Cops wrap up sodomy probe, up to AG to act now

PUTRAJAYA: Police have completed investigation on PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy case and have sent the investigation paper (IP) to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further action.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the police notified him that the investigation has been completed.
"Once they have submitted the papers, it is up to the A-G to see if there are any charges to be made against (Anwar).
"Under the law, Anwar is innocent until proven guilty, there is no talking about charges until charges have been preferred against him," he told reporters Thursday after addressing staff of the Immigration Department here.
Syed Hamid, however, said he did not know the contents of the IP or the outcome of the investigation.
On Anwar's wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail quitting as Member of Parliament of Permatang Pauh to make way for her husband to contest in a by-election, Syed Hamid said it was expected.
"I think it shows the love of the wife for the husband - that is very good," he said.
When asked if this posed a threat to the Barisan Nasional government, Syed Hamid said it was not and that it should be accepted, as it was a democratic process.
He added that Barisan would worry about it when the time comes.
"We are not worried ... we expected him to make this announcement; in fact, I was informed much earlier he was going to make an announcement," he said, adding that he wished Anwar good luck.


He may be arrested 'in next 48 hours'

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim may be arrested in the next 48 hours, a senior party official said today, arguing it was to stop him contesting a by-election.
Anwar has been accused of sodomy, which he denies, saying it is a politically motivated move to stop him challenging the government.
"We will not rule out the possibility of Anwar being arrested. And it looks like they are planning to charge him by Monday," Tian Chua, PKR's information chief, told AFP.
"They may arrest him in the next 48 hours. It is aimed to prevent him from contesting in a by-election," he added.
Anwar today announced that he will fight a by-election in his former seat of Permatang Pauh.
At a press conference this afternoon, his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said she had resigned as the Permatang Pauh parliamentary to pave the way for Anwar to make a political comeback.
Not deterred by sodomy claims
The PKR de facto leader has vowed to form a new government despite the sodomy allegation hanging over him.
"There are thousands of criminal cases not properly investigated. Why pursue this with zeal and in an unjust way? Is it because I will participate in a by-election?" Anwar told reporters.
"You want me to withdraw? No. I will continue to pursue the change. Let's see if they want to charge me," he said after being interviewed by Islamic syariah enforcement officials over the allegations.
Anwar has said the claims of a young male aide, a repeat of charges that saw him jailed a decade ago before being overturned, have been fabricated to block his plans to topple the coalition that has ruled Malaysia for half a century.
He has demanded that police stop the investigation and called the aide, 23-year-old Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, an "outright liar" who was working with others in power to frame him.

tunku : that was the reason for the rush to contest in permatang pauh. now let see what the AG has to say about this case, to charge or not to charge.it will take few days for AG to decide.

Wan Azizah quits, Anwar to contest

PETALING JAYA: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has resigned as Permatang Pauh Member of Parliament to make way for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest in a by-election.
At a packed press conference at the party headquarters on Thursday, Dr Wan Azizah said the decision was made after deliberations with her family, the PKR leadership and its partners in the Pakatan Rakyat loose coalition of Opposition parties.
"I have officially submitted my resignation as MP to the Parliament Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, to make way for my husband, Anwar Ibrahim, to contest as a candidate for Pakatan Rakyat in a by-election as soon as possible," she said.
Dr Wan Azizah, who showed no emotion during the press conference, said it was the right decision for Malaysia and that she would continue serving as PKR president and chairman of the Peace Foundation.
Together with her were PKR vice-presidents Azmin Ali and R. Sivarasa, her daughter and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, and Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai.
Dr Wan Azizah also thanked her supporters in Permatang Pauh who had stood by her in the most difficult of times.
"Anwar Ibrahim has the experience and intelligence to reinvigorate our economy, and the charisma and integrity to unite Malaysians.
"And I'm not saying this just because he is my husband," she added.
As to who would be taking over as the Opposition leader in Parliament, Dr Wan Azizah said that would be discussed with other Pakatan Rakyat leaders.
Anwar, under a police investigation for allegedly sodomising a former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23, had previously said he would contest in the Kulim-Bandar Baharu parliamentary constituency, where an election petition is pending.
The case is scheduled for hearing on Aug 19.
On Thursday, Anwar said he had decided to contest in Pematang Pauh instead because the Kulim petition might take too long to settle.
He had previously said that he would have the numbers to form the government by Sept 16, and said the sodomy allegation was a part of a conspiracy to stop him from doing so.
He has denied the sodomy allegations and has filed a defamation suit against Mohd Saiful.
The Election Commission is required under the law to call for a by-election within 60 days.
Its chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said the Commission would start preparing for the by-election upon receiving notice from the Speaker.
Also on Thursday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar announced that the police had wrapped up their investigations into the sodomy case, and have sent their report to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further action.

tunku: he is contesting in permatang pauh because he knows that he will wins easily there. other place , he's not sure whether he can win or not. he is sure to win in permatang pauh.

Cabinet mulling over lowering fuel prices

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysians may be paying less for fuel soon as the Cabinet is mulling over the possibility of lowering the present prices.
Several Cabinet Ministers said the matter was discussed during their weekly meeting Wednesday but declined to elaborate, saying that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was expected to make an announcement soon.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin said the possibility of consumers paying lesser for fuel was raised and that the mechanics were still being worked out.
Information Minister Datuk Shabery Cheek also admitted that the Cabinet was studying the matter.
"Let the Prime Minister make the announcement," he said yesterday.
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad , however, declined to comment on the subject, saying that it would be best to wait for the PM.
The government, had on June 4, raised the prices of petrol and diesel, on grounds that that it could no longer continue to subsidise fuel, but give a 30 sen per litre discount from market prices.
Currently, Malaysians are paying RM2.70 per litre at the pump while diesel is priced at RM2.58 per litre.

tunku : flip flop, flip flop. they should have not increase the price to RM2.70 in the first place.they should increase it gradually.anyway if the fuel price is lowered, its good news for us.

Saiful wants sodomy probe to be speeded up

KUALA LUMPUR: Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan wants police to speed up investigations in the sodomy allegations made by him against his former boss PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"He wants it to be expedited and is standing by the police report that he made against Anwar," said Mohd Saiful's lawyer Zamri Idrus Wednesday.
"He has full trust that the police will carry out a thorough investigation."
Zamri also provided the press with a hand written statement by the 23-year old former aide of Anwar, making it one of the rare times that Saiful has come out to give his views over the entire saga which began when he lodged the police report last month.
"I also want to say that there is no reason for me to slander and frame Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in this case,"
"I leave it to the police to carry out investigations on my police report. I am now waiting for the outcome of the police to bring the individual involved to justice," Saiful said in the signed statement.
He also urged Anwar not to twist and turn (berdolak-dalih) in the case.
When asked to comment on the reports that have emerged on online news portal Malaysia Today in which its editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin alleged was Saiful's medical report, Zamri said the only people who would know whether it was genuine were the authorities in Hospital Pusrawi.
"Let the police investigate the so-called medical report," he said.
He did not rule out pursuing legal action against Raja Petra.
Zamri added his client continued his challenge against Anwar to swear on the Quran that he did not sodomise him.
"There are so many things that have been said about Saiful. He just wants everyone to allow the police to do and complete the investigations," he said.
"He is not scared but he is not happy that people are prejudging him."
When asked about Saiful's condition, Zamri said his client was okay.
He said that his client was still under police protection.

Saiful Will Swear By Quran Soon, Says His Lawyer

KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 (Bernama) -- Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan who made the sodomy allegation against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will swear by the Quran soon that the incidents really took place, his lawyer disclosed Wednesday.
Zamri Idrus, who is representing Saiful, said Saiful would take the oath as soon as police had completed their investigations into the report lodged by him on June 28 on the alleged sodomy.
He said until now the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Affairs Department (Jawi) had not contacted Saiful on his intention to swear by the Quran to prove that he was telling the truth.
"The media will be informed about the swearing rite. For the time being, let the police carry out their investigations without any hindrance.
"He (Saiful) maintains his stand to swear by the Quran on the sodomy incidents and he will do so voluntarily," he added at the press conference here Wednesday.
"My client has a strong case against Anwar," Zamri said before reading a three-paragraph statement from Saiful said to be in his own handwriting.
In the statement, Saiful said there was no reason for him to wrongly accuse or to purposely get the Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor into trouble.
"I hope the police will speed up the investigations, and that the public will not make all kinds of speculation on this case," he said.
Asked whether Saiful, 23, was being threatened by any quarters as he declined to meet the media, Zamri said Saiful made the decision for safety reason, but would meet them at a suitable time.
"Saiful is not afraid of the media or does not wish to meet them but he is worried about his safety. For your (media) information, Saiful is in the country and under police protection. He is staying separately from his father."
Asked whether Saiful had gone to Pusat Rawatan Islam (Pusrawi) for a medical examination following the last sodomy incident, Zamri declined to comment on the medical report.
"We leave it to the police to investigate and Saiful is willing to cooperate with the police anytime."
Meanwhile, a relative of Saiful who wished to be identified only as Rahim, said Saiful's spirits had not been dampened in trying to prove that he was telling the truth.
"Saiful remains strong and calm in the face of various accusations and criticisms against him. And in the latest development, there is an unconfirmed medical report that Saiful had not been sodomised," Rahim told Bermana here Wednesday.
However, he said, Saiful was confident that the police would solve the case in the best possible way.
"He is in good health but has lost some weight, perhaps from pondering a lot about his future. But in this trying situation, he can still smile and think positively."
Rahim revealed that Saiful was spending a lot of time in the house and had to keep his plan to continue his studies abroad on hold until the sodomy case was resolved.


tunku : the whole nation wants the sodomy probe to be speeded up except for anwar and his supporters.for anwar he don't want police to probe this case at all.he's trying hard with his pet(rpk) to make malaysian believe he is framed and this is all about political plot which actually is not.anwar will never swear by the Quran, this is for sure, guilty moron.

Defend Country's Sovereignty till Last Drop Of Blood - Tuanku Mizan

KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 (Bernama) -- Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin wants the security forces to be prepared at all times to defend the country's sovereignty "till the last drop of blood."
He said the exemplary conduct and sacrifices of past soldiers in defending the religion, race and country should be a source of inspiration and an example to present day soldiers.
"Although our country believe in peace and harmony, and have good ties with other countries, we still need a strong security forces in meeting threats to the country's sovereignty," he said in his Warriors Day 2008 address via RTM1 Wednesday night.
He urged the people to appreciate the undivided loyalty of the security forces as their sacrifices had created a peaceful and prosperous country.
Tuanku Mizan said the people should upgrade patriotism and loyalty and be prepared to sacrifice in defending the country.
"This is important as the responsibility of defending the country not only lies with the security forces but also the entire Malaysian population."
He also wanted the security forces to upgrade credibility and professionalism to gain international respect as proven during the peace missions under the United Nations.
The Royal Malay Regiment which conducted "public duties" in United Kingdom had also demonstrated a high level of professionalism and discipline while promoting Malaysia to tourists.
Tuanku Mizan urged Malaysians to remain calm in facing the economic slowdown due to the rising price of oil and food.
The people should pray that the situation would be resolved shortly and said the situation here was better than in other countries.
In conjunction with Warriors Day Thursday, Tuanku Mizan said the sacrifices of army and police personnel killed or injured in the line of duty must be appreciated by all.
"Their sacrifices are invaluable and cannot be measured in monetary form. Those still alive, their spouses and families must be supported in whatever way we can," he added.
tunku : DAULAT TUANKU. we will defend our country sovereignty till the last drop of blood for sure. we will never let other country to tell us on how to run our country and will never let their puppet/agent rule this country too.

Former Terengganu Leaders May Be Questioned By ACA Over TTI Project, Monsoon Cup Probes

KUALA TERENGGANU, July 30 (Bernama)-- The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) has not ruled out the possibility of former Terengganu leaders being called to assist its probes into alleged wrongdoings in the implementation of the Islamic Civilisation Park (TTI) project in Pulau Wan Man and the holding of the Monsoon Cup sailing championship in Pulau Duyong.
Terengganu ACA director Sharuddin Sapian said the agency always practised a policy of responsiveness and transparency and did not "pick and choose" who to call to assist its investigations.
"We will call just about anyone we feel is necessary for the smooth running of our investigations," he said when contacted here Wednesday.
He said earlier probes by the agency into the two projects had found no wrongdoing but in light of statements made by Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said pertaining to them on Friday, the ACA had reopened the cases.
"We are also waiting for Datuk Ahmad to return from Mecca to assist us in our probe. He might have information that can be helpful," he said.
Meanwhile, Sharuddin said investigations into the high maintenance costs of 16 state-owned Proton Perdana V6 Executive cars, which exceeded RM1.07 million in four years, were in the final stages.
He, however, declined to say if any persons would be charged in court soon over the matter.
Ahmad, who is performing the umrah in Mecca, is scheduled to return to Terengganu on Aug 5.
Efforts by Bernama to contact him in Mecca were unsuccessful.

tunku : we hope the ACA will look into this matter seriously.the ACA could take statement from ahmad said as he was hinting on something regarding possible corrupt practice in those projects.here is tun mahathir's comment on this matter.

Hospital: It wasn't a sodomy examination

Hospital Pusrawi today clarified that its medical officer Dr Muhammad Osman Abdul Hamid did not conduct a sodomy-related examination on Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
The hospital revealed that Muhammad, a Burmese national, is not a specialist but only a general practitioner stationed at the Emergency Unit.
In a statement distributed to reporters, the hospital's general manager Wan Mahmud Wan Yaakob also said that it has not released any official reports pertaining to the case.
After examining Saiful, he said, the doctor advised the former to undergo an examination by a specialist at a government hospital.
"There were no further examinations carried out (on Saiful at Pusrawi) in relation to the sodomy complaint," he added.
Saiful had gone to the hospital complaining of pain in the stomach and anus.
Hospital Pusrawi was thrust into the limelight following media reports on the findings of the doctor who examined Saiful on June 28, hours before he filed a police report accusing opposition stalwart Anwar Ibrahim of sodomising him.
In his report, the doctor stated that he found no evidence of sodomy.
Quizzed on the authenticity of the report leaked to the media, Wan Mahmud replied: "Looks the same, contents are the same."

tunku : now what anwar and his pet (rpk) will try to spin on this matter. you can expect what will come out from their mouth.

50 Umno Jelutong Members Leave Party

PENANG, July 29 (Bernama) -- Fifty members of the Jelutong Umno division announced their resignation from the party Tuesday because of disappointment over the dissolution of 17 branches of the division recently.
Kampung Paya branch member Ahmad Din, who represented the group, claimed that the Penang Umno's action in closing the branches was done without checking.
"We regret that they (Penang Umno)closed our branches without checking and (state Umno liaison secretary) Datuk Azhar Ibrahim had misled reporters when he said that he had investigated the membership of the affected branches by sending letters to the branch members concerned," he said in a statement here Tuesday.
He challenged Azhar to produce the letters together with the proof of sending and the chop of the date on which the letters were allegedly sent to the members.
The Umno supreme council which met three weeks ago decided to dissolve the 17 branches following various problems, including non-existent members whose names appeared on their lists.
Azhar had earlier explained that the dissolution was to rehabilitate the division following membership problems and irregularities, among others.
On July 15 all the affected branches gave the Umno supreme council a week to retract the dissolution order, failing which their 4,000-odd members would decide their own political direction and would not hesitate to take court action.
Prior to the dissolution, the Jelutong Umno didision had 42 branches and 13,102 members.
Meanwhile, the division's pro-tem head,Abdul Razak Abdul Rahman urged the state Umno leadership to set up a special committee to investigate this latest development.
"A special committee is needed to resolve this issue as otherwise it can tarnish the image of Umno", he told a press conference here.
Commenting on this development, Azhar said the action of the 50 showed they had no loyalty to the party."If they want to get out,get out.When Dr Mahathir left, also nobody stopped him.Don't try to threaten Umno, Umno is not affraid of threats",he added.

tunku : i don't blame the 50 umno members leaving the party.just see the reaction from azhar, the state umno liaison secretary.he is so arrogant. that's why penang lost badly, it's because this dictatorship and arrogant style of leadership. what you expect to do when you closes down their branches? this is not the time for umno to lose it's members.this group must be opposing pak lah, that's why this azhar guy closed down their branches as there would be no one opposing the boss in penang. penang's bn will never come back to power with people like azhar around.

Anwar to be charged for sodomy as police wrap up probe

Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — The police have completed their investigations into sodomy allegations against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and are going to charge the opposition icon soon for sodomising his accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
Sources told The Malaysian Insider that investigators are "crossing the t's and dotting the i's" and will be relying on Anwar's DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) samples from 1998 when he faced similar charges which cost him the chance to be prime minister.
"Nobody wants a repeat of 1998 when the prosecution had to amend the charges. Anwar has alleged that he had an alibi for the 24 hours on the day the offence took place. So the authorities have to check everything out," said an official who is familiar with the investigations.
"We understand that there is an attempt to quash credibility of the case even before the matter goes to court. The police cannot say too much because then they will be accused of trial by media and ministers cannot say much because they will be accused to interference. "This case is built on strong scientific evidence," the official added.
Anwar has claimed that he is a victim of a political conspiracy and has refused to give a blood sample for DNA tests, saying that it could be used to fabricate evidence against him.
Waving the leaked medical report today, Anwar called on the police to drop the case, saying it was proof there was a plot to implicate him in a repeat of the 1998 case.
"How else can we fathom why the police during the last four weeks of their 'thorough and professional investigations' have overlooked such a critical piece of evidence?
"I condemn in the strongest terms their negligence, dishonesty and recklessness in humiliating the nation by dragging us all through this vile and filthy charade," Anwar said.
Police arrested him on July 16 an hour before he was due to be questioned, causing a furore as it was similar to the chain of events a decade ago when he was charged with corruption and sodomy. Anwar was convicted on both charges and spent six years in jail before being freed in 2004 when his sodomy appeal was upheld.
Earlier today. Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said police will not cease investigations into the allegations against the former deputy prime minister despite a leaked medical report that states Saiful has no medical evidence of sodomy. The former male aide to Anwar lodged a police report on June 28, alleging that he had been sodomised by Anwar in a condominium on June 26.
"This is just one aspect of the investigations. The police are piecing together evidence, let them do their job and complete their investigations," Syed Hamid said. "As it is, they haven't charged Anwar with anything yet," he added.
The Malaysia Today news portal yesterday revealed a medical report dated June 28 that indicated the lack of evidence of anal intercourse, with its editor Raja Petra Kamarudin also claiming that the examining doctor, Dr Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid, had gone into hiding because the police had attempted to have him change his medical report to implicate Anwar.
The police have denied the allegation.
"We interviewed the doctor in the early stages of our investigations following the police report lodged by Mohd Saiful," said Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar.
"But we did not arrest the doctor or detain him for three days as alleged by the Malaysia Today report. We don't have any plans to do so either," he said.

tunku : there you go.hope this wonderful news will be real and will happen soon. i am sure police is not careless too in investigating this case.when the case goes on hearing we will know clearly of what had happened in June 2008.anwar, you still have some time left to tell lies to the public, so enjoy.

Police Say Blog Article On Sodomy Medical Report Speculative, Based On Hearsay

KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 (Bernama) -- Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said Tuesday an Internet report that a doctor had found no medical evidence of sodomy on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's accuser was intended solely to skew public perception and undermine the police.
He said the article, "Doctor on the Run: Police Want Him to Fabricate Evidence Against Anwar", published in the "Malaysia Today" news portal Monday was based on hearsay, speculative and ascribed imputations which were totally unfair.
"The police want to state categorically that there is no iota of truth in the allegations made in the aforementioned article. At no time during the course of this investigation did the police detain a doctor or force him to fabricate evidence against the suspect," he said in a statement.
He also advised the public not to jump to conclusions without validating the truth of the allegation.
Ismail said police shall not in any way be influenced or intimidated by any party to avert investigation of this case and that police were conducting the investigation professionally and expeditiously.
He said all kinds of allegations were floating around on the case in the blogsphere and it would not be in the best interest of the police to respond to all those accusations as the case was still under investigation.
"The police are conscious of the fact that this case has to be handled fairly and impartially so that the public has confidence in the way in which it is handled," he said.
He said that upon completion of the investigation, the police would present its case to the Attorney General's Chambers.
"The decision on whether to charge a suspect lies entirely with the Attorney General's Chambers, and the police will respect the decision that is made," he said.

tunku : rpk's news? better think before you accept his news.most of it is all fictions.but i like when uncle pet challenge him, i guess rpk is not brave enough to accept the challenge.somehow i do strongly believe in saiful's allegation base on anwar's past history.

from dr.novandri's perspective

Govt won't ask police to drop probe, says Syed Hamid

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government will not ask the police to drop its investigations into the Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sodomy case just because a medical report said the complainant had not been sodomised, said Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.
The Home Minister said the medical report from Hospital Pusrawi was “just one piece of evidence in a whole chain of evidences” at which the police were looking.
“There is not even a charge preferred on him (Anwar) yet, so what are we to drop? We have to let the police complete their investigations, submit their investigating papers to the prosecutor and let the prosecutor decide if there is a case,” he told reporters Tuesday.
He said he was not surprised that Anwar had “gone to town” with the report, declaring himself innocent, as he (Anwar) was adept at playing political games.
Denying the Government was framing Anwar on allegations of sodomy, Syed Hamid said:
”It would be very irrational for the Government to create a case of this nature, at this time, against such a person.” He said the police were taking so long to complete investigations as they had to be “meticulous and look at every aspect”. “You should not blame the police for being very cautious and careful because this involves such a famous personality, especially since he (Anwar) is treated differently from ordinary mortals,” he added.
Last month, one of Anwar’s political volunteers, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan lodged a police report that Anwar had sodomised him.
However, a medical report from Hospital Pusrawi made just hours before the police report was made ruled out that Saiful had been sodomised as there was “zero tear and scar”, “zero active bleeding” and zero ulcer or pus in his anus.
The medical report was put on an online news portal, following which Anwar called a press conference Tuesday and asked the police to drop its investigations as this proved he was being framed.
Syed Hamid said it was unethical for the medical report to be leaked, as this constituted a breach of trust between the doctor and patient, and urged the medical fraternity to look into this.
He also denied the police was concealing this piece of evidence, adding that they were in no position to disclose the contents of any report. Syed Hamid said, for the Government, the earlier the investigation was completed and the earlier a decision was made one way or another, the better it would be.

tunku : anwar is a moron, i have been saying this millions of time.he has not been charged yet but want the case to be dropped. i dare he accept saiful's challenge if he is really innocent.what is there, just go to any mosque, with some ulamas ,and swear upon god that you had not ever sodomized anybody in your life? a gulity person like anwar will come up with millions of excuses. we wait for the hkl's report.saiful won't be so stupid to lodge a report if the medical report says that he had not been sodomized.

Najib: PAS-Umno talks won't be at expense of non-Muslims

LUSAKA (Zambia): Talks between PAS and Umno leaders on Malay or Muslim unity would not be at the expense of non-Muslims, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.
“We should discuss matters and problems affecting the ummah (the Muslim community) and at the same we should also strengthen ties between communities.
“When we talk about Malay or Muslim unity, I must stress that it is not exclusive. It is not at the expense of non-Muslims,” he said when asked to comment on the proposal by PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat for Umno and PAS to dissolve and form a united Muslim party.
Najib, who is here to attend the Global Southern Africa International Dialogue 2008, added: “We must go step by step. Don’t run before we can walk.”
Nik Aziz is expected to table his proposal at the Pas muktamar (annual meeting) in Ipoh next month.

tunku : this is a good advice, don't run before we can walk but no harm in planning first. may be merging is a bit too fast but it's high time for both to work together on common goals.we should treat all as human, not according to race , religions etc and also abides by the constitution.

Saiful's uncle rubbishes leaked medical report

A close relative of Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan echoed police sentiments today, rubbishing claims that his nephew had not been sodomised.
Responding to a leaked medical report from Hospital Pusrawi (Pusat Perubatan Islam) yesterday, the uncle - known only as Uncle Pet - said the new revelations were aimed at diverting public attention away from the alleged crime.
While he conceded that Saiful had initially gone to Pusrawi before heading to Hospital Kuala Lumpur, he dismissed the initial findings, saying that Pusrawi "did not have a forensic department" of its own.
"Before HKL, he went to Pusrawi lah," said Pat. "But Pusrawi cannot do the forensics. Anyway those were just notes (referring to the medical report) and not a report.
"Then, he (the doctor) suggested that we go to HKL for a proper report," he added.
"The Pusrawi doctor (Dr Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid) only did a short check-up, so how could he decide it was not sodomy?"
Pet was equally unconvinced with the way the Pusrawi report concluded that his nephew had not been sodomised. "That is just bull****. They just want to exaggerate the story and divert attention. The important thing is Anwar (Ibrahim) is doing that thing and it's happened. "We invited him (Anwar) to swear on the Quran and he twisted things around. We as Muslims should be brave because it's the truth and be afraid if we are guilty," said Pet.
Angry with the other Pet
Pet, who declined to give his real name, turned angry at this juncture, pointing to the lies alluded to him on a blog.
"One more thing, for Raja Petra (Kamaruddin) if he hears this. I want to see him," said Pet.
"Have you read what Petra wrote about me in his blog?" he questioned. "He has attacked me personally, saying that I sodomised my nephew.
"I think he wants to provoke me."
The 20-something youth then challenged the Malaysia Today editor to see him personally.
"Pilih apa gelangang yang you mahu (Choose wherever you want). He called me an auntie and so on and so forth. Come and see me if he wants to know me better. Because I want to see him too," said Pet.
Controversial but popular blogger Raja Petra, in a posting dated July 26, reasoned that Anwar may have been released on police bail because the semen sample found on Saiful belonged to his uncle.
The article entitled 'The Malay unity sodomy conspiracy', also alleged that Pet had raised Saiful and questioned his manhood, calling him an uncle "who looks and acts like his auntie".

tunku : well uncle pet, don't get provoke by the other pet(rpk) cheap tactics.he is known for that. let the police do their job properly without any interference. the police today has said that they are not delaying this case as this is currently on their top priority case. they need to thoroughly investigates before taking the next step that is to charge or not to charge.

Anwar: Drop the case

PETALING JAYA: PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim claimed that the medical report leaked on Monday confirmed that the sodomy allegations against him were baseless and were politically-motivated.
He urged the police to stop their investigation and to send the medical report to the Attorney-General’s Chambers and classify the case under “no further action.”
The medical report from Hospital Pusrawi, signed by Dr Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid at 2.14pm on June 28, was leaked on the Internet on Monday.
The report said that there was no medical indication that Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, Anwar’s 23-year-old former aide, had been sodomised.
In the report, Dr Mohamed Osman had also recommended that Mohd Saiful go to a government hospital for further check-up.
Raja Petra Kamaruddin, editor of news portal Malaysia Today which first carried the report, also alleged that Dr Mohamed Osman had gone into hiding because the police wanted him to change his medical report to implicate Anwar.
The police have denied that allegation.
“We interviewed the doctor in the early stages of our investigations following the police report lodged by Mohd Saiful,” said Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar.
“But we did not arrest the doctor or detain him for three days as alleged by the Malaysia Today report. We don’t have any plans to do so either,” he said.

tunku : how about if the HKL reports says that saiful has been sodomized, will anwar say charge me please? till this moment we don't know yet whether the report from pusrawi circulated is not tempered with nor we got any explanation from pusrawi.

PAS Warns DAP Not To Interfere

ALOR STAR, July 28 (Bernama) -- PAS warned the DAP against interfering in the former's affairs and further stressed that it had the right to discuss with anyone including Umno.
Kedah PAS commissioner Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak said PAS would not follow the instructions of anyone in its struggle and as such, the DAP, which was its ally in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR), had no right to stop or determine PAS' actions.
"PAS, DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) only cooperated as Pakatan Rakyat to face the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the general election. (It is) not an alliance like BN," he said.
"Malaysia is a free country and why must we follow others' instructions," Azizan said when asked to comment on DAP chairman Karpal Singh's statement that the PR review PAS' participation following its action of having discussions with Umno on Malay unity.
Sunday Karpal said he considered PAS' actions as being insincere as it raised doubts about its credibility in the PR and as such its participation had to be reviewed.
Karpal's latest statement is seen as a sign of cracks in the opposition coalition.
Azizan, who is also Kedah Menteri Besar said Karpal had no right to question any of PAS' actions or ask PAS to refer to the DAP or the PR if it wanted to have discussions with Umno. "Karpal himself had said that it would be over his dead body if the PR would talk to Umno. PAS has done so. Now it is up to him (to take further action)," Azizan said.
He said PAS actually welcomed the efforts of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also Umno president, to have the 'muzakarah' (discussions) as PAS had long hoped that the noble intention would be realised.
"The story of PAS urging Umno to hold discussions is not new, so there is nothing to be worried about by the parties in the PR," Azizan said.
In SHAH ALAM, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim in trying to assuage the situation said the developments between PAS and DAP were normal political problems that occurred in all political parties.
Abdul Khalid, who is also Selangor PKR chairman, said friction and differences in opinions did not only happen in the PR but also among parties in the BN.
"Political problems are normal problems. In Umno too there are problems, in the PR also there are differences in views but in the end political efforts are for the benefit of the people.
Otherwise, why enter politics," he told reporters after officiating a workshop organised by the 'Task Force on Land' together with the Selangor state government.
Asked if he thought PAS' action in meeting with Umno was a mistake, he said: "No, this is politics... I feel that PAS will try to evaluate its situation but whatever it is, the leadership of PAS, PKR and the DAP wish to state that the PR is stable."
In IPOH, the Perak Umno liaison committee chairman, Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali offered to cooperate with PAS to form the state government following the negative attitude of the DAP towards PAS and to follow up with uniting both parties.
He said the offer was made following the call by PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat that Umno and PAS be dissolved to set up a new party based on Islam to unite the Malays and to protect all including non-Muslims.
"Perak Umno would like to start with the first step towards affiliation... to stem Malay disunity and for political stability and for a stronger Perak state government," he told reporters at the Perak Umno building here Monday.
He said the Kelantan Menteri Besar's proposal was good and Perak, with a plural society, was a good place to begin with compared to Kelantan which had a Malay and Muslim majority.
He said Umno with 27 state assemblymen and a MCA assemblyman was ready to cooperate with PAS which has six assemblymen compared with the PR which had 31 assemblymen.
"Perak Umno is ready to have a menteri besar from PAS... the differences between DAP and PAS are greater than those between PAS and Umno that had cooperated at one time under (Prime Minister) Tun Abdul Razak," he said.
Tajol Rosli said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin was a good leader but headed a fragile government. The PR government in Perak has 18 DAP assemblymen, PKR (7) and PAS (6).
Meanwhile, Perak Menteri Besar Perak Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said the DAP should not be worried about PAS' credibility as PAS had "normal discussions" with Umno.
Mohammad Nizar, who is Perak PAS deputy commissioner II, said PAS gave a commitment to cooperate with the PR both at state and national levels.
"Actually there is no 'muzakarah'. If we look back it is only normal meetings, an interview that is 'muqabalah'. So the question of 'muzakarah' does not arise.
"We have not joined with Umno. If we had maybe the question can arise but we are not," he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the Perak Water Board here Monday.
Mohammad Nizar also rejected Perak Umno's offer to cooperate with it to form the state government as it had given a commitment to DAP and PKR to endure and together lead the state.
tunku : i am impressed with what Kedah menteri besar said . he told the truth that pas, dap and pkr only cooperated as pakatan rakyat to face the BN in the general election and its not an alliance like BN. this is the truth.azizan has challenged karpal to take any action as pas had discussed with umno though karpal said over his dead body if PR to hold talks with umno.this man(karpal) is full of hatred and arrogant. and i can see his sons too following his footstep. most of dap leaders are full of hatred and arrogant towards umno in particular and malay at large which is not good for the nation of multiracial.

Police: Report aims to sabotage sodomy probe

The report of a doctor ruling out that Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan had been sodomised is an attempt to sabotage police investigations, said Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar.
He also stated that the report was aimed at confusing the public in relation to the sodomy allegation against PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Ismail was commenting about the report which was published in Malaysiakini as well as in other blogs including Malaysia Today.
According to nstonline, he said the police are considering investigating a "news website and a blog over their reports."
However, Ismail declined to comment on the medical report itself, saying investigations were ongoing.
The deputy police chief also denied that Dr Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid, the Pusrawi Hospital medical officer who examined Mohd Saiful on June 28, had been picked up by police.

tunku : it could be to sabotage the police investigation.it can create doubts in the court. but then again i guess they can always check again on saiful whether he has been sodomized or not.

Twist in sodomy saga

PETALING JAYA: Police have slammed a news portal report, which claimed that a private hospital doctor who had examined Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan had been arrested.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said the articles were just another attempt by certain quarters to confuse the public over the on-going investigation into Mohd Saiful's police report alleging that he had been sodomised by PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The online articles posted a medical report which said there was “zero active bleeding”, “zero ulcer or pus” and “zero tear and scar” in Mohd Saiful’s anus.
The report from Pusrawi Hospital was signed by Dr Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid at 2.14pm on June 28.
Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin, who also carried the report on his website, said this proved that Mohd Saiful was not sodomised by Opposition de facto leader Anwar.
“The police also have a copy of this report that I have published, so they know what I know,” he wrote.
Raja Petra also alleged that Dr Mohamed Osman had gone into hiding because the police wanted him to change his medical report to implicate Anwar.
“There is no truth to these allegations," said the Deputy IGP.
"In fact we interviewed the aforementioned doctor in the early stages of our investigation following the report lodged by Saiful.
“Neither did we arrest the doctor or detain him for three days as alleged in the Malaysia Today article. We do not have any plans to do so either,” Ismail said, declining to comment further.
PKR secretary-general Salehuddin Hashim said there needed to be a complete public disclosure of the facts of the case.
“The medical report appears to confirm what we have always believed – that the allegations against Anwar are without merit and are politically motivated.”
DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said: “This is a very disturbing turn of developments and will subject Malaysia to a new spate of international bashing unless the police can come forward to throw light on the first medical report and the whereabouts of Dr Mohamed Osman.”
How the medical report was leaked, which is a breach of patient confidentiality, is unknown, but Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the Malaysian Medical Council must look into the case.
A top Health Ministry official said the leaked report was probably not a full report because it appeared to be documenting only the superficial.
A spokesperson from the hospital said a statement would be issued soon.

tunku : so it is a twist in sodomy saga, well not really. till now we can't confirm that the medical report is real and not tempered with. the police need to speed up their investigation.they can't hold for long as it will give negative impact on the case.saiful need to sue the hospital(pusrawi) for disclosing the report whether it's true or false one.saiful's lawyer need to make a statement on this matter too.it's still not clear so don't jump into conclusion that anwar the moron is innocent.we have to check with hkl report first as according the news on the internet saiful did not tell the doctor he was sodomized but told the doctor that he was assaulted by the intrusion of a piece of "plastic" in the anus.so let us wait.

By-election: Ezam willing to take on Anwar

Former PKR Youth chief Ezam Mohd Nor is prepared to contest against his former mentor Anwar Ibrahim if a by-election is called for the Kulim-Bandar Baru parliamentary seat.
However, Ezam conceded that his chances of winning as a Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate would be slim given the "political and economical" factors in the country at the moment.
"I will be the underdog but what is important is that I have the courage to fight him till the end," he said.
Ezam had served as Anwar’s political secretary when the PKR de facto leader was deputy prime minister prior to his unceremonious sacking in 1998.
He was also a staunch supporter of the opposition stalwart but left PKR last year and since then has been on the offensive against Anwar.
Ezam joined Umno two months ago.

tunku : what is ezam's motive here.just to make sure his former boss wins or hoping to be a mp and get position in the government asap ? if you really wants to help , you don't have to stand against anwar, you can just campaign for the candidate who will stand against anwar(if there is contest).ezam just joined umno 2 months ago and now want to stand for by election.

Nasha: Malays begin to believe sodomy charges

Karpal Singh who defended PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim against sodomy charges 10 years ago upset by PAS secretary-general Nasharuddin Mat Isa's remarks on the fresh round of sodomy allegations.
According to Nasharuddin, the Malays were beginning to believe the sodomy allegations against Anwar, which was made by one of his former aides, Saiful Bukhary Azlan.
"Why did Nasharuddin make such a statement? In making the statement, he has committed PAS as a whole, he being its secretary-general," said Karpal.
"Nasharuddin's statement is not only contemptuous and ill-advised, but an open attack on Anwar who is presently embroiled in efforts to tarnish his credibility by allegations of sodomy."

tunku: not only the majority of the malays but majority of malaysians begin to believe the sodomy charges. the way anwar is acting, every person with brain will believe it, those who are "blind" and friends of his especially from the western will purposely not believe it though they knows the actual fact.

WHY DID THE LATE TAN SRI MEGAT JUNID CRIED TWICE BEFORE ME?

by Matthias Chang
Future FastForward

Where The Buck Stops!
A great leader never claims glory all to himself and ducks behind subordinates when ghastly mistakes are committed.
It came as no surprise to me when Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in his recent posting in his Blog – www.chedet.com - assumed total responsibility for the ghastly mistake of appointing Abdullah Badawi as the Deputy Prime Minister, following the disgraceful exit by Anwar Ibrahim upon his conviction. Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad had on a previous occasion, in his interview by BBC’s HARDTalk, admitted that he had made a mistake in choosing Badawi as his successor.
But on this occasion Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was more explicit.
Notwithstanding the admission, the events leading to the appointment of Badawi as Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s successor is not as simple as Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad unilaterally picking Badawi as the next prime minister.
The Greatest Political Mistake
I have decided to make this exposé for two reasons, namely: (i) I want to dispel the myth that Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was solely responsible for the ghastly mistake of appointing Badawi as the Deputy Prime Minister and therefore his successor and (ii) I believe that the late Tan Sri Megat Junid had entrusted the responsibility to me to reveal the truth regarding the circumstances of the appointment of Badawi as Deputy Prime Minister.
Tan Sri Megat Junid confided in me that the greatest political mistake in his entire career was his pivotal recommendation that Badawi be appointed as Tun’s successor.
I was stunned by his revelation as the purpose of my meeting Tan Sri had nothing to do with that issue but to get Tan Sri’s perspective and further background information on the Anwar Ibrahim episode in the history of UMNO’s internal struggles in my research work for Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
In the course of our conversation, he interjected and asked, “Matthias, as a former political secretary to another, and having served the same boss, would you like to know what was my greatest political mistake?”
I was dumbfounded by the question! In the history of Prime Minister’s political secretaries, he was a giant and a superb political craftsman. I was embarrassed by the question as I was not his confidante and tried to evade the question.
But Tan Sri repeated the question and with tears welling in his eyes, said, “My greatest mistake in my political career is to recommend Badawi as successor to Mahathir. Pak Lah was not his first choice. I was told by those who wanted Badawi as successor that if anyone could convince Mahathir, it would be me. At that time, I believe Pak Lah was the correct choice. So I recommended Pak Lah to Mahathir.”
Tan Sri then exhorted me to be “loyal to Mahathir and defend his legacy” as there were ongoing efforts to destroy that legacy. His voice breaking, Tan Sri said that he cannot do very much in the circumstances, as he is getting old and had “retired from politics”.
Seeing the pain and the anguish, I sought Tan Sri’s indulgence to be excused from continuing with the meeting and hastily departed.
The second occasion was equally painful, if not more so. Tan Sri was suffering from cancer and was at the Perdana Leadership Foundation for one of its events.
While waiting for Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to officiate the event, Tan Sri took me away from the crowd and unashamedly said:
“I just don’t know what to say to Tun. I am having treatment for my cancer and God willing I will recover. But right now I can’t do much. I never expect such attacks on Tun. I regret asking him to appoint Pak Lah….”
Again, tears were welling in his eyes and rolling down his cheeks. His lips quivering, and voice breaking Tan Sri said, “Take care of Tun. We are the front lines. You take care and be vigilant.”
I clasped Tan Sri’s hands and could not help the tears welling in my eyes as well and in that one special moment, sealed a promise – to fight together to the very end, come hell or high water!
This is the Tan Sri Megat Junid that I want everyone in UMNO to remember. Tan Sri could not right the wrong that he had committed but he has entrusted us that duty and responsibility. Although Tan Sri is no longer with us, it is his wish that you go down to the trenches to fight and restore the true glory of UMNO.
UMNO is being destroyed from within and only members of UMNO can restore UMNO and this can only come about if the present leadership of UMNO is changed right now, not in 2010.
God willing members of UMNO will right this wrong!

tunku : that is what we are hoping the umno members will act now.we hope they will right the wrong.
Al Fatihah for Tan Sri Megat Junid.

Don't undermine my efforts, says Terengganu MB

KUALA TERENGGANU: State Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Ahmad Said has cautioned party members against undermining his efforts to unify the party in the state after most branches showed signs of contest for the top division position.
Ahmad seemed disappointed that members were ignoring his earlier advice that there be no contests.
The Mentri Besar, who spoke to state Umno leaders including those in the wings, here on Saturday night renewed his call to members to refrain from taking any action that could split the party and affect its chances in the next general election.
“If you can come to a compromise on the top position at the division, go ahead. We want to unite not split (the state Umno). Please avoid a contest,” he said.
Ahmad also said being division chiefs did not mean that they would automatically be candidates in the 13th general election.
“My style is different, those who are close to the heart of the people, humble and competent would be given the opportunity. So, being a division chief doesn’t mean an automatic ticket as candidate,” he said.
He also stressed that a candidate would not be picked on academic qualifications. Those with the right charisma who got along well with the grassroots would get the nod.
Ahmad, asking members not to stab him in the back, noted that Short Messaging System (SMS) texts and poison pen letters had made the rounds following his directive that there be no contest for the top division posts.
Ahmad said Umno members should focus on winning the 13th general election and to counter the threats from the opposition, and not engage in intra-party tiffs.
“Remember our enemy is the opposition, and this is not the right time to be disunited. But if a contest cannot be avoided, please choose leaders who are favoured by the grassroots,” he said.
It is learnt that six divisions – Kuala Terengganu, Dungun, Marang, Kuala Nerus, Hulu Terengganu and Setiu – will see contests for the top two positions.
However, there are also signs that there could be eleventh hour pullouts

tunku : what type of democracy are we applying now? why we should not allow contest?it's healthy to have contest as the members will get the leader of their choice and hence the party will be stronger.if the members get the leaders they hate or dislike, how can the party fight with the opposition? very stupid call from ahmad said to the trengganu umno members.

DAP Wants Pakatan Rakyat To Review PAS Membership

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- Cracks are beginning to emerge in the three-party opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat, with DAP openly declaring it now wants the alliance to review PAS' membership in the grouping.
DAP national chairman Karpal Singh said PAS had thrown grave doubts over its credibility, adding that Pakatan Rakyat should seriously consider, in view of events of late, whether PAS should be allowed continued membership in the alliance.
"The assurance by PAS president (Datuk Seri) Abdul Hadi Awang to Pakatan Rakyat partners (Parti Keadilan Rakyat and DAP), that PAS will not abandon the alliance to join the BN, is not bona fide and is not supported by past events. "After the March 8 general elections, PAS had talks with Umno to form a coalition government in Selangor. "This was an act of bad faith as both DAP and PKR were not informed of such a move by PAS," he said in a statement, Sunday.
The Bukit Gelugor member of parliament was reacting to recent reports wich confirmed that PAS and Umno, the backbone of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN), were in talks to sustain Malay unity in the country.
Karpal also slammed the move by PAS to hold another round of talks with Umno "in the name of Malay unity", calling this a "racial move" by PAS, which he claimed was incongruous with the policies of the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat.
Pakatan Rakyat, made up of DAP, PKR and PAS, rule five states, namely Kelantan, Kedah, Pulau Pinang, Perak and Selangor.
Any break-up in the coalition will result in change in the state governments of these states, except for Kelantan where PAS secures majority of the state seats.
Yesterday, PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat suggested that UMNO and PAS be dissolved and a new party formed to unite all Malays.
"Such a revelation is startling and has serious ramifications, implications and consequences. Nik Aziz's statement reduces to naught Hadi Awang's statement in Ipoh, also yesterday, that PAS would not merge with Umno or join Barisan Nasional.
"Obviously, statements made by PAS leaders of late, give the perception that they are out to scuttle the Pakatan Rakyat," said Karpal.
The DAP chairman's statement also had an error, stating PAS' Nasharudin Mat Isa as PAS secretary-general when in actual fact, the PAS diehard was the party's deputy president.
"Last week, PAS secretary-general (to read as deputy president) Nasharudin Mat Isa stated that the Malays were beginning to believe the sodomy allegations against Anwar Ibrahim.
"Why did Nasharudin make such a statement? In making the statement, he has committed PAS as a whole, he being its secretary-general (deputy president).
"Nasharudin's statement is not only contempous and ill-advised but an open attack on Anwar Ibrahim who is presently embroiled in efforts to tarnish his credibility by allegations of sodomy.
"PAS should not and cannot be allowed to run with the hares and hunt with hounds, lest it be devoured by the hounds," said Karpal.
He said the March 8 general election had given the opposition coalition the mandate to rule five states with 82 members of parliament, and that it was "obvious" that the people wanted a two-party system.
"Above all, the rakyat (people) voted along non-racial lines. Instead of working towards a non-racial policy to unite all Malaysians, PAS has chosen to make efforts to unite all Malays.
"The Pakatan Rakyat was formed to unite all Malaysians. That is the expectation of the rakyat," he added.

tunku : as a coalition member, how come karpal didn't know that nasharudin is pas deputy president not secretary general. that shows how close they are. the pact between pas with pkr and dap is just like marriage of convinience . they have different ideology and vision. i want to ask karpal, why malay can't meet malay? is it racist for malays to meet malays? or is it dap does not want malays to unite and happy to see malays fighting with each other.

Not Impossible For Umno And PAS To Unite, Says Ahmad Shabery

KUALA TERENGGANU, July 27 (Bernama) -- Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said a merger between Umno and PAS was not something impossible because both parties had been together under a pact before.
He said what was more crucial was for both parties to discuss, with open hearts and sincerity, to ensure the merger would bring good for them.
"God willing, nothing is impossible. If we are to look at history , there were more crucial times in 1969 but in the end we were able to come up with a formula, the formation of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, together with PAS," he told reporters at a meeting of Terengganu Umno leaders here last night.
He was asked to comment on a suggestion by PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat yesterday that Umno and PAS be dissolved and a new party formed to unite the Malays.
Nik Abdul Aziz, who is Kelantan Menteri Besar, also said that the new party must be based on Islam.
Ahmad Shabery said there was no reason for Umno and PAS not being able to come up with a formula to unite for the sake of the country and its future and that this merger should not be viewed only for the Malays and Islam, but also to unite the people of all races in the country.
He said Umno and PAS should look at the merger in a wider context compared during previous times, especially in facing the present situation, which was becoming more challenging.
"If there is genuine intention to see unity among the Malays and Islam, I think it is best that we go back to the beginning, that is the pact that was once formed, which is Umno.
"If we are sincere on the question of unity, the question on what form it is going to be is not important. But the crucial thing is our willingness to sit down and discuss the matter.
"We are not giving any conditions because for PAS, too, if they can sit with other parties which don't even talk about Islam, and also have opposed (the formation of) an Islamic country, why should it (PAS) wants to impose all sorts of conditions on Umno," he added.

tunku : if this thing materialize than it would be better for the ummah.less politicking and more on ummah building.it's not impossible but not quite possible too at the moment. the muzakarah is the best way to start with. it will depend on the attitudes from both side, whether they're willing to compromise with each other and put the ego aside.

Mustapa Mohamed May Not Contest Umno Vice-president Post

PUTRAJAYA, July 26 (Bernama) -- Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said he might not contest a vice-president post in the party elections in December even if he received nominations.
"I am comfortable in my present position," said Mustapa, who is also Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister, when met by reporters after closing an agriculture seminar for university students, here Saturday.
On the resolutions of the Council of Former Elected Representatives (Mubarak) which, among others, called for the transfer of power from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak be made before December, Mustapa said a decision on the matter had already been reached.
"The matter was discussed by the Supreme Council, taking into consideration all views before it was decided that the transfer of power should take place in June 2010.
"You cannot satisfy all quarters, but the views of the majority count," he said but admitted that there were grumblings among small groups over the matter.
On another development, Mustapa said his ministry would discuss with the Higher Education Ministry on the proposal of setting up agriculture clubs for undergraduates at higher learning institutions.
"This is a good suggestion, and implementing it should not be a problem," he added.
It was among seven resolutions passed at the seminar with 600 participants from 20 local universities.
tunku : i do hope mustapa mohamed will contest the vice president post as he is a hard working man and sincere.umno needs this type of people to be at the top leadership. anyway regarding the transition plan, as mustapa said the majority had decided on the matter, which majority he's talking about? it's not fair for few bunch of people to decides for 3 millions members.there are more voices wants the transition to happen by end of this year.

Johorean's turn to lead Umno

The time is ripe that a leader from Johor - Umno’s birthplace - be nominated as party president, said Desa Jaya Umno branch head Abdul Muhamad Talib Ngah.
“The time has come for someone from Johor to be party president. Muhyiddin Yassin is the person fit for the post.
“He has shown that he has the capabilities to perform his duties entrusted upon him thus far,” Muhamad Talib told Malaysiakini.
Such duties include those within the party and the government, he said.
Presently, Muhyiddin is Umno vice-president and international trade and industry minister. Previously he was the agriculture minister.
Muhammad Talib said that his branch has unanimously passed a motion recommending Muhyiddin as the party president on July 19. It was unanimously carried by the 81 members present.
He stressed that the motion was tabled without any ‘influence’ from any groups.
The Desa Jaya branch is the only branch to nominate Muhyiddin thus far. The branch is party of the Johor Bahru Umno division which is headed by Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Samad.
‘We want democracy’
Commenting further, Muhamad Talib said the branch wants genuine democracy to be practiced within the party.
“We want to be free to voice out and we do not intend to overthrow anyone. We are merely seeking change,” he said, adding that he did not agree that politics should be based on personalities.
“Don’t be afraid to voice your opinions, as long as your comments do not infringe party ethics, party constitution and the country’s laws,” he said.
Other than Muhyiddin, deputy premier and deputy Umno president Najib Abdul Razak has also been recommended by two Umno branches in Pahang to contest for the party presidency.

tunku : i don't support johorean to lead umno but a malaysian. i will support muhyiddin nomination by all mean as najib is coward till this moment. it's not about which state should lead but who should lead.the person we can hope on now is muhyiddin yassin. i'm sure he is well experience too , both in party and government .he is without controversies too.

Najib Hopes All Divisional Leaderships Accept Power Transition Plan

PEKAN, July 26 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the motion passed by certain branches calling him to contest for the Umno presidency in the party's December elections, did not mean it reflected the division's position.
While reiterating that his commitment to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's power transition plan had not changed, the Umno deputy president said he hoped all divisional leaderships could accept it.
"Only the divisions can make nominations. So actually, it was not necessary for the media to cover the stance of branches because in a division there may be 200 or 300 branches.
"If only one makes a resolution, it does not mean it is the division's decision," he told reporters after giving away cash aid to the victims of 1997 floods in Pekan district here today.
Abdullah who is Umno president, said recently that he would hand over the party's leadership to Najib in the middle of 2010. However, at least two Umno branches in Pahang have passed a motion for Najib to stand for the president's post in December's party polls.
Najib said: "Branches do not have the power to make nominations. It is the outcome of divisional meetings that matters. I believe the divisions in Pahang will follow the power transition plan.
"Nevertheless, we cannot stop the branches from passing motions. There are no instructions but this is our suggestion. I have talked several times, the president also has spoken several times, hoping for the divisional leaderships to accept the power transition plan."
Generally, he said he was so far very satisfied with the running of the Umno branch meetings that began on July 17.
"So far, everything seems going on smoothly. The Supreme Council, on a suggestion by the Management Committee, has agreed for the setting up of a monitoring committee at the state level to handle all disputes before referring them to the Management Committee," said Najib.
On the aid for 2007 flood victims, he said RM58 million had been disbursed in seven affected states.
In Pekan, the amount involved was RM3.4 million and the 1,224 people who received the aid today were the final group from the total of 3,834 flood victims.

tunku : what najib trying to say is the branches should just shut up and let the divisions head decides as they have been ordered to obey the president's decision, of course with some incentives. so why have branches then? dissolved all the branches and let the division handle all.is this what umno members want? now is the time to speak out.najib only want to play safe and be spoon feeded.if he don't want to accept the nomination from the branches, let choose another leader who is far better than najib, no accusations etc.the only person we can see who can replace najib is muhyiddin yasin.

T'ganu exco arrives for Flora Fest in spanking new Merc

JOHOR BARU: The Terengganu Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Za’abar Mohd Adib attended the Malaysian Flora Fest here in his brand new black Mercedes-Benz.
This was despite the decision made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that all the Mercedes-Benzes bought by the state for its excos could only be used for foreign dignitaries.
“I think the issue is overblown,” he said Saturday when met after attending the function here. He said that he would leave the matter to Mentri Besar Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said to make a decision.
When asked whether his action could be perceived as going against the Prime Minister’s decision, Za’abar said: “That was not my intention”.
“I think the matter will be discussed during the next exco meeting,” he said.
He also said the first day he used the vehicle was on Wednesday when he went to Kuala Lumpur to attend an exco meeting.
“From Kuala Lumpur, I drove back to Terengganu because on Friday morning I had another meeting to attend and yesterday (Friday) I drove here from Terengganu and reached here at midnight,” he said, describing the overall performance of the car as "justified".

tunku : to me this is a slap on pak lah's face by the trengganu's exco man. a prime minister made his decision yesterday and today the exco member says, to hell with the decision, i'm driving the new merc.let see what pak lah has to say about this, but you can expect flip flop decision again from him.the exco only listen to his mb, not the prime minister.

Najib Hopes His Leadership Will Get Support Of New And Old Leaders

KUALA TERENGGANU, July 26 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Friday night said he hoped the country's leadership transition process in 2010 would go smoothly with the new administration in place receiving the support of all quarters, including new and old leaders.
The Deputy Prime Minister said if Umno was not supported by both old and new leaders, the party would have a bleak future.
He said the support of all quarters, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also president of Umno, was important after the transition so that he could lead the country well and continue the agenda to bring development to the people.
"I hope Pak Lah (Abdullah) will support me when he no longer holds any post.
I hope his supporters will do the same for the new leadership," he said when speaking at Mubarak's general assembly and annual dinner here. Mubarak is an association for former members of parliament and state assemblymen.
Also present were his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said and Mubarak acting president Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang.
Najib, who is also Umno deputy president, said he further hoped former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has left Umno, would rejoin the party when he took over the helm.
"I hope all who have misgivings about Umno will come back to its fold to continue the party's struggle. If this can become a reality, old and new leaders reuniting as one family, Umno will become stronger and more resilient to face the next general election," he said.
He said Umno and the Barisan Nasional actually had done a good job in bringing progress to the nation but now its leaders needed to be more in sync with the aspirations of the people to continue getting their support (in the election).
Umno leaders, he said, also needed to adapt better to the changing situation and be more people-oriented if they wanted the people to continue to back them.
"Umno leaders must not give the people the perception that the party is a money making machine and return to the basics, that is to serve the people with diligence and honesty. Do this and the people will not hesitate to support us," he said.

tunku : you will get tremendous support if you act now, not wait till june 2010. if you wait till then, you will have divided support from umno members and that is for sure. the choice is yours najib.

Mukhriz Suggests Umno Branches Propose List Of Candidates For Top Party Posts

JERLUN, July 25 (Bernama) -- Umno Youth Executive Committee member Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir has suggested that the Umno branch delegates' meetings propose a list of candidates for each of the party's top posts.
He said this would ensure that the voices of the people were heard and that the potential leaders received the support from all levels right down from the grassroots, besides ensuring transparency in the party polls.
"The results of the last general election should bring about realisation that the wishes of the people should be fulfilled through the party elections.
"Hence, I am in the process of sending letters to about 22,000 party branch heads throughout the country on my proposal," he said when met by reporters after a meet-the-people function at Batu 7, Jalan Sanglang, here Friday.
"All this while, only about 2,500 delegates to the party's General Assembly were the ones choosing the party president and the other top leaders, including the Supreme Council. "It is more apt if the right to choose the leaders be delegated to the grassroots as they better represent the country's 27 million population compared to only 2,500 party delegates."
Mukhriz said his proposal was also aimed at empowering and benefiting the branches as members present at the meetings would be involved in choosing the party's top leadership.
"This will also help bring the party leaders closer to the grassroots and curb money politics." Mukhriz said he himself would monitor the resolutions on the lists of candidates, and had attached the proposed format to his letter to the branch heads.
On the Umno-PAS "muzakarah", he said he fully supported the dialogue as it would give strength to the Malays and build solidarity following the outcome of the last general election.

tunku : by right, it's not fair for 2500 delegates to decide on behalf of 3 millions members. hope the branches will be brave enough this time. enough is enough. we can see the trend, the branches says something else, the divisions will say something else. the branch says that they want new president in december 2008, the division says that they support the transition plan. even the division supports the branches but when it comes to the delegates who will be voting, the votes can swing the other way round.money politics will be at its best again. its easier to buy the delegates than the branches.so let the branches decides, who they want and what they want.