Among others, a backbencher tells his counterparts from Sabah and Sarawak to stop complaining over their lack of representation in the cabinet.

Backbencher: Sabah, Sarawak MPs 'ingrates'

mohamad aziz sri gading mp Mohamad Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) criticised Sabah and Sarawak BN MPs who complained about the relative lack of representation in the cabinet as being ungrateful and unable to appreciate their blessings.

Because in politics power rises and falls as the tides, said Mohamad in his debate on the royal address today.

Therefore, he said, it is unrealistic for any states to expect ministerial representation at the federal level to always reflect seats obtained in Parliament.

He recounted a time in the 1980s when Johor - despite winning the most number of seats in Parliament for BN - was represented in cabinet by only two ministers.

Mohamad said no voices at the time were heard lamenting the different treatment meted to the state.

"Did it mean that there was nobody else in Johor qualified enough to be ministers?" he asked.

"Do not be arrogant. Do not be proud. Just because we are comfortable does not mean we can speak as we want ... We cannot talk according to our whims. There must be some limits," he said.

Karpal unfazed by Teng's criticism

DAP national chairperson Karpal Singh remained unfazed by his colleague Teng Chang Khim’s remark that he "lacked political wisdom" in the controversy involving the Perak palace.

karpal singh "I do not wish to dignify Teng’s remarks with a reply," Karpal, who is also Bukit Gelugor MP, said in a press statement distributed to the press in Parliament.

Teng - who is a DAP central executive committee member and Selangor state legislative assembly speaker - reportedly said that Karpal lacked political wisdom when he chose to publicly question Perak’s Sultan Azlan Shah over the royal jurisdiction of Islamic matters in the state.

Karpal also queried about Teng’s absence during DAP’s central executive committee meeting in Petaling Jaya last night, where the latter had indicated that he would explain his remarks.

"He did not present himself. I wonder why?"

RM26.84 bil oil royalties since 2002

State oil company Petronas has paid out a total of RM26.84 billion in oil royalties to the federal government and three states from the financial year between 2004 and 2007.

The royalties paid to the federal government was RM13.42 billion, Terengganu (RM7.36 billion), Sarawak (RM4.82 billion) and Sabah (RM1.23 billion), according to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Amirsham A Aziz.

In the same reply to Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh), Amirsham said Malaysia is expected to become a net energy importer of oil and gas by 2014.

He said this is based on the current oil extraction methods, where the crude oil and oil condensates were expected to last for 22 years, while gas reserves would last 39 years.

Motion on NS trainee's death rejected

The Dewan Rakyat has rejected an emergency motion by the opposition to debate the latest death of a national service trainee on the ground that it was not urgent to be discussed.

fong poh kuan 01 In turning down the motion from Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah), Deputy Speaker Wan Junaidin Tuanku Jaafar said the government has always seek to improve the condition in national service camps.

In her motion, Fong argued that the House should debate the matter as it was of public interest and involved the lives of the current batch of 110,00 trainees nationwide.

The latest victim was 18-year-old Too Hui Min, who died at the Slim River Hospital in Perak last Wednesday after complaining of constipation.

Too - the 16th trainee to die since the programme was launched four years ago - was assigned to the Geo Kosmo national service training camp in Kuala Kubu Baru.

PM’s website receives 2,607 complaints

A special website set up by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to garner feedback from the public has received 2,607 complaints as of last month.

In a written reply to Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), Abdullah said 46 percent, or 1,196 complaints, sent to www.warkahuntukpm.com.my have been resolved.

He added that the relevant ministries and government agencies are looking into the remaining cases.

AirAsia settling RM5.4mil debt

No-frills airlines AirAsia is still in the process of settling a debt of RM5.4 million that it owes Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad, Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat said today.

Ong said this in a written reply to Wee Choo Keong (PKR-Wangsa Maju).