Some time back, I wrote about Malaysia adopting the through-train process in immigration; which apparently is a trial that just ended. Malaysia, after realising that many people are going in without getting their passports stamped, decided to get the cards back into the menu. For some countries, some of the important information may include address, health status and amount of money brought in. However, for the man-on-the-street like me, what’s important is that I have proof that I did pass through the proper customs since there’s usually (not always) a customs stamp on the card itself.

I just hope when the new rules kick in, the custom officers will be sufficiently notified and not just throw my white immigration form into the dustbin. You know lah… it’s just one of those things that can happen. =)

Embarkation cards for foreigners from Aug 15 a security measure

KOTA TINGGI - ALL foreigners, including Singaporeans, will have to fill in immigration embarkation cards when they enter Malaysia from Aug 15.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the move, which will apply at all entry points nationwide, is to enhance security in the country.

‘The police felt that there was a gap in their information and record keeping and that it was good to have the form,’ he told reporters here on Sunday.

Since Jan 20, all foreigners have been exempted from the need to fill up such cards.

Mr Syed Hamid said the exemption was merely a test period to see whether the country could do without it.

‘People come in and while we punch the data in, quite a number of people just walk through without any records of them coming into or leaving the country,’ he said.

Johor Immigration Department deputy director Johari Yusof said Singaporeans would also be required to fill in embarkation cards when they cross the the Causeway and the Second Link.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Tourist Guide Council president Jimmy Leong said the new ruling showed inconsistency of policies.

‘The Government should carry out research before implementing anything,’ he said, pointing out that the new ruling would definitely slow down the traffic at the Causeway as well as the Second Link. — The Star/ANN

Source: Straits Times Interactive, http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/S-E%2BAsia/STIStory_259817.html

Article extracted on 21st July 2008

News reports of Malaysia’s de facto opposition Anwar Ibrahim sodomizing one of his aides have hit the stands again. Apparently, an aide of Anwar’s had lodged a police report alleging that he was sodomized by the former. This was similar to the allegations that landed him in jail in 1998. Police investigations are now ongoing.

Could it be that old habits die hard? Or could Anwar be set up by the current government in an attempt to dampen his efforts of over throwing the former? Even if police investigations are being carried out, would there be a chance that the outcome will be in the favour of the current government? Until the whole story is out, it’s really hard to tell.

PUTRAJAYA - MALAYSIA’S opposition Parti Keadilan Raykat has moved its de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim into a ’safe but undisclosed location’ after he had received death threats.

His wife and PKR president Satin Seri Wan Azizah Ismail said this at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, just hours after an aide of Mr Anwar’s had lodged a police report alleging he was sodomised by the one-time deputy prime minister.

Mr Anwar was was sacked by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad over similar allegations in 1998.

Federal CID director Comm Datuk Mohd Bakri Zinin said the police would conduct a thorough and fair investigation in the sodomy allegations.

They will also investigate the allegations before taking a statement from Mr Anwar, he said.

Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi reiterated that the Barisan Nasional Government was not behind the latest allegation of sodomy against Mr Anwar.

Stating that he was shocked on hearing the police report lodged by an aide of Mr Anwar on Saturday night, Mr Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he would leave the police to conduct investigations on the allegations and to take the necessary action.

He said he or the Government did not instruct the police to take any action. On Anwar’s statement that the allegations were a complete fabrication to kill his political career, as in 1998 when he was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Abdullah said the Government had nothing to do with the police report.

‘We are not involved. Umno and Barisan Nasional did not plan to trouble, disturb or accuse him.

‘I believe even my friends like Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib (Tun Razak) did not have any intention to do such a thing to him,’ he told reporters here on Sunday after launching the Bumi Hijau programme.

Mr Abdullah said the alleged victim has the right to lodge a police report if it had really happened.

When asked if Mr Anwar would be arrested following the latest allegation, Mr Abdullah said he did not want to speculate on the matter and would leave the matter to the police.

Meanwhile the aide, who had started working at PKR about three months ago to help in the 12th general election, had lodged a police report alleging sodomy by the PKR leader at about 5.45pm on Saturday.

The man, in his 20s, is being treated at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur.

Mr Anwar called for an urgent press conference at 1.20am Sunday morning to deny the allegations.

In a statement read out by PKR vice-president Sivarasa Rasiah at a hotel in Shah Alam, he described the allegations as ‘total fabrication’.

The statement, which was also faxed to media offices, said: ‘The police report lodged against me today is a complete fabrication. I believe we are witnessing a repeat of the methods used against me in 1998 when false allegations were made under duress.’

Sources said police were waiting for the medical report from the hospital before proceeding with investigations.

They also said Mr Anwar was expected to be called up by the police to have his statement recorded.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang posted in his blog early on Sunday morning that he had spoken to Mr Anwar over the phone and ‘he is expecting the worst.’

Mr Anwar and his adopted brother Mr Sukma Darmawan Sasmitaat Madja were found guilty by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Aug 8, 2000 on the charge of sodomising Anwar’s former family driver, Mr Azizan Abu Bakar, at Mr Sukma’s apartment in Tivoli Villa, Bangsar, between January and March 1993.

Mr Anwar was sentenced to nine years’ jail while Mr Sukma received six years and ordered to be given four strokes of the rotan. Mr Sukma was also convicted by the High Court on a charge of abetting Mr Anwar in the commission of the offence.

In 2003, the Court of Appeal dismissed their appeals.

Mr Anwar was first convicted for corruption on April 14, 1999 and was jailed for six years. He should have been released on April 14, 2003 after a one-third remission but had to start serving his sentence for the sodomy offence, which the court ordered to be served consecutively.

Mr Anwar was freed in 2004 after the Federal Court acquitted him of the charge of sodomising his former family driver. — The Star/SANN

Source: Straits Times Interactive, http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/S-E%2BAsia/STIStory_252879.html

Article extracted on 29th June 2008

Yes, a friend and myself were there when the protest took place. It was quite an eye opener considering that none of us have ever seen a real life demonstration - at least not in spanking clean Singapore. There were actually a few distinct groups of people - the elderly ladies, the *ahem* rainbow people (who forbid us to take photos), and there was this really big group of people seated right outside the Gwanghwamun station (photos in camera, but using other’s laptop, will post some pictures when I get my laptop running).

I am not sure how it will look like on TV, but it was a rather “peaceful” protest in that we didn’t see people carrying kerosene bottles and hurling them at the police. In fact, there was a depiction of a man on a cross with red paint splashed all over him. I wasn’t sure what that was meant to signify, but yes, it was rather noisy with all the shouting over the PA and loud traditional music. When the crowd crossed the street, they literally put traffic to a halt. There were some container trucks that we thought were put up by the protesters, but it turned out that it was the police who wanted to prevent the people from heading to the government offices.

There was a lot of screaming and shouting, which I thought meant “no beef!” and “down with the president!”, which turned out to be quite close. The people were indeed unhappy that the newly elected president has allowed the import of American beef, which they believe is laced with strains of prions that causes the mad cow disease. Before the demonstration started full scale, we decided to head off just in case things turn ugly. We passed by a lot of people from the press (ourselves included, pseudo-press. that is) and some others apparently from the armed forces - but looking very relaxed.

I wonder if the demonstrators needed to apply for a permit for it. For a rally of this scale, there’s enough people to fill up the entire Orchard Road starting from Orchard MRT station all the way to the Istana; and there’s no way that the Singapore government will ever approve of such a permit, althought I’d wonder if (1) there are enough people who are willing to protest, and (2) if there is enough space in all the detention centers *ahem* and prisons to put all these people under arrest. After all, this is Singapore - spanking clean.  

SEOUL - TENS of thousands of flag-waving South Koreans packed central Seoul on Tuesday, demanding the scrapping of an agreement to resume US beef imports and the resignation of new President Lee Myung Bak.

The entire cabinet earlier offered to quit to take responsibility for weeks of turmoil over the deal, which opponents say exposes Koreans to the risk of mad cow disease.

But demonstrators pressed on regardless with what they have billed as their largest protest to date.

Police erected greased barricades of shipping containers in the heart of the capital to block access to government buildings and the presidential palace.

They estimated crowd numbers in Seoul at less than 30,000 just before 7pm (1000 GMT), when the rally was officially to begin, but more and more groups were still arriving.

Among them were about 50 mothers, some pushing baby strollers and chanting ‘Down with Lee Myung Bak.’ ‘I am not interested in politics but in the health of our family,’ said Ms Lee Sun Hee, a 32 year-old housewife.

Police said up to 200,000 people nationwide, including 150,000 in Seoul, were expected to take part in Tuesday’s candlelit protests. Some 37,000 riot police were being mobilised, 20,000 of them in Seoul.

‘Today’s protests are to pass judgement on the Lee Myung Bak government which keeps ignoring people’s demands despite a month of candlelit protests,’ said activist spokesman Park Won-Suk, claiming one million people would show up nationwide.

The US and South Korean governments say the risk of the human form of mad cow disease is virtually non-existent but they have failed to persuade thousands of Korean consumers.

Lee, a conservative former business executive elected last December by a record margin, admitted as such.

‘We will be more humble in listening to the people and serve them with all our might,’ the president, whose approval ratings have tumbled below 20 per cent, promised Tuesday.

Prime Minister Han Seung Soo and the cabinet offered their resignations to Lee ahead of the mass protest.

A presidential spokesman said no decision had been made yet about ministerial changes and the current cabinet would stay in office for the time being.

Yonhap news agency said Lee is expected to replace four or five ministers as he grapples with the backlash over his April agreement to resume US beef imports, which were halted in 2003 over mad cow fears.

Mr Lee is seeking to modify the beef deal but says he cannot renegotiate it, as protesters demand, since this would jeopardise US approval of a separate free trade pact.

US legislators have warned they will not ratify the free trade agreement unless Seoul first opens its beef market.

The White House said on Tuesday that the offer from South Korea’s cabinet to quit was an ‘internal matter’ and that it still hoped for a beef deal.

The beef protesters have been joined by left-leaning opponents of the broader trade deal and by critics of Mr Lee’s market-friendly economic reform agenda.

The radical Korean Confederation of Trade Unions said about 100,000 of its members would take part in Tuesday’s rally, before voting on whether to launch an indefinite walkout next week.

Mr Lee won power with pledges to revitalise the economy but has been grappling with the global credit crunch and soaring oil and raw material prices.

‘Under the volcano of mass protests lies huge magma - public anger over economic instability and Lee’s shaky leadership,’ said Choi Jin of the Institute of Presidential Leadership.

The beef deal was struck on the eve of Lee’s first summit with US President George W. Bush in April. Opponents say the government failed to secure enough safeguards against the supposed dangers of mad cow disease.

Seoul has sought to ease anger by delaying the resumption of imports and calling on Washington not to export beef from cattle more than 30 months old, seen as more vulnerable to possible infection. — AFP

Article obtained from straitstimes.com on 11th June 2008

A strong aftershock hit China’s quake lake in southwest Sichuan - as predicted earlier on by authorities. There’s no known casualties and the scale of the quake was also not known yet. It’s rather sad that as China prepares for the Beijing Olympics that tragedy had to strike.

Here in Taiwan, no shockwaves were felt, but then again, quakes are part of the everyday life of the average Taiwanese. In fact, some quakes were felt just a week ago and that it happens at such regular intervals that most people got used to it.

BEIJING - A STRONG aftershock was felt at China’s ‘quake lake’ in southwest Sichuan on Monday, state media reported.

The aftershock struck the swollen Tangjiashan quake lake just after 11am Singapore time on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported, quoting one of its reporters at the scene.

Xinhua reported that the magnitude of the aftershock was not immediately known, and its impact on the dam was under surveillance.

Chinese soldiers used anti-tank weapons to blast away rocks and mud holding back waters in an earthquake-formed lake that threatens more than 1 million people living downstream.

Television and official Web sites showed People’s Liberation Army troops firing 82mm recoilless guns at debris on Sunday.

Troops dislodged enough debris to speed the drainage of waters in Tangjiashan lake, although the level continued to rise with the inflow from the blocked river behind the dam, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Another 120 troops were sent to continue the operations on Monday, Xinhua said.

Early on Monday, the water level had reached more than 2m above a spillway carved into the dam last week to divert water and release pressure on the unstable dam wall, Xinhua said.

Authorities were on alert both for increased rainfall and new aftershocks that could weaken the dam or send more debris plunging into the lake.

Prof David Petley, a geography professor at the University of Durham in northeast England, warned the situation at the lake appeared to be reaching crisis levels.

‘The teams on the dam are fighting a desperate battle now,’ Prof Petley said. ‘The outcome is very uncertain.’

Rising water levels indicate the outflow is not fast enough, he said. At the same time, news photos show worrisome signs, he said, pointing to indications that the top of the dam was holding, instead of eroding slowly as it should, while the channel further down was eroding too quickly.

That potentially could place increased pressure on the dam by suddenly sucking down large volumes of water, overwhelming the barrier, Prof Petley said.

‘I am increasingly concerned about the state of play as the level of the lake continues to rise and the channel at the crest of the dam does not appear to be eroding,’ he said.

Other threats
New landslides sparked by a magnitude 5 aftershock on Sunday underscored the threat of flooding.

More than 250,000 people downstream have been evacuated in recent weeks, adding to the turmoil created by last month’s massive earthquake in China’s Sichuan province. Many were living in improvised camps on surrounding hillsides, surviving on instant noodles and suffering from heat, mosquitoes, and a lack of water for bathing.

The Tangjiashan lake was formed when rubble from a massive landslide set off by the deadly May 12 earthquake blocked the flow of the Tongkou River, also known as the Jianjiang.

Wooden houses, boulders and other debris have also been blasted to speed the flow of water into the spillway. Other troops have been deepening the channel and digging on a second spillway.

Managing the Tangjiashan lake has become a priority for a government working to head off another catastrophe even as it cares for millions left homeless after the 7.9 magnitude quake in Sichuan province. More than 1.3 million people live downriver from Tangjiashan.

The death toll from the quake climbed on Sunday to 69,136, with 17,686 people still missing.

The Tangjiashan lake is the largest of more than 30 created by last month’s quake. Government experts quoted by state media have played down the threat of imminent flooding, though a variety of factors could set off a dam collapse: rain, aftershocks, landslides and increased leakage from the barrier.– AP, AFP

Article obtained from straitstimes.com on 9th June 2008

Malaysia has put off plans to ban sale of petrol to foreign-register vehicles within 50km of their north and south borders. This is partly because of the repercussions on the businesses around these petrol kiosks that thrives on the businesses of foreigners, particularly at the Singapore borders. In addition, Datuk Seri Najib cited that there was a need to find a new effective date because he now realized that Singaporeans do not mind paying the market rate. Moreover, Malaysians who are working in Singapore are known to own Singapore-registered cars. One Malaysian, however, felt that the ban on her refueling in Malaysia is fair because she’s working in Singapore and should not be enjoying the subsidy.

I am not sure if the other Malaysians working in Singapore agrees with her. =)

I thought the ban should be rethought because it’s rather silly for Singaporeans driving back to Singapore to try to figure out where the 50km mark is. I am assuming there are indicators along the North-South highway, although I am not sure if this can’t be said for those who enjoy the "smaller roads". This isn’t fun if you are running on an almost empty gas tank.

MALAYSIA has put off plans to ban foreign-registered vehicles from filling up on subsidised petrol in its border areas with Singapore and Thailand, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said yesterday.

The ban was originally to start today for Thai-registered vehicles in the north and on June 9 for drivers of Singapore-registered cars in the south.

But Datuk Seri Najib, who is in Singapore to attend a security summit, told reporters that an anti-inflation Cabinet committee would meet tomorrow to review the plan.

‘We have to find a new effective date because there are other matters, like for example, can we have separate pumps because the Singaporeans are saying that they don’t mind paying the market rate,’ he said.

His comments indicated that the government may allow foreigners to buy higher-priced fuel, whereas the earlier plan was to impose a total ban on foreigners buying fuel.

He said that the postponement was made following requests by Singaporeans.

Many Malaysians who work in Singapore have also complained that they should be allowed to enjoy subsidised rates for their Singapore-registered vehicles, he added.

The move is part of Malaysia’s measures to curb soaring subsidies, which are expected to cost the government RM45 billion (S$19 billion) this year as global oil prices skyrocket.

It bars foreign-registered vehicles from refuelling at petrol stations within 50km of the country’s borders with Singapore and Thailand. The penalty for station owners who flout the rule is a fine of up to RM250,000 or a jail term of three years.

Separately, the Malaysian High Commissioner to Singapore, speaking to The Straits Times yesterday, said that the Malaysian government is conscious of the ‘practical issues’ that have arisen from the proposed ban.

There are many Malaysians who own Singapore vehicles, including some who live in Johor Baru but travel daily to work here, Datuk N. Parameswaran said.

They should not be ‘penalised’.

‘Being Malaysian, they should be able to enjoy a Malaysian facility extended to Malaysians,’ he said.

Mr Parameswaran said that government officials meeting tomorrow will discuss suggestions that Malaysians who own Singapore-registered vehicles be allowed to buy petrol by flashing their identity card, the MyKad.

‘That’s a very practical possibility,’ he added.

It had been reported that some Malaysians who own Singapore-registered vehicles were upset by the ban.

But others, like Ms Jenny Leong, thought it was fair.

‘I work in Singapore and live here, so I shouldn’t get to enjoy the subsidy,’ said the 60-year-old financial consultant, who is a permanent resident here.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CAROLYN QUEK

Article obtained from straitstimes.com on 2nd June 2008

Once this ban kick in probably this Friday, will you cut down on trips to Malaysia? Probably there will be a traffic jam this Thursday at the causeway. I think this ban will mostly affect motorists who visit Johor once or twice a week just to buy cheap petrol. With the current all time high petrol price, buying cheap petrol from Malaysia have become so attractive that makes Singaporeans make the trip there. So by implementing this, will it deter people from visiting Malaysia and triggering a downturn in their economy in the long run?

Some Singaporeans said they may cut back on trips to Malaysia once the proposed ban on the sale of petrol and diesel to foreign registered vehicles within a 50-kilometre radius of Malaysia’s borders takes effect.

The ban is expected to kick in as early as this Friday in a move to prevent abuse of heavy fuel subsidies.

However, Malaysia’s Domestic Trade Minister, Shahrir Samad, said on Tuesday that the ban is a temporary one. It will be lifted once a new subsidy mechanism to replace the existing scheme, where everyone is subsidised, is put in place.

Still, the move is expected to affect hundreds of motorists who regularly cross over the border for cheaper oil.

Malaysia’s diesel and petrol prices are among the lowest in Asia due to high government subsidies.

The ban is expected to affect up to 300 petrol stations in the country. And Singaporeans who head to Johor Bahru for cheaper petrol will be the most affected.

For example, Loy Cheong, a businessman who is a regular traveller across the border, said he will cut back on his trips.

Mr Cheong, Business Development Manager, Medo Enterprises Holding, said: “Buying cheap petrol is one of the privileges and what attracts the Singaporean to go there. But with this implementation, it may deter people from visiting Johor.

“We go normally once a week or once in every two weeks. But if they implement this, maybe we will go less often, like once a month.”

Also facing problems are Malaysians who are Singapore permanent residents.

Koh Ming Li, a Singapore permanent resident, lives near the border and has been coming to Singapore almost every day for the past two years for work.

He said: “The problem now is that it prohibits me from driving directly into JB. And as for the 50-kilometre radius from JB, I would say (there’s) almost no petrol kiosks within JB that I can pump petrol from.”

Petrol kiosk operators who violate the ban face the possibility of a S$110,000 fine (RM$250,000) or a three-year jail term or both.

- CNA

If I was told that the Japan custom officers are hiding cannabis in passengers’ luggage so that they can be used as carriers, I probably will just bate an eyelid. However, they are now saying that they are using the passengers and their luggage as training for their dogs?! My eyelids are batting in automatic mode! Can you imagine the fright that a passenger will get when he or she gets confronted by a sniffer dog?!

Anyway, the package in one of the exercises is not lost and one passenger probably got home with the additional package in his luggage. Wonder if he knows use to use it. =)

TOKYO - ONE of the travellers who arrived at Tokyo’s Narita airport over the weekend may have picked up an unusual souvenir from customs - a package of cannabis.

A customs official hid the package in a suitcase belonging to a passenger arriving from Hong Kong as a training exercise for sniffer dogs on Sunday, but lost track of both drugs and suitcase during the practice session, a spokeswoman for Tokyo customs said.

Customs regulations specify that a training suitcase be used for such exercises, but the official said he had used passengers’ suitcases for similar purposes in the past, domestic media reported.

‘The dogs have always been able to find it before,’ NHK quoted him as saying. ‘I became overconfident that it would work.’

Anyone who finds the package should contact Tokyo customs as soon as possible, the spokeswoman said. — REUTERS

Article obtained from straitstimes.com on 26th May 2008

Whenever a General Election (GE) looms in Singapore, a group of Singaporeans are skeptical that their choices are really anonymous because of the presence of numbers on the voting slip, which conveniently traces the identity of the voter. In fact, some have wondered if their failure to get a HDB flat has anything to do with them voting for the opposition in the previous elections. This mentality is understandable if "things hadn’t been smooth" when they have indeed voted for the opposition. The government was of course quick to refute all such claims, maintaining that everything is really kept private and confidential.

However, if indeed the votes are being monitored, what’s the worse thing that can happen? You may probably "not be able to get a HDB flat", although some of us do think that it’s preposterous for something like this to happen. After all, the government does want more people to get married and set up families, isn’t it? Now, if you look at Myanmar and what the people are thinking and saying, you’d understand what freedom of choice really is.

Fellow Singaporeans, it’s time to appreciate our government who has worked so hard to maintain corruption-free and to put the priorities of the people above everything else. Importantly, whatever it’s done is for the own good of the people although it’s sometimes a bitter pill to swallow. =)

Yangon - Voters in regions devastated by the cyclone cast ballots yesterday in a referendum that many say is meaningless, as Myanmar’s junta has already declared victory.

The regime says the charter was overwhelmingly approved by 92.4per cent in the first round of voting on May10.

Even though their votes will not change the outcome, hundreds of thousands of people left their patched-up homes and makeshift shelters to cast ballots at schools, temples and community centres.

‘I will tick Yes,’ said 30-year-old shop assistant Khin Min. ‘I’m afraid I will be put in jail if I vote No.’

AFP

Article obtained from straitstimes.com on 25th May 2008

The Myanmar junta may seem heartless to kick the survivors out of the shelters to make way for the polling station, but there could be other reasons that bystanders like myself may not know. Perhaps the junta really want the survivors to quickly stand on their feet (pun unintended) and move on (double pun unintended). Perhaps the polls were really urgent and because it is so important, it has to be protected from the harshness of nature. Perhaps the shelters were the best place places to hold their polls properly - after all, it’s supposed to be good for the people; nation above self, remember? Perhaps the junta wanted to liberate the people in more ways than one. Perhaps…

YANGON - WITH few places to seek refuge, the wooden schoolhouse seemed as good as anywhere.

Though its roof was partially blown off by Cyclone Nargis, and panels were ripped from its walls, hundreds of people swarmed here after the storm.

Now the government has forced them out to make space for a weekend vote on a new pro-military constitution - a referendum delayed in parts of Myanmar because of the deadly cyclone.

‘The school will be used as a polling station,’ said Sandar, a teacher who refused to give her last name. ‘We needed people to leave.’

‘Most of them set up temporary bamboo huts,’ Sandar said on Wednesday.

Like most people in Myanmar, she did not want to be fully identified because the government dislikes people talking to the media.

As many as 2 million people are struggling to find the basic necessities of life following the May 2-3 storm, sleeping in tents near their shattered homes or crowding into monasteries, schools and other de facto relief shelters.

But many are being displaced again to make way for polling stations needed to hold a referendum that is - by official reckoning - already a done deal.

The government will open polls in the hardest-hit Irrawaddy delta and Yangon areas on Saturday. The rest of the country voted on May 10; state radio said the late balloting could not reverse the constitution’s approval by 92.4 percent of the 22 million eligible voters.

In a big pavilion - a flat expanse of concrete under a green sheet roof - also on the outskirts of Yangon, dozens of homeless were packing up.

About 100 old people and children put their stuffed canvas sacks and bags on the benches in the middle of the hall. Some people sat on the floor. Others were out on the road, waiting.

A half hour later, they were gone.

A green banner was being put up in front by men, apparently security personnel in plainclothes, along with polling tables inside. — AP

Article obtained from straitstimes.com on 22nd May 2008

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has resigned from the ruling party as a protest to how his hand-picked successor had ran the party thus far. His successor, PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took over the helm in 2003 and since then, things had been going on a landslide. In the latest general elections, Umno did not manage to get the minimum majority in parliament and had to settle for less. This prompted a lot of displeasure from the former premier as well as some law makers in the party. He is also asking the rest of the party members to follow suit so that PM Abdullah will have no choice but to step down and for fresh elections to be called.

KUALA LUMPUR - FORMER Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad has quit the ruling party Umno in protest over the leadership of his successor Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, his son said on Monday.

‘Dr Mahathir has resigned from Umno in protest over Pak Lah’s continued leadership as both the prime minister and president of Umno,’ Mr Mokhzani Mahathir said, referring to Mr Abdullah by his nickname.

‘He will also write a letter to the Umno secretary-general to inform him of his resignation,’ he said, adding that Dr Mahathir announced his departure during a speech on Monday in Alor Star, the capital of his home state Kedah.

‘He made it clear at the gathering at Alor Star that he is resigning in protest over the current leadership,’ he said.

Dr Mahathir ruled Malaysia and the dominant United Malays National Organisation (Umno) for 22 years until 2003 when he handed over to Abdullah, his hand-picked successor.

However, in recent times he has been a vocal critic of Mr Abdullah’s administration and since disastrous March general elections, which produced Umno’s worst ever results, has actively campaigned for him to step down.

News website Malaysiakini quoted Dr Mahathir as urging all Umno ministers and party leaders to follow him by quitting the party, and return only when Mr Abdullah has departed.

‘I will only come back to the party when there is a change in leadership,’ it quoted him as telling the Alor Star gathering.

‘Wait till Mr Abdullah quits as the prime minister and party president and then we can return to Umno,’ he reportedly said.

Mr Shahrir Samad, a cabinet minister and senior Umno member, said Dr Mahathir’s surprise move could trigger a flurry of resignations from the embattled party that could force Mr Abdullah to hold fresh general elections.

‘By Tun doing this it could cause a situation where many other Umno lawmakers might resign,’ he said, using Dr Mahathir’s honorific title.

‘If this happens then the government has no choice but to form a new government or call a fresh general election,’ the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister said.

‘Certainly it is not helpful or constructive to the struggle of Umno right now,’ he said, as the party fends off a challenge from opposition figurehead Anwar Ibrahim who says he could soon seize power with the help of defectors.

Mr Shahrir said that while Mr Anwar was threatening to snatch lawmakers from the smaller parties with which Umno rules in coalition, Dr Mahathir could chip away at the ranks of the ruling party itself.

‘This will be a reduction of the number of Umno lawmakers which is the ruling party of the present government,’ he said.

‘I suppose it is Dr Mahathir’s way of trying to force a call for a referendum from the grass roots.’

The Star’s website quoted Umno information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib as saying he was surprised at Dr Mahathir’s abrupt departure.

‘Every member has the right to join or leave the party,’ he said.

Asked whether Umno would convene an emergency meeting in response to the move, he said that ‘we will wait and see.’

Dr Mahathir, 82, joined Umno at its inception in 1946 and he has weathered a number of storms including his expulsion from the party in 1969 and a 1988 crisis when Umno was declared illegal. — AFP

Article obtained from straitstimes.com on 19th May 2008