Political Uncertainty In Thailand

Jiran sebelah ni kena berhati-hati semasa nak pegi sana.

February 28, 2006 15:40 PM E-mail this news to a friend Printable version of this news

Political Uncertainty In Thailand

By D Arul Rajoo

BANGKOK, Feb 28 (Bernama) -- After 14 years of calm and coup-free, Thailand plunged into political crisis as the opposition vowed to boycott the April 2 snap election while thousands of anti-government protesters continued their night rally and gave an ultimatum to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to resign by Sunday.

Media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul, Thaksin's friend-turned-foe and the man who stirred the movement to oust the premier, gave the ultimatum to Thaksin when he led more than 10,000 people from their protest site in Sanam Luang early Tuesday to the nearby Democracy Monument.

The protesters went there to pay tribute to pro-democracy demonstrators who died in the historic Oct 14 uprising in 1973 that toppled the military dictatorship.

"Thaksin has five days left. March 5 will be the last day for the premier. If he refused to resign, he will face the people's force," said Sondhi, who organised a rally of more than 50,000 people on Sunday.

His ultimatum came hours after three main opposition parties - Democrat, Chart Thai and Mahachon -- announced they would boycott the April 2 election, the first time in the history of Thai politics.

The decision was made after Thaksin, who dissolved the Lower House on Friday, declined to accept their term to the proposed political reforms.

The three opposition parties claimed Thaksin was not sincere in pursuing the political reforms and decided not to field any candidate in the election.

"I've done my best," was Thaksin's response in trying to calm down the rising political tension which worried many sections of the country and saw the Thai stock exchange dipping by 8.86 points today.

There were growing concerns the demonstration could turn violent as happened during similar pro-democracy rallies in the 1970s and 1992.

Monday night, angry protesters almost attacked an iTV news team after rumours spread that the television channel had reported during a live broadcast that there were only about 6,000 to 7,000 people at the rally.

Many analysts have said the current events increasingly resemble the weeks before the May 1992 uprising which saw then Prime Minister Suchinda Kraprayoon being ousted in a popular revolt.

Thaksin came under scrutiny following allegations of power abuse, notably last month's 73 billion-baht sale of his family-owned Shin Corporation to Singapore's Temasek Holdings.

Despite the protests, the Election Commission is going ahead with the planning and is seeking 22 billion bahts to hold the election which is being held barely a year after the 2005 general election that Thaksin won handsomely.

Registration of party-list candidates is scheduled for Thursday and Friday while for constituency candidates must report on Saturday.

Advanced voting will be held on March 25 and 26 while overseas voters will be allowed to cast their ballots on March 17 to 26.

In last year's election, Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party captured 376 of the 500 seats, with the remaining 124 going to the Democrats (97), Chat Thai (25) and Mahachon two.

The unexpected political development has also affected various economic plans in the pipeline, with the Government announcing that it would postpone the signing of its Economic Partnership Agreement with Japan and suspended Free Trade Area talks with the United States.

The 1.7 trillion baht mega projects, which among others, will see the construction of a few more underground and light rail transit transportation system in the capital. The projects are now in quandary.

Thaksin's decision to call for the snap election and the opposition's move to skip it have divided the nation of 65 million people.

Many felt Thaksin had used his office to enrich his family and business associates while some criticise the street rally method used by his opponents.

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a university assistant professor and political commentator, said the House dissolution had taken some steam off the anti-Thaksin coalition demonstrating on the streets.

But he said the opposition should not abandon the election and instead act in good faith and maintain popular trust in the spirit of the reform movement that led to the 1997 Constitution.

"Opposition numbers may not rise in the polls, but the Democrats in particular should think beyond Thaksin's departure. They need to provide the Thai people with an alternative leadership with a workable foresight into what is wrong and what is right about Thailand and where and how it should proceed in future," he said.

Even foreigners have joined in in the debate.

"I am a Malaysian and would like to comment on the dissolution of Thailand's parliament. I am of the opinion that the move by PM Thaksin to dissolve parliament is not only brilliant, but wise and best for the nation.

"No one should resign from office by intimidation or harassment," said Albert Chew, a Malaysian in the reader's section of Bangkok Post.

While the boycott may affect Thaksin's legitimacy if he wins again as expected, it is also going to be a setback to media firms hoping for windfall from advertisement revenue from political parties which spent 1.4 billion bahts for the 2005 election.

Thai Rak Thai spent 425 million bahts for political advertising on television, radio, newspapers, cinema and outdoor last year, compared to Democrats' 197.6 million bahts, Mahachon 381 million bahts and Chart Thai 295 million bahts.

-- BERNAMA

Malaysia Raises Retail Petroleum Prices

Isi tong minyak malam ni sebelum kul 12 mlm. Cepat sebelum dia naik esok. Cam ni la jadi kepada negara kita walau ada minyak. Tapi kalau negara yang sudah tiada minyak atau minyak kurang lagi payah. Ekonomi boleh merundum jatuh.


Feb. 27, 2006, 7:38PM
Malaysia Raises Retail Petroleum Prices

© 2006 The Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia's government on Tuesday sharply increased retail prices of gasoline, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas _ by as much as 23 percent _ but pledged to not raise them further this year, the prime minister's office said.

The sudden hikes surprised financial markets following six months of unchanged petroleum prices in Malaysia despite soaring prices of crude oil globally. Despite the increases, Malaysia's retail prices remain highly subsidized and among the lowest in Southeast Asia, the government said.

"The government has given the assurance that the retail price of petroleum products won't be raised again this year," said a statement on the Website of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's office.

The retail price of premium gasoline, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas went up by 0.30 ringgit (US$0.08; euro0.07)_ raising gasoline price by 19 percent to 1.92 ringgit (US$0.52; euro0.44) a liter.

Diesel went up by 23 percent to 1.581 ringgit (US$0.43; euro0.36) a liter, and LPG up 21 percent to 1.75 (US$0.47; euro0.40) ringgit a kilogram.

The prices would be higher still without government subsidies. Premium gasoline, for instance, would be 28 percent more expensive than the new price if unsubsidized, while diesel would be 25 percent more expensive, the statement said.

Malaysia is a net oil exporter but the government has said it is foregoing much-needed tax revenue as well as providing billions of ringgit in subsidies, to keep retail fuel prices low.

Malaysia urged to recruit more Bangladeshi manpower

Abis la bangla penuh kat mesia ni!Jaga2 anak2 byk pula yg kawin dgn bangla kemudian menyesal kemudian hari.


Saturday February 25 2006 10:10:36 AM BDT

Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan urged Malaysia to recruit more Bangladeshi manpower for betterment of the two countries, reports UNB.

He made the request when the newly appointed High Commissioner for Malaysia to Bangladesh, Abdul Malek Bin Abdul Aziz, paid a courtesy call on the Foreign Minister at his office Wednesday.

“There is enormous scope for strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries, especially in the fields of trade, investment and manpower,” the foreign minister said.

He mentioned that trade figures are not up to the mark, which could be enhanced further.

“Bangladesh and Malaysia are two brotherly countries,” said the Foreign Minister, adding that there are historical ties and shared culture between the two countries for a long time.

The Foreign Minister said Bangladeshi workers are law- abiding, hardworking and sincere. “Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia are contributing a lot for the economies of both the countries.”

The Malaysian envoy assured of further strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.

He expressed gratitude to the Foreign Minister for warmly receiving him and for his assurance of cooperation.

Chicken sales in Malaysia down after bird flu outbreak, official says

Gombak dah ada yang kena selsema burung ni!
Jaga-jaga!
2006/2/25
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)


Malaysians are eating less chicken after a bird flu outbreak was reported last week, an official said Saturday, as authorities continued to cull birds in the affected area.

Daily sales have fallen by about 30 percent, or 300,000 chickens, Lee Chong Meng, a spokesman for the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Poultry Traders' Association, said.

"We are suffering a drop of about three million ringgit (US$807,900; €678,600) in sales every day," Lee told The Associated Press.

"Malaysians should not worry about eating chicken as the bird flu outbreak is confined to a small area and there has been no spreading," he said.

The World Health Organization has also said that eating well-cooked chicken does not pose a risk of contracting bird flu.

Forty chickens died from the H5N1 virus last week in four villages outside Malaysia's main city, Kuala Lumpur _ the country's first bird flu cases in more than a year. No further infection has been reported since then.

A plan to cull birds within a 1-kilometer (0.6 mile) radius of the four villages was expected to be completed on Sunday.

As of early Saturday, 2,760 chickens, 130 ducks and 143 other birds have been culled and 1,171 eggs destroyed, Veterinary Services Department acting director general Mustapa Abdul Jalil told AP. Officials have said they expect to destroy about 3,500 birds in total.

Veterinary officials will then work outward up to a 10-kilomter (6.2 mile) radius, taking sample swabs from poultry, including free-range chickens, for tests.

"If we find any dead bird, we will immediately take it for a post-mortem," said Mustapa.

Ramlee Rahmat, director of the health ministry's disease control division, said two people isolated in a Kuala Lumpur hospital ward Thursday for showing flu symptoms were discharged late Friday after they tested negative for the H5N1 virus.

Eight others warded earlier for observation had been cleared, and there have been no new admissions, Ramlee said.

Bird flu in Malaysia was first detected in villages in the northeastern Kelantan state in August 2004, in fighting cocks smuggled from neighboring Thailand. No humans were infected. Malaysia declared itself free of bird flu in January 2005.

Usah biarkan Melayu merempat.

GEORGETOWN: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi mengingatkan generasi muda Melayu supaya jangan sekali-kali membiarkan bangsa mereka hidup merempat dan terpinggir di negara sendiri.

"Kita mahu bangsa Melayu hidup selama-lamanya. Hidup jangan merempat dan melarat. Apa ertinya hidup, kalau berada dalam kemiskinan. Untuk mendapat kemajuan dan kejayaan mesti berusaha sepanjang masa. Itulah yang kita mahu lihat," kata Perdana Menteri.

Justeru, beliau mahu generasi yang bakal memimpin negara pada masa depan berusaha gigih, berdisiplin dan bersedia menerima tampuk pemerintahan apabila tiba masanya.

Berucap menyampaikan amanat pada majlis pelancaran Putera Umno Pulau Pinang di Padang Brown di sini, semalam, beliau yang juga Presiden Umno menegaskan, golongan itu mesti bersemangat kental untuk meneruskan perjuangan bangsa.

“Hari ini orang Melayu dihormati kerana berjaya mentadbir parti dan Barisan Nasional (BN).

Oleh itu, orang Melayu mestilah menjadi orang yang dihormati dan dipercayai untuk meneruskan kepemimpinan negara... tidak ada pilihan lain. Itu saja yang dapat mengekalkan peranan kita dalam negara maju," katanya.

Presiden Umno berkata, proses peralihan pemimpin sentiasa berlaku dalam parti dan negara kerana tiada pemimpin yang akan kekal.

Bagaimanapun, tegasnya pengganti mestilah lebih baik daripada pemimpin terdahulu bagi meneruskan perjuangan untuk memastikan bangsa terus terpelihara dan dihormati orang lain.

Sambil mengakui bukan perkara mudah untuk melahirkan pemimpin berkualiti, berpengalaman dan memahami perjuangan, Abdullah berkata, pemimpin sedia ada perlu mendidik dan mengasuh generasi muda.

Pada masa yang sama, katanya, generasi muda juga perlu menyahut perjuangan itu dengan bersungguh-sungguh, bukannya secara sambil lewa.

"Tidak ada (pemimpin) yang menongkat langit, tetapi apa yang penting ada penggantinya. Ranting yang patah akan tumbuh tunas baru, tapi tunas baru mesti kuat dan teguh supaya dapat berteduh," katanya.

Abdullah menjelaskan, sekiranya pengganti tidak mempunyai keupayaan dan pengalaman, perjuangan oleh pemimpin terdahulu tidak dapat diteruskan.

"Kita tidak mahu perjuangan terhenti dan terputus, sebaliknya diteruskan selama-lamanya untuk memartabatkan bangsa," katanya.

Pada majlis yang dihadiri kira-kira 5,000 Putera Umno Pulau Pinang, Abdullah turut menyerahkan bendera Putera Umno kepada 13 ketua pemuda bahagian di negeri ini.

Pulau Pinang negeri kedua selepas Kedah melancarkan Putera Umno selepas pelancaran peringkat nasional diadakan di Melaka pada Mac tahun lalu.

Hadir sama Ketua Menteri, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon; Naib Presiden Umno, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam; Ketua Pemuda Umno, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein; Naib Ketua Umbo, Khairy Jamaluddin dan Pengerusi Putera Umno, Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.

Ulama Pakistan tawar RM3.77 juta bunuh pelukis karikatur

Komen:Ini adalah kisah pelukis yang membuat kartun kemudian menyebabkan perselisihan. Selepas kejatuhan ekonomi denmark kerana ramai negara Islam memulaukan barangan mereka.


PESHAWAR: Seorang ulama Pakistan, menawarkan AS$1 juta (RM 3.77 juta) kepada sesiapa yang membunuh pelukis karikatur menghina Nabi Mohammad, ketika berpuluh-puluh ribu mengadakan bantahan ganas yang menyebabkan beberapa orang cedera.

Kelmarin, Imam sebuah masjid di Peshawar, Mohammed Yousaf Qureshi mengumumkan ganjaran RM 3.77 juta kepada sesiapa yang berjaya membunuh kartunis berkenaan.

Qureshi berkata, masjid dan sekolah agama miliknya akan memberikan RM 94,250 dan sebuah kereta manakala sebuah persatuan pemilik kedai emas menawarkan RM 3.77 juta untuk mereka yang membunuh kartunis menghina Nabi itu.

Qureshi tidak menamakan kartunis itu dan kelihatan tidak menyedari wujud 12 orang yang melukis karikatur berkenaan.

Di TRIPOLI, sekurang-kurangnya 10 maut manakala puluhan lagi cedera apabila penunjuk perasaan membakar pejabat konsulat Itali di Benghazi dan kejadian itu adalah yang paling serius sejak tunjuk perasaan membantah karikatur menghina Nabi Muhammad dilancarkan di seluruh dunia.

Sementara itu, di Itali, Menteri Pembaharuan, Roberto Calderoli, meletak jawatan semalam selepas 10 orang terbunuh di Libya dalam bantahan membantah karikatur menghina Nabi.

Menteri itu sebelum ini dikecam hebat kerana memakai baju T yang tertera karikatur menghina Nabi dan aksi beliau dengan baju T itu dirakam stesen televisyen tempatan. – Agensi