Thailand parliament dissolved

Thailand parliament dissolved
Thai PM says parliament to be dissolved
Kim Jong-Un’s uncle sacked for ‘criminal’ acts
Thai opposition protesters prepare for ‘final showdown’
Fans welcome online ticket sale
Tai upholds M’sia’s dignity by winning gold medal

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 07:01 PM PST

BANGKOK: Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced the dissolution of the lower house of parliament just over an hour before anti-government protesters marched to the Government House.

"Let the people decide who should govern the country," she said in a televised announcement this morning that caught many by surprise.

She urged all political parties to participate in the election.

However, that may not fully satisfy the leader of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), Suthep Taughsuban, who does not want Yingluck to head the caretaker government and instead wants a people council to govern the country during the interim period.

Thousands of anti-government protesters had already gathered at nine points in the capital this morning, causing worsening traffic jams in some areas.

Many in the capital had decided to take boats as a mode of transportation to work or to participate in the demonstration.

They are scheduled to march to the Government House, which is Yingluck's office at about 9.39am and expected to arrive there around midday, and along the way waving Thailand flags and blowing whistles. – Bernama

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Thai PM says parliament to be dissolved

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 06:51 PM PST

Posted on December 9, 2013, Monday

BANGKOK: Thailand's embattled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced early Monday that parliament would be dissolved as anti-government protesters kicked off a major rally in the capital.

"After consultation with many parties, I have submitted a royal decree requesting parliament be dissolved," she said in a nationally televised speech. – AFP

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Kim Jong-Un’s uncle sacked for ‘criminal’ acts

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 04:50 PM PST

SEOUL: North Korea has said leader Kim Jong-Un's uncle was removed from office for committing "criminal" acts and for leading a "counter-revolutionary faction", state news agency KCNA reported Monday.

Jang Song-Thaek, seen as the regent to the young Kim, was relieved of all posts and titles for allegedly building a power base to challenge the leadership of the communist state, the North's state media said.

South Korea's spy agency said last week that Jang had apparently been purged and two associates executed, in what would be the biggest shake-up since Kim came to power in December 2011 after the death of his father.

After a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee on Sunday, the ruling Workers' Party confirmed that it had "eliminated Jang and purged his group, unable to remain an onlooker to its acts any longer", a report of the gathering carried on KCNA said.

In a stark warning to detractors, the regime said it removed Jang and his associates for seeking to build a faction within Kim Jong-Un's party, appointing his followers to the party ranks to serve his own political ambitions.

"The Jang Song-Thaek group… committed such anti-party, counter-revolutionary factional acts as gnawing at the unity and cohesion of the party," the Workers' Party report said, according to KCNA. It sought to paint Jang, married to the sister of Kim's father, Kim Jong-Il, as a depraved, corruption-addled drug-user who had "improper relations" with women and gambled in overseas casinos after becoming "affected by the capitalist way of living".

"Jang pretended to uphold the party and leader but was engrossed in such factional acts as dreaming different dreams and involving himself in double-dealing behind the scene," the report said.

"Prompted by his politically motivated ambition, he tried to increase his force and build his base…. Jang and his followers committed criminal acts baffling imagination and they did tremendous harm to our party and revolution."

The report accused him of a litany of other misdemeanours including hindering North Korea's state-run iron and fertiliser industries by selling off its resources at cheap prices and "throwing the state financial management system into confusion". – AFP

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Thai opposition protesters prepare for ‘final showdown’

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 04:22 PM PST

BANGKOK: Thailand's strife-hit capital is bracing on Monday for fresh opposition protests described as "judgement day" by demonstrators seeking to overthrow the embattled premier, despite her offer of early elections.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has faced more than a month of rallies by demonstrators, sometimes numbering in their tens of thousands, who want to suspend the country's democracy in favour of an unelected "People's Council".

Thai opposition lawmakers resigned en masse from parliament on Sunday, deepening the kingdom's political crisis.

The protesters are united in their loathing for Yingluck's brother Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire telecoms tycoon turned populist politician who was ousted by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago.

His overthrow ushered in years of political turmoil and sometimes bloody street protests by the royalist "Yellow Shirts" and the rival pro-Thaksin "Red Shirts".

Tensions remain high in the kingdom following several days of street clashes as police used tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets against rock-throwing demonstrators.

The unrest has left five people dead and more than 200 injured and the fear is that the fresh protests could bring fresh violence.

Demonstrators and police have observed a temporary truce since Wednesday for the 86th birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is treated as a near-deity by many Thais.

With turnout dwindling, protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has called for a final push on Monday to bring down the government.

"We want you to come out and march in every road. We will not go home empty-handed," he said in a speech to supporters late on Sunday, calling for the world's biggest-ever rally.

The former deputy premier, who now faces an arrest warrant for insurrection, has vowed to surrender to the authorities unless enough people join the march to the government headquarters.

Thailand's political conflict broadly pits a Bangkok-based middle class and royalist elite backed by the military against rural and working-class voters loyal to Thaksin.

The former premier went into exile in 2008 to avoid jail for a corruption conviction which he says was politically motivated.

Pro-Thaksin parties have won every election in more than a decade, and Yingluck on Sunday renewed her offer of elections if the protesters — a mix of royalists, middle class Thais and other Thaksin opponents — agree to respect the democratic process.

The protest leaders, however, have said that they would not be satisfied with new elections.

The opposition Democrat Party — which said Sunday its roughly 150 MPs were quitting because they could not achieve anything in parliament — has not won an elected majority in about two decades.

New concrete barriers have been put in place around the government headquarters ahead of the planned protest, but unlike in previous demonstrations, security officials said barbed wire would not be used.

"The police will keep up negotiations and to try avoid any injury or death," said national police spokesman Piya Utayo, urging protesters to respect the law.

The demonstrations were triggered by an amnesty bill, since dropped by Yingluck's ruling party, which opponents feared would have cleared the way for her brother Thaksin's return.

They are the biggest and deadliest street demonstrations since 2010, when dozens of people were killed in a military crackdown on mass pro-Thaksin Red Shirt rallies in Bangkok. – AFP

Fans welcome online ticket sale

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 12:51 PM PST

by Matthew T. Umpang reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on December 9, 2013, Monday

KUCHING: Fans have welcomed the decision by Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) to introduce online ticket sale.

Sarawak Football Fans Club (SFFC) president Peter Moni is one who fully endorses the move.

"Now that our team is doing well it is normal that fans start filling up the stadium. But it's sad when we hear fans getting injured just because they wanted a place in the the stadium to cheer for the team," he said.

Sarawak fans should benefit from online ticketing which are widely practised in top European football countries.

According to FAS president Datu Sudarsono Osman who spoke to reporters last week, the initiative is also vital.

"Sarawak might well be the first team in the Super League that implements online ticket booking. We have to resort to this alternative to give all fans a fair chance to buy match tickets," he explained.

He also encouraged fans to buy season tickets to avoid queueing up and run the risk of missing out on matches.

Chaos occurred all too often at ticketing venues when Malaysia Cup fever struck in the just concluded 2013 season.

A few shops selling tickets at a local shopping complex had to close temporarily out of fear of frustrated fans who failed to get tickets.

An intitiative by FAS to solve the problem by selling the tickets at Stadium Negeri too backfired when fans went on a mad rush there only for many to vent their anger the moment tickets were sold out.

For the coming season, online ticket sales will only be available for home matches.

Season tickets are priced at RM1,500 (corporate), RM500 (roofed terrace) and RM300 (open terrace).

Individual tickets will cost RM35 (grand stand), RM20 (roofed terrace) and RM15 (open terrace).

FAS will reveal the online links via their official website soon.

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Tai upholds M’sia’s dignity by winning gold medal

Posted: 08 Dec 2013 12:49 PM PST

NAYPYITAW (Myanmar): The 999 stamp on gold jewellery indicates fine gold or the purest you can get. National wushu athlete Tai Cheau Xuen is probably the closest to such perfection in her sport discipline.

At the Myanmar SEA Games today, she stamped her mark in the women's Nandao event and upheld Malaysia's dignity to clinch the nation's second gold medal.

Tai's feat has contributed to the country's 999th medal since Malaysia joined the games in 1959.

The Negeri Sembilan-born collected 9.69 points to beat seven others in the competition which took place at the Wunna Theikdi A Closed Stadium here.

The silver medal went to host participant, Aint Mi Mi who garnered 9.67 points while the bronze was won by Juwita Niza Washi Washi of Indonesia (9.65 points).

Meanwhile, Malaysia's primary hope for the event, Diana Bong Siong Lin was forced to be content with 9.23 points in seventh place when she fell due to dehydration after suffering from diarrhoea over the past three days.

Yesterday, Diana was the first Malaysian athlete to contribute a gold medal for the country, via the women's Nanquan event.

Four silver medals from Malaysia's wushu squad today, were contributed by Ng Say Yoke (Men's Gunshu), Ho Mun Hua (Men's Nanquan), Ho Mun Hua/Wong Weng Son Wong/ Lee Yang (Men's Duilian) and Ng Shin Yii (Women's Taijijian).

Tai, 23, said she was ecstatic at contributing Malaysia's 999th medal and hoped it would bring luck to her and the national Wushu squad.

"All my efforts have borne fruit with the gold medal today, and I hope that tomorrow, I can contribute another medal, regardless of colour," she told reporters here yesterday. — Bernama

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