4 theSun | FRIDAY MAY 15 2009

news without borders

Najib: BN not afraid of polls in Perak

by Husna Yusop
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PUTRAJAYA: Barisan Nasional
(BN) is ready to face the people in
the event of fresh elections in Perak,
said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib
Abdul Razak.
The BN chairman also denied
that the coalition was afraid of going
to the polls.
“No, no, no. BN is not afraid.
We have got to face the rakyat and
we will face the rakyat when the
time comes,” he told reporters after
launching the Public Sector Work-
ers’ Day celebration in the Putrajaya
International Convention Centre
yesterday.
He said a state election was one
of the options to resolve the (politi-
cal) crisis in Perak. “But, under the
constitution, it is the (Perak) Sultan’s
discretion to decide whether an elec-
tion should be held.
“So, it is not something that has
to happen. It is something which
depends on the Sultan to consider,”
he said, adding that the situation in
Perak would not lead to a serious
situation like that in Thailand.
On PAS spiritual adviser Datuk
Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat’s latest
reiteration that there was no need
to form a unity government with
Umno, Najib said: “We have yet
to make any suggestions. Why is
he rejecting? It’s not like there has
been any suggestion to form a unity
government.”
On another development, Najib
said the issue of China’s claims
over Spratly Islands could be solved
through negotiations.
“We have the process and mecha-
nism to resolve the issue of claims.
There are principles in terms of
international laws and mechanism
to discuss areas with overlapping
claims.
“So, I believe if we hold on to
existing procedures to resolve
overlapping claims, we can avoid
from it becoming a very heavy or
complicated problem which cannot
be solved,” he said commenting on
China’s warning to other countries
to stay off the islands.
On the status of Deputy Minister
in the Prime Minister’s Department
Datuk T. Murugiah, who reportedly
has been sacked by PPP, Najib said
he had yet to make a decision and
will continue to monitor the situa-
tion.
Asked on PPP president Datuk
M. Kayveas’ threat to pull out from
BN if it continues to be treated as a
stepchild, he said the latter had not
said anything to him personally.
On another issue, Najib said the
BN convention announced by former
prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi was still in the pipeline.
“Yes, it will happen later. But
we have to solve some things first
because we don’t want to hold a
convention without a proper content.
What is important is the outcome,”
he said.
The proposed convention is aimed
at assessing the party’s decline in
political clout since the 12th general
election. It was originally scheduled
to be held in February.

Anwar: We’re ready to No need for polls, says Dr M

meet BN over Perak
by Tim Leonard
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Parliamentary
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim says Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is
ready to meet Barisan Nasional (BN)
over the political impasse in Perak.
He said this in response to Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Ra-
zak’s announcement that he was will-
ing to talk with the Opposition provided
there were no pre-set conditions and
that the talks were open to any possible
solution.
Speaking to reporters after a PR
meeting in the PAS headquarters here
yesterday to discuss the Perak politi-
cal crisis, Anwar said: “The only way
forward is for the people of Perak to go
for the ballot boxes again.”
Anwar, accompanied by DAP vet-
eran and Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang
and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul
Hadi Awang, said: “After discussing at
length the issue, we are willing to meet
(Datuk Seri) Najib … to strengthen
democracy in Perak.
“But we wish to reiterate that the
mandate must be given to the people
of Perak to decide, not the courts. We
are willing to cooperate to respect the
Constitution, cooperate to respect the
rule of law,” he said.
“It is a political crisis and it (solu-
tion) must be decided by the people of
Perak … not the courts. We are willing
to meet with an open mind … we will
give our views and listen to what he
(Najib) has to say.”
Anwar said PR’s willingness to
meet Najib was a question of working
together to resolve the political
impasse.
Asked when and how the
meeting would be held, Anwar
said it would be held as soon as
possible.
“But we believe the ultimate
solution is for the dissolution of the
state assembly and to hold fresh
polls,” he added.
Anwar also said the Opposition
would wait for Najib to make the
first move to initiate the talks.
“He (Najib) also reads
newspapers,” quipped Anwar,
referring to how the Opposition
would make its “willingness”
known to BN.
“We have been extremely pa-
tient … so let’s sit for a peaceful,
just and amicable settlement.
Anwar also said that a coalition
government (shared by BN and
Pakatan) was out of the question.
Lim said Najib would prove
that he was a capable leader if
he was willing to have snap state
elections.
UTK police trio
CYBERJAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mo-
hamad says Barisan Nasional (BN)
will lose should there be snap state
elections in Perak.
“Therefore, the best way is for a
vote of no-confidence to be moved
in the state assembly in order to set
up a new government under the BN
leadership.
“It (election) costs money. The
result, I think, is a foregone conclusion.
What needs to be done is for the De-
wan to sit and during the sitting, if the
BN really has the majority, it can move
a motion of no-confidence on the (Pa-
katan Rakyat) Mentri Besar. Then, you
can set up another government.
“Otherwise you will be having
elections, (but) people are just sick
of elections,” the former prime min-
ister said yesterday after delivering
a speech on Malaysia – Today’s
Knowledge Economy in the Cy-
berjaya-Asia Pacific Outsourcing
Services (APOS) Post Event Tour.
Asked why he opined BN would
be defeated, Mahathir said: “It’s just
my feeling. I didn’t carry out a survey
or polls or anything like that. It’s just
a feeling that I get after (the) Bukit
Gantang (by-election) and all that
and (after) talking to people.”
When it was suggested that the
voters should be given a chance to
decide on the leadership, he said:
BN reps lodge reports
against Sivakumar
by Giam Say Khoon
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
IPOH: A total of 27 Perak Barisan
Nasional (BN) assemblymen
and two BN-friendly independ-
ent representatives yesterday
lodged police reports against
“The voters have decided and they
appointed people who will defect.
What to do?”
Asked his view on Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s willing-
ness to hold talks with the Opposition
to resolve the Perak impasse, Mahathir
said: “It’s a very poor choice.
“It’s not good for the world to see
us changing chief ministers every
other day because the courts make
decisions. Once, it says you are no
longer the MB. The next day you say,
no, you cannot do it yet, and you give
us stay. And then, later on, there’s
another decision.
“These musical chairs are not very
nice. You want to play musical chairs,
please play musical chairs, you don’t
have to fiddle around with the post,”
he said.
Asked whether he thought the
Perak situation would have an ef-
fect on the next general election, he
said: “No, I hope people have short
memories.”
group, told reporters the as-
semblymen wanted the police
to act against Sivakumar, who
did not respect the decision of
the Federal Court which had
ruled that the suspension by
the Pakatan Rakyat government
against Zambry and his executive

charged former speaker V. Sivakumar for

contempt of court as he had or-
dered 10 “suspended” BN elected
councillors was invalid.
She said Sivakumar’s action
was also in contempt of the
with robbery representatives to leave the state
assembly sitting on May 7 despite
royalty as he had kept the Ruler
waiting to deliver the royal ad-
KUALA LUMPUR: Three members of the police’s an earlier Federal Court ruling that dress on the day of the sitting.
Special Action Unit (UTK) from the Bukit Aman the suspension was invalid. Hamidah also clarified that she
headquarters and a trader pleaded not guilty in a The assemblymen, exclud- was not involved in requesting po-
sessions court here yesterday to robbery. Pupils ing Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr lice to go into the chamber when
The UTK accused were Sabaruddin Harun, 32, skip Zambry Abdul Kadir and Deputy Sivakumar was forcibly removed
Ahmad Razi Abd Talib, 27, and Aminuddin Salim, Speaker Hee Yit Foong, took the by the police and sergeant-at-
28, who have been suspended from work and the
school state government bus to the Sun- arms under the order of the BN
trader is Zaidi Abdullah @ Mohd Yusoff, 34. after ‘no gai Senam police station to lodge Speaker Datuk A. Ganesan.
They are alleged to have robbed eight people masks’ their reports after attending the She had lodged separate police
aged between 16 and 40 of eight mobile phones, funeral of the Sultan’s brother reports over the matter as she was
spectacles, perfumes, RM320, a gold ring, a gold
directive Raja Datuk Seri Baharom Sultan accused by Parti Keadilan Rakyat
necklace and a watch at No. 115, Jinjang Selatan pg 8 Yusuff Izzuddin Shah. of protecting unknown persons
Tambahan, Sentul, at 11pm on April 11. Executive councillor Datuk who went into the chamber during
If convicted under Section 395 of the Penal Code, Hamidah Osman, who led the the sitting last week.
they are liable to 20 years in jail and whipping.
Sabaruddin was also charged with having a
Glock firearm during the robbery under Section 4 of
Teng rapped over proposal on Perak
the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 which IPOH: Gerakan vice-president “Doesn’t Teng know that BN
carries life imprisonment and whipping of not more Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan’s call for has the majority voice in Perak?
than six strokes. the Perak state assembly to be dis- Doesn’t he know that the crisis
Judge Zainal Abidin Kamaruddin allowed Razi, solved can cause friction in Barisan in Perak is due to Pakatan Rakyat
Zaidi and Aminuddin bail of RM10,000 with one Nasional (BN). (PR)’s refusal to accept the fact
surety each but told them not to leave Kuala Lumpur “In this situation, he should that they have lost the majority?”
and Selangor without court permission. instead give encouragement and he asked.
Sabaruddin remains in custody due to the seri- support to BN,” Kubu Gajah as- At a press conference in Penang
ousness of the offence despite defence lawyer Pritam semblyman Datuk Seri Raja Ahmad on Wednesday, Teng said dissolving
Singh Doal requesting for bail, saying that his client Zainuddin Raja Omar said. the Perak state assembly would
had a bone disease. He said Teng should instead enable the people of Perak to
Zainal fixed May 23 for re-mention of the case and focus on efforts to rebuild Gerakan decide who should rule the state.
to hear Sabaruddin’s medical report so that the court in Penang. – Bernama
could consider his bail application. – Bernama