Shahrizat will not challenge Rafidah

Datuk Sharizat Jalil, the deputy Wanita chief, will not challenge incumbent Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz in the coming party election in March, allowing the latter to retain her post until June when she hands over her leadership as planned.

The decision was reached after the Wanita Umno executive council held a six-hour meeting yesterday.

Rafidah, had on Aug 4, revealed the transition plan saying that she will stand for election this year and step down and hand over her post to Shahrizat in mid-2009.

She also asked members to support her decision not to have any contest for the top two posts. Sharizat accepted Rafidah's decision.

But on Sunday Shahrizat had said in a press statement that she wanted the leadership transition plan between her and Rafidah to be brought forward to March in line with the transition of power between Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. In other words, she’d like Rafidah to step down earlier than planned.

Many members had asked her to declare her stand on the transition plan she said. She has received 73 nominations for the post of Wanita Umno chief, making her eligible to contest for the movement’s top slot. The number of nominations she has picked is also an indication that Wanita members wanted her to lead.

At the press conference after the meeting, Shahrizat explained that as a lawyer she was just putting down her thoughts into words and taking into consideration the views of the grassroots.

Here's Malaysiakini's report

Shahrizat will not challenge Rafidah

Nov 10, 08 8:11pm

Wanita Umno deputy leader Shahrizat Abdul Jalil will not challenge incumbent Rafidah Aziz in the party polls next March to allow the latter to retain the post without a fight.

And as planned, Rafidah will hand over power to Shahrizat in June, thus enabling the younger woman to act as the acting head of the movement.

These were the decisions made by the members of the Wanita Umno executive council in a six-hour meeting held today.

Their decisions were unanimous, although executive council member Kamilia Ibrahim - who has secured enough nominations to contest the post held by Shahrizat now - did not attend today's meeting.

It is still uncertain how Kamilia can throw the spanner in the decisions reached by the women's wing today.

As it stands, Shahrizat has enough nominations to stand in the election for the top post but she has decided to bide her time and wait for the June handover by Rafidah.

"I will take the initiative to negotiate with Kamilia together with Rafidah. I believe a wise decision can be reached," she told reporters.

To ensure solidarity

Rafidah also told reporters that she had the backing of the executive council to pursue with her transition plan.

"We had an in-depth discussion on the nominations. The executive council have agreed with the transition plan which was decided earlier and it will take place in June 2009."

Shahrizat who was present at the press conference, said she accepted the executive council's decision.

"I still respect the transition plan announced by Rafidah in August and today when we met, I personally asked her: Do you agree that about the transition plan, we open it for discussion?

"They have asked for it for the sake of Wanita Umno solidarity and to strengthen it; so we are maintaining the status quo until June," she said.

"I listen to the grassroots, I thanked them. I listen to what the executive council wants but most of all, I believe in the Rafidah's leadership.

"So, I say okay. This is for the good of the nation, for the party. Then I accept it," she said.

The dark horse Kamilia

The consensus reached by the executive council today was indeed a surprise as it was reported only yesterday that Shahrizat was going to ask Rafidah to bring forward her transition plan, preferably to March to coincide with the party polls.

Shahrizat's position is quite shaky with the present set up as she could face a tough battle - and lose - to Kamilia, leaving her with nothing.

If that happens, Rafidah would then be forced to hand over the leadership as planned to her deputy in June.

Many Wanita members also feel that the June transition plan would put a lot of pressure on the incoming chief - be it Shahrizat or Kamilia - as that person would have to prepare for the next general election on her own, without the aide of a deputy.

Umno issues show cause letter to Zaid - Malaysiakini

Former de facto Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim (picture right) today said that he had been issued with a show cause letter by Umno, asking him to explain his open letter on the Internal Security Act to the prime minister, according to the news portal Malaysia kini. Read the report below:

"The letter also wanted me to explain my participation in an ISA event organised by the Pakatan Rakyat in Parliament," he told reporters today.

He said that he received the show cause letter sometime last week. He added that his lawyer, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, would be responding to the matter soon.

Zaid left the cabinet after objecting the use of ISA against member of parliament Teresa Kok, blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin and Sin Chew journalist Tan Hoon Cheng in September.

Last week he also resigned from his post as a senator.

On Sept 29, he wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, urging him to repeal the ISA.

He was embroiled in another controversy last week for questioning the status of Malays in a speech. This prompted several Umno leaders to urge the party to take action against Zaid.

Umno Polls: Muhyiddin looks set to face a tough challenge...

It’s not going to be a walkover for International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He will be facing Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam and Umno Information chief Muhammad Muhd Taib for the second most powerful post in the party election in March - making the contest a three-way battle.

Ali Rustam, who is also Umno vice-president has secured enough nominations to contest for the post in the party polls. His 39th nomination - the minimum required - came from the Pasir Putih Umno division in Kelantan on Saturday.

Muhammad Taib, the last among the three contenders to be eligible to contest for the post succeeded in getting more than the required numbers on Sunday, the last day of the party’s divisional meetings, with nominations from Kelana Jaya and Hulu Terengganu divisions. He now has 43, three less than Ali Rustam's 46 nominations.

The former Selangor Menteri Besar, said to be fiercely loyal to current party President Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, was forced to step down from his post in 1997 after being charged in Australia for holding currency worth RM3.8 million. He was found not guilty and appointed a senator in 2006 by Abdullah.

Muhyiddin, the former Mentri Besar of Johore and frontrunner for the post, has already bagged 90 nominations. He qualified to contest four weeks ago.

But Umno president-elect Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who won the party's top post uncontested last week, has not publicly declared his preference for the party No 2 spot, and this has turned the contest wide open.

In fact, his division of Pekan abstained from nominating candidates for the party Supreme Council posts, including the deputy presidency, to avoid influencing the delegates in the party election.

Datuk Seri Abdullah had also recently pointed out that there was nothing wrong with any contest for No 2, which many read as tacit support for Ali Rustam.

The race is particularly significant because the Umno deputy president is traditionally appointed Deputy Prime Minister, and will be considered a potential future Prime Minister.

The post was last contested in 1987 party elections – between the then incumbent Tun Musa Hitam and the lateTun Ghaffar Baba.

Police disperse Bersih rally, arrest 24 - Malaysiakini

Police dispersed a crowd of about 300 people gathered at a field opposite the Amcorp Mall here on Sunday night to mark the first anniversary of the Bersih rally, arresting 24 people as well.

The rally was to commemorate the march last November that called for a free and fair general election.

Among those arrested were PJ Utara Member of Parliament Tony Pua,Kampung Tunku state assemblyman Lau Weng San, MBPJ counsellor Tiew Fei Chin and a videographer from the Malaysiakini news portal.

Police disperse crowd, 24 arrested

By Malaysiakini Team

Riot police today dispersed about 300 people who had gathered at the Petaling Jaya Civic Centre.

The police moved into the crowd just as they were singing the national anthem and getting ready to leave.

The crowd had walked over to the PJ Civic Centre shortly after 9.30pm after they had been originally dispersed from the Padang Timur, about a kilometre away, where they had gathered to take part in a candlelight vigil.

Just as the crowd started re-gathering at the Civic Centre, a team of anti-riot squad and a water cannon truck arrived.

Shortly afterwards the police started dispersing the crowd using their shields.

In the ensuing melee, police arrested PJ Utara member of parliament and DAP leader Tony Pua, Kampung Tunku state representative Lau Weng San and 22 others. Also arrested was Malaysiakini videographer Shukri Mohamad.

"I was shooting the water cannon truck when a policeman told me to stop that. He ordered me to hand over the camera and tape. I turned and walked away when I was arrested," Shukri said when contacted.

Eyewitnesses said that Pua was taken into a waiting Black Maria.

The police were also seen chasing the crowd into an Indian restaurant located opposite the Civic Centre. Those arrested have been taken to the Petaling Jaya police station.

A small group of people have gathered outside in support of those arrested under the watchful eyes of a team of police anti-riot squad.

Candlelight vigil called off

Earlier, at about 9.35pm, a candlelight vigil organised by polls reform group Bersih was hampered by police insistence on the gathered crowd to disperse.

The vigil was to have started at 9.30pm at Padang Timur opposite Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya.

However, the police had started blocking the roads leading to the venue as early as 7pm. And as the scheduled 9.30pm approached, the police urged the gathered crowd in the field to disperse.

The crowd had then moved into the nearby Amcorp mall.

Among those in the crowd were recently court-released ISA detainee Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Selangor exco member Ronnie Liu and DAP leaders Lau Weng San and Pua.

At about 9.30pm, the organisers told the crowd to disperse to avoid any trouble with the police. Some of those in the crowd then decided to hold a mini-procession from the field to the PJ Civic Centre, about a kilometre away.

Roads blocked

Eyewitnesses told Malaysiakini that roads leading to the PJ field have earlier been blocked by the police from about 7pm.

Some have complained that the roadblocks had stopped them from going to a wellknown fast-food outlet in the vicinity.

Many had to park their vehicles in PJ new town - some two-kilometres away -to walk to the field to take part in the vigil. At about 8pm, eye-witnesses said that about 100 people had gathered at the venue.

The police meanwhile had began asking the crowd to leave the place. By 8.30pm - with only an hour away from the planned vigil - the police managed to turn away most of the people from the field.

The crowd, which had by then grew to about 200, moved closer to the Amcorp mall, waiting for the organisers to start the vigil.

No water cannons

At the same time, about 20 federal reserve unit personnel took position just outside the shopping mall. The planned candlelight vigil scheduled at 9.30 did not take place.

Tonight's vigil was to have featured speakers from both civil society groups and political parties.

Bersih commemorates 2007 rally with candlelight vigil - Malaysiakini

Nov 9, 08 7:46pm

Polls reform movement Bersih will be holding a candlelight vigil tonight at 9pm in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

The venue for the vigil - held in commemoration of the Nov 10 rally which attracted about 50,000 people last year - is the MBPJ stadium opposite Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya.

Tonight's vigil will feature speakers from both civil society groups and political parties.

Bersih - in full the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections - calls for electoral reform as well as for the abolition of the ISA in a push for a democratic and free Malaysia.

A similar rally will also be held in Ipoh tonight to commemorate the first anniversary of the Bersih rally In Kuala Lumpur last year. Continue here

Sodomy trial: Anwar wins first round - Malaysiakini

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has won the first round of a legal battle against a transfer of his sodomy trial to the High Court, after a sessions court judge ruled that the lower court had the right to hear the defence's objections to the transfer. Malaysiakini has the story:

Nov 7, 08 3:42pm

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today ruled in favour of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and decided that his sodomy trial would be heard in the same court.

Delivering the ruling this afternoon, judge SM Komathy Suppiah had ruled that the transfer order signed by Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail was invalid.The court fixed next Friday for ention.

The decision will pave the way for the sodomy trial to begin - three months after Anwar claimed trial after being charged with sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23.

If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in jail. He is currently out on a RM20,000 personal bond.

AG's role disputed

In previous arguments on the case transfer, Anwar had objected to the application because the transfer certificate was signed by Abdul Gani.

The defence team's objection was on the basis that the AG should not have played any role in this case as he is being investigated for allegedly having tampered with evidence in Anwar's trials 10 years ago.

The defence has also argued that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had given an assurance that Abdul Gani would not be involved in the case

Court orders Raja Petra's release - Malaysiakini

THE Shah Alam High Court today released Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin from detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA) after allowing his application for a writ of habeas corpus. Malaysiakini has the (updated) report below.

The Shah Alam High Court this morning ruled that the detention of well-known blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin (picture right) under the ISA was illegal and ordered his immediate release.

Judge Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad said that Raja Petra's detention was unconstitutional.

He said that the Home Minister had not followed the proper procedure under Section 8 of the ISA to issue the detention order against Raja Petra.

The judge also ordered that Raja Petra, editor of the popular 'Malaysia Today' website, be produced in court by 4pm today after which he should be immediately released.

Raja Petra is presently being held at the Kamunting detention centre in Perak.

"Now is about 10.30am, and I think there is enough time for Raja Petra to be released. I do not want this matter to be prolonged as the weekend starts tomorrow," said the judge.

"I thank the prosecution for their cooperation in handling this case and require your assistance to ensure that the order would be carried out," he added.

Senior Federal Counsel Abdul Wahab Mohammad said he would make the necessary arrangements by 4pm.

The release comes more than a month after Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar signed the ISA detention order on Sept 23, although Raja Petra was initially arrested under the Act on Sept 12 from his house in Sungai Buloh.

Reasons for the detention

Raja Petra, 58, named the Home Minister as the defendant in the habeas corpus application, which sought among others for his immediate release and an order that his detention under the ISA was unlawful.

The minister had stated three reasons for Raja Petra's detention:

* that he owns and operates the Malaysia Today website;

* publishing his articles and readers' comments intentionally and recklessly which were critical and insulted Muslims, affecting the purity of the religion and the personality of Prophet Muhammad; and

* publishing articles deemed defamatory or false concerning Malaysia's leaders, with the intention of undermining public confidence and inciting hatred against the government. The articles are alleged to be a threat to national security.

The said articles in questions were 'Malays, the Enemy of Islam', 'Let's send the Altantuya murderers to hell', 'I promise to be a good, non-hypocritical Muslim' and 'Not all Arabs are descendents of the Prophet'.

Raja Petra was represented was also represented by counsel Azhar zizan Harun, J Chandra and Ashok Kumar.

Raja Petra's wife Marina Lee Abdullah was also present to listen to the judgment which was delivered before a packed court room.

Marina was in tears and hugged her daughter when hearing the judge rdering the release.Raja Petra's supporters who were wearing black, yellow, green and orange t-shirts with the message 'No ISA' and 'Free RPK' clapped when the decision was made.

A procedural non-compliance

Syed Ahmad Helmy in his judgment said the court looked into two factors, namely the constitutionality of the ct and whether the home minister acted correctly within his jurisdiction to issue the order.

He said under Section 8(b) of the ISA indicated that those issued with he detention order by the minister may not be allowed for judicial review, however, the court could hear such an application if there were instances of possible abuse of powers.

"I agree the formulation of the ISA was to protect the security of the ation and is constitutional. However, the court could review the detention order if it found instances where the minister could have acted beyond his jurisdiction to issue the two-years' detention order."

Syed Ahmad Helmy said there was no relevance for the minister to issue the order on Raja Petra on the basis of mala fide.

"Following this, the court finds there is a procedural non-compliance as stated under Section 8(1) of the ISA based on the minister's ffidavit.

"Hence the court finds the minister had acted ultra vires (beyond the owers) in issuing the detention order under the ISA section. For example, the minister cannot issue an order if a person had in bad faith decided to colour his hair red."

"Following this, the court is allowing the plaintiff's application and order for his release," the judge said.

Raja Petra's lawyer Malik had during submissions before today's decision said the court had the jurisdiction to scrutinise the detention order if it was made in bad faith.

"This is not a situation like Jemaah Islamiyah or communists. This is just a man whom the government thinks can bring it down to its knees," the counsel said during submission.

Razak Baginda cancels press conference

Recently acquitted Abdul Razak Baginda (picture left) cancelled a press conference scheduled at a hotel here on Thursday, according to a Malaysiakini report. (Read here)

A group of local and international reporters had turned up at the hotel in anticipation of Razak breaking his silence .

The press conference was supposed to be his first following his acquittal on Oct 31 of abetment in the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Several media organisations had received information on Wednesday night that the press conference had been cancelled but reporters and photographers still turned up at the hotel Thursday morning in case he changed his mind.

The journalists left when told by a senior manager of the hotel that the press conference had been cancelled.

Abdul Razak was however present at his home in Damansara, but he left the house with his family when several reporters arrived there without speaking to them.

His daughter, Rowena, issued a statement later, apologising for the cancellation.

"We apologise profusely for any inconvenience and confusion in this matter. As you can imagine there is much readjustment that my father has to do. "

Abdullah hopes Obama's election will bring positive changes to the world – The Sun

(Nov 5, 2008) : Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi hopes Senator Barack Obama's election as president of the United States will bring positive changes to the world.

In congratulating Obama for being the first African-American to win the White House race, Abdullah said:

"His victory is expected to bring changes in the affairs of the US, I hope the Obama presidency will also bring positive changes to the world.

"I hope president-elect Obama will give immediate attention to address the situation in Iraq, Afghanistan and in particular Palestine. I hope there will also be positive changes to the situation concerning Iran," he told a press conference at Parliament.

On ties with the United States, Abdullah said he looks forward to a new era of friendlier relations between Malaysia and US. Continue here.

And here’s what our leaders say. All of them see Obama’s victory as reflecting an important change in the American mindset.

Leaders elated over Obama's election –Malaysiakini

Foreign Affairs Minister Rais Yatim: "Malaysia... hopes Obama's government will be more sensitive to the sovereignty of smaller nations and will not use force in resolving global conflicts," he said in a statement.

Malaysia welcomes him as the new light in the struggle for democracy.

As America's first black president his victory has shown that Americans can accept a leader regardless of colour, religion or beliefs."

"Obama's victory is seen as bringing change and hope to the world."

Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general:
Obama’s rise to arguably the most powerful position in the world augurs well for global politics, said Lim.

He described the landslide win as a symbol of transformation of the American mindset.

“The Americans have voted in a president based on character and the principles of rule of law, equality, human rights, justice and democracy, rather than colour of skin,” he said.

Anwar Ibrahim: Obama's decisive victory signals a new chapter in the history of America, said the Opposition leader.

"His call for unity and his promise to forge a new direction in the relationship between the US and the rest of the world is welcomed by Malaysians.

"The support that president-elect Obama draws from across racial, religious and generational lines parallels the sentiments felt by Malaysians from all walks of life who earlier this year cast votes in vehement opposition to the failed policies of an incumbent regime," he said in a statement.

Anwar added that nations which have been at odds with the US may now find opportunities to cooperate on issues of foreign policy, sustainable development and the environment.

"His administration also brings renewed prospects for engagement between the United States and Muslim countries.

"Some of the most contentious issues of our time, including the ongoing conflicts and confrontations in the Middle East, require a commitment to diplomacy, a willingness to engage in a meaningful dialogue and a departure from the aggressive unilateralism witnessed in recent years.

"In this we anticipate that president-elect Obama will show leadership where previous administrations have failed." - Excerpts from Malaysia kini .