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Independent panel to pick
Penang councillors
by Opalyn Mok
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: In a radical move,
the Penang government may set up an
independent panel of citizens to select its
municipal councillors while waiting for
legal hurdles against local government
elections to be cleared.
The setting up of the body, dubbed
the independent panel for the selection
of councillors (IPSC), is one of the chief
recommendations issued by the state-ap-
pointed local government working group
(LGWG).
The group’s report was made public
on the state government’s official website
(www.penang.gov.my) yesterday.
The group wants the panel, made up
of five to nine members of citizens of
Don’t underestimate BN, says Muhyiddin
PUTRAJAYA: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has
reminded opposition parties not to underestimate
the Barisan Nasional’s strength in the next general
election.
The deputy prime minister said BN believed
it had strengthened its position following the
appointment of Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak
as prime minister and the introduction of the
concept of “1Malaysia, People First, Performance
Now” under Najib’s administration.
The BN government was also seriously pur-
suing economic recovery and social justice, he
said.
“People can see we are a serious government,”
he told the media after attending a luncheon talk
with Malaysian diplomats in conjunction with the
7th Heads of Mission Conference at the Putrajaya
International Convention Centre yesterday.
He was asked to comment on the decision by
good reputation, to be responsible for se-
lecting councillors by holding “informal”
elections. The report said the state gov-
ernment cannot hold local government
elections without amending the Local
Government Act which can only be done
in Parliament.
The act states that all provisions relat-
ing to local government elections shall
cease to have force or effect and that all
councillors, including presidents, be ap-
pointed by the state government.
“It is also the opinion of the working
group that the Penang state government
has to discuss this matter with the Na-
tional Council for Local Government and
get its consent before local government
elections can be held,” the report added.
The panel members must also be
changed periodically to prevent the crea-
the opposition parties to reject the proposal
for a unity government as they were more
interested in taking over the federal govern-
ment in the next general election.
Muhyiddin believes the BN will regain lost
ground in the next general election.
“We know our strengths and weaknesses
but don’t underestimate us,” he said.
The PKR-DAP-PAS opposition coalition
on Monday rejected the proposed talks for
Hillslope
unsafe
after illegal
tion of “entrenched” personalities in the
selection of councillors. clearing
However, the final decision in the pg 6
appointment of councillors would still
be with the state government as per the
provisions under the Act, the report said.
In a statement issued yesterday, state
local government and traffic manage-
ment committee chairman Chow Kon
Yeow said the working group had also
recommended that the Penang state as-
sembly pass a resolution calling on the
federal government to reintroduce local
government elections.
“This will be done at the August sitting
of the state assembly,” he said in response
to a statement by Suaram Penang coordi-
nator Lau Shu Shi that the state had failed
to address issues such as local council
elections.
Muhyiddin
shakes
hands with
one of the
participants
after a
luncheon
talk at the
7th Heads
of Mission
Conference
at the
Putrajaya
International
Convention
Centre
yesterday.
a unity government with Umno which was
mooted by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul
Hadi Awang.
Muhyiddin said he was surprised that the
opposition rejected its own proposal.
Saying Umno was sincere in listening to
the proposal, Muhyiddin called on the op-
position parties not to twist facts and point
fingers at Umno over the collapse of the
proposed unity talks. – Bernama
Govt won’t close school
with one pupil
PUTRAJAYA: The government will not close
any school even if it has only one student,
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin
Yassin said yesterday.
He said the government would let the
school continue to operate even if it had to
station 10 teachers to teach a single student.
It would be up to the headmaster or princi-
pal whether to close the school, he said.
Muhyiddin, who is education minister, was
asked to comment on the plight of SJK (T)
Ladang Sungai Timah near Teluk Intan, Perak.
The school has a lone Year 6 pupil, K. Hu-
mah, a headmistress and two teachers.
UKM student found dead
in hostel parking lot
KUALA LUMPUR: A student was found dead
in a hostel parking lot of Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia (UKM) in Bangi yesterday.
A cleaner who stumbled on 23-year-old
Siti Farihan Mohd Hassan’s body at the Za’aba
hostel parking lot about 7am, contacted the
police.
Investigations have revealed that Siti
Farihan, who was pursuing her masters in
theSun | WEDNESDAY JUNE 24 2009
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Labour providers
to register with
department
by Eva Yeong
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: All labour recruitment agen-
cies will have to register with the Labour De-
partment under proposed amendments to the
Employment Act.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr. S.
Subramaniam said the proposed amendments
would require the agencies to provide details of
workers hired by them.
“The agencies hold licences, but the work-
ers are not registered. We want them to be
registered so that we can monitor them,” he
said at the launch of FMM HR Conference 2009
yesterday.
The other proposed amendments are related
to domestic maid issues such sexual harass-
ment and one day off per week, he said.
Subramaniam said legislation for work
provides greater flexibility by allowing flexi or
part-time work.
Full-time workers involve obligations, which
are not flexible for employers especially in the
current economic situation. The shorter work
period regulation would also address employ-
ee’s rights such as benefits, which would be
pro-rated according to working hours, he said.
He said the number of retrenched workers
in May declined to 3,204, compared with 7,132
in February. However, the more than 45,500
workers mainly in the manufacturing sector are
facing temporary lay-off, salary reduction and
shorter working hours.
Chemical Science, might have fallen from the
balcony of her room on the fourth floor.
Kajang police chief ACP Shakarudin Che
Mood said the victim sustained bruises on
the face due to fall, believed to have occurred
about 3am. He said there was no sign of the
room being broken into or ransacked. Police
have ruled out foul play. – Bernama
PKR calls for release of
Myanmar asylum seekers
PETALING JAYA: Parti Keadilan Rakyat has
called for the release of 14 Myanmar asylum
seekers and refugees arrested during the 64th
birthday celebration of Myanmar pro-democ-
racy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Its information chief, Latheefa Koya, said in
a statement yesterday that it was an occasion
celebrated around the world and the party did
not see the need for 100 policemen to block
roads around Taman Jaya where the event
was held on Friday.
“PKR calls upon the Petaling Jaya district
police to immediately release the asylum
seekers and refugees arrested and to allow
the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) full access to them while
they remain in police custody,” she said.
– Bernama