Nation

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has set May 30 for lawyer Karpal Singh to enter his defence to a charge of uttering seditious words against Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak in 2009.

Judge Azman Abdullah set the date when the case came up for mention today after the Court of Appeal on Jan 20 overturned the High Court's decision to acquit and discharge him from the charge without calling for his defence.

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has defended the proposed restructuring of the Malaysian healthcare system, saying the 1Care scheme was timely.

He hit out at naysayers of the 1Care scheme, saying online news reports on the proposed reform was inaccurate. "Those are all nonsense. There is no such thing that a patient can only see the doctor six times a year," he said, referring to allegations by the Citizen's Healthcare Coalition (CHC) that opposes the scheme.

KUALA LUMPUR: The establishment of the Personal Data Protection Department following gazetting of the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 will lead to higher "e-commerce" and "e-business" transactions.

This will expedite development of the electronic networking system in the country, said Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim.

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA is "confident" that Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil is wise enough to make decisions in the best interests of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno, said party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek today.

"She is a senior party leader. We have confidence in her making a decision in the best interests of BN and Umno," he told reporters after presenting cheques to 21 individuals for medical treatment at Wisma MCA.

PUTRAJAYA: The use of RM1.5 billion from the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) to finance the city's low-cost housing loan scheme was a promise made by the government a long time ago, said Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Seri Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.

"The whole purpose of this scheme is simply to help the needy to own an asset ... this was the whole idea behind it, which was to make it possible for those from the lower income group to own a low-cost house," he said at a press conference yesterday.

PUTRAJAYA: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) MPs have said in a memorandum that the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) should not become a “lender of last resort” by any party, including the federal government.

PUTRAJAYA: The government will have to bear the credit risk in the RM1.5 billion low-cost housing loan scheme channelled from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), said BN Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

The Rembau MP said although the loan scheme would use EPF’s monies, he pointed out the government would still have to pay the social security institution if home buyers default on their loans.

“It is the government that is making ‘subprime’ loans, not EPF. It is the government that is exposing itself to unsecured loans, not EPF,” he said.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former PAS vice-president Datuk Dr Hasan Mohamed Ali, who was sacked from the party on Jan 9, has given five reasons why he would not file an appeal on the sacking.

In an exclusive interview with Bernama, Hasan laid out the reasons.

* PAS has abandoned its original struggle to form an Islamic state and replaced it with a concept of a welfare state, which can be implemented in any secular country with any system or political practice.

IPOH: The state government has formed a special committee to come up with more effective and creative measures to curb tresspassing and poaching activities at the Belum-Temengor Forest Reserve.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said efforts by the state government alone were not enough to tackle the problem.

"We need the involvement of other relevant agencies, thus the special commitee will include NGOs like WWF Malaysia, Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC) South East Asia and other relevant enforcement agencies," he said.

PETALING JAYA: Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek came to the defence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak after Najib received flak from opposition leaders for setting up his ‘Ah Jib Gor’ Facebook page recently.

Najib had set up the page in an effort to communicate with the Chinese community but certain quarters have attacked the intention and even set up similar Facebook accounts to discredit the page.

“What is so wrong about it?” asked Ahmad Shabery.