Corrected on 15 July 2009 at 12.30am GOOD news for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. His approval ratings jumped from 45% in mid-May to 65% by 1 June, according to a poll by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research released ahead of his first 100 days in office on 11 July. The increase follows […]
Current Issues
Najib & Co. (Part 1)
By Gan Pei Ling“Give me a chance. I will reform and I will make changes.” Then Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, speaking at a press conference at the Umno general assembly in April 2009, days before he was made prime minister. He said he was aware that some parties expected him to act in an authoritarian […]
Kg Buah Pala developer upset over state govt’s plan
PENANG, 9 July 2009: Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd, the developer of Kampung Buah Pala, is disappointed with the Penang state government’s plan to invoke Section 116 of the National Land Code to prevent the company from carrying out the demolition of the village. Its executive director, Thomas Chan, said today the company had in […]
RM5bil allocated to raise proficiency in English
KUALA LUMPUR, 9 July 2009: The government has allocated almost RM5 billion to strengthen the teaching and learning of English in schools, the Dewan Negara was told today. Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said the ministry had also provided training for English teachers to help them raise students’ proficiency in English, in the […]
A(H1N1): M’sia moves into mitigation stage (Updated 7:08pm)
KUALA LUMPUR, 9 July 2009: The country moved from containment to mitigation stage of the Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak today. Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the transition was necessary as there were clusters of local transmission of the disease, or sustained spreading within the community, as well as new cases that had no […]
CPM ideology to be studied in school curriculum early
KUALA LUMPUR, 9 July 2009: The Education Ministry may revert to introducing the detailed history of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM)’s ideology in the lower secondary education curriculum, said deputy Education minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi. He said from 2003, the history of CPM was not explained in detail at the lower secondary level […]
Federal Court allows Nizar to appeal on MB issue
PUTRAJAYA, 9 July 2009: The battle over the post of Perak menteri besar is set to continue at the Federal Court here after the apex court today gave the green light to former menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin to appeal against the appellate court’s declaration that Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir is […]
Unglamourous in Manik Urai
By Zedeck SiewMohd Fauzi Abdullah, a.k.a. Abe Uji, brick laying JUST before lunchtime on 8 July 2009, the candidate for PAS, Mohd Fauzi Abdullah, was in Kampung Budi, pushing some cement between bricks. PAS parliamentarians had sponsored a replacement for the village cemetery’s shack, currently in construction, and Mohd Fauzi was providing a photo-op for the media. […]
PR’s strategy in Manik Urai
By Zedeck SiewDESPITE earlier indications that the Manik Urai contest would hinge on local, bread-and-butter issues, leaders on both sides of the political divide have been reminding constituents of the by-election’s wider significance. On 6 July 2009, Kelantan Umno chief Datuk Mustapa Mohamed told the residents of Laloh that the Manik Urai fight — should the Barisan […]
Groups react to decision on maths and science
KUALA LUMPUR, 8 July 2009: The move to teach science and mathematics in Bahasa Malaysia and the mother tongue in vernacular schools effective 2012 has been described as a realistic and a welcome policy change by many quarters, although they felt the need to strengthen proficiency of English should still continue. Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) […]
