THE Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election is expected to see a tough fight between the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR). Although there are three contenders, the real competition is between the Kampung Kubu Umno branch deputy chairperson Ismail Saffian and PAS’s embattled Perak Menteri Besar and Pasir Panjang assemblyperson Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin. […]
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Mob protests Khairy’s win
By Deborah Loh
IT was a significant victory for 33-year-old Khairy Jamaluddin on the night of 25 March 2009 when he won the Umno Youth race to become its new chief. Significant because Khairy beat favourite Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir by 72 votes and former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo by 50 votes. This was […]
Umno’s leadership transition
By Deborah Loh and Zedeck Siew
THE 59th Umno general assembly began on the morning of 26 March 2009 with the customary flag-raising ceremony and parade inspection at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur. According to Bernama, Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi arrived at the assembly venue at 9am in Malay attire and was greeted by […]
Khairy’s win protested, Shahrizat creates upset
By Deborah Loh and Zedeck Siew
KUALA LUMPUR, 25 March 2009: Umno Youth is poised to enter a period of controversy with Khairy Jamaluddin’s win as the movement’s chief tonight. The Rembau Member of Parliament (MP) and son-in-law of outgoing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi polled 304 votes. He beat his rivals former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr […]
Umno wings in full flight
By Zedeck Siew
FOLLOWING their official opening last night (24 March 2009) by incoming president Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the Umno Wanita, Youth, and Puteri assemblies are now in full swing. Among other things raised in her address this morning, Wanita chief Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz called on the wing to help ensure success for Barisan Nasional (BN) […]
Umno general assembly gets underway (Updated 7.50pm)
By Zedeck Siew
(Updated 24 March 2009, 7.50pm) THE 2008 Umno general assembly officially opens tonight — 24 March — with party president-in-waiting Datuk Seri Najib Razak officiating the launch of the Umno Wanita, Youth and Puteri assemblies. The registration of delegates for the party wings has been going on since morning. The centre of attention this time […]
Tear gas and arrests at GMP march
By Zedeck Siew
KUALA LUMPUR, 7 March 2009: Police fired tear gas and arrested several people during a march to Istana Negara today to protest the use of English in the teaching of maths and science. The march, involving more than 2,000 protesters, was organised by the Movement for the Abolition of the Teaching of Mathematics and Science […]
Convoluted Perak crisis
Pictures by Wong Shu Qi
ON 3 March 2009, the Perak state assembly convened an “emergency sitting” under a tree about 100m away from the state secretariat building. The sitting, called by assembly Speaker V Sivakumar, was held at 10.20am in an open car park after police blocked assemblypersons from the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) from entering the Perak Darul Ridzuan […]
Emotions run high in Perak
By Deborah Loh and Zedeck Siew
EMOTIONS were played out on the street outside the Perak Menteri Besar’s official residence on the night of 5 Feb 2009 where close to 10,000 had gathered to protest Barisan Nasional’s takeover of the state legislative assembly. Protestors flanked both sides of the one-way Jalan Sultan Idris Shah for about a hundred metres from the […]
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 […]
