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Abdullah – stop the Mat Rempit culture of lawlessness in Ijok

Abdullah - stop the Mat Rempit culture of lawlessness in Ijok

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had condemned from Namibia the fracas that occurred during nomination day for the Ijok by-election as “a stupid thing”, saying that “Such a thing should not have happened”.

Abdullah said he was referring to both parties, meaning Barisan Nasional and Parti Keadilan Rakyat, when referring to the incident where BN and PKR supporters hurled stones, sticks and bottles at each other, forcing police to intervene.

I fully agree. To stamp out such unseemly incidents, leaders must set a good example to stop their members and election workers from getting out of control.

Leaders of both parties are blaming the supporters from the other camp of starting the fracas on nomination day.

However, there can be no doubt whatsoever as to who was responsible for the ugly incident at Batu 8, Ijok at 2.40 pm yesterday, where some 20 people, including some in Pemuda BN uniform, roughed up PKR candidate Khalid Ibrahim and two freelance photographers — one of whom is well-known blogger Jeff Ooi, injuring the other photographer. A police report had been lodged.

Abdullah is now back in the country. Is he prepared to condemn the ugly assault yesterday where Pemuda BN youths roughed up the PKR candidate and injured a free-lance photographer, discipline the culprits and issue clear instructions to end the Mat Rempit culture of lawlessness in the BN campaign in Ijok? Continue reading “Abdullah – stop the Mat Rempit culture of lawlessness in Ijok”

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Lobby for a Malaysian to be next Commonwealth Secretary-General

Lobby for a Malaysian to be next Commonwealth Secretary-General

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has realized the urgency of deciding whether Malaysia is interested in offering a candidate for the Commonwealth secretary-general post.

He said in Windhoek that Malaysia should not repeat an earlier case where it could not decide if it was interested in the chair of the Organisation of Islamic Conference, resulting in the country not getting all the support because other countries had already made up their decision on other candidates.

I do not know whether Abdullah had been misreported and he was referring to the defeat of the Malaysian candidate for the post of Secretary-General of Organisation of Islamic Conference in June 2004, with the Turkish nominee appointed to head the secretariat.

When I first raised the issue in Parliament last week of a Malaysian candidate for the post for Commonwealth Secretary-General to replace the incumbent Donald C. McKinnon, the Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar admitted Wismaputra paralysis on the matter as it does not have a suitable name to be put forward as Tun Musa Hitam was not interested.

Is Malaysia so scarce of qualified, competent and calibre material to be put forward for the post of Commonwealth Secretary-General, when Malaysia can chair the OIC and Non-Aligned Movement?

Are we so lacking in confidence in the capabilities and qualifications of Malaysians to helm international organizations like the Commonwealth?

Having lost out once in putting forth a candidate for OIC, are we now afraid of another international rebuff in lobbying for a Malaysian to be the next Commonwealth Secretary-General? Continue reading “Lobby for a Malaysian to be next Commonwealth Secretary-General”

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Corruption investigations into Johari and Zulkipli – Nazri should make Ministerial statement

Corruption investigations into Johari and Zulkipli - Nazri should make Ministerial statement

I fully support the call by Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Johari Baharum for public announcement of outcome of Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) investigations on RM5.5 million graft allegations against him in connection with the Emergency Ordinance (EO) “freedom for sale” scandal.

The ACA acting director-general Datuk Ahmad Said Hamdan had said that ACA had completed its investigations on the graft allegations against Johari shortly after the deputy minister was questioned by ACA officials on March 19 and that the investigation papers are now in the hands of the prosecution division.

Johari said he hoped that the Attorney-General’s Chambers would announce its decision quickly to clear his name.

If what Ahmad Said is true, then the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail should explain why the Attorney-General’s Chambers is taking more than a month to decide on the ACA investigations papers into Johari in connection with the RM5.5 million “EO freedom for sale” allegations.

The outcome of police investigations into the serious corruption allegations made against the then ACA director-general Datuk Seri Zulkipli Mat Noor by former Sabah ACA director and whistleblower Mohamad Ramli Abdul Manan in June last year should also be made public. Continue reading “Corruption investigations into Johari and Zulkipli – Nazri should make Ministerial statement”

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Altantuya – Najib should tell all instead of bits and pieces

Altantuya - Najib should tell all instead of bits and pieces

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should give a full statement of what he knew about the Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu who was murdered and blown to bits with powerful high-security C4 explosive last October instead of letting out information in bits and pieces.

On the eve of Ijok nomination on Wednesday (18th April), Najib made his first comment when he said he was not afraid of allegations linking him to the case of the murdered Mongolian woman, that they were “merely lies to discredit him” and that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail and the police “knew the truth”.

On Ijok nomination the next day, Najib said that he “would not take lying down” accusations hurled against him by the opposition in the Ijok by-election campaign and would “respond to the personal attacks to the fullest extent possible… in the context of the law”.

Last night, Najib released another bit of information when he said in Ijok that he had never met Altantuya.

He said: “I have only seen pictures of her in the media.” Continue reading “Altantuya – Najib should tell all instead of bits and pieces”