I WAS utterly shocked after reading Malaysiakini‘s 18 Feb 2009 report, Police blow RM15 mil on KT by-election. It said: “A staggering RM15 million was spent by the Royal Malaysian Police for the deployment of over 3,000 personnel in the recent Kuala Terengganu by-election.” This figure is utterly shocking considering what could be a huge […]
budget
Busy Parliament ahead
By Sharon Tan and Yong Min WeiKUALA LUMPUR: Members of Parliament (MPs) have their work cut out when they return on Monday (16 Feb 2009) for the first sitting of the second session in the 12th Parliament with bills, a mini-budget, and by-elections to keep them busy. The 20-day session ending on 19 March would begin with the opening by the […]
Budget deficit may exceed 5% in 2009
KUALA LUMPUR, 3 Feb 2009: The budget deficit this year is likely to exceed five percent due to increased government spending, resulting from pump priming, to spur the economy, according to analysts. The government announced a RM7 billion stimulus package on 4 Nov last year to face the global economic slowdown and is expected to […]
Budget deficit to be revised upwards
KUALA LUMPUR, 29 Jan 2009: Malaysia will revise upwards its projected budget deficit for this year, following the introduction of the second stimulus package to be announced soon, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The quantum of increase in the fiscal deficit would depend on how much the government is going to pump-prime […]
Loving AirAsia
By Tony Pua(© Marja Flick-Buijs / sxc.hu) I AM unabashedly a fan of AirAsia, and what it has done not only for travel in Malaysia, but the entire region. A colleague of mine said if there’s anyone who deserves his datukship, it’s Datuk Tony Fernandes. AirAsia’s mantra, Now Everyone Can Fly, has really taken millions places, many […]
AirAsia’s Labu plans on hold
By BernamaAn AirAsia Airbus A320 aircraft (© Johnleemk / Wikipedia.org) PETALING JAYA, 23 Jan 2009: AirAsia’s plan to build its own low cost carrier terminal (LCCT) in Labu, Negeri Sembilan, has hit a snag — deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today the government has yet to make a decision on the proposal. “We […]
Airport tussle
By N Shashi KalaCarved pumpkin (© Michele L / sxc.hu) LIKE the pumpkin in Cinderella that transforms into a carriage, AirAsia Bhd and Sime Darby Bhd hope something equally fantastic will emerge from the plantation land in Labu, Negeri Sembilan. The unlikely pairing of the low cost carrier and the plantation conglomerate to build a new low cost […]
Kedah BN will not oppose blindly
ALOR STAR, 19 Nov 2008: The Barisan Nasional (BN) will not blindly oppose the Kedah Pakatan Rakyat state government’s proposals that benefit the people. State opposition leader Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (BN-Pedu) said that although the role of the BN was that of the opposition, still the BN would not oppose things blindly. “We, the […]