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Top Umno council to discuss talks with PAS
MUNYONYO (Uganda): The Umno
Supreme Council meeting on Friday
will discuss the preliminary initiatives
needed before serious talks can be held
with PAS leaders on forging closer ties
between the two political parties.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who
welcomed the willingness of Kelantan
Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik
Mat to patch up and forget the political
differences between the PAS state gov-
ernment and the federal government,
said yesterday such a scenario would
open up a new chapter in relations
between the federal government,
Kelantan state government and PAS.
“I’m thankful because this is a posi-
tive statement from Nik Abdul Aziz who
is showing a good Muslim attitude,” the
deputy prime minister told Malaysian
journalists here.
“Following such a decision, we can
PAS names UKM don as
moderator for discourse
KUALA LUMPUR: PAS Youth has
named Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Agus Yu-
soff of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
to be the moderator for the proposed
intellectual discourse between the
movement and Umno Youth.
However, the lecturer at the Social
Science and Humanities Faculty has
yet to be informed about the mat-
ter pending agreement from both
sides which have agreed to hold a
discourse entitled Is Umno’s Strug-
gle Not Against Islamic Principles?
PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan
said yesterday the movement will
suggest the name to Umno Youth in
a letter to be faxed today together
with the names of three technical
committee members from PAS.
“We have decided to form a tech-
nical committee for the discourse,
led by our secretary Kamaruzaman
Mohamad. We have also decided on
the name of the moderator we are
going to propose.
“The moderator must be a third
party who is not from PAS or Umno
and we have chosen Mohd Agus
whom we think fits the criterion.”
He said the PAS Youth exco mem-
bers had agreed to the technical com-
mittee and moderator in its second
take follow-up measures and the best
is to discuss it at the Umno Supreme
Council meeting on July 31.”
Muhyiddin, who is also Umno
deputy president, said this when
asked to comment on the willingness
of Nik Abdul Aziz, who is also the PAS
spiritual leader, to patch up and forget
the political differences between the
PAS Kelantan state government and the
federal government for the sake of the
people and Islamic unity.
Nik Abdul Aziz hoped that differ-
ences in opinion between political lead-
ers especially between Umno and PAS
during the campaign for the Manek Urai
by-election recently could be forgotten
and that both parties return to the spirit
of brotherliness among Muslims.
“We have stated from the beginning
when the topic of solidarity government
was raised ... we had stated that we
monthly meeting earlier yesterday.
The letter to be sent today will
ask Umno Youth to name their
technical committee members and
proposed moderator.
“Later we will look at all the names
proposed and agree on one name,”
Nasrudin said of the discourse first
suggested by PAS Youth on July 1.
He said Umno Youth chief Khairy
Jamaluddin had agreed to the dis-
course in his reply to PAS Youth two
days later.
The technical committee will de-
cide on the details of the discourse
including its format, venue and date,
he added.
Nasrudin said the exco also dis-
cussed the planned Aug 1 demonstra-
tion against the Internal Security Act.
“We are planning for a peaceful
rally and hopefully there would not be
any provocation which could lead to
chaos, resulting in the police resorting
to using harsh action against us.”
He also said the movement would
send a memorandum to Suhakam,
ANWAR FAIZ/THESUN
asking it to urge the government to
expand the role of the royal commis-
sion announced last week to include
investigations into how political aide
Teoh Beng Hock died.
were willing to discuss for the sake of
national unity and the Muslim ummah.
“If there were differences or any
misunderstanding, it’s only normal for
human beings,” Muhyiddin said.
Muhyiddin, who is here for the Glo-
bal Smart Partnership Dialogue, said the
Umno Supreme Council meeting might
also decide on the party’s representa-
tives for the talks with PAS leaders.
“We don’t have to set a specific
agenda for the preliminary meeting
which will be the opening move for
whatever matters that we can discuss
together,” he said.
In Sandakan, Umno vice-president
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said
Nik Abdul Aziz’s statement should be
made based on sincerity.
He said unity is an important matter
which could not be put at stake and
must be consistent.
School PTA votes for science, maths in English
PETALING JAYA: SK Bukit Damansara
(SKDB) yesterday got a mandate from its
parent-teacher association (PTA) to appeal
to the Education Ministry to continue with
the current policy of Teaching Science and
Mathematics in English (PPSMI).
PTA committee member Datin Noor
Azimah Abdul Rahim said an extraordinary
general meeting (EGM) was convened
on Saturday to pass the resolution for
the continuation of PPSMI and also to
propose the change of the school status
from SK to SK (SMI) – science and maths
in English.
“It was made clear to the parents that
they were not going against a govern-
ment decision but were seeking to keep
the status quo. One student entitled a
parent to have one vote. The votes were
tallied and it was found that a staggering
97% of parents wanted to be given the
option of PPSMI to be maintained in the
school,” said Azimah in a press confer-
ence yesterday.
She said the option to allow parents,
The lobby group with its message for the government.
Use common sense to evaluate issues, students told
by Husna Yusop
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
SHAH ALAM: Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Najib Abdul Razak wants uni-
versity students to hold fast to the
principle of intellectual honesty when
evaluating issues.
“Use your common sense as
university students to filter and vet
information. Don’t be involved in the
culture of defamation and evil talks,”
he said at the closing of Univer-
siti Teknologi Mara’s Muslim Student
Leadership Convention yesterday.
“We in Umno always welcome ef-
forts which can lead to Muslim unity
and for the people’s interest, no mat-
ter when and where. It’s up to them
whether to agree or discuss.
“If it materialises, praise to God, but
if it doesn’t, we will still continue with
efforts to unite the people,” he told
reporters after opening the Batu Sapi
Umno delegates meeting here.
In Alor Gajah, Umno information
chief Ahmad Maslan said the door for
negotiations on unity between PAS and
Umno is still open.
He said the move was halted previ-
ously because of Nik Abdul Aziz.
“Before, the objection for PAS to
discuss with Umno comes from the
Kelantan mentri besar, and now that
he is willing to make peace (with the
federal government), it means we have
to welcome it so that discussions can
teachers and students to choose illus-
trates the democracy that this country
strongly adheres to.
“The resolution will now be sent to
the prime minister for consideration,”
said Azimah.
Observers from other PTAs were
also present at the EGM.
The move followed a brainstorming
session with several PTAs of top schools
in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya
which want PPSMI to be maintained in
their schools.
Azimah, who is Parents Action Group
for Education (PAGE) chairman, said she
hoped this would be a catalyst for other
schools to convene an EGM and send a
resolution to the prime minister.
She appealed to PTAs making a
similar move to email a copy of their
resolution to pagemalaysia@gmail.com
for them to collate.
For latest information go to
pagemalaysia.blogspot.com.
Meanwhile, a group of concerned
“We know that the era of govern-
ment-knows-best is over. However,
no one can monopolise truth or wis-
dom.”
Najib said student leaders must
organise activities and programmes
that are relevant and meet the needs
of youths.
“Don’t be self-indulgent and forget
about the basics of helping and guid-
ing youths and fellow students so that
they remain on the right track.”
Najib said besides being know-
ledgeable, “students should be multi-
lingual, multi-skilled and be able to
theSun | MONDAY JULY 27 2009
continue and the door for negotiations
be opened,” he told reporters after
giving a talk on current issues organised
by Masjid Tanah Umno in Tanjung Bidara
yesterday.
Ahmad said he regarded the state-
ment by Nik Abdul Aziz as sincere and
that Umno welcomed it.
“When there is an effort for unity,
if it materialises and is implemented,
regardless in what form, the ones to
benefit are not only the Malays, but all
the people and the country.”.
On former MIC vice-president Datuk
S.S. Subramaniam joining Parti Keadilan
Rakyat, Ahmad described him as a per-
son who has no loyalty to his party and
a frustrated man.
“A disloyal person has no place in
Barisan Nasional,” he said, adding that
Subramaniam’s move has no effect on
the BN. – Bernama
parents, NGOs and PTA representa-
tives, who call themselves the “Lobby
Group for Use of English in Maths and
Science in Secondary Schools”, want
the government to consider their views
on the issue.
The group, which was formed three
weeks ago, aims to present appeals,
views and opinions to the government
on the recent reversal of policy to
teach Maths and Science in English in
secondary schools.
“We do not object to the
government’s proposal to teach Maths
and Science in national language and
mother tongue at primary schools, but
we strongly advocate English to be
taught at secondary schools,” said Lee
Hui Seng, who is the coordinator of the
group.
At a press conference held at
Kompleks Sukan yesterday, the group
came up with a proposed plan of action,
which includes;
» holding dialogues with the educa-
tion/deputy education
minister;
» roping in more sup-
port among parents
through blogs, banners,
emails and social net-
working sites;
» promoting letter-
writing campaigns
among members to
media;
» conducting signature
campaigns to send a
petition to the educa-
tion minister; and
» working hand in hand
with other relevant
NGOs, for example
Parent Action Group for
Education (PAGE).
About 11 parents
turned up at the press
conference.
Lee can be contact-
ed at leehuiseng64@
gmail.com.
cope with multi-tasking”.
“Now is the era of the battle of
minds, not military or physical war.
The one with a great mind will win
while the weaker one will lose,” he
said.
He also launched the public univer-
sities’ Damai (Dewan Amal Islam Had-
hari) Club which has 15,000 members
from among university students and
50 Islamic Society members.
He said the government will
always support initiatives to develop
potential student leaders and to equip
them with the right leadership skills.