Frail Pope Benedict, 85, contemplates to resign

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he makes his "Urbi et Orbi"
(To the city and the world) address from a balcony in
St. Peter's Square in Vatican April 8, 2012.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict marks two milestones this week and while his health appears stable, signs of frailty have again prompted speculation over whether he will be the first pontiff in seven centuries to resign.

Benedict, one of the oldest popes in history, turns 85 on Monday, and on Thursday he marks the seventh anniversary of his election as successor to the immensely popular John Paul II.

Speaking to pilgrims and tourists in St Peter's Square on Sunday, he noted Thursday's anniversary and asked for prayers "so that the Lord may give me the strength to carry out the mission he has entrusted to me".

PBRS deputy president Baharudin Nayan joins STAR with 500 others

By Ezra Haganez

PAPAR : A one time deputy president of Barisan Nasional component party, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), Baharudin Nayan, has quit the party to join opposition State Reform Party or STAR.

The local veteran politician handed over his application form to join STAR to its Sabah chapter chairman, Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan at the launching of its Papar division at the Borneo Paradise Resort in Kinarut near here today (Apr 14, 2012).

We will go to international court, says STAR

KOTA BELUD : The State Reform Party (STAR) said if it forms or leads the next state government, it would consider taking matters to court, including international courts, if then Federal Government continued to trample on the 1963 pledges and the Malaysia Agreement.

Deputy chairman of the Sabah chapter of STAR, Daniel John Jambun, said it is pertinent that the next state government subscribed to the Borneo Agenda if Sabah is to be saved from further destruction by unfavourable policies by Federal power against it.

Ranau could be the poorest district, says STAR

By Ezra Haganez
RANAU : Ranau, a district surrounded by the rural-most parts of several poverty stricken districts, could be the poorest in Sabah, claimed State Reform Party (STAR) divisional head for Ranau, Jalibin Paidi.

Jalibin said, while it was never mentioned that Ranau is the poorest, the fact that it is at the centre of Sabah and that it is adjacent to the notoriously rural parts of Kota Marudu, Beluran, Tongod, Tambunan, Keningau, Kota Belud and Tuaran districts, might have concealed real facts on poverty in the district.

BN leaders urged to take action on Bingkor Lama's road

By: Roger Binson A.S

Road condition in Bingkor Lama.

Keningau: Nearly 500 folks in Bingkor Lama facing difficulties every day when they are forced through severe roads condition that have been damaged since eight months ago. The issue has been brought to the attention of authorities by JKKK Sumit Jood last year but till now no action or decision from the relevant authorities to improve the road conditions. The government's lack of action in this situation eventually raised dissatisfaction among the comunity and may cause their votes in favor of the opposition, especially the Star party which led by Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and SAPP, led by Yong Teck Lee.

Umno hand in ‘new’ illegal settlement?

By Luke Rintod of FMT

KENINGAU: An open recreational area meant for residents in a low-cost housing project here has “magically” turned into a settlement overnight for about 1,000 illegal Filipinos and Indonesian immigrants.

To make matters worse, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) poles were allegedly put up at night to “supply” power to this illegal settlement, when thousands of other poor Sabah native kampungs are still living by kerosene lamps.

Tindak Mala​ysia challenges EC to a public debate

Civil society movement, Tindak Malaysia today issued a challenge to both the Election Commission (EC) and the Public Select Committee (PSC) to a public debate on how clean the electoral roll is.

The proposed dates have also been suggested – either on April 20, 21 or 22.

Its founder, Wong Piang Yow (for the Chinese press, 黄炳耀) who has submitted over 100 proposals on how to improve the electoral process to safeguard the interest of voters’ rights, said it is time that both the EC and PSC debate with concerned members of the public (Tindak Malaysia) on this important topic which, if broadcast, “live” on RTM will allow Malaysians from all walks of life to decide on the commitment of Prime Minister, Najib Razak’s administration to cleaning up the electoral roll.

Raw deal for the poor in Sabah

By Luke Rintod of FMT

TONGOD: The Umno-led Sabah government has been accused of providing the state’s poor with shoddily built houses minus the essential utilities.

Citing the houses in Kinabatangan, State Reform Party (STAR) community leader James Ait said the government was being “dangerously careless” in the construction of these houses just because the recipients were impoverishd.

Born in Sabah but no free MyKad

By Luke Rintod of FMT

KUALA PENYU: “Newly-arrived illegal immigrants from the Philippines and Indonesia can easily get Malaysian citizenship, but why can’t I get it after 65 years?” asks John Dismas, a man who has lived in Sabah all his life.

The 65-year-old who was born in Kuala Penyu a year after Second World War, ended is perplexed by his situation. His mother was a Dusun Tatana and he speaks the dialect fluently, while his father was an Australian soldier who abandoned the family soon after the war.

From Perlis to Sabah: Umno's legacy - a trail of disappointment and flops

Written by  Nawawi Mohamad, Malaysia Chronicle
In May 2010, Minister in Prime Minister's Department Idris Jala woke the nation up from its slumber by announcing that Malaysia will be bankrupt by 2019 if the government does not cut subsidies and rein in borrowings. By end of 2011 our National debt was at RM460 billon and still rising.

Then we were shocked by the findings of ecoomic think-tank MIER in in January 2012 that if nothing is done to reverse the current trends in government expenditures and revenues, extrapolation suggests that Malaysia’s national debt will explode to 100 per cent of GDP by 2019.
Yet UMNO-BN remains unconcerned about the matter, if not totally ignored it. Along the way we were shocked and still feel disgusted about the RM250 million NFC debacle, which Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's PKR party exposed.