AirAsia-MAS link: A coup for brash Fernandes

AirAsia will acquire a 20.5% stake in ailing
MAS under a share swap deal.

KUALA LUMPUR: Fast-growing budget airline AirAsia will acquire 20.5% of ailing flag carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS) in a share swap that will see the fierce rivals join forces, the carriers said today.

The deal also gives Malaysia-based AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes – who took over the no-frills carrier and turned into one of the industry’s biggest success stories – a voice in turning around loss-making MAS.

Sabah people stand to lose with increased tariff

The electricity tariff hike 'Sabah may lose out investors to S'wak'

INANAM: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) said the excuse that Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) continued to incur losses so as to justify increasing the State's electricity tariff cannot be accepted because the company had made a profit in 2006.

Its Deputy President Datuk Eric Majimbun said this was based on the SESB audited accounts showing it registered a net profit of RM126 million as at Aug. 31, 2006, which was a turnaround for the company.

Brain drain: The story behind the dwindling Chinese in Malaysia

Chinese have been told to go back to China by extremists and yes, Chinese are leaving not only by the dozens, but in tens of thousands, not to China but to Singapore, Australia, England, USA, Canada and most of the developed countries in the world seeking greener pastures and a place they can work and live without prejudice. This naturally caused a decline in the population of the Chinese in Malaysia and worst for the nation, a brain drain.

PM: Half month bonus for civil servants, RM500 special payment for pensioners

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has agreed to pay bonus of half month salary with minimum payment of RM500 for civil servants.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said besides this, the government had also agreed to give special payment of RM500 to government pensioners.

“The bonus and special payment will be made in the middle of this month,” Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said in a statement yesterday.

Sabahans file summons on Borneonsation, seeking 8 court declarations

By Ezra Haganez
KOTA KINABALU: Two Sabahans filed Monday (Aug 8) a summons at the High Court here seeking eight declarations against the Federal and State Governments, on the issue of their failure to implement "Borneonisation" of the federal public services in the state.

Borneonisation of federal services in Sabah is one of the 20 Points agreement, and is also assured and recommended in the Report of the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) in 1962 as conditions for Sabah (then North Borneo) to be co-partner with Malaya, Singapore and Sarawak in forming a new federation called Malaysia in 1963.

MoCS rally: Police demands met, Siah to meet CP

KUCHING: The Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS) said today that it has fulfilled the requirements of the police to hold its ‘Walk for Democracy and Reform’ on August 13 in the state capital.

“We remain hopeful for a police permit. We have listened to the police’s advice and had agreed to and fulfilled their two conditions,” MoCS leader Francis Paul Siah said in a statement.

According to Siah, the police would only allow a stationary rally with no march or procession and that the application for the permit must be made through a registered organization.

Ambiga thanks PSM 6 for taking the heat for Bersih

Bersih 2.0 may have had its fair share of persecution from the authorities, but it was guilt over the detention of six PSM detainees under the Emergency Ordinance which haunted the steering committee days prior to the July 9 rally.

Sabahans to sue over ‘their rights’

By Luke Rintod of FMT

In the suit to be filed later today, two Sabahans want the court to order
Putrajaya and the Sabah government to strictly adhere to the Malaysia Agreement.

KOTA KINABALU: Two Sabahans are expected to file a summons at the High Court here today against the federal and state governments over their rights as stipulated in the Malaysia Agreement.

They are seeking various declarations from the court regarding “Borneonisation” in the state, as assured and recommended in the Report of the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) in 1962 which precipitated the formation of Malaysia Federation a year later.

The summons by Mohd Najib Maidan Dally, 35, and Bernard Fung Fon Chen, 70, willl be filed by counsel Peter Marajin through his legal firm in Kota Kinabalu.

Hasan Ali Is Pakatan's Ibrahim Ali

By Masterwordsmith

Hasan Ali was relieved from his position as the head of PAS Selangor last June for various reasons. Part of it was his inclination to side with UMNO goons despite his position as the number one man in PAS Selangor. Under his EXCO portfolio, several projects were awarded to UMNO goons, reason were they are much more capable than any of Pakatan's companies. Loads of crap.

Our MP cheated us, claim natives

By Luke Rintod of FMT

Trusting natives in two villagers in Sabah have alleged that an
Umno MP had sold them out.

KOTA BELUD: Natives in Kampung Rampayan Ulu near here, who had placed their trust in a local MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan, recently learnt that he had allegedly ‘sold’ their land to a private company.

The Muslim natives, known as the Iranuns, claimed that Umno parliamentarian Rahman had ‘supported’ a local company’s bid to takeover 1,200 hectares of their native customary rights (NCR) land in the village.