PN won’t be able to attract sizable non-Malay support, says Zaid

 

FMT:

PN won’t be able to attract

sizable non-Malay support,

says Zaid

FMT Reporters-26 Apr 2024, 12:11 AM

The ex-law minister says PH will be able to retain Kuala Kubu Baharu if it can accomplish several things, including equal allocations for elected representatives.

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Zaid Ibrahim said it is challenging for Perikatan Nasional to gain a foothold among Chinese voters.

PETALING JAYA: Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim said while Perikatan Nasional could mount a credible campaign in the run-up to the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election, it will not be able to attract sizeable non-Malay support.

Zaid, a former PKR and DAP member, said PN should refrain from displaying “extreme tendencies” or making fiery speeches.

PN must also present itself as a responsible party ready to take over the reins of government, he said.

“But there lies the problem. PN will not be able to attract sizable non-Malay support.

“It’s challenging for the party to gain a foothold among Chinese voters,” he said on X.

Zaid said while former Selangor menteri besar Azmin Ali’s popularity would help in swaying non-Malays to PN’s fold, he has to convince the Chinese and Indian voters that their leaders will hold critical portfolios if they can take on Selangor.

Meanwhile, he said, Pakatan Harapan would be able to retain the state seat, which it held for three terms, if the coalition could accomplish several things.

These included equal development allocation for opposition MPs and assemblymen, as well as addressing the issue of the “supplementary order”, which allegedly allows former prime minister Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.

“If the above are fulfilled, then PH will be the favourite to retain Kuala Kubu (Baharu),” he said.

Zaid also defended DAP’s decision to name Pang Sock Tao as its candidate for the May 11 polls, saying she was the right choice despite some analysts describing her as a risky candidate.

Tonight, PN named Bersatu’s Hulu Selangor acting chief, Khairul Azhari Saut, as its candidate.

The by-election was called after the seat fell vacant following the death of DAP’s three-term assemblyman, Lee Kee Hiong, from cancer.

PN names ‘local boy’ Khairul as KKB polls candidate

 

FMT:

PN names ‘local boy’

Khairul as KKB polls

candidate

Amirul Aiman-25 Apr 2024, 11:17 PM

Bersatu’s Hulu Selangor acting chief, Khairul Azhari Saut, was unveiled as the opposition coalition’s candidate by Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin.

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Bersatu’s Khairul Azhari Saut was widely touted to be PN’s pick to contest the Selangor state assembly seat. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional will field Bersatu’s Hulu Selangor acting chief, Khairul Azhari Saut, to contest the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election on May 11.

PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin named Khairul as the coalition’s candidate at an event in Batang Kali tonight.

Nominations for the by-election will be held on Saturday.

DAP’s Pang Sock Tao, who is housing and local government minister Nga Kor Ming’s press secretary, will contest the seat for Pakatan Harapan. DAP has held the Selangor state assembly seat since 2013.

FMT previously reported that Bersatu and Gerakan were both putting forward their candidates to represent PN in the by-election. Each party was lobbying to field a Malay candidate.

DAP’s Lee Kee Hiong, who had held the seat since 2013, died last month after a battle with cancer.

Khairul obtained an executive diploma in management from Universiti Malaya in 2019, followed by a master’s degree in executive business administration from Universiti Malaysia Pahang in 2021.

He is currently the managing director of Global Valley Venture Sdn Bhd.

Khairul previously served as a councillor with the Hulu Selangor Municipal Council. He was also chief executive of Petrogas Resources, head of the oil and gas department at Damini Corp, and a finance executive at Bursa Malaysia.

Muhyiddin said it was important for Khairul to be attuned to the voices of Kuala Kubu Baharu’s residents to effectively champion them in the state assembly.

“A victory (in this by-election) will also send the government another signal that the people in Kuala Kubu Baharu have rejected the government,” he said.

Columbia University faces federal complaint after arresting anti-war protesters

Columbia University faces federal complaint after arresting anti-war protesters

A pro-Palestinian US group filed a federal civil rights complaint against Columbia University following last week’s mass arrest of anti-war protesters after the school called police to clear demonstrator encampments, the group said yesterday. — Reuters pic

Friday, 26 Apr 2024 8:26 AM MYT


WASHINGTON, April 26 — A pro-Palestinian US group filed a federal civil rights complaint against Columbia University following last week’s mass arrest of anti-war protesters after the school called police to clear demonstrator encampments, the group said yesterday.

Palestine Legal, an organisation that seeks to protect the rights of people in the US to speak out on behalf of Palestinians, urged the US Education Department to probe the school’s actions, which it alleges were discriminatory against those who are pro-Palestinian.


Columbia University declined to comment.

Last week, the university tried to shut down campus demonstrations by force when Columbia President Minouche Shafik took the unusual move of inviting New York City police to enter the campus, drawing the ire of many human rights groups, students and faculty. More than 100 people were arrested, reminiscent of the demonstrations against the Vietnam War at Columbia more than 50 years ago.


Protests have since continued at Columbia and spread to other US campuses where hundreds have been arrested in the last week.


The demonstrators were calling for an end to the Gaza war, during which Israel has killed 34,000 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry, displacing nearly all of Gaza’s population and leading to widespread hunger and genocide allegations that Israel denies. The war has caused intense discourse across the United States, Israel’s most important ally.

Advocacy groups note a rise in hate and bias against Jews, Arabs and Palestinians.

Alarming US incidents include the fatal October stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian American in Illinois, the November shooting of three students of Palestinian descent in Vermont and the February stabbing of a Palestinian American man in Texas.

US Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said on Thursday he was following reports of allegations of antisemitism on college campuses. Earlier this month, a former Cornell University student pleaded guilty to posting online threats, including of death and violence, against Jewish students on campus.

Israel attacked Gaza after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200, according to Israeli tallies. Hamas says its armed activities are resistance against Israeli occupation while Israel says its actions since October 7 have been in self defence following those attacks. — Reuters

Police officer ‘confessed’ Amri’s abduction to me, wife tells court

 

FMT:

Police officer ‘confessed’

Amri’s abduction to me,

wife tells court

Ho Kit Yen-25 Apr 2024, 06:05 PM

Norhayati Ariffin claims she was told of Special Branch’s role in activist’s 2016 disappearance.

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Norhayati Ariffin said Special Branch officer Shamzaini Daud told her that her husband had been monitored by a group of police officers over his alleged links to Shia Islam and his foreign exchange business.

KUALA LUMPUR: Activist Amri Che Mat’s wife testified today that a police officer had confessed to her husband’s “abduction” by members of the Special Branch eight years ago.

Norhayati Ariffin said Shamzaini Daud, a Special Branch officer based in Perlis, came to her house at night on May 15, 2018, looking nervous and wanting to come clean about what had happened to Amri.

She said Shamzaini had told her that Amri had been monitored by a group of officers led by Razman Ramli over his alleged links to Shia Islam and his foreign exchange business.

“He said Razman had sent all the information (gathered on Amri) to (former Special Branch assistant director) Awaludin Jadid,” she said.

Norhayati was giving evidence in her lawsuit against the police and government over the conduct of investigations by the authorities into Amri’s disappearance.

She claims that the defendants had breached the law and their statutory duties, committed misfeasance in public office, and were negligent in the discharge of their duties.

Norhayati said she was told by Shamzaini that Bukit Aman officers had taken Amri “forcefully” and without the knowledge of the state’s police.

“I asked him where my husband was, but he said no one knows,” she said, adding that the purported confession made her uneasy.

She said Shamzaini left her house at midnight, after which she immediately texted two close friends of her family – Aizat Zahid and Faisol Mustafa – about his visit.

Norhayati said she then lodged a police report detailing Shamzaini’s confession.

“He, too, lodged a report against me,” she said.

Under cross-examination by senior federal counsel Zetty Zurina Kamaruddin, Norhayati agreed that Shamzaini would be able to either corroborate or deny what she said in court.

She also said Razman and several other officers visited her one day after Amri went missing.

“He told me he was one of the investigating officers (assigned to the case), and claimed to be an expert in kidnapping and forex matters.

“I was puzzled by what he said,” she added.

During Norhayati’s testimony, Justice Su Tiang Joo inquired about the presence of two uniformed police officers in court.

Zetty identified them as investigating officers Khor Yi Shuen and Roslan Remeli, who were observing the proceedings.

Amri left his home in Kangar at about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016.

A public inquiry was conducted by Suhakam into his disappearance between 2017 and 2019.

In 2021, the inquiry concluded that Amri was a victim of an enforced disappearance carried out by the state, specifically by the Special Branch.

The hearing continues before Su on April 29 and 30, when Khor, Roslan, Razman and Awaludin are expected to testify.