From Malaysiakini
By Syed Jamal Zahiid
The Dewan Rakyat proceedings was suspended for two hours following protests from the opposition bench over the additional figures tabled by Finance Minister Najib Abdul Razak to Budget 2009.
Deputy speaker Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar suspended proceedings until 2.30pm after the opposition refused to allow the Bill to reach the committee stage.
Dari Malaysiakini
By Dzulkifly Ahmad
Analysis In what was Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s maiden speech as a Finance Minister, he has cast more doubts about his alleged or perceived ‘financial prowess’ of being better than prime minister when it comes to managing the economy.
Hopes quickly evaporated midway through his delivery of his ‘stimulus package’ to bolster the economy. It has nothing to do with his refusal to allow the Opposition Leader and MPs to interject during his delivery – an unprecedented move strangely condoned by the Speaker.
Firstly, quite unsolicited, he decided to take a pot-shot at the Pakatan Rakyat’s budget – perhaps more accurately the Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim – by accusing that the Pakatan budget was “contractionary” as opposed to their “expansionary” one.
He cunningly reminded everyone, that the nation will be in greater trouble – like during the 97-98 financial crisis – if we were to pursue Pakatan’s budget.
From The Time
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
-KENYATAAN MEDIA UNTUK EDARAN SEGERA–
5 NOVEMBER 2008
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYISA
Bermula dengan satu harapan yang hampir mustahil akan tetapi berani, kini ianya sudah menjadi kenyataan. Kemenangan Barack Obama membuka satu lembaran baru dalam sejarah Amerika Syarikat. Hasrat beliau untuk memulakan halatuju baru hubungan di antara Amerika Syarikat dan seluruh dunia amat dialu-alukan.
Sokongan yang diterima bakal Presiden Amerika ini merentasi batas kaum, agama dan generasi, malah mempunyai persamaan dengan apa yang berlaku pada bulan Mac lalu apabila rakyat Malaysia memilih untuk menolak rejim Barisan Nasional yang masih terikat dengan polisi usang dan gagal.
Keintiman beliau dengan rantau ini serta keprihatinan terhadap dunia membangun terutamanya benua Asia dan Afrika ketika prospek ekonomi tidak menggalakkan, memberi harapan baru kepada kerjasama yang lebih erat. Negara-negara yang sebelum ini mempunyai pertikaian dengan Amerika Syarikat melihat adanya peluang untuk meneruskan kerjasama berhubung isu dasar luar, pembangunan dan alam sekitar.
Di bawah pentadbiran beliau, hubungan dan dialog di antara negara-negara Muslim dan Amerika Syarikat mempunyai harapan yang lebih cerah. Isu-isu di Timur Tengah sememangnya memerlukan komitmen terhadap diplomasi yang konsisten, bersedia untuk menyertai dialog yang lebih bermakna dan tidak bertindak sendirian tanpa menghiraukan suara-suara serta pendapat lainnya. Kami berharap bakal Presiden Amerika ini akan memperlihatkan kepimpinannya berhubung isu-isu ini berbanding pentadbiran lepas yang gagal untuk berbuat demikian.
Pemimpin diukur bukan melalui retorik kempen semata-mata, akan tetapi melalui dasar yang digarap serta pelaksanaannya. Kami mengucapkan tahniah kepada bakal Presiden; Barack Obama dan Naib Presiden; Joe Biden dan semoga mereka berjaya untuk membawa perubahan.
ANWAR IBRAHIM
Ketua Pembangkang
Dari Time Magazine
From The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition MPs walked out en bloc after Tian Chua (PKR- Batu) was barred from the Dewan Rakyat during the Finance Minister’s winding-up speech on Tuesday.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that it was “meaningless” for them to remain in the august hall when Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had presented a new Budget, but denied the fact.
From The Star
IPOH: Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has advised Perak civil servants to prepare for an economic downturn.
In his inaugural address at the state’s bi-monthly executive talk at the State Secretariat building here yesterday, Anwar said they should keep working hard.
“We are facing difficult times now with financial convulsions engulfing the region.
“If we are always given rosy images instead of reality, we will not work harder to change things and will fall into the culture of contentment,” he said.
