Cut costs, not increase prices, Dr Mahathir tells Putrajaya

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad  said today that Putrajaya can increase its revenue by cutting costs instead of raising prices of necessities, despite needing a bigger amount annually to manage growing expenses. Weighing in on the current debate over rising prices, which according to some pundits could cost the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) votes in the next polls, Dr Mahathir said  that while the Government needed a bigger amount...

Damning SD dismissed as 'rubbish'

Former senior policeman Mat Zain Ibrahim's damning statutory declaration (SD) on the Batu Puteh legal misadventure has been dismissed as a "load of rubbish".Noor Farida Ariffin, who acted as co-agent in the case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the 2008 case, added that the contents of the SD comes from someone "who obviously has not read the judgment or understood it."Mat Zain, the former Kuala Lumpur CID chief, made an SD accusing...

Actor Paul Walker Dead At 40 After Car Crash

Ernesto Ruscio/Getty ImagesPaul Walker has died at the age of 40 after he was involved in a single-car accident and explosion in Santa Clarita, Calif., Saturday afternoon, the actor's rep confirmed to TMZ.The actor, best known for his leading role in "The Fast and the Furious" and its sequels, was reportedly in a Porsche with another person when the unidentified driver...

Abdullah Badawi retires from politics after 35 years

Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today brought the curtain down on his long and illustrious career in Umno when he opted not to defend his Kepala Batas division chief post, after 35 years helming the division.The vacancy left by Abdullah, 73, is expected to be filled by either Kepala Batas MP Datuk Seri Reezal Merican or division deputy chief Datuk Hilmi Rashid, who are vying for the top post.In his farewell message, Abdullah called on everyone to remain...

Dr Mahathir akui “salur” RM200 untuk menang di peringkat bahagian

Mantan Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mengakui politik wang masih berleluasa dalam Umno dan mengakui perwakilan yang mengundi pada pemilihan kali ini didalangi dengan kerenah politik wang.Beliau berkata rakyat tidak perlu berharap kerajaan untuk membetulkan sistem sedia ada kerana mereka masih tidak mampu memperbaiki kelemahan dalam Umno."Saya dapati budaya rasuah masih berleluasa dan mereka yang mengundi dalam pemilihan hanya didorong...

What right have Muslims to copyright the name Allah, asks Pakistan daily

A newspaper in Muslim-majority Pakistan has joined in the chorus of criticism against Putrajaya over  the use of the word Allah by non-Muslims.The English-language Daily Times, in its editorial piece in conjunction with the Eid-al-Adha celebrations, was critical of the controversial ruling by the Court of Appeal which reversed a previous High Court ruling, allowing Catholic weekly Herald to use Allah in its Bahasa Malaysia section. It lamented...

Cops acquitted on assault of businessman Chia

A magistrate's court in Petaling Jaya today acquitted four police personnel accused of assaulting businessman Chia Buang Hing on the grounds that Chia's injuries occurred during his arrest.In delivering his judgment, magistrate Nik Mohamed Fadli Nik Azlan said he made the decision based on three issues, namely whether Chia's arrest was legal, whether he was assaulted, or if evidence had been planted.He said the police made a lawful arrest as Chia...

Ties with PKR a festering wound in PAS

Calls to review ties with PKR is not new in PAS but the call by influential ulama wing chief Datuk Harun Taib yesterday has revealed the depth of the festering issue within the Islamist party.PKR's multiracial and secular approach to politics has always been a simmering issue with the conservative Islamic scholars in PAS but support from Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat and late party...

Prosecution’s failure to call Musa key to ex-cops’ successful appeal in Altantuya murder

The failure of the prosection to call Deputy Superintendent Musa Safri and the failure of the trial judge to consider the notice of alibi were among the main reasons for the acquittal of two former policemen in the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.In the 47-page written judgment released this morning, the three-man Court of Appeal bench ruled the failure to call Musa proved fatal to the prosecution's case as he could have unravelled the narrative...

Prosecution not at fault, AG says there was no need for Musa to testify

Despite the Court of Appeal ruling that the failure of the prosecution to call Deputy Superintendent Musa Safri to the stand had weakened its case, the Attorney-General’s stand is still that Musa was of no relevance to it.Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, in disagreeing with the ruling, said there was no need to call Musa, who was the aide-de-camp of Datuk Seri Najib Razak, to unfold the narrative of the prosecution’s case."While respecting the Court of...

Students denounce plan to list PTPTN loan defaulters in credit bureau database

Student activists are planning to hold a demonstration to protest the announcement by Education Minister II Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh to link PTPTN loan defaulters to Bank Negara's credit bureau database.Adam Adli Abdul Halim, a well-known student-rights activist, said university students did not take the issue lightly, adding that they will not let it go without doing anything."We are discussing it. We will definitely protest," Adam told The Malaysian...

Echoing Pakatan, Umno Youth wants no blacklist of varsity loan defaulters

Umno Youth reached across the political aisle today to back Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) call to stop Putrajaya’s move to list National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) defaulters on Bank Negara’s Credit Bureau database.Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said the wing disagreed with the public-shaming exercise, and urged the federal government to try other credit collection mechanisms to collect from the defaulters.“The government could use other...

Putrajaya to fly students out tonight as Egypt grows more restive

The government will evacuate Malaysian students in Egypt starting from tonight, following reports of growing security risks in the area, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.He said a team from Malaysia’s national security council in Cairo found that the situation is becoming more uncertain, and advised for evacuation to begin immediately.“From tonight, we will be booking tickets on commercial flights via Oman and Istanbul, among other...

Putrajaya has revoked PR status of Johor resort owner in surau backlash

Putrajaya has revoked the permanent resident (PR) status of a resort operator in Johor who had allowed a group of Buddhist to meditate in the resort's surau, saying  he was being "insensitive to Muslims and Islam".Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today the revocation was done in accordance with provisions in the Federal Constitution, adding the resort operator was told this while under detention."He is a Singaporean and the PR...

Can you name Malaysia’s best Home Minister ever?

Someone wondered the other day: who was Malaysia's best Home Minister?The question was in response to the increasingly irrational behaviour of Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who has only one move in his playbook: use the sledgehammer to pummel and bully his way to hero status in Umno.Justice, fairness, moderation are words that have no place in Zahid's small world, crowded out by grandstanding.The question was also in response to a growing sense...

Dakwa jenayah dirancang untuk ganti EO: Pemuda Umno lapor polis

Pemuda Umno Malaysia membuat laporan polis ke atas Pengerusi DAP Sarawak, Chong Chieng Jen kerana mendakwa insiden kes tembak-menembak serta jenayah yang berleluasa di negara ini merupakan sebahagian daripada sandiwara Barisan Nasional (BN) bagi mengembalikan beberapa akta yang telah dimansuhkan.Menurut  Ketua Pemuda Umno, Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar (gambar) laporan tersebut di buat hari ini di Balai Polis Indera Mahkota, Pahang.Kata Khairy...

The 30% rule – what holds back Opposition from Putrajaya

There’s no two ways about it  the road to Putrajaya is not a urban highway but rather one than wends its way through the kampungs and plantations of Malaysia, reveals a study of the way votes went in the past general election.Just 30%, a little under one-third of Malaysians, live in the rural and semi-rural parts of Malaysia, but they sent 71% of the politicians into Parliament last May 5.Yes, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) snared 51% of the popular vote....

Zahid was part of EO repeal effort, reminds ex-NST boss

Despite his active lobbying for fresh preventive laws now, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had been part of the same Cabinet that agreed to repeal such legislation not long ago, Datuk A. Kadir Jasin reminded today.The former New Straits Times(NST) group editor-in-chief noted Zahid's bellyaching over the loss of these laws but said neither the minister nor his Cabinet colleagues could claim they had not been partially responsible for it."The question...

In continuing crime surge, minister blames preventive law repeals again

In the face of rising concern over the crime rate, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi repeated his assertion today that the police force had lost its bite in the repeal of laws that once allowed them to detain suspected criminals without trial.With violent crimes on the rise and suspicions linking the sudden spate of shootings to gangland turf wars and firearms smuggling, the Home Minister appeared insistent on the need for preventive detention as a vital...