State election is about Negri Sembilan's future

 

Negri Sembilan caretaker Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun. - Bernama pic

SEREMBAN: Negri Sembilan caretaker Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said the upcoming state election on Aug 1 is not merely about deciding which coalition will form the next state government, but also about determining the state's future direction.

He said the election would determine whether the state continues moving forward under a stable, principled government with a clear direction, or returns to a political landscape shaped by shifting power dynamics.

"I choose to speak about the future because I believe the people of Negri Sembilan do not want divisive politics.

"They want politics that unites, and leaders who can deliver development, not merely make promises.

"The people do not just want to hear about plans. They want to see those plans translated into better job opportunities, higher-quality education, a more prosperous life and a brighter future," he said during the unveiling of Pakatan Harapan's manifesto for Negri Sembilan.

He said the mandate given by the people of Negri Sembilan eight years ago as a responsibility to govern with accountability, rather than simply a political victory.

He said the state government had demonstrated that effective leadership, political stability and good governance could drive progress while delivering tangible benefits to the people.

While acknowledging that many challenges remained and that more needed to be done to fulfil the aspirations of the rakyat, he said a strong foundation had been laid for the state to move forward.

"Our ambition is not merely to see Negri Sembilan become a developed state. We want it to be the most comfortable state to live in, the preferred destination for young people to build their future and a state that we can proudly pass on to the next generation.

"We want a state with a strong economy, balanced development, environmental sustainability and a high quality of life for its people.

"I believe a great state is not defined by having the tallest buildings, but by having people who are confident about their future," he said.

Present were PH vice-chairman and DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke; PH presidential council member and Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, who is also the election director for the Negri Sembilan election; Negri Sembilan Amanah chairman Datuk MK Ibrahim Abd Rahman and PKR secretary-general Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh. - NST

Naked man's rooftop ordeal ends in rescue

 

A naked man who was filmed clinging to the roof of a house in Taman Sri Andalas, Klang, has been rescued, with the incident leaving residents shaken and prompting concerns over public safety and mental health. - Pic source from Threads

KUALA LUMPUR: A naked man who was filmed clinging to the roof of a house in Taman Sri Andalas, Klang, has been rescued, with the incident leaving residents shaken and prompting concerns over public safety and mental health.

The video, shared by Threads user @muhammadafiq2145, went viral today, showing the man hanging precariously from the edge of a residential rooftop as stunned neighbours looked on.

No injuries were reported, but the incident sparked concerns over the security of the neighbourhood and the man's well-being.

Threads user @muhdfahimz08 voiced concern for the household, writing: "This is terrifying for the family living there. Imagine the trauma and fear of a stranger, completely unclad, trying to enter your home from the roof. I hope the residents are safe and their home security hasn't been compromised."

Others urged compassion rather than ridicule, suggesting the man may have been experiencing a mental health crisis.

"I hope this man is not suffering from a severe mental illness. He clearly needs help and medical intervention. It is worrying to see someone in such a state," wrote @hareeseomron09.

The man's motive and how he gained access to the roof remain unclear.

He was later rescued and brought down safely.

The New Straits Times has reached out to the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department for details on the incident, the man's condition and whether any investigation is underway. -  NST

Two boys drown in abandoned pond in Sandakan

 

SANDAKAN: Two boys, aged nine and 11, drowned while swimming in an abandoned pond along Jalan Sungai Manila in Sandakan on Monday (July 20).

The Sabah Fire and Rescue Department said it received an emergency call at 6.01pm and deployed five firemen from the Sandakan station to the scene, about 19km away.

“The two victims had been found and brought out of the pond by members of the public before the fire team arrived,” the department said in a statement.

Health Ministry personnel examined the boys and pronounced both dead at the scene.

Firemen helped move the victims to a safe area before their bodies were handed over to the police for further action.

The nine-year-old victim was identified as Mohd Ikmal, while the identity of the 11-year-old boy has yet to be established.

The operation, led by Rosemedian Majid, ended at 7.08pm after the area was confirmed to be safe. - Star

Fahmi to KJ: Are you saying there are no Malay Muslims in PH?

 

JEMPOL: Pakatan Harapan communications director Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil has hit back at Khairy Jamaluddin’s claim that Barisan Nasional’s cooperation with Perikatan Nasional in the Negri Sembilan election was a signal for Pakatan to be more sensitive to Malay issues.

The Communications Minister questioned whether the former Umno Youth chief believed there were no Malay Muslims in Pakatan.

Fahmi said it was wrong to suggest that only certain political figures understood or championed Malay and Islamic interests, adding that many Pakatan leaders were themselves Malay Muslims.

“Is (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim not a Malay Muslim? Is (Datuk Seri) Mohamad Sabu not a Malay Muslim? Is (Datuk Seri Dr) Dzulkefly Ahmad not a Malay Muslim? Are (Datuk Seri) Amirudin Shari and (Datuk Seri) Aminuddin Harun not Malay Muslims?

“I think we should stop playing with this false narrative. As Muslims, if we speak falsely, there will be consequences in the hereafter.

“My advice to Khairy is to exercise restraint. Don’t become so obsessed with certain views that you end up creating the impression that there are no Malay Muslims in Pakatan,” he told reporters when met at Felda Palong 2 here on Monday (July 20).

Fahmi said he himself was well aware of issues affecting the Malay community and rejected the notion that Khairy had a monopoly on such concerns.

“As a Malay, I am very aware and sensitive to the issues he mentioned. Khairy is not the only person who understands Malay issues.

“My late grandfather and grandmother were Umno members. My late grandmother was a strong Umno supporter who fought for the interests of Malays and Islam. Why would I abandon those values?” Fahmi said.

He also suggested Khairy’s remarks were part of an attempt to re-establish his political standing after spending time away from frontline politics.

“I see this as Khairy trying to rebuild his political footing. He has been away for quite some time and is trying to re-establish himself, so he will make whatever statements he feels are necessary to gain public attention,” he said.

Khairy had said Barisan’s electoral cooperation with Perikatan in the Aug 1 Negri Sembilan election was intended to send a message to Pakatan that it should not take Umno and Barisan for granted and should pay greater attention to issues affecting the Malay community.

He also claimed some Umno members believed the Federal Government had been insufficiently sensitive to Malay concerns and had failed to fulfil several of its promises. - FMT

Tiada arahan letak jawatan, PM hanya pesan disiplin kempen, kata Fahmi

 Jurucakap kerajaan perpaduan jelas PM hanya ingatkan tentang semangat perpaduan dan profesionalisme.

Jurucakap kerajaan perpaduan Fahmi Fadzil berkata, apa yang ditegaskan oleh PM adalah agar semua pemegang jawatan dalam kerajaan perpaduan mesti terus saling menghormati.

JEMPOL:

Tiada sebarang arahan daripada Perdana Menteri Anwar Ibrahim, supaya mana-mana menteri atau timbalan menteri meletak jawatan setakat ini, kata Fahmi Fadzil.

Jurucakap kerajaan perpaduan itu berkata, perdana menteri hanya mengingatkan semua pemegang jawatan dalam kerajaan supaya terus mengekalkan semangat perpaduan, di samping memastikan disiplin dan profesionalisme sepanjang tempoh berkempen bagi PRN Negeri Sembilan.

“Perdana menteri berpandangan, proses demokrasi sememangnya membuka ruang kepada perbezaan pandangan dan pendapat. Malah, dalam beberapa PRN sebelum ini, parti-parti dalam kerajaan perpaduan turut bertanding secara berasingan.

“Namun, apa yang ditegaskan adalah agar semua pihak yang memegang jawatan dalam kerajaan perpaduan mesti terus saling menghormati antara satu sama lain,” katanya ketika ditemui selepas menghadiri program Ziarah Kasih di Felda Palong 2.

Fahmi yang juga menteri komunikasi berkata, perdana menteri turut mengambil kira bahawa sebarang tindakan pada peringkat persekutuan boleh memberi implikasi terhadap persepsi pelabur, sama ada dari dalam mahupun luar negara.

Sehubungan itu, katanya, perdana menteri melihat aspek kestabilan dan keyakinan pelabur sebagai antara pertimbangan penting dalam menguruskan sebarang perbezaan yang timbul sepanjang proses demokrasi berlangsung.

Terdahulu dilaporkan Anwar memberi amaran kepada menteri, timbalan menteri dan pemegang jawatan agensi kerajaan supaya berundur jika menggunakan kedudukan masing-masing untuk menyerang rakan dalam kerajaan perpaduan ketika berkempen pada PRN.

Susulan itu, Menteri Luar Mohamad Hasan memaklumkan, beliau bersedia melepaskan jawatan sebagai anggota Jemaah Menteri sekiranya diarahkan.

Menteri Pertahanan Khaled Nordin turut dilaporkan berkata, jika seseorang menteri tidak lagi dikehendaki, tiada keperluan untuk terus menunggu melepas jawatan. - FMT

Negeri Sembilan PH unveils ‘election pledges that can be delivered’

 The state Pakatan Harapan chairman says the manifesto is to ensure the people can continue to enjoy what has been fufilled over the past eight years.

Among the manifesto’s key commitments, Negeri Sembilan PH chairman Aminuddin Harun highlighted plans to build 20,000 affordable homes and improve access to quality education.

SEREMBAN:

Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto for the Negeri Sembilan state election is centred around commitments it is confident of delivering, rather than promises made solely to win votes, says state PH chairman Aminuddin Harun.

Aminuddin, the caretaker menteri besar, said the coalition had refined its manifesto based on its experience governing the state over the past eight years.

“This manifesto has been strengthened to ensure PH remains the main force in developing the state.

“It must be more comprehensive and robust so that the people can continue to enjoy what we have delivered over the past eight years,” he said after launching the manifesto tonight.

Aminuddin said PH’s track record showed that it had carried out its manifesto commitments during its time in the state government.

“We are not a coalition that has governed for decades, but we believe we have delivered what we promised the people in the past eight years,” he said.

Among the manifesto’s key commitments are plans to build 20,000 affordable homes, improve access to quality education, and construct a rail bypass line from Senawang to Port Klang to catalyse the state’s industrial growth.

Aminuddin said PH also wanted to strengthen support for young people and families, and that its broader vision was to build a more advanced, sustainable and prosperous Negeri Sembilan over the next five years.

Aminuddin Harun (centre) said PH’s track record showed that it had carried out its manifesto commitments during its time in the state government.

The manifesto’s key pledges

Among its key pledges, the PH manifesto focuses on ensuring a stable state administration while creating high-paying jobs and expanding affordable housing.

The key proposed initiatives include creating 30,000 high-paying jobs over the next five years, catalysing development in the state’s central and eastern regions, and expanding the semiconductor, aerospace, data centre, digital economy, logistics and green technology industries.

It also pledges to strengthen the People’s Wellbeing Scheme (Skim Sejahtera Rakyat), which would provide up to RM1,500 in one-off cash aid for undergraduates, RM2,400 in living cost aid for public university students, and RM5,000 for first-class graduates.

Under the scheme, PH is also promising free laptops for students, as well as up to RM300 annually for senior citizens.

PH pledged to deliver five high-impact initiatives: the construction of Seremban Sentral, a new hospital in Bandar Enstek, a new international port in Port Dickson, legal amendments to allow second- and third-generation Felda settlers to build second homes on their parents’ land lots, and the Senawang-Port Klang rail bypass line.

The coalition pledges to build 20,000 affordable homes across Negeri Sembilan over the next five years, and to intensify efforts to resolve issues related to land, land titles and ownership.

It will also increase funding for the state’s Type A affordable housing scheme through the RMM@N9 initiative. - FMT

Why we welcome foreign trees but fear foreign people

 

WALK through any oil palm plantation in Johor or rubber estate in Selangor, and you witness a quiet story of economic transformation. Hevea brasiliensis, native to the Amazon, has yielded latex that helped build industries, schools and highways.

Elaeis guineensis, originating from West Africa, bears fruit that has become one of Malaysia’s most valuable exports.

These are migrants. Without them, Malaysia’s economic history would have looked very different.

Yet the same societies that readily embrace foreign crops often view foreign people with suspicion. We celebrate the migrant seed but fear the migrant soul. Why?

Part of the answer lies in the way nations understand themselves. Every country develops a story about who belongs. Over time, yesterday’s newcomers become today’s natives.

Communities that once arrived from elsewhere gradually come to be regarded as inseparable from the nation itself, while those arriving today are often seen as outsiders.

The oil palm, introduced more than a century ago, is now considered part of Malaysia’s landscape. A worker who arrived a decade ago rarely enjoys the same acceptance.

Economics also shapes perceptions, but not always rationally. When crops cross borders, we measure their contribution in exports, productivity and growth.

When people cross borders, they bring languages, religions, customs and cultures that are far more visible than economic statistics.

In periods of economic uncertainty, concerns about wages, housing and public services can easily become intertwined with anxieties about migration.

While these concerns deserve thoughtful discussion, migrants themselves often become convenient scapegoats for problems rooted in broader economic and policy challenges.

(Image: CNBC)

Technology has amplified these fears. Human migration now unfolds in real time before a global audience. Images of overcrowded boats, refugee camps and border crossings dominate headlines, while the conflicts, persecution, poverty or climate pressures that force people to leave home often receive far less attention.

We see arrival, but rarely the circumstances that made departure unavoidable.

None of this diminishes the need for countries to manage their borders or regulate migration responsibly. Every nation has the right to determine who enters and under what conditions. But responsible migration policy is not the same as hostility towards migrants.

History reminds us that migration has shaped virtually every modern society. The United States was built in large part by successive waves of immigrants. Australia’s post-war development relied heavily on newcomers from Europe and Asia.

Malaysia’s plantations, construction sites and manufacturing industries continue to depend on workers from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Nepal, whose labour supports sectors many local workers are unwilling or unable to fill.

Too often, however, these contributions are forgotten amid political rhetoric that portrays migrants primarily as threats rather than participants in national development.

The contrast is striking. We readily acknowledge that foreign crops transformed our economy. We recognise that plants do not become less valuable simply because they originated elsewhere. Yet extending that same openness to people has proved far more difficult.

Unlike trees, people carry identities, beliefs, languages and aspirations. That complexity can make societies uneasy. But it is also what has enriched civilisations throughout history.

Perhaps the real lesson is this: belonging is rarely determined by where someone begins life. It is shaped over time through work, commitment and shared experiences.

Many of today’s “natives” descend from people who were once regarded as newcomers themselves.

The migrant seed eventually became part of Malaysia’s landscape. Human beings, too, can become part of a nation’s story when given the opportunity.

If we can recognise the value of transplanted trees, perhaps we can also learn to see the dignity and potential in those who cross borders seeking the chance to build a better life. 

The author, Professor Datuk Dr Ahmad Ibrahim is affiliated with the Tan Sri Omar Centre for STI Policy Studies at UCSI University and is an Adjunct Professor at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, Universiti Malaya.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of   MMKtT.

- Focus Malaysia.