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Hitting a brick wall
Tightening purse strings
Pachyderms in peril
Hitting a brick wall
It’s been a winding road for the BN assemblypersons on their way to usurp control of the Negeri Sembilan administration, only to return to the status quo.
In the first 24 hours, on Monday, BN withdrew support for Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun and then later announced plans to form a new state government with Perikatan Nasional.
But their journey seems to have come to a screeching halt, ending in a stalemate after the path to a BN takeover was blocked by a royal decree allowing Aminuddin Harun to remain as menteri besar and lead a minority government.
With the state assembly postponed, a no-confidence vote to oust Aminuddin cannot be held, and Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir allegedly refused to grant BN an audience, where it is understood that the coalition intended to prove a majority and propose a new MB.
But the drama is not over yet - the Sungai Ujong undang, whose sacking dispute sparked the royal crisis, has been ordered to vacate his official residence, while DAP Youth demanded Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan be axed over his role as Rembau rep in the so-called “tebuk atap” bid.
Seemingly trying to justify the BN move, former Umno minister Khairy Jamaluddin urged Pakatan Harapan members to look up who started “backdoor” politics back in 2008, pointing to its coalition chief Anwar Ibrahim.
Umno has since signalled stability, saying that while it respects its rebel assemblypersons’ manoeuvre, the party still supports the Madani state government.
Its president, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, urged all parties not to misinterpret the move, as the 14 BN assemblypersons “acted in good faith”, and it was not meant as a backdoor coup.
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Tightening purse strings
Putrajaya is aiming to cut RM10 billion in government operating expenses amid a worsening global energy crisis, as finances tighten with the subsidy bill projected to balloon to RM58.4 billion this year.
It was reported that RM3.06 billion could come from the Health Ministry’s RM46.5 billion budget, while RM2.39 billion was slashed from the Higher Education Ministry’s allocation of RM18.6 billion.
Warisan leader Dr Istefan Koh warned that reducing health funding when there is already a severe shortage of doctors in public hospitals could further strain an overburdened system.
Muda echoed this, cautioning that the public health system could collapse, urging cuts in other areas, including the budget for useless festivals, ministers’ trips and the government’s propaganda arm J-Kom.
Former finance minister Lim Guan Eng suggested that the government consider emergency loan measures instead to avoid such austerity actions undermining the country’s projected GDP growth.
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad has since assured the proposal was not final and that basic healthcare services, patient treatment, emergency care, and the supply of medicines will not be reduced.
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Pachyderms in peril
Animal welfare groups and the public continue to push for the return of three Malaysian elephants sent to live in a Japanese zoo nearly two months ago over claims of poor living conditions and improper care, which has gone viral on social media.
The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry has also put its weight behind the call, pressuring the parties involved to bring the pachyderms back to their home soil.
Its minister, Arthur Joseph Kurup, said there are legitimate grounds behind the demand; however, the government does not have the legal authority to force their return as it is a private transfer deal between the Taiping Zoo and the Tennoji Zoo in Osaka.
If the decision is made for Kelat, Dara, and Amoi to come home, he said the government is “willing to look for funds in the name of saving elephants”.
Separately, Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said the gentle giants should be placed at the Kuala Gandah National Elephant Conservation Centre in Temerloh instead, given that they are part of the country’s biodiversity heritage deserving of the best protection.
Perak housing and local government exco Sandrea Ng Shy Ching said the state government will be meeting with stakeholders to discuss the matter next week.
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