Archive - 22 April 2008

In another fissure to the tenuous Pakatan Rakyat coalition, DAP leader Karpal Singh has called on PAS to ditch its Islamic state policy from the party’s platform.

It expresses full support for the Terengganu MB’s call for the federal government to return oil royalty monies derived from the state.

Former Senate speaker Michael Chen will replace lawyer Teh Hock Kee who turned down his appointment on personal reasons.

With exception of Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson M Manoharan, the other 55 state representatives were sworn in at the Dewan Undangan Negeri.

The government is forced to allocate more money to fuel and food subsidies, says Shahrir Abdul Samad.

updated 5.32pm The Gerakan strongman, under fire for accepting two top posts offered by the Pakatan Rakyat government in Penang, argues that his new job has nothing to do with politics.

updated 8.50pm An international group of lawyers who observed the ex-CPM leader’s court case seeking to be allowed to return to Malaysia, says he must be given a fair trial.

The BN ruling coalition could work with the opposition in certain areas despite earlier vows by its leaders not to cooperate.

PKR information chief Tian Chua said the party hopes to double the current circulation to 200,000 within a year now that a printing permit has been received.

A Sarawak government agency involved in the development of NCR land for oil palm cultivation refuses to meet the reps who are on a fact-finding mission.

Ex-UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Param Cumaraswamy suggests that the Attorney-General's Chambers become independent too.

There's something quite stunning and wonderfully comical about former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad taking potshots at the very man he had handpicked as his successor.

The prime minister says high on the casualty list is the construction of a vital second bridge linking island of Penang to the mainland.

All the major newspapers front-paged Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s announcement of major revamp to the Anti-Corruption Agency to make it more independent.

Meanwhile PAS said those leading the fight against graft must also be clean while Gerakan urged for more opposition members in the proposed parliamentary committee on corruption.

There is a strong concern within and outside of the human rights commission that its chief Abu Talib Othman has overstayed his welcome, and should not be considered for a fourth term.

A top Umno Youth leader has come out openly to echo party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah in arguing that talks of a succession plan is ‘unconstitutional’.

Unscheduled doctors need employment. Malaysia needs more doctors. Malaysians deserves equality. All we ask is to give us a chance to prove our worth.

The movement is urging the United Nations to appoint a special rapporteur to specifically look into the plight of the Indian community in Malaysia.

analysis The emergence of a two-party system will exert greater pressure on Barisan Nasional’s component parties to reform. MCA and Umno will be significantly affected.

The policy makers must have a thorough and serious dialogue about severeak issues and find solutions that address the majority and do not seek to satisfy the minority who scream the loudest.

updated 2.55pm He says he is fine with Lee Kah Choon’s appointment by the Pakatan state government in Penang, but appeared to have changed his stand hours later. [VIDEO INSIDE]

free ‘What if Thailand had sent its army and tanks into Malaysia? And then what if Bangkok were to host the 2020 Olympic Games?’