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Auditor-General verifies Scorpene buy follows procedures, says Zahid
Health Ministry to study source of illness in Bukit Koman
S’gor PKR ticks off MB’s secretary for attacking Azmin Ali

Auditor-General verifies Scorpene buy follows procedures, says Zahid

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 07:36 AM PDT

BAGAN DATOH: Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Auditor-General has already explained that the purchase of Scorpene submarines was made according to legal procedures and his official report must be accepted by all quarters.

In response to the opposition's plan to bring in a French lawyer, William Bourdon, to brief the Malaysian lawmakers on court proceedings in France on the purchase of the submarines, Ahmad Zahid hoped no quarter would twist the existing facts on the matter.

He was also in the opinion that the lawyer was invited to Malaysia by the opposition merely with political motive and not so much for legal business.

Ahmad Zahid said this to reporters after opening the Sekolah Agama Rakyat Al-Ulum Al Tarbiah's Sports Day in Kampung Tanah Lalang here on Saturday.

The purchase of the submarines should be seen from the aspects of an offset programme, training, and performance assurance for certain period of time, he said.

Ahmad Zahid said this in response to the invitation made by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to a French lawyer, William Bourdon, who represented Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), to brief the Dewan Rakyat on court proceedings in France on the purchase of the submarines.

Ahmad Zahid said the invitation was made by the opposition with the aim to tarnish the image of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who held the post of Defence Minister when the submarine was purchased.

"However, I will personally defend the moves because the purchase involved a thoroughly negotiated price and specifications.

"This is really an old issue and it was brought up to create public anger and confusion," he added. - Bernama

Health Ministry to study source of illness in Bukit Koman

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 05:34 AM PDT

Published: Saturday October 6, 2012 MYT 8:34:00 PM

ROMPIN: The Health Ministry will proceed with its study on the source of illnesses in Bukit Koman without the involvement of the anti-cyanide movement, said its minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

He said it was because the Ban Cyanide in Gold Mining Action Committee had yet to send its list of experts to the ministry.

"We cannot wait any longer. I have directed my officers to expedite the study so the issue can be put to rest. We all want to know the root of the problem and help the patients if they are really affected by the currently unknown source of the illness," said Liow after chairing the Pahang MCA exco meeting here Saturday.

He said the anti-cyanide group had also not given its list of 383 names of allegedly sick patients to the ministry.

"Health Ministry officials have been asked to go door-to-door in Bukit Koman to conduct medical tests on the residents. We will also try to obtain support from the World Health Organisation.

"The study will be transparent so the anti-cyanide group cannot create any doubt and question the results. I hope it can be concluded by the end of the year because it cannot be dragged any longer," he said.

S’gor PKR ticks off MB’s secretary for attacking Azmin Ali

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 05:25 AM PDT

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor PKR leadership has taken Selangor Mentri Besar's political secretary Faekah Husin to task for attacking PKR deputy president Azmin Ali.

Selangor PKR deputy chairman Zuraida Kamaruddin said Faekah's comments were unnecessary, and could have been made "more positive" if she could have taken the trouble to communicate with Azmin over the matter.

"As far as Azmin in concerned, time and again, he had openly shown his full support for Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim as the Selangor Mentri Besar.

"Khalid has done a fantastic job of 360 degrees turnaround from the Barisan Nasional-style government. Be it in his ceramah, articles and as in his recent parliament debates, Khalid has time and again highlighted as an excellent Mentri Besar for Pakatan Rakyat, much to the envy of the Barisan government," she said in a statement.

She added that Faekah had "unwisely misinterpreted" Azmin's recent comment on Khalid, and should have finished reading the article in good faith.

Zuraida was referring to an article in Sinar Harian, where Azmin was quoted saying that Khalid may be made a federal minister if Pakatan wins Putrajaya in the 13th general election, thus implying that Selangor will have a new Mentri Besar.

"Our advice to Faekah is to break her wall of communication with the party leaders because, until today, she has yet to communicate with most state and party national leaders on party and state matters.

"As an effective political secretary, Faekah should concentrate to improve the political relationship between the Mentri Besar and party leaders, and not cause instability by unnecessarily jumping the gun," she said.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Sabtu, 6 Oktober 2012