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news without borders
RM80m aid package for 374 Tamil schools
by Tan Yi Liang
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
» Kedah: 49 schools (RM12.2 mil-
lion)
PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Min- » Malacca: 13 schools (RM2.66 mil-
lion)
ister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak
yesterday distributed an RM80 mil- » Negri Sembilan: 47 schools (RM1
million)
lion assistance package for 374 Tamil
schools from eight states and Kuala » Pahang: 26 schools (RM5.28 mil-
lion)
Lumpur.
The RM80 million, of which » Perak: 85 schools (RM13.2 mil-
lion)
RM50 million comes from the first
stimulus package and the rest from » Penang: 22 schools (RM5.9 mil-
lion)
the Ministry of Finance allocation,
was distributed as follows: » Selangor: 67 schools (RM25.16
million)
» Johor: 56 schools (RM8.65 mil-
» Kuala Lumpur: Nine schools
lion)
(RM5.86 million)
Teng: Khir to be referred
to privileges committee
» From Front Page
However, Selcat member Azmin Ali
challenged her, saying there was no proof
of this.
Questioned by Azmin whether the trips
were for leisure or for work as they took
place in December, Khairiyah said she did
not know the rationale.
At the end of the inquiry, Teng said the
first public hearing to be held by a legisla-
tive body was smooth except that two key
witnesses failed to turn up.
“Mohd Khir and his wife refused to turn
up and explain to the people what happened
to Balkis (association of wives of Selangor
elected representatives) and PNSB all these
years,” he said.
Teng said Mohd Khir will be referred
to the committee of privileges for failure
to attend the hearing while Zahrah can be
prosecuted under Section 5 of the Contempt
of the House Act 2008.
“However, she can only be prosecuted
with the consent of the Attorney-General,”
he said.
Teng also disclosed that the Registrar of
Societies (ROS) refused to produce crucial
documents which are accessible to the public
and not deemed as official secrets.
He said under Section 114(g) of the
Evidence Act, this raises presumptions against
the ROS, that the facts in the documents are
unfavourable to certain persons.
“There is no reason for the ROS not to
produce it unless it is a false document,” he
added.
Najib said the aid was not an
by-election gimmick as it had been
announced much earlier.
“Whatever we do, they will ques-
tion. But this is as good as any other
time. This is the actual giving out, the
announcements were made much
earlier before we knew about the by-
elections,” he said at a press confer-
ence after giving out the allocation.
When asked to reveal his economic
plans once he takes over as premier
reportedly tomorrow, Najib reiterated
that he did not wish to talk about this
at this juncture and told the public to
wait for official announcements.
Najib poses
with Education
Minister
Datuk Seri
Hishammuddin
Hussein and
representatives
from Tamil
schools after
distributing the
aid in Putrajaya
yesterday.
High Court allows suit against Perak speaker
by Humayun Kabir
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
IPOH: The High Court yesterday dismissed
the application by Perak State Assembly
Speaker V. Sivakumar to strike out an
original summons brought by the three
independent assemblymen, seeking a dec-
laration that Sivakumar’s order to declare
their assembly seats vacant was illegal.
Judge Datuk Balia Yusof Wahi set April
8 to hear the suit by the assemblymen
Mohd Osman Mohd Jaitu (Changat Jering),
Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang) and Hee
Yit Foong (Jelapang) against the speaker.
Nine- He also dismissed an application by
year-old three former Pakatan Rakyat state execu-
tive councillors – A. Sivanesan (Sungkai),
dies after Tai Sing Ng (Kuala Sepatang) and Chen Fook
school Chye (Keranji) – and three registered voters
caning to intervene in the case, ruling that they are
not interested parties as claimed.
pg 7 Sivakumar had declared the three state
seats vacant based on their pre-dated res-
ignation letters as the three assemblymen
were formerly from the ruling coalition. Their
resignation from their parties caused the bal-
ance of power to shif to Barisan Nasional.
Sivakumar had informed the Election
Commission (EC) to call for fresh elections
Shahrir hands in resignation letter
PUTRAJAYA: Domestic Trade and Con-
sumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir
Abdul Samad handed in his letter of
resignation to Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the cabinet
meeting yesterday.
He said he will make a statement
on Friday and “subsequently I will
reveal more as time goes by”.
“It will be about the economy, poli-
tics and the direction that the govern-
ment is going to take,” said Najib, who
explained that he was refraining from
commenting on this out of respect for
the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
“I have not had an audience with
the King yet. Hopefully, the King will
graciously give his consent.”
To a question, Najib said he will
not be bringing any potential cabinet
list with him when he sees the King.
Najib said his “One Malaysia”
for these three seats but the EC declined
and said the seats were not vacant
The three assemblymen then referred
their suit to the High Court here for a ruling
that they had not vacated their seats as
declared by Sivakumar..
Sivakumar’s lawyers Chan Kok Leong,
Nga Hock Cheh and Leong Cheok Keng had
submitted yesterday that Sivakumar has
immunity against civil proceedings by vir-
tue of section 3 of the Legislative Assembly
(Privileges) Enactment 1959.
They also pointed out that the defend-
ant was also protected by article 72 (1) and
(2) of the Federal Constitution.
Article 72(1) states that the validity of
any proceedings in the Legislative Assem-
bly of any state shall not be questioned in
any court and article 72 (2) states that no
person shall be liable to any proceedings
in any court in respect of anything said or
any vote given by him when taking part in
proceedings of the legislative assembly of
any state or of any committee.
The lawyers also submitted that it is be-
yond the purview of the court to adjudicate
on any question which arises, whether a
member of the legislative assembly has be-
come disqualified for membership in view
of article 33 of the Perak Constitution.
Speaking to reporters after the
meeting at the Perdana Putra building,
Shahrir said he tendered his resignation
as a cabinet minister effective on April
8.
Abdullah, who will relinquish his post to
theSun | THURSDAY APRIL 2 2009
concept will be his platform when
he becomes prime minister.
On the two characteristics of the
concept, he said they are respect and
mutual trust.
“We practice national unity by
beginning with an attitude of mu-
tual respect. When we have mutual
respect, it means we have an open
mind to accept unity in diversity,”
he said.
“The second principle is mutual
trust. You have to develop the trust.
It won’t happen overnight, it has
to be consciously developed in an
organised manner.”
Article 33(1) states: If any question
arises whether a member of the legisla-
tive assembly has become disqualified for
membership, the decision of the assembly
shall be taken and shall be final. Provided
that this article shall not be taken to prevent
the practice of the assembly postponing a
decision in order to allow for the taking or
determination of any proceedings that may
affect the decision (including proceedings
for the removal of the disqualification).
The plaintiffs’ legal team headed by
Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Haron will make
two applications to the Federal Court in
Putrajaya on Friday, for declarations on:
» Whether, on a true interpretation of article
36(5) of the Laws of Perak Darul Ridzuan
(“Perak Constitution”) read together with
section 12(3) of the Elections Act 1958, the
Election Commission is the rightful entity
which establishes if there is a casual vacancy
of the state legislative assembly Seat;
» When a resignation of a member of the
Perak state legislative assembly is disputed,
is such resignation a resignation within the
meaning as ascribed under article 35 of the
Perak Constitution.
Chan said they will appeal against Balia’s
ruling in the Court of Appeals tomorrow and
they will also be present in the Federal Court.
his deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak,
chaired the meeting for the last time.
Shahrir decided to step down as a
cabinet minister after he failed to defend
his seat in the Umno supreme council on
April 26. – Bernama