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Husna Yusop and Giam Say Khoon at the Dewan Rakyat
‘Mechanism’ to handle
race issues: PM
PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi said yesterday a
“mechanism” will be designed to handle
issues related to the races and religions in
the country.
He told a press conference in his office
in Parliament proper attention must be
given to such issues because they are
sensitive and will create a lot of problems
if not managed properly.
Asked how he will do it, Abdullah said
“I will have to talk to a few people” but
declined to disclose more.
It was reported that the proposed Race
Relations Act, aimed at strengthening ties
among the races, had been approved by the
cabinet in September.
Abdullah also spoke on:
» The economy
With the strong domestic economy and
consumption, he is confident Malaysia’s
growth rate for this year will exceed 5%.
“However, this does not mean that 2009
will be an easy year for the people. We
must grow our strength on sectors which
have the potential for growth, especially the
services, tourism and Islamic banking as
well as agriculture sector,” he said.
Abdullah said Malaysia must ensure
sufficient food supply for the people.
Caucus proposes RM1b
retrenchment fund
A NEWLY-FORMED Workers and Immigrant
Workers Caucus proposed to the government
yesterday to set up a RM1 billion retrench-
ment fund to cushion the effects of possible
retrenchments next year because of the global
economic crisis.
Caucus chairman Abdullah Sani Abdul
Hamid (PKR-Kuala Langat) said the caucus
will arrange a meeting with Human Resources
Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam.
“If RM5 billion can be loaned to Valuecap by
the government (to inject in the stock market)
we don’t see a problem for the government to
allocate RM1 billion to set up the retrenchment
fund,” Abdullah Sani told a news conference at
the Parliament lobby.
“Section 24 of the Employment Act 1955
actually allows the deduction (of salary) from
employers and employees to set up the fund.
“Based on the law, we suggest a deduction
of RM1 from every employer and employee,
and an allocation of RM1 billion from the gov-
theSun | FRIDAY DECEMBER 19 2008
“In these difficult times, I want to
have sufficient food supply. It is fine if we
cannot buy new clothes, new cars or new
cushions, we must have enough food for
our people, which is very important,” he
said.
“We want our people to feel safe from all
sorts of threats.”
» On the recently-passed Malaysian
Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)
Bill and Judiciary Appointments
Commission (JAC) Bill
Abdullah said it was a matter of
interpretation for those who questioned
if the bills contradict the Federal
Constitution.
“We have studied them (the bills)
thoroughly and consulted many quarters
and the bills could still be tabled in the
Parliament,” he said.
He hoped the people will understand
the effort of the government in drafting the
laws and support the effort .
» On the Special Complaints
Commission Bill
Abdullah said the bill, related to
the creation of the Independent Police
Complaints and Misconduct Commission
(IPCMC), will be tabled in the Parliament
in February for second reading.
ernment to set up the fund.”
He said the fund must be set up quickly as
a prediction by the Malaysian Trades Union
Congress (MTUC) shows that a total of 700,000
workers will be retrenched in 2009 and 2010.
The caucus also called on the government
to stop the intake of foreign workers from next
year to ensure sufficient working opportunities
for Malaysians.
Abdullah Sani said the quota for employers
to hire foreign workers should be frozen and
the caucus will arrange a meeting with Home
Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.
M. Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat), who
is the caucus secretary, said the government
must find a solution to accommodate Malay-
sians who are retrenched in Singapore.
The caucus, with 17 MPs from both Barisan
Nasional and the Opposition, was formed
on Wednesday during a meeting chaired by
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department
Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.
Prosecution ticked off
over witness no-show
PETALING JAYA: Raja Petra Raja Kamarud-
din’s sedition trial in the sessions court here
became rather heated yesterday when the
prosecution’s fifth witness again failed to
be present in court, forcing it to postpone
hearing to February 10 next year.
Raja Petra’s counsel, Gobind Singh Deo,
gave the prosecution a tongue-lashing when
told that the witness, DSP Gan Tack Guan,
was attending a course in Taiwan and would
only be available after Dec 21.
Gan failed to be present the first time on
Nov 10 because he was ill.
Gobind took DPP Roslan Mat Noor to task
over the matter, claiming the prosecution
was deliberately delaying the trial.
Judge Rozina Ayob then interceded and
called for a short recess to the proceedings
to enable Roslan to get all material informa-
tion on why Gan could not be present.
Roslan later said Gan’s office would fax
the pertinent details to the court and asked
for a two-week adjournment.
Raja Petra, 58, the editor of the Malaysia-
Today news portal, is alleged to have pub-
lished a seditious article at his house in Bukit
Rahman Putra, Sungai Buloh. – Bernama