Govt to study increase of non-bumi PSD scholarship quota - The Star

By Izatun Shari

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government will study the move by the Public Services Department to increase the scholarship quota for non-bumiputras to 45%.

"We will look at it first," Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told reporters Wednesday after launching a book titled Ibrahim Pahlawan Melayu written by former Armed Forces Chief Jen (Rtd) Tun Ibrahim Ismail at the Defence Ministry here.

Najib was asked to comment on the move by PSD to increase the scholarship quota for non-bumiputra from 10% to 45%, which had created dissatisfaction among certain quarters including the Federation of Peninsula Malay Students (GPMS).

GPMS president Datuk Reezal Naina Merican called for the Government to review the move saying that it should be re-evaluated and scrutinised thoroughly.

Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin who is MP for Rembau questioned the move saying that the quota was determined at the discretion of Yang di-Pertuan Agong who had the absolute power over the matter according to Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) vice chancellor Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Arshad, who is former education director also questioned the basis of the department's calculation when raising the quota and whether it considered the racial composition.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/9/nation/20080709140447&sec=nation]

Sodomy: Anwar turns to Syariah Court - Malaysiakini

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim today turned to the Syariah court to clear his name over the sodomy allegation against him by his former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Anwar, who was accompanied by his wife and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, filed a complaint against Saiful with the Federal Territories Islamic Affairs Department.

His lawyers Kamar Ainiah Kamaruzaman and Ahmad Shabrimi Mohamed submitted the complaint this morning to Mohd Ajib, director of the syariah enforcement department.
“On the advice of ulama (Islamic scholars) and my lawyers, I have filed a complaint with the enforcement department of the Syariah Court to have them clear me and my family’s name of the malicious allegation,” Anwar told reporters.

"This slander is a major issue because it involves a sexual crime and the attempt is of course to mislead the Muslim population, to attack me and my character."

The complaint, referred to as qazaf in Islamic law, is to request a probe into ‘false allegations’ pertaining to adultery or sexual misconduct.

[More at http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/85810]

Cops: Bala in Asean country - The Star

By Lourdes Charles and Andrew Sagayam

KUALA LUMPUR: Private investigator P. Balasubramaniam, who disappeared with his wife and three children last Friday, has been located.

Sources said police here with the help of Interpol traced his whereabouts to an Asean country but declined to name it or say when he would be brought back.

CID Director Comm Datuk Mohd Bakri Zinin confirmed this but declined to reveal details.

It is learnt that the private investigator is fine and left the country on his own accord, contrary to reports and rumours that police were behind his sudden disappearance.

Last Thursday, Balasubramaniam rocked the nation with a statutory declaration alleging that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had an affair with murdered Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu. He was then represented by lawyer Americk Singh Sidhu.

However, in a press conference called less than 24 hours later, he made a second statutory declaration retracting all those allegations. He even appeared with a new lawyer.

Immediately after the press conference, he left with that lawyer and was never seen or heard by anyone.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/9/nation/21777168&sec=nation]