PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE TO LOOK INTO EUROCOPTER, MAYBANK, TM DEALS

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will be conducting inquiries into a number of recent controversial deals involving both the public and private sector, including the acquisition of Bank Internasional Indonesia (BII) by Maybank, the Eurocopter deal and the broadband project awarded to Telekom Malaysia.

Its chairman Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid told reporters today that the committee will soon be calling in the relevant parties to understand their rationale behind the decisions.

He said that the committee had yet to fix a specific date to begin their inquiries.

Asked if the committee would call in the Deputy Prime Minister to assist in their inquiries, Azmi smiled and said: “We will see first. We don’t want to jump the gun.”

More:http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/13855/84/

NAJIB MUST KEEP CRONIES AND FAMILY MEMBERS AT BAY, SAYS MAHATHIR

MELBOURNE, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak should not be surrounded by cronies and family members when he is prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said here Sunday.

"There are several former members of parliament and experts whose advice he should seek to run the country," the former prime minister told Bernama after addressing a Malaysian youth seminar at the University of Melbourne.

"There is a lot of work to be done to restore the confidence of the people in the government," Dr Mahathir said.

"But Najib must not try to do everything himself. He must get proper advice from the right people.

"He should not be surrounded by cronies and family members as this will not be good for the country." – BERNAMA

More:http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=363974

MUHYIDDIN THE BEST PERSON FOR DPM JOB, SAYS MAHATHIR

MELBOURNE, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said on Sunday that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is the "best person" to be the Malaysian deputy prime minister.

"There are many contestants for the Umno deputy president's position, but I think Muhyiddin is the best person to be deputy to (Datuk Seri) Najib (Tun Razak)," the former Malaysian prime minister said.

Dr Mahathir said the International Trade and Industry Minister had been "very vocal" over the leadership issue of late.

While backing Najib for the prime minister's position, Dr Mahathir said Muhyiddin would bring in a great deal of grassroots experience and knowledge.

"With hard work and co-operation, Najib and Muhyiddin would be able to lead a good government.

"With the global financial turmoil, Malaysia needs strong and decisive leadership," said Dr Mahathir who is here to speak at a Malaysian youth seminar and at an international multicultural symposium. He returns to Kuala Lumpur on Monday. - BERNAMA

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newspolitic.php?id=364000

IMF WARNS THAT MARKETS COULD COLLAPSE BY ANOTHER 20%

The world is on the brink of financial meltdown, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said last night. His bleak warning came as finance ministers tried to calm the frenzy in markets that saw share prices crash by more than 20% last week.

Separately, the IMF’s chief economist predicted that shares could slump by another 20% before stabilising. G7 finance ministers pledged to take all necessary steps to support the banking system and stave off an economic slump.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the head of the IMF, warned that the measures so far “have not yet achieved the goal of stabilising markets and bolstering confidence”.

He said: “Intensifying solvency concerns about a number of the largest US-based and European financial institutions have pushed the global financial system to the brink of systemic meltdown.” Countries would need to take further measures, including interest rate cuts and steps to bolster the banks.

Olivier Blanchard, his chief economist, said stock markets had further to fall. “At the worst, the governments will need another few weeks to make the right assessment and the stock exchanges could fall by another 20%; then there will be a turnaround,” he said.

The warnings came as G7 finance ministers, including Alistair Darling, met George Bush at the White House. “We are in this together,” the president said. “We will come through it together.” Other experts warned that the instability was likely to continue.

More:http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=9501

ELECT LEADERS FOR THE FUTURE OF UMNO, SAYS NAJIB

ALOR STAR, Oct 10 (Bernama) -- UMNO deputy president Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak today reminded all party members and delegates to think of UMNO's future in choosing the candidates who would become their leaders.

He said it was now the season for the election of leaders at the branch, divisional and national level and they should not choose candidates based on personality.

"Remember the advice of the elders, think of the future when you want to do things. It is also the same when it comes to choosing leaders, pick the best for the future of the party," he said at a Gathering With Heads of Federal Departments and Community Leaders organised by the State UMNO Liaison Body, here.

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I FEEL COMFORTABLE WORKING WITH NAJIB, SAYS MUHYIDDIN

SEREMBAN, Oct 10 (Bernama) -- "I feel comfortable working with (Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Najib (Tun Razak) as a team in the cabinet as well as in matters concerning the party," said UMNO vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

However, he stressed, the cooperation did not mean it was a political partnership.

Muhyiddin said this when asked to comment on the claim by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad several months ago in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan that Muhyiddin and Najib had formed a partnership and promised to undertake reforms in UMNO, and to cooperate with each other. - BERNAMA

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NAJIB, MUHYIDDIN EARLIEST TO RECEIVE NOMINATIONS

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin have received early nominations for the post of UMNO president and deputy president in the party elections in March when two UMNO divisions held their meetings Friday.

The Kimanis UMNO division in Sabah and the Machang division in Kelantan were the first of the 191 UMNO divisions nationwide to hold their delegates meeting. - BERNAMA

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CONTEST FOR TOP UMNO POSTS ALMOST A CERTAINTY

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- The contest for the top posts in UMNO in March is believed to be unavoidable with attention being focused on the tussle for the deputy presidency.

Besides Datuk Seri Mohamed Ali Rustam, who is a vice-president, others vying for the UMNO Number Two post are Supreme Council (MT) member Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Pulai UMNO division head Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, who is also the youngest aspirant at the age of 42.

Three others who are said to be eyeing for the post are vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, UMNO information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib and MT member Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.

Although many feel that every UMNO member has the right to contest, there are others who feel that the prospective candidates must evaluate their own capability because the UMNO deputy president, by convention, is also the Deputy Prime Minister.

The final decision, however, lies with the 191 UMNO divisions that will hold their delegates conference beginning Thursday, as the prospective candidates must secure nominations from at least 38 divisions, or 20 per cent of the total number of divisions, in order to be eligible to contest.

More:http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newspolitic.php?id=362993

KU LI SAYS A UNITY GOVERNMENT MAY BE THE WAY FORWARD

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 - Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah says he is considering an enlarged coalition to form a unity government if he wins the UMNO presidency.

The UMNO veteran says he sees himself as a leader who can bring together all the rival factions in Malaysian politics and forge a “safer road” for the country.

“I think I am quite acceptable to a lot of people. I can talk to all the various factions,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

He said he had brought up the matter of a unity government in meetings with opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang.

Over the next few weeks, he is expected to bring up the matter in discussions with Barisan Nasional leaders.

Tengku Razaleigh has offered himself as a candidate for the UMNO presidency, and is likely to take on Datuk Seri Najib Razak if, as expected, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi does not defend his post.- The Malaysian Insider

More:http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/13514/84/

ABDULLAH’S PIVOTAL “NON-DECISION”

M. Bakri Musa

There are three possible decisions that Abdullah Badawi could make on or by October 9, 2008 , ahead of his party’s divisional meetings. One, he could bravely declare that he will defend his post; two, announce his resignation; and three, waffle and leave it up in the air, effectively a “non-decision.”

This third option would be more in character with him. Throughout his tenure Abdullah has shown a singular inability to make even the simplest decisions. He would defer them until the last minute when the decision would be forced upon him, as the other choices would have been effectively taken away by changed circumstances.

With the third choice, Abdullah, with advice from his “bright” advisors, would of course frame or “spin” it not as a “non-decision;” rather he would dress it up in a language more in tune with our culture. He would for example “leave his fate to Allah,” or for his “party members to decide.” This would also be a classic Abdullah’s non-decision and “flip-flop!”

More:http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/13470/84/

ABDULLAH'S SILENCE RAISES LOUD SPECULATIONS

He is not going to defend his party president’s position but Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s silence on the matter is spawning several theories and prompting some division chiefs to nudge him along by openly declaring support for Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak even before the divisional meetings.

At the emergency supreme council meeting last Friday, the Prime Minister announced that the party elections would be postponed from December to March and that he would state before Oct 9 whether he would accept nominations for the top position.

His decision to keep his options open has set off speculation that he is still harbouring a desire to contest the party polls, a move which will see him face off with Najib.

Senior party officials and his supporters have met Abdullah since Friday and the indication they get is that he is not interested in defending his position, though he believes that the “groundswell’’ of anti-Abdullah sentiment among divisions was manufactured by his political enemies and several highly-placed individuals in the party whom he trusted. - THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER

More:http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/13254/84/

SELANGOR EXCO MEMBER RONNIE LIU SUES DR KHIR TOYO

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- Selangor Executive Council (Exco) member Ronnie Liu today filed a suit against former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo as he claimed that the latter had slandered him.

He filed the suit at the High Court Civil Registry, Jalan Duta, through his lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, seeking for general damages, aggravated damages and examplary damages, interests, costs and other reliefs deemed fit by the court.

More:http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newspolitic.php?id=362822

NOMINATIONS BY UMNO DIVISIONS BEGINS FRIDAY

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- The candidates chosen by the Umno grassroots for key positions in the party especially for the posts of president, deputy president and vice-presidents will be known by Friday at the earliest.

A check by Bernama finds that so far, the Umno divisions have chosen Friday as the commencement date for their delegates conference although they have been allowed to start from Thursday.

Machang and Kimanis are among the earliest Umno divisions to hold their meetings on Friday, followed by the Tumpat and Besut divisions on Saturday.

More:http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newspolitic.php?id=362843