Week That Was: June 5 - June 11, 2006
Week That Was Compiled by ANTHONY LIM
GROW, GROW, GROW: (June 4) Malaysia’s economy is expected to grow by 6% this year compared with 5.3% last year, bolstered by commendable performances in various sectors, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said. However, the inflation rate had also risen as a result of the increase in the prices of goods following the sharp fuel price increase, but it is projected to be moderate rate for the second half of 2006, with an average of 3.5% to 4% for the whole of 2006, he said.
NEIGHBOURLY AID: (June 5) The Malaysian Government has disbursed aid worth RM1mil for Indonesian earthquake victims in Yogyakarta. Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who led a 45-member Malaysian delegation for a one-day tour to affected areas in the city, said the aid was in the form of medication, blankets and food items. The 5.9 magnitude temblor that occurred on May 27 killed more than 6,000 people in the city and left many more homeless.
RAPPED BY THE BOSS: (June 6) Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told off government departments and agencies for being poor at monitoring, implementing and maintaining government projects, causing inconveniences and wasting public funds. He said government circulars had to be sent as reminders to staff of their roles and responsibilities to ensure projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan would not see any hitches, or be a waste of public funds.
VELVET GLOVES OFF: (June 7) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad levelled his harshest criticism yet against Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, saying the Prime Minister had dismantled many of his initiatives and betrayed his trust. The former Prime Minister, who retired in 2003, said Abdullah had not been his first choice as successor but second after the current Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
FULL SUPPORT FOR PM: (June 
Cabinet Ministers rallied solidly behind Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi after the Prime Minister came under lashing criticism from his predecessor. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should not forget that when he (Dr Mahathir) was Prime Minister, the Cabinet had stood by him. This was especially so when previous premiers, such as Tunku Abdul Rahman or Tun Hussein Onn, had interfered with his administration.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH: (June 9) Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has said that his predecessor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is free to say whatever he wants. The Prime Minister said that Tun was free to say anything because Malaysia was a democratic nation. Abdullah said his priority was on fulfilling the mandate given by Malaysians during the general election to the Barisan Nasional administration under his leadership.
GO TO JAIL: (June 7) Developers and consultants who misrepresent facts in an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report will in future face a mandatory jail term if convicted. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid said the custodial sentence would be the ministry’s suggestion when its proposal to empower all consultants to undertake the EIA instead of the Department of Environment (DOE) is approved by the Cabinet.
PJ AS A CITY: (June 9) Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah will officially declare Petaling Jaya a city on June 20. A statement from the state secretary’s office said Petaling Jaya had fulfilled all the criteria to become a city, including having a population of more than 700,000 (well above the required 300,000); financial independence, with an annual income of RM190mil (compared with the required RM80mil); as well as having historical and cultural significance.
CONTINUING MENACE: (June 5) More than 10,000 cases of the hand, foot and mouth (HFM) disease have occurred in Sarawak since the major outbreak three months ago. There were 10,091 cumulative cases statewide, and so far, 10 children have died of the disease. The last victim was a six-year-old girl, who died in Miri on May 6. At the height of the previous outbreak, the Health Ministry ordered the closure of all 488 kindergartens on March 3 to stop the spread of the disease.
(June 5) More than 10,000 cases of the hand, foot and mouth (HFM) disease have occurred in Sarawak since the major outbreak three months ago. There were 10,091 cumulative cases statewide, and so far, 10 children have died of the disease. The last victim was a six-year-old girl, who died in Miri on May 6. At the height of the previous outbreak, the Health Ministry ordered the closure of all 488 kindergartens on March 3 to stop the spread of the disease.
UMMI WINS LIBEL SUIT: (June 7) Businesswoman Ummi Hafilda Ali was awarded RM200,000 by a High Court in a libel suit against PAS and four others over an article published in the party’s newsletter Harakah seven years ago. The High Court awarded RM100,000 in general damages to Ummi Hafilda against PAS, Harakah’s permit holder Halim Arshat and its former editor-in-chief Mustapha Ali, while the printer, Syarikat Prema, was ordered to pay her another RM100,000 in general damages.
NO RUSH, FOR SURE: (June PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said he was in no hurry to admit non-Muslims as members or allow them to contest under the party’s banner. He said these matters were still being discussed, and would also involve amending the party’s constitution. PREPARING FOR ELECTION?: (June 9) Preparations for the next general election will top the agenda of the Barisan Nasional supreme council meeting on June 19, fuelling speculation of early national polls. Barisan secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said reports of the Sarawak election and the issue of the sacking of some leaders in Parti Rakyat Sarawak would also be tabled for discussion.
FOREIGN
ZARQAWI KILLED: (June Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaeda leader in Iraq blamed for bombings, beheadings and assassinations, was killed in a US air strike carried out by two F-16 planes with two 227kg bombs that took out Zarqawi’s “safe house”. Vowing to fight on, al-Qaeda in Iraq confirmed the death of Zarqawi, even as US forces displayed pictures to reporters of the corpse of the bearded Zarqawi with facial abrasions and his eyes closed.
H5N1 CROPS UP AGAIN: (June China confirmed a fresh outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu virus among poultry in the western region of Xinjiang. Poultry on a farm in Hetian County had died from the bird flu virus, though it was not known how many birds were infected.
THAIS CELEBRATE: (June 9) Yellow-clad Thais in their millions began jubilant celebrations to mark revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 60 years on the throne. Tens of thousands headed to Bangkok’s Royal Plaza to see their beloved monarch, the world’s longest reigning king, in person.
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH: (June 9) An upbeat Germany kicked off its month-long World Cup party, buoyed by hopes that tight security and meticulous planning will ensure a tournament that mirrors the country’s brightening mood. Economists say the tournament may contribute 0.2 percentage points of the 1.8% growth for the country this year, with a million foreign visitors expected to spend a billion euros. The national squad provided a rousing start by kicking off the tournament with a 4-2 victory over Costa Rica, the highest-scoring opener in tournament history.
PRESSURE ON: (June 10) Thousands of Taiwan opposition supporters rallied in the capital Taipei to increase pressure on President Chen Shui-bian to resign over allegations of insider trading against his relatives. Though Chen has not been personally implicated in any wrongdoing, opposition leaders say he has lost the dignity necessary to function as president, and called on him to resign to spare the island more unrest.
FLOODS HIT CHINA: (June 10) Flooding from two weeks of heavy rain in southern China has killed 93 people, while a further 11 are missing and more than half a million people have been evacuated to higher ground. Nearly 12 million people in nine provinces, regions and municipalities have been affected by the weather, and at least 560,000 people have been evacuated.
