Wonderful back from the dead

Ten-man Arsene Wenger's side re-ignited their faint Barclays Premier League title hopes by coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Bolton.
Two goals from Matthew Taylor either side of Abou Diaby's sending-off for a reckless challenge on Gretar Steinsson appeared to have given struggling Wanderers a much-needed boost.

However, in the second half William Gallas poked home a corner, before Robin van Persie equalised from the penalty spot after Gary Cahill had brought down Alexander Hleb and Jlloyd Samuel's own goal with seconds remaining capped a remarkable turnaround.

The result was just what Arsenal needed after going five league matches without a win, a run which appeared to have derailed their bid to catch leaders Manchester United.

It also ended Arsenal's remarkable run of not having won at the Reebok in the league since April 2002.

Ahmad sworn in as new Terengganu MB

KUALA TERENGGANU: Kijal state assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Said was sworn in today as the new mentri besar of Terengganu, three days after the Umno Supreme Council endorsed his appointment by the Terengganu Regency Advisory Council.

Ahmad, 51, took his oath of office before the Regent of Terengganu, Tengku Muhammad Ismail Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, at the Balairong Seri (Throne Room) of Istana Maziah here. He then signed the letter of appointment.

Ahmad, clad in black traditional Malay attire, was composed throughout the ceremony witnessed by the Regency Advisory Council president Tengku Sri Panglima Raja Tengku Baderulzaman and the two members of the council – Tengku Sri Laksamana Raja Tengku Sulaiman Sultan Ismail and former Federal Court judge Datuk Abdul Kadir Sulaiman.

All the Terengganu state assemblymen attended the ceremony, including former menteri besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, the elected representative for Jertih, and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, the elected representative for Rhu Rendang.

Terengganu Mufti Datuk Ismail Yahya read the “doa selamat” prayer.

The swearing-in today brings to an end the issue of the appointment of the Terengganu menteri besar which had been put off since March 10 when the appointment should have been made after the Barisan Nasional (BN) retained Terengganu with a two-third majority in the March 8 general election.

The BN won 24 of the 32 state seats. The remaining eight seats were won by PAS.

Blow for the Gunners

Duoble blow for Arsene Wenger’s side when his team was 0 - 2 behind Bolton Wanderes during first half of the match. Meanwhile one of his players, Abou Diaby has been shown the red card and will no longer take part of this game.

English Premier League - half time result:

Bolton 2 - 0 Arsenal

Birmingham 1 - 0 Manchester City

Reading 0 - 0 Blackburn

Derby County 1 - 1 Fulham

Portsmouth 1 - 0 Wigan Athletic

Reading 0 - 0 Blackburn

Sunderland 1 - 1 West Ham

Sheih loses Ma

By Rocky’s Bru

Al-fatiha.

Our bro, Sheih Azidi of Kickdefella, has just lost his beloved mother.
She passed away peacefully at about 5.30 pm.

Sheih broke the news to me on the phone a few minutes ago. He wanted so much to be with his mom now, but he is stranded on an island. It was supposed to be a short, much-deserved break for him.

“I wish I could be with her now but the earliest boat out from here is at 8 tomorrow morning, bro.”

Sheih said the family had decided to move out his mother from hospital yesterday.

“The doctors told us yesterday that she would have three weeks to live.

“I was planning to go and be with her tomorrow bro.”

The island has no Internet connection so Sheih has asked me to convey his thanks to all those who have prayed for his mum when she was sick.

Al-fatiha.

Abdullah to face any challenge in Umno polls

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno president, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says he is ready to face any challenge for the top post in the party elections in December.

Asked if he was ready to face a challenge from anyone for his post, Abdullah, who is Prime Minister, replied: “Well, if they have the support and they want to challenge me, I have to face it. I will not run away.”

Abdullah, who chaired the Umno supreme council meeting at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday, earlier announced that the Umno annual general assembly, which included the party elections, has been set for Dec 16 to 20.

Under the Umno constitution, the party can postpone its polls for up to 18 months from the due date, which means that Umno has up to March next year to hold elections.

The general assembly will also see elections for the Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings.

Abdullah said that prior to the assembly, the Umno branches which held their elections last year would hold their meetings from July 17 to Aug 24 followed by the division meetings from Oct 9 to Nov 9.

He added that the party elections would follow existing procedures and rules.

There would be no changes to the system of nomination quota for party posts.

According to the party constitution, candidates who wish to contest for the president's post must obtain 30% of nominations, 20% nominations for the deputy president's post, 10% for the vice-president posts and 5% for the supreme council posts from the divisions to be eligible.

On Tuesday, the Cheras Umno division called for all top party posts, including those of president and deputy president, to be open for contest, and for the nomination quota to be abolished.

Asked if all party posts would be open for contest, Abdullah said: “I don’t know, wait first. We have to see first. When there are candidates (for the posts), then we will know what will happen.”

A supreme council member who declined to be named said the members debated the election dates at the meeting, in view of some calls for the elections to be postponed.

On Tuesday, party information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib said the elections might be postponed to next year as several division leaders wanted the polls to be deferred to avoid “havoc and disaster”.

The supreme council member said the mood at the meeting was that the grassroots felt that the elections should not be put off to next year.

“There were some views that the elections should be postponed, although they were the minority,” he said.

He said Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who presented the proposed election dates in his capacity as the party management committee chairman, told the meeting that postponing the elections would only be “postponing the problem”.

“He said that we might as well do it this year and after the elections, we can patch up,” the supreme council member said.

Supreme council member Datuk Shahrir Samad said that everyone who wanted to have his say on the party elections spoke.

“Everyone felt the elections should not be postponed. But it was not an issue that dominated the meeting.

“We discussed many other issues such as the Terengganu Mentri Besar issue and others,” he said.

Malaysia will get a new Prime Minister?

By Kickdefella

28 March 2008, 20 days after Malaysian voted BN back into power without a 2/3 majority, will mark a new beginning for us all.

Will someone resign tomorrow? Let me just say, I don’t know. I don’t care because I am taking my kids on a holiday somewhere in the island under the sun. A father has to do what a father has to do before they voted me out of the family.

Maybe someone else also is going on leave too. Maybe, but I don’t know. Maybe, I don’t care too.

While 51 of the UMNO’s Supreme Council members led by the rebel leader, Muhyiddin Yasin are throwing shits for four hours on Dollah’s face in PWTC, 51 UMNO’s divisional head gathered at Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s house to discuss the final details of some plan about something. All these happen only 19 days after BN lost 4+1+1 state and Federal Territory in Malaysia.

Tomorrow, 28 March 2008. 20,000 people are estimate to gather at Palm Manor, Ku Li’s home in Kota Bharu to hear what Ku Li has to say about any chance of him taking the leading role in kicking Dollah away forever. Global Media Channel will be covering the event.

Well, while we wait and see what going to happen tomorrow, let us enjoy some of the private photos taken in Seri Perdana, Putrajaya. Maybe, Dollah Derhaka and his Anak Beranak also spend some of your money there.

England, Italy loss but Brazillian's Pato shines

Fabio Capello has insisted that his bid to revive England remains on track, despite seeing his new charges comprehensively outclassed by a far from full strength France side.

Franck Ribery's first-half penalty ensured David Beckham's 100th appearance for England ended in a 1-0 defeat at the Stade de France, but the narrow margin of victory disguised France's comfortable superiority and the fact that better finishing could have delivered a far more convincing win.

Capello however found grounds for optimism after his second game in charge, which followed a 2-1 win over Switzerland last month.

Meanwhile, Brazil coach Dunga backed his young players to cope with the differing pressures of stardom after their 1-0 friendly win over Sweden last night.

Debutant Alexandre Pato and Manchester United youngster Anderson were among the inexperienced second-half substitutes who helped to turn the game in Brazil's favour at the Emirates Stadium.

But while AC Milan forward Pato - who scored the game's only goal - was given a hero's reception by a large Brazilian following, Anderson received far less hospitable treatment.

Large sections of Arsenal fans booed his every touch, but he still showed some of the skills which have excited the Old Trafford faithful this season.

In Spain, a 78th-minute volley from second-half substitute David Villa gave home side a 1-0 win over world champions and fellow EURO 2008 contenders Italy in Elche.

The Valencia CF forward, a half-time replacement for Fernando Torres, ended the stalemate in brilliant fashion by letting fly a shot into the top corner of Gianluigi Buffon's goal. However, Spain also had Iker Casillas and the frame of his goal to thank for their victory in this warm-up friendly.

Another blow for Pak Lah

KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Datuk Ghapur Salleh has quit his post eight days after accepting his appointment by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Ghapur, the Kalabakan MP and Kalabakan Umno chief, told The Star at about 7.30pm yesterday that he had sent his resignation letter to the Prime Minister’s office.

However, he said he remained Kalabakan Umno division chief and dismissed any talk of him quitting the party or joining the Opposition.

“I’m not interested in any government post. I just want to do my own thing.

“I am still a division chief and I do not want people to speculate as my commitment is to Umno and its leadership under Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi,” he said.

Asked why he decided to relinquish the post only now, Ghapur said: “I don’t want to be tied up with government duties.”

“I’m leaving the matter in the hands of the Prime Minister,” said Ghapur, a former Sabah deputy chief minister who quit the post in 1997 but returned to the state Cabinet several years later.

Ghapur, 64, is the second Sabah MP to turn down a Federal deputy minister’s post following the March 8 general election.

Soon after Abdullah named his Cabinet on March 18, Kimanis MP Datuk Anifah Aman declined to take up the post of Deputy Transport Minister.

Anifah’s elder brother, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman, later said Anifah declined the deputy minister’s post because he had served in that capacity for two terms.

Anifah had told him that it was time for him (Anifah) to make way for others, Musa said. - The Star

Finally.. BN accepts Ahmad Said as Terengganu MB

Umno polls will be held Dec 16-20

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that Barisan Nasional has expressed its support for the appointment of Kijal assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Said as Terengganu Mentri Besar.

Abdullah said this at a press conference after the Umno supreme council meeting Thursday afternoon.

Abdullah, who is also Umno president, said that he believes the Terengganu assemblymen will support Ahmad.

On Wednesday morning Abdullah had an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin over the MB issue.

The Umno supreme council meeting also decided that party elections will not be postponed to next year. The party decided that polls will be held Dec 16-20 which is also when the party’s annual general assembly will take place.

Elections for village heads in Selangor

PORT KLANG: Village elections will be introduced soon to allow villagers to decide who should be their village heads.

Mentri Besar, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said Selangor would have local elections eventually when the time comes.

“We will have local elections at the end of the day, but we cannot carry this out without firming up the proper administration first,” he told reporters Thursday after visiting Pulau Ketam and the Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) power generator plant in Sungai Lima here.

Khalid said the state government would decide the right time for village elections after making sure the election and administration systems go well.

Khalid added that he did not want to see any village head neglect problems in the their village because of elections.

“I don’t want to see rubbish not cleared on time, villagers who want to report death cases and children who want to go to school yet have no one to attend to them during the elections.

“This does not help,” he said.

He added that elections come and go, but the administration still has to go on.

Polls must be this year - Umno management committee

KUALA LUMPUR: The second-highest ranking committee in Umno, its management committee, yesterday decided the Umno internal polls should be held this year as planned. The polls were widely expected to be held in August or November this year until a recent statement by Umno Information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib that he would propose it be held next year.

The decision by the management committee will have an impact on the deliberations of the Umno Supreme Council meeting, which is being held today and will have the final say on whether to proceed with the polls this year.

Yesterday, the Umno management committee met in Putrajaya at the Deputy Prime Minister’s office. The high-level committee is made up of deputy Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, vice-presidents Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Wanita chief Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz, Puteri head Datuk Noraini Ahmad, Information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib and secretary-general Datuk Tengku Adnan Mansor.

Blogger Raja Petra ordered to pay RM4m in damages

ALOR STAR: The High Court today ordered blogger Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin to pay RM2 million to Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) vice-chancellor, Tan Sri Dr Nordin Kardi in general damages over an article he posted on his website 'Malaysia Today' two years ago.

Deputy High Court Registrar Priscilla Gengadaran also ordered Raja Petra to pay RM2 million to the university over the article which appeared on the website on Dec 16, 2006.

Raja Petra and two defendants did not defend themselves and they also failed to appoint counsel.

Nordin, the first plaintiff, and UUM, the second plaintiff, had filed a defamation suit against Raja Petra (first defendant) and three others -- Parti Keadilan Rakyat (second defendant), chief editor of the opposition party's organ, Suara Keadilan (third defendant) and editor of the bulletin (fourth defendant) -- on Feb 25 last year.

Nordin and UUM claimed that Raja Petra and the three other defendants had published the libellous article with intention to tarnish his and UUM's good name and integrity.

The article "Dato' Dr Nordin Kardi Ciplak Karya Saya? Mohon Penjelasan..." (Dato' Dr Nordin Kardi plagiarises my works? Please explain...) was first published in Raja Petra's website, 'Malaysia Today', on Dec 16, 2006.

The article authored by Muhtar Haji Suhaili had claimed his works "Mahasiswa dan Tanggugjawab Menguruskan Kejayaan" (Graduands and the Responsibility in Managing Success) was plagiarised by a person who had used the name Dato' Nordin Kardi.

MB crisis: 22 BN Terengganu assemblymen still want Idris

PUTRAJAYA: Twenty-two out of the 24 Barisan Nasional Terengganu assemblymen backing Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh as Terengganu Mentri Besar has urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to remain firm in Idris’ appointment.

State Umno secretary Datuk Rosol Wahid, who is also Ajil assemblyman, said they, however, would leave the matter to Abdullah.

Rosol, who is in Kuala Lumpur with the other 22 assemblymen, including Idris, said "we are very strong now, and God willing, good news is on our side." Rosol, however, refused to elaborate.

He said he did not know the outcome of the 30-minute meeting between Abdullah and Idris which took place at the Prime Minister's Department yesterday. Initially, when pressed for an answer. he said he did not know but he subsequently lamented that he could not reveal the outcome of the meeting.

"All of us remain firm that we are solidly behind Idris. Our support is unwavered. However, we will leave it to the PM to resolve this issue. As far as we are concerned, we will just take instructions only from the PM and Idris."

Except for Idris, Rosol said all of the 22 assemblymen would return to Terengganu today.