Archive - 2 October 2012

Cooperation between French and Malaysian companies in the defence sector is now at its best ever, says Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Budget airline AirAsia is boosting connectivity from Kuala Lumpur to Sarawak and Sabah with additional frequencies to Bintulu, Kuching and Tawau.

UPDATED 6.15PM PARLIAMENT That's the hint from a BN member, in the hope this will heighten focus on development of the East Malaysian state.

UPDATED 7.16PM In a rare decision, the KL High Court holds that the five were held unlawfully and in bad faith in 2001.

Perlis Agriculture, Agro-based Industries and Cooperative Development Committee chairperson Sabry Ahmad has announced that 3,000 cows have been imported from Thailand through Padang Besar for the upcoming Hari Raya Aidiladha.  

PARLIAMENT UPDATED 6.40PM No fieldwork done yet for two plants planned under the government’s economic programme.

UPDATED 6.25PM Pakatan MPs claim the PM’s ‘misleading’ budget speech indicates that the 1pct tax cut will be paid back through GST. [VIDEO INSIDE]

UPDATED 6PM '... I know the people are not violent. Also, why wasn't a police report lodged?' asks the Pengerang rep. [VIDEO INSIDE]

Mohd Rizuad Mohd Azudin says when he asked an MPPP officer why his appeals were rejected, he was told that it was a directive 'from the top'.

The prosecution will amend the charges in the RM100 million criminal breach of trust (CBT) case against former Sime Darby Berhad president and group chief executive officer Ahmad Zubair @ Ahmad Zubir Murshid.

The non-presence of the cabinet during Anwar Ibrahim’s 2013 Budget reply shows their total disregard of the democratic system, he says.

UPDATED 10.21PM Khalid issues freeze until discussions on such transfers with the Public Services Dept are concluded.

UPDATED 5.35PM While 54pct of the respondents feel that Sabah has good prospects, this marks a 12pct drop compared to November 2009.

PARLIAMENT Only the rich can afford to fork out money to immediately clear their study loan debts, says PAS Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad.

'When the subsidy is reduced and the price goes up, people will consume less sugar and practise a healthy lifestyle, says Tan Lian Hoe.

UPDATED 4.50PM However, a poll finds that an overwhelming number of registered voters in Sabah support the formation of the RCI.

The five-member panel chaired by Appeals Court president Md Raus Sharif said the bench was unanimous with the majority decision of the COA.

PARLIAMENT In New Zealand, says the speaker, only 12 people are allowed to debate the budget and this within 14 hours.

PKR bases this assessment on the difference in allocations for women’s needs in Budget 2013 and the shadow budget. [VIDEO INSIDE]

UPDATED 5.55PM Several BN youth leaders are invited to defend the federal government’s budget, that is, if they dare take on questions from the public.

UPDATED 3.30PM PARLIAMENT ‘This is so that they will not depend on foreign funds,’ argues Independent MP Ibrahim Ali.

Wong Soon Koh's faction prepared to abide by Registrar of Societies letter on validity of last December's triennial general delegates' conference.

Labuan police chief Supt Adzhar Othman said an investigation would be carried out to ascertain the cause of the incident.

UPDATED 5.45PM The commission says human rights defenders like Suaram must be accorded freedom to function and to determine their activities.

‘Enforcement’ can't become a mere technological effort.

UPDATED 4.58PM Academic Ariffin Omar highlights the polarisation in such schools, and campaigns for the hudud and Islamic state.

He says the ministry did not want to disappoint the people of Sabah who wished to see the best solution for the issue.

Allocations for pension and emolument have been massaged to paint a false impression of lower deficit, says deputy minister.

UPDATED 2PM The Penang deputy chief minister asks why the blueprint does not redress the situation in vernacular, religious and national schools.

UPDATED 12.25PM PARLIAMENT ‘The situation is under control,’ says Minister in the PM’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz.

COMMENT Broken promises will continue to afflict Sabah, which is getting a mere 1.2 percent of the RM251.6 billion budget.

UPDATED 2.40PM His former daughter-in-law also says her ex-husband Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib has 111 accounts worldwide.

COMMENT The Refsa-Ideas contention of the debilitating effects of subsidies on our economic health needs to be challenged.

Rise in energy consumption and fuel prices are forcing the govt’s hands, says Peter Chin, who says they are considering a nuclear power plant.

UPDATED 12.15PM Equality has been given from the start, he claims, noting that Malaysia is ‘way ahead’ of developed nations.

A total of RM10.9 billion has been allocated to projects linked to cronies, while a mere RM4.2 billion is given directly to the people.

The dealers must be registered with the MCMC, says Finance Ministry secretary-general Mohd Irwan Siregar Abdullah.

COMMENT The absence of PM and his cohort at Anwar's reply to the Budget suggests an indifference to parliamentary norms...

COMMENT The PM is described as ‘Santa Claus’ bringing a bagful of momentary joy, but he fails to address...

FREE YOURSAY 'We congratulate Malaysiakini for taking up the fight for press freedom and setting the path for others to follow.'

FREE YOURSAY 'CCM goes after Suaram for a minor infraction while many companies with more serious offences are left untouched.'

FREE YOURSAY 'Where did Mohd Ali get the money to finance such an extravagant wedding? On a chief minister's pay? Really?'

FREE YOURSAY 'This must be a world's first where the debate on a country's budget is being conducted in the absence of its finance minister...'