Hishammuddin sangkal laporan Malaysiakini - Utusan

KUALA LUMPUR 19 April - Ketua Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein menyangkal laporan laman web Malaysiakini bahawa Naib Ketuanya, Khairy Jamaluddin mengakui isu keris merupakan salah satu punca kemerosotan sokongan Barisan Nasional (BN) pada pilihan raya umum lalu.

Tegasnya, berita-berita daripada laman web, blog atau khidmat pesanan ringkas (SMS) perlu diteliti terlebih dahulu kerana ia boleh menjejaskan perpaduan dan kredibiliti seseorang individu itu.

''Tak mungkin naib ketua saya boleh menyatakan sedemikian kerana dia sentiasa ada bersama-sama dengan saya," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Mesyuarat Agung PIBG Ke-39 dan Pengisytiharan 110 Tahun Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Semenyih di sini hari ini.

Hishammuddin mengulas mengenai kenyataan Khairy dalam laman web tersebut yang dipetik sebagai berkata, isu keris menjadi salah satu daripada beberapa punca sokongan terhadap BN merosot dalam pilihan raya umum 8 Mac lalu.

Bagaimanapun, Khairy dalam laporan itu menolak tanggapan bahawa isu keris menjadi punca utamanya.

[More at http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2008&dt=0420&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Politik&pg=po_03.htm]

Four Detained In KLIA Heist - Bernama

By B. Hariharasuthan and Muhamad Fairoz Azizan

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (Bernama) -- Federal police scored a breakthrough in their investigations into the recent S$1.5 million (RM3.3 million) heist at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport when they detained four men to facilitate investigations.

A special task force from the Bukit Aman CID nabbed the suspects, in their 30s, in several undisclosed locations in Skudai, Johor over the past two days.

Bernama learnt that three of the suspects were arrested on Friday while the other was picked up Saturday afternoon.

It is understood that following interrogation, the police seized incriminating evidence from the four men and escorted them to the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman.

When contacted, CID director Datuk Datuk Bakri Zinin declined to comment on the arrests.

Bernama understands that a press conference on the arrests would be held at the Selangor police headquarters Sunday afternoon.

In PETALING JAYA, Selangor police chief, Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed there was a positive development on the investigations into the heist on April 9.

[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=327929]

Bintulu MP Elected BN Backbenchers Club Chairman - Bernama

By Alan Ting

PETALING JAYA, April 19 (Bernama) -- The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bintulu Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing and MP for Kinabatangan Bung Mokhtar Radin have been named as the Barisan Nasional (BN) Backbenchers Club (BBC) chairman and deputy chairman respectively.

Confirming this to Bernama Saturday night, Tiong said he was notified of the decision Saturday when the BN backbenchers held a retreat at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

"Yes, that's true. They informed me that I was elected to the position. I was not there when the election took place... It is something that I did not expect.

"However, I will carry out the duty and I will do my best. I thank all my colleagues for their trust in me," he said.

Tiong said BN MPs also elected Bung Mokhtar, who has been the MP for Kinabatangan for three terms, as his deputy.

Tiong shot to fame after he highlighted the problem of gangsters in his homestate of Sarawak in the Dewan Rakyat.

This prompted the police to launch Ops Cantas to track down and arrest most of the gang members.

[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=327928]

DAP And MCA Statements On Malay Supremacy Seditious - Bernama

KOTA BAHARU, April 19 (Bernama) -- Statements attributed to DAP and MCA leaders who commented on the speech by the Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan, Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra about Malay supremacy can incite racial sentiments and is against the laws of the country.

Kelantan Justices of the Peace Council president Datuk Sukri Mohamed said he had studied the 12-page speech text by the Kelantan Tengku Mahkota and found that DAP chairman Karpal Singh and MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting had misconstrued the speech for their political ends.

"The speech was taken out of context aimed at worsening the situation so that the non-Malays become angry with the monarchy institution," he told Bernama here Saturday.

Karpal and Ong claimed that Tengku Muhammad Faris' speech at the seminar on Malay supremacy recently was an attempt at dragging the monarchy into politics.

Sukri said the Tengku Mahkota had stressed on the need for Malay unity in the context of a plural society and did not touch on the rights of non-Malays.

"He (the Tengku Makhota) advised the people against bringing up issues which can cause disharmony," Sukri added.

[From http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=327927]

"Umno 11" Did Not Seek To Declare Party Unlawful Claim - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (Bernama) -- The so- called "Umno 11" group Saturday claimed that it did not seek to have Umno declared unlawful in 1988 as it had been so accused by certain quarters.

One of its members, Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman, who claimed to represent the group, said all 11 of them only sought to have the party conduct its elections again because several delegates to the April 1987 general assembly came from unregistered branches of the party.

He spoke at a news conference to clarify a newspaper report that the group's claim was granted by then High Court judge Datuk Harun Hashim and the outcome was the declaration of Umno as unlawful because it had unregistered branches.

Abdul Rahim said the group took the matter to court because its appeal within Umno following the party elections was not entertained.

He claimed that the newspaper was factually wrong when it reported that "Umno 11" had sought to have Umno declared unlawful after the court found that the party had some unregistered branches.

"That statement is wrong because the fact is that it was a request by the Umno group including myself that we, Umno members, seek a court declaration that the general assembly was null and void. There was nothing in our petition to have Umno declared unlawful or anything associated with banning Umno.

"For 20 years or two decades, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the Umno secretary-general then Tan Sri Sanusi Junid and others had accused us Umno 11 as those responsible for having Umno declared unlawful," he said.

[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=327917]

No Plan To Export Pigs To China, Says Selangor MB - Bernama

SHAH ALAM, April 19 (Bernama) -- The Selangor government has no intention of exporting pigs to China from its proposed modern integrated pig-rearing project in Tumbuk Estate, Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said Saturday.

"There is no such thing. Selangor is not interested to become an exporter of pigs," he said after launching a road safety campaign, here.

Abdul Khalid was asked to comment on a report in the Utusan Malaysia daily Saturday that a group of businessmen from China was keen to start a joint venture with pig breeders in Malaysia for the export of the animals to China because the price of pork at pig farms in the country was most competitive, the lowest in Asia.

Asked why Selangor did not want to take advantage of the huge demand for pigs in China, the menteri besar said: "They (China) can buy from elsewhere around the world where there is a big production of pigs.

"Expanding the Selangor project will require an even bigger land area to ensure economies of scale, and Selangor will not give any more land than it has already allocated for the project."

He said the state government had allocated 160 hectares for the Tumbuk Estate project.

[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=327904]

Tiada cadangan eksport babi- Najib - Utusan

BANGI 19 April - Malaysia tidak akan mengeksport daging babi ke mana-mana negara sebaliknya penternakan haiwan itu di negara ini hanya untuk keperluan tempatan, tegas Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri menegaskan, negara ini tidak mempunyai sebarang cadangan untuk menjadi pengeksport babi.

Malah katanya, pada ketika ini kerajaan dalam proses untuk menutup ladang-ladang babi yang tidak memenuhi piawaian kebersihan yang ditetapkan.

[From http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2008&dt=0419&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Terkini&pg=bt_06.htm]

Second Space Mission Should Be Postponed - Sheikh Muszaphar - Bernama

PENDANG, April 19 (Bernama) -- National astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Sheikh Mustapha has proposed that the government postpone Malaysia's second space mission.

He said the postponement was to allow the community to be fully exposed to the programme before the second mission could take-off.

"We need to learn a lot of things about aerospace and the community must have a good understanding of the programme.

"(Moreover) the space mission uses a large amount of public funds," he told reporters after launching Mara Junior Science College's astronaut programme and the astronomy and amateur radio club here Saturday.

Muszaphar said people at the grassroots-level should have a clear understanding of education, technology and skills in aerospace before the mission could be continued.

About 2,000 students, including those from Mara junior colleges at Kubang Pasu and Beseri in Perlis, attended the launch of the programme.

[From http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=327894]

PM Says Cuepacs Misstated His Response On Retirement Age - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today Cuepacs misstated his response to its demand for an extension of the retirement age of civil servants.

The prime minister said the government was still considering whether to raise the retirement age from the current 56 to either 58 or 60, adding that he had not stated that the government agreed to moving the retirement age to 60.

"Cuepacs has issued confusing statements. I stated that I wish to regard its demand (for the extension of the retirement age) as a positive proposal.

"I had adopted a positive approach to the proposal to raise the retirement age," he told reporters after opening the retreat for Barisan Nasional (BN) members of parliament, here.

Abdullah said he had not made any decision on the matter, and that the new retirement age would only be announced at a meeting with Cuepacs scheduled for next month.

"I did not say (the retirement age would be) 60 years. And, I said I would announce the retirement age later," he said.

Cuepacs misinterpreted my statement, he said, referring to statements quoting Cuepacs president Omar Osman as saying that the government had agreed to raise the retirement age for civil servants from 56 to 60 years.

[From at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=327822]

Maths, Science review lauded - NST

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Union of Malaysia Muslim Students (PKPIM) yesterday welcomed the government's assurance that it will review the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English after an assessment of the performance of students.

PKPIM vice-president Khairul Anwar Shazali said language as a teaching medium was an important tool in the learning process.

Khairul, however, hoped that any review based on the students' performance would be conducted in a transparent manner, without concealing shortcomings and weaknesses.

"The well-being of the students must be the priority and they should not be made experimental tools or lab rats," he said in a statement.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said on Tuesday that the government needed to ascertain the students' level of English comprehension and proficiency.

Najib said a decison on the matter might be concluded by the end of the year.

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Saturday/National/2217927/Article/index_html]

Govt may extend retirement age for civil servants to 58 - NST

By : Deborah Loh

PUTRAJAYA: The government has agreed in principle to extend the retirement age for civil servants, but has not decided whether it should be at 58 or 60.

Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam said the matter had yet to be decided by the prime minister.

"He has agreed to the proposal brought by Cuepacs that in principle we can extend the retirement age, but we don't know if it will be 60 years or not," Ismail told the New Straits Times yesterday.

On Thursday, Cuepacs president Omar Osman led a group of executive congress members to a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, which Ismail also attended.

"The PM said he was willing to consider all of Cuepacs' proposals except the request for an honorarium payment. He said that when the time comes, he will make an announcement, so I take that as a positive sign for the civil servants," Ismail added.

The government has turned down Cuepacs' request for a RM2,000 honorarium payment in lieu of a bonus last year, but has agreed to study its other requests: for pensions to be based on the civil servants' actual years of service, reinstatement of critical allowances and housing allowances, and scrapping of the Efficiency Level Assessment (PTK) test for certain grades of civil servants.

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Saturday/National/2217953/Article/index_html]

Mukhriz: I have no comment - NST

KUALA LUMPUR: Jerlun member of parliament Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir has declined to comment on either the government's plan to form a judicial appointments commission or the goodwill ex gratia payments to six senior judges who were sacked in 1988.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to comment on this matter. It's not suitable for me to comment and this is also not the right time ...I'm sorry," he said when contacted by Berita Harian yesterday.

Mukhriz, along with his father, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has been critical towards Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, especially after the recent general election.

On Thursday night, when Abdullah announced the government's plans at the Bar Council dinner, he received loud cheer when he referred to the 1988 judicial crisis and gave details on how he wanted to bring closure to the darkest hours of the institution.

Meanwhile, Bernama reports that Mukhriz has denied that he had a pact with former Selangor menteri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo in his (Mukhriz) bid for the post of Umno Youth chief at the Umno general assembly in December.

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Saturday/National/2217933/Article/index_html]

Bar Council: Current system not working well - NST

KUALA LUMPUR: It will be disappointing if the judiciary objects to the setting up of an independent commission to appoint and promote judges, the Bar Council said yesterday.

Its president, Ambiga Sreenevasan, said the judiciary might have reservations about who sat on the commission but the composition of its members was a separate issue.


“Their views should be sought and addressed but this issue can be resolved through further discussions. ” The council had forwarded its proposal on the judicial appoint - ments commission to the government last year.


She disagreed that the current system was working well. “It is subjective and is shrouded in secrecy.” Retired Court of Appeal judge Datuk Shaikh Daud Ismail said it was the prerogative of the government to set up the commission.


“The government only wants to get feedback from interested parties and the ultimate choice is its.” Shaikh Daud said most of the people wanted transparency in the appointment of judges.


“This is based on response in the press and views expressed at forums,” he said, adding that he had always advocated the idea of a commission when he was in office.

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Saturday/National/20080412130105/Article/index_html]

Najib to seek explanation over Samy Vellu's remark - NST

By : Hamidah Atan

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday said he would ask MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to explain his statement that if the government continued to ignore the Indian community, he would seek support from other countries.

Najib, who is Barisan Nasional deputy chairman and deputy prime minister, said he was not aware that the former works minister had come up with such a statement.

"I do not know. I will have to ask him what he meant by that. In terms of government policy, it is a fact that we have been giving fair and equal consideration to all races in the country.

"Whatever is needed by the Indian community, we are prepared and willing to consider it but all this must be done in the context of consensus under the BN."

Najib was asked about Samy Vellu's interview with an Internet news website, in which he said he would go overseas for aid, "if this government does not do anything".

Najib said the government was prepared to consider concerns raised by all races but not in the form of threats.

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Saturday/National/2217935/Article/index_html]

Amendment to allow community service - The Star

PUTRAJAYA: A proposed amendment to the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) will enable students in public universities to carry out community service.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Idris Haron said the proposed amendments would be tabled in Parliament this year.

“We want to produce graduates who can not only contribute to the corporate sector but also those who are socially responsible too,” he told reporters after opening a human rights seminar organised by the ministry and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).

Among other things, the UUCA presently does not allow students to join political parties outside their campuses.

Asked whether this would be amended to allow students to do so, Idris said students should be able to participate in community programmes but not in politics.

[From http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/19/nation/20988237&sec=nation]