42 KUALA LUMPUR, 25 March 2009: Umno Youth is poised to enter a period of controversy with Khairy Jamaluddin’s win as the movement’s chief tonight. The Rembau Member of Parliament (MP) and son-in-law of outgoing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi polled 304 votes. He beat his rivals former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri […]
Najib Tun Razak
Umno wings in full flight
By Zedeck SiewFOLLOWING their official opening last night (24 March 2009) by incoming president Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the Umno Wanita, Youth, and Puteri assemblies are now in full swing. Among other things raised in her address this morning, Wanita chief Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz called on the wing to help ensure success for Barisan Nasional (BN) […]
Being No. 2
By Shanon Shah“I have never gone against or challenged anyone in my life. I am finally getting there, God willing, as the party president. I have been patient and I have persevered. I have progressed from a deputy minister to a minister, from deputy prime minister to prime minister.” INCOMING Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, on […]
Is change really coming to Umno?
By Zedeck SiewTHE first day of the 59th Umno general assembly on 24 March 2009 was coloured by three major elements. These were the banning of new media outfits from covering the event; the closed-door speech of outgoing party president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi; and incoming president Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s speech that jointly opened the […]
PMs on Perak
By Shanon Shah“You cannot topple a menteri besar or a prime minister without a no-confidence vote in the assembly. There is no other provision…Umno-Barisan Nasional was too careless and did not wait for an assembly but instead asked the ruler to sack the menteri besar…As far as I know, there is no such provision in the Perak […]
Aborted take-off
By N Shashi Kala and Zedeck Siew“Approval for the new low-cost carrier terminal in Nilai, Negri Sembilan, was given by all relevant parties” TRANSPORT Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat. The KLIA East@Labu Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) project mooted by AirAsia and Sime Darby in December 2008 looked set to take off after getting the go-ahead from the cabinet on […]
Johan Jaafar headed for Media Prima, NSTP
By Jose BarrockKUALA LUMPUR, 24 Feb 2009: A former powerful newspaper editor will be appointed soon to key posts at Media Prima Bhd and The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (NSTP) in a move that is linked to next month’s leadership change in Umno. Sources said Datuk Johan Jaafar, who was editor-in-chief of Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia […]
Govt to reconsider Eurocopter purchase at later date
KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Dec 2008: The government will reconsider its decision on the purchase of Eurocopter helicopters when the economy recovers, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said today. The deputy prime minister said the purchase was deferred temporarily following the current world economic crisis. “When the situation returns to normal the government can reconsider whether […]
Transforming Umno
By N Shashi KalaIT has been more than two weeks since the close of nominations for Umno supreme council posts. Every post, except the presidency and the Wanita deputy chief position, is being contested. But as the candidates prepare to do battle for the hearts, and some would say pockets, of the 2,500 delegates at the 24 to […]