POLITIC FREE BLOG

FROM TODAY, I DECLARE THIS BLOG FREE OF POLITICS. I WILL NOT BE COMMENTING OR REPORTING ON ANY THING THAT SMELLS OF POLITICS. I SHALL FOCUS MORE ON OTHER TOPICS, BUT NOT POLITICS. I SHALL HAVE PEACE OF MIND. POLITICS SUCK.

New Cabinet

PM Najib announced his Cabinet of 28 ministers and 40 deputy ministers. As expected, Muhyiddin Yassin was appointed as deputy PM. Ministers dropped were Syed Hamid Albar, Azalina Othman, Ong Ka Chuan, Zin Mohamad, Muhamad Taib, Zulhasnan Rafique, and Amirsham Aziz. Six new Senators were sworn in today to join the Cabinet. The full line-up, see here.

Death sentence

C/Insp. Azilah Hadri and Cp Sirul Azhar Umar were sentenced to death for the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu on October 2006. Azilah and Sirul were police officers in the Special Action Unit (Unit Tindakan Khas). Altantuya's ex-lover Razak Baginda, a close associate of Najib Razak, was earlier charged as an accomplice but has been acquitted.

PM Najib's first speech

In his first address to the nation, PM Najib urged Malaysians to help him renew Malaysia with the slogan One Malaysia.People First.Performance Now. With immediate effect, he lifted the temporary ban of Harakah and Suara Keadilan. 13 ISA detainees will be released too, effective immediately. Don't be so thrilled yet folks, that's just sugar coating.

Judicial review

High Court judge Aziz A Rahim allowed Nizar Jamaluddin (PR Perak CM) to apply for a judicial review of the legality of the appointment of Zambry Kader as the CM of Perak. Judge Aziz pronounced that the application filed by Nizar was not frivolous or vexatious . There was a prima facie case to be argued in court. Nizar had not questioned the decision made by Sultan Azlan Shah but only the legality of the appointment of Zambry as Perak CM. Nizar had contended that he was the lawful CM under the Perak constitution because he had advised the sultan to dissolve the state assembly, not resigned from the post and neither was a no confidence vote passed against him. Nizar also called for Zambry to show under which law the CM appointed by Barisan Nasional became the legal CM.

PM Najib Razak

Mohd Najib Tun Razak was sworn in before the YDP Agung Tuanku Mizan as Malaysia's 6th PM. He succeeds Abdullah Badawi who has retired. At the same ceremony Abdullah and his wife Jeanne Abdullah were confered with 'Tun' titles by the YDP Agung in appreciation of their national services. Later in the afternoon, Tun Abdullah handed over the PM's duties and office to PM Najib. Najib's father, the late Tun Abdul Razak was Malaysia's 2nd PM.

Pak Lah chairs last Cabinet meeting

PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi chaired his last Cabinet meeting, before he hands over the premiership to DPM Mohd Najib Razak. Shahrir Samad submitted his resignation letter, but was told to hang on with the other cabinet members until new PM Najib forms his Cabinet line-up.

Eradicating poverty in Penang

Penang CM Lim Guan Eng had announced on Monday that the state gov't had managed to eradicate poverty in the state. The state has provided financial aid and economic activities to 726 households, registered under the hardcore poor category. Now, some parties are politicising the program. Lim said : I want to know why it is wrong to give money to the poor. Is it right for them to give money to corruption ? The previous state govt should apologise to the people for condoning corruption. They have also brought about loss of funds to the state govt and I will reveal further details on this, in two days time. The previous state govt should also apologise for being unable to do what the current administration has achieved in one year. They can't answer why they could not eradicate poverty in 51 years, so they question our success in achieving this within a year. If there are any hardcore poor families that have not recieved assistance, tell us and we are prepared to immediately give them aid. We give aid to everyone, regardless of their political affiliation. BN should not politicise this issue but apologise for failing to do this and support our cause. We provide land for the poor to start herbal and spice farms. The Career Assistance & Training (CAT) Center will be conducting job matching services. BN leaders are too lazy to check the facts before criticising the state's poverty eradication program.