Barisan Backs Down

(Back down or had no choice)

MSM Title: Barisan backs Ahmad as Terengganu MB .

The Paragraph: Abdullah, who is the Umno president, said the decision was also made based on the fact that Idris, the former Mentri Besar, had said that he would accept whatever decision made by the supreme council and support whoever was chosen to lead the state.

Beat Around Bush: The decision to back Ahmad was made because of Idris’s “acceptance” or because they have no choice but to adhere to the wishes of the King?

Above the law and head!

The story:-

Don’t push the PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Do not push the Prime Minister, warns Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

“No one is above the law. If you go against it, then you must be prepared to face the consequences,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

Hishammuddin said the Government would not hesitate to use laws against those who break them to protect the peace and harmony in the country.

“Don’t push the prime minister. He respects the stability and harmony of Malaysians irrespective of race, religion or colour.

“But we (the Government) will not hesitate to take drastic measures or use laws if the country’s stability is affected,” he added.

Hishammuddin condemned the action of some groups which were out to disturb the country’s peace and stability.

Beating around the Bush

Coming from the Kerismuddin who been drawing up the dagger in almost every UMNO General Assembly lately, it is a joke to hear from this joker that “no one is above the law” and that the PM “respects the stability and harmony of Malaysians irrespective of race, religion or colour”. Probably this is why politician talk has been cheaper than dirt – it hardly holds water

Killer Talk

The story:-

Checks on all Tioman boats

TANGKAK: All boats and ferries between Mersing and Tioman Island have to be fully inspected by the Marine Department before departure, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said. He said any vessel without licences, safety features or not sea-worthy would be banned.

“It is very sad that such a tragedy had to happen and we are told that the vessel had no valid licence,” he told reporters at his Hari Raya open house in Sungai Mati near here yesterday.

The Tioman Island-bound Seagull Express ferry carrying 103 passengers catching fire off the coast of Mersing on Saturday. Four people drowned after jumping off the ferry, five were injured, and three are still reported missing. Abdul Ghani said the ferry operator should take full responsibility of the tragedy and urged the police and the Marine Department to act because the state did not want tourism to be affected.
He said the operator had ignored safety measures and deployed the unlicensed vessel to ferry passengers due to the high demand during the Hari Raya holidays.

He added that the department was unaware of the vessel’s departure from Mersing to Tioman and only knew about it after it caught fire, and the vessel was overloaded as it was carrying 103 passengers and they were not given lifejackets.

An angry Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor called for drastic action against the ferry operator. “I am shocked and upset. We are promoting Visit Malaysia 2007 and these kind of things happen,” he said in Johor Baru yesterday. Tengku Adnan said he was even more upset to hear that the ferry crew jumped into the sea to save themselves first.

He said he would discuss this matter and the safety of other boats with the Transport Ministry immediately. Johor Baru MP Datuk Shahrir Samad called for inspections on all boats to make sure that such tragedies never recurred.

“Why do we always have to wait for a tragedy before we take any action?” he said.

Beating around the Bush

At end of the day, one will be yawning on the reactions of the politicians. After the issue of killer buses, we jumped to problems with killer boats. What next? Killer politicians?

Soft Acts

The story:-

Cross Country: Firm ordered to stop dredging

SEREMBAN: A company dredging sand along the banks of Sungai Linggi, barely a kilometre from the only water treatment plant serving Port Dickson and parts of Rembau, was ordered to shut down operations yesterday.

Although operating with a valid permit, they were directed by the Seremban district office to stop operations immediately.

This was after the plant, run by the state Water Supply Department (JBA), could not treat the river water effectively due to high levels of colloidal dispersion, forcing several shutdowns or reduced production.

This led to supply cuts in Port Dickson and parts of Rembau and Rantau since Monday, about the same time the dredging began in that particular area.
State Energy, Water and Telecommunications Committee chairman Datuk Rais Zainuddin said it was very clear that the dredging was taking place too close to the plant.

“There is not enough time for sedimentation to take place before water flows into the plant for treatment,” he told reporters at the plant, near Rantau.

Rais, accompanied by JBA officials, spent about an hour checking the damage.
He was concerned as Hari Raya was just around the corner.

“This is the only plant serving these areas. It treats 136.5 million litres of water daily.

“What is going to happen if JBA has no choice but to cut the supply during the festive period?”

Beating around the Bush

What’s wrong with government officials? Either they are too dumb or too reckless to allow a problem to prolong for a long time.

One usual issue is where there are logging or construction activities near water catchment or treatment plant – approvals is given without any thought of potential problem to the catchment areas. Latest is dredging too near to the treatment plant.

Everything is “OK” until the problem hits them on their face.

How Tall?

The story:-

Najib: We can now stand taller

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians now “stand a few inches taller,” said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“It is not easy to be an astronaut. I take this as a huge success, as there is a Malaysian who can be recognised as an astronaut and this success means we have started exploring a new dimension which all this time has only been explored by others,” he said after the first Angkasawan Negara was lifted off to the International Space Station (ISS) yesterday.

Asked if the Government was planning to send a Malaysian to the moon next, he replied: “Let’s take one step at a time.

“We must do what we can as a small country but with big ambitions.”

Beating around the Bush

Actually there is many other ways that is cheaper and more honourable for Malaysians to stand tall. This expensive trip is not one of them and don’t let us start with the “moon mission” either

Independant Panel

The story:-

Panel to get appointment letters today

KUALA LUMPUR: The three-man panel formed to determine the authenticity of a controversial video clip implicating a senior lawyer brokering the appointments of judges will receive their appointment letters today.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will present the letters to them at his office in Putrajaya.

The three are former Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Haidar Mohd Noor, who heads the panel, National Service Council chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye and former Court of Appeal judge Datuk Mahadev Shankar.

Haidar, when contacted yesterday, said the panel would get a clearer picture of their scope of duties and powers after meeting Najib.

The panel’s terms of reference include conducting a full inquiry, analysing evidence and making a conclusion on the video tape.

It is understood that the panel met informally yesterday.

The eight-minute video shows a man purported to be a senior lawyer talking on his handphone with a Datuk who is alleged to be a senior judge.

Beating around the Bush

Just a thought – how independence this independent panel is going to be? Or was it created quickly to muzzle out the strong reaction to the leaked video controversy?