Archive - 25 August 2008

By-election snippets FT Mosque imam Ramlang Porigi said he thinks the mastermind behind Saiful's swearing is the deputy prime minister's special officer.

Permatang Pauh interview There is no better government than the BN to represent the people, says the ruling coalition's candidate Arif Shah Omar Shah. [VIDEO INSIDE]

Those who are not voters are told to stay away on polling day tomorrow to prevent any traffic congestion or any untoward incidents.

Permatang Pauh So far a minimum total of RM6.5 million has been either pledged or pumped in by the Barisan Nasional for the people of Permatang Pauh and other by-election round-ups.

EC is seen to be departing from practice by using an ungazetted, but more recent electoral roll for tomorrow's polling.

Permatang Pauh Some of the Malay voters in Permatang Pauh remain unconvinced by the sodomy allegation against Anwar. [VIDEO INSIDE]

Permatang Pauh The state police chief says that extra measures have been put in place to spot and stop any potential troubles from brewing during polling tomorrow.

analysis The Permatang Pauh campaign has pitted Anwar’s ‘forgive, not forget’ against Umno’s second sodomy allegations.

Permatang Pauh An international election watchdog alleges that certain candidates in the Permatang Pauh by-election have utilised government machinery and resorted to money politics.

Permatang Pauh Confusion reign over the status of 700 voters and was left unanswered at a heated Election Commission press conference today. [VIDEO INSIDE]

Parliament Deputy Home Minister and MCA veteran Chor Chee Heung tells voters not to be fooled by the opposition icon, a day before balloting begins in the Permatang Pauh by-electio

Permatang Pauh MIC is confident that its change in tactics in approaching the Indian voters will bear fruit tomorrow. Some of the voters however think otherwise. [VIDEO INSIDE]

analysis Buoyed by jubilance and self-confidence, DAP delegates gave the thumbs-up to a call from their leadership to go the political distance and transform into a ‘mainstream party’.

comment Will voters give Anwar a decisive margin of victory that can be taken as an endorsement of his plan to take over power from the crumbling Barisan Nasional?

Ismail Merican says the Pusrawi doctor's report ruling out sodomy is not the same as confirming there was no sodomy.

analysis BN unleashes money, patronage and the overwhelming control it has over the mainstream media to convince voters that Anwar is simply unfit to be anything, let alone the next PM.

updated 7.20pm The DPM brushes aside the Federal Territory Mosque imam Ramlang Porigi's claim that the taking of oath in the mosque was not in accordance to Islam. [VIDEO INSIDE]

Calling for 'low-key' celebrations, Indian business group Miba appeals to the community to steer clear of 'open house' organised by political parties as a mark of protest against the Hindraf 5's detention.

Permatang Pauh, review of MCA and Umno relationship from a master-slave type and police plants in Hindraf continue to crowd the news space.

updated 6.30pm Close to 60% of Malays in the hotly contested constituency said that they disbelieved Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who has sworn in a mosque that he was sodomised by the opposition leader.

From my hotel room window, China’s new national Olympics stadium is shrouded in a thick, gray mist. Visibility is approaching near hopelessness. Mr Magoo would’ve had no chance. Only it isn’t mist.

It’s smog. Pollution. The air outside, from which I had just escaped for the sanctuary of my hotel room, is thicker. The humidity is staggering. In the last few days more and more Beijingers began to wear facemasks, but many more braved the ‘mist’.

updated 7.30pm The two Perak executive councillors arrested last week for alleged corruption have been charged today for accepting RM5,000 and RM100,000 bribe respectively.

Permatang Pauh The BN candidate is confident that the Malay voters will not be influenced by the accounts of the witness to Saiful's swearing ceremony.

updated 10.30pm In a last-ditch bid for votes before a midnight curb on campaigning, Anwar held a huge gathering that drew some 10,000 people despite drizzling rain. [VIDEO INSIDE]

The mother of six appealed to voters to return her husband to parliament.

free ... but only when PKR supporters chose to demonstrate while the forum was being conducted, causing it to end and also when people chose to take things personally.'

free ‘Don't worry Khairy, we, the public, will forgive you because we know you will be the first person to join Anwar when he becomes prime minister.'

Permatang Pauh PKR leaders were only informed today that imam Ramlang would explain Saiful's swearing ceremony, says Azmin Ali.

Permatang Pauh Uztaz Ramlang Porigi from the FT Mosque openly raises doubts on Saiful's oath that he was sodomised by Anwar. [VIDEO INSIDE]

Permatang Pauh The deputy premier also urged Anwar to respond to several allegations made by his former allies Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor and KS Nallakaruppan.