Amirudin denies vacating Sungai Tua state seat
SHAH ALAM: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice president Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari today denied that the Sungai Tua state seat he won in the 2023 state election would be vacated.
Describing the claim as imaginary and baseless, the Selangor Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman said that vacating a seat to make way for an individual is not as easy as one might think.
'It's not that simple, it requires some research,' he said when met at the E-Bike Handover Ceremony to Selangor police at Selangor police contingent headquarters, here today.
Amirudin, who is also the Selangor Menteri Besar, said this in response to the claim that the Sungai Tua state seat would be vacated to allow for a by-election to be held, as well as to make way for Trade, Investment and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz to contest.
Last Friday, Tengku Zafrul announced his resignation from UMNO and his intention to join PKR.
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Free Malaysia Today
5 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Rafizi still has a shot at becoming PM
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I suppose this is because most Malaysians have come to think that politicians seldom, or never, keep their promises. Many young people see Rafizi as the harbinger of a new politics and as a politician who understands technological trends and embraces the digital future. They see him as a politician who stands for all Malaysians and one who does not play racial or religious politics – unlike many others. He is undoubtedly one of the few young politicians who draw support from youths of all races, not just their own race. He is also respected for his push for greater transparency and accountability in government affairs. But politics is largely about numbers, or, to be precise, votes. First one must win the votes at the party level and later in a general election or by-election. Rafizi, unfortunately, failed to get enough numbers at the party level this time. From the tone of Rafizi's remarks in recent weeks, one can detect a frustration with internal party happenings. On May 10, for instance, Rafizi said it would be a relief to be out of the cabinet as it would allow him more time and freedom to speak out on issues. So what now for Rafizi? On May 10, the Pandan MP said he would focus on his responsibility as an MP and help PKR prepare for the 16th general election if he lost to Nurul Izzah. On May 30, Rafizi said: 'I already have a plan on what to focus on next, but let everyone breathe first — with Hari Raya Haji coming up and all. I'll share more later.' This was interpreted by many as meaning that he would not quit public life. Certainly, his supporters will be anxious, as will Malaysians who like him or his brand of politics. Certainly, they will be asking questions such as: 'Will he make a comeback to the PKR leadership?' or ' Will he join some other party or start his own party somewhere down the line?' Time will tell and he has plenty of time on his hands as he is only 47, still considered young for any politician. 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Dr Mahathir Mohamad was sacked from Umno but came back with a bang to make history as the only man to become prime minister at two different periods, the second time as head of a new party called Bersatu. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was not reappointed to the Cabinet by Mahathir when he became associated with Umno's Team B led by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who lost in the party leadership tussle to Mahathir in 1987. Abdullah was in the wilderness for several years but never left Umno, and was rewarded with a Cabinet appointment again by Mahathir in 1991. Subsequently, in 2003, he became prime minister. In 2016, Umno sacked Muhyiddin Yassin, who was then deputy president, for breaking party rules and attacking the Umno leadership. In 2020, Muhyiddin became Malaysia's eighth prime minister while leading Bersatu – although he served in this capacity for only 17 months. Anwar himself was sacked by Umno, when he was deputy president, in 1998. He was subsequently thrown into prison on sodomy and corruption charges. He received a royal pardon in 2018 and in 2022 became the tenth prime minister of Malaysia. All four faced defeat in some form and suffered the loss of position, patronage, supporters and even friends – but persevered long enough to make a smashing comeback. Rafizi's supporters can therefore take heart that he still has a shot at becoming prime minister sometime in the future. For that to happen, he has to remain in the public eye, like crafty Khairy, who was sacked by Umno, but continues to be seen and heard through his 'keluar sekejap' (out for a brief period) podcast and modelling stunts. The name of his podcast itself broadcasts his intention: he'll be back. Also, Rafizi must show voters that he is an excellent MP, continue contributing to the betterment of the nation in some way or other, and, crucially, build up his support base in PKR. The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
The Sun
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The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Putra Heights inferno: Rental assistance to go on to next year
SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government will continue providing rental assistance to victims of the gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya at least until April next year. State Housing and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Borhan Aman Shah said the decision to continue the RM2,000 monthly rental assistance was made to ensure that victims have appropriate shelter until their homes are repaired. "Initially, the state government agreed to provide rental support for six months, but we have decided to extend it for up to a year or more, especially for homes that were completely destroyed, as rebuilding will take time," he said. "For houses that were partially damaged, assistance will also continue until repairs are fully completed. The aid will only be discontinued once the occupants are able to return to their homes,' he said in a statement today. He added that the Selangor government will monitor the repair progress of each affected home to ensure that assistance is distributed efficiently under the allocated funding. On April 30, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari announced that the Selangor government had allocated RM2.73 million in rental assistance for 455 families affected by the incident, covering six months from April onwards. The Petronas gas pipeline fire, which occurred in Putra Heights at 8.10 am on April 1, sent flames soaring over 30 metres high, with temperatures reaching up to 1,000 degrees Celsius. The blaze took nearly eight hours to extinguish and left a 9.8-metre-deep crater at the site. - Bernama
