Archive - 14 December 2002

The possible sacking of the two MCA reps who failed to vote against a DAP motion to defer the controversial Penang Outer Ring Road project has nothing to do with party discipline, says DAP chief Lim Kit Siang. He offers three reasons why this is so.

MIC supremo Samy Vellu says only lazy people who have done nothing for the party call him a dictator. His intention is to stay on as party president as long as he is wanted. But Indian Malaysians in the opposition feel he should retire.

An inter-religious forum which will see people of various faiths come together to discuss the issues of terrorism will be held in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. The sensible and fair way to fight terrorism is to allow the conscience to speak up, say the organisers.

A Kajang prison inmate, who lost part of his fore finger while working in a factory, is suing the government and the factory for negligence. And the DAP has called for a stop to such "exploitation of cheap labour".

Dr Mahathir Mohamad says the US-led global anti-terror campaign targets Muslims and warns such action would only breed more violence. Speaking in Tokyo, he also calls on Japan to play a role in bridging the gap between Muslims and non-Muslims.

US-based Human Rights Watch says in a report released over the week that Australia's refugee policy has led to rights abuses. But the Australian government is rejecting it.

Contrary to the unilateral assertion of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Australian Premier John Howard's claim for the right of 'pre-emptive' self-defence as the last resort in the fight against terrorism is not entirely unacceptable to Asians. Japan has, for example, thrown its weight behind Australia.