(Updated 12:33pm, 18 March 2009) MALACCA, 18 March 2009: Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam is appealing the Umno disciplinary board’s decision barring him from contesting for the post of deputy president in party elections next week. “The appeal letter will be submitted today,” the Umno vice-president told reporters today at his residence, […]
politics
Nazrin on Malay survival
BANGI, 10 March 2009: The Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, has called on the Malays to safeguard their culture and tradition as these are crucial to their survival as a race. He said that the Malays already had a unique identity, one “which is tied by customs, knotted by language and coated […]
Let the people decide
IT must be appreciated that the events unfolding in Perak are unprecedented and involve complex legal issues. It is impossible to provide a conclusive opinion on them. Some matters may, however, be addressed generally as a matter of principle. Today 27 assemblypersons in Perak were prevented by the OCPD from entering the state secretariat building, […]
Eli Wong: Selangor Sultan’s full statement
KUALA LUMPUR, 25 Feb 2009: Following is the full statement by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, over the controversy involving Bukit Lanjan state assemblyperson Elizabeth Wong. It was issued by the Sultan’s private secretary, Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, to Bernama. “I am pleased to inform that Yang Amat Berhormat Tan Sri Datuk […]
Will Umno change?
The panel at the forum organised by Konrad Adanaeur Foundation WILL Umno change? That’s been the perennial question since the March 2008 general election. The answer may well be how much its incoming president Datuk Seri Najib Razak will let it. Three political observers, at least, believe that Najib will return to a more authoritarian […]
Nizar here till further notice
IPOH, 11 Feb 2009: Embattled Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin is willing to brave a no-confidence vote in the state legislative assembly, deeming it the only other legitimate way to end the impasse of the state, short of having fresh elections. Nizar said Pakatan Rakyat will remain as the state government until […]
Right to seek redress in court
THE present situation in Perak raises many legal and constitutional issues. It is the view of some constitutional lawyers that the prerogative of the Ruler is “non-justiciable” and cannot be reviewed by the courts. Thus, although we, and others, are of the view that dissolution of the state legislative assembly in Perak would have been […]
Umno’s disciplinary problems
(© Kriss Szkurlatowski / sxc.hu) THE call by Tan Sri Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Ismail, chairperson of Umno’s disciplinary tribunal, for the party to disband its youth, wanita and puteri wings, has drawn much flak. Even though Rithauddeen made this suggestion as a measure to curb corruption, the party’s senior leaders, including president-elect Datuk Seri Najib […]
Revisiting “Ketuanan Melayu”
“PEOPLE have secrets, and sometimes don’t say what they mean,” says Zalfian Fuzi, Instant Café Theatre Company associate director. “But at some point, your hidden meaning and feelings will come out no matter how hard you try to suppress them. It’s inevitable.” Some words, Zalfian adds, are loaded. Although he is referring to the art […]
The KT boomerang
PERHAPS the most puzzling question in the recent Kuala Terengganu by-election is this: why did enthusiastic Chinese attendance at Pakatan Rakyat rallies not translate into votes? I personally saw Chinese Malaysians cheering, laughing, and clapping for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim every four minutes throughout his 40-minute “da ren, xiao ren” (great mind, little mind) speech […]
