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Key Highlights

  • Citizenship amendments stir revolt

  • PN MPs claim attempted bribery

  • No NS for 30 year olds

Citizenship amendments stir revolt

A revolt is brewing in the government backbenches over Putrajaya's plans to amend citizenship laws.

Ipoh Timor MP Howard Lee warned that several government MPs may not vote in favour of the amendments to the Federal Constitution - which require a two-thirds majority.

That is unless, the government separate amendments viewed as positive, and those viewed as negative.

The amendments, among others, would grant Malaysian women married to foreigners and give birth overseas, rights to pass down citizenship to their children.

However, critics warn that the government has added other amendments that run the risk of making more people stateless.

The government - with the support of two rogue PN MPs - has the support of 149 lawmakers, one seat more than a two-thirds majority.

This means the government is highly vulnerable to any loss of support from backbenchers when it comes to constitutional amendments.

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PN MPs claim attempted bribery

Two Perikatan Nasional lawmakers claim to have been offered rewards if they pledged support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Kubang Pasu MP Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail and Besut MP Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh both claimed to have been approached with offers to build hotels in their constituencies.

Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan, meanwhile, claimed that other MPs were offered GLC posts and even a chilli plant project.

Government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil rubbished the allegations and said Anwar did not need additional support.

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No national service for 30-year-olds

Adults in their 30s need not worry about having to undergo National Service training once the programme is rebooted.

The government clarified that the next batch of NS cadets will be those born in 2007 - who will be 17 next year.

The governing law of the NS programme, however, does allow the government to draft those up to 35 years old for training.

However, the actual age of cadets is determined by a proclamation from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The proclamation must not draft those who are younger than 16 or older than 35.

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Views that matter

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Other news that matter

  • The government is in the midst of reviewing the implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) to close loopholes that allow some projects to avoid public scrutiny.

  • GPS retains the Jepak state seat in Sarawak, firmly beating two others in a by-election.

  • An English teacher in rural Sarawak who helped simulate the outside world to give his students exposure, has won yet another teaching award.

  • Jailed former premier Najib Abdul Razak has been discharged from the Kuala Lumpur Hospital and is back in prison.

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