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

Pharaohs seek to tame indomitable lions

CAMEROONS are quietly confident but it will take a brave man to bet against Egypt retaining the African Nations Cup today.
The 4-1 demolition of favorites Ivory Coast proved just how ruthless Egypt can be and a sixth title beckons the Pharaohs.

Saudi prince gives Egypt 1 million Egyptian pounds: RIYADH, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has donated African Nations Cup holders Egypt one million Egyptian pounds ($180,400) before their final against Cameroon on Sunday (1700 GMT).

"This gesture was in support of the team reaching the finals after winning their match against Ivory Coast," said a statement from Kingdom Holding <4280.se>, owned by the Muslim world's wealthiest Muslim.

The Pharaohs are hoping to win a sixth title when they face four-times champions Cameroon. http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-7297934,00.html

Opposition Not A Real Threat To BN; Threat From Enemy Within

BERA (Pahang), Feb 10 (Bernama) -- Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin said the Barisan Nasional's (BN) main threat in the impending general election was not the opposition, but splits within members of its component parties.

He said the opposition was not strong, but appeared to be (strong) only because of certain individuals, unlike the BN which had many leaders with quality.

"The opposition pact is just a marriage of convenience, unlike the coalition in the BN, which remains solid not only during elections but at all times," he told reporters after launching the Bera parliamentary constituency's BN Youth Youth election machinery here today.

He said BN members should unite and work as a team to win big in the coming general election.

He said they should not have any ill-feelings if they are not nominated as election candidates.

"The question on the choice of candidates is the prerogative of the party leadership and those who lobby, especially at the last hour to become candidates, are just wasting their time because the leadership knows better," he said.

On the selection of candidates from Umno Youth, Khairy said the movement would leave the matter to the leadership, adding that the movement's main priority was to ensure a win for BN candidates in the election.-- BERNAMA .

Premier fools

The Premier League could have their bombshell proposals for an 'International Round' of matches around the globe killed off by FIFA in just five weeks — before the plans have even left the drawing board.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who is known to be strongly opposed to the scheme that has been greeted by waves of negative reaction, has demanded that official documents relating to the planned project be sent to the world governing body.

They will discuss the ramifications that threaten to change the face of football at their next executive committee meeting in Zurich on March 14. Such is the initial FIFA furore to Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore's brainchild that there was even talk at their headquarters yesterday that the influential supremo might be forced to step down from his position on the FIFA strategic committee, which was set up last year.

UEFA president Michel Platini tore into the plan with a withering attack. He said: 'You already have no English coach, you have no English players and maybe now you will have no club playing in England. It's a joke.'

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

M’sian premier Badawi: I'm working hard for nation's prosperity

GEORGE TOWN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday said he was aware of his responsibilities and had been working hard for the country’s continued growth and prosperity.

“You can say I am not good enough. You can say whatever but don’t say that I don’t work. I work very hard. I mean it and you know it,” he said to loud applause from guests at the Penang Chinese Town Hall here for a Chinese New Year open house.

In his speech, Abdullah said as a Muslim he had an obligation to fulfill his duty and would carry it out diligently. “It is the will of God that I have become the prime minister and it is my responsibility to work and serve the people.

“I have not benefited one sen from anyone for what I have done. Some people want to give me money but I don’t need it. The government takes good care of its prime minister.”

Abdullah stressed that in fulfilling his responsibilities, he had to be fair to all races and called on everyone to work together to create a prosperous country. “As Malaysians, we must always feel we are among friends even though we are from the minority group when a function is organized. If we can have mutual respect among us, then we will be all right,” he said.

source:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/2/9/nation/20278959&sec=nation
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/Frontpage/20080209080408/Article

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.

Former F1 driver Schumacher to race in Touring Cars

Former Formula One driver Ralf Schumacher looks set to continue his career with Mercedes-Benz in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM), according to reports here.
The 32-year-old had his second test drive for Mercedes-Benz on Tuesday at Estoril, Portugal, and was positive about his experience. "I wouldn't be driving here if the DTM car wasn't a great deal of fun for me," Schumacher told German tabloid Bild on Wednesday. "And, it goes without saying, if I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't seriously consider racing in DTM."
Having won six Grand Prix in his 11 years in Formula One, Schumacher had his first test drive for Mercedes in mid-January and now wants to make sure he puts the experience to good use. "Now, I want to use every minute for getting to know the car," said Schumacher, whose Toyota contract expired at the end of last season. "After all, I'm new to the DTM business and would have to get to know everything and used to racing the car."
And after such a positive start, Mercedes bosses in Stuttgart are expecting an answer by the end of the month.

Reasons for an impending US economic recession

Trying to assess the situation and further growth prospects of the US economy, the first important fact to see is that the US economic recovery since November 2001 has been by far the weakest in the whole postwar period.

Just a few tidings composed by the Economic Policy Institute in Washington: First, inflation-adjusted hourly and weekly wages today are below where they were at the start of the recovery in November 2001; Second, median household income (inflation adjusted) has fallen five years in a row and was 4% lower in 2004 than in 1999; Third, total jobs since March 2001 (the start of the recession) are up 1.9% and private jobs 1.5% (at this stage of previous business cycles, jobs had grown 8.8%); Fourth, the unemployment rate is low only because several million people have given up looking for a job.

And here are some cursory remarks on our part: First, job growth has steeply fallen during the last three months, from 200,000 in February to 75,000 in May (2006 - report published on Wed 09 August, 2006 -ed.) ; Second, all the job growth has come from the artificial net birth/death model, implying that it is booming among small new firms not captured by the payroll survey, while slumping in existing firms; Third, private household indebtedness since 2000 has soared by 70%. This compares with an overall increase in real disposable personal income by 12%.

ASSESSMENT REPORTS: A weak report about the services sector has caused some experts to declare that the economy has already entered downturn. Recession is here – ECONOMISTS

Recession is the least of our worries. The days of the American empire might be at an end, Fortune's Andy Serwer argues. Play video Bye-bye superpower

Wal-Mart's distress signal: The world's largest retailer leads a parade of sales misses in January, indicating trouble in the U.S. economy.

To understand more on the Reasons (Published : Wed 09 Aug, 2006 -ed.) for an impending US economic recession i.e. US consumer spending, Current credit expansion, The US trade deficit, Debt trap, and House price crash, consult Dr Kurt Richebacher’s assessment report here.

LATEST DEVELOPMENT: Can Malaysia's Economy Withstand a U.S. Slowdown? This is that which warns us of something hateful in the future: ASIAN stocks plunged yesterday, pulled by Wall Street's sharp decline on Tuesday as fears of the US going into a recession intensified, analysts said.