Maulidur Rasul 2008

The YDP Agung Tuanku Mizan Zainol Abidin, leads 10,000 Muslims from various public and private organisations at the Maulidur Rasul (Prophet Muhammad (SAW) birthday) national-level celebration at the Stadium Putra in Bukit Jalil. He called on Malaysian Muslims to emulate Prophet Muhammad's outstanding personality in carrying out Allah's commands, to create outstanding Muslims who are an example to the world. The king was accompanied by the Raja Permaisuri Tuanku Nur Zahirah. Also present was PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, DPM Najib Razak, minister in charge of religion (Min,in JPM) Zahid Hamidi, and other Muslim ministers and deputy ministers.

Abdullah's Cabinet 2008

PM Abdullah announced his new Cabinet. Ministries reduced from 32 to 27 (XXL to XL). No parliamentary secretaries posts. Notable inclusions are millionaire lawyer and ex-MP (Kota Baru) Zaid Ibrahim, banker Amirsham Abdul Aziz in the PM's department. Recycled minister Shahrir Samad returns to the Cabinet after 22 years. He was FT minister from 1983-1986 under Mahathir. And was it a good idea to include Mamat Mamat Taib (from Senate back door) as a minister ? Among the ministers dropped was Umno Wanita chief & ex-MITI Rafidah Aziz. She said if she was not going to be appointed, she should have been told in advance. She should'nt have run for elections and should have retired. And to add salt to her wounds, her deputy chief Shahrizat (who lost in the GE) was named as special cabinet advisor (with ministerial status) on Women,Family & community development affairs. Also dropped were anti-Shahidan Perlis MPs Radzi Sheikh Ahmad & Azmi Khalid. Other ministers dropped were Tunku Adnan Mansor & Abdullah Md Zin. A disappointed Radzi resigned as Umno and BN secretary-general , effective immediately. There were 16 new ministers, some promoted from deputy. Some 'leftovers' from MCA and MIC made ministers and deputies. BN's strong supporters from Sabah & Sarawak were under-represented. Umno Youth deputy chief, Khairy Jamaluddin (Rembau MP) not appointed to cabinet.

Ku Li calls for EGM.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (Gua Musang MP/Ex-Finance minister/Ex-Umno v.p.) has written a letter to all 193 Umno divisions to call an extraordinary general meeting on May 11, before the party polls scheduled this year. Matters to be dicussed are the weakening leadership and overall pathetic performance of the party in the recent GE. He seemed doubtful that Umno will never rule the country again with the present crop of leaders and attitudes.

Mega Projects On

PM Abdullah assured the Penang govt that the federal govt will not abandon major projects promised to Penang. Penang BN should respect the PM's decision and accept their defeat. CM Guan Eng : Pak Lah made the right decision.

Umno protests

Those Penang Umno chaps are such sore losers. They sabotaged their own party candidates, because their chiefs were not selected. They lost Balik Pulau and Nibong Tebal and of course, Permatang Pauh and seven state seats. Gerakan and MCA lost all their seats (parliament and state) and accepted their losses like ladies and gentlemen. The out-going CM Koh Tsu Koon was even present at the swearing-in of new CM Lim Guan Eng of DAP. Umno reps stayed away. Just after being sworn-in the new CM Guan Eng said that among his agenda was to skip the NEP (New Economic Policy/Dasar Ekonomi Baru) especially the selective tendering of projects to favored contractors ( Umnoputeras). Open tender will be practised. Yesterday, the new opposition leader Azahar Ibrahim (he was slated to be the DCM but BN lost) threatened the people of Penang that he will ask the federal gov't to pull back all the mega- projects promised for Penang (the second Penang bridge is one of them). As for me, they can take it all back, we Penangites do not need more developments, all we want is clean air, less traffic hassle,a safer environment and cheaper consumer products. Today, about 1000 some say actually about 500 (the rest are passers-by and shoppers) Umno members, led by Azahar gathered at Komtar, where the state gov't office is situated. They were shouting and screaming like crazy nuts protesting against the DAP-PKR joint gov't's uncompromising stand against the NEP. (This New Economic Policy/DEB is already 37 years old). Banners declaring Hidup Melayu (Long live the Malays), Melayu Pulau Pinang menyokong kepimpinan Pak Lah (the Penang Malays support Pak Lah's leadership), Anwar Ibrahim pengkhianat bangsa (Anwar, traitor of the Malay race), Tak akan Melayu hilang di Pulau Pinang ( Malays will not be sidelined in Penang) ,Kepimpinan DAP dibantah oleh Melayu Pulau Pinang ( Penang Malays against the DAP led gov't) and Jangan hapuskan DEB (Don't terminate the NEP). Take note that it is the Umnoputeras who are stirring disturbances. Because they are the big losers, when the NEP is taken away. The police and FRU were there, but nobody was arrested or charged for unlawful assembly. No water cannons were used. Well, different rules for different FOOLS.

The people's choice

The people have decided on March 8 2008. Denied the 2/3rd majority to the ruling BN gov't in Parliament. There'll be new state governments for Penang (my home state), Kedah, Perak (unexpected) and Selangor (totally unexpected). And the people of Kelantan chose to be ruled by PAS again. Those elected must remember who put them in parliament and the state assemblies. You must not fail the rakyat who trusted and voted for you. Congrats to the winners and to the unelected, don't lose heart, try again next time. I salute blogger Chegubard for giving a good fight to that BN boy in Rembau. Although you didn't win , I bet you scared him out of his socks. His 'reinforcements' were more powerful than yours. Hoping for an 'improved' government.

12GE 2008

12th General Elections 8/3/08 ------------------------------- After BN won simple majority at 2.30am - Pak Lah : I'm not resigning.I'm not under pressure. At 2.42am - BN lost its 2/3rd majority in parliament and 4 state governments (Penang,Kedah,Perak and Selangor.) PAS retains Kelantan. Pak Lah : We've lost, we've lost. Party chiefs Samy Vellu (MIC),Koh Tsu Koon (Gerakan) and Kayveas (PPP) lost their federal seats. Minister Shahrizat lost to newcomer Nurul Izzah Anwar in Lembah Pantai. MCA president Ong Ka Ting : We never expected this could happen. (MCA won only 15 federal seats out of the 40 contested.) On the oppositions victory in 5 states : PKR adviser Anwar Ibrahim : A defining moment in Malaysian history and the opening of a new chapter. Koh Tsu Koon : I take full responsibility for BN's loss in Penang. (Gerakan lost all state and federal seats in Penang.) DAP & PKR will form Penang state govt with Lim Guan Eng as CM.

EC breaks promise

Will we be seeing 'ghosts' on March 8. ? Election Commissioner TS Rashid decided, with the agreement of the IGP and AG, that indelible ink won't be used to mark 'voters'. Some RM2.4 million was allocated to buy the ink from India. Turning around on his earlier announcement after parliament was dissolved. Reason was, as he bullshitted, that some jokers had bought the inks from a neighboring country and were planning to mark the fingers of several 'simpletons' from remote villages, making them believe that it was required prior to voting . When actually it would 'disqualify' them from voting. Fingers are supposed to be marked after voting. There might be some 'troubles' in the polling centers when these people are prevented from voting. Man, I was so eager to get my finger painted to show that I voted. So now, its possible for ' phantom voters' to siege the polling centers of the 'hot' seats in their chartered busses. Remember, the police have warned opposition party supporters not to hijack or stop those busses from ferrying the 'ghostly' voters to the polling centers. Is the ruling party so scared to lose that it had to enlist the '3 Stooges' to put up obstacles on the election path ? What next ?