Emergence Of Two Multi-party Coalitions Good, Says Koh - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 (Bernama) -- The emergence of two multi-party coalitions resulting from the March 8 general election is good for the country as it paves the way for good governance.

Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said this Friday night when addressing some 200 people at the party's "White Coffee Talk" at its Selangor headquarters here.

He said the people had made their choice and there should not be any sabotage to the governments run by Pakatan Rakyat (People's Alliance).

"It is more healthy and we (Barisan Nasional - BN) can do better then. That's why we opposed the move to sabotage the ruling Pakatan Rakyat Perak government which only won majority by three seats compared to BN.

"I must say that BN is not afraid of competition. Let them (Pakatan Rakyat) govern and prove themselves in the five states they won. I challenge them to do so. At the same time we must prove that we will also perform as a good opposition in the states," he said.

Dr Koh said that in the meantime, BN should go back to the basics and refer to the BN constitution that now was drifted away by Umno dominance and strong man politics.

[More at http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=340943]

Sapp backs party boss on anti-PM move - Malaysiakini

Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) supreme council has today endorsed party president Yong Teck Lee's call for a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmah Badawi.

MCPX"It is a decision reached by consensus after hearing all the views in the supreme council meeting. Majority of the supreme council members supported the motion of no confidence against the prime minister," Yong told reporters.

With this endorsement, the party sends a clear message to the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition that the no-confidence move was a party decision and not one made by only a handful of leaders.

BN had yesterday justified its no-action against the errant component party on the grounds that the call for a no-confidence vote against Abdullah was not Sapp's official stand.

At its supreme council meeting today, the party however did not make a decision on whether it should pull out of BN.

Instead, Yong told reporters at a press conference held after the meeting to ask BN secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor on Sapp's position in the coalition.

[More at http://malaysiakini.com/news/84771]

‘Yong put greed before Sabah’ - The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: If Datuk Yong Teck Lee was not greedy, he could have played a significant role in bringing positive development to Sabah, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Elaborating on his statement on Wednesday that he “had not been able to satisfy his (Yong’s) personal greed,” Abdullah, the Barisan Nasional chairman, said that when he visited Sabah recently, he discovered that Yong was more interested in what PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was offering him.

“God knows what Anwar is offering him, high post and so on. That’s why I said he was greedy.

“If not, he could have played a role that will bring something for the good of Sabah,” the Prime Minister told a press conference after chairing the emergency Barisan supreme council meeting here yesterday.

Abdullah said that when the Barisan leadership was deciding on candidates for the recent general election, Yong had already made a decision which SAPP members were to stand as candidates.

Yong then requested for an additional seat so that he could contest but there were no more seats left for the party, he said.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/20/nation/21606174&sec=nation]