PKR wants probe on Ampang LRT job award

Rafizi with a copy of the police report he made at the Tropicana police station in Petaling Jaya on June 29, 2012

PKR has demanded that the prime minister be investigated for alleged criminal breach of trust and abuse of power in the awarding of a RM960million contract for the Ampang Light Rail Transit (LRT) extension project.

The party’s chief strategist, Rafizi Ramli, told reporters today that he has “solid, documentary proof” that Datuk Seri Najib Razak intervened in the awarding of the contract, and has lodged a police report against the PM.

“What really alarmed us is that the prime minister himself has decided to give it to the George Kent consortium. We have solid proof in the form of documentary evidence that the PM has intervened and reversed the committee’s decision,” Rafizi said.

PKR had previously questioned a Business Times report that a George Kent Bhd joint venture could win a RM960 million contract for the Ampang LRT extension project, saying the consortium was knocked out in the bidding process.

Rafizi had said on June 22 he “can expose that George Kent is not the consortium who was chosen in Prasarana’s open tender process” despite the speculation in the business daily.

The Malaysian reported this morning that the speculated winner of the Ampang LRT system works, the George Kent consortium, was one of three bidders which failed both the technical and commercial evaluation for the RM960 million contract.

Gutsy woman rams car into smash-and-grab robbers

A GUTSY 31-year-old woman, enraged after being robbed at a traffic light junction in Saujana Prima, Kajang, gave chase and rammed the two robbers on Tuesday.

Earlier, the woman, an IT firm management executive, had stopped her car at the junction, only to have two men on a motorcycle smash her side window with a metal lock and grab her handbag in the 11.30pm incident.

She chased and rammed the suspects, knocking them off their bike.

The stunned suspects got up and tried to smash the driver’s side window.

However, two policemen from the Kajang police station on patrol spotted the incident and rushed to her aid.

'Damsel in distress' tests mall security

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FOLLOWING the experience of TV personality Dawn Jeremiah in which a shopping centre guard was reluctant to help after a failed snatch-theft attempt on her, The Malay Mail sent our reporter for a security check on several malls.

The writer went to three shopping hubs where recent assault and robbery incidents had occurred, to test their security personnel's reaction during emergencies.

She would pose as a single woman fearing to walk to the car park alone after hearing the recent spate of attacks; would ask for assistance by claiming to have seen suspicious characters; or tell the guards she need to be escorted to her car parked in a secluded spot.

This followed an incident on Monday about 11.30pm when Jeremiah and a friend were walking outside The Curve towards Ikano Power Centre after a movie at e@Curve (formerly Cineleisure). She was almost robbed by a man in his 20's who fled with an accomplice empty-handed after she screamed.

She sought help from a guard sitting in front of Ikano and pleaded with him to escort them to her car as they could not use the walkway inside the closed mall.

The security personnel reluctantly relented but left them in the car park halfway, saying his colleague would meet them at the basement level.

There was none and the two ran to their parking lot before lodging a police report.

The reporter's first account story on her checks with security guards at shopping malls yesterday:

I started my first check at the Mid valley Megamall about 1.40pm. I found it hard to find a guard. at the car park, entrance and ground floor.

After walking around for 15 minutes, I spotted a guard at the concourse.

Perak’s ‘calming’ way for ladies in peril

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THE state plans to check attacks on women in public places by giving them a tip or two on martial arts.

A non-governmental organisation, meanwhile, moots smart parking to prevent any untoward incidents at shopping mall. 


*STATE EXCO IN CHARGE OF WOMEN AFFAIRS DATUK HAMIDAH OSMAN :

We have a programme called Peka (Pohon, Endah, Keselamatan Anda) in all the 10 districts weekly for women to learn on how to react when attacked.

They will help women to overcome panic and react fast and be more alert with their surroundings. Women must ensure that they do nothing to attract criminals.

Lynas has 10 months to submit disposal plan

The Lynas Advanced Materials Plant has 10 months within the issuance of a Temporary Operating License to submit a plan for a permanent disposal facility to manage its waste.

Church defends pastor, officers over US$19m fraud

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A SINGAPORE-based Christian church rocked by a massive financial scandal has stood by its founder and four aides who could face life imprisonment for allegedly misusing the congregation's funds.

Pastor Kong Hee, 47, founder of the City Harvest Church, and four officers were charged on Wednesday with varying degrees of involvement in a scheme to siphon off Sg$24 million (RM59.94 million) to finance his wife's singing career.

In addition, more than Sg$26 million in church money was allegedly misappropriated to cover up the original diversion.

In a statement posted on its website late Thursday, the church denied any wrongdoing by the five, who are out on bail while on trial.

"It has been suggested that the church has been cheated of Sg$50 million. This is not accurate," executive pastor Aries Zulkarnain said in the statement.

Dr M backs Mukhriz as next Kedah MB

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Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has voiced his unconditional support for his son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir to become the next Kedah mentri besar should Barisan Nasional (BN) win back the state in the 13th general election.

The former prime minister’s endorsement of his son will likely add pressure for the state Umno leadership to decide on whether to back Mukhriz (picture) as a potential candidate, as support within the party for the deputy international trade and industry minister appears divided at best.

GE during haj season poser

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is not discounting the possibility that the general election may be held during the haj season.

Email Print 28 June 2012 | Last updated at 11:58AM Carjacking, house break-in syndicate crippled, 7 held Read more: Carjacking, house break-in syndicate crippled, 7 held

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Police believe they have crippled the 'Geng Hong' syndicate believed to have been actively involved in carjacking and house break-ins, with the arrest of seven suspects in Genting Highlands, Pahang and Cheras here on June 8 and 14.

Baby chokes to death

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ANOTHER infant has died after choking on milk, the latest fatality involving the grandson of a former boss of national news agency Bernama.

Two-month-old Mohd Affan Syahin Mohd Rizal was found unconscious at the childcare centre where his mother had left him several hours earlier, said Datuk Seri Azman Ujang, a former Bernama general manager.

Berita Harian reported that Mohd Affan's death was among seven cases involving infants who had choked on milk this year.

It’s hard for S’pore teens to get round to using condoms

ABOUT 75% of teenagers in Singapore do not know how to use a condom.

That was the finding of a survey carried out by the National University of Singapore involving 900 sexually active teens in the republic, reported China Press.

The survey found that more than three-quarter of the teens who took part in the exercise did not know how to use the form of protection.

Last year, there were 1,737 pregnancies involving girls under 20 in the republic.

Parcel bomb victim dies

The 49-year-old housewife who fell victim to a parcel bomb blast in Taman Angsana Sari has succumbed to her injuries at the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital here.

Tan Chin Fang (pic) who lost both hands and suffered severe abdominal injuries in the explosion, was rushed into surgery on Friday morning but died at 9.30am yesterday.

Her husband Ng Cheng Siang, 49, said his wife was unconscious after she was pushed into the operation room on Friday.

“When she was taken to hospital right after the blast, she complained of severe pain in the belly. When she was transferred to the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital, she was already very weak,” he said.

Recalling the incident, Ng said he was upstairs in their double-storey house when he heard an explosion at 8.20am.

Malacca MCA dismisses rumours about its Wanita chief

Malacca MCA has dismissed unfounded postings in the cyberspace that it has ousted its Wanita chief Datuk Kian Sit Har for supporting Bersih 3.0 rally that was held at Dataran Pahlawan here on April 28.

State MCA chief Datuk Gan Tian Loo said the news of her purported sacking had gone viral in the cyberspace after it was posted by certain irresponsible individuals claiming that the party here had removed Kian from her seat due to her participation in the rally.

“The postings are totally untrue,” he said in an interview here on Monday.

Gan said the issue about Kian's participation arose when the Ex-Assemblymens Association (Mubarak) of Malacca called her to step down as the party's Wanita chief.

“As for us, she still is the party's Wanita chief and we have not sacked her although we were asked to do so,” he said.

Denial of voter stats sparks fears of electoral fraud

File photo of voters lining up to cast their ballots in last year’s Sarawak state elections. The government has now refused to reveal the number of voters registered by political parties.

The government’s refusal to reveal the number of voters registered by political parties has raised further suspicion of fraud in the electoral roll, a claim which has seen tens of thousands take to the streets in two mass rallies over the past year.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said, in a written reply to a parliamentary question by Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, that the Election Commission (EC) “does not have statistics on newly registered voters by each party for each quarter since 2008.”

But Pua told a press conference today that the reply given last week to his written question posed during the March sitting contradicted previous reports in 2010 and last year where the EC issued a breakdown of voters registered by parties.

Too soon to give Lynas plant the thumbs up, says scientist

Factors such as hydrochloric acid used to process thorium ore and the waste produced at the rare earth processing plant in Lynas, Gebeng must be taken into account before the plant can be ascertained safe.

Nuclear scientist Dr Che Rosli Che Mat said although thorium ore had a low radiation and not dangerous as he himself had examined a sample, the hydrochloric acid was a strong acid and waste produced can be very dangerous to human being.

“Other than thorium ore, other factors, especially involving the plant is still not clear and to date, the plant still cannot be ascertained safe.

Accountant fined RM2,000 after her dog kills man in Subang Jaya

An accountant, whose dog mauled to death a 74-year-old senior citizen in Subang Jaya last month, was fined RM2,000 or, in default, two months' jail by a Magistrate's court here on Monday.

Magistrate Mohd Nazri Omran fined Elaine Soon Sien Ling, 28, after she pleaded guilty to negligence with respect to her pet that endangered Yip Sun Wah.

The offence was committed at No. 59, Jalan SS19/5B, Subang Jaya at about 9.40am on May 8.

She was charged under Section 289 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum fine of six months' jail or RM2,000 fine or both if convicted.

PM slams PAS for calling members to defer Haj for polls

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today hit out at PAS for calling on its members who are directly involved in the general election to defer performing the Haj amid speculation that polls may be held during the pilgrimage season.

“We are very shocked; how could an opposition party place their party agenda over Islam itself?” Najib said in his address today during the launch of his latest book “The Islamic Agenda in Transforming the Nation”.

“They are willing to ask party members to defer performing the Haj solely to face the upcoming general election, even though the fifth ‘rukun (pillar)’ of Islam states if you can afford to perform the Haj then go and do not delay it,” he added.

Najib gave his assurance the government “will weigh in all factors before calling for polls” and “[he] will make sure the consideration is in line with Islam itself”.

Two charged over assault on national boxer

Two men, including a VVIP, were charged in a Session's Court here Monday over the assault on 24-year-old national boxer Muhamad Farkhan Mohd Haron in May.

Tunku Nick Tazuddin Izwan Shah Tunku Qadir, 27, of Istana Bukit Kesenangan, Jalan Abdul Samad, and Alex Foo Hee Wee, 41, of Taman Seri Tebrau, were charged with committing the offence, along with four others still at large, at Jalan Moleh 3/2, Taman Molek between 4.30am and 7am on May 6.

Both men appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charge of causing hurt to the boxer using a blunt object.

Deluge of newborns creates demand for confinement ladies

Baby care: Lim Kim Moi (left) showing new mother Nancy Cheng how to change her baby’s diaper. Confinement ladies like Lim are few and far in between, especially in the Year of the Dragon.

The deluge of newborns by aspiring parents in the Year of the Dragon has created a demand for confinement ladies which has made them “precious commodities”.

Mothers across the country, especially in densely-populated cities like Kuala Lumpur and Johor Baru, are finding it difficult to secure experienced confinement ladies or nannies even three to four months ahead of their delivery date.

“My sister-in-law in Johor Baru was searching high and low for a nanny since March and she only found one available in July,” said Elaine Wong, 32.

Wong, who had just welcomed her baby boy in March, had booked her confinement lady from Ipoh in November last year.

“She was very good, but she was already booked in July,” said Wong, who initially recommended the confinement lady to her sister-in-law.

Borders allowed to challenge Jawi's seizure of controversial book

Berjaya Books Sdn Bhd has been allowed to challenge the raid and search on its Borders bookstore and seizure of Irshad Manji's controversial book from the store by the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) last month.

High Court (Appellate and Special Powers) judge Justice Rohana Yusuf held Monday that the application for leave by Berjaya Books, which owns Borders Bookstore, has merits.

The judge made the order after hearing submissions by parties in chambers.

The judge has also dismissed an objection raised by the Attorney-General's Chambers against the application for leave.

Speaking to reporters later, Berjaya Books lead counsel Rosli Dahlan said the judge ruled that the application for leave was not premature and that the civil court has jurisdiction to hear the matter.

M. Manoharan to go to trial to settle RM3.9mil claim against land owners

The Court of Appeal ordered lawyer M. Manoharan to go to trial to settle his claim for RM3.9mil in legal and consultation fees for allegedly acting for two land owners.

Government wants to raise traffic fines to RM2,000

— A hefty fine of up to RM2,000 awaits traffic offenders including for beating the red light, when amendments to the Road Transport Act 1987 are approved.

The Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2012 was tabled today at the Dewan Rakyat for the first reading by Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abd Rahim Bakri.

An amendment to subsection 79(2) was also sought to set the minimum penalty at RM300 and maximum at RM2,000 for motorists or pedestrians who ignore an order or traffic signal by a uniformed policeman or warden on traffic duty. The original act provides for an offender to be fined not more than RM500.

Reveal MAS-Tajudin settlement, says Pakatan

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) should disclose its terms of settlement with its ex-chairman Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders have said, adding that the lack of transparency was unacceptable as millions of taxpayers’ money were at stake.

Last Friday, MAS settled out of court its three lawsuits against Tajudin (picture), a move the national carrier described as “considerably viable”.

“He (Tajudin) has agreed to surrender valuable land in Langkawi where the Four Seasons Hotel stands,” a court source told The Malaysian Insider on condition of anonymity.

“What exactly is the value of the land in Langkawi which is able to settle all outstanding disputes with MAS?” asked Tony Pua, the DAP’s national publicity secretary.

He said the settlement was “highly suspicious” and “MAS has no right to claim this being a private company settlement because it has been bailed out one too many times with taxpayers’ money.

The race to get married

A couple got hitched on the fast track when they became the first couple to host their wedding at the Sepang International Circuit.

RM5 million worth of pirated VCD and DVD seized

THE Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism seized 500,000 pirated VCDs and DVDs worth RM5 mln during a raid on a double-storey shophouse in Jalan PJU 1A/3J Ara Damansara, here, today.

The Ministry's enforcement division special task force head Fahmi Kasim said the five-hour operation started at 1.40pm.

"However, no arrests were made because the workers ran away as soon they realised our presence on the close circuit television installed outside the premises," he told reporters here.

Rival rallies held over Lynas plant

POLICE stopped about 800 anti-Lynas Himpunan Hijau protesters from marching towards the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) in Gebeng here yesterday.

They had earlier gathered at the entrance of the Gebeng Industrial Zone at 10.30am and held a sit-in under the watchful eye of policemen, who had set up a roadblock 50m away.

As the gathering slowed traffic along the busy road, district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Jasmani Yusoff approached the protesters and gave them some time to finish their speeches and disperse.

The group, however, marched towards the industrial area, forcing Jasmani and his men to stop them at the roadblock.

After a brief stand-off, the organisers agreed to disperse at 12.30pm.

Perkasa wants Singapore envoys expelled over Bersih rally

Malay rights group Perkasa today demanded that Singapore withdraw three of its diplomats accused by local right-wing groups of being involved in the April 28 Bersih rally here despite the republic denying the charge.

Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali today led 300 supporters to submit a protest note to the Singapore High Commission at Jalan Tun Razak, in a move that appeared to be from an old playbook of using the republic as a bogeyman to unite the Malays.

Umno has previously targeted Singapore to rally Malays against perceived foreign threats, with Perkasa’s focus on Singapore — despite the presence of diplomats from other countries — suggesting a strategic move given the general antipathy here towards the republic.

Approval for Lynas plant

The Parliamentary Select Committee on the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant has approved a temporary operating license to the company.

21-HOUR ORDEAL: Tugboat finds them floating in open sea off Pulau Tioman

The group of young divers who were rescued by a tugboat yesterday after they were found floating about 20 nautical miles north of Tulai island near Pulau Tioman. The six (from left), Lim Kong Hooi, Maggie Lim, Leong Li Kar, Zu Zhiming, Hu Jia Jie and Wang Jia Xing were brought to the Salang police station on Pulau Tioman

Najib: Help MCA voice views

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday urged Chinese youth to lend their support to MCA for their views to be heard.

Living hell for model

It’s pure horror for international model Joey Cheah to discover that advertisements using her pictures and mobile number to promote sexual services had been circulating on social networks and blogs all over the Internet since early June.

Two men with fake guns held in army camp

Two men, posing as army officers and driving a Mercedes-Benz S200 filled with fake weaponry, gained entry into the Terendak Camp in Sungai Udang, here, on Saturday.

The imitation firearms seized in Malacca yesterday. Grade A imitation firearms are replicas of famous modern guns, each incorporating a firing mechanism which simulates the workings of the original. It is made of high-grade casting alloy, with genuine hardwood used where applicable. The finishes replicate the as-made finish of the original gun and, in some cases, the patina develops with time and use. These replica firearms are usually used as stage props and by movie studios. They are non-fireable and cannot be altered.

Syed Mokhtar like a king, says senior Umno MP

A senior Umno backbencher accused the Najib administration today of favouring Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary in government procurement, saying the logistics tycoon is “like a king.”

Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (picture) told Parliament this when criticising the selection of Syed Mokhtar’s Seaport Terminal to take the finance ministry-owned Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) private, saying it was “unsuitable in current conditions.”

“Syed Mokhtar is like a king with so many banks backing him,” the Barisan Nasional (BN) backbenchers deputy chief said when debating the supplementary supply bill, referring to the former’s empire which has a reported total debt of RM34.3 billion, or about 10 per cent of all local corporate bonds.

Return to work

espite losing his limbs in an accident, 23 year old Muhamad Hairuman Miskon remains positive and has promised to show his loved ones that he could be independent.

Seizure of 4 NFCorp properties

The properties subject to the notice of seizure by the Attorney-General’s Chambers include two units of One Menerung condominiums in Bangsar.




THE Attorney-General's Chambers has issued a notice of seizure on four properties belonging to the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp).

The notice, dated June 18, was issued under Subsection 51(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, and was signed by deputy public prosecutor Anselm Charles Fernandis.

The properties subject to the notice of seizure are two units of One Menerung condominiums in Bangsar and two parcels of land in Precinct 10, Putrajaya.

On March 12, chairman of NFCorp Datuk Seri Dr Mohamed Salleh Ismail was charged with two counts of committing criminal breach of trust involving a total of RM49.7 million and two counts of violating the Companies Act.

Cheer is back!

The crowd was ecstatic and the cheerleading performances were electrifying at the Cheer 2012 finals on Saturday.

Food, trees, overtime top City Hall’s claims from Bersih

Barriers are seen at Dataran Merdeka on the eve of the Bersih rally in Kuala Lumpur April 27, 2012

The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) wants electoral watchdog group Bersih to pay for its officers’ meals and overtime claims on top of damaged trees and barricades used to block off demonstrators from taking part in the April 28 peaceful sit-down protest at Dataran Merdeka.

These were among the compensation charges totalling RM351,203.45 the local authority had demanded in an official letter sent out yesterday to Bersih chief Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and steering committee member, Maria Chin Abdullah.

“Due to the Bersih 3.0 assembly, the Mayor had incurred the following losses, to which you are responsible as the organizers of the assembly,” the letter of demand dated June 18 said.

Anwar urged to explain

Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor says people will know that Suaram’s complaint was a “manipulation” engineered by the opposition parties

FORMER close associates of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim continue to pile pressure on him and his allies over their attempt to link the country's purchase of Scorpene submarines with the murder case of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Anwar's former political secretary Senator Ezam Mohd Nor yesterday queried whether his former boss and other opposition leaders were aware that there was a "time gap" between the purchase of the submarines in 2002 and the first time that political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda met Altantuya in 2004.

Dr M: More Chinese independent schools will divide people

Setting up more Chinese independent schools and recognising its United Examination Certificate will create further obstacles to national unity, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

“It’s already a fact from the very beginning that vernacular (schools) can be set up by the different communities, which has resulted in our young people not being together and that has become a hindrance towards unity among the people,” Dr Mahathir (picture) told a press conference today after launching the Maybank Foundation-Perdana Leadership Foundation essay competition here.

Aireen Omar is new AirAsia CEO for Malaysia

AirAsia Malaysia witnessed a new era Monday when co-founder Tan Sri Tony Fernandes announced Aireen Omar its new chief executive officer.

Hill 'killed' by development

DAP assemblyman takes reporters to see construction site above the 75m safety zone


THE sight at the top of a hill just behind the wet market at Mount Erskine is shocking to say the least.

Gone are the trees and the highest point has been levelled.

The hilltop is littered with granite rock which was blasted and dug out of the ground in preparation for the construction of posh apartments and villas.

The project was abandoned in the early 1990s but was revived two years ago with work now in full swing. Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu took the New Straits Times to see how the hill "was being killed" with little or no monitoring of what was going on.

Muhyiddin: Pas cannot determine Muslims' fate

The party has no right to reward blessings from Allah, says DPM

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin being greeted by an enthusiastic crowd on his arrival at the ‘Jamuan Rakyat 1Malaysia’ programme in Felda Lubuk Merbau in Kuala Nerang, near Alor Star,

PAS spiritual leader Datuk Seri Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat is in no position to determine and reward Muslims with pahala (blessings) from God.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin described the Kelantan menteri besar's latest campaign against Barisan Nasional as "teori songsang" (wrong theory).

"This is wrong. Pas has no right to determine the fate of Muslims when it comes to the reward of pahala from God.

"In fact, no one in the world can determine our fate in the afterlife.

MP warns Parliament of exposure to Syed Mokhtar’s mounting debt

The surging debt of companies under Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary has led a federal lawmaker to warn of a repeat of the financial system’s collapse in 1998 that had then been spurred by the failure of Renong Bhd to fulfill its liabilities.

With China’s economy quickly cooling and the persistent euro-zone crisis looming over Malaysia’s export-oriented economy, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua told Parliament that a recession may cause the logistics tycoon’s (picture) empire to fall.

“Syed Mokhtar’s group of companies has a combined debt of RM34.3 billion or more than 10 per cent of all local corporate bonds as of 2011 with only RM7.8 billion cash as of May 2012,” he said while debating the supplementary supply bill.

DAP dares Lynas PSC chief to reside near Kuantan plant

The DAP today dared Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin, the chairman of the parliamentary select committee (PSC) on the controversial Lynas rare earth refinery, to “prove his sincerity” by relocating his family to live next to the Kuantan plant.

The Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp) has sparked public protests over health concerns, but a PSC report tabled in Parliament this week said that “scientific facts” showed it was safe and called for the approval of a temporary operating licence (TOL).

PM conveys condolences to Saudi king over prince's death

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has conveyed his deepest condolences and sympathy to King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia on the demise of Crown Prince Nayef Abdul Aziz Al Saud.




Datuk Seri Najib Razak conveying his sympathy to Crown Prince Salman Abdul Aziz (left), who is also Saudi defence minister, in Jeddah, yesterday after paying his last respects to Prince Nayef Abdul Aziz Al Saud.Bernama pic

Najib: MAS to replace planes to boost revenue

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is focusing on replacing aircraft to boost revenue and reduce operational costs, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

To regain customer confidence, MAS will introduce long-haul services on the Airbus A380 as a new brand for the airline from July 1, he added.

Najib, who is also finance minister, said this in his written reply to a question from Hee Loy Sian (PKR-Petaling Jaya Selatan) on the improvement plan to ensure the firm's RM2.52 billion loss last year was not repeated.

Najib’s cautious, methodical preparation seen delaying polls

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When is the next general election? From last year to now, several dates have been cast as the “definitive” election date for Datuk Seri Najib Razak to get his personal mandate as prime minister, after he replaced Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in April 2009.

But as yet, the election date is as hazy as the smoke that blew across the Malay peninsula earlier this week, even as business groups and civil servants say an early election is preferable as it would end uncertainty and allow them to launch their plans at a time when the world economic outlook is gloomy.

An election must be called by next April 28, otherwise Parliament will be automatically dissolved and a general election held within 60 days.