Archive - 4 March 2013

The tourist-friendly town grinds to a halt as concerns over armed intruders cause some people to flee. [VIDEO INSIDE]

Lahad Datu intrusion has not affected preparations for the 13th general election, says Election Commission deputy Wan Ahmad Wan Omar.

It is not certain if the military is trying to widen its perimeter around Kg Tanduo or whether the forces plan to move in on the village.

President Benigno Aquino says Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III could not have executed the Sabah incursion alone.

Maj-Gen Abdul Aziz Ibrahim claims the photo published online was an old photo and had allegedly been taken in a neighbouring country.

UPDATED 8PM Residents desert two villages after intruders breached the security forces’ perimeter. [VIDEOS INSIDE]

China Press reporters claim several men tore off an Umno logo from the vehicle before fleeing, without giving any assistance to the victim.

Bodies of the fallen have been returned to their families, yet the police can't confirm if one of them was beheaded.

UPDATED 5.50PM 'These Sulu people are violent. They do not only kill soldiers but also mutilate the dead,' says Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The Umno Youth exco member says he previously represented sultan Julaspi Kiram, not sultan Jamalul Kiram who ordered the attack on Sabah.

UPDATED 11PM Those behind the armed intruders in Sabah are spreading malicious rumours to lower police morale, says the IGP.

Constitution of the State of Penang (Amendment) Enactment 2012 is only valid in Penang and can still be challenged in court.

Some 40 unruly youths carrying BN flags gatecrash the event, forcing police to escort the constituency's MP M Manogaran to safety.

They also expressed support for the government's handling of the armed intrusion by Sulus in Lahad Datu and Semporna in Sabah.

State officers sitting on the open tender board are upset that their decision over the project has been questioned by certain quarters.

A Google search for ‘Sabah’ came back with a results page that quotes ‘Wikipedia’ calling Malaysian control of the state ‘illegitimate’.

Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen will not take well-known film director from China, Zhang Yimou, to Penang because of the Psy incident last month.

KINIBIZ The police have made a recommendation that charges be made in the RM87.5 million graft probe involving Chua Bah Bee.

KINIBIZ The offer of RM9.65 billion for the three water treatment plants and distributor in Selangor, is unlikely to be successful.

UPDATED 9.45PM Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee says whether the court can challenge the validity of the electoral roll or not should be a constitutional question.

COMMENT No reason for Malaysia to alter the annual land lease sum in Sabah, even if the High Court of Borneo recognises the Sulu sultan.

UPDATED 8.43PM The constitution is silent on the role of the PM in appointing commissioners, so he has no say in this says Nazri.

Major (Rtd) Wan Hashim Wan Ahmad says the people should not question the steps taken by security forces to resolve the crisis.

The Moro National Liberation Front wants these two bodies to intervene and initiate talks between Kuala Lumpur and the sultanate of Sulu.

UPDATED 3.44PM They will also seek a discussion with the government in effort to reach an understanding on the issue. [VIDEOS INSIDE]

COMMENT Perhaps it is time for the rakyat to wag the politicians, for in times like these, everyone needs to rise to the occasion.

This is due to the situation in Lahad Datu, Sabah, where the military and police are on the trail of intruders from the Sulu sultanate.

UPDATED 1.14PM The former Selangor menteri besar says the Lahad Datu crisis has taken too long to resolve.

COMMENT ‘The press is rendered toothless. But this is not to suggest that the press should adopt a fatalistic attitude.’

Our nightmares are beginning.

Eric Noyez, the company’s COO and president, will be appointed to the Lynas board and become its chief executive on March 31.

Chua says he was not in Puchong at the time he was purported to have made the remark and that he is mulling legal action.

FREE VOXPOP 'I thought any sane government would have already block off or at least send in more troops to seal the borders.'

PKR urges the education minister to take immediate and effective measures to hand over the matter to the Education Department soon.

The Pokok Sena MP wants the gov’t to present a white paper in the special session to explain the Lahad Datu incident.

UPDATED 9.05PM Of the nearly 500,000 new voters in Selangor since 2008, 28pct can't be identified, says Khalid.

UPDATED 2.51PM With seven bodies found to date, the Sabah police are of the view that there is no one else. [VIDEOS INSIDE]

While the army has come and gone from the town, many residents remain anxious. Business has slowed and the nights are quiet.

Some who fled in the mass exodus to a neighbouring village, Tanjung Labian, live in fly-infested makeshift shacks.

COMMENT We are at the stage where the reflexive faulting of Anwar for all that is wrong in Malaysia has become a sick joke.

FREE YOURSAY 'At least the inspector-general of police is being honest - these are our enemies. Indeed, they have killed our people.'

FREE YOURSAY 'Najib, show proof Anwar is involved. If not, you are as good as spreading rumours and instigating the rakyat.'

FREE YOURSAY 'Is this the time for the gov't to use this serious security breach and the resultant loss of lives to politicise the issue?

The former PM says they thought it was an internal threat and hence held back the army and sent in the police instead.