Najib announced the BN was ready to form government in Perak (file pic) AFTER the state of political turmoil in Perak, following Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s press conference where he said that the Barisan Nasional (BN) is ready to form government in the state, rumours are swirling on the possible fall of […]
Anguish in Perak
By Deborah Loh and Zedeck Siew
ANGER. Shock. Sadness. Defiance. These were the emotions that permeated the atmosphere of the 8,000 to 10,000-strong gathering of Pakatan Rakyat supporters inside and outside the official residence of the Perak Menteri Besar in Ipoh on the night of 5 Feb 2009. The public started trickling in through the gates of the residence as early […]
Netizens battle on Perak
By Cindy ThamPETALING JAYA, 6 Feb 2009: Reaction to the political crisis in Perak has been all over the internet. On 5 Feb 2009, the day it became official that the Barisan Nasional (BN) had succeeded in booting out the Pakatan Rakyat state government, people of different political leanings and convictions blogged furiously about it. Some, however, […]
Nasarudin’s hip hop
By Zedeck Siew“I am very confident in the leadership of PKR that has the will and strong idealism to fight for the rights and interest of the multiracial public in this country.” Bota state assemblyperson, Datuk Nasarudin Hashim, in a press statement explaining his 25 Jan 2009 defection from Umno to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). He said […]
When defections felled Sabah
By Yasmin MasidiAS I am writing this, the Perak state government is collapsing from the resignations of a crucial number of assemblypersons. By the time this column is published, we would have found out whether the state legislature is dissolved by the consent of the Sultan of Perak, and whether snap elections are called. I will not […]
Not treasonous to question Sultan
By Shanon ShahSultan Azlan Shah (image source: sultan.perak.gov.my) PETALING JAYA, 6 Feb 2009: People have the right to question a Ruler’s decision which impacts the public, legal experts said. Asked to comment on the opposition towards Sultan Azlan Shah’s decision not to dissolve the Perak legislative assembly yesterday, Datuk Param Cumaraswamy said: “The public has the right […]
Nizar appeals to the Sultan (Updated)
By Jacqueline Ann Surin(Updated 8:39pm; 5 Feb 2009) PETALING JAYA, 5 Feb 2009: Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin has informed the Sultan of Perak that he is not stepping down until the state’s political crisis is resolved by the legislative assembly or the courts. Nizar cited Article XVI(6) of the Perak state constitution which states: […]
BN govt waiting to be sworn-in
By BernamaIPOH, 5 Feb 2009: The new Barisan Nasional (BN)-led state government for Perak is about to be sworn in by Sultan Azlan Shah at Istana Kinta. Among those who sought an audience with the sultan included Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who arrived there at 5.50pm. Also at the palace are Perak Barisan […]
Perak crisis
By Deborah Loh and Zedeck SiewUpdated on 6 Feb 2009 at 12:05am; Corrected at 11:49pm (source: Sultan Azlan Shah image from sultan.perak.gov.my; Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin image © hussein / wikipedia.org) Live update: 12:05am: Streets are mostly clear as most supporters have dispersed. A few diehard supporters still in MB’s residence compound. 12:01am: PKR’s information chief Tian Chua tells reporters that […]
A netizen revolution
By Cindy ThamI LEARNT a Swahili word recently: “Ushahidi.” It means “testimony”. It’s also the name of a crowdsourcing platform for people to post crisis information. People on the ground witnessing a crisis can send information about it through text messages on the mobile phone, e-mail or other web forms. Screenshot of Ushahidi Developed by Kenyan bloggers […]
