 |
 |
 |
Vol. XLVIII No. 10, 2010-06-06 |
|
|
| "ISLAM IS THE SOLUTION," A QUESTION MARK |
|
Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt is facing a law suit to defend the constitutional validity of its motto “Islam is the Solution.” MB leader Abdallah el-Bahrawi maintained that all candidates, including those from the ruling National Democratic Party, used religious mottos referring to Quranic verses which are cited during their campaigns. El-Bahrawi added, “Several court rulings confirmed that the Brotherhood’s slogan conforms to the Constitution.” However, Geh...  |
| |
| |
| |
| RIGGING A NATIONAL NECESSITY IN EGYPT |
|
|
A ruling party’s leader in Egypt justifies rigging as a national necessity. It may be a prelude to an intentional rigging in the upcoming elections. National Democratic Party MP, Dr. Mustafa Elfiqi, head of the parliament’s International Relations Committee, argued that rigging elections is a national necessity and may very well take place in upcoming parliamentary elections! Dr. Elfiqi justified that while an intellectual may be suitable to take responsibility and serve... |
| |
| |
| |
| BRITISH MINISTERS WANT TROOPS OUT |
|
|
Senior British cabinet ministers, led by new Foreign Secretary William Hague, arrived in Afghanistan with a warning that Britain wants to withdraw its troops as soon as possible. Hague Defence Secretary Liam Fox and International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell are set to meet President Hamid Karzai in their first visit to the country since the coalition government took power in London this month. Hague described Afghanistan – where around 10,000 British troops are helping fight a... |
| |
| |
| |
| MORALLY WRONG, LEGALLY RIGHT |
|
|
The controversial sale of 500 low-cost flats in Malaysia to Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) officers is morally wrong although it is legally right, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said. On the legal point, he said there was nothing wrong since there the transaction was on a willing-buyer willing-seller basis. However, Khalid said, there was a moral issue involved because questions arose how people with household incomes of more than RM2,500 monthly were offered homes meant for ... |
| |
| |
| |
| MALAYSIANS CONSUME MORE FUEL |
|
|
Malaysians are one of the highest fuel consumers in the region where even price increases have not deterred motorists. Since 2004, they have consumed more than 400 litres per capita annually, which is much more than Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, China and India. Singapore, which was ranked second among the list of six countries, only consumed 250 litres per capita in 2007. India and China consumed under 50 litres per capita in 2007, according to data collated from the Finance Ministry, Dome... |
| |
| |
| |
| PAUSE GULF MONETARY UNION |
|
Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Sabah said the eurozone crisis had convinced Gulf states to “pause” for reflection in their push toward a monetary union. He further opined that it would be “irresponsible” for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to push ahead without studying the implications of the problems in Europe. “There are a lot of lessons, (so) that we should pause,” he said. The decision to ease the push toward a regional single currenc... |
| |
| |
| |
| PUBLIC DEBT OFFICE IN DUBAI |
|
Dubai will set up a public debt management office to monitor and manage the Emirate’s debts in line with the one being planned on a federal level, Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai’s Supreme Fiscal Committee of Dubai, said. While at the federal level, urgent steps are being taken to address the gaps in the UAE’s legal and regulatory infrastructure, Dubai’s Supreme Fiscal Committee, which was set up to oversee the emirate’s fiscal policies, wi... |
| |
| |
| |
| GCC SUPPORTS IRAN N-ISSUE |
|
The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council supported the efforts of Turkey and Brazil to find a peaceful solution to Iran’s nuclear standoff with the West. It also emphasised the right of countries in the region to use nuclear power for peaceful purposes within the framework of international agreements. In a final communiqué issued by GCC foreign ministers following their meeting in Jeddah, the group emphasised the need to keep the Middle East – including Is... |
| |
| |
| |
| DUBAI SHARI'AH COURT |
|
Four new judges were sworn in before Justice Minister Hadef Bin Ju’an Al-Dhaheri marking the start of their new assignments at the Federal Shari’ah Court of First Instance. Farhan Eissa Falah Al-Qudha, Mousa Mohammed Al-Mousa Al-Badarneh, Saud Mohammed Farhan Al-Salameen and Dr. Rashid Mohammed were appointed by a recent federal decree by President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Minister Al-Dhaheri urged the new judges to enforce the constitution and effective laws and to b... |
| |
| |
| |
| AID CONVOY FOR GAZA |
|
The biggest attempt by international aid groups to break the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip has gotten underway. Nine ships under the banner, Freedom Flotilla, began their journey to Gaza despite warnings from Israel that they will be stopped for “breaching Israeli law”. The vessels are carrying 5,000 tonnes of reconstruction materials, school supplies and medical equipment. The biggest of the nine ships set off from Istanbul, Turkey, heading ... |
| |
| |
| |
| HOLY SITES TRAIN |
|
Habeeb Al-Abideen, Deputy Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs of Saudi Arabia, has said that the Holy Sites Train will undergo its first test run in 60 days’ time in Arafat. Al-Abideen said that work was currently being conducted on the two electric stations for the train and that their supply current would be available “within a few weeks”. “It’s a high speed train raised on single-support columns and passes down the centre of the road,” the deputy m... |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
