Archive - 17 March 2008

'Only the selected few within Umno and their agents benefitted from it. My contention is, if this is the way it’s going to be done, we better not do it at all.'

The PKR's de facto leader says that he had spoken with 'quite a number' and told them their support would not be bought.

The Selangor menteri besar says that there seems to be some unfair elements in the agreement which was inked one day before the general election.

They have rejected party’s veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s idea to hold an EGM to address Umno’s disastrous electoral performance.

Abdullah's previous cabinet had a whopping 32 ministers, 39 deputy ministers and 20 parliamentary secretaries - 91 posts in all.

All state exco members will be evaluated after two years and face the risk of being dropped if they fail to deliver, says Negeri Sembilan menteri besar.

Umno was also having problems in Terengganu, where incumbent Idris Jusoh apparently has the backing of the majority of the state lawmakers, but has yet to be named as ruler by the palace.

The party picks the popular MP, who is first-time state assemblyperson, over former state opposition leader Teng Chang Khim for the deputy menteri besar post.

PJ Utara MP Tony Pua’s experience over the past week underscores the importance of amending laws to enable local council elections.

updated 6pm The replacement candidate Md Isa, who is favoured by the palace, is widely seen as a person who could bring together all the warring factions in this tiny state.

updated 8.25pm His first measure as MB was to announce that all compound notices and parking summonses issued up to today by all local councils in Perak will be waived.

For those who believe in divine intervention, the Malaysian revolution or the "Asian implo-volution" (a combination of "implosion" and "evolution") was god's will carried out by the general will of the people.

He's a giant killer - Johari disposed of cabinet minister Zainuddin ‘Zam’ Maidin in the Sungai Petani parliamentary seat, but he will not let this go to his head.

analysis The MCA is no longer relevant to the Chinese Malaysian community in its current state, but do its leaders recognise reality?

A change in Malaysian political landscape affords space for strong opposition voices to rein in the other Asean governments.

vox populi free ‘If Umno wants to withdraw all the mega-projects from Penang, then please go ahead. So what’s the problem?’

Most dailies reported that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is expected to announce a smaller cabinet filled with fresh faces by tomorrow.

Lawyer M Manoharan should be freed from detention under the Internal Security Act, so that he can take up his duties as Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson, said the DAP chief.

The issue of caretaker government is important not only in relation to the issue of fairness of the elections, but also to the legality of business deals and other actions.