theSun | TUESDAY JULY 7 2009 5

news without borders

Abdul Hamid retires after two terms Kit Siang now rules out
SENATE president Tan Sri Dr Abdul
Hamid Pawanteh, who retired yester-
day after having chaired sittings of the
House for six years, said the senate is
more assertive now than it was when
he took office.
Speaking to newsmen, Abdul
Hamid (pix), 65, said he felt a sense of
satisfaction that this new assertive-
ness would help the senate in its role
of ensuring checks and balances.
“The senate does not have much
power under the Constitution but it
is given the opportunity to ensure no
carelessness or oversights occur in the
law-making process,” he said.
Abdul Hamid, who was sworn in
as senate president in 2003, said that
although the Constitution allows for
the direct election of senators, this has
never been practised. Asked whether
Giam Say Khoon at the Dewan Negara yesterday
it was time to do so, he said
it was up to the politicians
and leaders to decide.
On veteran DAP
leader and Ipoh Timur
MP Lim Kit Siang’s criti-
cism that the ruling party
had used the senate as a
political garbage dump for
politicians who were not
elected to parliament, Abdul
Hamid said: “We can have a
cynical or realistic view of things; I
would choose to be realistic in saying
there is definitely a role that the sen-
ate can play in upholding a system of
checks and balances by being more
assertive.
“My only regret at leaving is that
the senate now has representatives
of both sides; I believe it will be a
very exciting time,” he said
on completing his two
terms.
Abdul Hamid, who
was also a former Perlis
mentri besar and MP,
said the Westminister-
style parliamentary
system practised here
would take a long time to
evolve and develop. “For the
past 50 years, this system has
served us well. The bottom line is
that except for the May 13 incident,
this system has seen peace and stabil-
ity maintained.”
His parting advice to senators was
that they be mindful of the rule of law,
abide by the Standing Orders and not
go overboard during debates to ensure
that issues were properly highlighted.
Cheng Teik
VETERAN DAP leader Lim Kit
Siang has ruled out the possibility
of the party recruiting former Ger-
akan vice-president Dr Goh Cheng
Teik to lead a committee to resolve
the pig abattoir issue in Kedah.
A day after he made the propos-
al, the Ipoh Timur MP backtracked
on it when met at the parliament
lobby yesterday.
“We are dealing with this
(pig abattoir) problem now. Why
would you want to talk about
another issue?” he asked in response
to a question on the DAP enlisting the
services of Goh – a former deputy
agriculture minister with experience
in dealing with pig abattoirs.
On Sunday, Lim proposed a
three-point formula to resolve the
Kedah crisis after the state DAP
decided to pull out of the state
government:
» resolve outstanding complaints
Buddhist centre controversy, the
sale of pork in the Alor Star market,
and temple demolitions.
» form a committee headed by Goh
to resolve the abbatoir problem;
and
» create a Pakatan Rakyat trouble-
shooting state mechanism to resolve
all emerging issues in Kedah.
On whether he had met with
Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri
Azizan Abdul Razak, Lim said he
was still waiting for an appoint-
ment to discuss with him issues
relating to the PR and the state.
“This is not just about the pig
abattoir. It is about the people,
about who voted for PR and who
feels that they are being marginal-
ised. It is a time bomb that cannot
be wrapped up, an issue that must
be dealt with,” he said.
Lim said he had asked the DAP
central leadership not to decide on

A DAP senator
ceremony, said the state gov-
ernment was confident these by Kedahans such as a 50% housing the matter until he had met with
high-achieving and outstand- quota for bumiputras, the Kedah Azizan.
ing individuals would be able
to represent Penang’s interests
and speak up for the people.
“We are proud to have Park System (SLKE).
“It would give users more

after 43 years
AFTER 43 years, the DAP
finally has a senator. Party
vice-chairman Tunku Abdul
Aziz Ibrahim took his oath and
was sworn in yesterday on the
first day of the senate sitting.
When met at the parliament
lobby, Abdul Aziz said it was a
great moment for him to be the
DAP’s first senator and that he
was looking forward to work-
ing with other Pakatan Rakyat
senators.
“As a result of this new ap-
pointment, we believe we will
be able to do a bit more to pro-
mote good causes in our
parliamentary system,”
he said.
“I would like to thank
my colleagues in the
DAP for their support
and encouragement … It
is like first day at school.
As a new boy, there is a
lot to learn and I intend
to spend the first day just
watching and listening.”
Abdul Aziz also said he
appreciated the Penang
government’s confidence in
Abdul Aziz is the founder
of Transparency International:
Malaysia and was special
adviser to the United Nations
secretary-general in 2006.
The senate also saw the
swearing in of two other PR
senators – PAS’s Mumtaz
Mohd Nawi from Kelantan,
who is being reappointed to
represent the state, as well as
PKR’s Mustafa Kamal Mohd
Yusoff from Penang.
Penang Chief Minister Lim
Guan Eng, who attended the
oath-taking
Tunku Abdul Aziz as our
senator because we have
aspirations as to what a sena-
tor should be – he should have
wisdom, a lot of experience,
and most important of all, an
impeccable sense of integrity.
We think Tunku Abdul Aziz fits
that bill perfectly,” Lim said.
Veteran DAP leader and Ipoh
Timur MP Lim Kit Siang also
congratulated Abdul Aziz on his
appointment and said it marked
a new milestone in the party’s
43-year political struggle.
He also urged reform in the
senate, saying it had been used
as a political “garbage dump”
by the Barisan Nasional for
politicians who were not
elected to parliament.
briefs
Don’t use names
of banned groups,
media told
THE media should not use the
names of banned organisations in
their reports, Deputy Home Minister
Datuk Abu Seman Yusop told the
senate.
“Their names should not be used
as they have already been declared
Lim with
Abdul Aziz illegal,” he said in reply to a sup-
plementary question from Senator
(left) and
Mustafa Datuk Azian Osman who wanted to
know the status of the name “Paka-
Kamal.
tan Rakyat” used by the opposition
coalition and whether the names of
banned organisation could be used,
including by the media.
Abu Seman said the ministry
would take note of the matter.
Earlier, answering Azian’s ques-
tion on the number of banned org-
anisations, he named two – Hindraf
and Darul Arqam – which were pro-
nounced illegal under the Societies
Act 1966 (Act 335). – Bernama
MEPS for parking
THE Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)
is planning to implement a car
park payment system using the
L/THESUN
payment options besides using
coins,” he said in reply to Senator
Tan Sri Tee Hock Seng.
Tee had asked if the ministry
would review or scrap the SLKE
as its implementation in commer-
cial and housing areas had raised
objections and inconvenienced
the public. – Bernama
Adequate supply
of ST 15 rice
THE supply of Super Tempatan (ST
15) rice for the low income group
is adequate, Deputy Agriculture and
Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk
Rohani Abdul Karim said.
She said 75,106.48 tonnes of the
grain were distributed in the market
monthly, and claims that there was
inadequate supply were untrue.
Price controls for rice were
introduced in 1998. As a result of
a shortage of supply last year, the
government adopted several meas-
ures including subsidising millers by
RM800 per tonne for ST 15 under a
first phase from Sept 1, 2008 until
March 31 this year.
Changes were made to reduce
subsidy leakages under phase two
from April 1 to Sept 20, 2009, includ-
ing reducing the subsidy to RM750
per tonne, and limiting production
to 24 Bernas mills and 45 bumiputra
mills under a central buying scheme,

him, the state assembly and Malaysian Electronic Payment Rohani said. “The rice is distributed
Penangites for nominating System (MEPS) application which monthly by sector such as super-
him to represent the state. is available on most ATM cards. markets, bumiputra wholesalers,
ZULKIFLI ERSA

“I will certainly do my Deputy Federal Territories private wholesalers, government

best to promote Penang’s Minister Datuk M. Saravanan said contracts and direct sale to Bernas,”
interests in the Dewan MEPS was an alternative mode of said in reply to Senator Muhamad
Negara,” he said. payment for the Electronic Car Yusof Husin. – Bernama

Malay leadership indisputable, says Khairy ‘Thaksin slipped into M’sia’

UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin
says that although Malay supremacy
(ketuanan Melayu) or Malay dominance
does not exist in Malaysia, Malay leader-
ship is an indisputable fact.
It is a Malay-led leadership whether
it is in the Barisan Nasional or Pakatan
Rakyat, he said, adding that even if the PR
comes to power at the federal level, the
prime minister will still be Malay.
Khairy said the so-called concept of
ketuanan Melayu is outdated and no
longer exists.
In an interview with Sin Chew Daily,
he stressed that the BN-governed Malay-
sia was not dominated by Malays but “led
by Malays under the true spirit of coop-
eration between partners (component
parties)”.
BANGKOK: Former Thai prime to escape,” he said.
Khairy, who is Barisan Nasional, minister-turned-fugitive Thak- However, he did not provide
the BN Youth chief
and MP for Rembau, Press Digest Umno also plays the
lead role.”
sin Shinawatra was spotted in
Malaysia recently, but escaped
any information on when the
alleged incident took place.
spoke on the public by Kong See Hoh While not denying before he could be arrested by According to Thaworn,
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
perception that the that there were still authorities there, Thai Deputy Thaksin later left for Fiji.
displeasure of non- Malays who contin- Interior Minister Thaworn Sen- The policeman-turned
Malays at the concept ued to advocate the nian claimed yesterday. telecommunication billionaire
of Malay dominance was a factor in the concept of Malay dominance, he said Thaworn told reporters in ruled the country from 2001 to
BN’s loss of support in the last general these people needed to change their the southern province of Pattani 2005 before he was ousted in a
election. mindset and the way in which they put that Thai Embassy officials had military coup on Sept 19, 2006
“I don’t think the so-called concept of things across. informed Malaysian authorities while he was attending the UN
Malay supremacy or Malay dominance “The model we must stress is a Malay that Thaksin was staying at the General Assembly.
can continue to exist in the present leadership forged by sincere cooperation Shangri-La Hotel. He came back briefly last
Malaysian society; but if you talk of a (between the BN partners). “Thai officials informed year, after his allies won the
Malay leadership, it is an indisputable “Similarly, Pakatan Rakyat is led by Malaysian authorities about December, 2007 general elec-
fact. (Datuk Seri) Anwar (Ibrahim). He is Thaksin’s presence there. tion, but remained in exile
“Even in Pakatan Rakyat, when they the parliamentary opposition leader. I “Somehow, Thaksin man- to escape the two-year jail
want to nominate a prime minister, the believe PR will also accept a Malay prime aged to get wind of the im- imposed on him for abuse of
choice would definitely be a Malay. In minister.” pending arrest and managed power. – Bernama