The Malaysian Insider

A Cabinet snub leads to a restless BN

ANALYSIS, May 18 – When Datuk Seri Najib Razak decided to name 12 East Malaysians to the Cabinet this week, the prime minister was recognising their contribution to ensuring a majority for a Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

The BN chairman’s move was to please the Sabah and Sarawak parties which did better than most of the peninsula-based component parties in the May 5 general elections where the ruling coalition won 133 federal seats, down seven from Election 2008.

But ... Read More

Thousands turn up for the Penang state government rally at Esplanade to introduce its new line-up and to thank Penangites for their support May 18, 2013. – Picture by Opalyn Mok
A supporter dressed as Ubah, the popular DAP hornbill mascot, is seen at a Penang state government rally at Esplanade to introduce its new line-up May 18, 2013. – Picture by Opalyn Mok
Mentri Besar of Selangor,Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, having a group photo with some residents during the Thanksgiving dinner for Dun Pelabuhan Klang May 18, 2013. – Picture by Choo Choy May
Mentri Besar of Selangor,Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, is seen at the Thanksgiving dinner for Dun Pelabuhan Klang which was held at Pandamara Jaya Field May 18, 2013. – Picture by Choo Choy May
A gay rights activist holds balloons during a rally against homophobia in Kiev May 18, 2013. – Reuters pic
Director Hirokazu Kore-eda (C) poses with cast members Machiko Ono (R) and Yoko Maki from the film ‘Soshite Chichi Ni Naru’ at the 66th Cannes Film Festival May 18, 2013. – Reuters pic
Sri Lankan army commandos march during the War Victory Parade in Colombo May 18, 2013. The parade marks the fourth anniversary of the defeat of the Tamil Tigers. – Reuters pic
Sri Lankan soldiers in wheelchairs take part in a parade during the War Victory Ceremony in Colombo on May 18, 2013 to mark the fourth anniversary of the defeat of the Tamil Tigers. — Reuters pic
A man writes on the back of six activists with the message ‘pay attention to child trafficking’ during a demonstration against child abduction in Taiyuan, China on May 18, 2013. — Reuters pic
A tattoo artist works on the image of a skull and Roman armour on the back of a man at the New York City Tattoo Convention in New York on May 17, 2013. — Reuters pic

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Malaysia

Thousands turn up at Penang’s Esplanade for ‘illegal’ rally

GEORGE TOWN, May 18 – Thousands turned up at the Esplanade to attend the Penang Pakatan Rakyat state government rally this evening despite the police declaring it an illegal rally.The crowd started streaming in from 7pm and by 10pm, they had filled more than half the field.The crowd was not as huge and overwhelming as the last rally held in Esplanade, on May 3, just two days before the May 5 polls where more than half a million in donations were collected.Tonight's rally, … Read More

Putrajaya does not endorse but won’t block ‘buy Chinese last’ campaign, says minister

KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 – Putrajaya does not approve a campaign to boycott Chinese businesses initiated by pro-Umno bloggers and backed by several Muslim groups, Datuk Hasan Malek said today but the new Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism minister added that he cannot block their right to do so.Several pro-Umno bloggers and the Muslim Consumers Association Malaysia (PPIM) had recently called for consumers to boycott or at the very least buy goods sold by Chinese … Read More

Student activist arrested under Sedition Act

KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 – Student activist Adam Adli Abdul Halim was arrested this afternoon under the Sedition Act that his lawyer believes is due to his remarks at a forum on May 13.Adam Adli, 24 (picture), had apparently told a forum at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall this week that Malaysians “cannot wait for five years to overthrow Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN)”.“It looks like it’s a crackdown,” Adam Adli’s lawyer Latheefa Koya told The Malaysian … Read More

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Selanjutnya

Putrajaya tidak sokong boikot perniagaan Cina, kata menteri

KUALA LUMPUR, 18 Mei — Putrajaya tidak menyokong dengan gesaan badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) dan blogger pro-Barisan Nasional (BN) yang berkempen memboikot perniagaan Cina, kata menteri Kabinet baru Datuk Hasan Malek hari ini.Walaubagaimanapun, menteri perdagangan dalam negeri, koperasi dan kepenggunaan (KPDNKK) tersebut berkata pihaknya tidak boleh menyekat hak dan pandangan oleh NGO serta blogger terbabit, tetapi akan memanggil pihak terbabit untuk berbincang mengenai kemelut … Read More

Aktivis pelajar ditahan di bawah Akta Hasutan

KUALA LUMPUR, 18 Mei – Aktivis pelajar Adam Adli Abdul Rahman telah ditahan tengahari tadi dibawah Akta Hasutan yang dipercayai penguamnya mempunyai kaitan dengan kata-katanya dalam satu forum 13 Mei lalu.Adam Adli, 24, (gambar) dalam satu forum di Dewan Perhimpunan Cina Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor minggu ini berkata rakyat Malaysia “tidak boleh menunggu lima tahun lagi untuk menghumban Umno dan Barisan Nasional (BN)”.“Ia seperti satu penangkapan,” kata peguam Adam Adli, … Read More

Business

Abdul Wahid to resign as Maybank president & CEO on June 4

JOHOR BAHARU, May 18 — Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar, recently appointed as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, will resign as President and Chief Executive Officer of Malayan Banking (Maybank) Bhd on June 4. He will take his oath of office as Senator on June 5 in order to assume his new portfolio. "Let me complete my duties at Maybank which will release its first quarter financial results on May 23. "For now, I want to focus on Maybank and will make a statement on my … Read More

EU cites Chinese Telecoms Huawei and ZTE for trade violations

NEW YORK, May 18 — Europe’s top trade official for the first time late on Friday officially cited Chinese mobile telecommunications equipment makers Huawei and ZTE Corp for violating anti-dumping and anti-subsidy guidelines.European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said he was prepared to launch a formal investigation into anti-competitive behavior by these Chinese companies in order to protect a “strategic” sector of Europe’s economy.“Huawei and ZTE are dumping their … Read More

World

Eight killed, 10 policemen kidnapped in Iraq’s Sunni heartland

RAMADI, Iraq, May 18 — Suspected Sunni Muslim militants killed four state-backed Sunni fighters in Iraq today, security sources said, apparently viewing them as collaborators with the Shi’ite-led government of a nation plagued by sectarian hatred.Sunni-Shi’ite tensions in Iraq have been amplified by the conflict between mostly Sunni rebels and President Bashar al-Assad’s Alawite-dominated forces in neighbouring Syria.The four “Sahwa” militia fighters were killed in an attack … Read More

Rome protest turns up heat on new PM Letta

ROME, May 18 — Thousands of people protested in Rome today against austerity policies and high unemployment, urging new Prime Minister Enrico Letta to focus on creating jobs to help pull the country out of recession.“We hope that this government will finally start listening to us because we are losing our patience,” said Enzo Bernardis, who joined the sea of protesters waving red flags and calling for more workers’ rights and better contracts.Less than a month in power, … Read More