The RM500 million 'buy-election': A record high as Najib fears OUSTER

 

KUALA BESUT BY-ELECTION Barisan Nasional (BN) has pledged a total of RM467.12 million in its 12-day campaign for the Kuala Besut by-election, rivals PAS alleged today in what it said is possibly the most ever spent on a by-election.
Today’s estimate by PAS topped the RM330 million that yesterday moved electoral watchdog Bersih to cry foul over the alleged vote-buying for the crucial poll.
“The grand total that we have counted up until this moment reached RM476.19 million. With a total of 17,683 voters, we announce that the value of each ballot for N.01 Kuala Besut reached RM27,000,” PAS’s Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad told reporters here.
“This puts the by-election in the 13th parliamentary session among the costliest in history.”
Dzulkefly could not yet disclose the total amount spent by the Islamist party in its campaign, but stressed that its spending has not been as lavish as BN’s.
Yesterday, Bersih had announced the pledges made so far meant that about RM19,000 will be spent for each registered voter in the state seat.
“Up to last Saturday, as compiled by PAS from media reports, financial promises and allocations by federal and state agencies for the Kuala Besut area have totalled at least RM337,490,750,” the watchdog said in a statement yesterday.
Among the projects announced so far are a RM250 million river dredging project to desilt the estuary of Sungai Besut, a 2km breakwater along the coast, and a RM35 million project to fix the busted Lowvier dam in Pengkalan Nangka here.
On July 17, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had launched 72 units of low-cost housing in Kampung Lay Out, Tok Saboh here costing more than RM10 million. Another low-cost housing project with 200 homes worth RM28 million was also announced in Pulau Perhentian.
Yesterday, Health Minister Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam launched two Klinik 1 Malaysia with a total cost of RM39 million, while Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said announced a 500-unit low-cost housing project in Kuala Besut worth RM22.5 million.
During campaigning last week, Ahmad also told voters that they must support BN in tomorrow’s by-election to allow planned development there to continue.
Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman was more discreet when he said on July 14 that the apparent timing of the projects was not made with the election in mind.
“If aid is given during elections, it is just a coincidence, like my coming to Kuala Besut, it is the custom of the Malays to bring souvenirs to the host,” he was quoted as saying by national news agency Bernama.
Kuala Besut is considered an Umno stronghold, as it has won there by over 2,000 votes in the previous two elections. But the party and the larger BN coalition are sparing no effort to ensure that it does not fall into PR’s hands.
BN’s Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abdul Rahman will face local boy from PAS, Azlan Yusof, for the Terengganu state seat by-election which was called following the death of Dr A. Rahman Mokhtar on June 26 from lung cancer.
In Election 2013, Dr Rahman had defeated PAS’s Napisah Ismail with a comfortable 2,434-vote majority. The state seat has 17,679 registered voters, of whom 98 per cent are Malays.
- MM

Source : Malaysia Chronicle

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IS THIS RIGHT? Fasting month, non-Muslim students forced to eat next to toilet

Photographs which have emerged online allegedly showing non-Muslim students of a primary school being made to eat in a shower room during fasting month, have angered netizens.
The photographs uploaded supposedly by a parent on popular social networking site Facebook yesterday, shows students of SK Seri Pristina in Sungai Buloh sitting around tables set up in the school’s changing or shower room.
It is alleged that school authorities have made the students eat in the makeshift dining room, located next to the toilets.
No food is believed to be served in the canteen, which is said to be closed during Ramadan.
It was stated that Education officials have met with school authorities and parents at 2.30pm.
In an immediate response on Twitter, Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan said the school has been instructed to change the location of the temporary eating room.
He added that the ministry has requested an investigation into the matter.
"If the canteen is under renovation, a proper place should have been identified; surely not the changing room.
"It is not the right thing to do. The school could have appointed a temporary canteen operator to run the operations during Ramadan," he said.
Full of bacteria, says parent
In her Facebook posting at 2.30 this morning, Guneswari Kelly, who claims to have a daughter schooling there, said the children are forced to eat there despite the foul stench.
"The bathroom is full of bacteria and smells..., and the toilet next door has a horrible smell," she said.
She claims that when parents complain, the children are just directed to another bathroom or a store room.
"As a mother, I am in tears and sadness. How many times do they need to run...? Dear Malay friends, is this fair to you? Does your Allah allow this?" she asked.
Her post has been shared more than 1,900 times and received more than 160 comments within 12 hours, including from Muslims who condemned the act and urged punishment against the school administrators.
Some say they will lodge police reports while others posted the link to the headmaster's Facebook page, urging action.
One FB user, Mythreyar Mutturamalinggam lodged a police report at the Tanjung Malim police station in Perak this afternoon.
Meanwhile, commentor Emy Deen said: "I am a Malay and a Muslim and I certainly do not agree with this kind of treatment against another...
"This is not the teachings of Islam. I hope those involved are punished accordingly. I wonder where they put their brains."
Another commentor, who claims to be a teacher, said the children should have been allowed to eat at the canteen as usual but advised not to show off their food to the Muslim children who are fasting.
"That is it. Not to hide (the children) in a place like this. Unwise decision by the GB," Akmar Zainal Mokhtar said, referring to the headmaster.
Suguna Papachan added that the incident stemmed from a lack of policy to address differences in race and religion.
"(The government) does not recognise that we are multi-religious, it doesn't recognise that we need to co-exist thus it (is not) that Islam is the official religion and that everyone should respect it and it only.
"There should be respect of cultural and religious beliefs of all, for example, if Muslims fast in school, there should be food made available for students who aren't Muslims," she said.
- Malaysiakini

Source : Malaysia Chronicle

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Budak 14 tahun dirogol 8 lelaki

Tindakan pantas tiga anggota polis peronda melakukan pemeriksaan berjaya menyelamatkan seorang budak perempuan berusia 14 tahun daripada menjadi mangsa rogol sekumpulan lelaki di Bukit Kebuk, dekat sini, semalam.
Bagaimanapun malang buat rakan mangsa, juga berusia 14 tahun apabila dirogol bergilir-gilir lapan lelaki terbabit di atas susunan tiang elektrik di kawasan semak berkenaan.
Dalam kejadian jam 3 pagi itu, tiga anggota polis yang sedang melakukan rutin rondaan mendapati sebuah kenderaan diletakkan berdekatan semak dalam keadaan mencurigakan.
Ketika memasuki jalan tidak bertar kurang 300 meter dari jalan utama untuk melakukan pemeriksaan, beberapa lelaki cuba melarikan diri dengan motosikal masing-masing sebaik menyedari kehadiran kenderaan polis.
Seorang daripada mangsa ditemui terbaring tanpa pakaian di atas susunan tiang elektrik, manakala rakan mangsa dikurung dalam kereta salah seorang lelaki terbabit.
Difahamkan, kedua-dua mangsa yang tinggal di sebuah tanah rancangan Felda dalam daerah ini keluar dari rumah masing-masing seawal jam 1 pagi tanpa pengetahuan ibu bapa mereka.
Kedua mangsa dikatakan mahu ke rumah teman lelaki salah seorang daripada mereka di Temerloh, namun tidak mempunyai kenderaan sebelum menghubungi seorang rakan lelaki (suspek) untuk meminta pertolongan.
Selepas diambil dengan menaiki sebuah kenderaan, lelaki yang membantu mereka itu berhenti di sebuah stesen minyak berdekatan lokasi kejadian untuk berjumpa dengan rakan suspek lain.
Mangsa kemudiannya dibawa ke lokasi kejadian sebelum salah seorang daripada mereka dirogol bergilir-gilir dipercayai membabitkan lapan lelaki tidak dikenali.
Sementara itu, Ketua polis Daerah Maran, Pemangku Deputi Superintendan Sulaiman A Hamid berkata, pemeriksaan kesihatan mengesahkan salah seorang daripada remaja malang itu dirogol bergilir-gilir.
Menurutnya, tiga suspek berusia 16 hingga 19 tahun berjaya ditahan untuk membantu siasatan manakala rakan mereka yang lain sedang diburu pihak polis.
- SH

Sumber : Malaysia Chronicle

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3.6 magnitude earthquake occurs near Kudat, Sabah

 

A weak earthquake with a magnitude of 3.6 on the Richter Scale occurred near Kudat, in the northern part of Sabah at 9.14am today. The Malaysian Meteorological Department in a statement issued here said the epicentre was located at latitude 6.8 (degrees) north and longitude 117.1 (degrees) east, about 377 kilometres from Palawan, Philippines and 11km from Pitas, Sabah.
Tremors were also felt in Pitas. The department will continue to monitor the situation closely.
– Bernama
 

Source : Malaysia Chronicle

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Kate selamat lahirkan putera diraja Britain

Putera William dan isterinya meraikan kelahiran putera sulung mereka pada hari Isnin, yang menyediakan keluarga diraja dengan raja.
Orang ramai bersorak di hadapan pintu Istana Buckingham selepas pengumuman bahawa Duchess of Cambridge telah menghasilkan waris lelaki sihat seberat 8lbs 6oz (3.8 kilogram).
Bayi yang belum dinamakan merupakan pewaris takhta ketiga dan selepas anak Ratu Elizabeth II yang Prince Charles, dan kemudian anak sulungnya William. "Kami sangat gembira," kata William, anak Charles dan mendiang Puteri Diana dalam satu kenyataan ringkas.
Presiden Amerika Syarikat Barack Obama dan isterinya Michelle turut mengucapkan tahniah manakala Kanada, antara 15 negara yang bakal diwarisi merupakan negara yang pertama untuk meraikan kelahiran bayi diraja.
Kate Middleton, 31 dan William pergi sekitar subuh ke Hospital London St Mary, Paddington, di tengah-tengah London.
"Yang Teramat Mulia The Duchess of Cambridge telah selamat melahirkan seorang anak lelaki pada 16:24 (1524 GMT)," kata Istana Kensington dalam satu kenyataan hanya lebih empat jam selepas dia melahirkan.
"Bayi ini mempunyai berat 8lbs 6oz. The Duke of Cambridge hadir untuk kelahiran."
Ia adalah hospital yang sama bahawa mendiang Puteri Diana melahirkan William pada tahun 1982. Kate, William dan bayi baru mereka akan berada di hospital semalaman, menurut istana di situ.
Ratu dan Prince Charles berkata mereka amat gembira dengan berita kelahiran ini. London Eye dan Menara BT dinyalakan dengan warna merah putih dan biru untuk meraikan kelahiran bayi manakala meriam api berbunyi di seluruh ibu negara pada Selasa.
Muka hadapan surat khabar dengan kata : " Bayi lelaki"
Ketibaan bayi diraja dan generasi baru untuk monarki British telah hangat dijangkakan sejak pasangan itu berkahwin pada 2011 selepas percintaan dekad-panjang.
Istana itu berkata nama kanak-kanak itu akan didedahkan kemudian, tetapi dia akan dikenali sebagai Prince of Cambridge. Pakar mengatakan nama kegemaran adalah George dan James, nama tradisional untuk raja masa depan - walaupun mereka telah menjangkakan bayi perempuan akan dilahirkan.
William, juga 31, berada di sisi isterinya ketika kelahiran.
Prince Charles dan Camilla isteri keduanya berkata "gembira dengan kedatangan cucu pertama saya".
"Ia adalah masa yang sangat istimewa bagi William dan Catherine dan kami begitu teruja di atas kelahiran anak lelaki mereka," waris 64 tahun takhta itu berkata dalam satu kenyataan.
"Banyak orang telah memberitahu saya beberapa bulan kebelakangan ini, menjadi datuk adalah saat unik dalam kehidupan seseorang, jadi saya sangat bangga dan gembira menjadi datuk untuk kali pertama dan kami tidak sabar sabar untuk melihat bayi dalam masa terdekat."
Hakikat bahawa ia adalah seorang budak lelaki melegakan keperluan untuk tergesa-gesa melalui undang-undang penggantian baru di seluruh negara-negara 16 Komanwel, yang akan bermakna bahawa anak perempuan tidak lagi boleh mengambil alih mana-mana adik lelaki pada masa depan.
Perdana Menteri Britain, David Cameron berkata di luar pejabat Downing Street bahawa ia adalah "berita baik" untuk Britain.
"Ia adalah masa yang penting bagi negara kita. Sebuah negara bangga meraikan kedatangan bayi bagi pasangan diraja," kata Cameron.
The Obamas berkata mereka mahu William dan Kate " kebahagiaan dan rahmat akan datang setelah menjadi ibu bapa", sambil menambah: "Kanak-kanak memasuki dunia ini bersama janji dan peluang untuk kedua-dua negara kita."
Kehamilan ini telah diumumkan pada bulan Disember apabila Kate telah dimasukkan ke hospital.
- AFP

Sumber : Malaysia Chronicle

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