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PR leaders to keep their
internal squabbles discreet
by Tim Leonard
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: In a bid to prevent
its component party leaders from
publicly taking shots at one another,
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) yesterday an-
nounced a strategy that could see
more restraint and muted expres-
sion of feelings, although not directly
a gag order.
PR leader Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim told the press after a three-
hour ‘strengthening Pakatan Rakyat’
meeting yesterday that all leaders,
MPs and assemblymen from PAS,
DAP and PKR will use internal chan-
nels to voice their disagreements
or disappointments against their
peers.
“The spat between our politicians
received wide media coverage and
this is not something good,” said
Anwar.
Also present was PAS president
Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and
DAP leader Lim Kit Siang as well as
senior leaders from all three parties.
“So after discussions, we all
agreed that any grievance must be
channelled internally, through the
proper channels,” he said.
Anwar said coalition has agreed
to set up two committees following
the recent media coverage which
pitted one politician against another
from the opposition camp on issues
of public interest.
“One committee will look into
issues pertaining to policies, and an-
other will look into strengthening ties
among the parties within Pakatan,”
said Anwar.
When asked if the move could be
termed as a gag order, Anwar said it
wasn’t, describing it more of a move
to prevent one politician from openly
criticising another.
“If the problem cannot be settled,
then we should refer the matter to
the disciplinary panel for the next
course of action,” he said.
“Importantly, we must take steps
to strengthen PR and the secretariat,”
he said.
Anwar also said Selangor execu-
tive councillors Datuk Dr Hassan Ali
(PAS) and Ronnie Liu (DAP) have
patched their differences over the
issue of beer ban in Shah Alam.
Hassan and Liu later shook
hands and posed for photographs
together.
Hassan, who is Selangor PAS
chief, had called for the removal of
Liu from the state government for
asking the Shah Alam city council
officers to return beer seized from a
convenience store.
The Selangor DAP, in return, called
for a disciplinary committee by PR to
take action against Hassan.
Villagers
Seven more
H1N1 deaths,
keep
bulldozers
at bay
pg 6&7
toll rises to 51
INFLUENZA A(H1N1) HOTLINE
» 03-88810200/300
» 03-88834414/415
KUALA LUMPUR: Seven more
deaths relating to Influenza
A(H1N1) were confirmed yester-
day, bringing the death toll to 51.
Health Minister Datuk Seri
Liow Tiong Lai said the deaths
were from the high-risk group
who had high blood pressure,
heart disease, low immunity or
congenital disease.
They were aged between four
months and 92 years old.
“Currently, there are 51 cases
in the wards, 29 in Intensive Care
Units (ICU) and 16 out of the 29
in ICUs are from the high-risk
group,” he told reporters after
launching the Malaysian Asso-
ciation for the Study of Obesity
conference here.
Liow said patients with flu-
like symptoms and heart prob-
lems, those with persistent high
fever for more than two days and
those tested positive for Influenza
A or B through rapid test would
No fixed guidelines
for closing schools
MALACCA: There are no fixed
guidelines for closing schools
to check the spread of H1N1,
instead it is left to the wisdom
of school heads after consulting
their respective state health
departments, said Deputy Prime
Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin
Yassin.
Muhyiddin, who is also educa-
tion minister, said based on the
feedback received by him and his
deputy Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong,
different decisions were made as
to whether to continue classes
in handling the pandemic within
each state.
“As this concerns aspects
of health, my instruction is that
before a school headmaster or
principal makes a decision, he or
she should first ask the health de-
partment to make an evaluation
of the situation,” he told reporters
after opening the 2009 National
Farmers, Live Stock Farmers and
Fishermen’s Day celebrations at
the Malacca International Trade
Centre in Ayer Keroh here yes-
terday.
Also present were Malacca
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd
Wholesalers hoarding sugar
face revocation of licence
KANGAR: Wholesalers hoarding
sugar to the extent of causing a
shortage in the market will face
stern action including revocation
of their licences.
The warning came form Do-
mestic Trade, Cooperatives and
Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri
Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who said that
the government would not compro-
mise on this.
“Instructions have been issued
| FRIDAY AUGUST 14 2009
be given antiviral treatment im-
mediately.
For these groups there was no
need to wait for a confirmation
from the Institute for Medical
Research (IMR) or the Sungai
Buloh Hospital.
Liow also urged doctors to
give seven days’ medical leave
to those suffering from flu so that
they could continue treatment at
home and not expose themselves
to the public.
He called on the people not
to panic because 98% of those
who contracted the disease had
recovered.
Liow said the current situa-
tion, though serious because of
the increase in fatalities, did not
warrant the government declar-
ing a health emergency.
He said the ministry had asked
the school authorities to closely
monitor their students and send
the sick ones home to rest.
He said parents must also
cooperate by ensuring that their
children did not go to school and
were immediately treated by a
doctor if they showed signs of
H1N1. – Bernama
Ali Rustam and Agriculture and
Agro-based Industry Minister
Datuk Noh Omar. – Bernama
Rais: Don’t take
alarmist approach
PUTRAJAYA: Information Com-
munication and Culture Minister
Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim has
cautioned against adopting an
alarmist approach in the wake of
the H1N1 pandemic.
He said that although pre-
cautionary steps must be taken,
it should not be to the extent
of hampering the activities of
society. There was no necessity,
therefore, to cancel outdoor ac-
tivities unless the cancellations
were on the advice of the Health
Ministry, he told reporters after
launching an Arabic newspaper,
Ahlan, here yesterday.
At the ministry level, he said,
it was not decided yet whether
to require people to wear face
masks at all functions.
“The cabinet on Wednesday
decided to let the Health Ministry
determine the severity of the
pandemic but at the same time
allow the public to continue
activities which are practical,” he
said. – Bernama
to the ministry’s state directors
nationwide to immediately revoke
the licences of the wholesalers who
deliberately hoard sugar without
the minister’s consent,” he told
reporters here yesterday.
The government was also of-
fering a reward of RM10,000 to
anyone who could provide informa-
tion on the hoarding of sugar which
could lead to the case being solved.
– Bernama