SAPP given 30 days - The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The Barisan Nasional supreme council has decided to issue a show-cause letter to Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) for calling for a vote of no-confidence against its leader Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Barisan deputy chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that SAPP has 30 days to reply to the show-cause letter, after which a final decision will be made on the errant party depending on developments and the party's reply.

"After 30 days, the Barisan supreme council will meet again and decide whether to issue it a warning, suspend it or to sack the party," he said after a Barisan supreme council meeting on Thursday night.

Najib said the 30-day period was to give SAPP a chance to defend itself. He said this was natural justice and procedurally correct.

He said the 13 other Barisan component parties which met were united in their views that what SAPP had done was serious and that it had affected the integrity and discipline of the coalition.

"It is clear that this action can bring damage to Barisan's interests," he added.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/26/nation/20080626230930&sec=nation]

Umno MT Accepts Ezam's Membership - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 (Bernama) -- The Umno Supreme Council (MT) Thursday endorsed the application by the former Parti Keadilan Nasional (Keadilan) Youth head, Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, to rejoin Umno.

The decision was made at the Umno MT meeting chaired by the Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the Umno headquarters at Menara Dato' Onn, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), here that lasted more than four hours.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, when announcing the decision to the press after the meeting, said with the decision, Mohamad Ezam was now officially an Umno member.

He said, however, Mohamad Ezam was not allowed to contest for any post in the party elections in December.

Tengku Adnan said the Umno MT also accepted the application by former head of the Permatang Pauh Keadilan division, Anuar Shaari and former Keadilan vice-president Datin Saidatul Badru Tun Said Keruak.

Anuar was formerly the private secretary to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from 1996 until 1998 while Saidatul Badru was a former vice-president of the party from 2005 until 2006 and head of the Kota Belud Keadilan division.

[More at http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=342243]

Khairy denies having military report on Altantuya murder - The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin has denied that he is in possession of a military intelligence report on the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaaribuu.

He said the allegation against him in Raja Petra Kamarudin’s statutory declaration of June 18 was “malicious” because it suggested that he (Khairy) was concealing knowledge of a crime.

He said he had given his statement to the police on the matter on Tuesday night.

“I told the police that I have never received any military intelligence report on the murder of Altantuya from the Prime Minister or from any other quarters. Nor have I received any other report from anyone about the murder.

“I don’t have, I’ve not kept any such report and I don’t know anything about the murder.

“I told the police that the statutory declaration including the allegations against me was made with bad intention because it was totally false,” he told reporters yesterday at the Parliament lobby.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/26/nation/21660669&sec=nation]

Najib: It's total garbage - Malaysiakini.tv

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today denied that his wife, Rosmah Mansor, was involved in the killing of Altantuya Shaariibuu as claimed by blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin.

Penang's Porr and monorail projects shelved - Malaysiakini

In a stunning move which is likely to anger Penang, the government has put off two major projects in the state - the RM2 billion monorail and RM1.5 billion Penang Outer Ring Road (Porr).

According to evening edition of Chinese dailies, the government has slashed the two mega-projects as part of a major review to the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

However, the government denied that the move was aimed to punish Penangnites who have voted the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition into power in the state.

It stressed that the shelving of the projects was part of the government's "relocation" of resources to cushion the impact of the unprecedented hike in global oil prices.

The controversial Porr is a 17-kilometre expressway that stretches from Tanjung Tokong to Gelugor in the island, while the monorail was proposed two years ago to help overcome worsening traffic jams in Penang's congested roads.

The postponing of the two projects came despite that the government has promised to invest more on public transportation in the wake of 40 percent hike in petrol prices.

[More at http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/85072]

Najib, Khairy deny Raja Petra claims - The Star

By Shahanaaz Habib

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak has dismissed Raja Petra Kamarudin’s statutory declaration implicating his wife as having had a hand in the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaaribuu as “total lies, fabrication and total garbage.”

The Deputy Prime Minister said the allegations in the statutory declaration were a “desperate and pathetic attempt to discredit and taint my political image.”

He said his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, had already given her statement to the police.

The Prime Minister too would be making his recorded statement to the police.

“I welcome the police investigation and hope they would be concluded soon,” he told reporters on Wednesday after chairing a Cabinet committee meeting on illegal immigrants.

Raja Petra, editor of online news portal and aggregator Malaysia Today, filed his explosive statutory declaration on June 18 with the KL High Court, claiming to have been "reliably informed" that three other persons were present during the murder of Altantuya on Oct 19, 2006.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/25/nation/20080625124626&sec=nation]

Altantuya murder: PM: Raja Petra's action unacceptable - NST

KUALA LUMPUR: The prime minister said yesterday he did not believe Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Najib's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor were in any way involved in the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also categorically dismissed the claim by blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin in a sworn statement that he had received a military intelligence report linking Rosmah to the crime.

"He said in his statutory declaration that I had been handed a report about the murder by the military intelligence. That is not correct.

"I did not receive anything. Nothing was sent to me."

Abdullah said he was concerned about Raja Petra's allegations and had been informed by the attorney-general that an investigation would be carried out based on the statutory declaration.

"What he did is unacceptable. What he said is wrong," Abdullah said after chairing a meeting of the cabinet committee on palm oil at Parliament House.

In the Dewan Rakyat, Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) filed an emergency motion to discuss the statutory declaration.

It was rejected yesterday on the grounds that the matter was sub judice.

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/Frontpage/2276634/Article/index_html]

Reporters Barred From Parliament Lobby, Boycotted Press Conferences - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 (Bernama) -- For the first time in Parliament's history, reporters were barred from the Parliament lobby Tuesday.

To counter the move, members of the media showed their solidarity by boycotting all press conferences held at Parliament, include those by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.

The media personnel took such a bold step to express their unhappiness at the "unfriendly ruling" by Parliament's management.

As a result, two press conferences by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and one by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi were only covered by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), Radio Televisyen Malaysia, TV3, Berita Harian and foreign wires personnel.

The media representatives, who were covering the second day meeting of the second meeting of the first session of the 12th Parliament, were informed that they would only be allowed to be at one corner of the lobby which has been designated for news conferences.

No statement was issued by Parliament's administration on this new ruling earlier, nor was the any verbal instructions. Only barriers were put up with signages stating that reporters were not allowed to be in the areas.

The only statement received by the media from the Parliament administration was on Friday to inform of a new ruling limiting only five reporters from each media organisations to cover Parliament proceedings due to security reasons.

Several member of Parliaments, from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and also opposition, who symphatised with the media tried to get Parliament to withdraw the ban but failed.

[More at http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=341704]

Najib: SAPP's fate in hands of Barisan supreme council - The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The Barisan Nasional supreme council will determine the action to be taken against rebel party Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Tuesday.

The deputy prime minister said that the Barisan Nasional's management committee, which met yesterday, had come up with several recommendations for the council on the action to be taken against the SAPP.

Najib declined to say what the recommendations were.

“I cannot announce them. They are specific recommendations. We will submit them to the supreme council soon,” he told reporters after chairing the committee meeting at Parliament House. Representatives of all Barisan component parties, except SAPP, which was not invited, attended the meeting.

Najib, who is Barisan deputy chairman, said the committee also decided that the Government should give serious attention and priority to problems involving the people’s interests, including in Sabah and Sarawak.

“Any issue involving the people’s interests in Sabah, Sarawak and peninsular Malaysia should be given serious attention so that the people have confidence in Barisan,” he said.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/24/nation/20080624181135&sec=nation]

Two Sabah MPs recalled home after 'threats' - The Star

By Muguntan Vanar

KOTA KINABALU: The two MPs of the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) have been recalled home to Sabah for security reasons, said party president Datuk Yong Teck Lee.

He claimed that the two MPs – Datuk Eric Enchin Majimbun (Sepanggar) and Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui (Tawau) – had been threatened by certain quarters over SAPP’s decision to support a no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister.

The two MPs, who were in Kuala Lumpur to attend the Parliament meeting which began yesterday, were told to return immediately.

“In view of this disturbing turn of events, SAPP has taken extra precautions for the safety of the MPs by calling them back to the party headquarters for consultations on the next course of action, including the safety of their persons, families and the security of their offices,” Yong said.

He said that ever since SAPP announced the no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister on June 18, the SAPP had been advised by “friendly parties not to underestimate the risky consequences and likely threats to SAPP and its leaders.”

“Events in the last 24 hours have taken a disturbing turn. Among others, we have received reports of intimidation and bullying (against us),” he said.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/24/nation/21634786&sec=nation]

Attempt By Opposition To Reject BN Motion Fails - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 (Bernama) -- The opposition's attempt to reject the motion on the increase in the prices of petroleum and other goods tabled by the government in the Dewan Rakyat met with failure when the block voting showed that 129 members voted for the government compared to 78 who voted against it.

It was the second time that the opposition pact had opted for block voting after the first one to pass the motion on the Supply Bill 2008 (2007), which also favoured the government 92-60 on May 28.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia accepted the protest made by Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) under article 46 (4) of the Standing Order when 15 or more members stood up to protest on the decision of the House previously which voted according to a voice vote.

The sitting earlier which was chaired by Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee had decided that the motion was passed based on a majority voice but this was opposed by M. Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat).

The motion was tabled by Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad.

Ministers who were absent were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim (BN-Jelebu), Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (BN-Bagan Datoh) and Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique (BN-Setiawangsa).

[More at http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=341430]

Barisan MPs on alert to fight possible no-confidence motion - The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: All eyes will be on the new meeting of the Dewan Rakyat which starts today as many are waiting to see if a no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister materialises.

Although the Dewan Rakyat Speaker’s office has said that no specific no-confidence motion has been filed, any motion or Bill which comes up for voting can be turned into a test of confidence of the Prime Minister and the Government.

The first motion to come up will be that on price increases of oil and other goods as well as the measures to tackle them, which will be tabled by Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad immediately after Question Time today.

SAPP, a Barisan Nasional component party, caused a storm last week when the party said it had lost confidence in the leadership of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister.

SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee said its two MPs (Tawau's Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui and Sepanggar's Datuk Eric Enjin Machimbun) would introduce or support a vote on no-confidence against the Prime Minister.

Barisan secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said coalition MPs would be on full alert for the possibility of the Opposition trying to sneak in a no-confidence vote during the debate on issues such as the motion on price increases.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/23/nation/21627098&sec=nation]

Cops investigating Raja Petra’s allegations - The Star

By Lourdes Charles

KUALA LUMPUR: The police will be calling up Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin to investigate his allegations in a recent statutory declaration, which touched on purported facts related to the ongoing Altantuya Shaariibuu trial.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said the three individuals named in the document filed at the High Court here on June 18 would also be called up.

Raja Petra had claimed that these individuals, one a prominent VIP, were present when Altantuya was killed on Oct 19, 2006.

Copies of the statutory declaration, filed on June 18, have been posted online by bloggers.

In his two-paged statutory declaration, Raja Petra said he had been “reliably informed” of the presence of these individuals at the murder.

Musa said that the matter could be subjudice as the Altantuya murder trial was on going.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/22/nation/20080622204120&sec=nation]

Umno man defies party, ready to face music - The Star

By Raslan Baharom

TAIPING: An Umno member who stood for and won one of the 30 vacant village head posts that were up for grabs at Sunday's Pakatan Rakyat government-organised election knew that he could be expelled from the party for not towing the line.

“If I’m expelled from the party, I have to accept it because they (Umno leaders) have the power to do so,” said Mokhtar Muda.

The 56-year-old retired soldier won a three-cornered fight for the post of Kampung Boyan village head after polling 541 votes, beating self-employed Shaari Chain, 50, and retired teacher Ali Akbar Ibrahim, 60, from Parti Keadilan Rakyat and PAS respectively.

Shaari obtained 77 votes while Ali Akbar garnered 387 votes.

Mokhtar said he did not contest for the post under the Umno ticket.

“The post which I won today should not be a reflection of which party one is aligned to,” said the father of six.

Some local Umno leaders such as former state assembly speaker Datuk Md Isa Ismail, who is also Bukit Gantang Umno division chairman, had warned Umno members against contesting in the village head election as this amounted to disregarding party directives.

[From http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/22/nation/20080622200844&sec=nation]

The SAPP Saga: I won't leave party, says Raymond Tan - NST

By : Jaswinder Kaur

KOTA KINABALU: The deputy president of the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah, said yesterday he would remain with the party even if it was expelled from Barisan Nasional for its decision to go ahead with the motion of no confidence against the prime minister.

His voice cracking with emotion, Tan, who was against the proposed motion, appealed to prime minister and BN chairman Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to not take action against the party.

He remained firm on his statement that the decision made at Friday's SAPP supreme council meeting to endorse the motion of no confidence was not unanimous.

Tan also criticised the Anti-Corruption Agency for stating that it would investigate SAPP president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee following testimony in a court case that he took profits from the sale of shares belonging to a state-owned company while serving as Sabah chief minister.

Tan, who defended his party and Yong at a 15-minute press conference at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport before leaving for his hometown in Sandakan, said he would remain loyal to SAPP which he joined 14 years ago.

Tan said, although he and Yong might have different views, this was not the time to be away from the party.

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/Frontpage/2274160/Article/index_html]

ACA Denies Yong's Allegation - Bernama

PUTRAJAYA, June 21 (Bernama) -- The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) Saturday denied Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee's allegation that its move in opening investigation papers on him was a threat.

ACA Director-General Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan said the agency had never threatened anyone and its action was never politically motivated or upon instruction by anyone.

"As a law enforcement agency, we conduct investigation without fear or favour," he told reporters before attending a dinner in conjunction with the ACA and Singapore's Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau annual games here.

On the timing the investigation papers were opened, a day after Yong declaring loss of confidence in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Said said it was by coincidence because Yong's name was mentioned in a corruption trial at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

ACA opened the investigation papers on Yong in connection with graft totalling RM5 million allegedly occurring when he was Sabah Chief Minister.

Two days ago, the Kuala Lumpur High Court was told that Yong had ordered the payment of over RM5 million profit from the sale of shares belonging to a state-owned company to his selected agents in 1996.

[More at http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=341094]

Yong Denies Being Offered DPM's Post - Bernama

KOTA KINABALU, June 21 (Bernama) -- Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee has described Umno Youth vice chief Khairy Jamaluddin's inkling of him being offered the deputy prime minister's post as absurd.

"I don't dream of becoming Deputy Prime Minister. Perhaps, because I was loud in voicing out issues affecting Sabah he can say anything, talking like an insane man.

"If not because superb victories of Sabah and Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN)... BN would have fallen in the last election. So, what's wrong with us asking for little attention.

"Khairy is a young man. He has to learn a lot," Yong said during a meet-the-people function at the Likas multipurpose hall near here Saturday.

Khairy said Friday that Yong's criticism of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was believed due to him being taken in by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's offer.

He said he was made to understand that Yong would be appointed to the number two post in government if Anwar who is former deputy prime minister, became Prime Minister.

Yong said he was not greedy pursuing for posts in government.

"I was offered senatorship and become Special Envoy to Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asia Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) but I did not accept it because I saw it as a political bribe so that I stop raising Sabah issues.

[More at http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=341083]

Former judge hits out at Dr M - The Star

By Audrey Edwards

KUALA LUMPUR: A retired Federal Court judge has lashed out at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad alleging that the former premier had wanted to amend Article 121 of the Federal Constitution because he wanted the judiciary to be under his control.

“I believe the Prime Minister at the time wanted to become a dictator; I may be wrong but this is my conclusion,” Tan Sri Azmi Kamaruddin yesterday told reporters after receiving ex-gratia payment from the Government for the pain and loss he suffered during the 1988 judicial crisis.

Previously, Article 121 stated that judicial power of the Federation was “vested in a Supreme Court and such inferior courts as may be provided by federal law” but it was replaced in 1988 to place the courts’ jurisdiction in the hands of Parliament.

Azmi, 75, who received the payment from de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, said: “He wanted to amend Article 121 which calls for the separation of powers. He already headed the Legislature and Executive. Now, he also wanted the judiciary under him.”

Adding that Dr Mahathir was “very clever” and always “killed two birds with one stone”, Azmi alleged that Dr Mahathir’s agenda was tied to the Umno 11 case involving then Umno vice-president Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah whose supporters had challenged his post as Umno president.

“With the judiciary under him, he could tell judges what to do. I am sure he will deny it,” said Azmi who was among six judges involved in the judicial crisis two decades ago.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/21/nation/21617618&sec=nation]

Yong and deputy at odds over no-confidence motion - The Star

By Muguntan Vanar and Ruben Sario

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Progressive Party is under threat of snapping from a fracture between the party boss Datuk Yong Teck Lee and his deputy Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah.

This emerged after a highly charged five-hour supreme council meeting yesterday when Yong obtained a consensus on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the party made no decision on pulling out of Barisan Nasional.

Disputing what Yong told a packed press conference at the party headquarters crowded by members, Tan, immediately after the meeting, said the supreme council was split over the motion.

Tan said he and party youth chief Au Kam Wah had opposed the motion and they were supported by some of the 29 members of the supreme council present. (The council has 35 members).

He also disputed Yong’s contention that no decision was made for SAPP to pull out from Barisan.

“The consensus among us is to stay in Barisan,” said Tan, a Deputy Chief Minister who is seen as heading a Sandakan rebellion against Yong in the 14-year-old party which teamed up with Umno and other Barisan components in 1994, leading to the ouster of Parti Bersatu Sabah.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/21/nation/21618835&sec=nation]

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]