US TRADE CHIEF SEES MALAYSIA AS INVESTMENT MAGNET

Putrajaya: US trade chief Ron Kirk described Malaysia as a magnet for investments and its ongoing economic transformation plan enhances its attractiveness.

And, the benefit of that all is the Malaysian people, he said.

American businesses want to be in Malaysia as they are comfortable in this country, which is one of the reasons that the US wants to engage with Malaysia in the multilateral Trans Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement.

“We heard from businesses here that if we can do this well with the structured engagement that we have now, imagine how dynamic it would be if it’s fully liberalised,” he said in an interview with Business Times yesterday.


Read more on: US trade chief sees Malaysia as investment magnet

MALAYSIA 'ON TRACK IN GRAFT WAR'

HIGH PRAISE: US federal judge lauds country’s efforts as well planned

United States federal judge Frank Montalvo, who is on a visit to Malaysia, says corruption is a problem in every country.

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is on the right track in fighting corruption with its well planned strategies and approaches.
United States federal judge Frank Montalvo believes that in order to prevent and deal with corruption and other crimes, every country needs to grow its own solution, besides adopting the general principles.

"For example, it has been suggested that some crimes should be included in every country's Penal Code in the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.


"From everything that I have seen, Malaysia is doing just that and is on the right track in fighting corruption," Montalvo, who was on a five-day working visit here since Sunday, said during a press conference at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here yesterday. 


It was Montalvo's first visit to Malaysia.


Read more on: Malaysia 'on track in graft war' - General - New Straits Times 

2 STADIUMS OFFERED AS RALLY VENUE

Clearing The Air: Issue is not about sit-in protest but the location, says Hishammuddin

KUALA LUMPUR: The management of Bukit Jalil National Stadium and Stadium Merdeka have agreed to allow Bersih organisers to use them as the venue for their rally on Saturday.

"The issue here is not the sit-in protest but the location.

"We have no problem if they (Bersih) have it at Stadium Merdeka, Bukit Jalil, Cheras or Titiwangsa," Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein posted on his Twitter page yesterday.

Bersih had earlier accused the government and City Hall of giving "mixed signals" on the issue.

Its steering committee yesterday announced that the sit-in protest would proceed as planned at Dataran Merdeka despite City Hall's objections.

Bersih had filed for permission to stage the assembly at the historic venue to City Hall and the police, but were sent a rejection letter by the Dang Wangi police on Monday.

Meanwhile, taxi drivers and traders yesterday urged Bersih 3.0 organisers to hold their rally in a closed venue, preferably in a stadium, to avoid traffic congestion and disturbances that could affect their day's takings.

The Malaysian Association of Taxi/Limousine Drivers and Operators and Car Rental Operators (Petekma) yesterday lodged a police report against the rally, expected to be held at Dataran Merdeka on Saturday afternoon.

Petekma deputy president Syahrir Abdul Aziz said the sit-down demonstration, organised by Bersih would disrupt their members' income for the day.

Read more on: 2 stadiums offered as rally venue - General - New Straits Times 

CHANG YEOW GETS CRACKING TO WIN BACK PENANG

It has just been a day since Teng Chang Yeow was appointed state Barisan Nasional chief but this has already created a lot of excitement both within and outside the Penang BN.

BN grassroots members are seeing the appointment as a much needed move to rejuvenate the coalition as it prepares to take on Penang under the rule of DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

On the other side, DAP and opposition-linked news websites are already launching a counter-strike with some attempting to downplay the impact of Teng's appointment and others labelling it as the installation of an "aggressive leadership" by the BN.

Making his first move to face the challenges ahead, Teng yesterday announced that he would be making some adjustments to the state BN working committee to bolster its strength.

He said some of the changes would include defining and expanding the work scope to increase its effectiveness.

Read more on : Chang Yeow gets cracking to win back Penang - General - New Straits Times 

GROUP DARES WAN AZIZAH TO SUE AMINAH


KUALA LUMPUR: Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM) national director Farahhana Jamaluddin has urged Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to sue its former Penang wanita chief Aminah Abdullah if her remarks against the party leadership were untrue.

Farahhana yesterday questioned why PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Shamsidar Taharin (PKR deputy president Azmin Ali's wife) chose to remain silent on the relationship between their daughters.

"Why have they (Dr Wan Azizah and Shamsidar) not sued Aminah for alleging that Nurul Izzah Anwar and Farah Affifah Azmin are related by blood?" she said yesterday.

Farahhana said Dr Wan Azizah needed to stop "being a hypocrite" after previously refusing to sue Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah over the sex video involving her husband, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"Until now, she has also refused to swear under oath that her husband is not bisexual. Merely dismissing the allegations as a political conspiracy is not enough and is a stale excuse," Farahhana said.

She urged Dr Wan Azizah to dispel the allegations once and for all by taking legal action against Aminah.

"If she (Dr Wan Azizah) still refuses, then she might as well declare PKR a free sex party," she added.

Meanwhile, Dr Wan Azizah could not be reached for comment. –NST

PAS YOUTH THREATENS TO SEND PROTEST NOTE

GEORGE TOWN: The ongoing tussle between Pas and Parti Keadilan Rakyat for the Penang Islamic Affairs Council (MAIPP) president's post has escalated with the state Pas Youth threatening to send a memorandum to the state government.

Its chief, Yusni Mat Piah, said Pas Youth were preparing the memorandum. He said the state Pas Youth was adamant that MAIPP should be helmed by Penang Pas Commissioner Datuk Mohd Salleh Man and that State Religious Affairs Committee chairman Abdul Malik Abul Kassim of PK should vacate the post.

It was earlier reported that Salleh was promised the post by opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the Permatang Pasir by-election in 2009 but the state government overlooked the promise and went on to propose Malik.

The Yang diPertuan Agong has since decreed that Malik head MAIPP but the state government now wants Salleh to be given the post instead.

The awkward situation has led to state Pas leaders calling on Malik to resign from the post but the latter has so far remained mum on whether he plans to do so.

"Anwar made the promise during the Permatang Pasir by-election. If the promise is broken, how can the people trust Pakatan Rakyat?" Yusni said.

Meanwhile, Salleh, when met after opening the World Book and Copyright Day carnival at the Penang Public Library, here yesterday attempted to sidestep the issue and denied that Pas and PKR disagreed over the matter.

"In terms of our relations (between the two), everything is as usual. All is well," Salleh said.

Salleh said he would continue his duties as deputy president, and "will see what happens next after further discussions". -NST

'AMBIGA NOT FIT TO LEAD BERSIH'
THREAT TO SOCIETY: Her involvement with LGBT disqualifies her

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan is not fit to lead Bersih because of her alleged involvement in activities related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT), said former Pas deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa. 

He said that although he supported Bersih's cause to demand for free and fair elections, those who support the notion of homosexuality were a threat to society.

Therefore, he believed that such movement should instead be led by Pas, as it is a main stakeholder in the national political scene.
"Based on an edict by (prominent Muslim cleric) Yusof al-Qardhawi, one cannot eat or drink with them, let alone be a follower," said the Bachok member of parliament.




Read more on: 'Ambiga not fit to lead Bersih' - General - New Straits Times