ON 5 June 2009, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said cooperation with Umno was the answer to the country’s problems during a press conference at PAS’s 55th muktamar. On 22 June, Hadi made a U-turn and said, “Umno has played up [the unity government] issue to try to say that PAS will leave […]
Pakatan Rakyat
Govt nearly defeated in Parliament
By Zedeck SiewKUALA LUMPUR, 22 June 2009: History was almost made when a government motion on the DNA Identification Bill was one vote short of being defeated in Parliament today. A provisional amendment to Sections 2 and 3 of the Bill, proposed by the government, was passed by a sliver-thin one-vote majority. Forty-eight Members of Parliament (MPs) voted […]
BN can go it alone, says Najib
PUTRAJAYA, 22 June 2009: The Barisan Nasional (BN) government has the capacity to continue administering the country even without the formation of the proposed unity government, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today. The prime minister said the BN was strong and had the capability to implement its development programmes. As such, the question of the […]
Huan doesn’t discount joining PR (Updated 6pm)
By Zedeck SiewUpdated 6pm on 22 June 2009 KUALA LUMPUR, 22 June 2009: Suspended Gerakan vice-president Huan Cheng Guan is not discounting the possibility of joining the Opposition even as he charged that his suspension violated Gerakan’s constitution. Asked by reporters whether he would consider joining the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) following his three-year suspension, Huan said that […]
PR rejects unity govt with BN
By Zedeck SiewKUALA LUMPUR, 22 June 2009: The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Council of Leaders has unanimously rejected the idea of a unity government with Barisan Nasional (BN). “All the component parties of PR reiterate their commitment to each other and to strengthen the coalition in order to help form the future federal government,” Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar […]
Speed up talks on unity govt: Muhyiddin
Muhyiddin (File pic courtesy of theSun) KUALA KRAI, 19 June 2009: Umno wants talks on a unity government to be sped up and asks PAS leaders to forget past conflicts in the interest of the unity of Muslims in the country. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today he wanted the talks to […]
Nik Aziz tells Nasharuddin to join Umno
KOTA BARU, 17 June 2009: PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat has told Nasharuddin Mat Isa to quit as PAS deputy president and Bachok Member of Parliament (MP) and join Umno if he persisted with the unity government agenda. Nik Aziz “The unity government issue did not come from PAS but is […]
Hadi is committed to PR, says Anwar
By Zedeck SiewKUALA LUMPUR, 16 June 2009: PAS has informed Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim “in no uncertain terms” that it is committed to the Pakatan Rakyat (PR). Opposition Leader Anwar said it was PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang himself who had given that assurance. “I have been informed in no uncertain terms by (the) PAS […]
Nasharuddin: Nizar did not brief party
By Zedeck SiewKUALA LUMPUR, 16 June 2009: PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa has refuted reports that top party leaders did not support Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin‘s actions in Parliament yesterday that led to his suspension. “I didn’t say that I was distancing myself [from Nizar]. But how he wanted to do it, [we were] not briefed,” […]
Are we ready for a two-party system?
By Rohana AriffinWhich side of the fence? (Background image by Ariel da Silva Parreira / sxc.hu) FOR more than 50 years, the Barisan Nasional (BN) has used an array of laws and methods to silence dissent and perpetuate its own vision of reality as the only truth. But in recent years, the scenario has changed. The BN […]