Government spends RM84.9 million on Ops Daulat

The Defence Ministry spent a whopping RM84.9 million in Ops Daulat to resolve the intrusion of Sulu terrorists in Lahad Datu earlier this year, Parliament heard today.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein also told MPs that 5,610 army personnel were involved in the Ops Daulat operation.

He said this while responding to Sabak Bernam MP Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh, where the latter had asked what was being done to ensure the Lahad Datu incident does not happen again.

Ops Daulat, which was launched on March 5, eight policemen and two soldiers were killed while Malaysian security forces shot dead 68 armed intruders from the southern Philippines and arrested 173 people under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012. - July 4, 2013.

Najib’s new Cabinet to have ‘familiar faces’, more Umno men

 Khairy

 Hishamuddin

Tengku Adnan

The new Cabinet to be announced tomorrow will have a familiar look and loaded with Umno lawmakers, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak having one eye on this year’s party polls.

One likely to make a comeback is Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor, the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno secretary-general who gained notoriety several years ago for allegedly fixing judicial appointments during the Mahathir era.

Also on the shortlist is Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, the former Terengganu mentri besar who together with Tengku Adnan is a member of the BN war room that planned the coalition’s Election 2013 campaign.


Continue Reading...

Hisham, wife safe as copter lands on side

The helicopter, that had ferried Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and his wife from Johor, lying on its side at the police air field in Sungai Besi yesterday.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and his wife, Tengku Datin Seri Marsilla Tengku Abdullah, were left shocked and dazed yesterday after the helicopter they were in toppled over on its side.

The incident occurred at 3.30pm when Hishammuddin and his wife had just returned to Kuala Lumpur from Johor in a chartered flight after casting their votes.


Continue Reading...

Don’t appeal court ruling, Bersih tells Putrajaya

Members of the police force guard the front gate of the Bersih 2.0 headquarters during the raid of the secretariat in PJ last year.

Bersih 2.0 has urged Putrajaya not to appeal today’s court ruling on its legal status and instead return all the materials it confiscated last year when the group was declared unlawful.

The 84-member electoral reforms group also asked that the government withdraw all civil suits against it in court, saying it was a waste of public funds.

“We recognise that the government has a right to appeal today’s decision but for the sake of our country, we sincerely ask them not to pursue with an appeal and to drop all the civil suits against us.

“Instead, we hope that the government will take cognisance of the political realities in our country and deal with Bersih 2.0 as a legitimate representative of the interests and demands of the people for free and fair elections,” the group said in a statement from its steering committee members here.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court decided today to quash Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein’s order last year and declare Bersih 2.0, a coalition of over 84 non-governmental organisations, a legal entity.

In her ruling, High Court judge Datuk Rohana Yusof had said the coalition of civil societies known as Bersih 2.0, though not officially registered, can be considered a society under the Societies Act.

“The minister’s order is quashed because Bersih is a lawful society,” Justice Rohana said.

Hisham: No way cops would give unconditional nod to rally

Hishammuddin said police would not have announced their approval unless PKR had acceded to the conditions

Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein today backed assertions by Kuala Lumpur police that the 10 conditions imposed on a rally in support of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tomorrow were agreed upon during their meeting with PKR leaders.

“Obviously, the police would not have held a joint press conference with him (Azmin) without having agreed on the conditions under which the assembly could be held so as not to disrupt peace and order,” the home minister was quoted as saying by Bernama Online today.

PKR leaders including deputy president Azmin Ali and Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin met with city police on Friday after earlier pledging to rally 100,000 people in support of Opposition Leader Anwar during the announcement of his sodomy trial verdict tomorrow.

Hisham: Organisers must guarantee Jan 9 rally will be peaceful

The organisers of the '901-Free Anwar Campaign' planned for Monday must guarantee that the illegal rally will be held in a peaceful manner, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

"The most important thing for the police is to protect and maintain public order, but at the same time in line with the spirit of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2011.

"It is highly likely that the organisers of the gathering must convince authorities that whatever they are planning will not jeopardise the safety of other people," he said during a press conference after the ministry's first post-Cabinet meeting of the year at its headquarters Wednesday.

Tung Shin incident ‘mountain out of molehill’, says Hisham

The scene at Tung Shin Hospital on July 9

Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein complained today that the Tung Shin Hospital incident was being blown out of proportion, saying the police were not the only ones to blame for mishaps during the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally.

The Home Minister pointed out that the incident at the hospital was merely one of “six or seven” mishaps and only involved the wrongdoing of one errant police officer.

Hisham promises to probe Ambiga death threat

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said today that the police will investigate the death threats made against Bersih chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.

Hishamuddin (picture) said that the threat is very serious especially considering the circumstances.

“I am going to Bukit Aman immediately afterwards and will get the police to make sure that the SMSes that have been going around and where they originate from are not a threat. A lot of things go through SMSes. I get death threats too but in the circumstances of Bersih, we need to take this particular threat more seriously,” he told reporters in Parliament here.

July 9 rally groups summoned to Bukit Aman

Ambiga head of BERSIH 2.0

The three groups planning to have separate rallies on July 9 were summoned to Bukit Aman police headquarters yesterday.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the representatives of the three groups -- Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0), Umno Youth and Malay rights group Perkasa were called because they have insisted on having the rallies despite not having a police permit.

“I have already stated that immediate action must be taken on this matter and the PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police) will call all parties involved, because although we have said that we are not going to grant them permits, the
statements from Perkasa, Umno Youth and Bersih, indicate that they plan to proceed anyway,” he told reporters after attending a meeting in Parliament yesterday.

Hishammmuddin however declined to give details as to what would happen when the groups are at Bukit Aman.

Hisham: Police to haul up rallies’ organisers

The minister said all three groups were persisting despite being warned against holding their rallies

The Home Ministry will flex its muscles ahead of the Bersih rally next month, announcing that organisers of all three assemblies will be hauled up by Bukit Aman today.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein also confirmed today that the three — Bersih 2.0, Umno Youth and Perkasa — would not be granted permits for their planned gatherings on July 9.

“My statement today is that all three parties will not be granted permits to gather on that date. I am saying that categorically, all three of them will not get it.

“Secondly, I have already stated that immediate action must be taken on this matter and PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police) will call all parties involved because although we have said that we are not going to grant them permits, the statements from Perkasa, Umno Youth or Bersih, indicate that they plan to proceed,” he told reporters after attending a meeting in Parliament today.

DAP says nude squat case ‘humiliating’, demands Home Ministry response

Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran has called the act “humiliating” and “ridiculous.”


The DAP has demanded that the Home Ministry respond to reports that two Singaporean women were handcuffed and made to do squats naked by Malaysian immigration officials.

Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran said that the act was “humiliating” and “ridiculous,” while Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa said the incident would give other countries the perception that Malaysia was a “lawless” country.

Hisham: No action against Ibrahim Ali for ‘jihad’ call

The government will not take any action against Datuk Ibrahim Ali for threatening Christians nationwide with a holy war against any move to usurp Islam with a Christian state.

“Action will only be taken if investigations find that the said act really contravened the country’s laws,” Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said in a written reply to Lim Lip Eng (Segambut-DAP) in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Lim had asked the Home Ministry to state whether it was a punishable offence for a person to declare “jihad” in the name of race and religion.

“I would advise that all parties be careful in making an accusation when its validity has yet to be verified,” said Hishammuddin (picture).

Umno must discard sabotage culture

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein reminded Umno members against practising the sabotage culture, saying that they should instead focus attention on preparing to face the next general election.

"This is the time for us to show leadership, this is the time for us to show loyalty not only to the party but also to those holding position including the Chief Minister and the Chairman of the Umno Liaison Body at the state level.

"In other words, leadership is placed on certain positions by the party leadership and should not be disturbed by our own people," he told reporters after opening the Libaran Umno delegates meeting, here today.

Also present was the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, who is also the Libaran Umno division head.

He said the emphasis now was to close ranks between the members and the leadership at the top level and at the division and state levels together with the other parties in the Barisan Nasional (BN).

Biometric system foiled JI agent

The biometric system that Malaysia has implemented is working well and was instrumental in the re-arrest of Jemaah Islamiah sleeper agent Agus Salim.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said because of the biometric system the authorities were able to detect Agus, who was using an Indonesian passport with a false name to enter the country.

Hishammuddin said there was no problem at airports and ports in using the biometric system but there were some hiccups at the Johor and Singapore entry points.

“The matter is being resolved,” he told reporters after opening the annual general meeting of the Libaran Umno division here yesterday.

Hishammuddin said the system was good for the country and could go a long way in checking criminals as well as militant or terrorist groups trying to enter the country.

Hisham says Anwar had ill intentions

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has claimed that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had ill intentions in uttering malicious words at a press conference in connection with a sex video featuring someone resembling the opposition leader.

Hishammudin said the words which were later widely reported in the media and the Internet, were not published in good faith and that the main motive of Anwar was to injure his (Hishammuddin's) reputation as a minister and politician.

In his reply to Anwar's statement of defence filed on June 1 (a copy of which was made available to the media today), Hishammuddin said that Anwar was indifferent to the falsity of words spoken.

He contended that the tone of language used by Anwar was reckless without any care whether the aspersions that were cast on him were true or false.

Community rehab for prisoners

Prison inmates nearing the end of their sentences can soon enjoy better a rehabilitation programme to acclimatise them to the outside world.

Don't be arrogant, Hishammuddin reminds Umno members

Umno members have been reminded not to be arrogant over the party's strengths as such an attitude may be detrimental to Umno and the Malay community.

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said they should discard the perception that they needed to put themselves in a position of strength within the party.

He said this when opening the Pulai Umno divisional meeting here Sunday.

The legacy of 3 great leaders

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein pores through the book Legacy of Honour with his mother Toh Puan Suhaila Mohamed Noah at the book launch yesterday as author Zainah Anwar and Noah foundation chairman Datin Dr Faridah Abdullah (right) look on.


In the days where dominant political discourse around the world increasingly centres on paranoia and mistrust, stories in a book will remind people to be more optimistic in their political journey.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the Legacy of Honour book, depicting the lives of leaders Datuk Jaafar Muhammad, Datuk Onn Jaafar and Tun Hussein Onn and their struggles to fight for the country, was a sterling model.

"This book is not just about these three men. Its a take on history of the country and a land at a time when colonialism either existed or its legacy was still vividly fresh.

Home Ministry denies trading citizenships for votes

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong today denied allegations his ministry was approving citizenships to foreign workers in the country in return for electoral support during elections.

Yesterday, PKR MP Zuraida Kamruddin had circulated a document alleged to be an application Hulu Selangor Umno had sent to Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein requesting that 2,000 foreigners be given full citizenship instead of just permanent residence, to help secure a Barisan Nasional (BN) victory here in the next general election.

The application, titled “13th General Election — Seeking approval to obtain citizenships for Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat, Selangor”, contains the Hulu Selangor Umno letterhead and purportedly signed by division chief Datuk Mohamed Idris Abu Bakar

No room for terrorists

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein says Malaysia is never a terrorist breeding ground because there is no room in the country for them to do so.