Datuk Dr. S Subramaniam: Reduce Foreign Workers - TheStarOnline.tv

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr. S Subramaniam told reporters that Malaysia needs to reduce its dependency on foreign workers.

Malay leaders urged to sit down and talk - Malaysiakini.tv

Malay leaders in the country have been urged to sit down together and discuss the future of the Malays in the country.

Making the call today, Bandar Tun Razak Umno division acting head Rahim Baba said Malay leaders from the ruling and opposition coalitions should sit together and listen to "the pleas and cries of the young Malays."

Do Not Stop Live Telecast Of Parliament Session - Bernama

KUCHING, May 1 (Bernama) -- The Information Ministry should continue the live telecast of the parliament session over RTM1 to enable the people to see for themselves the actions of their representatives in the House.

Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the government must be flexible on the issue as it was too early to make a judgement on the telecast.

"I feel the government should determine if this is a first-day phenomenon or if it will continue," he said at a news conference today.

Wan Junaidi, who does not agree that the live telecast be reviewed, said the parliament session just began yesterday and there was a possibility that the attitudes of the members would change in the coming sittings.

He said after the wide publicity on the behaviour of the members, disrupting the question-and-answer session, there might be a positive change among the members to show respect during the session.

Last night, Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the live telecast of the oral question-and-answer session might be reviewed as yesterday's proceeding was interrupted by the parliamentarians.

[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=330246]

Abdullah For Dewan Rakyat Live Telecasts To Be Stopped - Bernama

From Abdul Muin Abdul Majid

KUWAIT CITY, May 1 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi described the chaos that happened on the Dewan Rakyat's first day of sitting yesterday as "too much" and prefers that the 30-minute daily live telecasts of its proceedings by the RTM1 television channel be stopped.

The Prime Minister who was in Parliament when it descended into chaos yesterday, said he was ashamed by what happened and more so it was seen by all and sundry.

"I think it was because of the live telecast, everyone wanted to be seen to be in action when the broadcast was done," he told Malaysian reporters shortly before leaving for Saudi Arabia to perform the umrah after attending the closing-session of the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) here Thursday.

Following what happened, Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the broadcasts might be reviewed and that it would brought before the Cabinet at its meeting tommorow for a decision.

Asked if a reversal could lead to people questioning the government's transparency, said it was not the case as journalists were free to report the proceeding and besides the public could also go to witness the debates for themselves.

[From http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=330247]

Koh Confident Wife Can Resolve Bunga Tanjung Issue - Bernama

PENANG, May 1 (Bernama) -- Former Penang chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon is confident his wife Puan Seri Chui Kah Peng will be able to resolve the crisis that has hit the Bunga Tanjung association, the club for wives of Penang elected representatives.

Koh, who is Gerakan acting president, said that although he was the association's advisor, it did mean he must interfere to resolve the matter.

"I am confident that my wife and her colleagues can solve it. My wife is a highly principled person," he told reporters after attending a Workers Day function at the Penang International Sports Arena here today.

Koh added that he was also advisor to hundreds of other associations and that advisors seldom stepped in to solve problems afflicting them unless absolutely necessary.

He was responding to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng saying he was the best person to resolve the crisis.

The crisis arose when Bunga Tanjung was dissolved and its funds (RM590,000) transferred to Balkis, its federal equivalent, shortly after the state fell to the opposition. The present state government wants it to return the money and hand over the management of the association to the wives of the newly elected representatives.

[From http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=330242]

Cabinet To Decide On Dewan Rakyat Telecast Tomorrow - Bernama

BIDOR, May 1 (Bernama) -- The Cabinet will make a decision tomorrow on whether to continue with live telecasts of Dewan Rakyat proceedings, said Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Chik.

"I will raise the matter at tomorrow's Cabinet meeting. Hopefully it can be resolved then," he told reporters after attending an "An Evening With The Minister" programme organised by Bidor Umno here today.

"The government's decision to have the telecasts was because we sincerely want to serve the people...the Cabinet meetings were also moved to Fridays to enable ministers to be present to provide answers but it has not been appreciated," he said.

Asked if by continuing (the telecasts) it would show the true colors of the MPs, Ahmad Shabery said:" Maybe for Umno people they will feel it is something good as it will show the quality of the opposition representatives the people have elected.

"But for me as the Information Minister, I am not only responsible for Umno but all Malaysians and must do what is in the best interests of the country," he said, adding that to continue with the telecasts might lead to more negative repercussions especially if the image of the august house continued to be smeared.

"I know what happened is good for the media as "bad news is good news" but is this what we want of our Parliament. People like to watch a circus and they do not mind seeing our Parliament acting like one, but being a responsible government, we must stay away from such things," he added.

[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=330229]

蒙古女郎案无关购潜水艇‧纳吉否认认识阿旦都雅 - Sin Chew Daily

（雪兰莪‧八打灵再也）副首相拿督斯里纳吉郑重否认，网络文章指他与夫人拿汀斯里罗斯玛涉及蒙古女郎命案。指他支持阿旦都雅来马的签证申请、阿旦都雅的入境记录被刪除及他曾与阿旦都雅拍了一些照片等，都是道听途说的谣言。

他说，传言指阿旦都雅的死与政府购买潜水艇有关的指控也是毫无根据的，编造这样的传言只是为了让故事听起来可信度较高。

纳吉是週三（4月30日）破天荒以网上发表声明的方式，反驳著名部落客拉惹柏特拉所作出的各项指控。

《今日大马》（Malaysia Today）网站主编拉惹柏特拉於4月25日在网站上，发表一篇题为“让我们將杀死阿旦都雅的凶手送进地狱”的文章，副首相的声明全文週三刊登在网站上。

自蒙古女郎命案於2006年杪发生后，坊间就有各种传言，並將拿汀斯里罗斯玛牵涉在內。针对拉惹柏特拉所发表的文章，纳吉表示，由於指控严重及具破坏性，所以他將毫不犹豫咨询法律意见。

纳吉说，为了读者的利益，他选择在网上直接公开回应，因为该篇文章对他和夫人含有影射成份，一些毫无根据的指控也指责他与罗斯玛涉及这起谋杀案。

[More at http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/64237]

Dr M starts his own blog - The Star

PETALING JAYA: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad joined the swelling ranks of politicians going online with his own blog simply named “Dr Mahathir Mohamad,” at www.chedet.com.

“This site is dedicated to publishing my writings as and when I am able to pen my thoughts and opinion,” he says.

In his first posting The Appointment of Judges on Thursday, he tackles the issue of judicial reform, noting that there have been no details on how the recently announced Judicial Appointments Commission will work.

He also notes that the Constitution would have to be amended to validate any changes in how judges are currently appointed.

Any such Constitutional amendment would require a two-third’s majority ruling in Parliament, and Dr Mahathir also questions if Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s government would be able to gather support from the Opposition to make this a reality.

Dr Mahathir, 82, was Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003.

[From http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/1/nation/20080501130315&sec=nation]

Dewan turns into a ‘zoo’ over seating position, name-calling - The Star

THE Dewan turned into a “zoo” after the seating position of Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Ind – Pasir Mas) became a bone of contention between the Speaker and the Opposition.

Razali Ibrahim (BN – Muar) was trying to ask the first question of the sitting when Karpal Singh intervened on a point of order, prompting Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (BN – Kinabatangan) to stand up and interject.

When Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia allowed the latter to intervene, Karpal Singh said he hoped that the “bigfoot from Kinabatangan won’t disturb me”.

“You-lah, big monkey,” Bung Mokhtar retorted loudly.

Pandikar Amin then ticked off both MPs, telling them to stop this line of argument.

The DAP leader later pointed out that although Ibrahim had contested and won in the last general election on a PAS ticket, he was in the Dewan as an “independent candidate”.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/1/nation/21116600&sec=nation]

First session a total waste of time, says Hishammuddin - The Star

EDUCATION Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said that as a minister he wanted to reply to questions posed that affected the public, but found the first session in Parliament a total waste of time.

“I am very disappointed with the behaviour of the Opposition MPs, who have no respect. Once there are elected MPs, they must learn how to be respectful.

“We want to show a new Parliament, and this is what we see today. It is a very bad sign.

“It was better for me to be at the ministry to do some work. I think I will be outside drinking more coffee,” he added.

The Sembrong MP said that if the situation persisted, the public would describe the Dewan Rakyat as a circus.

“There were only three questions in 90 minutes; such a thing has never happened before in the history of Dewan Rakyat,” he said.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/1/parliament/21120789&sec=parliament]

Rosmah: Stories about me on Internet are not true - The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The Deputy Prime Minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor has slammed those who posted slanderous allegations about her on the Internet, stating they were not true and those who needed clarifications should ask her directly.

“Whatever you read on the Internet, don’t telan bulat-bulat (take it as it is).

“I guarantee that all the stories on the Internet about me are not true,” she said in her speech last night at a charity dinner organised by the Kuala Lumpur Utara Perkim Women’s group.

The group’s chairman Puan Sri Minuira Sabki said they planned to set up a halfway house for senior citizens who were abandoned by their children and appealed to Rosmah for help in getting a government property.

Rosmah was responding to certain allegations about her published recently on the Internet and expressed disappointment that some resorted to deceit.

“When I am patient and quiet, people resort to slander. I kept quiet previously thinking that people can decide for themselves but now even ridiculous stories are being believed.

“Fitnah (Slander) is not a small sin that can be easily forgiven especially when it involves trying to bring disrepute to others,” she said.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/1/nation/21123682&sec=nation]

Dewan Rakyat: Disappointed with proceedings - NST

PATIENCE was the biggest factor that kept Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia in check yesterday.

Speaking to the media after a long day, Pandikar Amin said he would not use his powers to suspend or order any members to leave the House unless he is pushed to the extreme.

The sitting of the first day of Parliament after the 12th general election was a raucous affair, with name-calling.

"Anyone in my place would have felt tested. Half a day was wasted by MPs arguing on technicalities of oath-taking and order of questions raised.

"Taking the oath in the right manner is not a national issue. How are we supposed to debate on current issues if MPs waste the time of Parliament to argue trivial matters?" said Pandikar Amin.

On his ruling to skip supplementary questions after the prime minister had delivered his answer to the first question, Pandikar Amin said there were hard and fast rules on asking supplementary questions.

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Thursday/Frontpage/2228624/Article/index_html]

Dewan Rakyat: It looks like nothing has changed between two foes - NST

POLITICAL maverick Datuk Paduka Ibrahim Ali (Ind-Pasir Mas) and Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) renewed their mutual dislike of each other.

While Karpal chose to be political in his salvo, Ibrahim got personal and left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

The two took swipes at each other, when Karpal demanded to know the status of the former deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

"He contested under the Pas ticket in the recent elections. How come he sits here as an Independent?" he asked.

Ibrahim shot back and asked Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia why the wheelchair-bound Karpal was allowed to ask questions sitting instead of standing.

Ibrahim Ali's remarks did not go down well with Pakatan Rakyat MPs.

Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) called on the chair to make Ibrahim retract his unparliamentary language.

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Thursday/Frontpage/2228618/Article/index_html]

'Give due respect to Wan Azizah' - NST

THE government is not showing respect to opposition leader Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, said Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak).

Dr Wan Azizah should have been given the honour of asking the first question during question time yesterday, he said.

"You have just proclaimed her the opposition leader. You should reflect this honour by allowing her the first question in the new Parliament," Azmin said as Pakatan Rakyat members nodded with approval.

He took offence to the proportion of questions allotted to Pakatan Rakyat MPs.

In yesterday's order paper, seven of the first 10 questions were allotted to backbenchers.

[From http://www.nst.com.my/Thursday/National/2228622/Article/index_html]