4 killed in car-lorry crash near Pekan

Those killed were pinned to their seats and police had to seek assistance from the Fire and Rescue Department to extricate their bodies. (Twitter pic)

KUANTAN: Four men, including three Indonesians, were killed while another Indonesian was injured when their car was involved in a collision with a trailer lorry at KM6 of Jalan Chini-Kuantan, Pekan, today.

Pekan district police chief Mohd Razli Mohd Yusof said the incident happened at 12.30pm.

The car driver, Indonesian Abd Mannan, 25, was thrown out of the vehicle, resulting in him sustaining serious injuries. Mannan was brought to the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital here for treatment.

Those killed were construction workers Mohamad Junhaizul Lizam, 26, a local from Chini 4, Pekan, and three others known as Rohman, 20, Mudehri, 38, and Subakir, 43. All the dead Indonesians were legitimate passport holders.

“The crash was believed to have occurred after the Proton Wira, which was travelling from Kuantan towards Chini, went out of control and veered into the opposite lane, colliding with the lorry.

“Initial investigation found that Mannan had overtaken several vehicles before going out of control,” Razli said in a media statement here today.

He said those killed were pinned to their seats and police had to seek assistance from the Fire and Rescue Department to extricate their bodies.

The 45-year-old trailer lorry driver from Felda Chini, Pekan, was unhurt.

The bodies were sent to Pekan Hospital and would undergo post-mortems and tests for Covid-19. - FMT

Membership of Dr M and MPs ‘automatically nullified’, clarifies PPBM man

The five PPBM leaders were informed of their termination in separate letters today.

PETALING JAYA: A PPBM Supreme Council member has clarified that Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Mukhriz Mahathir, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Maszlee Malik and Amiruddin Hamzah were not sacked but had their party membership “automatically nullified”.

PPBM Supreme Council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan.

Wan Saiful Wan Jan said membership of the five MPs was terminated based on their own actions in joining the opposition bench in the Dewan Rakyat when it sat for one day on May 18.

“There isn’t any other party in the world that allows its MPs to sit on different benches than the party. Whether you’re a big leader or a normal member, everyone must sit with the party,” he said in a statement today.

In calling on members to unite and strengthen the party, he said the contributions of leaders should be appreciated and acknowledged but also used as a foundation to carry PPBM forward.

The five were informed of their termination from PPBM in separate letters today.

Mahathir was the chairman of the party while his son, Mukhriz, was deputy president and was set to contest for the president’s post. Syed Saddiq was the youth wing’s chief.

Maszlee was the former education minister under Pakatan Harapan while Amiruddin was the deputy finance minister.

The notices of automatic termination are the latest in a tussle between two factions in PPBM, one led by Mahathir and the other by party president Muhyiddin Yassin. - FMT

LTAT mulls Boustead's privatisation at 80 sen per share

The Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT), the controlling shareholder of Boustead Holdings Bhd (BHB), plans to propose an offer price of RM0.80 per ordinary share in BHB for its potential privatisation.

This offer price, however, is indicative only and non-binding, said LTAT in a statement today.

“The final offer price in relation to the proposal (if undertaken) is subject to finalisation by LTAT," it said, adding that the proposal is subject to, amongst others, the finalisation of the structure of the proposal, its requisite funding and the required regulatory approval for the proposal.

The pension fund highlighted that today's notification does not amount to a firm intention that it will undertake the proposal.

“Accordingly, there can be no certainty that we will proceed with the proposal.

“We will make subsequent announcement(s) on any material development in relation to the proposal in accordance with the rules on takeovers, mergers and compulsory acquisitions,” it added.

BHB holds an equity interest in four publicly listed companies, namely Affin Bank Bhd, Boustead Plantations Bhd, Boustead Heavy Industries Corp Bhd and Pharmaniaga Bhd, all of which LTAT also has a stake.

BHB stock bagged four sen to 63 sen today, with 572,200 shares traded. - Bernama

Call for comprehensive solution to drink-driving issue

Several politicians and NGO leaders have urged the government against rushing into banning the sale of alcohol and instead come up with a comprehensive solution to address the issue of drink-driving.

Rather than merely imposing restrictions on the consumption or sale of alcohol, they argued that self-awareness and stricter enforcement of existing laws would not only solve the issue of drink-driving but all other forms of accidents due to negligence.

Senator T Mohan argued that restrictions imposed on adults would not work and the government should instead start with awareness campaigns at the school level.

"It must start in the schools to create awareness on the dangers of alcohol. I believe this would help prevent our children from being exposed to alcohol," he told Malaysiakini.

Mohan further said the government should respect the rights of Malaysians to indulge in alcoholic drinks.

"To ban the sale of alcohol is irrelevant. At the same time, it will also cost the government RM5 billion in annual import duties. This sector also involves more than 25,000 workers. So the government must be careful before taking any action," he said.

Quizzed on road accidents due to drunk drivers, Mohan described the incidents as saddening.

"I agree there needs to be a comprehensive law that involves the sale of alcohol, cheap liquor and stern actions on accidents due to negligence," he said.

On the other hand, Seberang Perai city councillor David Marshel said the government should regulate the time and locations where one could purchase and drink alcohol.

David Marshel

"I am of the opinion that permission to sell alcohol in a majority of locations should be revoked. Right now there is a rule that sundry shops are not allowed to sell alcohol after 9pm but it is not well-enforced," he said.

"For example, in Seberang Perai, there are more than 600 premises that sell alcohol and we only have nine customs officers to monitor enforcement. It is impossible for them to do that," he noted.

As an alternative, Marshel, who is also chief coordinator for NGO Malaysia Anti- Cheap Liquor, said the government should consider giving special permits for shops that are only allowed to sell alcohol and cigarettes.

"For example, if the shop is allowed to sell alcoholic beverages, it can also sell cigarettes but no other items. These shops should only be allowed to open until 9pm and this would help to reduce the issue of drunk drivers," he said.

Meanwhile, NGO Gagasan Sosial Dinamik president V Thiagarajen took a swipe at PAS' proposal to suspend the production and sale of alcohol, claiming that it was made with a "hidden agenda" to put a racial twist on the drink-driving issue.

"It's not just me. Many others are questioning why PAS only focused on the issue of alcohol and not drug addiction.

"I have never read statements from any PAS leader urging the government to take stern actions against violence caused by drug addiction. So does PAS have a hidden agenda?" he questioned.

Their responses came in the wake of PAS Information chief Kamarulzaman Mohamad's call for the government to urgently suspend the production and sale of alcohol until a solution is found to the rising numbers of accidents involving drunk drivers.

Thiagarajen further described Kamarulzaman's proposal as being "immature", pointing out that the negligence of motorcyclists on the road has been attributed as a major cause of accidents.

"Will PAS demand for a ban of motorcycles in Malaysia after this?" said Thiagarajen who nevertheless voiced support for overall stricter legislations against errant drivers who caused deaths on the road. - Mkini

Perak announces portfolios for new excos, minor reshuffle

Perak Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu has announced the portfolios of the three new exco members from Umno who had been sworn in on May 12.

Lintang state assemblyperson Mohd Zolkafly Harun is appointed as chairperson of the Infrastructure, Energy, Water, and Public Transportation committee.

Bota state assemblyperson Khairul Shahril Mohamed will oversee the Youth, Sports, Communications and Multimedia committee.

Meanwhile, Changkat Jering state assemblyperson Ahmad Saidi Mohamad Daud is in charge of the Health, Science, Environment and Green Technology Committee.

In a statement today, Faizal (above) said there is also a minor restructuring of the state cabinet to accommodate the new appointments.

The public transport portfolio previously handled by Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi and the infrastructure portfolio previously handled by Kuala Kurau assemblyperson Abdul Yunus Jamahri have both been transferred to Zolkafly.

In addition, Abdul Yunus who is still in charge of agriculture, fisheries, and plantations will see his portfolio expanded to include food security.

Faizal said this is in line with the state government’s focus to improve the agriculture sector and contribute to the nation’s food security agenda.

The Perak exco line-up currently has 11 members including Faizal as menteri besar and exco member for finance, security, land, natural resources, economic planning, economy, government-linked corporations and national integration.

The excos comprise six members from Umno, three from Bersatu (including Faizal) and two from PAS. - Mkini

Backdoor government?

KHAT-aSS has been yapping about 'backdoor' government for days on ends, wakakaka - yes lah, poor Chye-Chye has been deprived of his book-keeper position but you know something? - t'was NOT the new PN government who did it, wakakaka. I'll tell you shortly who was responsible for Chye-Chye losing his cabinet position.

But lately KHAT-aSS seems somewhat resigned to the reality of a ruling PN government as he has switched from raving, ranting and railing about 'backdoor government' to whether parliament will be fully locked down until the 'this and that' and what about the now-moribund Harapan-established parliamentary committees?

The hypocrisy of KHAT-aSS has been his refusal to acknowledge that the PN government came into being by courtesy of his bromancing matey Mahathir who had petulantly and unnecessarily resigned his PM post. That eff-ed up the Harapan cabinet and government completely - that's right, the Harapan government fell because Mahathir resigned abruptly, refusing to hand over to Anwar Ibrahim. And also, please don't forget, KHAT-aSS has yet dishonourably refused to resign as he had vowed if Mahathir did not hand over the PM post to Anwar.

It was not a PN coalition which seized the reins of government from Harapan but which opportunistically picked up those reins when a vacancy existed because a merajuking Old Evil Man created that.

Even as the Agong-appointed interim PM, Atuk had dilly-dallied because he wanted all to agree to his own cabinet of party-less people who would be expected to obey him without referring back to their respective parties and thus unnecessarily inviting brazen biadab-ish oppositions, people like his Council of Eminent Persons, to wit, Daim, wakakaka.

So, if KHAT-aSS is still pissed off with the 'backdoor government' thingy he should screw Atuk (of course NOT literally, wakakaka) for the latter's reckless (or was it?) go-it-alone merajuking petulant abrupt resignation as PM, without even informing his own cabinet or/and Harapan colleagues. Yes, it was KHAT-aSS' bromancing matey who was the principal cause of Chye-Chye's job loss. I wonder whether poor Chye-Chye cried?

On the issue of 'backdoor government' there is no denying that the PN government has been legally appointed by HM the YDPA, but yet there continues KHAT-aSS' and ATUK's yelping about a 'backdoor government' which did NOT have the people's mandate. Everyone of the 222 members of parliament has been legitimately elected by the voters so WTF kok-tok are these 2 old men kerbau-ing about? If anyone in parliament can marshal 112 of them, Bob's your uncle lah.

Mind, the only 'backdoor' component of the PN government is a member of PM Muhyiddin's cabinet, but who has been so tolerated by Atuk himself, wakakaka.

But their constant barking about 'people's mandate' makes me wonder whether the Malaysian Parliament is an Americanised system in which the voters elected the President or in our case, the PM DIRECTLY? And I am NOT going to re-discuss the Westminster parliamentary system - if any of my readers still does not understand it after almost 65 years of its employment in Malaya/Malaysia, well, eff him/her (again, of course NOT literally, wakakaka).

Now, this is a bit too legally technical for me to work out so I am inviting you readers-visitors to contribute wakakaka (and stop salivating) - I have been wondering about the Harapan manifesto promises which Harapan itself admitted it couldn't fulfil most because it didn't believe it could have won GE14 and thus mucho fibbed about some of those kerbau pre-GE14 mandate promises.

He had the brazen audacity and arrogance to say Harapan's mandate promises were a BIG burden - that's the sort of politician Mahathir was/is 

virtually saying Harapan need NOT fulfil those "BIG BURDEN" promises

So, what the Eff, tell lies, tok kok and sing song lah - after all (it thought) it was not likely to take on the honourable responsibility of meeting one's pre election promises. The shameless manifesto formulators in kerbau-ing on Harapan meaningless exaggerated lying promises had sadly moved into Atuk's territory.

If that was the case, ie. Harapan telling lies because it felt it needn't fulfil those promises but then WTF, winning GE14 because of those lies, wouldn't that make PH a 'backdoor' government?

No doubt PH was given a mandate by voters but that mandate was premised on LIES, thus wouldn't that render that so-called people's mandate null and void a la Harapan signing a bouncy cheque for securing votes?

In other words, the PH govt, elected on LIES (I love the phrase 'bouncy cheque', wakakaka), would NOT have had any so-called voters' mandate if those manifesto LIES were known prior to the GE. And as PH said, if without the voters' mandate, then the coalition having majority rule is a 'backdoor government' - oh, don't forget that during the time of the euphoric May 2018 victory, that 'backdoor bloke' wakakaka was still with Harapan and Atuk.

So, what do you reckon my dear readers wakakaka, even though I personally don't believe in the Americanised 'people's mandate' but rather that the party (or coalition) which wins or commands the most number of wakil's in the Dewan Rakyat (but not members of the possible-to-enter-via backdoor Dewan Senate, wakakaka) gets to form the government as well as nominate a PM for HM YDPA's approval.

Oh BTW, below is photo of a, no doubt erstwhile, DAP supporter who was so mad at the DAP for fibbing that he threw eggs at the DAP Menglembu service centre in Ipoh in August 2019. Arabs throw shoes as the ultimate insult and Chinese? Eggs I suppose, wakakaka. I recall, admittedly vaguely by now, when his startled daughters asked him why he was throwing eggs at the DAP, he said sadly that he made the gross mistake of believing in those men with Rockets.

Poor bloke voted DAP in 6 successive elections but I reckon based on his anger, fury and disgusted action last year, GE 14 might be the last time he and many other former 'true believers' (including sweet naive innocent kaytee who once hero-worshipped KHAT-aSS, ptui ptui yuck!) will vote again for DAP. And yes, I wonder whether he (in Ipoh means Cantonese-speaking) added Tiu Nia Mah ****** whilst hurling the eggs in anger at the DAP centre? Wakakaka.