SHAHIDAN OFFERS HIS PENSION FOR MOSQUE ACTIVITIES

Former Perlis menteri besar, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim is offering his pension and State Assemblyman's allowance to implement mosque activities throughout the state.

Shahidan, who is the State Assemblyman for Tambun Tulang, made the offer when participating in the debate supporting the motion for the 2010 Perlis Budget Estimates at the State Assembly sitting, here Wednesday.

He said his offer was sincere to ensure that the programme, which was introduced during his tenure as menteri besar, could be revived as it had a positive impact on the Muslims.

He said he was offering his pension and allowance after he knew that the state government could not undertake the programme due to the lack of funds.

BUNG MOKHTAR NAFI KAWINI ZIZIE

Anggota Parlimen Kinabatangan Datuk Bung Moktar Radin Rabu menafikan bahawa beliau akan berkahwin dengan pelakon terkenal tanah air, Zizie Ezette.

"Saya tidak cukup kacak untuk beliau," kata wakil rakyat Barisan Nasional itu ketika dihubungi melalui telefon selepas wakil media gagal menjejakinya di Bangunan Parlimen di sini.

Desas-desus yang mengatakan Bung Moktar, 50, akan berkahwin dengan Zizie, 31, merebak dengan pantas di Parlimen sejak pelakon itu membuat pengakuan dilamar seorang Anggota Parlimen dari Sabah baru-baru ini.

Sebelum itu, Bung Moktar telah berjanji untuk datang ke bangunan Parlimen untuk berjumpa dengan beberapa wakil media yang ingin mendapatkan kepastian mengenai hubungan beliau dan Zizie.

Bagaimanapun, wakil media kemudiannya dimaklumkan melalui SMS bahawa beliau sibuk dan terpaksa menghadiri satu mesyuarat hari ini.

"Sorry, there is no kahwin kahwin kahwin, hahahaha," katanya dalam satu lagi SMS kepada media.

Ditanya sama ada beliau telah melamar Zizie menerusi SMS, Bung Moktar tidak membalasnya.

Selain media, ramai Anggota Parlimen turut tercari-cari Bung Moktar untuk mengesahkan perkara itu.

Rakan karib beliau, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz, ketika dihubungi, enggan memberi sebarang komen manakala Datuk Ismail Kassim (BN-Arau) pula berkata, perkara itu soal peribadi dan beliau tidak tahu mengenainya.

BLOGGERS DON'T FOLLOW RULES

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said some bloggers, unlike local journalists, do not adhere to the rules and ethics of journalism in their bid to garner popularity.

The local journalists adhered to ethics but these bloggers did not, and this was what differentiated the journalists from these bloggers," he said at the presentation of the 2009 ExxonMobil Journalism Awards in Kuala terengganu last night.

Hishammuddin said journalists in the country would have nothing to fear so long as their reports adhered to the ethics of journalism, adding that they would be accepted by the people.

He said journalists who reported the truth would not be penalised and those who spread slander would not be successful.

At the function, two Bernama journalists were among those honoured. Wan Affandi Wan Mahadi of Bernama TV was awarded the second prize (RM1,000 cash) in the audio visual category while Ibrahim Abu Bakar won the third prize (RM750) in the sports writing category.

APABILA 71 AHLI PARLIMEN BN PONTENG

Bajet 2010, belanjawan sulung yang dibentangkan oleh Datuk Seri Najib Razak selepas dilantik sebagai Perdana Menteri April lalu, diluluskan dengan perbezaan undi amat tipis oleh Dewan Rakyat lewat malam tadi.

Bacaan kali ketiga diluluskan dengan 66 menyokong manakala 63 menolak — menjadi ujian kepada kepimpinan Barisan Nasional (BN) dan Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Difahamkan ini kali pertama satu bajet diluluskan dengan perbezaan undi yang tipis, di mana jika ditolak boleh membawa implikasi negatif terhadap kerajaan pimpinan BN.

Pembangkang menganggap ia sebagai satu "kejayaan besar" buat PR yang dipimpin oleh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sehingga dikatakan hampir 'berjaya' untuk menumbangkan kerajaan BN.

The Malaysian Insider difahamkan pemimpin tertinggi kedua-dua BN dan PR telah segera mengarahkan tindakan tegas diambil ke atas wakil-wakil mereka yang tidak berada di Parlimen malam tadi.

Berdasarkan amalan kerajaan demokratik, jika bajet tidak diluluskan ia boleh dianggap sebagai keputusan undi tidak percaya terhadap kerajaan semasa, sekali gus membuka laluan kepada pembentukan kerajaan yang baru.

Sebelum undian bacaan kali ketiga berlangsung, bajet itu diluluskan dengan perbezaan satu undi ketika ia melibatkan perbahasan peringkat jawatankuasa Kementerian Dalam Negeri — kementerian terakhir di peringkat jawatankuasa kali ini.

Pakatan pernah mempertimbangkan pendekatan ini ketika membahaskan Bajet 2009 tahun lalu selepas usaha projek 16 September Anwar gagal.

Perkembangan itu dikatakan telah mencetuskan suasana cemas di Parlimen malam tadi sehingga Najib terpaksa bergegas ke Parlimen untuk mengambil bahagian dalam sesi pengundian.

Turut mengambil bahagian dalam undian bacaan kali ketiga ialah Najib yang dilaporkan bergegas ke Parlimen selepas berucap pada majlis makan malam sempena ulang tahun ke-90 Sekolah Menengah Persendirian Chong Hwa di sini malam tadi.

Menteri Pengangkutan Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat dan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon juga bergegas ke Parlimen dari lokasi majlis tersebut.

Kini, BN mempunyai 137 wakil di Dewan Rakyat manakala PR 82 manakala tiga yang lain adalah Bebas.

Dewan Rakyat ditangguhkan kira-kira 11.15 malam tadi selepas bacaan kali ketiga diluluskan.

Najib membentangkan Bajet 2010 bernilai RM191.5 bilion yang mengandungi tiga strategi utama iaitu untuk memacu negara ke arah ekonomi berpendapatan tinggi, memastikan pembangunan holistik dan mapan, dan mengutamakan kesejahteraan rakyatpada 23 Oktober lalu.

Najib dalam bajet sulungnya sebagai Perdana Menteri yang bertemakan 1 Malaysia, Kemakmuran Bersama memperuntukkan RM138.3 bilion atau 72.2 peratus untuk perbelanjaan mengurus dan RM53.2 bilion atau 27.8 peratus untuk perbelanjaan pembangunan.

Peruntukan belanjawan 2010 ini merupakan pengurangan sebanyak 11.2 peratus berbanding dengan jumlah peruntukan belanjawan 2009 sebanyak RM215.7 bilion.

Dalam pada itu Ahli Parlimen Kubang Kerian, Salahuddin Ayub ketika mengulas perkembangan tersebut berkata ia menunjukkan bahawa kehadiran PR semakin dirasakan.

"Kehadiran kami dirasakan... kami telah menunjukkan satu indikator penting malam ini (malam tadi)," kata beliau yang juga Naib Presiden PAS kepada The Malaysian Insider.

"Keputusan (dengan perbezaan) satu undi di peringkat jawatankuasa dan tiga undi di peringkat bacaan kali ketiga telah memberi satu keyakinan bahawa kami boleh melakukan sesuatu yang signifikan di Parlimen... bahawa PR menjadi pakatan alternatif yang serius," katanya lagi.

"Kalau mengikut amalan House of Commons, jika bajet (2010) ditolak bermakna wujudnya undi tidak percaya terhadap kerajaan semasa," katanya.

Jawatankuasa buat Kementerian Kementerian Dalam Negeri adalah yang terakhir sebelum dibacakan kali ketiga.

Difahamkan suasana cemas itu bermula sebaik sahaja selesai sesi penggulungan peringkat Kementerian Dalam Negeri oleh Timbalan Menteri Dalam Negeri Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop.

Seperti lazimnya, Speaker Dewan Rakyat Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia menggunakan kaedah meminta suara ahli sama ada bersetuju ataupun menolak.

Memandangkan kehadiran anggota Dewan Rakyat kedua-dua pihak iaitu kerajaan dan pembangkang selalu tidak penuh, maka Ahli Parlimen DAP Segambut Lim Lip Eng mengesyorkan agar undi belah bahagian dijalankan.

Ketika syor itu diluluskan kehadiran wakil rakyat PR dilihat begitu ramai berbanding BN.

Apabila pengundian dijalankan ke atas perbahasan peringkat jawatankuasa Kementerian Dalam Negeri, ia diluluskan dengan 64 menyokong manakala 63 menolak.

Situasi yang sama berulang semasa pengundian bacaan kali ketiga dilangsungkan atas permintaan Ahli Parlimen DAP Ipoh Barat, M. Kulasegaran agar undi belah bahagian dijalankan.

Kali ini Bajet 2010 diluluskan dengan 66 menyokong manakala 63 menolak.

MURUGIAH REJECTED CALLS TO RESIGN

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk T. Murugiah has rejected calls for his resignation although the time frame of 14 days set by People's Progressive Party (PPP) president Datuk M Kayveas ended Sunday.

Murugiah said the calls were made by Kayveas and his supporters and they had nothing to do with the federal government.

"I am still the PPP president and I will stay on with PPP as before, now and forever," Murugiah told a news conference here today.

He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had never raised the PPP's internal conflict with him, and instead told him to continue with his job.

Murugiah also called on Kayveas to step down as during his seven-year presidency, he had failed to submit the party's financial statements and to convene general assembly once in 12 months.

Murugiah said Kayveas lodged a police report in Putrajaya yesterday, claiming he (Murugiah) was no longer a PPP member and described it as an attempt to hoodwink the people.

Murugiah, who was sacked from PPP on May 16 had held an emergency general meeting on May 24 and was elected PPP president by the delegates, but the Registrar of Societies (ROS) ruled that his (Murugiah's) was not valid as it did not follow the party's constitution.

The ROS declared Kayveas as the rightful president of PPP in August, since Murugiah had also claimed himself as PPP president.

UMNO RAI WARTAWAN

Kira-kira 800 pengamal media cetak dan elektronik diraikan pada Malam Penghargaan Media Massa 2009 anjuran Umno di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC) di sini, malam ini.

Majlis itu diserikan dengan kehadiran Perdana Menteri yang juga Presiden parti Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dan timbalannya Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin serta keseluruhan barisan kepimpinan parti.

Majlis itu, yang julung kali diadakan, bertujuan memberi penghargaan kepada semua syarikat dan pengamal media yang membuat liputan Perhimpunan Agung Umno yang berlangsung pada 13 hingga 16 Okt lepas.

Beberapa anugerah diberikan kepada pengamal media termasuk anugerah khas Umno bagi mengiktiraf mereka yang membuat berita politik tanah air yang digondol oleh wartawan The Star, Joceline Tan.

Anugerah foto terbaik dimenangi Norafifi Ehsan dari The Star dan video terbaik oleh Buletin Utama TV3 sementara laporan terbaik Rozaman Ismail dari Utusan Malaysia.

Pada majlis itu hadirin dihiburkan dengan persembahan artis tempatan serta wakil media.

NAZRI SHOULD WITHDRAW HIS STATEMENT

Taxi drivers in the Klang Valley have demanded that Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz withdraw his statement saying "the bad attitude of our taxi drivers is worse than our filthy public toilets."

Azmi Md Yatin, chairman of the Executive Taxi Owners Association of Malaysia, said although Nazri said only a small number had negative attitudes like charging high fares and refusing to take passengers to far destinations his equating taxi drivers to toilets was an insult.

In a news report on Dec 9, Nazri said a survey of tourists revealed that the worst complaint was about taxis while toilets fell to second place leading to Nazri to declare that taxi service was worse than filthy public toilets.

"The statement by Nazri is extreme and we (taxi drivers) from the Klang Valley unequivocally agree that Nazri apologise openly to clear the image of all taxi drivers in the country," Azmi said.

He said this to reporters after handing over a memorandum of protest regarding Nazri's statement to the Federal Territory Umno liaison committee secretary, Kamarudin Hassan, at the Jalan Peel Umno branch here today.

Kamarudin was representing Cheras Umno division chief, Senator Datuk Wira Syed Ali Al-Habshee.

About 100 taxi drivers from the Klang Valley were present at the handing over event.

Meanwhile, Kamarudin said the memorandum will be handed over to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin next week.

Azmi said the taxi drivers in the Klang Valley wanted Nazri to relinquish his portfolio overseeing the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) and called on the prime minister to replace him with someone else.

In the event Nazri refuses to meet the demand, which was also listed in the memorandum of protest, Azmi said he will ask all taxi drivers from various taxi associations in the Klang Valley to meet the prime minister to resolve the matter.

MAS KAHWIN DI SELANGOR NAIK KEPADA RM300

Mulai 1 Jan tahun depan, kadar mas kahwin di Selangor ditetapkan sebanyak RM300 berbanding kadar semasa iaitu antara RM40 dan RM80 yang dilaksanakan sejak tahun 1978.

Pengarah Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) Datuk Mohamed Khusrin Munawi berkata kadar baru itu ditetapkan setelah mendapat perkenan Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah selaku Ketua Agama Islam di negeri itu.

Beliau berkata kadar baru itu dikuatkuasakan setelah mengkaji beberapa perkembangan semasa termasuk menyeragamkan jumlah mas kahwin kepada wanita tanpa mengira status mereka seperti sebelum ini.

"Sebelum ini kita tetapkan mas kahwin bagi anak dara ialah RM80 manakala RM40 bagi yang berstatus janda. Saya yakin dengan kadar baru ini ia lebih memuliakan kedudukan wanita tanpa mengira status," katanya kepada pemberita selepas melancarkan Kad Perakuan Nikah Pintar Jais di sini Khamis.

Mohamed Khusrin yakin kadar baru itu tidak membebankan pasangan yang ingin mendirikan rumahtangga kerana ia berpatutan dan bersesuaian mengikut keadaan semasa.

Terdahulu, beliau melancarkan Kad Perakuan Nikah Pintar JAIS iaitu kad perakuan pengesahan bagi pasangan yang bernikah dan berdaftar di Selangor.

Beliau berkata kad itu dilengkapi dengan cip maklumat termasuk data pasangan yang merangkumi identiti suami, isteri, wali dan nombor siri surat perakuan nikah pasangan masing-masing.

"Kad pintar ini akan berkuatkuasa mulai tahun depan bagi menggantikan kad nikad sedia ada untuk mengelakkan kes kad perakuan perkahwinan palsu yang dikesan dalam beberapa siri tangkapan Jais sebelum ini," katanya.

Mohamed Khusrin berkata JAIS juga bekerjasama dengan Jabatan Agama Islam Perak (JAIP), Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Kelantan (JHEAIK) dan Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Terengganu (JHEAT) bagi membolehkan kad perakuan itu diakses melalui terminal mudah alih Jabatan Agama Islam berkenaan.

Selain Selangor, Perak, Kelantan dan Terengganu merupakan antara negeri yang menggunakan kad perakuan nikah pintar dalam pengurusan pendaftaran perkahwinan mereka.

SULAIMAN IS STILL AFFECTED BY MOTHER'S DEATH

Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib's decision to quit the post has nothing to do with politics, contrary to earlier speculations, his father, Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, said on Wednesday.

He said Sulaiman's wish to leave the federal administration was more of a personal nature as the latter was still affected by the death of his mother, Puan Sri Laila Taib, who succumbed to lung cancer on April 29.

"He was not feeling very well about six months ago so I said, well, you are the best judge for that," he told reporters after launching the Sarawak Federation of Malay Economic Bodies (Gabem) here.

Like the rest of his family members, Taib said, Sulaiman, who replaced him as the Kota Samarahan Member of Parliament after winning the seat in the 2008 general election, was "not very happy and a bit upset about his mother's recent demise".

However Taib, who is also Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, did not disclose whether he had discussed the matter with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who confirmed that he had received Sulaiman's resignation letter.

Sulaiman, a Parti Pesaka Bumiputera bersatu (PBB) Youth vice-president, was appointed to the post in the administration of then-prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and was retained by Najib in April.

Amid speculations surrounding his resignation, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen was quoted as denying that she could not see eye-to-eye with her deputy and maintaining that their relationship had been good in the seven months that they had been in the ministry.

Earlier, Taib welcomed the move by Japanese silicon maker Tokuyama Corporation to invest RM12.5 billion to produce solar cell components at the Samalaju Industrial Park in Sarawak.

It showed that Tokuyama had made up its mind to go all out, he said when commenting on Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announcement's yesterday that the plant, which will produce polycrystalline silicon for solar cells, is expected to commence operations in 2011.

Muhyiddin, who is on an investment mission to Japan from Dec 7 to 10, had said that the investment by Tokuyama was approved last year and the Sarawak government had identified a location for the project.

SENATOR WAKILI OKU AKAN DILANTIK

Kerajaan mencadangkan seorang calon senator daripada golongan Orang Kurang Upaya (OKU) dilantik menjadi Ahli Dewan Negara bagi menggantikan tempat Allahyarham Prof Datuk Dr Ismail Md Salleh, demikian Dewan Negara diberitahu Rabu.

Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil berkata senarai beberapa calon dari kalangan OKU akan dikemukakan kepada Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak untuk dipertimbangkan.

"Insya-Allah kita akan hantar senarai calon ini kepada Perdana Menteri dalam masa terdekat untuk pertimbangan sewajarnya," katanya ketika menjawab soalan tambahan Senator Datuk Saripah Aminah Syed Mohamed pada persidangan Dewan Negara di sini.

Saripah bertanya mengenai adakah kementerian akan mengesyorkan seorang calon daripada kalangan OKU untuk menjadi senator berikutan kematian Ismail, 61, akibat serangan jantung semasa dalam penerbangan dari China ke Singapura pada 27 Ogos lepas.

Ismail, seorang pakar ekonomi, yang cacat penglihatan semenjak 13 tahun, merupakan calon pertama OKU yang menerima ijazah Doktor Falsafah (PhD) dan mencipta sejarah sebagai Senator pertama dari kalangan OKU di negara ini.

PRINCIPALS CAN HIRE AND FIRE TEACHERS

Principals or headmasters may in future be empowered to 'hire and fire' teachers, Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said.

He told Dewan Rakyat this was among proposals being considered by the ministry to revolutionise the national education system.

The ministry had also created 'ba'iah baru' (new deal) to bring changes and create schools of excellence.

"Principals or headmasters who perform will be rewarded. The reward may not be in the form of promotion or pay rise but will depend on the changes made.

"They may also be enmpowered to hire and fire to determine dedicated teachers who can help bring excellence to the schools," he said when winding up debate at committee stage on the 2010 Supply Bill for the Education Ministry.

Puad said the education revolution system had created competition by introducing high performance schools and that the names of 20 such schools would be announced soon.

The assessment system would also be revamped to create schools which were not solely oriented toward examination as education was dynamic and need to change with the times.

To a question by Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) on how the government wanted to make teaching the profession of choice, he said the ministry would not change the policy but would change its approach.

"Teachers must change their mindset by regarding teaching as a struggle to seek justice for the people."

Puad refuted a claim that some people migrated overseas as they were not happy with the national education system.

MELAYU HANCUR SELAGI SOKONG ANWAR

Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) menegaskan, orang Melayu akan hancur selagi terus menyokong bekas Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan konco-konconya.

Presidennya, Datuk Ibrahim Ali (gambar) menegaskan, orang Melayu juga tidak boleh bergantung kepada Pas kerana parti itu hanya mempergunakan agama Islam dan menjadi tunggangan Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) serta DAP.

Pada masa sama, katanya, kehancuran orang Melayu akan lebih kritikal jika tidak bersatu menentang DAP yang semakin melampau dan kurang ajar memijak kepala penduduk bumiputera dan Islam.

''Ini merupakan tiga ancaman yang boleh menghancurkan orang Melayu di negara ini. Tidak ada makna pembangunan pesat negara kalau Melayu akhirnya hilang kuasa di negara sendiri.

''Selepas Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU) Ke-12, perkembangan ini kalau tidak ditangani dengan betul, Melayu boleh jadi bangsa Palestin dan Melayu Singapura yang kehilangan negara," katanya.

Beliau berucap di hadapan kira-kira 2,000 orang pada ceramah perdana mengenai isu-isu semasa di Dataran Kampung Paya, Batu Kurau dekat Taiping malam tadi.

Menurut Ibrahim, kejahatan Anwar, yang dahulunya ditatang 'bagai minyak penuh' semasa zaman pemerintahan Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad telah dihukum Allah SWT 'secara tunai' di dunia ini kerana sikapnya itu.

Kata beliau, selaku Ketua Pembangkang, Anwar sanggup menjanjikan 'bulan dan bintang' kepada Pas dan DAP tanpa memikirkan kepentingan dan nasib orang Melayu dan Islam.

''Sebab itu pemimpin DAP sanggup pijak gambar tiga wakil rakyat Bebas di Perak. Mereka pijak gambar orang Melayu dan Islam. Melayu dalam pembangkang jadi pengecut dan hanya diam bila DAP kurang ajar.

''Apabila DAP menghina institusi raja, menyamakan Islam dengan agama lain dan memperlekeh bahasa Melayu, Anwar hanya diam membisu, sampai sekarang tidak bersuara," katanya.

Pas pula menurut Ibrahim diibaratkan sudah sampai ke peringkat 'masuk wad gila' kerana kenyataan pemimpin-pemimpinnya yang mengarut terutama sekali Mursyidul Am, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

Katanya, Pas hanya dipergunakan oleh DAP dan PKR untuk memecahkan undi Melayu di negeri-negeri tertentu terutama sekali di Perak, Selangor dan Pulau Pinang hingga menang beberapa kerusi.

Jelas beliau, dominasi Pas di Kedah dan Kelantan tidak dikhuatiri kerana masih diperintah oleh Melayu Islam tetapi kehadiran Pas di negeri lain adalah amat bahaya.

''Walaupun Nizar (Datuk Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin) jadi Menteri Besar Perak tetapi beliau hanyalah patung. Pemerintah Perak yang sebenar ialah DAP. Mereka marah sangat dan pijak gambar orang Melayu selepas kuasa mereka dirampas.

''Pas pula sibuk mendoakan kehancuran umat Islam lain. Kalau benar doa Tok Guru Pas berkat sudah tentu Kelantan sekarang negeri paling maju dan mungkin sudah ada sepuluh menara berkembar Petronas di sana," katanya.

Ibrahim menambah, kemenangan besar DAP dilihat hampir sama dengan kejayaan mereka semasa PRU 1969 walaupun pada masa itu pergerakan komunis telah dibubarkan selama enam bulan.

''Bagaimanapun perjuangan mereka tidak mati. Bekas penyokong komunis kini berada dalam pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO), parti politik, Dewan Undangan Negeri dan Dewan Rakyat.

''Sebab itu mereka begitu berani (nak) bawa Chin Peng balik. Apa tandanya itu? Masih tidak sedar lagikah rakyat Perak?" ujar beliau.

Katanya, walaupun bukan ahli UMNO dan hanya wakil rakyat Bebas, beliau menegaskan orang Melayu perlu kuat dan bersatu kembali di bawah payung UMNO dan Barisan Nasional (BN) demi kepentingan agama, bangsa dan negara.

''Orang Melayu dari dulu memang kalah dari segi ekonomi tetapi kuat dalam politik. Malangnya sekarang politik pun sudah mula kalah. Jadi jangan menyesal kalau Melayu terus hancur pada PRU Ke-13 akan datang," katanya.

PUTERI MUST KNOW HOW TO WRITE IN BLOG

Puteri Umno will organise courses for members on how to write blogs, so that members from all levels will be equipped with such knowledge to counter any criticism levelled by the opposition.

Puteri Umno vice president Shahanim Mohamad Yusoff said the members should be savvy in the field of blog writing because the internet has become an important medium and tool for the opposition to criticise Umno.

"To be prepared for the next general election, Puteri Umno members must be equipped with knowledge on how to write blogs," she told reporters after presenting certificates to 130 Puteri Umno members from Sungai Petani who attended a course on how to write blogs, here on Monday.

The course was organised by the Sungai Petani Puteri Umno division and Malay Journalists and Writers National Organization Malaysia (PKWPM), Kedah branch.

SURAU DALAM TANDAS?

Sebuah tandas awam untuk kemudahan lelaki, wanita dan golongan kurang upaya (OKU) di Sabindo di Tawau,Sabah, menimbulkan tandatanya orang awam kerana ia turut menempatkan sebuah bilik solat di dalamnya.

Di pintu masuk bangunan itu terdapat papan tanda surau dengan lambang wanita, lelaki dan OKU.

Presiden Majlis Perbandaran Tawau Ismail Mayakob ketika dihubungi Bernama berkata pihaknya akan mengambil tindakan termasuk menutup ruang solat berkenaan jika ia didapati mencemar nama baik Islam.

Namun, katanya, sebelum kemudahan tempat sembahayang itu disediakan, MPT telah meminta pandangan Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Negeri Sabah yang tidak membantah, malah ia membantu menetapkan arah kiblatnya.

"Kita akan berjumpa sekali lagi dengan JHEAINS kerana mereka lebih arif," katanya.

Pengerusi Majlis Agama Islam Sabah Datuk Syed Abbas Syed Ali, ketika dihubungi berkata, adalah kurang sesuai bagi bilik sembahyang dibina dalam bangunan tandas.

"Kita akan siasat perkara ini demi kemuliaan Islam," katanya.

Tandas awam berkenaan terletak hanya 500 meter dari Masjid Al-Kauthar, masjid terbesar di Sabah.

BIRTHDAY SPEECH LEAVES ROSMAH IN TEARS

The Prime Minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor could not hold back her tears when a representative of gifted children presented her with a birthday card at the opening of the PERMATApintar Negara Holiday Camp, here Sunday.

Before handing her the greeting card, the student read a short speech for Rosmah, and immediately the Prime Minister's wife was seen wiping her tears, apparently touched by the speech.

The strong motherly instinct in Rosmah was also apparent when she embraced the student and kissed her on the cheek.

Rosmah, who will celebrate her birthday on Thursday (Dec 10), was also presented with a cake which she cut together with several student representatives.

The guests later burst into laughter when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak took a piece of the cake and fed it to his wife after which, Rosmah returned the gesture.

Besides the cake and birthday card, Rosmah, who is the patron of PERMATA Negara, was also presented with a bouquet of flowers.

DR NG NAFI BERGESER DENGAN SULAIMAN

Menteri Pelancongan Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen meminta media tidak membuat spekulasi kononnya terdapat pergeseran antara beliau dan timbalannya, Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib sehingga Sulaiman menzahirkan hasratnya untuk meletakkan jawatan kepada Perdana Menteri.

"Itu (pergeseran) spekulasi. Adakah ia datang dari mulut dia (Sulaiman)? Tak ada. Apa pun itu spekulasi dan bukan dari mulut dia," kata Ng ketika ditanya pemberita sama ada benar terdapat pergeseran antara beliau dengan timbalannya itu.

"Spekulasi ni macam-macam jenis, kata saya dengan Azalina (Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, bekas Menteri Pelancongan). Ini tidak adil. Selagi tidak keluar dari mulut dia (Sulaiman), jangan buat spekulasi," katanya pada sidang media selepas pelancaran Pesta Tarian Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia di Dataran Merdeka, di sini pada Ahad.

Ng ketika diminta mengulas hasrat timbalannya itu berkata keputusan yang dibuat Sulaiman adalah kehendak peribadinya.

"Perdana Menteri (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) telah memaklumkan kepada saya bahawa timbalan menteri ada memberi surat kepada beliau dan beliau (Najib) belum lagi membuat keputusan. Apa maksud surat itu, kita tak tahu lah. Ini memang personal. Jadi saya haraplah media jangan buat spekulasi," katanya.

Beliau bagaimanapun berkata bahawa selama tujuh bulan bekerjasama di kementerian, hubungan beliau dan Sulaiman adalah baik.

Ketika ditanya sama ada Sulaiman ada memaklumkan mengenai hasratnya itu kepada beliau, Ng berkata: "Tiada..ini personal dialah."

Semalam, Perdana Menteri mengesahkan telah menerima surat perletakan jawatan Sulaiman sebagai Timbalan Menteri Pelancongan.

AHMAD SAID EXPLAINS HIS EARLY RETIREMENT

The Chief Commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan, has denied that his early retirement from the post was due to pressure from political parties or other groups.

He said his retirement was due to personal reasons and his own wish after having served in the agency for so long, and not because of other people.

When contacted here on Saturday, Ahmad Said said he had decided on an earlier retirement to make way for his successor and to spend time with his family.

"I had planned to retire for a long time but was waiting for a suitable time (to do so). Previously, I was busy with work, so now I want to spend more time with the family," he said.

Yesterday, Ahmad Said, who has served the MACC for almost 34 years since 1975, submitted his notice to the Prime Minister's Department to shorten his service to Dec 31 instead of May 25, next year.

Deputy Chief Commissioner Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed has been appointed to succeed him effective Jan 1, next year.

ABU KASSIM KETUAI SPRM PADA 1 JANUARI INI

Timbalan Ketua Pesuruhjaya Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed dilantik menjadi Ketua Pesuruhjaya yang baru mulai 1 Jan ini menggantikan Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan.

Ketua Setiausaha Negara Tan Sri Sidek Hassan hari ini berkata Ahmad Said, 57, telah mengemukakan notis bertulis supaya kontrak perkhidmatan beliau sebagai Ketua Pesuruhjaya, yang sepatutnya tamat pada 25 Mei 2010, dipendekkan pada 31 Dis ini.

"Yang di-Pertuan Agong telah memperkenankan pelantikan Abu Kassim, 48, sebagai Ketua Pesuruhjaya yang baru berdasarkan peruntukan subseksyen 5(1) Akta Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia 2009," kata Sidek dalam satu kenyataan.

Abu Kassim berkelulusan Ijazah Sarjana Muda Sains Sosial dari Universiti Sains Malaysia, dan Sarjana Sains dalam bidang Criminal Justice dari Michigan State University, Amerika Syarikat.

Abu Kassim dilahirkan di Kuala Lumpur pada 5 Dis 1960 menyertai Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) pada 1 Sept 1984 sebagai pegawai siasatan.

Beliau pernah menjadi Pengarah Perancangan dan Koordinasi Dasar di ibu pejabat BPR, Pengarah BPR Perak dan Pulau Pinang, Pengarah Akademi Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia dan dipinjamkan sebagai Ketua Pegawai Integriti, Amanah Raya Berhad.

Abu Kassim dilantik sebagai Timbalan Ketua Pengarah (Operasi) BPR pada 1 Jan 2007, dan dengan berkuatkuasanya akta baru pada 1 Jan 2009, beliau dilantik sebagai Timbalan Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM.

Sidek berkata kerajaan mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih kepada Ahmad Said kerana sumbangannya.

KL DID NOT BRAINWASH SABAHANS

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has denied the allegation by Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee that the federal government is following the footsteps of the British colonialists who had previously taken the opportunity to brainwash the minds of the Sabahans.

On the contrary, the Deputy Prime Minister said that the federal government had always been fair and committed in developing Sabah to be on par with the other states in terms of development.

"We will not ignore any state in the country. We will continue to champion the cause of the people regardless of race and religion, including in Sabah and Sarawak.

"It looks like he is out of date and he is out of touch on the latest developments," he said in his speech at a gathering of 'The People With The Leader' at the Dewan Sri Libaran, near here on Wednesday.

In his speech at the opening of the annual general meeting of the SAPP Putatan and Petagas 1 divisions near Kota Kinabalu city yesterday, the former Sabah chief minister had said that Kuala Lumpur was brainwashing the people of Sabah to the extent that the Sabahans considered themselves as less capable "although they actually can do anything".

Yong claimed that Kuala Lumpur had been doing this for a long time so that it could exploit Sabah's mineral resources and this had resulted in Sabah becoming poorer while the people were deprived of the various opportunities including positions in the federal service in the state.

Muhyiddin said the federal government had given a fair allocation to Sabah and Sarawak particularly in developing the rural areas.

"Actually Sabah has substantial reserves (in terms of finance) and under (Chief Minister) Datuk Seri Musa Aman, who has managed the economy wisely, the state administration has been placed on the right footing," he said.

In this context, the Deputy Prime Minister wanted the Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties, especially in Sabah, to continue to maintain cooperation and reach an understanding.

"We want our party to be strong and solid...no squabbles and no problem. There are some parties in BN which are now facing problems that may have a negative effect to us and the rakyat.

"That's why proactive measures must be taken to resolve the problems immediately," he said.

Muhyiddin said: "Sabah will continue to be an important component of the national government and Sabah will continue to be an important component of national development.

"That's why we must maintain a strong Sabah government. The Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) and I will always watch and give special attention to what is needed by the state especially in terms of development," he said.

He also expressed confidence on a better national economic growth next year and stressed on the need for the people to understand the objectives of the 1Malaysia concept mooted by the Prime Minister.

Muhyiddin, who was accompanied by Musa, later visited the site for the education hub for the Sabah east coast measuring 542.36 hectares at km16, Jalan Labuk in Sungai Batang, located in the Sibuga state constituency.

KUMPULAN PERTAMA JEMAAH HAJI SELAMAT TIBA

Kumpulan pertama 450 jemaah haji selamat tiba di KLIA pada 12.40 tengah malam Khamis, lewat empat jam daripada jadual.

Penerbangan mereka lewat disebabkan kesesakan di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Raja Abdul Aziz di Jeddah.

Pengurus Besar Hal Ehwal Awam Tabung Haji, Abdul Rashid Hussein, berkata penerbangan kedua pula tiba pada pukul 5.15 pagi tadi dan diikuti penerbangan ketiga pada 10 pagi.

"Penerbangan terakhir yang membawa pulang jemaah haji Malaysia dijangka berlepas dari Jeddah pada 2 Jan," katanya kepada pemberita selepas menyambut ketibaan kumpulan pertama jemaah haji itu.

Abdul Rashid berkata sehingga malam tadi, seramai 29 jemaah haji Malaysia telah meninggal dunia di Mekah kebanyakannya kerana uzur.

Beliau berkata secara keseluruhannya, perjalanan haji pada tahun ini berjalan lancar dan maklumat balas awal daripada jemaah haji, rata-rata mereka berpuas hati dengan pengurusan dan persiapan yang disediakan.

Seorang jemaah, Khatipah Ismail, 56, dari Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang, menyifatkan kejadian hujan lebat dan angin kencang ketika berada di Arafah sebagai satu dugaan.

Kakitangan Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri itu berkata berikutan kejadian itu, jemaah terpaksa tidur di atas permaidani yang basah tetapi menganggapnya sebagai pengalaman baru dan manis sejajar dengan semangat ibadah haji yang merupakan satu pengorbanan.

Norazam Nayan, 43, seorang guru dari Seremban, berkata kejadian di Arafah itu ada satu pengajaran kepada jemaah tentang erti kesabaran dalam menunaikan rukun Islam yang kelima itu.

"Inilah nikmat yang Allah berikan," katanya.

Norazam, yang menunaikan haji buat pertama kali bersama isteri, Latifah Abdul Gafar, 40, berkata beliau berpuas hati dengan perkhidmatan Tabung Haji sepanjang menunaikan ibadah haji.

Afianty Rezeki Basri, 35, suri rumahtangga dari Gombak, pula menasihatkan mereka yang ingin mengerjakan haji agar melakukannya ketika umur masih muda dan masih mempunyai kekuatan untuk melaksanakannya.

Beliau yang melakukan ibadah itu buat kali kedua berkata ini kerana pengalamannya kali ini agak mencabar disebabkan bilangan jemaah musim ini lebih ramai.

Afianty, yang mempunyai empat orang anak, turut melahirkan rasa syukur kerana ketika berada di Mekah, beliau mendapat tahu dirinya mengandung anak yang kelima.