Parliament needs to be independent from judiciary, executive, says Rais

PARLIAMENT should be separate and distinct from the judiciary and executive branches in conformity with the reformation spirit, said Dewan Negara president Rais Yatim.  He said this can be achieved by amending the Parliamentary Services Act 1963 and the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952. 

UN warns of record rates of hunger in Syria

THE World Food Programme warned on Friday that hunger rates in Syria have soared to record highs after more than a decade of devastating conflict.  A brutal war that triggered years of economic crisis and damaged vital infrastructure has put 2.9 million at risk of sliding into hunger, while another 12 million do not know […]

Khairy dismissed, Hisham suspended as Umno culls ‘traitors’

UMNO today sacked its ex-youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and suspended former vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein for six years. The party also meted out a six-year suspension for former information chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan, Tebrau division chief Maulizan Bujang, and former Jempol MP Mohd Salim Shariff.

Umno cleanup necessary, says Puad

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has started its purge within the party following the sacking of former Umno youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Umno supreme council member Tan Sri Noh Omar. Read full story

5 more Malaysian job scam victims come home

FIVE more Malaysian citizens, who were victims of a job scam syndicate in Cambodia, arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport today.  According to a statement by the Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra), the victims – aged between 17 and 42 years old – were accompanied by a senior Wisma Putra officer and a delegation of […]

Insomnia drove late Pope Benedict to resign

RECENTLY deceased ex-pope Benedict described years of persistent sleeping troubles as the “main reason” behind his shock decision to step down in 2013, according to a German media report today.   Benedict was plagued by insomnia almost “constantly” from the start of his time as pope in 2005, according to a letter written a few weeks […]

Fire Dept asks climbers to report to area operators before expeditions

THE Fire and Rescue Department has advised sport-climbing enthusiasts to report themselves to area operators and obtain timely information about the site’s conditions before embarking on their activities. Its director-general Mohammad Hamdan Wahid said this is important to ensure there are no unwanted incidents, especially during the northeast monsoon period, which has yet to end.