Thesun 2009-07-16 Page04 Najib Happy With Vote Swing In Manek Urai

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theSun

| THURSDAY JULY 16 2009

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Najib happy with vote swing in Manek Urai SHARM EL-SHEIKH (Egypt): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak believes the swing of votes in the just-concluded Manek Urai state by-election signals the approval of the people, especially the Malays, of his administration. Although the Barisan Nasional failed to capture the seat, the result was most encouraging, more so because the by-election took place in the Malay heartland, Bernama quoted him as saying. The BN lost by a mere 65 votes. Mohd Fauzi Abdullah retained the seat for PAS with 5,348 votes after beating Tuan Aziz Tuan Mat of BN, who garnered 5,283 votes in the byelection on Tuesday. “Hopefully, the people’s rising support and trust will continue,” Najib, who is also BN chairman, told Malaysian journalists covering his attendance at the 15th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in this Red Sea resort city. He said the by-election results showed that the BN is beginning to

regain the people’s confidence and continuing with the efforts which have been taken thus far would place the ruling coalition on a stronger footing. “We cannot (as yet) say that everything (we have done) has passed the test but I am most satisfied that what we started over the past 103 days has received encouraging response from the people,” he said. In Putrajaya, Husna Yusop reports that Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein described PAS’s slim majority as a sign that people in Kelantan, especially the young voters, have turned their support to Umno and BN. “During the early post mortem, if I’m not mistaken, we (BN) won in streams three and four where the majority of voters were youngsters.

This maybe because our candidate was very suitable. “This is the indicator we have been waiting for and we will continue with what we have been doing all this while, hoping that eventually people will see for themselves that we will listen to and implement

what the prime minister has said,” he said. On the stone-throwing incident in SK Peria polling station, Hishammuddin, who is also home minister,

said it saddened him. He congratulated the police on their good work and said BN will have discuss the matter with the Election Commission to ensure similar incidents do not recur in future. In KOTA BARU, Bernama reports that PAS spiritual leader and Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat attributed the drastic drop in the party’s majority to the influence of BN development promises. He said this was the main factor that drew many voters to BN as the coalition had spoken a lot on development for the upper Kelantan area. He said a post-mortem would be conducted by top PAS leaders to determine the real reasons for the party’s

slim-majority in the by-election. Nik Aziz also accused BN of “political bribery”, especially in the last few days of campaigning, by promising development for the area. In PENANG, Himanshu Bhatt reports that DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng considers PAS’s “wafer-thin” margin as an indication that the electorate has been confused by the party’s overtures for unity talks with Umno. He said people may have felt the difference between the two parties had blurred, bringing about such a close margin. “When PAS talks to Umno, it would show that BN is good. We cannot deny that (Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak is in his honeymoon period as he has announced many goodies that have made some people feel good.” He said the results were also a signal that Pakatan Rakyat parties should resolve internal problems and disputes to counter possible decline in support.

Students, foreigners detained over religious misunderstanding by Charles Ramendran [email protected]

SEPANG: Two Universiti Putra Malaysia students and seven friends, including six from Hongkong, were detained by police for almost 20 hours following reports alleging they had attempted to spread Christianity to Muslim undergraduates at the campus in Serdang. It is learnt that the UPM students were visited by the foreigners and a local woman late on Wednesday at the university grounds and later proceeded to the canteen near their hostel at about 9pm. Sepang police chief ACP Zahedi Ayub said yesterday the group, made up of five men and four women aged between 19 and 24, began distributing pamphlets and leaflets which contained material on Christianity. He said investigations showed that although the group had only intended to hand out the material which was in Chinese and English to Christians, the foreigners

had mistaken all of those in the canteen as one. He said several Muslim students reported the matter to the university’s security officials who then rounded up the group and took them to the Sepang district police headquarters at about midnight. The Muslim students also lodged police reports. Zahedi said the students were detained at the station for investigations but were not held in a lock-up. “We interviewed them and found out the whole incident was a misunderstanding. There was no intention by the group to spread Christian teachings except to Christians. The foreigners in the group could not differentiate who was who or belonged to which religion. We held them and also took them back to UPM to verify what happened. We are releasing them as no offence has been committed,” he said. The group’s lawyer Annou Xavier said the nine people were released by police at about 5pm. He said one of them will lodge a police report over the incident.

Specimens at fire scene sent for tests KUALA LUMPUR: The Fire and Rescue Department forensics unit have collected specimens from the condominium unit of Commercial Crimes Investigations Department director Commissioner Datuk Koh Hong Sun which was destroyed by a fire on Wednesday that also killed his 22-year-old son Keat Lee. Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department head of operations Zakaria Mohammed said yesterday the specimens have been sent to the Chemistry Department for tests and the results which will help conclude the cause of the fire should be known by Friday. He said based on early findings at the razed unit on the 32nd floor of the Mount Kiara Bayu, investigators are almost certain the fire was not caused by sabotage or foul play. “As for now, it is a fire which was triggered by common causes but the full findings will be released by my director over the next few days.” Keat Lee’s remains were found by firemen at the balcony where he took cover from the intense fire after finding himself trapped in the house.

New design RM50 note ... Bank Negara Malaysia yesterday issued the new design RM50 banknote incorporating various modern and innovative security features principally aimed at deterring counterfeiting.

Businesses told to have continuity plan by Husna Yusop [email protected]

INFLUENZA A(H1N1) HOTLINE

Press Digest: Disabled man nabbed over nude photos pg 9

PUTRAJAYA: Private agencies dealing with es» 03-88810200/300 sential services have been urged to come up with business continuity plans in dealing with » 03-88834414/415 the Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic. This is in order to prevent their premises and staff from being affected by the virus, Health mitigation guidelines. director-general Tan Sri Ismail Merican said. “There are 22 prevention and control steps “To date, only five or six agencies have which need to be taken immediately to ensure prepared this although we urged them to do so effective and efficient implementation,” he two years back,” he said yesterday, declining to said. name those who have complied. On the vaccine for H1N1, expected to be Ismail said some of the agencies involved available by year-end and which will be prowere banks and petrol stations. vided first to some 200,000 frontliners, he said “If they have the business continuity plan, it would cost the country they could take preventive around RM7 million. and control measures imMeanwhile, Deputy mediately. For example, Education Minister Datuk H1N1 figures if one of their staff were Dr Wee Ka Siong said (as of 8am yesterday) sick, he can be sent back the ministry’s decision home. to cancel the national New cases: “Otherwise, the disease athletes’ participation in could spread through the sports meets abroad was Imported cases: whole office and everyone not meant to boycott the would be sick and the office events but to protect the Local transmissions: would have to be closed. students from infection, If it concerns companies Bernama reports. Total no. of cases: providing food or water, for A group of students instance, the whole nation went to Thailand to could be affected,” he said. participate in a tournaThe framework for the busiment recently, and when ness continuity plan is available they returned to the country, they were on the Health Ministry website, he said. infected with the virus. “I hope they would come up with the plans “If the government does not take appropriate immediately and not take the attitude of wait actions to control the spread of the virus, there and see,” he told reporters after chairing the 9th will be chaos. So, the decision must not be seen H1N1 technical committee meeting here. as boycott,” he told a news conference. During the meeting, the ministry told govHe also said the ministry had cancelled ernment hospitals and clinics, as well as all the country’s participation in the Asean interagencies involved, to follow closely the H1N1 schools sports meet scheduled for July 20-29 pandemic prevention implementation and in Thailand.

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