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Guan Eng lauds BN decision
not to contest
GEORGE TOWN: DAP secretary-general Lim
Guan Eng has welcomed Barisan Nasional’s
decision not to contest the Penanti state
by-election on May 31, but stressed Pakatan
Rakyat will not let its guard down.
He praised BN chairman and Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak for following in
the footsteps of his father Tun Abdul Razak
Hussein, who in 1975 oversaw the BN’s deci-
sion not to contest a parliamentary by-election
in Menglembu.
Abdul Razak, the then prime minister, led
the BN after it was formed in 1973 till his death
in 1976.
Lim, who is also Penang chief minister,
stressed that Pakatan parties will continue to
campaign hard to help PKR candidate Mansor
Othman win. “There are no guarantees in life,
only uncertainties,” he said.
Police want death for
Jamilah’s killer
JOHOR BARU: Police have proposed that
the snatch thief responsible for the death
of Jamilah Selamat on May 5 be charged
under section 302 of Penal Code which car-
ries the mandatory death sentence.
State police chief Datuk Mohd Mokhtar
Mohd Sharif told reporters yesterday inves-
tigation papers have been handed to the
deputy public prosecutor.
“The suspect is a 26-year-old former con-
vict with six criminal records since 2003.
He was high on Eramin 5 when arrested in
Banang Jaya, Batu Pahat on May 6.”
The arrest led to the recovery of Jamilah’s
handbag containing her identity card, MyKid
card, Maybank card and Anakku card.
Mohd Mokhtar said 762 snatch thieves
were arrested in Johor last year while 231
were nabbed in the four months since Janu-
ary. Two-month pregnant Jamilah, 32, died
two days after falling from her motorcycle
during a snatch theft at Ayer Hitam, Batu
Pahat on May 3. – Bernama
RazakSAT launch delayed
by technical problem
PETALING JAYA: The Ministry of Science, Technol-
ogy and Innovation said the delay in the launch
of RazakSAT, Malaysia’s second remote sensing
satellite, was purely a technical issue.
Its secretary-general, Datuk Madinah Mo-
hamad, said in a statement yesterday that the
delay was due to a technical issue relating to
the launch vehicle Falcon 1.
“The vibration data analysis showed that it
exceeded the safety limit for RazakSAT, causing
the launch to be postponed,” she said.
Based on this fact, it was agreed unanimously
by the ministry, ATSB (Astronautic Technology
(M) Sdn Bhd) and SpaceX (Space Exploration
Technology) that the launch of RazakSAT be
postponed until the issue is resolved.
“SpaceX is in the process of upgrading the
launcher to suit the technical requirement of
RazakSAT. The launch date will be confirmed
once the technical issue has been resolved
and approval obtained from the United States
Kwajalein Atoll for the launch,” she said.
Chua to mobilise BN
resources at grassroots
by Giam Say Khoon
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
Abdul Aziz
(right) and PETALING JAYA: MCA deputy president
Ayub (left) at Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said yesterday
the Institut his new role as Barisan Nasional chief coor-
Kemahiran dinator is to mobilise the resources of all BN
Belia Negara component parties at the grassroots level so
which will that they operate as one unified team.
be used He said his task covers the four states
as the governed by Pakatan Rakyat – Kedah,
nomination Penang, Kelantan and Selangor – and
centre Perak, Negri Sembilan and Johor.
for the Asked why only these states, he said
by-election. he could not handle all.
EC warns against
misuse of ‘pondok panas’
by Bernard Cheah
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
SEBERANG PERAI: The Election Commission (EC)
has warned parties involved in the Penanti state
by-election to abide by the rules in using the pondok
panas (voter registration booths) during polling day
on May 31.
Its chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, said
the earlier ban on pondok panas was lifted after
representatives from the opposition parties – Parti
Keadilan Rakyat, PAS and DAP – had several discus-
sions with them.
“We are not rigid but considerate, and the repre-
sentatives of these parties begged us to allow them
to use the booths. But the booths will only be used to
check the voters’ registration, not to canvas and get
them to vote for their party’s candidate. There must
not be any campaigning on polling day.”
He said the EC has agreed to provide a table, two
umbrellas, six chairs and three computers outside
each voting centre to Pakatan Rakyat representa-
tives for the purpose of checking registration.
However, he stressed that if this privilege is mis-
| WEDNESDAY MAY 20 2009
“We want to ensure the relationship “We are facing a confident Pakatan
among the BN component parties is al- Rakyat that strongly believes it can take
ways close and nice so that they will be over the government in the next general
able to move as a team, by first setting up election. We have to be ready now with
BN service centres. If we want to achieve our experience, members and machinery
the goal of the prime minister of having that have been tested so many times.
1Malaysia, we must move as a team re- “I can bring all (related) issues (di-
gardless of whether you are from Umno, rectly) to the prime minister but since I
MCA, MIC or Gerakan,” he said. come from MCA, I will also inform the
Chua said it will not be easy for the party president,” he said.
component parties to operate in such a Asked if he will have problems getting
way as many may not understand, be cooperation from all component parties
unhappy with or dislike such a concept. since he does not hold any government
However, he is confident all BN mem- post, Chua said those with government
bers who love the coalition will support it. posts must be more sensitive and keen to
work with him as they are the ones who
MASRY CHE ANI/THESUN
are going to face elections and the people.
Asked whether his appointment was
a way to prevent him from crossing over
to the opposition, Chua said such talk
had been going on since last year and it
was not true.
Asked whose idea it was to create the
post, he said he met the prime minister
three times on this matter. He said MCA
president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri His-
hammuddin Hussein were also present
at the third meeting.
On the statement made by Ong on
Monday that he actually met Najib twice
on the post, Chua said he was not aware
that Ong had talked to Najib on his ap-
pointment.
“He (Ong) had not told me about that.
He might have met Najib over the matter
but I don’t know,” he said.
On the meeting between him and
PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa
on the Perak impasse on Monday, Chua
said the meeting was in his personal
capacity and that the BN and Pakatan
should also sit down and talk for the
used, it will not be given to them again for any other sake of the people in Perak.
by-election or during the general election. Earlier, Ong told reporters the out-
Abdul Aziz said this at a press conference after come of Chua’s meeting with Husam
visiting Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara in Bukit was not binding on the party.
Mertajam, which will be the nomination centre for He said Chua told him briefly about
the by-election on Saturday. the meeting which touched on the politi-
He said although the Barisan Nasional has opted cal impasse in Perak, but clarified that
out of the by-election, both EC and the police will the party had never made a decision on
continue to monitor the situation. such a meeting.
He called on all parties who claim to know of To a question, he said he had never
phantom voters on polling day to apprehend them said party leaders must first seek ap-
and hand them over to the EC as it is a serious of- proval to see anybody. “I don’t think I
fence to use another person’s identity to vote. need to sound that autocratic.”
Meanwhile, Penang police chief Datuk Wira Ayub On whether MCA agreed with Chua’s
Yaakob said police are prepared for the by-election. stand that the best way to settle the Perak
“The number of police officers deployed will be impasse is to dissolve the state assembly,
based on the latest updates,” he said. Ong pointed out that the Perak case had
The by-election will likely see PKR’s Mansor Oth- been referred to court and even “if you
man taking on two independent candidates – former talk about the dissolution of the state
Penang PKR wanita chief Aminah Abdullah and former assembly, we need the mentri besar to
military man Kapt (Rtd) Mohd Saberi Osman. call for it”.
Voters can check where their voting centres are “Since the case has yet to be decided
via SMS by typing “SPRMyKad number” and send it by the court, we should wait for the
to 15888, or visit www.spr.gov.my decision.”