The Star Online: Metro: South & East
The Star Online: Metro: South & East |
- GE13: Johor police personnel cast their votes for GE13
- GE13: Pekan Nenas shopkeeper receives Najib at his shop during his walkabout
- GE13: Debate on hudud is over for now, says Dzulkefly
| GE13: Johor police personnel cast their votes for GE13 Posted: 30 Apr 2013 04:08 PM PDT JOHOR BARU: For Insp Nor Azian Nayan, being among the first to cast her vote made her proud to have fulfilled her responsibility as a citizen. The 31-year-old, who was a first-time voter, felt she now has a purpose and that she had played her part in deciding for the country's future. "I was posted to the Johor state police headquarters from Perak in August, 2008 but missed the chance to vote then. "I am glad that we now have the advanced voting option for uniformed personnel who have been deployed elsewhere can cast their respective votes," she said. She added that despite her first time, she did not feel nervous at all because she asked for tips and advice from her colleagues who had voted before. "They taught me the procedure and the correct way to mark the ballot paper so I felt like I knew what I was doing," she said. Her colleague M. Nalini, 24, also a first-time voter, said she had been waiting for years before she could exercise her right to vote. "I have been paying attention to the news and politics in the country through the newspapers and television and I am glad that I have finally voted. "I can now proudly show my friends and family the indelible maroon mark on my index finger to show that I have voted," she said. They were among the total 8,429 police personnel in Johor registered as advanced voters who cast their vote at 53 polling stations statewide including at district police stations. |
| GE13: Pekan Nenas shopkeeper receives Najib at his shop during his walkabout Posted: 30 Apr 2013 07:49 PM PDT PONTIAN: Shop owner Wong Teck Ho, 43, thought he was dreaming when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak walked into his shop to shake his hands during his walkabout here. "I recognise his face from the television news and newspaper reports but I never thought that he would enter my shop and shake hands with me," he said adding that it was an honour to meet Najib. Wong said that he had heard news that Najib would be attending an event in town but never thought that it would bring him to his doorstep. "We never get many big names or celebrities in Pekan Nenas. "It is just a small town so its definitely a pleasant surprise for us," he said adding that his only regret was that he did not have a camera in hand to photograph the moment. Siti Mariam Ali Bawah, 54, said that it was exciting to finally be able to shake hands and meet Najib in person. "I was so excited when I heard that he is coming to town and I decided that I must meet him. "I woke early and stood outside the shop where he was scheduled to have breakfast about two hours prior to the event just to make sure that I could get in," she said. Student, Sakinah Umar, 22, said that Najib is a nice person and was unlike some of the claims written in blogs. "People said that he is arrogant but all I noticed was his warm smile," she said adding that it was nice to see the leader walking through the town and stopping at a normal mamak shop for breakfast. Najib was also accompanied on his walkabouts by his son Nor Ashman and Barisan candidates for the Tanjong Piai Parliamentary seat Datuk Wee Jeck Seng, Pekan Nenas state seat Wong You Fong and Kukup state seat Suhaimi Salleh. Also present was his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammud-din Tun Hussein, Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan, Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman and other local leaders. |
| GE13: Debate on hudud is over for now, says Dzulkefly Posted: 30 Apr 2013 04:09 PM PDT JOHOR BARU: As far as Johor PAS is concerned, the hudud issue has come to an end in the state, said its deputy chief Dzulkefly Ahmad. He said instead of championing the implementation of hudud, PAS and other Pakatan Rakyat member parties have agreed that their main agenda was to eliminate abuse of powers and corruption in the country. Dzulkefly claimed that the hudud issue which had suddenly resurfaced was a trap set up by Umno and Barisan to scare off voters especially non-Muslims days before polling day. "We will not fall into their trap. Our main focus now is to win the election," he said. Dzulkefly said PAS, DAP and PKR would not lose focus in their campaign rounds in Johor even with the hudud issue making headlines now. "Instead we will beef up our machinery to ensure that people remain with us," he added. He said the state PAS leadership also agreed with calls made by the PAS central leadership urging its members to stop making comments on hudud in the media as the timing was inappropriate. Instead, he said, they should remain united to ensure Pakatan victory in the election. Dzulkefly said that when asked to comment on the statement made by Johor DAP deputy chairman Norman Fernandez urging non-Muslim voters not to vote for PAS as it was serious in wanting to implement its brand of hudud. In an article written in the blog syedoutsidethebox.blogspot.com, Fernandez had urged voters to reject PAS in the general election. The senior DAP leader said "non-Muslims must realise that PAS will do what it has set out to do if its gains power". Dzulkefly also said that even if hudud law was to be implemented in Johor it would be done through the legal process and not at the whim and fancy of PAS as claimed by some people. "We want to assure non-Muslims that if PAS takes over Johor from Barisan, the implementation of hud-ud will only be imposed on Muslims in the state,'' he said. |
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