Latest news with #defection
CNA
3 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Malaysian Trade Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz quits UMNO to join ruling PKR
SINGAPORE: Malaysia's Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz announced his decision on Friday (May 30) to quit the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), and join Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's ruling Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). Tengku Zafrul's defection comes just days after two Cabinet ministers resigned from their posts. In a Facebook post on Friday night, Tengku Zafrul said he had tendered his resignation as an UMNO supreme council member, a Kota Raja division chief, and a party member. 'This decision was not an easy one,' he said. 'Before taking this decision, I have sought advice and views from my friends from within and outside the party including the president himself.' Tengku Zafrul said he took a long time to consider his decision, as UMNO was the only political party he had ever joined, since 1997. 'Ultimately, this decision was made after self-discipline and taking into account various factors especially the compatibility and conformity factors," he added. Tengku Zafrul's resignation on Friday confirms months of speculation that he would jump ship from UMNO to PKR. In December last year, PKR President Anwar Ibrahim admitted that Tengku Zafrul was in preliminary talks with the party, despite UMNO saying it would not allow any such move. Tengku Zafrul said in his Facebook post he would begin the application process to become a PKR member, adding that he 'expressed intentions to the PKR president and secretary-general to join the party'. He also thanked those who supported him during his time in UMNO. Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Leaked letter reveals reason why the Nationals first threatened to ditch the Coalition
A leaked letter has revealed the Nationals first threatened to ditch the Coalition after Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price defected to the Liberal party room, a revelation that undermines David Littleproud's claims that the split was solely over policy disputes. The letter, which was sent from the Nationals Bridget McKenzie to Liberal Senate leader Michaelia Cash on May 12, complained that the Nationals would lose party status after being reduced to just just four Senators with the loss of Price. Party status, which requires five members, confers more resources for things like travel, office space, staff and salaries. Senator Price sensationally defected from the Nationals party room to sit with the Liberal Party room on May 8. As a member of the Country Liberal Party, she can choose between the two. But it was widely seen as a betrayal. Two days after her defection, Senator McKenzie penned the strongly-worded letter, first obtained by which was entitled 'Resignation of Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from The Nationals Senate Party Room'. 'As a result of her defection, together with the severe drop in Liberal Party vote in New South Wales, from 1 July 2025 The Nationals will hold only four seats in the Senate,' Senator McKenzie wrote. 'This is below what is required to maintain party status in the Senate as a party that is "part of the Government or the Opposition" under the Parliamentary Business Resources Regulations 2017. 'Losing party status in the Senate would have significant implications for The Nationals Senate team as well as the wider Coalition.' 'Depending on the outcome of negotiations between our parties over coming weeks, the Nationals senate party room will need to consider our position with respect to sitting with the Liberal Party as a Coalition in the senate chamber.' The idea that splitting from the Coalition was mooted as an option eight days before the Nationals announced their decision to back out undermines Littleproud's subsequent claims that it was due to disagreements over policy, rather than personnel. On Tuesday, when he announced the Coalition was breaking up for only the third time in its 80-year history, he claimed discussion had broken down over the Nationals' desire for a commitment on nuclear power, supermarket divestiture powers, regional infrastructure and telecommunications funding. The varying recollections spilled over into live TV on Wednesday night when Senator McKenzie was asked whether a sticking point had been the Nationals' refusal to agree that they would not speak out against the positions of the shadow cabinet. 'I can tell you, because I was in the National party room that made this decision, the decision that was then conveyed to the Liberal leader. And that was not part of our consideration … it was solely on those four policies,' she told the ABC's 7.30. But her comments were soon disputed by Liberal Leader Sussan Ley's staff who texted into the program while the interview was still live. 'It is not correct to suggest shadow cabinet solidarity was not a sticking point,' the text said. 'We have it in writing that it was a requirement from their leader's office to ours.' Ley's office texted again to add: '(McKenzie's) language was deliberate to make it sound like it was just about the policies. That is just not correct.' When the texts were put to McKenzie, she told the ABC in a statement that she stood by her comments. 'The claims made above were not the basis of the Nationals party room decision not to form a Coalition at this time,' she said.
Times of Oman
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
North Korea's 'accidental defectors' stuck south of border
Pyongyang: Two North Korean fishermen who "accidentally defected" to South Korea have now spent more time in limbo than any other reluctant defectors in the history of the two nations. The two men were picked up by a South Korean naval patrol on March 7 in the Yellow Sea. Apparently, wind and strong currents pushed their fishing boat over the Northern Limit Line (NLL) close to Eocheong Island, off the west coast of the peninsula. There are no indications that the two men were intending to defect, and they have both repeatedly expressed their desire to return to North Korea during questioning by South Korean military and intelligence agencies. Their stay in South Korea is now well into its third month, longer than any other loyal North Koreans who had requested repatriation. Dozens of others before them have found it relatively straightforward to make the return journey. This time, however, North Korea has refused to pick up the phone. "North Korea has decided — and stated — that it wants to have absolutely no communications with the South, no matter what," said Andrei Lankov, a professor of history and international relations at Seoul's Kookmin University. Men stuck 'until relations with the North improve' The North is "very obviously showing its displeasure" with Seoul and the administration of the now impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who led more of a hard-line policy on Pyongyang, Lankov told DW. "For now, these men appear to be stuck in South Korea until relations with the North improve, although it is of course possible that they will eventually change their minds and decide they no longer want to go back," he said. "Even if they do still want to return, it seems likely that might take a long time." In October, the state-run Korea Central News Agency confirmed in a report that changes to the North's constitution that were proposed earlier in the year had gone into effect and that South Korea is now officially designated as a "hostile state." Under Pyongyang's new attitude to its neighbor, roads across the border have been dug up and blocked with anti-tank obstacles, railway lines have been removed and the frontier is "permanently" sealed. Pyongyang is no longer interested in reunification and the South is its "principal enemy," KCNA reported. North goes fully silent As a consequence, North Korean personnel at the Panmunjom border post where the two sides have faced off since the armistice was signed to conclude the 1950-'53 Korean War are no longer responding when the South calls the cross-border hotline. "The relationship was in a bad state before, but now the North has just stopped communicating completely," said Ahn Yinhay, a professor of international relations at Korea University in Seoul. "Things became worse after Yoon became president, in part because he reached agreements with the US and Japan for a three-way security alliance in the region," she said. "And since then, they are not picking up the phone at the border and there is no other way to reach them." Ahn said the two fishermen appear to be loyal North Korean subjects, although she questioned whether their repeated desire to return to the North is in part out of concern for the well-being of their families. The regime in Pyongyang has traditionally treated relatives of people who flee the nation harshly, including putting them in labor or political reeducation camps. Quoting sources in the North, dissident media has reported that those punishments have become even more harsh recently. "They will be aware that the North will be monitoring news reports in the South and I expect they are sticking to their position that they wish to be repatriated to protect their families," Ahn said. South happy to see fishermen return home The two men will inevitably have been exposed to the bright lights and relative opulence of life in South Korea, Lankov said, noting that they would be wise to guard their tongues if they do eventually return to their homeland. "Unless they are suicidal, they are not going to be excessively talkative about what they have seen," he said. Lankov also believes South Korea would be more than happy for anyone who is not committed to a life in the South to return to the North. In practical terms, supporting defectors is an expensive and extended commitment, with new arrivals from the North requiring health care, education to be able to work in the capitalist South and support with housing and integration into society. Perhaps the greatest opportunity for the repatriation of the two men will come after June 3, when South Korea goes to the polls to elect its new president. At present, the Liberal Party candidate, Lee Jae-myung, is the strong favorite to emerge victorious and is widely expected to try to build bridges with the North.
ABC News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price defection slammed as hostile Liberal takeover with Angus Taylor
Firebrand Northern Territory Nationals senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price's shock defection to the Liberal Party has been condemned by one insider as a hostile takeover attempt and a form of "desperate branch stacking" to boost Angus Taylor's leadership hopes. In a move regarded as assisting a power grab by the movement's conservative wing, Senator Nampijinpa Price said she wanted to help the senior Coalition partner "rebuild and be strong for the benefit of the country" after Saturday's devastating election loss. "The Liberal party room is my natural home given the Liberal Party is the freedom party, the party of responsibility," she told Sky. "Given the current circumstance I think more than ever we need strong people and we need to be able to rebuild." Live results: Find out what's happening in your seat as counting continues Senator Nampijinpa Price's move allows her to join Mr Taylor's team in his bid to clinch the leadership, in a potential leadership ballot against Sussan Ley on Tuesday. There has also been speculation she may seek the deputy leader's role in a joint-ticket with Mr Taylor, whose camp has denied suggestions of any deal. The dramatic defection triggered a flood of reactions, with one senior Liberal party room source likening any attempt by her to secure one of the party's top jobs to former Queensland Nationals premier John Bjelke-Petersen's failed 1987 Coalition-splitting campaign to become prime minister. "It's like Joh for Canberra," said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because party rules prevent colleagues from publicly criticising each other. WA Liberal Dean Smith said Senator Nampijinpa Price's move was an "interesting development" and he looked forward to speaking with her about her performance in the campaign and that of the NT's Country Liberal Party, in whose name she appeared on the Senate ballot paper. "That's the primary measure of people's performance … let's see how things transpire over coming days," Senator Smith told ABC Perth radio. Senator Nampijinpa Price's transition to the Liberals potentially shifts what is understood to be a finely divided party room with around 20 conservatives, 20 moderates and about 12 centrists that are still undecided. Other leadership contenders include current deputy Sussan Ley and shadow immigration spokesman Dan Tehan. The NT senator's move is also a blow to the National Party, which looks to have lost two senators, with NSW's Perin Davey set to miss out. Critics may also regard it as a slap in the face for Nationals leader David Littleproud, who negotiated an extra position in shadow cabinet for Senator Nampijinpa Price to win promotion as Mr Dutton's shadow minister for government spending cuts. "I appreciate Senator Nampijinpa Price has ambition that extends beyond the possibilities of the Nationals and I wish her well," Mr Littleproud said in a statement. Queensland Nationals senator Matt Canavan was less restrained, portraying Senator Nampijinpa Price as a turncoat. "Jacinta Price's decision to put her own ambition over the will of the voters is exactly why people are sick of politicians," he said in a post on X. "Jacinta Price was elected less than a week ago as a senator that would sit in the Nationals party room. "If Jacinta wanted to sit in the Liberal party room she could have stood for a Liberal seat just a week ago. Why didn't she?" NSW Liberal senator James Paterson was another who took to social media, sending her a "welcome home" message. The ABC understands a mooted unity leadership ticket with Mr Taylor and Senator Nampijinpa Price could backfire among moderate and undecided MPs, not least as she had never been a member of the Liberals nor sat in any of its meetings. The deputy position is also held by a lower-house member. Senator Nampijinpa Price drew nationwide attention after becoming a leading No campaigner during the 2023 Voice referendum and has been an important fundraising figure across branches in the lead up to the campaign. However, she was blamed for helping derail defeated opposition leader Peter Dutton's efforts to distance himself from Donald Trump's politics after telling reporters she wanted to "make Australia great again". Photographs on Facebook of Senator Nampijinpa Price wearing a MAGA cap at Christmas were also widely distributed during the campaign. "Angus's economics and Jacinta's Trumpism have been rejected," said the top Liberal source. In a statement late on Thursday, Liberal leaders said the party would meet at 10am on Tuesday in Canberra to elect a leader of the opposition and a deputy. "In relation to electorates where the outcome is uncertain and counting continues, the federal director of the Liberal Party is tasked with determining which members and candidates are projected to win and therefore who can participate," they said in a statement. "With a bias towards enfranchisement, we have asked Andrew Hirst to make these determinations by 10am on Monday … to ensure appropriate travel arrangements can be facilitated."
