KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 (Bernama) — The Cabinet has decided not to allow pay TV station Astro to raise its rates until the company gets clearance from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, said Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
He said the matter was discussed at today’s Cabinet meeting and that the members felt it was not appropriate for Astro to raise its rate at this time.
“I agreed that Astro’s rates could only be hiked with MCMC’s approval and that any hikes must be reasonable and conform to the law,” he told reporters after chairing his ministry’s post-Cabinet meeting at Angkasapuri here.
He said Astro had violated MCMC’s regulations by issuing notices on its rate hikes to customers without the commission’s clearance.
“As such, I have asked MCMC to take appropriate action and instruct Astro not to continue with the rate hike until such a time deemed more suitable.
Explaining what he meant by “appropriate action”, Rais said this was up to MCMC to determine and that it could be a fine with the amount as allowed under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
Astro recently announced that it would be streamlining the packages it was offering, which would take effect on July 11.
According to Astro, following the streamlining exercise, customers could make savings of between RM4 and RM14.95 or pay nominal increases of between RM1 and RM15, depending on packages preferred. — BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) — The Election Commission (EC) has made a final appeal to the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) to call off its planned illegal street demonstration on July 9 and negotiate on the eight demands it is seeking.
EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said as a body represented by level-headed members of society, Bersih should abandon the plan due to the involvement of political parties.
“I am appealing to Datuk S. Ambiga (Bersih chairman) for the last time. The negotiation door is still open. The EC has never shunned Bersih from discussing the eight demands made but we were then busy preparing for the Sarawak state election in April,” he said at
a forum entitled “Bersih’s Demands-What is EC’s Explanation” organised by the Institute of Mind Development here today.
He said the planned demonstration had deviated from its original objective and was being turned into a political rally with thousands of supporters from the opposition ready to join the fray.
Wan Ahmad said he regretted that despite the police not issuing a permit and advising Bersih to call off the plan, Ambiga let herself to be exploited by political parties by planning to go ahead with the illegal assembly.
“Political parties are taking advantage of Bersih’s foray. So I advise Ambiga to steer clear of political parties. If you want to get involved with political parties or fight for a political agenda, then register Bersih as a political party and contest in elections,” he
said.
He said the EC had met Bersih for three hours in November last year, during which it (Bersih) submitted 17 recommendations and each member was given the opportunity to speak.
“We enlightened them on what we could and could not do, what is being studied, and what amendments to legislations and the constitution were necessary. We told them that everything that was being done would take time and not overnight, not even in one month,” said Wan Ahmad.
Wan Ahmad said Ambiga had sought a meeting with the EC through a letter in January, in which she reduced the 17 proposals to eight.
He said the EC was looking forward to have a meeting with Bersih but it had to be put on hold as it was busy preparing for the Sarawak state election.
However, Wan Ahmad said, he was surprised and regretted that Bersih had turned the eight proposals into demands and was adamant on going ahead with the rally, regardless of what would happen.
“Now Bersih is no longer ‘bersih’ (clean). It has become so entangled. Why is Ambiga in such a hurry and defying police’s orders?” he asked.
He said five of the eight demands touched on the EC’s function, but it was not possible to implement them during the Sarawak state election as they involved amendments to the Constitution and several acts of law.
He conceded that certain demands could be met before the next general elections although the date for had yet to be fixed.
The eight demands are cleaning up the electoral list, reforming the voting system, using indelible ink, setting the campaign period to at least 21 days, free and fair media access, strengthening public institutions, curtailing corrupt practices and combating dirty politics.
On allegations of existence of phantom voters, Wan Ahmad said after 2002, the electoral roll was updated and adopted for the 2004 and 2008 general elections.
He described as baseless the opposition’s claim that there had been cases of electors casting votes twice as it would be difficult to cheat due to the fact that the MyKad identity document contained 12 digits.
The Mykad could not be easily abused unless one used a fake identity card, he added. — BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) — Is the illegal rally organised by a group of agitators, scheduled for July 9, really apolitical?
If so, the question arises why so many Opposition party members are present among the rally’s organisers. Also, why are these parties making the effort to bring their supporters onto the streets for this rally?
Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) de-facto leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, reportedly told members that he would ask former Bar Council president Datuk S. Ambiga to cancel the rally if the Government met Bersih’s demands.
This was denied, the following day, by Ambiga, who is organising chief of the rally. Moreover, Anwar, too, later said he was misquoted by the Press.
While some might believe that Anwar is not involved with the rally, there are skeptics. Political analyst Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said this move was being seen as an attempt at damage control, to prevent public opinion from going against PKR, and its suspected involvement with the rally.
Penang Gerakan legal and human rights bureau head Baljit Singh says it will be interesting to watch who would stand by Ambiga when she submits the memorandum to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong.
He said Anwar’s statement that he could speak to Ambiga to cancel the rally created the perception that the Opposition pact, PKR-DAP-PAS, had influence over Ambiga.
Makkal Sakti, whose members took part in the Hindraf illegal rally in 2007, and tried to launch its own anti-Interlok campaign early this year, failed to win the support of enough people.
“It would be totally naive to say that Pakatan was not behind the rally,” said a Hindraf grassroots leader who did not wish to be identified.
He said PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu had pledged that about 100,000 PAS supporters would join the illegal rally, referring to it as ‘walk for democracy’. The PAS president, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, too, has ordered all its members (numbering nearly one million) to join the rally.
He cited the instance of a Bar Council dinner in 2009, when Ambiga was president. Ambiga had hosted it at a hotel, and while it was reportedly a Bar Council function, politicians from the Opposition were invited, as well.
“Subsequently, it was revealed that the government had paid for the dinner. Why hold the dinner under the Bar Council, without announcing that the government sponsored the event,?” asked Wee. — BERNAMA
KUCHING, June 29 (Bernama) – The remains of 21 Iban warriors who were killed by communist terrorists during the Malayan Emergency will make their final journey home to Sarawak by end of next month.
Deputy Chief Minister, Tan Sri Alfred Jabu said under the Operation Mai Pulai (bring home), the remains of the Iban Trackers and Sarawak Rangers would be sent home and reburied with proper ceremony and Iban traditional customs.
“It is proposed that Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud will officiate at the Operation Mai Pulai which will be held at the end of July,” he said in his winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly sitting, here today.
Jabu said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud had made all the necessary arrangements and preparation to bring back the remains of the warriors.
“The Sarawak government is very thankful to the Defence Ministry, Home Affairs Ministry and Singapore government for allowing to bring back the remains of our fallen heroes,” he said. — BERNAMA
-
- Parti komponen BN diingatkan agar tidak ‘kacau daun’ di konstituensi SPDP
- Sylvester Entri dinasihat supaya jangan main kayu tiga
- Wong Judat declares he’s still with BN
- Minos assures PBB do or die with all BN parties
- Taib urges social media enthusiasts to use Internet responsibly
- Internet censorship is useless in today’s evironment – Taib Mahmud
RumahDayak.com on Facebook
