LEST we allow our new prime minister to get away with a slick public relations exercise, here are some cold hard statistics about previous prime ministers and the Internal Security Act (ISA). In July 1981, two weeks into office as prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad released 21 ISA detainees. As he himself candidly admitted […]
The Dayak urban-rural divide
By Sim Kwang YangTHE loss of Jawah Gerang and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in Batang Ai by a shocking majority of 1,854 votes has jolted many party members and supporters to the core. I hear that even on the morning of polling day on 7 April 2009, some of Jawah’s closest associates were still expecting a glorious victory […]
Khairy not disappointed
By Jacqueline Ann SurinPETALING JAYA, 9 April 2009: Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin was left out of the new cabinet line-up because he has been asked to focus on party work. Khairy said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak spoke with him last night to ask him to concentrate on drawing up strategies to reclaim the support of […]
Online news site barred from PM’s office
By Jacqueline Ann Surin(Najib pic courtesy of theSun) PETALING JAYA, 9 April 2009: Chinese online news site Merdeka Review was barred from entering the Prime Minister’s Department today to report on the announcement of the new cabinet. The order to bar Merdeka Review‘s reporter and photographer was issued by the prime minister’s office, according to an officer who […]
Sluggish in Bukit Selambau
By Shanon ShahManikumar speaking to journalists after the announcement of his victory on 7 April BY the end of campaigning in the Bukit Selambau by-election, even novice reporters sensed that the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had an edge over the Barisan Nasional (BN). It is not that the PR has not had its own set of problems. For […]
Fresh Perak elections needed
By AliranTHE results of the recent by-election in Bukit Gantang strongly signal that Perakians want the Pakatan Rakyat government to continue to serve them. It is their preferred chosen government and they have given the thumbs-down to the Barisan Nasional (BN) government led by Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir. When the voters elected PAS’s Datuk Seri […]
From Gantang Hill to mountain
By Wong Chin HuatCorrected on 9 April 2009 at 12.05pm IT is furthest from the truth to declare that the results of the triple by-elections on 7 April 2009 are about the status quo being maintained. Such an analysis, which focuses only on the number of seats each political party has, would fail to see the forest for […]
Lower Malay M’sian support for PAS
By Deborah LohTAIPING, 8 April 2009: PAS got a lower share of the Malay Malaysian vote in Bukit Gantang but won the parliamentary by-election thanks to a higher voter turnout and votes from Chinese Malaysians. Of the Malay Malaysian vote, PAS got a 43% share, while the Barisan Nasional (BN) obtained 57%. Chinese Malaysians, on the other […]
Najib’s caring government
By Zedeck Siew“The government has the best interests of the people and nation at heart.” DATUK Seri Najib Razak elaborating on his announcement, on his first day as prime minister, that 13 Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees would be released from the Kamunting detention centre. (Source: Najib: Release of 13 shows we care, New Straits Times, 5 […]
Mahathir’s dilemma
By Zedeck Siew“You cannot topple a menteri besar or a prime minister without a no-confidence vote in the assembly. There is no other provision.” FORMER Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, speaking out against the takeover of the Perak government by the Barisan Nasional (BN). Calling the coalition “too careless”, Mahathir said the BN should have done […]
