Barisan-Pakatan pact to continue in Sabah polls
'BN and PH are not just a simple 'plus'; this is 'plus, plus, plus', which reflects our openness [to collaborate with Sabah parties]. Clearly, there will be no peninsula- or Sabah-based parties going it alone,' the Barisan chairman said.
This united front, he added, is crucial to ensure continuity in Sabah's development agenda should the unity government secure victory at the polls.
On another matter, party wing leaders in the unity government alliance have been urged to avoid speculating about electoral seat talks in Melaka, he said.
Such matters, said the Umno president, should be left to the discretion of each party's top leadership.
Responding to criticism directed at Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh over the latter's seat-sharing formula for the Melaka state election, Ahmad Zahid reminded all wings not to make premature public statements based on personal interpretations.
'I advise all the wings of parties within the unity government to let these matters be determined by their respective top leaderships.
'Do not be swayed by emotions or individual analysis. Leave it to the leadership,' he told reporters at the World Trade Centre here yesterday in conjunction with Umno's 79th anniversary celebration.
Ahmad Zahid added that such issues have yet to be discussed at the coalition's senior leadership level.
'This has not even been raised in our negotiations, so it should not be turned into a political polemic. It's far too premature,' he said of the public spat about seat-sharing in the Melaka elections which only have to be called by January 2027.
Dr Muhamad Akmal had rejected a 14-14 seat-sharing formula between Barisan and Pakatan, calling it unrealistic given Barisan's dominance in the state.
Amanah Youth responded by labelling Dr Muhamad Akmal's comments as arrogant and contrary to the spirit of coalition cooperation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Libyan coast guards train in Greece under plan to stem migrant flows
FILE PHOTO: Children play by the tents, as recently arrived migrants shelter at the temporary migrants' camp staged on a soccer pitch in the region of Rethymno in Crete island, Greece, June 24, 2025. REUTERS/Stefanos Rapanis/File Photo ATHENS (Reuters) -Libyan coast guard officers have started training on the Greek island of Crete as part of a plan to strengthen cooperation and help the two countries stem a surge in migrant arrivals, Greek sources said on Wednesday. Relations between Greece and Libya have been strained by a maritime boundary agreement signed in 2019 between the Tripoli-based Libyan government and Turkey, Greece's long-standing foe. A tender that Greece launched this year to develop hydrocarbon resources off Crete revived those tensions, while a spike in migrant flows from North Africa to Europe has prompted Athens to deploy frigates off Libya and pass legislation banning migrants arriving from Libya by sea from requesting asylum. The division of Libya by factional conflict into eastern and western sections for over a decade has further complicated relations. Greece says it is determined to continue talking to both the Tripoli-based government and a parallel administration based in Benghazi to the east. So far, coast guard officers from eastern Libya have been training in Greece, including areas such as patrolling and search and rescue operations. Coast guard officers from western Libya are expected to also participate in the training, the sources said. As part of efforts to improve relations, Athens last week invited Libya's internationally recognised government in Tripoli to start talks on demarcating exclusive economic zones in the Mediterranean Sea. Missions from both countries are expected to hold talks on maritime zones in the coming months, the Greek sources said. (Reporting by Renee MaltezouEditing by Bernadette Baum)
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Turkiye offers financial incentives for more babies
Alarmed by the fact that Turkish women are having fewer children, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has moved to tackle falling birthrates – 'a threat greater than war' – through policies designed to bring on the babies. After declaring 2025 Turkiye's 'Year of the Family', Erdogan in May announced 2026 would mark the start of the 'Decade of the Family'. But his pleas for women to have at least three children and offers of financial incentives for newlyweds may not be enough as Turkiye grapples with a deepening economic crisis. Official figures show Turkiye's birthrate has fallen from 2.38 children per woman in 2001 to 1.48 in 2025 – lower than in France, Britain or the United States – in what Erdogan, a 71-year-old Muslim and father-of-four, has denounced as 'a disaster'. During his 22 years in office – first as premier, then president – fertility rates have dropped sharply in this country of 85 million people. Women are considered culprits for the declining population growth rate, with no acknowledgement of political mistakes, said retired academic and feminist activist Berrin Sonmez. 'People might be hesitant to have children in this chaotic and uncertain environment. Additionally, child support is almost non-existent and education has become the most expensive sector,' she said. Dr Bodur says some women ask for a C-section 'at the first appointment for fear of pain.' No education, no jobs High inflation has raged in Turkiye for the past four years, forcing education costs up by more than 70% over the past year, official data shows. In the first quarter, unemployment stood at 8.2%, or 15% among 15- to 24-year-olds. Researchers with the DISK union say the real rate is 28.5%, and 37.5% among young people. But the government seems bent on fixing other issues, such as Turkiye's record number of elective Caesarean births – which stands at 61%, rising to 78% in some private hospitals. In April, Turkiye banned C-section births at private healthcare facilities 'without a medical justification'. The procedure generally limits the number of pregnancies to two, or a maximum of three. C-sections: the 'safer option' Medical professionals say the high number of C-sections is linked to the rampant privatisation of the healthcare system since the late 1990s. C-sections are more time-efficient for medical staff – 30 minutes, versus 12 hours for a traditional delivery – and lower the risk of legal action over complications, said Hakan Coker, an Istanbul-based gynaecologist. 'Ultimately, C-sections are perceived as a guarantee of safety' for doctors and women alike, he said. Dr Harika Bodur, an obstetrician at a major Istanbul hospital, said some women ask for a C-section 'at the first appointment for fear of pain'. 'If you refuse, they'll go elsewhere,' she said. The fear is rooted in a lack of education and discomfort with sexuality. The health ministry says it is now 'aiming for a target rate of 20% (of C-sections) by encouraging normal childbirth through education of future parents'. But the word 'normal' has raised hackles – notably in April, when a football team carried a huge banner promoting vaginal births onto the pitch before a top-flight clash, which read: 'Natural birth is normal.' Women as 'birthing machines' 'If I don't want to, I won't have any children at all, it's my right,' said 23-year-old chemistry student Secil Murtazaoglu. By offering interest-free loans of 150,000 Turkish lira (RM16,135) for newlyweds and a monthly allowance of 5,000 lira (RM537) from the third child onwards, Erdogan was trying 'to turn women into birthing machines', Murtazaoglu said. Feminist activist Sonmez said women were subjected to huge pressures, both within their families and within society, when the much more pressing issue was the need to tackle gender violence. 'We must start by combating violence against women: such policies have been eradicated and protections seriously undermined,' she said. – AFP
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
High Court sets Oct 24 for decision on SRC's suit against Umno, Selangor Umno
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today fixed Oct 24 for its decision in the civil suit filed by SRC International Sdn Bhd and its two subsidiaries against Umno and Selangor Umno over the alleged receipt of RM19.5 million from the companies in 2015. Judge Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan set the date following the conclusion of two days of oral submissions by counsel Razlan Hadri Zulkifli, who appeared for the plaintiffs SRC International, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd (GMSB), and Jendela Pinggiran Sdn Bhd (JPSB). Appearing for the defendants were counsel Mohamed Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman for Umno and Datuk Hasnal Rezua Merican for Umno Selangor. "Thank you to the parties for your extensive submissions. I will deliver my decision on Oct 24 at 9 am," the judge said. In their claim against Umno, the plaintiffs seek the recovery of RM16 million, alleging the funds were wrongfully transferred and that the party had no lawful basis to receive them. The second suit concerns a claim of RM3.5 million against Selangor Umno, which is likewise alleged to have received funds from the plaintiffs. Earlier, Hasnal Rezua submitted that it is their pleaded position that the sum in question constituted a political donation. "There is no serious doubt here about the money that came to Umno Selangor," he said, while counsel Razlan Hadri argued that a breach of fiduciary duties had been clearly established. "Based on the admission by former SRC International director Datuk Suboh Md Yassin (the second SRC witness) himself in signing blank cheques, and the documentary evidence presented before this court, the plaintiffs have proven the breach of trust or duties by the former directors of the plaintiffs on the balance of probabilities,' he said. Meanwhile, Mohamed Shahrul Fazli reiterated Umno's position that it had received the RM16 million and maintained that the entire sum was expended on activities and programmes undertaken as part of the party's corporate social responsibility initiatives. – BERNAMA
