The Star Online: Metro: South & East
The Star Online: Metro: South & East |
- Special task force set up to monitor postings on the Internet and social media websites
- Blogger to contest as independent in Teruntum
- Shahiruddin: Parties must work together as a team
| Special task force set up to monitor postings on the Internet and social media websites Posted: 12 Apr 2013 08:37 PM PDT KUANTAN: A special team has been set up by the state police to monitor postings made by bloggers on the Internet and other social media websites. Pahang police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Sharifuddin Abdul Ghani said officers from the commercial crimes investigations department had been tasked with monitoring the situation closely. "Besides keeping tabs of controversial postings by bloggers, they would also monitor Facebook and Twitter sites. "In the run-up to the general election, we do not want the public to be misled by inaccurate information, resulting in unnecessary panic and tension," he said. DCP Sharifuddin urged the public to verify any information they received from unreliable sources with the authorities and not act rashly. He said they could contact its staff manning the "blogger monitoring room" at 09-505 2205 to check the authenticity of the news. "We have also activated our operations command centre in the contingent and district levels round-the-clock reporting directly to Bukit Aman every four hours," he said. In terms of elections preparations, DCP Sharifuddin said leave for all its 5,000 personnel of all ranks had been frozen and they would be deployed on the ground to maintain peace and order. He said they would also request an additional 400 personnel from Bukit Aman as back-up to ensure no untoward incident throughout the elections period. "We would organise a special briefing with all relevant agencies including army personnel, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence, Rela, police volunteer reserve and paramedics to streamline our operations. "After the nomination day, we would also advise contesting candidates to campaign in a civilised manner," he said, adding that police would do their best to facilitate all parties in the process of campaigning. DCP Sharifuddin reminded all parties to adhere to the stipulated guidelines so that the coming elections would be incident-free. For more election stories, please visit The Star's GE13 site |
| Blogger to contest as independent in Teruntum Posted: 12 Apr 2013 08:37 PM PDT KUANTAN: Blogger Mohd Shukri Mohd Ramli will contest as an independent candidate in the Teruntum state seat in the general election. Mohd Shukri, 42, who blogs under Cucumatkilau and in the Pahang Daily portal said he is optimistic in winning the seat in a three-cornered fight. "I am not a political newbie as I had contested in the Kemayan state seat under a PKR ticket in the last election. "I believe I stand a good chance to emerge victorious due to the internal squabbles within the MCA and PKR circles." In the 2008 elections, Barisan Nasional's Datuk Chang Hong Seong won the seat beating PKR's Siew Fook Chan with a 293-vote majority. Mohd Shukri said initially, he was targeting to contest the Indera Mahkota parliamentary seat, held by PKR's Azan Ismail. "However, due to another close ally planning to stand as an independent there, I decided to make way for him. "After taking into account the political scenario, I believe I have a better chance to win in Teruntum albeit with a slim majority," he said. Mohd Shukri claimed that at least 29 other social activists and former PKR leaders would be contesting as independent candidates in both parliament and state seats. He said independent candidates should not be overlooked as it was proven that they could spring a surprise. "For example, the Tanah Rata state seat was won by independent candidate Datuk Ho Yip Kap in a three-cornered fight before he applied to join Gerakan. "I have no plan to join any political parties for the sake of contesting and prefer to do battle on my own," he said, adding that there were already too many aspiring candidates volunteering themselves for the respective political parties, leading to internal bickerings. Mohd Shukri said the state seats which would see a three-cornered fight were Paya Besar, Temerloh and Cameron Highlands parliamentary while states seats are Tanjung Lumpur, Semambu, Beserah and Kuala Semantan. In the last elections, Mohd Shukri lost to Barisan's Kemayan rep Mohd Fadil Osman with a majority of 3,678 votes. For more election stories, please visit The Star's GE13 site |
| Shahiruddin: Parties must work together as a team Posted: 12 Apr 2013 05:44 PM PDT RAUB: All Barisan Nasional component parties must work harder during the campaigning period to woo fence-sitters and young voters to vote for the coalition. Raub Umno division chief Datuk Shahiruddin Abdul Moin said all parties must work together as a team and go all out to campaign for Barisan's candidates. "We cannot afford to work individually for our own respective parties, instead combine our resources and machinery to achieve a common goal. "Our main target is to wrest back Tras state seat from the DAP and retain Batu Talam and Dong. "This is a do or die battle and a lot is at stake to keep the Barisan's flags flying," he said. Shahiruddin, the incumbent Dong assemblyman, is expected to defend his seat together with incumbent Batu Talam assemblyman Datuk Abdul Aziz Mat Kiram. In the 2008 elections, Shahiruddin won in a three-cornered contest with a majority of 3,391 votes against a PKR candidate and an independent. Abdul Aziz defeated a candidate from PAS with a 2,415-vote majority. However, Tras fell to the DAP after its candidate Choong Siew Onn won with a 2,451-vote majority against MCA's Datuk Chan Choon Fah. The state seats of Tras, Batu Talam and Dong are under the Raub parliamentary. The incumbent MP is Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen. MCA is slated to field Raub MCA division assistant organising secretary Lim Teck Hoe to square off with Choong. Shahiruddin said Tras could enjoy more growth and development if the voters threw their support behind the Barisan's candidate. He said the DAP assemblyman had failed to carry out his duties and responsibilities to service the voters in his constituency. "Despite losing the seat, the state government did not neglect the voters by continuing to carry out development projects such as upgrading of roads and other basic amenities. "We would continue to resolve the people's problems and regain their trust and support," he said. Meanwhile, Choong said he had done his best to highlight the people's woes and play his role as an Opposition assemblyman in terms of "check and balance." "I will leave it to the people to judge my performances over the past five years. "The political scenario is now different and those who are not performing will be voted out," he said. On a separate matter, he said the Raub DAP division would not appeal against the central leadership's decision to field former Pulau Manis assemblyman Datuk Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz for the Raub parliamentary seat. He said after seeking an explanation, party members would give their support to Mohd Ariff Sabri, who blogs under the name Sakmongkol AK47. The division has earlier wanted its state deputy chairman Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji to stand in Raub. Mohd Ariff Sabri, 57, a one-term assemblyman from 2004, was dropped by the Barisan in the 2008 elections. He joined the DAP, together with former Umno veteran Aspan Ali, in January last year. Tengku Zulpuri will be contesting the Mentakab state seat against incumbent Datuk Chuah Boon Seong of the MCA. For more election stories, please visit The Star's GE13 site |
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