Day: November 12, 2016

No proof Soros foundation funding anti-government agenda, deputy home minister says

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

Billionaire investor George Soros of Soros Fund Management, January 26, 2013. — Reuters pic

Billionaire investor George Soros of Soros Fund Management, January 26, 2013. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 ― The police have not found any evidence to support allegations that American billionaire George Soros was funding Malaysian civil societies to undermine Putrajaya.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the Open Society Foundations (OSF) founded by Soros has been supporting environment-related programmes here for the past decade, The Star Online reported this evening.

“Police have not found any proof to show that OSF or NGOs in Malaysia are using foreign funds to organise activities that threaten the nation’s peace,” Nur Jazlan was quoted saying in Johor Baru.

However, the Pulai MP said the police will continue their investigations, adding that action would be taken against non-governmental organisations found to misuse the funds for political purposes. Read more →

TPPA’s fate to be determined at APEC meeting in Peru next week

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Source: NST Online

TPPA-copy

TUMPAT: The fate of the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact will be determined at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit to be held in Peru next week, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

He said Malaysia was disappointed with US President Barack Obama’s administration for suspending efforts to win congressional approval for the Asian free-trade deal before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Read more →

PM wants resolution to Sabah’s mistaken ‘bin’, ‘binti’ identities

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 12 ― Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants to see an end to identity problem plaguing non-Muslim Sabahans whose names include the “bin” and “binti” titles commonly associated with Muslims.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) national chairman assured Sabahans that the government had no hidden agenda to furtively convert non-Muslims, adding that it was not an Islamic practice to force people to change their religions against their will.

“There is no compulsion in Islam. It’s the little Napoleans down the line that create these problems. Sometimes people interpret it wrongly,” he said in his speech during the Liberal Democratic Party congress here this afternoon.

“We must find ways to solve this problem,” he added, without elaborating how.

Najib said it was both a confusing but very unique characteristic in east Malaysia for the names to not denote religion. Read more →

Obama administration suspends TPP trade deal vote effort

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Source: The Straits Times

TPPA - TRP file pic

TPPA – TRP file pic

WASHINGTON (REUTERS) – US President Barack Obama’s administration has suspended its efforts to win congressional approval for his Asian free-trade deal before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, saying on Friday that TPP’s fate was up to Trump and Republican lawmakers.

Administration officials also said Obama would try to explain the situation to leaders of the 11 other countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact next week when he attends a regional summit in Peru.

Obama’s cabinet secretaries and the US Trade Representative’s office had been lobbying lawmakers for months to pass the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership deal in the post-election, lame-duck session of Congress. However, Trump’s stunning election victory that sends him to the White House in January and retains Republican majorities in Congress has stymied those plans. “We have worked closely with Congress to resolve outstanding issues and are ready to move forward, but this is a legislative process and it’s up to congressional leaders as to whether and when this moves forward,” USTR spokesman Matt McAlvanah said in a statement. Read more →