to do? It was introduced by Dr. Mahathir himself. When I criticize the decision, everyone says I am critical of (Mahathir). But now it seems he has realized that what he did was not right in the first place," Shahrir Abdul Samad, the domestic trade minister, was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times daily's online edition. "I feel that this is a refreshing development where we own up to our past mistakes and suggest that steps be taken to redress them," he said. Critics say the quota system ensures that members dissatisfied with the prime minister's leadership cannot challenge him democratically. Supporters say it is necessary to ensure only serious candidates contest. Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also the party deputy president, denied it was an impediment to democracy in the party. "It is not aimed at deterring democracy. Even though there is a quota system, democracy still flourishes in our party," he told reporters. Abandoning the system would also mean changing the party constitution, which can only be done at an extraordinary general meeting. Party leaders have so far rejected calls for such a meeting. (By JULIA ZAPPEI/ AP)
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Penang plans to scrap vehicular ferry service
BUTTERWORTH: The Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) will scrap the vehicular ferry service between Penang island and Seberang Prai once the expansion of the Penang Bridge is completed in September next year. PPSB chief operating officer Mohd Niana Merican Abd Kadir Merican said the remaining four vehicular-cum-passenger ferries would continue to operate despite suffering operating losses. He said the company also planned to operate a speedboat ferry service as it was cheaper and efficient. “The speedboat idea was mooted three years ago. Travel time between the island and mainland on speedboats will only take eight to 10 minutes compared with 20 minutes using the ferry,” he told reporters at the launching of free tuition classes for 141 of the port’s staff members at Wisma Perkeso in Seberang Jaya yesterday. PPSB, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Finance Ministry after its corporatisation on Jan 1, 1994, has been incurring an annual loss of RM12mil operating the ferries. It also manages the port. Mohd Niana said the company was losing about RM200 on each ferry trip, adding that the operating cost was RM600 while revenue collected was RM400. He said the bridge would have three lanes on each side and a special motorcycle lane when the expansion work was completed. “It will be able to accommodate the huge traffic volume and as such, we will be able to scrap the vehicular ferry services and reduce our losses,” he added. In November last year, PPSB held talks with the ministry to take over the maintenance of ferry services. PPSB chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Ibnihajar said then that it had requested for fuel subsidy and buying of catamarans to complement the ferry services. Ahmad also said the Government should emulate Hong Kong where the municipality handled maintenance while the port management focused only on giving better services to port users. He had also said that PPSB had to fulfil its social responsibility and could not simply increase the ferry fares to recoup losses. --THE STAR
Earthquake in Sumatra felt in Penang
KUALA LUMPUR, Sun.: A 6.5-magnitude earthquake which struck Sumatra in Indonesia early today was felt in Penang, the Malaysian Meteorological Department said.The department said in a statement that the quake, which occurred on the west coast of northern Sumatra, 70km northwest of Simeulue, at 1.31am, was felt in southwest Bayan Lepas, 589km from the epicentre.
The quake did not pose any threat of a tsunami in Malaysia, it added.
Mahathir: Election provision being abused to prevent opposition to leaders
KUALA LUMPUR: The nomination quota to contest top posts in Umno should be abolished, as it is being abused to prevent members from nominating candidates, said former party president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He pointed out that when he was president, anyone was free to challenge him, and although there was already the quota in place then, “those days it was easy to get 60 divisions (nominations)”. However, he added, when Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah wanted to challenge Umno president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2004, he only managed to get one nomination from his own division. “(This is) because other divisions were told not to nominate him. There was no freedom. I think it’s about time they revised this provision because of the tendency of the people with the power to stifle any move to criticise or oppose them,” he said yesterday. Dr Mahathir said there was nothing wrong with having a contest for the presidency in the upcoming December party election, adding that other Umno presidents, including him, were also previously challenged. After Umno Baru was formed in 1988, Dr Mahathir had proposed the bonus vote system, which was accepted by the party supreme council. The bonus vote system gives 10 additional votes for every nomination received by a candidate, as well as setting a quota of 30% nominations from divisions to contest the president’s post, 20% nominations for the deputy president’s post, 10% for the vice-presidents' posts and 5% for supreme council posts. On who was likely to challenge Abdullah, Dr Mahathir said it could be Razaleigh (who had offered himself) or others. He said that Umno was not so poor in talent “that we cannot find even a single one to match the Prime Minister that we have.” On the call by DAP Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang for an inquiry into the 1988 judicial crisis, Dr Mahathir was adamant he was not in the wrong. “I don’t see why there is any crisis. It’s a political game,” he said, adding that DAP chairman Karpal Singh wanted action to be taken against him for the episode “because he hates me so much”. He reiterated that the tribunal that tried former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas for misconduct had acted according to the law and there was no reason for an inquiry. “So why should there be any apology by me, the Government or by anybody? It’s no good saying that 'oh yes, although it was according to the law but because of this...'. That is political,” he added. -THE STAR
Friday, March 28, 2008
Mahathir Says People Attempting Frame-up To Silence Him
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad claimed Friday (28 Mar) that people were trying to dig up evidence that he committed crimes during his time in power to stop him from criticizing his embattled successor. Mahathir was the first public figure to urge Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to resign after the ruling coalition suffered unprecedented losses in March 8 general elections. Several other coalition members, including Mahathir's son, have since echoed the demand. Mahathir, who has repeatedly accused Abdullah's administration of corruption and nepotism during the past two years, said he knows his detractors believe he "did worse things" when he headed the government between 1981 and 2003. "I am aware that people are looking into possible misdeeds by me during my 22 years so as to threaten me and ask me to shut up," Mahathir wrote in a letter to The Sun newspaper, without identifying the people. "So far they have not found anything," Mahathir said. "Not only have I not taken anything that was not due to me while I was prime minister, but I have given back to the government and the people everything that I had received as gifts during my tenure of office." He added that "unless there is a frame-up, I think there should be nothing to pin on me." An aide to Abdullah declined to immediately comment. The prime minister has repeatedly rejected Mahathir's allegations of impropriety. In his letter, Mahathir took fresh jabs at his hand-picked successor over a high-profile dispute between Abdullah and the country's constitutional monarch, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin. Last week, Mizan dismissed Abdullah's advice that Idris Jusoh, the former chief minister of oil-rich Terengganu state, should keep the post after the elections. Abdullah conceded defeat Thursday and accepted the king's candidate. "It should be noted that this kind of thing had never happened during the premiership of the four previous prime ministers. Concerned Malaysians should wonder why," Mahathir said. Mahathir claimed the ruling coalition had implemented many "totally unnecessary and wasteful" infrastructure projects in Terengganu since 2004, adding there were suspicions that contracts for the projects went to those who had connections to Abdullah's family. Mahathir's latest comments add to Abdullah's troubles after his National Front coalition lost its two-thirds majority in the recent elections, though it retained power with a simple majority. The coalition also lost control of five state legislatures. Abdullah announced late Thursday (27 Mar) his party is delaying internal elections for top officers to December, four months later than anticipated. But he insisted he was not running away from rivals who might challenge him for the party presidency. (By SEAN YOONG/ AP)
Produce less rubbish, pay less assessment rates
GEORGE TOWN, Fri: Produce less rubbish if you want to pay lower assessment rates. That was the advice given by state local government committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow to the people in Penang.He said it would be possible for the two local councils in Penang to lower assessment rates if the amount of rubbish in the state was reduced.
Chow said the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) and Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) now had to fork out RM4.74 million per month to pay its contractors. A total of 1,800 tonne of rubbish is collected daily in the whole of Penang.
"If we can reduce the amount of rubbish, we will not have to pay the contractors so much. This will reduce our expenditure and we can then channel the money back to the people by lowering their assessment rates. Recycling household waste is an effective way to reduce the amount of rubbish produced,” he said.
Chow said recycling could help reduce the volume of rubbish in the state by about 30 per cent or 540 tonne per day.
Speaking after being briefed on the Golden Sands Resort's recycling initiative yesterday, he said the recycling rate on the island was 15 per cent and 18 per cent on the mainland, compared to the national average of 4.5 per cent.
"We need to increase this rate to 30 per cent to effect greater savings in our waste management costs," he added.
Lim refutes Petronas claim of not being in major infrastructure projects
GEORGE TOWN, Fri: The Penang Government has refuted Petronas’ claims that the oil company does not fund major infrastructure projects like the second Penang Bridge. Lim cited the following Petronas projects to back his claim that the oil company should fund the second Penang Bridge project: “This clearly showed Petronas was involved in infrastructure projects,” he said, disputing what corporate planning/development division vice-president Datuk Nasarudin Mohd Idris said. Nasarudin was reported to have said that Petronas only financed infrastructure as far as oil and gas projects are concerned, citing the petrochemical complex in Kertih as example and declared that Petronas do not finance buildings and bridges. His statement was made in response to Lim's proposal that Petronas fund the RM3.5 billion second Penang Bridge project. In another development, Lim said he is seeking a meeting with prime minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi next Thursday to discuss relations with the federal government. Also on the agenda is how both sides can work on federal-funded infrastructure projects that had been planned for Penang. "I also hope to discuss the federal allocation for Penang under the Ninth Malaysia Plan which had been reduced by 50 per cent last year," he said. “The state government would also invite the prime minister to make an official visit to Penang.” --NSTChief minister Lim Guan Eng said Petronas had previously been actively involved in many infrastructure projects with heavy investments, citing Petronas' subsidiary companies KLCC Property Holdings Bhd and Putrajaya Holdings Bhd as examples.
Penang Government dissatisfied with ACA land scam probes
GEORGE TOWN, Fri:: The Penang government is not satisfied with the outcome of the Anti-Corruption Agency investigations into alleged land scam cases in Penang.Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state government’s special land investigative committee would proceed with its own probe, Its task would be to find out who is responsible and ensure adequate punishment is meted out.
It would also be required to draw up guidelines to ensure land scams do not recur again in Penang. Lim said this after meeting state ACA director Noraziah Abdul Manaf to discuss the matter today. Also present at the meeting, held at the chief minister’s office in Komtar here, were Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin and State Secretary Datuk Jamaludin Hasan.
Lim said the land scam cases dated back to 2003 and Noraziah told him she had just been transferred here in January this year.
Asked what recommendations had been made by the ACA, Lim said it was inappropriate for him to reveal as the investigations were confidential.
However, he has yet to reveal details about the alleged discrepancies or the individuals involved.
Dr M speaks up on MB issue
A concerned Malaysian has expressed his worry over the role being played by Sultans in the appointment of the Mentri Besar. His Royal Highnesses have clearly refused to take the advice of the chief minister, that is the Prime Minister. Instead, they have chosen on their own a member of the state legislature to head the Government. We hear a lot of opinions on the propriety of the action by the Sultan. Some say he has the right to do this while others point out that as a constitutional ruler he could not do this. The Constitution says that the Ruler or Head of State must choose the elected member who enjoys the support of the majority of members in the legislative body to be the Prime Minister or the Mentri Besar. Subject to this provision, it is the Ruler who chooses and appoints the Prime Minister or Mentri Besar. The Prime Minister, as Prime Minister has no role in the choice of the State Mentri Besar or Ketua Mentri. His naming of a candidate who should be the Mentri Besar is purely a party matter. Obviously if the state is captured by the Opposition party he cannot name the candidate. However, if the Ruler chooses someone who does not enjoy majority support that person could be deposed at a sitting of the legislative body through a vote of “no confidence”. After that another member can be appointed by the Ruler to take his place. But if for some reason there is no other candidate or the candidate with majority support is considered unsuitable by the Ruler, a new Government cannot be formed. The Ruler may then dissolve the legislative body and a new election may be held. This new election may lead to the same impasse. The Ruler may not like the member with majority support. However, it should be noted that this kind of thing never happened during the premiership of the four previous Prime Ministers. Concerned Malaysians should wonder why. Is it just that the particular Ruler is being difficult, unwilling to accept the principles of democracy, wanting to return to feudalism and the absolute authority of the monarch? I do not think so. There must be a reason why the Ruler refuses to accept the candidate named by the party. But the Ruler chooses not to reveal the reasons and indulge in public debates. He merely expresses his displeasure by refusing to do what normally the Rulers would do. Concerned Malaysians must ask what has the particular candidate done which is so wrong that it incurs the displeasure of the Ruler. There is a lot of talk in the town. Terengganu is blessed with petroleum deposits. It should get 5% of the total earnings from oil production. The Federal Government, fearing the previous PAS Government might use this money wrongly, had withheld payment. But when the Barisan Nasional regained Terengganu, the money, now called “Wang Ehsan”, was lavishly spent by the Federal Government on Terengganu. It is not a small sum. Over these years “Wang Ehsan” totalled several billions. We know that since the Barisan Nasional regained Terengganu in 2004 all kinds of projects have been developed in Terengganu. This includes The Monsoon Cup, luxury housing for sale to foreigners, Crystal Mosque and theme park, university etc. Some of these projects are very good but many are totally unnecessary and wasteful. But what the Terengganu people are saying is that all these mega projects costing billions of Ringgit have been contracted out to people outside Terengganu. Terengganu contractors got practically nothing. But additionally they say the contracts all went to one person and they are suspicious that behind this person are members of the first family. The rumours also say that the previous Mentris Besar were responsible for these things happening and of course they think that he might have benefited financially. The rumours went on to say that the Prime Minister might have influenced the Mentri Besar into doing wrong things. These are all rumours. It will be quite impossible to prove anything as the perpetrators are skilled in hiding themselves. This is not good for a Government keen to abolish corruption and be transparent. To clear its name an investigation should be made. But the public is leery of investigations by government agencies and departments. Even Royal Commissions are not highly regarded. The people believe, not true of course, that the Government has been interfering with the work of the Anti-Corruption Agency, the Police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers. The say this is borne out by the results of investigations by these agencies. When a Deputy Minister was accused of accepting money for the release of a detainee, the Attorney-General said there was no case because the detainee said he did not give any money to the Deputy Minister. It is so easy. If you have a case involving someone, all the enforcement agencies need to do is to ask him whether he was involved. If he says “no” then there is no case. For some reason judges are finding that people accused of murder are not guilty because of insufficient evidence by the police. Yet people who are totally not involved in a case, who were not accused of any misdeeds and who did not appear in court at all and been given a hearing, are found guilty and publicly condemned. The public cannot be blamed for not having faith in government agencies conducting investigations. The public cannot be blamed for suspecting cover-ups by the Government or, worse still, that the Government may be using these enforcement agencies to threaten people. To clear its good name, the Government should get credible foreign agencies to conduct the investigations. Of course they must be given full access to the documents etc. Now my detractors are going to say I did worse things when I was Prime Minister. Well if that is so let us have the foreign agencies investigate me also. I am aware that people are looking into possible misdeeds by me during my 22 years so as to threaten me and ask me to shut up. So far they have not found anything. Not only have I not taken anything that was not due to me while I was Prime Minister but I have given back to the Government and the people everything that I had received as gifts during my tenure. The Government had offered me land in Kedah and Langkawi and I had refused to accept. I have a five-acre piece of land in Putrajaya which I paid for even though the Government was offering it to me free. Unless there is a frame-up I think there should be nothing to pin on me. Even other accusations against me including the dismissal of judges were not my doing and I do not feel obliged to apologise. Ask the Tribunal to apologise. The person asking that the Government should apologise for what happened to Tun Salleh Abbas may have forgotten that as President of the Muslim Lawyers Association, he fully supported the action that was taken. He castigated the Bar Council for condemning Tun Hamid Omar over the dismissal of judges. Now he wants to be more correct than correct. I wonder why.
Apologise, Karpal urges Dr M in open letter
PETALING JAYA: Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh has asked former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad whether he would be prepared to tender an unqualified and unconditional apology to former judges Tun Salleh Abas, Datuk George Seah and the late Tan Sri Wan Suleiman Pawanteh. In an open letter to Dr Mahathir, Karpal Singh said, in his view, it was Dr Mahathir who had single-handedly destroyed the judiciary which has yet to regain its equilibrium after the 1988 crisis. He said if there was no response within a week, he would raise the matter when Parliament sat next month. “It is my view that you abused the provisions of Article 125(3) of the Federal Constitution leading to the setting up of the two tribunals which found the three judges guilty of misconduct,” Karpal Singh said in the letter. “These three judges were unfairly removed from office. “It is not the present Government which should apologise, but you (Dr Mahathir) yourself personally. “The necessity for you to apologise cries to high heaven. Your acts caused the judges concerned and their families untold pain and suffering.” Karpal Singh added that it was the least Dr Mahathir could do to atone for what transpired 20 years ago. -THE STAR
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Keng Yaik wants to be a blogger
PUTRAJAYA: Retired minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik plans to start blogging.And his blog will no doubt be a hot site for those familiar with his acerbic wit and outspoken views.
But the former Gerakan president and former energy, water and communications minister was not about to tell just yet what his blog would be called, when it would be up and what its content would be.
"It's none of your business. You go and check the Internet. When it's up, it's up," he said when he was asked about it.
Dr Lim was speaking at a joint press conference with his successor, Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor, after a ceremony to hand over duties to the new minister.
The veteran politician said he had full confidence in Shaziman to lead the ministry.
"He knows the functions of this ministry very well and he will carry out all that has been planned, whether it's implementation of water industry reforms, or broadband expansion for the communications industry."
However, Dr Lim cautioned that Shaziman's biggest challenge would be to manage price increases for oil and gas.
"This will be his trickiest challenge.
"How to manage the conflicting interests of Petronas, the independent power producers, Tenaga Nasional Berhad and the consumer.
"I admit it is a very big challenge, it was too big even for me," Dr Lim said.
Asked to recall memorable experiences from his 36 years spent in government and politics, Dr Lim quipped: "I can't tell you about 36 years in one press conference.
"Wait for my book to come out, and read it slowly."
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Penang Government Plans To Build Underground Railway Instead Of Monorail
PENANG, March 26 (Bernama) -- The Penang state government intends to build an underground railway track instead of the planned monorail to ease traffic congestion in the state.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the project would be in the long-term plan to complete Penang's transportation network.
"This is only a plan. Whether it will be approved or not will solely depend on the federal government. However, I hope it will be considered," he said after chairing the second meeting of the new state executive council at his office here Wednesday.
Lim said an underground railway track for Penang was aimed at protecting and preserving its many heritage buildings as these were tourist attractions for the state.
The monorail for Penang was among the mega projects approved by the federal government under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.
The monorail is to connect Batu Ferringhi, which is a major tourist spot on the island, to other areas such as Tanjung Tokong, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Jelutong, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Gelugor, Bayan Baru and Bayan Lepas.
-- BERNAMA
Petronas rejects DAP's proposal that it funds second Penang bridge
KUALA LUMPUR, Wed: Petronas does not fund infrastructure projects, its corporate planning/development division vice-president Datuk Nasarudin Md Idris said. He was responding to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s proposal that Petronas fund the second Penang Bridge project, valued at over RM2 billion."Petronas only contributes to the government’s coffers in form of dividends. It’s up to the government on how it will be used,” Nasarudin said at the Invest Malaysia 2008 Conference here yesterday.
Nasarudin added that the company, over the past 30 years, has contributed to the government more than RM330 billion in the form of taxes, dividends, export duties and royalties.
“We finance infrastructure as far as oil and gas projects are concerned, like Kertih, whereby we created petrochemicals complex but we don’t finance buildings and bridges,” he added.
During his presentation entitled “Living with a US$100 oil”, Nasarudin said Malaysia should gradually move into a market-based fuel price mechanism, so that it can withstand future challenges.
“We need a timeframe for market-based fuel price to set it. Otherwise, we are just postponing the day of reckoning,” he said.
He also proposed a few measures to cushion the impact of market-based fuel price mechanism, where consumers will buy petrol at the non-subsidised market price.
For instance, higher fuel price could be traded off with the reduction of excise duty on motor vehicles and some financial relief for the lower-income group.
Lim seeks ACA update on dubious Penang land deals
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Government has asked the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) for an update on its investigations into questionable land deals in Penang.Chief minister Lim Guan Eng said today he would be meeting ACA officials this Friday to discuss the matter.
"The (questionable) land deals happened many years ago. I understand the ACA has not completed its investigations. I want to know why decisions (about the land deals) were made in that manner," he said after chairing the state executive council meeting.
Lim said this when asked to comment on his statement recently that the newly formed state government had uncovered discrepancies in the previous administration.
He said the discrepancies, mainly involving land matters, could lead to huge financial losses for Penang.
The amount had been substantially reduced since last year and he hoped to discuss it with prime minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
"We want to discuss this and also get the prime minister's assurance on the continuance of federal projects,” he said. "We are hoping the original allocation can be reinstated," he said, adding the state government had written to Abdullah about the matter and hoped a meeting would be arranged soon.
Penang schools instructed not to invite DAP, PKR leaders to officiate functions?
GEORGE TOWN, Wed: The Penang Government is seeking clarification from the State Education Department about an alleged directive to school heads allegedly instructed not to invite state government leaders and elected representatives from the DAP and Parti Keadilan Nasional to officiate functions.The message was allegedly conveyed to them verbally during a briefing last Wednesday by a senior official from the state education department, Deputy Chief Minister Dr P. Ramasamy said today.
Ramasamy, who is also state Education committee chairman, said he had directed state secretary Datuk Jamaludin Hasan to seek clarification about the matter.
"I don't know if the directive was really issued as there is nothing in black and white,” he said. “However, schools are also the state government's concern as it involves land and so forth. That is why I want a clarification.”
State education department acting director Ibrahim Mohamad could not be contacted for comments.
No new cars for Penang excos
PENANG: The Penang government has cancelled an order for five new Perdana V-6 cars worth RM623,000 which were ordered by the previous administration for its exco members. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng commended all the new exco members for agreeing to continue using the existing cars to save the rakyat's money. "The ordered cars had not been delivered yet. So, we have managed to cancel the order without incurring any losses for the state. "Currently, the government has 43 official cars for its senior officers," he told newsmen Wednesday after a state exco meeting. Lim also said the state government was proposing a subway system to help improve the state's public transportation. However, he said, it would cost three or four times more than the federal government's elevated monorail project. "If we have a subway instead, it will also help improve the drainage system to solve flood woes. This way, we can kill two birds with one stone," he said. Although the state was keen to replace the monorail project with the subway plan, the decision was ultimately up to the federal government as the financier, he said. Lim said he had written to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad to seek an official appointment with him. The subway proposal would be among the matters he hoped to raise during the meeting, he said. He would also appeal to Abdullah to restore some funding under the Ninth Malaysia Plan for the state which was reduced "substantially" during the previous state government's administration. On the land improprieties issue, he said the Anti-Corruption Agency would brief him on its completed investigation on Friday. --THE STAR
Umno Elections Should Not Be Further Postponed, Says Mukhriz
JERLUN, March 25 (Bernama) -- Umno's election scheduled to be held this year should not be postponed in order to respect the wishes of members to elect leaders of their choice, said Jerlun Member of Parliament Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.
He said the party elections was something important and a democratic process it had to go through.
"I appeal to Umno's leadership not to postpone it and do as the party president said last year that it will be carried out this year," he told Bernama here Tuesday.
Mukhriz, who is also a member of Umno Youth's executive council, said that he was confident the party elections would not cause a split among members as they were wise enough to decide without being emotional.
He said Umno leaders must follow the party constitution and all Umno members must decide wisely and rationally on who to choose as their leaders.
Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib Tuesday said the party's state liaision chiefs wanted the polls to be postponed to June next year to prevent "chaos" if held this year.
Muhammad, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said they stated this in the meetings they had separately with party president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi over the weekend.
The polls scheduled last year were postponed to give priority to the country's 12th general election, which was called on March 8 this year. The last time party polls were held was in 2004.
Mukhriz said that even if there was a contest for the top two posts, it would not cause a split in Umno especially if done in a gentlemanly fashion.
"If there is no money politics and is done in a controlled manner without members becoming emotional, I do not see any problems," he said.
Mukhriz also said that all Umno members must give priority to party harmony as their actions was being closely watched by the public.
"More so because the president and deputy president lead the nation," he said.
Asked if he was aiming for any particular post, he said: "Perhaps it's too early for me to tell."
-- BERNAMA
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Ruling Party May Postpone Internal Elections To Protect PM From Challenges
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: An official says Malaysia's ruling party may postpone internal elections due this year. This is apparently aimed at protecting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi from being ousted as president of the United Malays National Organization following the party's dismal election performance. UMNO information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib said Wednesday (26 Mar) that if polls were held now, there would be "havoc and disaster." UMNO is scheduled to hold its annual general meeting in August, when Abdullah is expected to seek re-election as party president. The president of UMNO traditionally becomes the prime minister. Muhammad said a final decision will be made Thursday (27 Mar). (AP)
PM Admits It Was A Mistake To Ignore The Internet In Recent Elections
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Malaysia's prime minister admitted Tuesday (25 Mar) that his ruling coalition made a blunder by underestimating the power of the Internet, which the opposition used extensively to win a record number of seats in recent elections. "In the last election, we certainly lost the Internet war, the cyber war," Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told an investors' conference. He said it was "a serious misjudgment" on the part of the ruling National Front coalition to rely solely on government-controlled newspapers and television while the opposition wooed young voters with cell phone text messages and blogs. The coalition retained power but lost its traditional-two thirds parliamentary majority. The opposition increased the number of seats it holds from 19 to 82 in the 222-member Parliament and won five state legislatures. It was the worst setback in the coalition's 51-year rule, despite spending millions of ringgit (dollars; euros) on print and television advertisements during its election campaign. "It was a very, very serious mistake on our part. It was painful ... but it came at the right time, not too late," Abdullah said. Denied fair access to government-controlled media, opposition parties turned to the Internet to talk about rising prices, corruption and racial and religious tensions _ subjects that struck a chord with disgruntled Malaysians who were also fuming at the partisan coverage of the mainstream media. The government does not censor or control the Internet under a commitment made by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad when he was wooing foreign investors into high tech industries in the early 1990s. However, worries about online freedom mounted last year when a government-linked newspaper filed defamation lawsuits against two prominent bloggers accusing them of posting libelous statements about the paper's editors and executives. Separately, the government also accused bloggers of spreading lies and undermining public stability. Also last year, police detained an opposition party blogger for five days over comments posted on his Web site linking a deputy minister to corruption. Following the election debacle, Abdullah's government softened its stance. New Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek promised last week not to impose curbs on bloggers. A prominent blogger, Jeff Ooi, won a parliamentary seat for the opposition Democratic Action Party. (By EILEEN NG/ AP)
Abdullah To Seek Audience With Tuanku Mizan
KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Tuesday said he will seek an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, to discuss and resolve the issue on the appointment of the Terengganu Menteri Besar.
"I will certainly be meeting with Tuanku," he told newsmen after delivering a keynote address at Invest Malaysia 2008 Conference, here.
Abdullah said the meeting would be held as soon as possible.
"I wish I could have done it Monday," said the Umno president.
Abdullah earlier was asked to comment on party vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's suggestion that Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh and the Prime Minister should seek an audience with Tuanku Mizan and apologise if indeed there was a misunderstanding between Idris and the Palace.
On Saturday, the Terengganu palace issued a statement that Kijal Assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Said was appointed as the new Menteri Besar to replace Idris.
However, 22 of the Terengganu BN assemblymen pledged their support for Idris who had received his appointment letter as Menteri Besar from Abdullah.
Following this, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor was quoted as saying that Ahmad could face disciplinary action if he accepted the appointment.
On Sunday, Ahmad went against the warning and accepted the letter of appointment from the Palace in a closed-door ceremony.
To another question Abdullah said he was confident the issue could be resolved.
"I like to say this. There are ways of overcoming this present problem we are facing. We know what the situation on the ground is, and that people are exploiting this stuation for their own objectives, forming a lot of conclusions on this.
"But we have to remain cool and at the same time not become oblivious to what is happening with regard to this particular issue," he said, adding that it was an issue that must be addressed quickly.
To another question whether Ahmad would be expelled from the party for going against the party's wishes when he accepted the letter of appointment from the Palace, Abdullah said it was a matter for the Umno Supreme Council to decide.
On a question whether it was true that the Umno general assembly would be held in November instead of August as planned, Abdullah said he would announce the date later.
-- BERNAMA
Apartment owners get temporary reprieve
PENANG: The owners of 64 apartment units at Taman Jelutong Jaya here have been given a temporary reprieve as their homes would not go under the hammer Wednesday. High Court Justice John Louis O’Hara on Tuesday granted a stay of execution on the auction, pending the hearing of an application to intervene a court order obtained by Public Bank Berhad on Sept 22, 2005 to auction off the units. Public Bank had obtained the auction order after developer Taman Penawar Sdn Bhd failed to pay the outstanding RM1.5mil debt. It is learnt that the developer wound up two years ago. The two blocks of apartments at Sungai Pinang have 90 low-medium cost units, most of which have been occupied since 2000. On Monday, a group of apartment owners filed an application to intervene the court order, claiming that they have proprietary and beneficial interests in their action. They are also applying to set aside the entire order of sale. On Tuesday, the bank's counsel C.H. Chang told the court that his client needed time to file an affidavit-in-reply. The apartment owners were represented by counsel Malkit Singh Randhawa and Jagdeep Singh Deo, while counsel Shahira Parvin Abdul Aziz represented the Insolvency Department. --THE STAR
No Cancellation Of Projects Under Ninth Malaysia Plan, Says Abdullah
KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 (Bernama) - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said there will be no cancellation of the projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.
"At the moment, we have not decided on the matter. If it is necessary and if there is a good reason for the cancellation, we will. I'm not saying that we are definitely going to do this (cancellation), but we certainly will have to reassess all the projects," he told reporters after officiating at the Invest Malaysia 2008 Conference here Tuesday.
On the projects in the states that were controlled by the opposition, Abdullah said the federal government would discuss the matter with them.
"We will deal with the state governments. There are certain projects that are about to be implemented in the states. There is no problem for the government to discuss with them," he said.
Earlier in his speech, Abdullah said some programmes may have to be fine-tuned under the mid-term review for the Ninth Malaysia Plan in order to ensure that the benefits were enjoyed by all Malaysians.
"Of course, there are projects that have already been implemented. There are many and we have to make sure that they will be able to meet the objectives that we have set," he said.
He said the government was aware that increasing prices had affected some of the projects that were implemented.
"We have already identified them and specific allocations have been made and we have to see what we can do.
"It certainly involves the need to reassess and re-estimate the money that we are going to allocate," he said.
Abdullah said the construction industry has improved.
"You are saying that the industry is very slow. In 2003, it recorded minus two percent and now it is +4 percent. Is that slow?" he said.
-- BERNAMA
Gurney project in Penang may be reviewed
PENANG: The state government will review the billion-ringgit Gurney Paragon project if there are “justifiable grounds”. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state government would get views from all quarters and welcomes any objection. “We will revisit the projects approved by the previous administration and if necessary, review them if these projects are adversely affecting people’s lives. Lim was responding to calls by the Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) and Bar Council Legal Aid Centre to review and hold an open hearing on the project. PHT chairman Dr Choong Sim Poey had told a press conference the state government should reassess the planning permission procedures practised by the previous Penang Municipal Council. Gurney Paragon is a mixed integrated development by Hunza Properties (Penang) Sdn Bhd comprising a shopping mall, two blocks of high-end condominiums and a heritage building spread over 4ha of freehold land. Located along Gurney Drive fronting the sea, the land was formerly occupied by the Uplands International School. The company bought it in 2004 for RM97mil. Gurney Paragon has a total gross development value of close to RM1bil. Piling work for the development has begun and the project is scheduled to be completed by 2010. Lim said the state welcomed any view or suggestion on projects that had been approved by the previous state government. --THE STAR
“The concerns expressed to us by NGOs have been taken into account and we want certain procedures to be complied with, as should be the way the government works,” he said after a dialogue session with members of the Free Trade Zone Penang Companies’ Association yesterday. 
Monday, March 24, 2008
23 Terengganu BN Assemblymen May Resign If Ahmad Said Is Made MB
KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) -- The 23 Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen in Terengganu who are against Kijal assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Said being appointed the state's Menteri Besar may resign if the latter is sworn-in to the post.
Terengganu Umno liasion secretary Datuk Rosol Wahid in a press conference here Sunday night, said this might happen as his appointment did not get their support.
He said all 23 of them stood solidly behind former Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh to be appointed to the post.
"All of us, except for Ahmad Said have stated our unequivocal support for Idris based on the decision made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for him to be appointed the Menteri Besar of Terengganu. It means no other candidate has been proposed for the post," he said.
According to him, there is no reason why Idris should not be chosen as he had done a fine job in administering the state the last four years.
"What happened this morning in Istana Tetamu did not have our agreement and this is different from the case of Perlis. Ahmad Said is alone in this matter," he said.
Sunday morning (March 23), Ahmad Said received his appointment letter to be the Menteri Besar from the head of the Terengganu Regency Advisory Council.
Tengku Sri Panglima Raja Tengku Baderulzaman witnessed by two other members of the council, namely Tengku Sri Laksamana Raja Tengku Sulaiman Sultan Ismail and former Federal Court judge, Datuk Abdul Kadir Sulaiman.
The closed-door ceremony was also attended by six members of the Terengganu royal household, State Secretary Datuk Mokhtar Nong, State Legal Advisor Mohamad Sekeri Mamat and Terengganu police chief, Datuk Ayub Yaakob.
Commenting on a remarks by Terengganu Umno deputy liasion chief Datuk Tengku Putera Tengku Awang that most of the Umno divisions in the state supported Ahmad's appointment, Rosol said some of those named had denied it.
"I met the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister earlier and two or three division heads denied what was said by Tengku Putera.
"With me were Kuala Terengganu Umno chief Senator Datuk Wan Farid Wan Salleh, Kuala Nerus Umno chief Datuk Mohd Nasir Ibrahim Fikri and Setiu Umno chief, Datuk Mohd Jidin Shafiee," he said.
Asked if their (the 23 assemblymen's) action could be seen as challenging the monarchy, Rosol said this did not arise as they were merely following the party's and federal constitution and the wishes of the party president, apart from being in line with the state constitution.
"Sunday morning before the letter of appointment was issued to Ahmad, we had gone to the palace to present two letters and a memorandum to the latter although we were not allowed in," he said.
He said copies of the letter warning Ahmad not to accept the appointment were also given to Raja Tengku Baderulzaman.
Among others the letters stated that Ahmad Said's Umno membership would automatically become null and void if accepted the appointment, he said.
Umno's Supreme Council is expected to deliberate the matter on Thursday. Ahmad's swearing-in date has yet to be fixed.
-- BERNAMAPKR lodges police report against PM, DPM, 23 reps for sedition against King
“The palace institution must be respected and all subjects must show loyalty. The actions of those involved were a blatant disregard of loyalty to the Rulers,” he said after lodging a police report at the district police station at 4.45pm.
Faris said the decision to lodge the report was made after analysing newspaper reports published in Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia.
Jelutong apartments under bank auction leave owners in a bind
Seventy-eight apartment owners here now facing the possibility of being made homeless after a bank obtained a court order to auction off their property in Jelutong. The auction is scheduled to take place tomorrow.Ooi Swee San, who represented the Taman Jelutong Jaya owners, claimed today that they were unaware of the auction order until word got around two weeks ago.
He said the owners were taken aback as they had all paid their dues to the developer.
"We are now in a dilemma as the auction will take place on Wednesday,” he said. "How can this happen? Many of us have been staying here since 2000 and now we face the risk of losing our units when the auction gets going.”
He was relating the owners’ plight to Datuk Keramat state assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo and MP for Jelutong Ooi Chuan Aun.
Public Bank Berhad had obtained a court order on Sept 22, 2005 to proceed with the auction following Taman Penawar Sdn Bhd's failure to service its loans.
Jagdeep said many of the residents had paid between RM50,000 and RM80,000 for the units.
Ooi said their counsel Malkit Singh Randhawa had filed an application at the High Court to intervene against the auction order.
"We are also asking for a stay of action pending our application to set aside the entire order of sale," he said. The developer could not be reached for comment.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Terengganu MB: PM or Sultan’s choice?
PETALING JAYA: The Terengganu Mentri Besar should be a person who has the confidence of the state assembly, a constitutional law expert said. Universiti Teknologi Mara Law professor Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi said the position of Kijal assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Said would not be safe even if he was appointed the Mentri Besar by the Sultan of Terengganu. He said although the Sultan had the discretion in appointing Ahmad as the new Mentri Besar, legally this could be disputed because the person has to command the confidence of the majority of the assembly. “The Sultan has discretionary powers but this discretion is not absolute. The Sultan is not bound to listen to the advice of Umno divisions or the Federal Government but he has to listen to the state assembly,” he added. Prof Shad also said that Ahmad, however, has the option of waiting 90 days – until May 13 – to consolidate his powers before convening the state assembly. “This means he can appoint new state executive councillors, including those from the six PAS assemblymen, or he can even call for a state election,” he said. Prof Shad said the state assembly or even Umno assemblymen could pass a vote of no-confidence against Ahmad. “This scenario has happened several times before in Sarawak, Selangor and Kelantan in the 1960s and 1970s, where the Chief Ministers or Mentris Besar were either voted out of office or replaced,” he said. The office of the Sultan of Terengganu announced Saturday that Ahmad would be the new Mentri Besar of Terengganu instead of Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh. Idris was the choice of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as well as the majority of state assemblymen, but 51-year-old Ahmad had the support of seven of the eight Umno division leaders in the state who lobbied for his appointment at the last moment. Ahmad was given his letter of appointment at 8.30am Sunday, but palace officials have fixed an indefinite date for the swearing-in ceremony, which was widely expected Sunday as well. He was stripped of his Umno membership for disobeying the party leadership. Prof Shad said that Ahmad could go to the courts and claim that his expulsion and removal as Mentri Besar were against "natural justice." "Umno can also go to court on the basis that his appointment had gone against the Terengganu Constitution," he said. Ahmad has two choices, Prof Shad added: He step down and let the Regency Advisory Council appoint a new Mentri Besar, or he could dissolve the state assembly. --THE STAR
Gerakan blames arrogance for crushing polls defeat
KUALA LUMPUR, Sun: Gerakan has blamed its own arrogance for its crushing defeat in the 12th General Election. “Perhaps, power had gone to our heads after leading Penang for 39 years. We have not done enough in our own approach and attitude,” said acting party president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.Speaking to the press after a closed-door meeting with 1,500 central delegates, Koh was merciless in analysing Gerakan’s whitewash in Penang, and similarly disastrous performance nationwide where it won only two parliamentary and four state seats.
Koh blamed the party’s dismal performance to its leaders losing touch with the grassroots as well as arrogance of power in BN.
He said due to their busy schedule as government officials, the needs of the rakyat were neglected.
The general election results were also due to the peoples dissatisfaction of perceived arrogance of power within BN, especially over certain Umno leaders whom through their words or actions have resulted in resentment, he said, adding that BN also needed to change its way in order to survive.
The meeting saw delegates calling for the leadership to be more vocal in voicing the needs of the people and for the party to renew itself. Although the party will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Gerakan will not throw a bash. Instead, it will be on soul searching mode as it looks at ways to consolidate the party to face a challenging future.
“The next decade is going to be very challenging for the party and we hoped by our 50th anniversary, we can regain our place in politics,” Koh said. “There is a need for a new Gerakan to emerge to be a driver of constructive reforms within the Barisan Nasional coalition.”
Penang state government to review all projects approved by previous leadership
BUTTERWORTH, SUN: THE Penang state government plans to review all projects approved by the previous leadership to ensure that they benefit the people and are free from discrepancies.Chief minister Lim Guan Eng said the move was aimed at ensuring the projects would really benefit the people and were approved according to procedures.
"It is okay if the projects are to benefit the people but those which were approved just to enrich certain leaders would be reviewed," he said.
Lim however assured the people and Umno assemblymen that the state government would not simply scrap the approvals just because the previous state leadership approved them.
What Prompted Voters To Swing This Time
KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 (Bernama) -- The 12th General Election is over, the federal and state governments have been sworn in except for Terengganu, but what still lingers in almost everyone's mind is what prompted the voters to deny the two-third majority to the Barisan Nasional (BN), which had ruled the nation for more than 50 years.
Datuk Professor Syed Arabi Idid, Rector at the International Islamic University Malaysia and its Head of the Electoral Studies Unit, admits that the outcome, which came as a surprise to him as well, was probably part of a new voting trend.
"They did not vote for the Opposition, they just voted against the BN," he told Bernama in an interview.
Dr Syed Arabi, who has made an extensive study of the voting patterns in the country, shared with Bernama his views on what was probably on the minds of the voters and what one could expect in the new political landscape.
Q: Why was there a massive swing towards the Opposition this time
A: The voters individually wanted to show their displeasure with the BN but they did not realise that collectively their action inadvertently denied BN of its two-third majority. Anyway, despite the (current) status quo, everyone is cool and calm, waiting to see what is going to happen. This is a stark contrast to the post-election period in 1969 when the Alliance (the predecessor to the BN) was in a somewhat similar predicament.
Q: What could have been the reasons for their displeasure
A: A lot has been said on this, and the rising cost of living has been singled out as the most compelling reason. But there must be more than this. I see a combination of factors. The Chinese were unhappy with the state of the economy as they felt it could have been better. The Indians lamented that they have been marginalised in every sphere. So, the government decided to make some concessions for the non-Malays, and this incurred the wrath of the Malays. Therefore, the three different races went all-out against the BN for different reasons, and this explains the outcome. If the cost of living was the sole factor, than we would have seen the same impact in Sabah and Sarawak. Another factor, I believe, that incensed the Malay voters is the rally of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) last November.
Q: But do you think current issues alone could have tipped the balance
A: My observation is that since the 1995 general election, issues have profoundly influenced the election outcome. The 1999 general election saw the Anwar Ibrahim saga and the financial crisis swaying the votes to the Opposition and in 2004 the votes swung back to BN after Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi with his "Mr Clean" image took over the helm. Another thing that could have contributed to some extent is dissent within the BN component parties.
Q: Is the outcome a sign of political maturity of our voters; that they are willing to vote transcending racial lines
A: Not necessarily so. But one sure thing is that the voters have changed. The general assumption that "my vote is for the BN" no longer holds true. And more are now aware that their vote counts. The attachment to BN has declined with the rise of the middle class. This is especially evident among the Malays where their bond with Umno is no longer (that) strong unlike during their parents' time. But that does not mean that they won't vote for the BN. The vote swing favouring the BN in 2004 stands testimony to this. Voters are also increasingly becoming apolitical and are voting based on issues. In a nutshell, the voters are more discerning and demanding nowadays.
Q: The Malays have taken a bold step to vote for the Opposition, knowing fully well that many of their privileges and rights could be at stake. What does this go to show
A: Yes, they voted for the Opposition but that does not mean they have voted against their privileges and rights. Both are very much at the heart of the Malays as we have seen from their reaction in Penang when the new Chief Minister made some remarks over the New Economic Policy. I'm certain that any attempt to abolish or curtail them will see Malays opposing strongly. But now, when a threat like this crops up, the Malays (may) regret why they had rocked the boat in the first place.
Q: Do you see the Anwar and Abdullah personalities having had any bearing on the outcome of the election
A: You made it look too simple. Anwar has his own charisma but Abdullah is the leader of a bigger setup with its influence spreading all over the nation. Naturally, Abdullah has a bigger burden to shoulder. Furthermore, Abdullah and the government were seen in (relatively) poor light over many problems like the toll concessions, which were in fact a problem inherited from the previous leadership. I don't believe their personalities made the difference but I see the BN failing to counter many of the accusations in the language that the people could understand.
Q: History has shown that the Congress party in India that fought for independence suffered a decline in support over the years. Is the same fate imminent for the BN
A: No, I don't think so. Congress is a family dynasty unlike the BN, which is a dynamic party with evolving leaders and a great sense of accommodation. Umno, being the dominant party, has seen a change in leadership style and substance when leaders changed. The same happened with the component parties. Nevertheless, the core substance and accepted principles remain the same and this promises continuity for the nation.
Q: As the people have chosen the loose coalition of PKR-DAP-PAS to rule Selangor, Perak and Penang, do you see this coalition as a viable alternative for the BN
A: It is difficult for me to see them as viable at this point of time as all three are at the crossroads. PAS, with its Islamic ideology, cannot see eye-to-eye with DAP's secular beliefs while PKR is holding fort by pleasing both. Neither is PKR a dominant member like Umno to lead all of them on a common platform. As there is no viable alternative platform as yet, to give up the BN and say we are going for an alternative is dangerous.
Q: Do you think the loose coalition will be able to administer the states without assistance from the federal government
A: History has proven that Penang headed by Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu under the Opposition platform made no headway until it came into the BN fold. So did Terengganu under PAS. Therefore, the cooperation of the federal government is vital for their survival. Only Kelantan remains the exception. The fate of poor states like Kedah (now ruled by PAS), which is highly dependent on federal aid, now hangs in the balance. And states like Perak could end up in political limbo because the Menteri Besar comes from a party with the least number of seats in the coalition. However, what will be of interest is Selangor. Can the Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, with his good credentials, prove that the coalition can rule successfully one of the richest states in the country If they succeed, then we can anticipate a permanent change in the nations political landscape. Only time will tell.
Q: As the federal government no longer enjoys a two-third majority (in the Dewan Rakyat), what can happen now
A: The absence of a two-third majority can affect everybody. This status quo is certainly not comforting, especially when we are not used to having had such a scenario. A nation of a multiracial character needs a strong government. A simple majority should suffice to run the country as long as there is no major political upheaval.
Q: What does the future hold for the BN
A: It is a coincidence that this significant change occurred during the 50th anniversary of nationhood, and there are many lessons to be learnt. With the (announcement of the) reform cabinet, the first phase of the healing process has started. The BN has to work even harder compared to how the Opposition worked to woo the voters. There is no place for complacency and the BN should no longer rely too much on the votes of party members. I see no problem in the BN winning back lost ground if it stays focused, taking into consideration that voters may not go along party lines. The next election could be held sooner, all depending on how fast the healing process takes.
-- BERNAMA
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