Foul!

As published in Malay Mail today HARESH SAYS By Haresh Deol A NASTY pothole in Section 13, Petaling Jaya, did more than just create a loud thud on my way back from work on Saturday. It dented my rim pretty bad. I had arranged a series of meetings on Monday and they had to be cancelled as I had to visit a service centre nearby to get the rim inspected. I could have taken my car to my regular tyre shop but I did not want to jeopardise the vehicle’s warranty. Such paranoia stems from reading letters sent to Malay Mail Hotline by those taking issue with car manufacturers that cancel warranties over minor jobs carried out by third-party workshops. I drove to the service centre, parked my car, obtained a number and waited for my turn. A young chap attended to me and I showed him the rim. He said: “Sorry sir, but we don’t repair rims here. I suggest you take it to a tyre shop to get it fixed.” I looked at my watch. Thirty minutes wasted. I went to my regular tyre...

As published in Malay Mail today. PETALING JAYA — PKR dispelled talk that the Selangor palace was not in favour of Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to run the state. “What evidence does anyone have to claim Tuanku is not in favour of Dr Wan Azizah?” asked PKR supreme council member R. Sivaras. Sivarasa refused to be drawn into any speculation whether Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had not agreed to Dr Wan Azizah being menteri besar.  Pakatan would have to propose another candidate if that occurred. “We will cross the bridge when we get there. But let’s be clear about the duties of the Sultan as per the Selangor constitution. Tuanku has discretionary powers regarding the appointment of the menteri besar and agreeing or disagreeing to dissolving the state assembly,” he said. The Subang MP, a lawyer by profession who is in the thick of the Selangor episode, clarified there was no need for any state executive council member to step down as they w...

As published in Malay Mail today SHAH ALAM — The Selangor palace has yet to receive any request for a change in menteri besar and other potential candidates including Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, revealed sources close to the palace.   “The palace is not amused with certain individuals dropping names, claiming to have received Tuanku’s consent (to replace Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim with Wan Azizah).    “In fact, there has not been any official request to the palace for a new menteri besar.”   Another source said PKR was unable to name any other candidate besides Wan Azizah for the hot seat.   The sources revealed Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah was “unhappy” with the turmoil in the state as PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail yesterday revealed Khalid was allegedly involved in dubious   business dealings.   Khalid immediately responded by challenging Saifuddin and the party to lodge reports and provide...

Muhammad Raziq Rahman Nasir, Aizat Aiman Hakimi Khairul Anuar, Muhammad Hilmi Zulkepli, Muhammad Rusyaidi Zainal, Muhammad Faisol Rohizan, Muhammad Zainul Fahmi Zainal, Iqbal Mursaputra Saiful Bahri, Ahmad Lutfi Mohd Sam, Muhammad Haziq Effarizal, Muhammad Fahmi Zaharman, Muhammad Halif Fadzly, Muhammad Fikri Amer Runnizar, Muhammad Zafri Afiq Nor Azlan, Umar Hiakim Ahmad Robangi, Muhammad Nurasyraf Rosli, Muhammad Eikmal Hakime Shafri, Faiqrazin Zariq Idris, Muhammad Syazwan Md Zulkafli. These are the names of Selangor’s Under-16 boys hockey team. Most often, the names of players are buried within an article or the team list is carried separately at the very end of an article. Exceptions are made for those with an interesting tale to tell. But this group of hockey players deserved to be mentioned at the very top of this column. Why? This is a team that hails from a state with no proper turf. Their plight has been highlighted numerous times only to fal...

The Selangor government announced in May it had reserves touching RM2.8 billion. During the tabling of the 2014 Budget at the Selangor state assembly last month, Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim revealed the state government had allocated RM2.28 billion. Effective tomorrow, Khalid, elected representatives, executive council members, Speaker and deputy Speaker will receive massive pay hikes. Khalid’s pay will increase by 106 per cent, from the present RM14,175 to RM29,250 while the salaries of the exco members will shoot up to 231 per cent (from RM6,109 to RM20,250). One would think Selangor has got it right with plenty of cash to splurge. Wrong! This is a state, that despite the billions in its coffers, had failed to address simple issues like the pot-hole ridden roads in Hulu Langat, faulty street lights in Ampang to failing to maintain hockey stadiums in Pandamaran and Petaling Jaya. The pitches of both stadiums were pathetic. In fact, the Pandaraman hockey stadium was ...