MALAYSIAN PM TO MEET BN MP's

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said he would meet the 138 Government (Barisan Nasional) Member of Parliments on Saturday to find out about the progress in their respective constituencies.
He said the meeting was related to the political transformation progress announced last year. “I need to tell them what to do and I need to know their views and the situations in each of their parliamentary constituency,” he said here Friday.

• Asked if the meeting was a prelude to the 13th General Election, Najib who is also Barisan chairman said: “Everything is geared towards the general election. We want to be re-elected. We want to serve the people. First of all, we have to serve the people and let the people decide.”
• Najib will meet with each BN MP for five minutes on saturday. With 137 MPs, the meetings will be over 11 hours so it could drag into Sunday.
• The 13th general election is widely expected to be held in the first quarter of this year during the March school holidays but BN is now said to be considering to hold it much later when a slew of economic projects start to boost the local economy.

During a recent cabinet meeting, it was agreed that the elections may be held during the second week of June. If not, it might be pushed to November. However recent developments have prompted lawmakers intent to serve out their term lobby for elections to be held next year instead.
Najib’s advisors are pressing for the election to be held in early June due to fears that a predicted slow global economy could affect the local economy in the third quarter.

• Asked on claims that a Cabinet minister has been accused of an alleged rape in 2007, Najib said: “The question is why now.”
• “He (the accused) has made his statement. He stands by his statement. He is willing to be investigated. Let the process takes its course and we cannot prejudge and pronounce anything against someone unless proper investigation is done.”

Source: The Star