Anwar defends morality of crossovers - Malaysiakini.tv

Pakatan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim has defended the morality of inviting Barisan Nasional representatives to form the next federal government.

At a press conference in Petaling Jaya today, thetone and atmosphere changed when questions were thrown at him about themorality and ethics of crossovers.

At the start of the press conference, Anwar delivered a brief statement, saying he welcomed the submission of the report of the Royal Commission on the Lingam video clip to the King yesterday.

Federal Govt To Continue Projects In Opposition-controlled States - PM - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the federal government would maintain its relations with five states controlled by Pakatan Rakyat, the opposition coalition, for continuity in the country's socio-economic development.

The prime minister said projects involving basic amenities, including in opposition-held Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor, such as water and electricity supply, poverty eradication and public security would be continued.

"Projects of national interest and which will help stimulate economic growth such as tourism, higher learning institutions, ports and airports will also be continued," he said in a written reply to Chow Kon Yeow (DAP-Tanjong) in the Dewan Rakyat here Monday.

Abdullah said the relations would ensure that the projects earmarked for the states would be implemented on schedule.

"The federal government will continue to shoulder its responsibility to all states as enshrined in the Federal Constitution," he said.

Likewise, Abdullah called on all state governments to cooperate with the federal government, especially in identifying suitable land for projects and to speed up the approval for land acquisition and planning, to enable the projects to be implemented smoothly.

[More at http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=332477]

Azilah, Sirul Lodge Police Report Against Raja Petra - Bernama

SHAH ALAM, May 12 (Bernama) -- C/Insp Azilah Hadri and Cpl Sirul Azhar Umar Monday lodged a police report against blogger Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin over an allegation he made in his weblog.

This followed a discussion between the two policemen from the Special Action Unit charged with murdering Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu and their lawyers at the end of Monday's court proceedings here at 5pm.

Azilah's counsel, Datuk Hazman Ahmad, told the court earlier that Raja Petra's allegation of his client shouting and threatening him while at the Sungai Buloh prison was not true.

"Raja Petra said Azilah and Sirul had threatened him and the prison authorities were unable to ensure his safety. I have obtained statements from the two accused and they said that this had never happened.

"They also have never met Raja Petra and did not know when he was placed. His statement was prejudicial to the accused and this trial. It should not have been made without facts," he said.

Sirul's lawyer, Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, said Raja Petra's report in an article entitled "Thank you so much and sorry for letting you down" in the Malaysia Today weblog gave a bad picture to his client's character the handling of the trial.

[More at http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=332448]

Anwar: BN MPs to announce their defections - The Sun

By Tim Leonard

PETALING JAYA (May 12, 2008): Pakatan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today confirmed that several Members of Parliament from Barisan Nasional (BN) and its component parties will be crossing over soon, fuelling speculations that the ruling coalition may lose its grip on power.

In a packed press conference in his Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Section 16 office today, Anwar disclosed that the respective MPs will make announcements by themselves soon.

"I don't necessarily need to make it. They might do it themselves," said Anwar.

"We have the numbers and we will determine the timing (to announce the crossovers) after observing necessary rules and procedures under the constitution," said Anwar.

"BN and and Umno are not at ease now as they are panicking," claimed the former deputy prime minister.

"They are bringing up issues of racial sentiments and survivals of Malays, and we sense that this might not go down well if we make the announcements now," he added.

[More at http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=22278]

Over 30 Barisan MPs have decided to cross over, says PKR Sabah chief - The Star

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Keadilan Rakyat is in “real” discussions with Barisan Nasional Members of Parliament (MPs) to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat.

“The discussions are on. They are very real. Over 30 Barisan MPs have decided to join the opposition coalition. The opposition only need 30 more MPs from Barisan to form the federal government. It is only a matter of time,” said PKR Sabah liasion chief Ansari Abdullah.

He dismissed Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s claim that PKR was only playing politics with their statements about Barisan MPs ready to cross over to the Pakatan Rakyat.

“At this very moment, there are Barisan MPs in discussion with our leaders in Kuala Lumpur and some have also talked to me,” Ansari told reporters here yesterday.

He said that Najib’s claims that PKR statements was just a political gimmick was his own reading, unlike former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who had a better understanding of the political situation in the country.

On the issue of DAP chairman Karpal Singh questioning the powers of the Perak Sultan, Ansari said it was impolite to raise the matter.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/12/nation/21222524&sec=nation]

Ibrahim questions silence of Opposition MPs - The Star

PASIR MAS: Datuk Paduka Ibrahim Ali questions why Malay members of Parliament from opposition parties are silent over the issue of Malay supremacy and the statement by Karpal Singh allegedly questioning the powers of the Perak Sultan.

However, DAP life adviser Dr Chen Man Hin sprang to Karpal Singh's defence, saying he was right in making his statement.

“The Malay MPs from PKR and DAP are silent when these issues are raised in Parliament,” claimed Ibrahim.

“Are they afraid to deal with it? Are they in cahoots since they are part of the Pakatan Rakyat alliance?” asked the independent MP from Pasir Mas.

He said the pin-drop silence from PKR and DAP had created suspicions.

“At least to a certain degree, senior leaders in PAS, such as Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, have presented their views,” he said.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/12/nation/21221220&sec=nation]

Muhyiddin: Too early to announce polls plan - The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin says it is still too early for him to announce plans for the party polls in December despite persistent press queries wanting confirmation of any intention to run for any of the top two posts.

“It is still too early; the branches have not even had their meetings yet. It has not reached that stage yet,” he told reporters who swarmed him after the Umno 62nd anniversary gathering at the PWTC yesterday.

Sunday Star yesterday quoted Muhyiddin as saying that he had received a lot of feedback from “grassroots, advisers and proposers” who told him it was time to move up the party hierarchy.

Muhyiddin said yesterday that there was nothing yet to announce.

“The time (for branch and division meetings) is still far away. No parties have made any proposals. It will have to depend on current situation, which has not reached there yet,” he said.

Asked if he had decided which post he wanted to contest, he said he had not said anything on this matter.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/12/nation/21221913&sec=nation]

Nazri: No one is above the law - NST

By : Jaspal Singh

KUALA KANGSAR: The government does not practise double standards when it comes to taking action against anyone who makes seditious remarks against the Malay rulers.

Therefore, as in the case of Karpal Singh, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said, swift action must also be taken against Terengganu Umno secretary Datuk Rosol Wahid and 22 assemblymen, if they had behaved in a way which may be interpreted as seditious against the Sultan of Terengganu.

Rosol and the assemblymen had protested against the appointment of the menteri besar in March.

"I believe police reports have been made against Rosol and action must be taken.

"I do not care whether the person is an elected representative from the Barisan Nasional (BN) or Pakatan Rakyat.

"The law is the law. If you do something which is against the law, then action must be taken."

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Monday/National/2237936/Article/index_html]

'No such thing as social contract' - NST

SHAH ALAM: There is no such thing as a social contract between the ethnic communities in the country, Royal Professor Ungku Abdul Aziz said.

At a forum organised by the Alumni Look East Policy Society here yesterday, he said the so-called social contract was created by politicians and interpreted according to their interests.

Instead, Ungku Aziz said the arrangement between the races should be called an "economic contract" to justify affirmative action in areas of education and health for groups that needed it.

He said many Bumiputeras were embarrassed to talk about affirmative action.

"It's good in Selangor, Putrajaya and also Johor but when we go to Kelantan or Kedah, what kind of houses do they live in?" he asked.

Speaking to the press later, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was also a panelist at the forum, said a social contract did exist but not in written form.

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Monday/National/2237966/Article/index_html]