Aminuddin remains PH's Menteri Besar candidate, says Anwar

 

Anwar arrives for Ceramah Perdana Pakatan Harapan. -- NSTP/MOHD FADHLI HAMZAH

SEREMBAN: Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun will remain Pakatan Harapan's candidate for the Negri Sembilan menteri besar post if the coalition retains its mandate in the election on Aug 1.

PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the coalition already has its candidate for the post, unlike its opponents, whom he said were still vying among themselves to decide on their menteri besar candidate.

"Continue the good work because Aminuddin remains our candidate for Negri Sembilan menteri besar.

"We already have a candidate, and we have a proven track record. On the other side, several people are still competing and have yet to announce their candidate. So after the state election, they will only begin fighting over who becomes menteri besar," he said.

He was speaking at a unity dinner in Sikamat here.

The event was the third campaign stop attended by Anwar, who is also the prime minister, since campaigning for the Negri Sembilan state election began on Saturday.

He expressed hope that voters in Sikamat, Ampangan and all other state constituencies would give their full support to PH.

"I ask all of you to give us the opportunity. I know this place, Sikamat. Aminuddin has a very strong emotional attachment to it. He has looked after this area for many years.

"Sometimes he thinks that because he is the menteri besar, he must show leadership and take care of the entire state," he said.

Anwar also questioned the reasons given by certain parties for wanting to withdraw their support for Aminuddin.

He said choosing a government is the people's right in a democratic system.

Anwar said voters should make their choice based on a leader's track record rather than election promises alone. - NST

Kampung Sungai Cot villagers turn up at Anwar's house after 'unfruitful' meeting

 

Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam president and lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Kampung Sungai Cot Orang Asli villagers went to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's residence tonight after talks with the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa) and the Prime Minister's Office ended without a resolution.

Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam president and lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan, who represents the villagers, described the discussion in Damansara Damai as "unfruitful" and said they decided to wait for Anwar's return from an event in Negri Sembilan so that Juliana Jazlin Ismail could appeal to him personally.

"It was a very unfruitful discussion. In the end, Jakoa told us that if we wanted to reclaim the land, we should file a lawsuit.

"If Jakoa doesn't help, then who will help the Orang Asli? How can they tell us to go to court?" Rajesh told the New Straits Times.

He said taking the matter to court could take at least five years, with the case potentially going through the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court.

"Telling them to go to court is irresponsible because they don't have that kind of time. Some of them no longer have homes.

"There's a six-year-old child without a roof over her head," he said.

New Straits Times checks found about 20 Orang Asli villagers and their lawyers outside Anwar's residence in Bandar Sungai Long.

The villagers are seeking the return of their ancestral land in Kampung Sungai Cot, Maran, which they claim was sold by the Pahang government to a developer in 2015.

They alleged that several homes had since been demolished and burned in efforts to evict them from land their community has occupied for generations.

On July 17, after walking for two days from their village, the group arrived at Anwar's residence in Bandar Sungai Long, seeking federal intervention over the issue.

On the same day, Anwar said he would raise the matter with the Pahang government while urging all parties not to politicise the issue and to allow room for a fair and lawful solution.

Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah has also offered land in Kuala Wau to displaced Kampung Sungai Cot Orang Asli families, but the community later declined the offer. - NST

Negri polls: Declare your wealth, give half back to the Malays, Anwar dares leaders

 

Anwar speaking at the Pakatan Harapan ceramah in Senawang. - Photo: Bernama

SEREMBAN: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim revealed that he once challenged politicians who style themselves as defenders of the Malays to declare their wealth and hand back half of it to the community they claim to fight for.

Speaking at a Pakatan Harapan ceramah in Senawang on Wednesday (July 22) night, the Prime Minister said too many self-proclaimed Malay champions had quietly amassed fortunes while ordinary Malays struggled.

"There was a minister whose assets, when he died, were traced at RM4bil. Another passed away with RM2bil," he told the crowd, without naming anyone.

"Is it reasonable to be that rich? This is the record."

He offered to produce evidence if challenged.

"Let them challenge me — I will bring out the record."

Anwar said he had issued the challenge before and was still waiting for a reply.

"I told them: you who claim to fight for the Malays — how much do you have, RM1bil, RM2bil? If you are sincere, give back half to the Malays," he said.

"Until today, not one has answered. But the moment I say the word 'sakau', they get angry."

"Sakau" is the slang for looting public money.

"Did I curse anyone? Did I slander anyone? If this isn't made clear, the Malays will keep being misled,” Anwar added.

Anwar said he had never enriched himself in office.

"If I wanted wealth, I would have compromised long ago and not been stripped bare, beaten and imprisoned,” he said.

Negri Sembilan goes to the polls on Aug 1, with early voting on July 28.

Pakatan is contesting all 36 seats against a Barisan Nasional-Perikatan Nasional pact, with 21 three-cornered fights. - Star

Anwar questions rivals’ scramble for MB’s post

 The PH chairman says the key priority in any election is to elect representatives who can manage the state efficiently and serve the people’s interests.

PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim (right) urged Negeri Sembilan voters to return Aminuddin Harun as the menteri besar, given his track record in leading the state administration with integrity. (Bernama pic)

SEREMBAN:

Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim has questioned what he described as certain parties’ eagerness to vie for the menteri besar’s post ahead of the Negeri Sembilan state election.

Anwar, who is also the prime minister, said the key priority in any election is to elect representatives who can manage the state efficiently and serve the people’s interests.

“Look at the other side. How many of them are already competing for the menteri besar’s post? Even before the election, they are fighting over it, and they will probably continue to do so afterwards.

“So, do not give them the opportunity to fight among themselves. Instead, give the mandate to PH leaders who have proven their focus is on serving the people,” he said at the “Perpaduan” dinner at Taman Sri Penaga, Sikamat, here tonight.

Present were Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Aminuddin Harun, who is also the PH candidate for Linggi, and the coalition’s candidates for Sikamat, Nor Azman Mohamad, and Ampangan, Nazri Kassim.

Anwar urged voters to retain Aminuddin as the menteri besar, citing his track record in leading the state administration with integrity.

PH is contesting all 36 state seats at the Aug 1 election, with PKR fielding 16 candidates, DAP 11 and Amanah nine.  - FMT

PN’s Danni Rais denies Umno grassroots boycotting his campaign

 The coalition's candidate for Klawang says all polling district centres are now being jointly managed by the PN and Barisan Nasional election machinery.

Danni Rais, the son of veteran politician Rais Yatim, is the Parti Wawasan Negara candidate contesting under the Perikatan Nasional banner in Klawang.

JELEBU:

Perikatan Nasional’s Klawang candidate, Danni Rais, has denied that Umno grassroots are boycotting his campaign, saying that all the polling district centres are now being jointly managed by the PN and Barisan Nasional election machinery.

Danni also said claims that Umno’s operation rooms had been closed throughout the campaign period were part of a narrative peddled by his rivals.

“Propaganda abounds during the campaign period,” he told FMT.

Earlier today, Berita Harian reported that Danni played down claims that 16 Umno branches were not backing him in protest against his candidacy.

The Parti Wawasan Negara candidate said BN had ensured its polling district centres and operation rooms were reopened after they had been closed for several days by the protesting branches.

On Sunday, Negeri Sembilan Umno chief Jalaluddin Alias expressed disappointment after several BN polling district centres in Klawang closed in protest against the decision to give the seat to a PN candidate.

Jalaluddin said the closures might have stemmed from those involved “not understanding” the arrangement between BN and PN for the state election.

PN and BN, of which Umno is the lynchpin, have forged an informal pact ahead of the Aug 1 polls, which ensures there is no overlap in the seats being contested.

Danni also expressed appreciation for BN’s leadership, including Jalaluddin, for allowing the two coalitions to work together throughout the campaign period.

He said there was no coercion behind the collaboration between the two coalitions’ campaign machinery, as it was based on a shared commitment to securing victory for their respective candidates.

“Our friends in BN are no strangers to us. We are championing the same cause, so we are able to work well together,” he said.

Asked if being the son of veteran politician and former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Rais Yatim gave him an edge, Danni said he still has a lot to learn from his father’s experience.

He also said his decision to enter politics was his own and not the result of pressure from his family.

Danni is involved in a three-cornered contest in Klawang with  Pakatan Harapan’s Bakri Sawir and Bersatu’s Adib Musa.

Umno had held Klawang since 1986 before Bakri wrested the seat for PH in 2018. - FMT

New pair Tang Jie-Clarissa enter second round of China Open

 The unranked Malaysians were teaming up for only the second time.

Chen Tang Jie and Clarissa San showed marked improvement after their first-round defeat in the Japan Open last week. (BAM pics)

PETALING JAYA:

Newly paired mixed doubles shuttlers Chen Tang Jie-Clarissa San made a breakthrough in the China Open by defeating Germany’s world No 32 pair Mervin Seidel-Nguyen Thuc Phuong in their opening round match today.

After suffering a first-round defeat at the Japan Open last week, Tang Jie-Clarissa showed marked improvement to win 21-17, 21-19 in 36 minutes at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium in Changzhou.

A Herculean task awaits the unranked Malaysians in the last-16 tomorrow when they face China’s world No 2 pair Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin.

Tang Jie’s regular partner, Toh Ee Wei, with whom he won the World Championships last year, will be out of action for a few months after undergoing knee surgery.

Tang Jie-Clarissa first played together at the Super 750 Japan Open last week, where they were beaten in the opening round by Taiwan’s world No 20 pair, Yang Po Hsuan-Hu Ling Fang.

In a later match, national men’s doubles shuttlers Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani advanced to the second round of the China Open after defeating a Taiwanese pair in three games.

Sze Fei-Izzuddin, ranked sixth in the world, survived a scare before defeating world No 33 pair Chen Zhi Ray-Lin Yu Chieh 15-21, 21-15, 21-16  in a match that lasted 51 minutes.

The Malaysians, who were eliminated in the opening round last year, will face Danish world No 16 pair Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard in the last 16. - FMT

Petros begins Sarawak’s first onshore oil production in more than 50 years

 The state-owned O&G company started producing 800 barrels of oil a day at the Adong Kechil West field near Marudi earlier this week.

Premier Abang Johari Openg said the oil production by Petros at the Adong Kechil West field is a ‘gift to all Sarawakians’. (Petros pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Sarawak-owned Petros has begun oil production at the Adong Kechil West field near Marudi, marking the state’s first onshore oil production in more than 50 years.

Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg said the field, which has an initial production capacity of 800 barrels a day or about 24,000 barrels a month, demonstrated Sarawak’s capabilities in engineering and oil and gas industry management, TV Sarawak reported.

Abang Johari said the commencement of oil production placed Sarawak on the right track to further expand its downstream industries, particularly in ammonia and blue hydrogen production, which are among the state’s future economic priorities.

“I would like to announce, as a gift to all Sarawakians, that Petros began its first oil production earlier this week at the AKW field near Marudi,” he said during a Sarawak Day celebration in Sibu tonight.

“This is a major gift for Sarawak, and we have emerged as a major player in the oil and gas industry.”

He said the milestone was in line with the Sarawak government’s policy of developing natural resources comprehensively, with the aim of expanding industries, creating more high-skilled jobs, and opening up more business opportunities.

“In the past, our natural resources were exported in raw form, while value-added activities, job opportunities and technology development took place elsewhere.

“Today, our approach is different. We want every resource owned by Sarawak to be processed, developed and given added value within the state so that its wealth can directly benefit the people,” he said.

Petros and Petra Energy began their first drilling operation at Block SK433 in Miri in October 2023, which includes the AKW field, after the onshore petroleum contract was awarded to Petros in 2021. - FMT