Pakatan defends Mat Sabu, flays Utusan

The opposition coalition also condemns Umno for only propogating a history that doubles up as government propaganda.PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat has risen to the defence of one of its leaders who has been accused of being a communist-sympathiser for questioning the legitimacy of Malaysia’s history.Last Saturday PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu was slammed by Utusan Malaysia for allegedly hailing the communists who attacked the Bukit Kepong police station during the Emergency on Feb 23, 1950...

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Bukit Kepong ‘battle’: NGOs back Mat Sabu

Deputy IGP criticised for practising double standard in carrying out police investigation of the PAS deputy president. KUALA LUMPUR: Several NGOs today criticised Deputy Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar for practising “double standard” over the controversy surrounding PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu’s remarks on the Bukit Kepong incident.Last week, Mohamad Sabu, also popularly known as Mat Sabu, criticised Utusan Malaysia over its report which suggested that he allegedly praised...

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Onus on media bosses to ensure safety

The National Union of Journalists says media employers must ensure reporters assigned to war-torn zones be given full protective gears. KUALA LUMPUR: The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has reminded media employers that they should be responsible for the safety and welfare of journalists as they are the ones who decide whether certain assignments should be covered.Said NUJ general-secretary V Anbalagan: “Employers have to ensure their employees are provided with full protective gears like...

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Wan Azizah as alternative to Rosmah

PKR is moving full steam forward with its Demi Rakyat campaign and its president Dr Wan Azizah is being presented as a role model to Malaysian women.PETALING JAYA: PKR today unveiled its party president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, as an alternative role model to self-declared first lady, Rosmah Mansor.PKR Wanita chief, Zuraida Kamaruddin, launched a six-part series of stories entitled “Cerita Kak Wan” as part of the opposition’s new campaign strategy ahead of the upcoming general election.The stories...

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Doc: I was shocked about ‘sodomy’ revelation

The first doctor to examine Saiful said he was 'very shocked' when the latter revealed he was sodomised by a VIP. KUALA LUMPUR: The first medical person who examined Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan maintained today that his patient told him a plastic instrument was used to assault him, denying an accusation that he was instructed to include that in his medical report.Hospital Pusrawi’s Dr Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid, who is being called to the stand for the first time as a defence witness in the Anwar...

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Where has Malay Nationalism gone to?

It is moving away from immovable UMNO.The doleful and almost pleading wish of UMNO people generally is for all the nightmares affecting their political future will go away. As a self-reassuring measure, they tell themselves, things will be all right. The people will come back to UMNO because UMNO fights for Malays. So, UMNO leaders everywhere say, things will be ok. Zahid Hamidi says, UMNO will win back the Malay ground and it will do so overwhelmingly.Where is UMNO’s main appeal? It appeals to...

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‘MAS-AirAsia share swap spells doom’

PKR's Rafizi Ramli calls the deal a “short-sighted” and “haphazard” endeavour that will see the airline industry suffering dire consequences.PETALING JAYA: PKR has predicted that the recently announced share swap deal between Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia will spawn a bleak future for the country’s airline industry.The rival carriers will swap shares in a partnership that will see Tune Air taking a 20.5% stake in MAS while state investment arm Khazanah Nasional will own 10% in AirAsia.The...

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Japan PM says ministers to resign on August 30

TOKYO Aug 23 — Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan told his cabinet ministers today that they are likely to resign on August 30 Japanese Economics Minister Kaoru Yosano said today The unpopular prime minister s comments effectively confirmed his intention to resign in coming days clearing the way for Japan to select its sixth prime minister since Junichiro Koizumi ended a rare five-year term in 2006 The ruling Democratic Party of Japan is planning to pick a new leader on August 29 setting the stage...

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Malaysian economy slows to 4% growth in Q2

KUALA LUMPUR : Malaysia 's economy grew 4.0 per cent in the second quarter, its slowest pace in nearly two years, on softening global export demand, the central bank said on Wednesday.The worsening outlook prompted Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz to temper Malaysia 's earlier official estimate for full-year growth of between 5 and 6 per cent, saying it would likely come in at the low end of that range."The economic activity was affected by weaker external conditions" and...

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