Jangan kompromi - UMNO digesa tidak terus tunduk pada tuntutan jejas kuasa, hak Melayu - Utusan

Oleh Luqman Haziq dan Arshad Khan

JOHOR BAHRU 3 Mei – Apa jua usaha memulihkan kembali Barisan Nasional (BN) yang ditunjangi UMNO hendaklah dilakukan tanpa kompromi terhadap kuasa dan hak Melayu.

Beberapa peserta Kongres Permuafakatan Melayu yang ditemui berpendapat UMNO tidak perlu terus tunduk kepada permintaan rakan komponen BN yang lain kerana tuntutan-tuntutan itu tidak akan berakhir.

Setiausaha Satu, Gabungan Penulis Nasional (Gapena), Prof. Madya Datuk Zainal Abidin Borhan berkata, situasi selepas Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12 sedang menyaksikan politik toleransi mengambil tempat dalam BN.

“UMNO dalam BN akan tawar-menawar (dengan komponen lain). Semasa UMNO kuat, ia mampu pertahan semua milik Melayu, tetapi banyak perkara berlaku dalam masa UMNO tidak kuat.

“MIC dan MCA secara terbuka meminta pelbagai perkara dan pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) bukan Melayu pun cuba mengambil kesempatan,” katanya kepada Mingguan Malaysia ketika ditemui di Kongres Permuafakatan Melayu, di sini hari ini.

Menurut beliau lagi, sesetengah orang melihat usaha memulihkan kembali BN pada masa ini mungkin boleh dilakukan dengan mendengar tuntutan kaum Cina dan India.

Bagaimanapun katanya, sebahagian besar tuntutan itu mungkin bertentangan dengan hak dan keistimewaan orang Melayu.

[More at http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2008&dt=0504&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Muka_Hadapan&pg=mh_01.htm]

Perkukuh kembali kuasa raja - Utusan

JOHOR BAHRU 3 Mei – Kongres Permuafakatan Melayu diminta menggerakkan usaha ke arah memperkukuhkan kembali kuasa raja-raja Melayu supaya kedaulatan dan kekuasaan orang Melayu sentiasa terjamin.

Para peserta kongres tidak mahu raja-raja Melayu hanya sekadar menjadi simbol sebaliknya mereka mahu institusi raja berada dalam kedudukan untuk menjadi penjaga kelangsungan politik Melayu.

Ada yang berpendapat kuasa raja-raja yang pernah dikurangkan pada suatu ketika dahulu perlu dikembalikan.

Naib Presiden Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS), Rosdi Amir berkata, kuasa raja-raja Melayu perlu diperkukuhkan kembali memandangkan kekuasaan mereka kini semakin lemah.

Beliau yakin jika kuasa raja-raja Melayu dikembalikan dan diperkuatkan, institusi itu tidak akan mencampuri urusan kerajaan sebaliknya mereka berada di satu kedudukan yang mampu memantau kelangsungan hak-hak Melayu dengan lebih baik dan berkesan.

Sebagai contoh katanya, pada masa ini, sebarang perubahan Perlembagaan negara umpamanya, jika tidak dipersetujui raja-raja Melayu masih boleh dikuatkuasakan selepas 60 hari ia diluluskan.

[More at http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2008&dt=0504&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Muka%5FHadapan&pg=mh_03.htm]

PM: No minimum wage yet - TheStarOnline.tv

In response to the Malaysian Trades Union Congress' demand for minimum wage, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says it may cause inflation.

Immediate Action Needed To Prevent Split Among Malays - Bernama

KOTA BAHARU, May 3 (Bernama) -- Firm action is needed to prevent the possibility of a split between the Malays which may affect their economy, said the president of the Malay Businessmen and Industrialists Association of Malaysia (Perdasama), Datuk Moehamad Izat Emir.

He said immediate action on the matter would not only guarantee the future of the Malays but also strengthen their economy.

"As we know, the economic strength of the Malays depends on the political strength of the community," he told Bernama, when met here Saturday.

He said the government could no longer delay in resolving the crisis which could result in the Malays facing a greater burden following the increasing prices of essential goods in the market.

As such, he suggested that Malay unity be made as the thrust in rebuilding the Malay political and economic strength so that they would not face hardship in their own country.

On the differing political stands of the Malays such as Umno and PAS, he said they should not be made as a stumbling block to rebuilding the political strength of the Malays in this country.

"If the Malays have not made any progress after 50 years of independence, then the differing political stands should be removed and cooperation be made the main thrust," he said.

[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=330557]

Perak MB To Seek Audience With Sultan To Apologise - Bernama

IPOH, May 3 (Bernama) -- Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin will seek an audience with the Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah soon to apologise over his action in ordering the transfer of the state Religious Department (JAIP) director.

"I fully respect and will always humbly abide by whatever decisions by the Sultan of Perak. I will seek an audience with His Royal Highness to hand over my letter of apology as soon as possible," he said in a statement issued to Bernama here today.

Yesterday, the Sultan directed Mohammad Nizar to withdraw the transfer order issued to Datuk Jamry Sury on Tuesday and to reinstate him as the state Religious Department director.

A statement on the matter was issued by the Sultan's private secretary Datuk Abd Rahim Mohamad Nor, which also directed Mohammad Nizar to have an audience with the Raja Muda Raja Dr Nazrin Shah to explain the transfer.

It also stated that in the event that Jamry had breached any rules or committed any offence as regards the administration, the state government is required to submit the matter formally to the Sultan for him to make a decision on the necessary legal process before any final decision is made.

[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=330562]

Malaysia delays public projects to use money for food stockpiles, says prime minister - AP

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - The Malaysian government will delay nonessential public projects and use the money instead to build up food stockpiles amid a global food crisis, the prime minister said Saturday.

If measures are not taken now "it will be difficult later," Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was quoted as saying by national news agency Bernama.

He said a 4 billion ringgit (US$1.3 billion; euro1 billion) plan announced recently to guarantee food supplies can be funded adequately only if money is diverted from non-urgent public projects.

"We cannot wait for it (shortages) to happen first. Then there will be chaos," Abdullah said. "As such, the government has restructured the allocations for less urgent projects which can be delayed."

Widespread discontentment among Malaysians will occur if the government does not make plans to guarantee a supply of food with prices steadily rising over the last year, Abdullah said.

"The government has also decided to create a buffer stock not only for rice but also other essential goods needed by the people regardless of whether they are poor, rich, from the urban or rural areas," he said.

[More at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24437869/]

PSD To Sponsor All Students Obtaining 9As In 2007 SPM - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 (Bernama) -- The Public Service Department (PSD) will sponsor all students who obtained 9As or better in the 2007 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.

This is in addition to the 2,000 students under the Overseas Degree Programme and 10,000 under the Local Degree Programme, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Sidek Hassan says in a statement.

The sponsorship will be given to students undergoing Form Six at government schools and matriculation centres under the Education Ministry, Universiti Malaya's Pre-Science Centre and International Islamic University Malaysia's Matriculation.

It will continue up to the first degree-level at local universities and extended to those who have obtained seats at Ivy League universities overseas and foreign university campuses in Malaysia like Monash University, Nottingham University, Curtin University of Technology and Swinburne University.

[From http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=330454]

Penang to meet King over religious council presidency - The Star

PENANG: The state government will seek an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin to discuss the Penang Islamic Religious Council (MAIPP) presidency.

Met after the state assembly swearing-in ceremony yesterday, Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin said the state had its own candidate in mind to take over the presidency from Umno assemblyman Shabudin Yahaya.

“We have sent a request to the palace in the hope of meeting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Hopefully, we can have an audience with the King sometime this month,” he said.

On May 1, a Malay daily reported that Permatang Berangan assemblyman Shabudin Yahaya would remain MAIPP president despite the state government wanting him to vacate the position.

The King, as the state’s head of Islam, has reportedly asked Shabudin to continue holding the position until his term of appointment expires in December next year.

Mohammad Fairus, who is also the state Religious Affairs, Entrepreneurial and Co-operative Development Committee chairman, said the King had yet to hear the state’s side of the story.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/3/nation/21138025&sec=nation]

Sultan orders reinstatement of JAIP director - The Star

By Clara Chooi

IPOH: The Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah has ordered Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin to reinstate Datuk Jamry Sury as Perak Religious Department (JAIP) director with immediate effect.

The Regent of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, acting on orders from the Sultan and in his capacity as Perak Malay Customs and Religious Council chairman, summoned Nizar to his palace here at 11am yesterday to convey the order to him.

Nizar, who was at that time chairing the Perak Water Board meeting, gave waiting reporters the slip as he rushed off to the palace to meet Raja Nazrin.

In a statement issued by the palace later, Raja Nazrin told Nizar that all Islamic matters, including those involving religious bodies and agencies, came under the jurisdiction of the Sultan.

“As such, the Mentri Besar is responsible to seek the consent of the Sultan or the Regent pertaining to issues of appointment, placement and transfer of officers and staff who manage Islamic affairs, what more a person who holds such an important post,” he said.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/3/nation/21140214&sec=nation]

MCA lauds ministry’s move towards greater press freedom - The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA supports the Home Minister's suggestion to waive the provision for newspapers to renew their printing permits annually as the first step towards greater press freedom.

“There are enough laws governing the print media. Waiving the annual renewal will certainly show the government’s commitment to the press in this country,” said president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting in a press statement in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day today.

Thanking the media for their role in nation-building, Ong said that continuing reforms in laws were necessary for the print media to remain relevant and competitive in the Internet age.

Noting that no permit was required to start a blog or website, he said: “The pertinent question is, why (is there) still a need for a printing permit in Malaysia?”

Recently, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said he had told his officers to relook the annual licensing requirement for newspapers under the Printing Presses and Publications Act.

Wanting to explore other ways of managing the media, Syed Hamid's personal view was that licences should be issued only once – upon application.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/3/nation/21140841&sec=nation]