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Updates from The Star:

PM chairs meeting of MBs and Chief Ministers - Tue, 9 Feb 2010
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak chaired the 108th Meeting of Menteris Besar and Chief Ministers here Tuesday.

Ops Sikap: 13 deaths from 1,185 road accidents - Tue, 9 Feb 2010
Police said that 13 people died on Monday in road accidents throughout the country.

Sodomy II: Case adjourned to Wednesday (Update 2) - Tue, 9 Feb 2010
High Court judge Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah will decide Tuesday if he has to recuse himself from Datuk Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial.

Dr Zambry is valid Perak MB, Federal Court rules - Tue, 9 Feb 2010
PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court ruled on Tuesday that Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir is the rightful Perak Mentri Besar.

‘Aid needs restructuring if Malaysia is to be competitive’ - Tue, 9 Feb 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia must be prepared to face the removal of subsidies if it wants to become a more competitive country equipped with a high ratio of intangible assets, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

Focus on innovation and speed, says Najib - Tue, 9 Feb 2010
PUTRAJAYA: Creative and innovative thinking, as well as speed in making decisions and executing policies, are the keys to achieving the Government’s “Four Pillars” agenda, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.


 

 

Updates from New Straits Times:

 

 

 

 

Updates from The Malaysian Insider:

Anwar’s case delayed again over judge disqualification argument - Tue, 09 Feb 2010

UPDATED

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial has again been adjourned for another day as his lead counsel Karpal Singh wants to reply to the prosecution’s affidavit against disqualifying presiding High Court judge Datuk Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah.

Karpal yesterday sought to disqualify the judge yesterday, citing dissatisfaction with the way the court has dealt with Utusan Malaysia’s coverage of the case against Anwar, who is accused of sodomising former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at the Desa Damansara Condominium on June 26, 2008. The opposition leader has denied the charge, the second he has faced in 12 years.

The judge adjourned the case to 9.30am tomorrow to allow Karpal to file his reply today to Solicitor-General 2 Datuk Yusof Zainal Abiden’s affidavit which was filed yesterday. Yusof’s reply was to Karpal’s original application.

Zambry is the lawful MB, Federal Court agrees - Tue, 09 Feb 2010

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 9 — The Federal Court today agreed with the Court of Appeal and ruled that Barisan Nasional's Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir is the lawful Mentri Besar of Perak. This snuffs out the last hope of his toppled political rival and predecessor Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin to be reinstated to the position.

The five-man panel of judges comprised Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Alauddin Mohd Sheriff, Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria and Justices Datuk Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin, Datuk Mohd Ghazali Mohd Yusoff, and Datuk Abdull Hamid Embong.

The judgement was read out in court by Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria. “There is no requirement in the State Constitution which requires a vote of no confidence to be taken in the State Assembly. In the present case, there is no doubt that Zambry has the support of 31 of the 59 members of the state assembly,” said Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria.

A decade on, Anwar no longer dominates the web - Mon, 08 Feb 2010

By Adib Zalkapli

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s second sodomy trial has become an even playing field to influence public opinion, unlike Sodomy I when supporters of the former deputy prime minister had almost full control of online discussion on the case.

From the day of his sacking on Sept 2, 1998 by then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad until his trial, Anwar supporters relied on Laman Reformasi and Mahafiraun among other websites to present their side of the story while Umno supporters were virtually absent online.

Now both websites are no longer in operation but pro-Umno blogs such as The Unspinners are providing minute-by-minute report on the ongoing Sodomy II trial, highlighting salacious details that emerge in the court room.

Whatever court decides, Perak crisis will continue - Mon, 08 Feb 2010

By Baradan Kuppusamy


KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — The decision of the five-member bench of the Federal Court today as to who should be the rightful Perak Mentri Besar is unlikely to end the fierce political tussle between the Pakatan Rakyat and the Barisan Nasional coalitions.

Political uncertainty has gripped Perak since the PR government fell on Feb 5, 2009 after three of their assemblymen abandoned the coalition, crossed the floor and became BN-friendly lawmakers.

They remain BN-friendly until now and any hope they would return to PR, as speculated earlier, has already disappeared.

Lawyers say today’s judgment is likely to prolong the political tussle instead of ending it until and unless the state assembly is dissolved for fresh elections, something the BN has said it will not do.

Decision day for Perak - Mon, 08 Feb 2010

By Clara Chooi

IPOH, Feb 9 — The day has finally arrived. After today, Perakians will find out who, according to legal provisions, is the rightful Mentri Besar of Perak — Umno’s Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir or PAS’s Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.

When the Federal Court convenes at 9.30am today, its five-man bench will hopefully deliver a decision that will clear the air of uncertainty that has been hovering over the state for the past one year. Furthermore, the decision is important not just for the purpose of ending the state’s imbroglio once and for all, but also because it would serve as a precedent to any future constitutional crises in the nation.

All eyes will be on the five judges on the panel today — Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Alauddin Mohd Sheriff leads the bench with Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria, Justices Datuk Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin, Datuk Mohd Ghazali Mohd Yusoff, and Datuk Abdul Hamid Embong. Their credibility and that of the entire judicial system in the country will take a severe beating if their judgment is deemed biased and unfair.

Meanwhile, the two contenders in the ring whiled away the final days and hours before today’s big fight trying their best to garner support for their cause.

Zulkifli Nordin says mass exodus from PKR likely - Mon, 08 Feb 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — Kulim-Bandar Baharu Member of Parliament Zulkifli Nordin of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) predicts there will be mass resignations from PKR in the next two or three weeks.

He said this could be due to members losing faith in PKR’s leadership for ignoring their complaints about the DAP, a component member of the PKR-DAP-PAS alliance (Pakatan Rakyat).

“Such complaints have been around for a long time...since Pakatan Rakyat was formed.

 

Updates from Malaysiakini:

 

 

March retreat for Pakatan Rakyat
PKR said the first retreat would be for the Pakatan Rakyat partners in Selangor on March 7, followed by the national-level retreat on March 10 or 16 in Penang.

Headlines Online: Feb 9, 2010
Motorists are due to enjoy discounted rates when they use the highways during Chinese New Year.

HRPM: Umno BN treats Indians as 'beggars'
The Human Rights Party Malaysia alleges that Indians are massively disadvanged due to Umno BN policies.

Fierce battle for crucial Malay votes
Despite underlying worries that the Malay vote has begun to swing back to BN, Pakatan Rakyat believes it still has the upper hand in Perak.

Perak MB - it's Zambry!
BREAKING NEWS updated 12.10pm The Federal Court delivered a unanimous decision that Zambry Abd Kadir of BN is the rightful Perak menteri besar.

Sodomy II: Hearing resumes tomorrow
BREAKING NEWS This follows an application by the defence to file a reply to the prosecution’s affidavit replying to the move to disqualify the trial judge.