for Malaysia
Zubaidah Abu Bakar in her New Straits Times column “Umno’s ticking time bomb” today wrote:
“Some people are expecting something big to happen over the next few days — either someone eyeing a senior post would be charged, disqualified from contesting or would withdraw from contesting.”
Is tomorrow, Tuesday, 17th March 2009, D-Day for contenders for UMNO and UMNO Youth top posts, viz: Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar and Datuk Seri Dr. Mohd Khir Toyo?
Understand that DAP National Chairman and MP for Bukit Gelugor Karpal Singh is to be charged with sedition at the Jalan Duta Sessions Court, Kuala Lumpur tomorrow morning at 9 am.
Darkness descends every day with Najib Razak getting closer to become the next Prime Minister.
Parliament convened as a court of justice this morning to decide the fate of DAP MP for Puchong, Gobind Singh Deo, over what transpired in Parliament last Thursday but it operated as a kangaroo court as Gobind was not even allowed the floor to defend himself.
For the first hour, Pakatan Rakyat MPs raised one objection after another against the motion to suspend Gobind for one year as MP without pay and privileges, from the propriety of the motion whether from the standpoint of the Parliamentary Standing Orders, the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 or the Federal Constitution, to questions including double jeopardy and sub judice but they were all brushed aside by the Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin.
Continue reading “Parliament becomes kangaroo court”
By M. Bakri Musa
Book review: Saifuddin Abdullah: Politik Baru: Mematangkan Demokrasi Malaysia. English version: New Politics: Towards A Mature Malaysian Democracy. Institut Terjemahan Negara Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 2008. 88 Pages, RM 30.00 (Sabah & Sarawak: RM35).
It is now de rigeur for ambitious politicians to pen their autobiographies, or put in print their political thoughts. Barack Obama did both, presumably just to be sure, first with his autobiographical Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, and then his The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream. That strategy obviously worked!
I am not privy to Deputy Minister for Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Saifuddin Abdullah’s political aspirations, but he has written Politik Baru: Mematangkan Demokrasi Malaysia, and its English translation, New Politics: Towards A Mature Malaysian Democracy. Both versions are included under this one cover.
Saifuddin has written three other books. Impressive! He is way ahead of another leader both in literary as well as political milestones. At a comparable stage in his life, Dr. Mahathir had yet to write a book or hold any ministerial appointment. Continue reading “Calling For A New Breed of Politicians”