US PRESIDENCY COMICS HIGHLIGHT PART 2

LIEBERMAN SPANKED BY POWER - MAD DEMOCRATS

The New York Times: The political status of Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut was indefinite on Thursday after he met with Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic majority leader, to discuss Mr. Lieberman’s support of Senator John McCain, the Republican candidate for president.
Mr. Lieberman, a one-time Democrat who became an independent, could be stripped of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Although neither he nor Mr. Reid addressed that issue after their meeting, the Associated Press reported later that an aide to Mr. Reid said the majority leader was considering having Lieberman removed.
“I’m thinking about what my options are,” Mr. Lieberman said.Mr. Reid issued a statement notably lacking in warmth in which he called the meeting “the first of what I expect to be several conversations.”
“No decisions have been made,” Mr. Reid said. “While I understand that Senator Lieberman has voted with Democrats a majority of the time, his comments and actions have raised serious concerns among many in our caucus. I expect there to be additional discussions in the days to come, and Senator Lieberman and I will speak to our caucus in two weeks to discuss further steps.”
Connecticut Democrats are scheduled to meet on Dec. 17 to decide whether the state party should censure Mr. Lieberman, the A.P. said.
Mr. Lieberman and the Senate’s other independent, Bernard Sanders of Vermont, vote with the Democratic caucus on most occasions and have given the Democrats what amounts to a 51-to-49 majority. With three races still undecided, the new Senate is certain to have gained at least six more Democrats, so Mr. Lieberman’s vote will not be as important to the Democrats’ hold on control.
Mr. Lieberman has ridden a remarkable roller-coaster, politically speaking. As Vice President Al Gore’s running mate in 2000, he came close to being elected vice president on the Democratic ticket. But he lost the Connecticut Democratic primary in 2006, in large part because of his support for the war in Iraq. Then, with some of his former Democratic colleagues probably wishing he would fade away peacefully, Mr. Lieberman won re-election as an independent.
Mr. Lieberman’s split with his former party seemed all but complete with his support this year for Mr. McCain, and the speculation that Mr. McCain seriously considered naming him as his running mate.

THE KING OF BLOGGER RAJA PETRA, RELEASED

SHAH ALAM, FRI:
The Shah Alam High Court today ordered the release of Raja Petra Kamarudin, an ISA detainee, from the Kamunting detention centre following his habeas corpus application.
The Malaysia Today editor was detained under ISA in September. He was ordered to be detained for two years after he was considered a threat to national security over his articles published in his website.He is to be brought to the court today to facilitate his release.

Abdul Razak Baginda, has also been freed earlier. Free from the murder of poor Altantuya Shariibuu.

They said, the coming days would indeed be very exciting.

THE PIPELINE KIMANIS-BINTULU IS ON - MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER

PUTRAJAYA: A Sabah Barisan Nasional component party is unhappy with the Federal Government’s decision to give Petronas the go-ahead to build a gas pipeline. Its president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok plans to bring this matter up with the Cabinet on Friday.
Dompok, who is United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) president said the party is unhappy with the decision, claiming that a majority of Sabahans are unhappy too.
As he sits in at Cabinet meetings in his capacity as the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Dompok said he would raise the issue with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Friday.
“I don’t see how the project will benefit Sabahans except for the landowners whose property are bought over to make way for the gas pipes.
“Sabah is an oil and gas producing state but there is no related activity whatsoever; there is no refinery, no university and no petrochemical or other related industry.
“The industry is good for the state’s economy which is overly dependent on oil palm plantation and tourism. We need to be more diverse. Oil and gas is right before us and we should capitalise on it,” he told reporters Tuesday after launching the Education Services Commission website.
On Nov 1, Abdullah confirmed that the Petronas gas pipeline from Sabah to Sarawak would go on, despite an earlier decision to scrap it.The 500km pipeline from Kimanis to Bintulu, worth RM1.5bil is expected to be operational in 2011.
Asked if he would be getting support from the Sabah government to “fight” this issue, Dompok said: “There is no support from the state government. As for my colleagues from other parties in Sabah, they should know what to do.
“Even though this matter has been decided upon, I will still bring it up with the Cabinet again,” he said of the project.

On the same token, Abdullah said Sabah would get its fair share of gas supply from Kimanis and that its electricity needs would be met.He said fears that Sabah would lose out on revenue because of the shipping of gas from Kimanis to Sarawak were unfounded."If the resource is from Sabah...the state will get the revenue due to it," he said.On prices of goods, he said the government's call to hypermarkets to reduce prices was only an initial step following the drop in world oil prices.He said the people must also do their part by shopping wisely which will have the effect of more traders bringing their prices down

ANWAR TO OBAMA - CONGRATULATION FOR THE WIND OF CHANGE

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYISA:

What started as an improbable dream and an audacious hope is now a reality. Barack Obama’s decisive victory signals a new chapter in the history of America. His call for unity and his promise to forge a new direction in the relationship between the United States and the rest of the world is welcomed by Malaysians.
The support that President-elect Obama draws from across racial, religious and generational lines parallels the sentiments felt by Malaysians from all walks of life who earlier this year cast votes in vehement opposition to the failed policies of an incumbent regime.
His connection to the region and his empathy for the developing world, particularly Asia and Africa, give optimism and hope for greater cooperation and compassion, especially during this period of economic uncertainty. Nations which have been at odds with the United States may now find opportunities to cooperate on issues of foreign policy, sustainable development and the environment.
His administration also brings renewed prospects for engagement between the United States and Muslim countries. Some of the most contentious issues of our time including the ongoing conflicts and confrontations in the Middle East require a commitment to diplomacy, a willingness to engage in a meaningful dialogue and a departure from the aggressive unilateralism witnessed in recent years. In this we anticipate that President-elect Obama will show leadership where previous administrations have failed.
Leaders are judged by the substance and execution of their policies and not the symbolism of their campaigns. We congratulate President-elect Obama and his Vice President-elect Joseph Biden on this auspicious occasion and wish them well in the movement for change and reform.

ANWAR IBRAHIM - Malaysian Opposition Chief

SABAH’S POVERTY RATE DOWN TO 16%

According to Sabah Chief Ministe Datuk Seri Musa. Sabah’s overall poverty rate has dropped to 16 per cent as compared to 23 per cent in 2004 based on the Ninth Malaysia Plan mid-term review. Disclosing this, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman said the hardcore poverty rate too recorded a decline to 3.7 per cent as compared to 6.5 per cent four years ago.
“For the state government, this is an encouraging achievement resulting from the various strategies and programmes implemented to address poverty all this while,” he said after chairing the People’s Development Scheme and Poverty Eradication Steering Committee meeting here yesterday.
Musa who is also Finance Minister said efforts to eradicate hardcore poverty in the state would continue through the “Hardcore Poor Eradication Roadmap”, implemented at the beginning of the 9MP period.
“The Roadmap contains various programmes and already implemented in at least 15 districts have brought positive results,” he said. Apart from that, he said the Rural Development Ministry and agencies like Ko-Nelayan, Rural Development Corporation (KPD) and Yayasan Usaha Maju have also contributed toward the cut in hardcore poverty rate.
Musa added that under the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC), the state government through the Rural Development Ministry has also proposed the implementation of several new Agropolitan projects such as the one implemented in Banggi Island.
The agropolitan project, he said, was among the most effective in addressing poverty. The Chief Minister also announced that the federal government has allocated RM370 million for the Agropolitan projects in 2009 and 2010.
‘And, among other matters which need attention is the need to give priority to the construction and completion of houses under the Housing Aid programme,” he said. He said the allocation for this programme needed to be increased every year based on the disclosure by the 9MP Technical Group that 1,000 units of home would be built every year.
“The cost of construction was estimated at RM40,000 following a review recently but what is more important is that the allocation and the additional funds for each year must be channelled in the early part of the year to ensure the entire allocation is utilised during that year,” he said.
Musa added that the state government was aware that an allocation of more than RM13 million would be channelled by the Implementation Coordinating Unit in the Prime Minister’s Department to the State Development Office for this purpose.
“But the worry is the allocation may not be utilised fully and will encounter payment problem, thus jeopardising the allocation to build such homes for 2009,” he explained. Also present in the meeting were Deputy Chief Ministers Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Datuk Yahya Hussin as well as State Secretary Datuk Sukarti Wakiman.

Obama becomes first black president in landslide

Change has Come To America

WASHINGTON – Barack Obama swept to victory as the nation's first black president Tuesday night in an electoral college landslide that overcame racial barriers as old as America itself.
The son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, the Democratic senator from Illinois sealed his historic triumph by defeating Republican Sen. John McCain in a string of wins in hard-fought battleground states — Ohio, Florida, Virginia and Iowa.
A huge crowd in Grant Park in Obama's home town of Chicago erupted in jubilation at the news of his victory. Some wept.
McCain called his former rival to concede defeat — and the end of his own 10-year quest for the White House. "The American people have spoken, and spoken clearly," McCain told disappointed supporters in Arizona.
Obama and his running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, will take their oaths of office as president and vice president on Jan. 20, 2009.

Mr. Obama, 47, a first-term Democratic senator from Illinois, defeated Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, a former prisoner of war who was making his second bid for the presidency. Mr. McCain, 72, conceded the race in a speech to his supporters shortly after 11:15 p.m. Eastern time.

Comments

By JakesTake, November 4 at 9:41 pm #
It is our time. Let’s live up to Barack’s call. Our work is not over. It has now really just begun. And I’m so thankful for the opportunity. Report this

By KDelphi, November 4 at 9:40 pm #
Congratulations Dems! kath--Buy ME a beer!! LOL An Austrailian one--US beers suck anymore!
Hell, I am technically a Dem.
I disagree with him on alot--but I wil not take anything away from the Dems tonight.
PLEEZE do this right. The moment is pregnant!(Strange phrase) Report this

By G.Anderson, November 4 at 9:07 pm #
A great day… for our country and our people.....!
Thanks to Robert, and Gore, and everyone who stuck their neck out… The Iraq War is over....

By Inherit The Wind, November 4 at 7:51 pm #
I’ve been doing the math all night...I said to my kid “If Obama wins Ohio, or Florida, or 2 out of 3 of North Carolina, Virginia and Indiana, it’s all over.”
Gotta figure that California, Washington, Oregon, and Hawaii are all going for Obama: That’s 77 votes. As soon as Obama reached 193 electoral vote (and he actually hit 195) it was all over. Currently Obama has 207...but add 77 and it’s 284...It’s all over.
Sadly Mitch McConnell has held on to stay in the Senate.

By ocjim, November 4 at 7:28 pm #
A win for intelligence, principle and hope.
But the Bush plague is still with us until January. Let’s make sure he doesn’t spread global poison before he leaves.

By Aegrus, November 4 at 7:00 pm #
I said it on Super Tuesday. Obama is the next president of the United States of America! Goodbye Neoconservative Doctrine!

THE EPIC OF POVERTY IN SABAH

Briefly let share my favorite topic, “The Epic Of Poverty “ as seen by a Medical Doctor from Ranau.
"During my 2 years in Ranau, I've heard and seen it all, patients with cerebral malaria, a condition unheard of in Peninsular Malaysia, coming in after 48 hours to the hospital from places like Kaingaran and Karagasan, with relatives having to push the 'pirate taxi' through the mud, spending RM50 on fare during the monsoon season, the equivalent of 2 months income, this too when petrol was only around RM1.20 a liter in Ranau.

Patients having to delay treatment for life threatening conditions because a bridge washed away along the trail (I won't even call it a road) to Tambunan. Emergency surgery such as caesarian sections, appendectomies and even ectopic pregnancies had to be performed in our little district hospitals by Medical Officers with little more than 4 months housemanship experience.Medical emergencies such as myocardial infarctions, which in Peninsular Malaysia would be managed in a Coronary Care Unit setting, had to be managed in the district hospital level.

I'm grateful however, that my staff in that hospital were the best I've ever had the pleasure of working with and were dedicated enough to want to make a difference in their patients' lives.But poor transportation does not only affect the access to healthcare. Having no roads to be able to transport their agricultural produce for sale means that these people are stuck in a never ending cycle of poverty.

At most, some of them get RM20 to RM50 by selling their produce to middlemen to be sold at the monthly tamu or market at prices that are perhaps only 10 percent of the value of the goods. These innocent people are also preyed upon by traveling cloth merchants, mostly foreigners, who offer them 'easy payment schemes' to buy cloth for clothes, and when they cannot pay for the cloth and the interest accumulates, they end up having to marry their daughters to these men, who often have wives back home in Pakistan.

One of the cases I could never forget was of the family who came to Ranau Hospital just as I was leaving, a family who had failed crops, were hungry and unable to get food. The father collected some toad eggs and fed them to the whole family in a desperate attempt to stave off hunger. When they arrived at our little emergency room, one of the children were dead and two passed away within 10 minutes of arrival in our casualty unit due to poisoning.

Major towns in Sabah have electricity courtesy of the Sabah Electricity Board, but smaller villages have either diesel generators or rely on candles or lamps when night falls.How can children study in these conditions? Like many doctors in the districts, I had to learn Dusun to communicate better with these patients who could speak little else.By all means, declare Sept 16th a public holiday, but remember it in its real context, where we made a promise to our brethren in Sabah and Sarawak to treat them as equals in Malaysia, and give them the development they've been long denied.”