theSun | TUESDAY MARCH 24 2009 7

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Suara Keadilan and

PAS picks Nizar
for Bukit Gantang
by Humayun Kabir confirm this and told the media to wait
newsdesk@thesundaily.com for Hadi’s official announcement.
Hadi made his appearance shortly
TAIPING: Pakatan Rakyat mentri besar afterwards, accompanied by other Paka-
Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin tan Rakyat leaders from the national and
(pix) is the PAS candidate for the Bukit Gan- state levels.
tang parliamentary by-election on April 7. Nizar, wearing a blue batik shirt,
PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi made his appearance at about 9.30pm to
Awang announced the party’s choice to loud cheers by the crowd.
a 5,000-strong crowd of party members A PAS member on stage told the crowd
and supporters at a ceramah at Taman they received permission from the Taip-
Kota Jaya in Simpang, near here, last ing Municipal Council to use the same
night. field that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk
The by-election follows the death of Seri Najib Abdul Razak used to announce
Bukit Gantang PAS MP Roslan Shaharom, BN candidate Ismail for the by-election
50, of a heart attack on Feb 9. Nomina- on March 14.
tions will be held on Sunday. The man also said PR had received
Barisan Nasional has announced its a police permit to hold the gathering to
choice of Ismail Safian for the by-elec- announce the PAS candidate.
tion. Several speakers from PR took the
Earlier, at 9pm, there were specula- stage to voice their anger over the man-
tions that Nizar is the proposed PAS ner in which BN took over the Perak state
candidate but no party official wanted to government.
Fairus wants to focus on post-grad studies: Anwar
PETALING JAYA: Parti Keadilan Rakyat Anwar said Fairus was rather vague about
(PKR) adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said an internal conspiracy in PKR to topple him
Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin, who will as the DCM I.
resign as the Penang deputy chief minister “He (Fairus) said the media was making
(DCM) I on April 8, wanted to focus on his exaggerations (about the conspiracy) and I
post-graduate studies. told him knowing the media, he had to be
“This is what he told me when he came to careful about what he said.
see me in my house. He said he had thought “When I asked him if there were internal
long and hard about it,” Anwar told reporters problems, he just said he wanted to do a post-
at the launch of two books at Tropicana Golf graduate programme,” Anwar said, adding
and Country Club yesterday. that Fairus then asked him to give some inputs
“He said with the many problems he on pursuing post-graduate studies.
had to think about, he felt that it (stepping He also said Fairus would remain as a
down) was the right decision. That is the gist PKR member and Penanti assemblyman as
of what we discussed.” he would have three free days a week while
When PKR vice-president Mohd
Azmin Ali took to the stage and started
attacking the federal government and
Najib, Taiping OCPD ACP Raja Musa
Raja Razak and a Federal Reserve Unit
team wanted to go on the stage to stop
him but were prevented from doing so
by the crowd.
A PAS official urged those present
not to confront the police and calm was
restored. After Hadi made the announce-
ment at 10.45pm, the crowd dispersed
peacefully.
In last year’s general election, there
was a three-cornered fight for the parlia-
mentary seat. Roslan polled 20,015 votes
against the 18,449 votes by BN’s Abdul
Azim Mohd Zabidi. The third candidate,
independent M. Morgan, received 872
votes.
Bukit Gantang has 55,562 voters, of
whom 63.5% are Malays, 27.1% Chinese,
9.1% Indian and 0.55 others.
pursuing his studies.
Asked about the Opposition’s chances
in the Bukit Gantang, Bukit Selambau and
Bating Ai by-elections on April 7, Anwar said:
“We are confident but we are also realistic
that we are facing the odds, we know Najib’s
(Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Ab-
dul Razak) tactics. We have asked that our
machinery be intact on the ground.”
The two books launched by Anwar were
Saya Pun Melayu written by former minister
in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk
Zaid Ibrahim, and Kemilau Peribadi Nik Abdul
Aziz Nik Mat by Abdul Shukur Haron and An-
nual Bakri Haron. – Bernama
Harakah suspended
three months
KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry has suspended the
publishing permits of Harakah and Suara Keadilan, the party
newsletters for PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) with
immediate effect.
Home Minister Datuk Sri Syed Hamid Albar said the ac-
tion was taken because they had violated the conditions of
their permits.
He said they often published articles which questioned
Royalty and sensationalised news that were defamatory and
aimed at causing confusion and disharmony in society.
“This action does not mean the government is curbing
press freedom but to preserve peace and harmony in our
multi-racial society,” he told Bernama.
He said the government never restricted political parties
from propagating their philosophies and ideologies through
their party newsletters but would not tolerate the writing of
lies which could cause serious conflicts among
the people.
He said Harakah and Suara Keadilan had been warned
many times but had chosen to ignore the warnings and also
kept selling copies to the public though they were meant for
only party members.
It is understood the suspension notice for Harakah was
sent to PAS secretary-general Datuk Kamaruddin Jaffar
while for Suara Keadilan, to PKR president Datuk Seri Dr
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Police to get arrest warrant
for Wong’s ex-boyfriend
KUALA LUMPUR: Police will apply to the court to issue a
warrant of arrest for Bukit Lanjan assemblyman Elizabeth
Wong’s ex-boyfriend following his failure to give a state-
ment over the posting of semi-nude pictures of her on the
Internet.
Police had given him until last Thursday to give a state-
ment on the matter at city police headquarters here, but he
failed to show up.
City deputy police chief Datuk Abdul Samah Mat said it
was only proper that a warrant of arrest be issued for him
following his failure to assist investigations into the case.
“We had conveyed through his father on the need for him
to give a statement by last Thursday but he still did not turn
up,” he told Bernama here yesterday.
Meanhwile, on the police report lodged yesterday by Umno
Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin against the writer of
a book which defamed him, Abdul Samah said police would
be calling him for questioning soon. – Bernama

Thank
Norza said to have strong
you ... connections
MCA president
Datuk Seri Ong Tee » From Front Page
Keat (left) presents
his commitment towards Umno’s struggle and acknowledged
a memento in the
that efforts to institute change in Umno were important to
form of Chinese
ensure continuity in the party.
calligraphy to
“I am convinced that under Datuk Seri Najib Abdul
former president
Razak’s leadership, efforts to rejuvenate the party, bring
Datuk Seri Ong
the party closer to the people, and reformation as well as
Ka Ting at a
transformation can be carried out successfully to ensure
thanksgiving
continued relevance of the Umno struggle,” he said.
dinner for Ka Ting
The biggest casualty in Umno’s on-going efforts to rid the
in recognition of
party of money politics has been vice president and Malacca
his contributions
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, who was barred
to the party, at
from contesting the deputy president’s post last week.
Wisma MCA in
Umno Youth head hopeful Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir
Kuala Lumpur last
night.
Toyo was cleared of wrongdoing by the board while Khairy
Jamaluddin, another hopeful, was left off the hook with a
warning.
Norza is a former political secretary to Second Finance
Minister Nor Mohamed Yaacop and is regarded as having
powerful connections.

One rheumatologist to every 800,000 Malaysians

by Hemananthani Sivanandam
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: There are only 34
rheumatologists (specialists in rheu-
matoid arthritis) in Malaysia, translating
to one rheumatologist for about every
800,000 Malaysians.
In 1987, there were just three rheu-
matologists in the country.
Dr Azmillah Rosman, consultant
physician and rheumatologist at the
Selayang Hospital and a member of the
Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) on the
Management of Gout, said yesterday
it takes about 12 years to become a
rheumatologist.
“There is a shortage of rheumatolo-
gists everywhere,” she said at the launch
of the CPG by its chairman, Dr Chow
Sook Khuan, and Dr Muhaini Othman, a
member of the CPG working group.
“We realise that we cannot reach
everyone, so the idea of the CPG is
to educate the public on preventive
measures and treatments available,”
Azmillah said.
The 32-page guideline is a joint
collaboration with rheumatologists,
family physicians, orthopaedic surgeons,
nephrologists, urologists and dieticians.
It is aimed at providing education and
awareness on the proper way to diag-
nose and assess gout.
The CPG also includes investigation
methods, most current management
recommendations and medical condi-
tions associated with asymptomatic
gout or hyperuricaemia.
Persistent hyperuricaemia is the
result of excessive urate production
or diminished renal uric acid excretion
which may lead to gout.
Gout is a common form of arthritis
but is treatable with proper diagnosis
and management. This includes both
medical and non-drug treatments
such as lifestyle and diet modifica-
tions.
Acute gout causes severe pain,
redness and swelling of the joints.
Patients with gout should seek medi-
cal treatment. However, a patient who
has frequent attacks (three to four
times a year) must be referred to a
specialist.
Dr Mohd Shahdan Mohd Shahid,
vice-chairman of the working group,
said gout is more common among men
than women, in the 40s age group. The
condition is also more common among
Malays and Chinese, he said.
“This could be because of genetics,”
he said.
The CPG on the Management of Gout
will soon be available for download at
www.moh.gov.my, www.acadmed.
org.my and www.msr.org.my.