BANGKOK, 2 Dec 2008: Thailand’s political and economic crisis sank deeper into uncertainty today after the Constitution Court dissolved the ruling People’s Power Party (PPP) and its two coalition partners, and disqualified embattled Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. The nine-member panel also banned the three parties’ executive committee members from active politics for five years under […]
Archives for December 2008
Freehold status for village land in Perak
IPOH, 2 Dec 2008: Owners of residential lots in organised villages and new villages in Perak can apply to convert their leasehold status to ownership in perpetuity or freehold beginning today, Perak senior state executive councillor Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham said. He said these owners, in 349 organised villages and 134 new villages, had only […]
Two reform bills in five days
By Elizabeth Looi(Corrected) Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz Corrected on 3 Dec 2008 at 11.50am KUALA LUMPUR, 2 Dec 2008: Parliament will have only five days to debate two important reform bills before Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi retires in March 2009. The bills are the Malaysian Commission Anti-Corruption (MCAC) Bill and the Judicial Appointments Commission […]
2,681 people imposed with restraining order
KUALA LUMPUR, 2 Dec 2008: A total of 2,681 people have been put under restraining order until last month for committing various offences under the country’s preventive law, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said. He said the order — under the Emergency (Public Order and Crime Prevention) 1969, Restricted Residence Act 1933, Prevention […]
Akim wants to contest in KT by-election
KUALA KRAI, 2 Dec 2008: Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim), a PAS splinter party, intends to contest in the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election. Its president, Hanafi Mamat said the party was confident getting the support of the Malays, especially the Muslim missionaries, in Kuala Terengganu. He told Bernama today that Akim was not disheartened […]
Govt to set up disaster relief centre
KUALA LUMPUR, 2 Dec 2008: The Malaysian government has agreed to establish a disaster relief centre in Subang to support all humanitarian and food assistance relief operations in this part of the world, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today. This was being done in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP) and the centre would […]
Mukhriz’s proposal is unconstitutional
By Deborah LohKUALA LUMPUR, 2 Dec 2008: Kedah Gerakan Youth says the proposal to abolish vernacular schools is against the Federal Constitution which allows the teaching and learning of other languages besides Bahasa Malaysia. The state youth chief Tan Keng Liang was responding to a suggestion by Umno Youth exco member Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir. Mukhriz said yesterday […]
Twist and turn
Compiled by N Shashi KalaQuote 1 “They were not sacked. They were asked to retire early. It’s like optional.’ — Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz. Quote 2 “They were sacked, it is true.” — Nazri, a week later The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department was quoted in The Sun on Nov 6 2008 explaining in Parliament the […]
Should Malaysians be afraid?
By Yasmin MasidiLORD Devlin’s axiom that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely is one that is taken for fact these days. For good reasons, too: reams of writing have been expended on the need for checks and balances in any system of governance, democratic or otherwise. What is less often talked about, at least in a […]
Freedom of information: Making it happen
By Deborah LohIN the first parliamentary sitting in 2008 this May, Subang Member of Parliament (MP) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president R Sivarasa tried to table a private member’s bill on freedom of information (FOI). Although it appeared in the order paper, the House never reached the item. Sivarasa, who is also a human rights lawyer, has […]
