KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Feb 2009: Malaysian passport holders can check their status via the short messaging service (SMS) beginning next month, Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Mahmood Adam said today. He said the service was the first of its kind in the world and the number would be announced soon. Currently the public could now check […]
Archives for February 2009
Masidi withdraws from Umno MT seat contest
KOTA KINABALU, 17 Feb 2009: Ranau Umno division chief Datuk Masidi Manjun has withdrawn from contesting the Umno supreme council (MT) seat at the party’s general assembly next month. Masidi who is also Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister said the decision was necessary as he wanted to focus on his duties as minister and […]
GMP hands over memo to abolish PPSMI
By Zedeck SiewKUALA LUMPUR, 17 Feb 2009: Bahasa Malaysia proponents today marched to Parliament to deliver a memorandum to Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders, calling on the government to abolish the teaching of science and maths in the English language (PPSMI). Gerakan Mansuhkan PPSMI (GMP) chairperson Datuk Hassan Ahmad was joined by about 20 […]
Kertih airport reopens to commercial flights
KERTIH, 17 Feb 2009: After nearly 20 years of serving only oil company workers, Kertih airport has reopened to commercial flights. Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said said the airport used to cater to commercial flights by Pelangi Air in the 1980s but it stopped when the airline ceased operations. “The reopening of Kertih airport means […]
Special entity to oversee hillside development
KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Feb 2009: The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) today called on the government to urgently set up a special accredited agency to oversee and approve all hillside developments. In the meantime all development on hill slopes and hill sides should be temporarily suspended, its president, Datuk N Marimuthu said. He told […]
Public sector told to speed up projects
KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Feb 2009: Only 70% of the RM7 billion economic stimulus package announced last November to kick-start the economy has been disbursed. As such, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants the public sector to buck up in planning and implementing people-oriented projects under the package to generate economic growth. The prime […]
Mohd Abdul Wahid sworn in as MP
KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Feb 2009: The newly-elected Kuala Terengganu Member of Parliament Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut took his oath of office today before Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia. Mohd Abdul Wahid, 52, from PAS, won the seat in a by-election held on 17 Jan with a 2,631 vote majority. He secured 32,883 […]
Mapping change
By Jacqueline Ann Surin and Shanon ShahKHAIRY Jamaluddin knows that he is still the underdog in the upcoming Umno Youth chief race. While Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir’s nominations rushed in from the very beginning, nominations for Khairy merely trickled. Even the nominations for former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo saw quicker action. That hasn’t stopped the 33-year-old in […]
Defending the monarchy
Translation by Shanon ShahPROMINENT stories in the Malay-language press between 9 and 15 Feb 2009 revolved around the monarchy, Pakatan Rakyat (PR)-lynching, and the impending Bukit Selambau and Bukit Gantang by-elections. On 10 Feb, Utusan Malaysia got no less than Foreign Minister and Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim to write on the Barisan Nasional […]
Perak, PR and tariffs
Translation by Leong Lai MingFOR the week of 9 to 15 Feb 2009, the Chinese press highlighted the ongoing Perak political crisis. The press especially focused on state assemblyperson Hee Yit Foong, who left the DAP, and on party chairperson Karpal Singh, who had asked Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to step down as de facto Pakatan Rakyat leader. The […]
