Sarawak assistant minister and Batang Ai state assemblyman Dublin Unting Ingkot, passed away at the Normah Medical Specialist Centre after suffering from a stroke.
Dublin Unting Ingkot
Dublin Unting Ingkot, 55, who were the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) vice-president and Sports and Agriculture assistant minister had been hospitalized for the past nine months after falling into a coma following a massive stroke in May last year while being interviewed by RTM radio channel in his capacity as the Chef de Mission for the Sarawak contingent to Sukma.
During last state election held in May 2006, Unting won the predominantly Iban seat after defeating Nicholas Bawin Anggat of the Sarawak National Party(SNAP) with a 806-vote majority.
He first won the Batang Ai seat in 1991 under the Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) ticket, which was then in opposition at the state level in a straight fight with Mikai Mandau from the Barisan Nasional (BN).
In 1996 and 2001, he retained the seat on BN-PBDS ticket and later joined PRS following the deregistration of PBDS due to an internal leadership crisis in 2004.
Superintendent Shaharon Anuar Abdul Latif from Penang state police contingent headquarters urged everyone to be calm and warned people against spreading rumors about the case of Karpal Singh gets death threat, bullets in the mail. He said people should leave it to the police to carry out their investigations. Karpal Singh DAP chairman Karpal Singh has received a death threat that he, along with his whole family, would be "annihilated".
The envelope containing the letter also had two bullets. It was delivered to Karpal's home in Jalan Utama, Penang.
The writer told Karpal Singh not to fool around with the Malay rulers (jangan main main) and Malays in general and also threatened to burn his entire family, adding that he knew where Karpal Singh lived.
It went on to warn him not to find trouble with the Malays if he loved his family. Otherwise, the writer threatened to annihilate Karpal and his family.
"This is a serious threat and I want the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to provide protection for me and my family.
"I have never asked for such protection, but the situation has reached a very serious level," he said.
Karpal said such threats had reached a serious level and called on police to initiate investigations.
Former Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin had filed a suit at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur to challenge the legitimacy of his successor Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and the new state government.
Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir
He claimed that the swearing-in of Dr Zambry last week was unconstitutional and illegal.
Article 16 of the Perak Constitution says that the Sultan shall appoint the Executive Council. He must first appoint Menteri Besar from the members of the Legislative Assembly who “in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Assembly.” Then, on the advice of the MB, the Sultan shall appoint other members of the EC.
Article 16 (6) says: If the MB ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Legislative Assembly, then, unless at his request His Royal Highness dissolves the Legislative Assembly, he shall tender the resignation of the Executive Council.
The current status of the house is 28 members from PKR, PAS and DAP, 28 BN members - and three independents, which are pro-BN. The Sultan of Perak, the constitutional monarch, consented to the appointment of a new BN government after he was convinced the BN had the majority in the state assembly.
By and large, under Article 16 of the Perak Constitution, the forming of BN state government and appointment of the new Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir is legitimate and constitutional.
The nomination day for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat in Perak and the Bukit Selambau state seat in Kedah will be held simultaneously on March 29 (Sunday) and voting on April 7 (Tuesday).
The law required the by-elections to be held within 60 days of the seats being vacant, which falls on April 11. It is here where the meanings of democratic constitutionalism and democratic politics are being brought onto the practice.
Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof
Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said the decision to hold simultaneous by-elections was to save costs and reduce different campaign periods, adding a lengthy campaign period could risk public order and safety.
He said the situation in Perak was still tense after a government switch and the time-frame for the Bukit Gantang by-election would allow all parties to "cool off". He was hopeful there would be a high voter turnout despite polling day being a Tuesday.
"The date was chosen for the convenience and comfort of all parties and not with any political considerations," said Abdul Aziz.
Unjustified statements will automatically be judged, opposition leaders crying foul over the date chosen for the by-elections are thus unjustified.
Six new Perak state executive councillors, comprising 5 UMNO and 1 MCA, took their oaths of office before Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah at Istana Iskandariah here today.
The Six are as follows:
1. Hamidah Osman (Sungai Rapat)
Hamidah Osman
2. Datuk Ramly Zahari (Manong)
3.Perak MCA Youth head Dr Mah Hang Soon (Chenderiang assemblyman)
Dr Mah Hang Soon
4. Datuk Saarani Mohamad (Kota Tampan)
5. Mohd Zahir Abdul Khalid (Kamunting)
Zainol Padzi Paharudin
6. Perak Umno Youth head Zainol Padzi Paharudin (Sungai Manik)
Another big step for BN to take over Kedah as Kedah Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak confirmed that Bukit Selambau assemblyman V. Arumugam tonight quit both his Kedah executive council post and state seat.
V. Arumugum
Azizan said that the 55-year-old Arumugam had sent the resignation letter to the Kedah Sultan, adding that the Menteri Besar has been informed of the quit decision by Arumugam's aide.
"Arumugam told him that he was relinquishing the post due to personal reasons and that it has nothing to do with the Pas leadership," said Azizan.
It was reported that Arumugam apparently took a second wife through a Hindu customary marriage leading his wife to accuse him of bigamy. It was learnt that he complained that government machinery was being used against him.
He won in Election 2008 as an independent candidate and joined the Pas-lead Kedah government after being assured of an executive council post. He was in charge of domestic trade, Siamese and Indian affairs in the Pakatan Rakyat government, which has 22 seats in the 36-seat assembly.
Arumugam resigned as a trainer at the RMAF college in Alor Star to contest in the elections, getting 13,225 votes against MIC’s S. Krishnan’s 10,863 votes.
By-elections will be called within 60 days according to law.
Parliamentary by-election will be held in Bukit Gantang as the PAS Member of Parliament for Bukit Gantang Roslan Shaharum died of a heart attack on Monday morning.
Roslan Shaharum
The 50-year-old had sent his car to a car-wash near his home in Changkat Lallang near here when he complained of chest pains. He borrowed a bicycle from one of the carwash workers to go to the nearest pharmacy. Having a by-election so soon after the dramatic events of the past few days will be a referendum or judgment day, of some sort, of how public feels about the continuing political drama and impasse. Victory in Bukit Gantang would, conversely, help the parties, either BN or Pakatan Rakyat to consolidate its position and otherwise.
Osman Jailu
Despite the importance of measurement of political impact, there is also the added significance that Osman Jailu, one of the PKR Perak state executive councilor whose defection last week triggered the fall of the PR government, is an assemblyman for Changkat Jering, which is located within the Bukit Gantang parliamentary constituency.
In the March 8 general election last year, Roslan Shaharum had polled 20,015 votes against Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi’s (Barisan Nasional) 18,449 votes. The third candidate was an independent, M. Morgan, who got 872 votes.
The bitter recriminations between the parties in Pakatan Rakyat underlined the political crisis when DAP national chairman Karpal Singh calling on Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of being unfit to lead Pakatan Rakyat and demanded the PKR supremo step down.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim Karpal Singh criticised PKR chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, his DAP boss Lim Kit Siang and even Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for what he deemed as their "inconsistent stand" on party hopping. He claimed that their stance had caused the whole Pakatan Rakyat to be in disarray.
Blaming Anwar, also PKR advisor and de facto leader, for creating trouble in the opposition alliance, he said Pakatan needed a new leader.
“He (Anwar) has created enough trouble and it is time for him to bertaubat (repent). I wonder if he is fit to be the leader of Pakatan Rakyat. In fact I think Pakatan Rakyat requires another leader, a good leader. Not someone who believes in immorality, even accepting crossovers," he said.
“It’s time Pakatan got itself another leader,” he told a press conference at his office here Sunday.
Karpal Singh
Karpal Singh said members of PKR and DAP had fallen sway to the rhetoric of Anwar, who had supported the cross-over of elected representatives.
Karpal also warned his party leaders not to push him too far. "I have been patient all this while. Don't let matters come to a head in the interest of Pakatan Rakyat and also DAP. In fact, I have even proposed that DAP leave Pakatan Rakyat on the issue of hudud law but no one supported me, neither Kit Siang nor Guan Eng. It is a shame and they should also bertaubat (repent)."
Anwar is widely credited with knitting the different parties in Pakatan -- PKR, DAP and PAS -- into the coherent opposition that swept five states from under Barisan Nasional’s feet in the 12th general election last March.
The questions remain: When will Anwar Ibrahim step down and when will the Pakatan Rakyat collapse?
His Royal Highness Sultan Azlan Shah had used his discretion under Article XVIII (2)(b) of the Perak Darul Ridzuan State Constitution allowing BN to form a new state government as the BN had the majority in the state assembly.
His Royal Highness Sultan Azlan Shah
The BN was follow the process and rules of the Perak state constitution and get the His Royal Highness Sultan Azlan Shah's consent before making any announcement in take over the state government.
It is Sultan’s prerogative to make decision thus new Perak State Government is legal and constitutional.
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said, "There is nothing unconstitutional and we were always abiding by the decision of the Sultan. The Sultan has acted in accordance with the constitution.
" He also condemned PR for what he said was its hypocrisy, arguing that the principle of "party-hopping" was propagated by PR.
"They wanted to topple the federal government by stealing 31 members of Parliament from BN.
"Please ask Pakatan Rakyat why did they start this subject? Weren't they the ones that announced that they wanted to establish a government on Sept 16 last time?" Najib pleaded for the people to respect the decision made by the Sultan of Perak.
"Nobody should challenge Tuanku's decision because by doing so, you are insulting the institution of the constitutional monarchy.
"The decision has been made by Tuanku regarding the interpretation of the constitution. We hope all parties will respect Tuanku's decision and not question it."
Barisan Nasional (BN) officially took over the Perak state administration today with Pangkor assemblyman Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir sworn in as the new Menteri Besar.
Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir swearing-in AS the new PerakMBat Istana Iskandariah, Bukit Chandan
The swearing-in ceremony took place before the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, at the Istana Iskandariah in Bukit Chandan, Kuala Kangsa as 11th Perak Menteri Besar.
All 28 PR assemblymen boycotted the ceremony, with their supporters staging a demonstration outside the Ubudiah Mosque, just 300 metres from the palace.
Dr Zambry’s appointment effectively ended Perak’s political impasse, with the PR government losing its majority in the state legislative assembly when four of its assemblymen quit the parties’ to step down immediately.
They are Hee Yit Fong, the deputy state assembly speaker and a DAP assemblyperson, PKR's Behrang assemblyman Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and Changkat Jering assemblyman Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu and Nasarudin Hashim of Bota who left Umno and joined PKR and defected back UMNO.
Hee Yit Fong, the deputy state assembly speaker and a DAP assemblyperson, PKR's Behrang assemblyman Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and Changkat Jering assemblyman Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu and Nasarudin Hashim of Bota who left Umno and joined PKR and defected back UMNO had caused the Perak PKR state government to collapse.
Hee Yit Foong was the first disabled woman to become the deputy speaker of a Malaysian legislative body. She carries a limp from a case of polio she contracted at the age of 4. In the 2008 General Election she won the Jelapang State seat of 26,157 voters with a 6,707 majority. Hee has not been on good terms with DAP state leaders, in particular the Ngeh-Nga cousins - Perak DAP chief Ngeh Koo Ham and secretary Nga Kor Ming. It is interesting to learn the political strategy used. Hee Yit Foong "disappeared" for over 12 hours, leaving DAP leaders sweating and desperately trying to locate her. She coolly emerged, only to slam DAP Secretary-general Lim Guan Eng for threatening to vacate her seat and force a by-election.
She demanded an apology from Lim Guan Eng for saying that party representative in the state who are incommunicado for more than 24 hours without reason will find their seats vacated.
She told a press conference at her house that night she is disappointed with the warning by Guan Eng, made when two PKR state assemblypersons were said to have gone ‘missing’ over the weekend.
While Guan Eng may have been making a pre-emptive strike, it has not gone down well with Hee who herself was deemed to have ‘disappeared’ briefly next day, thereby adding to speculation that she too would cross over to Barisan Nasional.
"I don’t understand how he views the state’s representatives. The statement is unfair to me. Usually problems within the party will be solved among members, not through a public statement,” said Hee.
Sultan Azlan Shah and Raja Dr Nazrin Shah's meeting with Hee Yit Foong in Istana Kinta Hee explained that she had been in her house in Ipoh for most of yesterday, only leaving the premises from 3 to 6pm. She also said she had switched off her hand phone because she was “not feeling well”, which was also the reason why she failed to attend the meeting called by Mentri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.
“I live here in Ipoh, but no one from the party came looking for me (at my house). They could have contacted my husband, but no one did. I thought everything was in order,” said Hee.
Hee said she only found out what was going on when she found reporters at her door, upon returning in the evening.
"He (Guan Eng) should have some confidence in me," Hee said at a midnight press conference at her home.
The question remains: What should be the basic quality of a good politician?
Dublin Unting Ingkot
Dublin Unting Ingkot
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