Malaysia expands screening of visitors to all entry points

The Health Ministry has confirmed that no case of “influenza-like” illness with symptoms of swine flu infection has been found in Malaysia.

However, the Government is not taking chances with the outbreak that is already spreading across Mexico to other countries.

The ministry has already expanded its screening of passengers arriving at international entry points like KL International Airport, which it started on Monday, to the ground.

In Rantau Panjang, which borders Thailand, the health department began randomly screening those coming into Malaysia on foot.

“We are doing it as a precaution,” a doctor on site said. He set up an informal unit with five of his subordinates.

The ministry has taken measures to set up hotlines for the public to call for inquiries in Putrajaya and also started a 24-hour monitoring of the situation. The public can call 03-8881-0200/300 for enquiries.

Police personnel at Malaysia’s borders are on high alert to check any signs of the swine flu outbreak sneaking into the country.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said policemen would assist all border-control agencies to monitor for any signs of the disease at all entry points including airports.

“We are working closely with the Health Ministry to monitor the situation and assist in the screening process,” he told reporters after a visit to Hospital Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with the 202nd Police Day yesterday.

Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Ismaiil Merican confirmed yesterday that no case of influenza-like illness with symptoms of swine flu virus had been reported in Malaysia. He said that based on surveillance of influenza-like illness, there had been no reported case.

He added that health officers at KLIA screened 428 passengers and airline crew flying in from areas with cases of swine flu for signs of the infection. Passengers and airline crew, he said, were also been given health alert cards and health declaration forms to fill.

“The screening at all international entry points continued yesterday. A technical committee meeting involving several agencies will also be held today to discuss other preventive measures and an integrated approach for the control of any infection,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Dr Ismail said that in view of the World Health Organisation’s decision to raise the swine flu alert to Phase 4 from Phase 3, which made the current situation just two levels away from a full pandemic, the ministry would continue to advise Malaysians to stay away from affected regions.

“This is particularly when the travel is unnecessary and they are not feeling well. Those who fall sick during their travel should seek medical treatment,” he warned.

In Kuala Lumpur, Bernama reports that the Foreign Ministry had asked all Malaysian missions abroad to continuously monitor and update the ministry on the swine flu outbreak in relation to Malaysians residing or travelling overseas.

“The 60 registered Malaysians residing in Mexico where the swine flu outbreak was first detected and another five in the accredited Central American countries are reported to be safe and free from the virus,” the ministry said in a statement.

The public is advised to report to the Consular Divison of the Foreign Ministry at 03-8887-4000 if they are aware or informed of any cases by their friends, relatives or colleagues currently overseas.

KURSUS GSPS JABATAN PENERANGAN 22-28 April 2009

PNB tawar 3.33 bilion unit ASM

Pelabur boleh beli hari ini, ASW 2020 mulai 27 April

Datuk Seri Najib Razak semalam mengumumkan Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) menawarkan 3.33 bilion unit tambahan Amanah Saham Malaysia (ASM) dan dua bilion unit Amanah Saham Wawasan (ASW) 2020. Unit tambahan ASM itu akan dijual mulai hari ini di semua 1,500 ejen dan pejabat Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd di seluruh negara, manakala unit baru ASW 2020 boleh dilanggan mulai 27 April.

Merasmikan Minggu Saham Amanah Malaysia (MSAM) 2009 di padang Plaza Angsana di sini, Perdana Menteri berkata, kedua-dua tawaran itu akan dikenakan had langganan maksimum 20,000 unit seorang supaya lebih ramai pelabur berpeluang melanggannya.

Pelaksanaan had pelaburan maksimum bagi ASM berkuat kuasa sepanjang tempoh tawaran sehingga 27 Julai depan tertakluk kepada unit yang masih ada untuk langganan, manakala ASW 2020 sehingga 6 Mei.

"Untuk golongan miskin tegar yang tidak mampu membuat pelaburan secara terus dalam dana itu, kerajaan memperuntukkan 100 juta unit ASW 2020 seperti yang diumumkan pada Kajian Separuh Penggal Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan (RMK-9)," katanya.

Turut hadir, isterinya, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor; Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin dan isteri, Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman; Menteri Besar, Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman dan isteri Datin Prof Dr Jemilah Ariffin; Pengerusi PNB, Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif PNB, Tan Sri Hamad Kama Piah Che Othman.

Najib yang juga Menteri Kewangan, berkata penawaran unit tambahan ASM dan ASW 2020 itu adalah ekoran sambutan memberangsangkan terhadap amanah saham dan bagi memenuhi permintaan masyarakat berbilang kaum serta selaras dengan konsep Satu Malaysia.

"Saya bangga kerana masyarakat bukan Bumiputera kini meletakkan keyakinan tinggi kepada PNB untuk menguruskan unit amanah mereka. Ini juga bukti kepercayaan dan sokongan kaum bukan Bumiputera terhadap PNB dan kerajaan," katanya.

Beliau berkata, PNB berjaya menggembleng dana lebih RM87 bilion yang dikumpul daripada lebih 9.3 juta pelabur, iaitu satu pencapaian cemerlang sejak pelancaran dana Amanah Saham Nasional (ASN) 28 tahun lalu yang ketika itu terdapat 840,000 pemegang akaun yang melabur dalam 540 juta unit amanah.

"Setakat ini jumlah pengagihan pendapatan yang dibayar melebihi RM65 bilion.

Saya kira pendapatan sebegini besar banyak membantu meningkatkan taraf sosio ekonomi rakyat. Ini bermakna dana amanah PNB dapat mendidik masyarakat supaya lebih cekap dalam kewangan individu," katanya.

Perdana Menteri berkata, sebelum kemunculan ASN, rakyat khususnya Bumiputera begitu asing terhadap dunia pelaburan tetapi menerusi usaha agresif PNB dan program pendidikan pelaburannya yang semakin rancak dijalankan, industri itu kini sinonim dengan masyarakat. "Malah, tidak keterlaluan jika saya katakan unit amanah PNB ini berjaya membina satu jenama tersendiri dalam industri unit amanah negara dengan meraih sokongan padu masyarakat Bumiputera dan bukan Bumiputera," katanya.

Najib berkata, penguasaan PNB dalam hampir semua sektor strategik negara turut membuka dan menyediakan peluang pekerjaan dalam skala yang agak besar.

SENARAI PENUH KABINET 2009

PERDANA MENTERI: Datuk Seri Najib Razak

TIMBALAN PERDANA MENTERI: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

MENTERI DI JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
1. Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon (Hal Ehwal Perpaduan & Pengurusan Prestasi)
2. Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (Hal Ehwal Perundangan dan Parlimen)
3. Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop (Unit Perancang Ekonomi)
4. Mej-Jen (B) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom (Hal Ehwal Agama Islam)

Timbalan-timbalan Menteri:
1. Datuk Liew Vui Keong
2. Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim
3. Datuk S.K. Devamany
4. Ahmad Maslan
5. T.Murugiah

MENTERI KEWANGAN: Datuk Seri Najib Razak
MENTERI KEWANGAN II: DATUK AHMAD HUSNI MOHAMAD HANADZLAH
Timbalan:
1. Datuk Chor Chee Heung
2. Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin

MENTERI PELAJARAN: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Timbalan:
1. Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong
2. Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi

MENTERI PENGANGKUTAN: Datuk Ong Tee Keat
Timbalan:
1. Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri
2. Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew

MENTERI PERUSAHAAN, PERLADANGAN DAN KOMODITI: Tan Sri Bernard Dompok Timbalan:
1. Datuk Hamzah Zainudin

MENTERI DALAM NEGERI: Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein
Timbalan:
1. Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop
2. Jelaing anak Mersat

MENTERI PENERANGAN, KOMUNIKASI, KESENIAN DAN KEBUDAYAAN:
Datuk Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim

Timbalan:
1. Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum
2. Senator Heng Seai Kie

MENTERI TENAGA, TEKNOLOGI HIJAU DAN AIR: Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui
Timbalan:
Noriah Kasnon

MENTERI KEMAJUAN LUAR BANDAR DAN WILAYAH: Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal
Timbalan:
1. Datuk Hassan Malek
2. Datuk Joseph Entulu anak Belaun

MENTERI PENGAJIAN TINGGI: Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin
Timbalan:
1. Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung
2. Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah

MENTERI PERDAGANGAN ANTARABANGSA DAN INDUSTRI: Datuk Mustapa Mohamed Timbalan:
1. Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir
2. Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan

MENTERI SAINS, TEKNOLOGI DAN INNOVASI: Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili
Timbalan:
Fadillah Yusof

MENTERI SUMBER ASLI DAN ALAM SEKITAR: Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas

Timbalan: Tan Sri Joseph Kurup

MENTERI PELANCONGAN: Datuk Ng Yen Yen
Timbalan: Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib

MENTERI PERTANIAN DAN INDUSTRI ASAS TANI: Datuk Noh Omar
Timbalan:
1. Datuk Johari Baharum
2. Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim

MENTERI PERTAHANAN: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Timbalan: Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad

MENTERI KERJA RAYA: Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor
Timbalan: Datuk Yong Khoon Seng

MENTERI KESIHATAN: Datuk Liow Tiong Lai
Timbalan:
Datuk Rosnah Rashid Shirlin

MENTERI BELIA DAN SUKAN: Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek
Timbalan:
1. Datuk Razali Ibrahim
2. Wee Jeck Seng

MENTERI SUMBER MANUSIA: Datuk Dr S.Subramaniam
Timbalan:
Datuk Maznah Mazlan

MENTERI PERDAGANGAN DALAM NEGERI DAN HAL EHWAL PENGGUNA: Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob
Timbalan: Datuk Tan Lian Hoe

MENTERI PERUMAHAN DAN KERAJAAN TEMPATAN: Datuk Kong Cho Ha
Timbalan:
Datuk Lajim Ukin

MENTERI PEMBANGUNAN WANITA, KELUARGA DAN MASYARAKAT: Datuk Seri Sharizat Jalil
Timbalan:
Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun

MENTERI LUAR: Datuk Anifah Aman
Timbalan:
1. A.Kohilan Pillay
2. Datuk Lee Chee Leong

MENTERI WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN: Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin
Timbalan:
Datuk M.Saravanan

- Bernama

Malaysian PM announces cabinet shake-up

Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak announce his new cabinet line up at his office at Putrajaya.

Malaysia's new premier Najib Razak unveiled a new-look cabinet Thursday, retaining his control on the finance portfolio and ejecting figures seen as loyal to his predecessor.

The number of cabinet ministers was cut to 28 from 32, and several ministries were amalgamated.

In a wide-ranging shake-up, former trade minister Muhyiddin Yassin who was elected deputy of the ruling party UMNO last week, was promoted to the key post of deputy prime minister and also given the education portfolio.

The trade ministry is now helmed by Mustapa Mohamed, a trained economist who served as agriculture minister in the last administration. His deputy is Mukhriz Mahathir, the son of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

The defence portfolio goes to Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, a close ally of Najib and one of the newly appointed vice-presidents of UMNO.

Foreign Minister Rais Yatin was shifted to the newly created ministry of information, communications, arts and culture, and replaced by Anifah Aman, a backbencher from Sabah state on Borneo island.

Several figures seen as loyal to former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who Najib took over from last week, were dropped including Rural Affairs Minister Muhammad Muhammad Taib and Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar.


The sensitive home affairs portfolio, which handles internal security, is now held by Hishammuddin Hussein, the former education minister who was also made one of UMNO's three vice-presidents last week.

There was a snub for Abdullah's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin, who won the influential post of UMNO youth chief last week. Traditionally the youth chief sits in the cabinet, but he was omitted from Najib's new line-up.

Agence France-Presse - 4/9/2009 8:10 AM GMT

Malaysian policemen to hang for killing Mongolian woman

Two Malaysian policemen were sentenced to death Thursday for the murder of Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu, in a sensational case the opposition has tried to link with new premier Najib Razak.

Abdul Razak Baginda, a close associate of the new prime minister who was sworn in last week, had been accused of ordering police to kill his former lover after she came to his family home to harass him for money.

But last year he was acquitted of abetting the 2006 slaying of the 28-year-old model and interpreter -- a case which, with its ingredients of sex, politics and violence, has fascinated the nation.

Altantuya's body was blown up with military-grade explosives in a jungle clearing, leaving only shattered bone fragments as evidence.

The two officers found guilty of the murder, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, are from an elite unit that guards top ministers.

"Each of them are blaming the other, they failed to raise reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case. I convict both of you as charged," said Shah Alam High Court judge Zaki Mohamad Yasin.

"I sentence both of you to death. You will be taken to a place of execution where you will be hanged by your neck until you are dead," he said.

The pair looked calm when the sentence was handed down, and then stepped out of the dock and hugged their lawyers, who later said they would file an appeal.

Sirul has said he was a "scapegoat" and Azilah's fiance, Nur Azila Baharuddin, insisted the pair were not guilty.
"We expected him to be acquitted but the judge has made the decision. We will wait for the next stage," she told reporters. "I really want to marry him, I have been waiting for so long since 2006."

Malaysia's top blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin has been charged with sedition after repeatedly linked Najib and his wife to the murder on his popular website Malaysia Today.

Najib has vehemently denied any involvement in the killing and said he never even met Altantuya, but despite any evidence linking him to the case, the allegations persist and the opposition has called for an official inquiry.

Leading opposition figure Lim Kit Siang said Thursday that the mystery surrounding the case was "haunting and hounding" Najib and threatened to damage his administration and the nation's reputation.

"(The) conviction and death sentence have not lessened but intensified public demands and necessity for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into swirling allegations of Najib's involvement," he said in a statement.

Karpal Singh, an opposition politician and leading lawyer who is representing Altantuya's family, also said the verdict would fail to quell speculation over the case.

"You must satisfy the international community. The international community does not accept that only these two are responsible for the murder. It goes beyond these two," he told reporters.
"These two have no motive, they didn't even know her before."

Altantuya's father Setev Shaariibuu was distraught over the acquittal of Abdul Razak Baginda last year, in a case seen as a test of the strength of Malaysia's much-criticised judiciary.

"I am not satisfied. My daughter knows only one Malaysian and it is Razak Baginda. Now my daughter is dead and Baginda is freed... the country has lost credibility in the world," he told reporters at the time.

Setev Shaariibuu was not present in court on Thursday.

Agence France-Presse - 4/9/2009 8:30 AM GMT

GM and Segway plan electric two-wheeler

US automaker General Motors and scooter maker Segway say they are working together to build a new two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle for city use.
Dubbed Puma (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility), the vehicle would be powered by lithium-ion batteries and feature a wireless communications network allowing users to avoid traffic and prevent crashes, the companies said in a statement.
The prototype is designed to reach speeds of up to 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour and travel up to 35 miles between recharges. But the groups did not say when the two-wheeler would hit the roads or how much it would cost.
"Imagine small, nimble electric vehicles that know where other moving objects are and avoid running into them," said GM vice president of research and development Larry Burns.
"Now, connect those vehicles in an Internet-like web and you can greatly enhance the ability of people to move through cities, find places to park and connect to their social and business networks."
Segway president and CEO Jim Norrod said the project would "demonstrate a dramatically different approach to urban mobility."
Embattled GM, which has already received 13.4 billion dollars in federal bailout funds, is under pressure from the government to develop more environmentally conscious technology less dependent on oil.
AFP

PKR kekal di Bukit Selambau

Calon Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), S. Manikumar menang dengan majoriti 2,148 undi dalam Pilihan Raya Kecil Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Bukit Selambau hari ini.
Manikumar, 35, memperoleh 12,632 undi mengatasi calon Barisan Nasional (BN), Datuk S. Ganesan yang mendapat 10,229 undi dan juga 13 calon Bebas.
Kemenangan beliau diumumkan oleh Pegawai Pengurus Pilihan Raya Kecil DUN Bukit Selambau, Datuk Abdullah Mat Akhir malam ini.
Menurut Abdullah, 13 lagi calon yang bertanding atas tiket Bebas hilang wang pertaruhan selepas mendapat undi tidak melebihi satu perempat daripada mereka yang keluar mengundi.
Mereka ialah R. Loganathan yang mendapat 31 undi manakala Tan Hock Huat (78), Radhi Md. Lazim (25), Mohd. Fadzil Abdul Wahab (83), Abdul Rahim Abu (60), L. Sarala (49), A. Jayagopal (35), S. Moganakumar (46), Khamis Awang (29), Husaini Yaacob (257), M. Vanesan (32), Mejar (B) Anuar Abd. Hamid (528) dan T. Chandrarajan (73).
Terdapat sebanyak 415 undi rosak dan jumlah keluar mengundi ialah 70.28 peratus daripada 35,140 pengundi berdaftar.
Dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12, calon Bebas yang kemudiannya menyertai PKR, V. Arumugam menewaskan calon BN, S. Krishnan dengan majoriti 2,362 undi.
Pilihan raya kecil itu diadakan setelah Arumugam melepaskan jawatannya pada 8 Februari lalu.
Sementara itu, Naib Presiden PKR, Azmin Ali berkata, kemenangan PKR dan Pas di Bukit Selambau dan Pilihan Raya Kecil Parlimen Bukit Gantang memberi mesej kepada Perdana Menteri yang baru, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak bahawa UMNO dan BN perlu berusaha keras untuk memenangi hati rakyat.

Harga ayam naik

Harga ayam hidup naik daripada RM3.30 sekilogram kepada RM3.70 sekilogram, harga borong ayam hidup naik daripada RM4 sekilogram kepada RM4.40 sekilogram.
Harga runcit ayam hidup naik daripada RM4.70 sekilogram kepada RM5.10 sekilogram.
Persekutuan Persatuan Penternak Malaysia dalam kenyataan hari ini berkata harga borong ayam bersih naik kepada RM5.20 daripada RM4.70 sekilogram. Harga runcit ayam bersih (standard) dengan kaki, kepala, hati dan hempedal naik kepada RM6 sekilogram daripada RM5.55 sekilogram.
Harga runcit ayam bersih (super) tanpa kaki, kepala, hati dan hempedal berharga RM6.70 sekilogram.
Menurut kenyataan itu harga runcit ayam bersih dengan sijil Tanda Kesihatan Veterinar (VHM) Super tanpa kaki, kepala, hati dan hempedal berharga RM7.40 sekilogram.
Harga terbaru ayam ini berasaskan pada faktor permintaan dan bekalan semasa.

- BERNAMA

ISA: Utamakan kebebasan awam

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, pentadbirannya tidak akan menggunakan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) secara sewenang-wenangnya tetapi akan mengutamakan prinsip hak asasi manusia dan kebebasan awam.
Perdana Menteri berkata, akta itu sedang dikaji untuk memastikan ia mengandungi beberapa peruntukan yang menegakkan prinsip-prinsip berkenaan.
"Beberapa peruntukan (ISA) akan mencerminkan kehendak kita (kerajaan) untuk menegakkan kebebasan awam dan ada 'check and balance' supaya tidak mudah ada penggunaan ISA secara arbitrari (sewenang-wenang) atau mengikut kehendak pihak berkuasa tanpa melihat kepada hak asasi dan kebebasan awam rakyat Malaysia," katanya kepada sekumpulan wartawan dari Indonesia di pejabatnya di sini hari ini.
Wakil-wakil media Indonesia itu, yang berada di ibu negara bagi menghadiri Majlis Anugerah Kewartawanan Kajai di sini malam tadi, merupakan kumpulan wartawan asing pertama menemubual Najib selepas beliau menjadi Perdana Menteri pada 3 April lepas.
Najib berkata, keputusannya membebaskan 13 tahanan ISA baru-baru ini merupakan suatu isyarat kerajaan yang mementingkan hak asasi dan kebebasan awam dalam masyarakat demokrasi yang moden, matang dan bertamadun.
Semasa temu bual itu Perdana Menteri turut ditanya mengenai gaya pentadbiran beliau, hubungan dua hala Malaysia-Indonesia, keselamatan serantau dan kebebasan akhbar di Malaysia serta peranan dua Perdana Menteri sebelumnya.
Bercakap mengenai slogan One Malaysia. People First. Performance Now (Satu Malaysia. Rakyat Didahulukan. Pencapaian Diutamakan) yang diumumnya sebaik menjadi Perdana Menteri, Najib berkata, ia merupakan falsafah yang memayungi pentadbiran pimpinan beliau.
Katanya, ia menekankan apa yang harus dilakukan sekarang bagi memacu negara ke arah mencapai hasrat dan visi yang ditetapkan oleh dua Perdana Menteri sebelumnya iaitu Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi agar rakyat Malaysia menjadi bangsa "Cemerlang, Gemilang dan Terbilang", dan Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, supaya Malaysia menjadi negara maju menerusi "Wawasan 2020".
"(Ia adalah) destinasi kita tapi sebelum sampai kepada negara maju Wawasan 2020, saya tekankan apa yang perlu kita lakukan sekarang... Apa prosesnya? Unity (bersatu), People First dan Performance Now," katanya. Menurutnya konsep One Malaysia menekankan rasa saling hormat dan percaya antara semua kumpulan etnik di Malaysia yang beliau sifatkan sebagai tiang seri kepada proses perpaduan nasional.
Katanya, usaha itu mesti dilakukan dengan penuh kesedaran di peringkat kerajaan dan masyarakat dalam semua program yang dilaksanakan.
"Konsep ini mesti diterjemahkan dalam bentuk tindakan, program kerajaan, umpamanya peruntukan untuk sekolah Cina, untuk sekolah Tamil, diberi secara terus kepada lembaga sekolah.
"Tidak ada kelompok atau kumpulan etnik yang harus rasa tertinggal dari segi dasar dan program kerajaan," kata Perdana Menteri.
Najib berkata, golongan Bumiputera juga harus dibantu kerana mereka masih ketinggalan tetapi usaha itu haruslah dilakukan dengan adil, baik kepada bumiputera dan bukan bumiputera.
Mengenai People First, Najib berkata, kerajaan pimpinan beliau mestilah prihatin dan berada dekat di hati rakyat, bukannya kerajaan elit yang dilihat sebagai memihak kepada syarikat besar dan mengamalkan kronisme atau nepotisme.
"Sebab itu saya lakukan walkabout (lawatan turun padang Sabtu lepas) di kawasan Melayu, Cina dan India. Saya mahu tunjuk bahawa pemimpin mesti dekat dengan rakyat. Saya tidak rasa kekok untuk berjumpa rakyat biasa," katanya.
Najib juga berkata gaya pentadbirannya akan menekankan aspek Performance Now supaya rakyat dapat melihat sesuatu yang dirancang benar-benar berlaku.
"Saya akan tekankan supaya tindakan disegerakan sebab rakyat mahu melihat sesuatu itu berlaku. Semua perlu dibuat dengan cepat, pantas dan boleh dilihat oleh rakyat.
"Saya tekankan pencapaian bukan sahaja penghasilan. Ada perbezaan antara penghasilan dan pencapaian.
"Ini akan merupakan stail pentadbiran baru saya... bahawa kita akan memberi keutamaan kepada kepimpinan yang berasaskan pencapaian," katanya.
Najib juga berkata, beliau mahu menjadi Perdana Menteri untuk semua rakyat serta akan berlaku adil dan tidak mahu dilihat sebagai Perdana Menteri memihak mana-mana suku kaum.
Menyentuh persoalan kebebasan dalam sistem demokrasi, Perdana Menteri berkata, Malaysia bersikap liberal tetapi mengamalkan kebebasan secara bertanggungjawab, kerana jika tidak, ia akan mencetuskan anarki.
Ditanya mengenai kebebasan akhbar pula, Najib yang menjadi tetamu kehormat pada Majlis Anugerah Kewartawan Kajai malam tadi, berkata beliau mahu media memainkan peranan menegur kerajaan secara bertanggungjawab agar pemimpin tidak angkuh dan menyalahgunakan kuasa mereka.
"Kalau pemimpin kerajaan tidak boleh ditegur sama sekali, tidak boleh dikritik sama sekali, kami seolah-olah merasakan kami ini kebal, dan kekebalan itu merupakan suatu yang tidak baik sebab, mungkin kita akan salah guna kuasa, mungkin kita akan terlalu angkuh dengan kedudukan," kata Perdana Menteri.
Katanya, beliau berharap dapat mewujudkan kerjasama yang baik dengan media agar saling memahami peranan masing-masing.
"Pihak akhbar mesti ada tanggungjawab, jangan buat serangan peribadi yang tidak berasas dan menggunakan khabar angin sebagai bahan berita seolah-olah berita itu sahih. Akhbar yang bertanggungjawab mesti menjadi sebahagian penting dalam amalan demokrasi yang sihat," katanya.
Mengenai Tun Dr. Mahathir dan Tun Abdullah, Najib berkata, beliau yakin kedua-dua bekas Perdana Menteri itu akan menjadi penyokong kuat kepada beliau sebagai Perdana Menteri yang baru.
Sambil menyatakan beliau mempunyai hubungan baik dengan kedua-duanya, Najib berkata beliau berharap kedua-dua negarawan itu dapat menggunakan kekuatan masing-masing dalam membantu mengukuhkan UMNO dan Barisan Nasional.
"Saya akan cuba, bukan mudah... (tetapi) saya (juga) ada keistimewaan. Saya ada hubungan baik dan akrab dengan kedua-duanya. Saya fikir penting bagi bekas Perdana Menteri Malaysia menyokong dan mendokong Perdana Menteri sekarang untuk meneruskan perjuangan," katanya. - BERNAMA

Malaysian PM resigns in favour of deputy

Malaysia's king Thursday accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi after six years in office, clearing the way for a smooth transfer of power to deputy Najib Razak.
Abdullah and then Najib met King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin for successive audiences at the palace to seal the long-planned transition.

"PM Abdullah offered his resignation to the king. The king is understood to have accepted it," a senior official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Government officials Wednesday said the king had agreed that Najib could be sworn in as prime minister at 0200 GMT Friday.

Najib was last Thursday officially declared president of the United Malays National Organisation party, effectively smothing his path to the premiership because of its dominance of the political scene.

He said he would reveal details Friday of the direction he wanted to take Malaysia amid economic crisis and political uncertainty, with the core of his roadmap being a programme aimed at uniting the multi-racial nation.

"I think this new thrust will ensure there will be a fairer distribution of government allocations and assistance to all communities," he said Wednesday.

Analysts say he faces an enormous challenge to rejuvenate his UMNO party, which has floundered since disastrous election results last year, and cushion the country from the worst effects of the global meltdown.

Malaysia, Southeast Asia's third largest economy, has been hit by slumping exports and manufacturing, with more than 26,000 people losing their jobs so far this year.

A slew of economic data for January underlined the scale of the problem.

Industrial output fell 20.2 percent year-on-year, manufacturing sales sank 22.7 percent and exports plunged 27.8 percent to hit their lowest level since 2001.

Najib, who is also finance minister, unveiled a stimulus package worth 16.2 billion dollars earlier this month, but warned that the export-driven economy could shrink by 1.0 percent this year despite the massive spending.

He will face his first big test as prime minister next Tuesday with three by-elections that will be seen as a referendum on his fledgling leadership.

"He will inherit a divided party with trust in the government at its lowest ebb and a strong opposition," political analyst Shahruddin Badaruddin told AFP earlier.

He said Najib's challenge would be "to unite the fractured elements of the party."

Najib has an impeccable pedigree as the son and nephew of two former prime ministers, but he has been dogged by controversy and Shahruddin said he had to stem the allegations against him.
He has repeatedly denied opposition allegations connecting him to the 2006 slaying of the mistress of his close aide -- a Mongolian woman whose body was blown up with military-grade explosives.

"He must end all the rumours and allegations about the Mongolian case once and for all," Shahruddin said.

"It has affected his image locally and internationally," he added. "As long as these rumours persist, it will make it hard for him to do what needs to be done."

UMNO leads the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition which has ruled Malaysia for more than half a century since the former colony gained independence from Britain in 1957.

However, last year it put up its worst electoral performance for 39 years, leading to calls for Abdullah to step down.

The coalition of race-based parties -- which also represent ethnic Chinese and Indian communities -- were mauled by the opposition led by former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The opposition seized an unprecedented one third of seats in parliament and now controls four states.

Agence France-Presse - 4/2/2009 4:19 AM GMT