Ah, cheetah’s potentially unwanted political animals!

Potentially unwanted political animals @Bukit Antarabangsa have been detected by cheetah el-fared.
They have been detected as a component of the potentially unwanted political animals of both divides – the ruling and opposition camps.

“I know you all, Malaysiakini readers, take an interest in matters of political animals’ behaviors. I thought you all might want to know and share your thought about the following sad case, and remarks by BARA spokesperson, Khan,” cheetah wrote Saturday on his blog.

Malaysiakini news portal reported Friday that BARA spokesperson, Khan, on Friday slammed politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties for trying to gain cheap publicity from the tragedy instead of sincerely taking part in rescue and relief efforts, adding that “some are even fighting to occupy a relief centre set up by residents.”

“If they are not going to actively help during this period of crisis, then they should just keep quiet and stand aside,” Khan warned.

“When the disaster struck, we had expected the parties to come together and help us, not to compete and promote their so-called involvement,’ he added.

In his latest post, el-fared asked: “Is there any way that this so-called democratic animal incidents and its animality problem could be rectified?”

We recommend you all mutalaah their BIG CATS behaviors as well for this type of potentially unwanted political animals, and eventually relook at your acts of supporting them. The roots leading to their Big Cats are clear. You all just have to follow the links.

[Take the hint: if the allocations are known before hand, we use arrays; otherwise linked list. if the APF-authorized link list is managed by LLA, enter a F,LLA REFRESH command to refresh the Lookaside Directions -- as you see it.]

Terengganu a battleground: Critical test for Umno-BN in state by-election

Malaysia's coalition government faces a by-election next month which analysts say will be a critical test of public reaction to its reform promises after disastrous polls in March. (ref Malaysiakini : BN faces critical by-election test –ed. )

The by-election in northern Terengganu state, a battleground between the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and the Islamic opposition party PAS, was triggered by the death of a deputy minister.

Election Commission deputy chairman Wan Ahmad Wan Omar announced Friday that the vote would be held on January 17, with parties to declare their candidates on January 6.

After wrangles in the past over allegations of fraud and vote-buying, Wan Ahmad said that MAFREL (Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections) would be allowed to monitor the process.

"We like having MAFREL as observers as it boosts the confidence of people and transparency," he told a press conference.

The vote comes at an unfortunate time for the UMNO, which leads the Barisan Nasional coalition that was humbled in March elections -- losing a third of parliamentary seats and five states to the three-member opposition alliance.

Since then it has been in a state of disarray that is unlikely to be resolved until its annual assembly next March, when deputy prime minister Najib Razak is expected to replace unpopular premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Infighting and rivalries helped it lose an August by-election that allowed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to return to parliament -- a decade after he was sacked as deputy premier and jailed on sex and corruption charges.

Analysts said the UMNO faces a tough fight against the PAS, which along with Anwar's Keadilan party and the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party, makes up the opposition alliance.

"It will be a classic battle between two Malay political parties in a Malay heartland," said James Chin, professor of political science at the Kuala Lumpur campus of Monash university.

"If PAS wins it means the people do not believe UMNO's reform programme. It means their sentiments against the ruling party since the March elections are still there," he said.

"It could also demonstrate that voters do not have confidence in Najib Razak's leadership and believe that UMNO is not capable of any reform."

Najib, who as deputy premier will direct the ruling party's election campaign, has promised to make good on Abdullah's promises of change, which were never realised after he came to power in 2003.

But there are doubts whether the UMNO, which has become plagued by corruption in the half-century it has dominated Malaysian politics, is capable of undergoing the changes that voters are demanding.

The party won the vacant seat of Kuala Terengganu in March, but only with the slimmest of majorities.

"There is no escape but face the Kuala Terengganu by-election, which is wholly unexpected and could not have come at a worse possible time for UMNO and Barisan," the Star newspaper said in an analysis.

It said that a major factor would be the 11 percent of Chinese voters among the more than 80,000 eligible to vote. Malaysia's ethnic Chinese and Indian communities abandoned the coalition in the March polls.

A victory would be a major boost for the PAS, which lost control of Terengganu state in 2004, after having held it for just one term and alienating voters with extreme measures such as enacting Islamic "hudud" laws.

Since then it has dropped its hardline rhetoric and tried to reach out to Malaysia's minorities who are alarmed over rising "Islamisation" in the multicultural country. -- Agence France-Presse - 12/5/2008 7:24 AM GMT

Anwar’s View of Obama’s Win

Malaysia said Wednesday that Barack Obama's victory could mean less use of American force in solving world conflicts, and more respect for smaller nations.
"Malaysia... hopes Obama's government will be more sensitive to the sovereignty of smaller nations and will not use force in resolving global conflicts," Foreign Minister Rais Yatim said in a statement.
"Obama's victory is seen as bringing change and hope to the world," he added.
"Malaysia welcomes him as the new light in the struggle for democracy. As America's first black president his victory has shown that Americans can accept a leader regardless of colour, religion or beliefs."
Rais said that Malaysia, a predominantly Muslim nation, hoped the new administration would also pay greater attention to developing countries as well as to humanitarian and developmental issues.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, a former deputy premier who was strongly backed by the United States after being sacked and jailed in 1998, said Obama would boost prospects for engagement between the US and Muslim countries.
"Some of the most contentious issues of our time, including the ongoing conflicts and confrontations in the Middle East, require a commitment to diplomacy, a willingness to engage in a meaningful dialogue and a departure from the aggressive unilateralism witnessed in recent years," he said.
"In this we anticipate that president-elect Obama will show leadership where previous administrations have failed."
Malaysia has been a long-term critic of the US intervention in Iraq, with former premier Mahathir Mohamad branding incumbent US President George Bush a "war criminal". -- Agence France-Presse - 11/5/2008 9:20 AM GMT


Anwar congratulates Obama, says we can learn from America
By Debra Chong and Shannon Teoh, m/insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 – Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim called Barack Obama's victory in the US elections a "phenomenon."
"I know it is not easy to say anything positive about America, at least not in Malaysia, particularly not the way the media has been portraying me," he said, referring to allegations that he is a stooge of the American government.
"But his strength – unlike Bush – is that he is prepared to engage. And this is very critical for the US," Anwar continued.
He was referring to outgoing US President George Bush's famous "You are either with us or against us" catchphrase.
"But this is a very healthy and welcome trend ... that you have a black and minority leading as an American and not as a black person. We should learn from this," he said at a press conference in Parliament today.
Anwar, however, added a caveat that he did not necessarily share the same foreign policy prescriptions as Obama.
"In fact, some of his views regarding the Middle East conflict are quite disturbing," the former Deputy Prime Minister stressed.
He also told reporters that he had written a congratulatory note to Obama and called on him to "act on the need to immediately engage with all quarters and to try first to withdraw from Iraq."
"I've great admiration for him personally. I believe Barack, at least, represents change in the US. He represents the face that is willing to engage and have a meaningful dialogue and serious conversations with various groups," he said.
"I have been in touch with him and I am really pleased that he and Senator Biden won."
Joe Biden was Obama's running mate and now America's new Vice President.

[From The Time] Anwar’s View of Obama’s Win: Greater Expectations

What seemed audacious and improbable before is now a reality. In Obama’s victory are sown the seeds of great expectations that a truly new chapter will be written in the history of the world.

Muslim nations will have cause to celebrate this triumph; it offers prospects for genuine dialogue and engagement and should witness the politics of diplomacy supplant the politics of war and the theology of terror. Other nations traditionally at loggerheads with America may find reason to reciprocate to a more balanced approach.

—By Anwar Ibrahim
Former Deputy Prime Minister

His full PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Tahniah Kepada Perubahan!

'Obama wins,' pronounce Indonesian sixth-graders

Students at US presidential candidate Barack Obama's old primary school in Indonesia were prematurely celebrating his election win Wednesday, and looking forward to his first presidential visit.

"Obama wins! McCain loses!" chanted the crows of about 250 excited children at the Menteng One primary school in the affluent central Jakarta suburb of Menteng, as they watched coverage on local television.

Deputy principal Akahmad Solikhin won rapturous applause when he announced to the children that Obama would be visiting them soon. "If Obama wins he'll visit our school," he said.

The son of a white American mother and a black Kenyan father, Obama was raised in Hawaii and moved to Indonesia when he was six after his divorced mother remarried an Indonesian.

He went to school in Menteng in the late 1960s, and in his memoirs recalled his time here as the "bounty of a young man's life."

Solikhin said that with the Democrat senator appearing set to become the first black US president and the most powerful man in the world, he was having a powerful new influence on his old school on the other side of the planet.

"We're using Obama as a tool to motivate the students to be successful.

There is an emotional connection between the students and Obama," he said, adding that enrollments had increased 5.0-10 percent over last year.

Sixth-grader Farhan Ashardi, 11, said he now believed he could be president of Indonesia one day.

"If Obama can do it so can I," he said.

But fifth-grader Aisya Nadine said she had no plans to become president of Indonesia, itself a rowdy democracy of 234 million people.

"It's hard to become president in Indonesia, there's a lot of corruption here, it's hard to control," she said. – Agence France-Presse - 11/5/2008 3:30 AM GMT

Ex-classmates in Indonesia applaud 'Barry' Obama

P44 Permatang Pauh: WAWI steps down as MP; DSAI to contest election for wife's seat

Malaysia's Anwar to contest election for wife's seat
Agence France-Presse - 7/31/2008 11:10 AM GMT
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said Thursday he would contest a by-election for a parliamentary seat vacated by his wife in a bid to expedite his return to political office.
But party officials said his plans could come to a crashing halt next week, if police arrest him on sodomy charges that the former deputy prime minister says are politically motivated and aimed at derailing his comeback.
"I thank Wan Azizah (Wan Ismail) for stepping down as the member of parliament for Permatang Pauh. The decision was not easy," Anwar told reporters at his Keadilan party's headquarters.
Wan Azizah said she handed her letter of resignation to the parliamentary speaker on Thursday. Party officials said the by-election must be held within 60 days.
Anwar said he decided to contest his hometown seat in northern Penang state to speed up his return to parliament after a 10-year absence, adding that leaders of the other two parties in the opposition alliance supported him.
"I will defend anyone who has been victimised, including Anwar," the president of the Islamic PAS party, Abdul Hadi Awang, told reporters.
The alliance made huge gains in March general elections, seizing control of five states and a third of parliamentary seats.
Anwar has said he will form a new government with the help of defecting lawmakers from the powerful ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.
His by-election announcement came after his party said he could face imminent arrest on charges that he sodomised a 23-year-old male aide, charges similar to those that saw him jailed 10 years ago before they were overturned.
"They may arrest him in the next 48 hours. It is aimed to prevent him from contesting a by-election," Tian Chua, the party's information chief, told AFP.
The government responded by saying it did not fear Anwar's possible return to office.
"We are not worried ... we will face it .. he is not a threat. It is a democratic process, good luck to him," Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar told reporters.
Syed Hamid, who is in charge of internal security, also said police had completed their investigation into the charges against Anwar and forwarded the case file to government lawyers to decide whether to charge him.
But a defiant Anwar said the investigations should be dropped.
"Why should I be charged? For what? They have gone for one month on a fishing expedition and they have not caught anything," he said.
A survey conducted by the independent Merdeka Centre research firm revealed that two-thirds of the 1,030 respondents polled viewed the charges against Anwar as politically motivated, while only 11 percent believed the accusations.
Anwar has rejected the claims by Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, calling him an "outright liar" who was working with others in power to frame him and block his plans to topple the government.

UNDI INFO: PENANG: P44 - Permatang Pauh

PAS MAY PUT UP VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE AGAINST PM

PAS may put up vote of no confidence against PM
pix seqadar hiasan semata

[KL, March 28, 2007] THE opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) may table a motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister when Parliament is convened on April 29, according to a senior PAS leader. And it appears the opposition Islamic party is counting on disgruntled members of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition for the motion to succeed. But lawmakers from fellow opposition parties are more cautious about the move. A senior member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) described such a motion as a 'serious matter' that needed to be studied, while another from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) said his party would look into whether it was 'timely'.
PAS vice-president Husam Musa said many MPs were unhappy with the BN-led federal government following its dismal performance in the March 8 poll. This was why his Islamist party wanted a change in the country's leadership, Datuk Husam was quoted as saying in The Star newspaper yesterday (March 27, 2008 - ed.).
In the general election, the opposition won 82 of the 222 Parliament seats. PAS won 23 while its opposition allies, the DAP and PKR, secured 28 and 23 seats respectively. Even if all opposition MPs were to support the motion, they would be 30 votes short of passing it. So the opposition must rely on the possibility that some disgruntled BN MPs may absent themselves from the vote or, worse yet, defect to the other side.
Constitutional law expert Shad Faruqi said that, under the law, the king has two options once Parliament approves a motion of no confidence against a prime minister. One is for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as Malaysia's constitutional monarch is known, to appoint a new prime minister from among the MPs who have the support of the majority in Parliament. 'The other option is for the king to dissolve the Parliament and call for fresh elections,' the lecturer at the Mara University of Technology told The Straits Times.
A no-confidence motion has never been tabled in Malaysia.
source: THE STRAITS TIMES via malaysia-today

Anwar: No motion against PM - TheStarOnline.tv, thestaronline
Parti Keadilan Rakyat Advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says the opposition will not be pushing for a motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister any time soon.

http://thestaronline.tv/default.aspx?vid=1196
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQItlQlQ_q0

Two views on moving a no-confidence vote

By : B. Suresh Ram

KUALA LUMPUR: Can a vote of no-confidence be tabled against the primeminister or the government in the Dewan Rakyat? While former Dewan Rakyat secretary Datuk Abdullah Abdul Wahab said this was impossible, Universiti Teknologi Mara Professor of Law andlegal adviser Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi disagreed.

Abdullah said the standing orders in the Dewan Rakyat did not allow for such a motion. Even if an attempt was made, it would be "killed" by the Barisan Nasional-appointed speaker who had the right to determine, after consulting the government, if there was a need for such a motion. He said there were no provisions enabling the passing of such a motion in the house. "The situation has never arisen which warrants a need for a show of confidence in the government or leader of the house," Abdullah said.

Faruqi, however, felt that Article 43(4) of the Federal Constitution allowed for a vote of no-confidence against the prime minister and the government. He said there was, however, no specific procedure for such a move and that it could come in the form of a motion tabled by a member of parliament. "At the end of the day, it is up to the speaker to use his discretionary powers on whether to allow such a motion."

Both were commenting on the matter following statements by the opposition that its MPs would be moving a motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the Dewan Rakyat. On March 28, Pas vice-president, Datuk Husam Musa, said the party may table a motion of no-confidence against Abdullah when parliament convenes on Tuesday. Two weeks later, de facto Parti Keadilan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim played down the issue by saying that Pakatan Rakyat would not move such a vote at this juncture. -- MORE

KKN MENGHAMBAT PEMBANGUNAN

Harakah reformasi pada dasarnya adalah suatu proses perubahan yang didorong oleh semangat dan cita-cita luhur bangsa Malaysia guna mewujudkan kembali kehidupan masyarakat semasa dan mendatang yang lebih baik. Cita-cita luhur ini akan dapat dicapai melalui pemerintahan yang demokratis, bersih dan berwibawa yang mampu pula menegakkan kedaulatan UU. Melalui pemerintahan demokrasi ini, amalan-amalan KKN yang selama ini telah menghambat pembangunan nasional akan dapat dibenteras.

Move to woo investors:PETALING JAYA: The new coalition state governments of Selangor, Perak, Penang, Kedah and Kelantan have vowed to implement business-friendly free-market policies to stimulate growth, attract foreign investment and promote greater accountability and transparency in government dealings.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who has assumed the role of spokesperson for the opposition, said the five state governments would initiate dialogues with the foreign investment community already present in each state.
"This is to ensure investor confidence remains strong during the transition period and also to identify areas of concern that our new state governments will address in enhancing and improving their operations and performance in Malaysia.
"Our no-tolerance policy on corruption will have a major impact in reducing transaction costs and building confidence in small- and medium-based enterprises."
Anwar also said PKR's Malaysian Economic Agenda would be implemented at the state level to reduce race-based affirmative action policies and to implement a more competitive, merit-based system.
When asked whether the Barisan Nasional's New Economic Policy would be scrapped, Anwar said there would be a major adjustment to the affirmative action programme.
He said the opposition-led state governments, guided by the constitutional guarantee to protect Malay privileges, would ensure fair treatment for non-Malays.
He added that they would also respect and honour business agreements and arrangements made by the previous state governments.
© Copyright 2008 The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad. All rights reserved.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/2184691/Article/index_html

Hadi: Reject all inducements by BN: PAS has called on elected representatives in the three opposition parties to reject any enticement to cross over to Barisan Nasional.
Rumours are flying that millions of ringgit have been offered to effect crossovers, particularly in Perak where the opposition parties hold only a three-seat majority over the BN’s 28 in the state legislature.
In particular, the racial card is purportedly being played out among Malay elected representatives in PKR and PAS - including the spectre of racial conflict - as a way to convince them to join Umno.
At a press conference today in party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said he wants them to “remain steadfast” and work towards strengthening the opposition-led state governments.
“God-willing, we will walk together to carry out reforms in the administration of all these states to rid them of such negative practices as corruption, cronyism and nepotism which will lead to (other) injustice(s),”he said.
He was flanked by secretary-general Kamaruddin Jaafar and information chief Mahfuz Omar.
Asked if PAS leaders had been approached by Umno leaders to cross over, he replied cryptically: “PAS is me. They have never contacted me.”
In the 12th general election concluded last Saturday, opposition parties wrested control of an unprecedented five state assemblies - Penang, Perak, Kedah, Selangor and Kelantan - and DAP, PKR and PAS have worked out varying arrangements for ‘coalition state governments’.
Abdul Hadi also said those elected must remember that the votes came from all Malaysians, and should not see themselves as representing only one ethnic or religious group.
“We hope these (racial or religious) issues are not invoked - as BN is currently doing - as it will only make matters worse,” he said.
He further cautioned them against exacting “revenge”.
“Those who lost are our people, just as those who won are our people. Do not exact revenge. We have to demonstrate that we are fair to everyone.”
‘Ask BN leaders’ -- MORE HERE

March 14, 2008: JIM minta DAP, PKR, Pas tunai janji : KUALA LUMPUR 14 Mac - Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM) meminta DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) dan Pas mengotakan janji mereka kepada rakyat seperti yang diumumkan sebelum Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12. Presiden JIM, Zaid Kamaruddin berkata, parti pembangkang yang sudah menang di beberapa negeri itu perlu mewujudkan pemerintahan yang adil dan tidak mengabaikan hak mana-mana kaum di kawasan mereka. ''Kita minta mereka tunaikan apa yang mereka cakap dahulu. Wujudkan kerajaan yang disenangi dan tidak hanya mementingkan diri. ''Beri keutamaan terhadap apa yang diperlukan rakyat. Kerjasama antara mereka juga penting berdasarkan prinsip yang pernah mereka janji," katanya. Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang akhbar selepas mesyuarat JIM yang membincangkan hala tuju kerajaan dan pembangkang selepas Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12 di pejabat JIM di Taman Melawati di sini hari ini. Zaid berkata, keputusan pilihan raya baru-baru ini membuktikan kuasa rakyat menjadi suara utama yang perlu didengar parti pemerintah hari ini. ''Rakyat mahu perubahan. Mereka mahu bentuk pemerintahan yang berjiwa rakyat dan mementingkan keperluan orang ramai. ''Suasana politik baru hari ini adalah pilihan rakyat. Keharmonian selama ini perlu dipertahankan dan parti memerintah perlu bekerja keras untuk memastikannya sentiasa kekal," ujarnya.

Egyptian Police Detain Scores From Muslim Brotherhood

Egyptian police have arrested more than 70 members of the Muslim Brotherhood early Thursday, the latest in a wave of arrests that the banned Islamist group says is connected to upcoming local elections. VOA Correspondent Challiss McDonough has more from Cairo.

Police raided the homes of Muslim Brotherhood members in five provinces at dawn. Accounts differ on the exact number of people detained.

The Muslim Brotherhood's deputy leader, Mohammed Habib, told VOA more than 500 of the group's members are now in detention, with nearly 180 of them arrested during the past week.

He said the arrests are linked to the upcoming municipal election. He said the ruling National Democratic Party is unable to compete with the Brotherhood in a fair poll, so members of the group are being detained to clear the way for the ruling party.

Habib said he expects more arrests before voting day.

The elections are scheduled for April 8.

Although the group is officially banned in Egypt, its members run for office as independents. more here

Former M’sian premier Dr M scoffs at Anwar’s plan for political comeback

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed scoffed the idea of a political comeback by his renegade former deputy Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, ''He could win a few seats but making a comeback and taking over the government, that's a pipedream.”

Anwar has already announced he wants to run for office through a proxy in the forthcoming general election (widely speculated in March), and eventually a by-election in May. But as analysts have pointed out a pop politician can not take the top job without enough majority parliamentary support from his ‘barisan’ coalition.

And so far, Anwar’s party and its rag-tag opposition coalition is no match to the formidable machinery, media and money of the ruling 14-party ‘Barisan Nasional’ coalition.

The opposition coalition remains divided and has performed poorly in recent by-elections. Still, the opposition coalition is hoping to deny the ruling coalition a two third majority against a backdrop of widespread accusation of election irregularities.

Recent Developments - updated Feb 14, 2008 : Anwar, Malaysian Opposition, Aim to Erode Majority - bloomberg.com

Former M’sian deputy premier Anwar to run for office

Former Malaysian deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim looks set to make his political comeback through a proxy in the forthcoming general election (hotly speculated in March), and eventually a by-election in May, according to reports here, and here...

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has dropped tantalising hints to voters that he may contest a by-election in Balik Pulau, on Penang island, in May.

He was addressing a ceramah last Saturday in Kampung Terang in Balik Pulau, the island’s only rural parliamentary constituency, one of three locations he visited in his home state during a weekend of campaigning.

Speaking from a dilapidated wooden house that stands on eroding concrete stilts, he said: “In 1987, while I was in the cabinet, I insisted that this whole area be supplied with electricity and piped water. It was supplied but there has been little further improvement to this place since then. If the PKR candidate wins here in the coming election (widely expected in March), I may contest here in a by-election in May.”

The crowd of some 500 cheered. They obviously knew that this could see a dramatic transformation of the constituency from rural rusticity to something better. After all, the ruling Barisan Nasional had shown its munificent strategy in the Ijok by-election, for example.

Earlier, Anwar had pointed out Yusmadi Yusoff (photo - see dinmerican -ed.) to the crowd, a gesture that could be interpreted as a sign of his eventual selection to contest the Balik Pulau seat. Yusmadi, 32, was born in Balik Pulau and now practises law in Kuala Lumpur. He joined PKR last July, and had accompanied Anwar to the ceramah.

Anwar is barred by law from contesting the elections up to April 15, following his conviction and six-year jail sentence for corrupt practice.

PAS to contest 60 parliamentary seats

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 (ES) – The Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) will be contesting in 60 parliamentary seats in the next general election, widely expected to feature one to one fights between the opposition and the ruling coalition.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang hinted that the party would need to be "practical" in its campaigning in the next general election, in view of the limited seats at the parliamentary level that it would contest.

The next general election is expected to be held next month. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi however has the prerogative to hold the election as late as next year. Malaysia has about 220 parliamentary seats.

"What's important (for the party is to highlight) the objective (of justice for all, drawn) from practices that is acceptable to all races," Abdul Hadi said in an impromptu press conference held at the party headquarter here today.

Also present was People Justice Party (KeADILan) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Several high ranking party officials from both parties were also present. MORE HERE