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Prepare early for by-elections,
Kedah, Perak Umno chiefs told
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi has asked the Kedah
and Perak Umno chiefs to make
early preparations for the Bukit
Selambau and Bukit Gantang
by-elections, which will be held
simultaneously on April 7.
This is because the two by-
elections would be held just
after Umno’s general assembly
next month, he told reporters
after chairing a three-hour
meeting of Umno’s supreme
council at the party’s head-
quarters at Menara Datuk Onn,
Putra World Trade Centre, here
last night.
Unmo’s general assembly
will be held from March 24 to
28 while nomination for the two
seats will be on March 29.
Abdullah, who is also Umno
president, said the action is
needed because there “would
not be enough time to get into
gear after Umno’s general as-
sembly”.
The Bukit Gantang par-
liamentary by-election is neces-
Crashed jet
breaks up ...
Rescue workers help
passengers after a Turkish
Airlines passenger
plane with 135 aboard
crashed in light fog while
attempting to land at
Amsterdam’s Schiphol
airport yesterday.
The Boeing 737 broke
into three parts when
it hit the ground
next to the runway,
according to cable TV.
Haarlemmermeer acting
mayor Michel Bezuijen
said Nine passengers
were killed and at least
50 people were injured,
including 25 severely
hurt.
» King’s sole discretion to appoint PM pg4
sitated by the death of Roslan
Shaharum of PAS on Feb 9 of a
heart attack while that for the
state seat of Bukit Selambau
it is because its assemblyman
V. Arumugam of Parti Keadilan
Rakyat (PKR) resigned on Feb
8.
Abdullah also said at the
meeting, Deputy Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak,
who is also finance minister
and Umno deputy president,
explained about the economic
situation in the world and
the country and the reasons
for the government tabling a
mini-budget to stimulate the
economy in Parliament on
March 10.
Meanwhile, Perak Mentri
Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul
Kadir, when met after the meet-
ing, said he had shortlisted
the candidates for the Bukit
Gantang by-election and that
all were locals.
“The top leadership will make
the final decision on who will be
fielded,” he said. – Bernama
Member of Audit Bureau of Circulations (Malaysia)
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TELLING IT AS IT IS
Ruler leaves
it to Khalid
SELANGOR SULTAN WON’T INTERFERE IN ELIZABETH WONG
DECISION BUT IS UPSET BY INTRUSION OF HER PRIVACY
PETALING JAYA: The Sultan of
Selangor is leaving it to Mentri Besar
Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to decide
on the position of assemblywoman
Elizabeth Wong, but said he is “upset
and worried” that intrusion of pri-
vacy is being used as a tool to destroy a
person’s reputation.
“It is a sad thing as one’s life
and private rights are being made
public and subject to public scrutiny
by publicising in the mass media,”
Sultan Sharafuddin
Award winning newspaper
for public service reporting
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No. 4705 PP 2644/12/2009 (023092)
Thursday
February 26, 2009
www.sun2surf.com
» Treating racism in Britain pg10-11
Idris Shah said in a statement issued
through his private secretary.
He expressed sympathy for Wong,
who has left the country after tender-
ing her resignation on Feb 17 as Bukit
Lanjan assemblywoman and as state
executive councillor after two intimate
photographs of her were sent to a
newspaper. Police are investigating to
find out who took and circulated the
pictures.
The sultan hoped that
EPAPIX
eXtra
Elizabeth would remain calm and
be patient in continuing with her life
henceforth.
Khalid had earlier told Wong to
go on leave while he sorted out the
matter. He had also said he would seek
the sultan’s advice.
On Tuesday, a memorandum
containing 10,000 signatures from
Wong’s constituents and support-
ers was sent to Khalid, asking that
Wong be retained as wakil rakyat
and as a member of the state cabi-
net, on the strength of her work and
contribution. The state executive
council decided yesterday that Wong’s
leave be extended indefinitely.
The palace statement said Khalid
had an audience with the sultan
yesterday but the ruler was unable to
offer any advice or guidance as the
case was under investigation and it
involved Wong’s political position.
“It is His Royal Highness’ stance
as the Sultan of Selangor to be above
politics,” said the statement.
It said the sultan believed that
whatever decision taken by Khalid
would be apt and made with fairness
and with wisdom “by taking into con-
sideration the interests of the rakyat in
particular, and the state of Selangor”.
Although Parti Keadilan Rakyat
leaders had asked her to reconsider,
Wong was determined to quit as she
felt that those who had circulated the
pictures would continue to do more
to “bury” her.
The Wanita PKR information chief
beat incumbent Datin Paduka Yong
Dai Ying by 5,155 votes last March.