NEWS GALAXY
THURSDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2009
Reuters-President Barack Obama
and Canada’s Prime Minister
Stephen on Parliament Hill
Raja Petra seeks review of
decision on judge’s recusel
Malaysian government faces
critical by-elections
Group confronts Karpal
Slum Dog-8 Oscar Award
Winning Movie
www.newsgalaxy.com.my
NEWS IN YOUR FINGER TIPS
Director Danny Boyle with “Slumdog” Kids Reuters
MUMBAI (Reuters Life!) – The two main child actors from
"Slumdog Millionaire" are to receive new homes from the
authorities after the small-budget movie swept the Oscars,
winning eight Academy Awards. The Mumbai homes will go to
Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail, who played the young roles
of the movie's central characters, Latika and Salim, in the
rags-to-riches romance about a poor Indian boy competing for
love and money on a TV game show. "These two children
have brought laurels to the country, and we have been told
that they live in slums, which cannot even be classified as
housing," said Gautam Chatterjee, head of the state-run Main child actors from “Slumdog Millionaire”
Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority. But since the Oscars, India's media has been caught
Authorities did not say where the home would be only that in a patriotic frenzy and politicians have jumped on
there would be apartments and near a "prime location." the bandwagon to praise Indians involved in the film.
Ali, 8, currently lives in a tiny hovel in a rubbish strewn Boyle and producer Christian Colson have flatly
slum near railway tracks in India's financial hub. Ismail sleeps rejected claims of exploiting children for the movie.
under a polythene sheet-covered roof in the same slum. Open They said the children were paid above local Indian
sewers run nearby and both homes have no running water. wages and enrolled in school for the first time with a
The movie, based in Mumbai, took home eight awards from fund set up to pay for their education, medical
the Oscars including best picture and best director for Britain's emergencies and "basic living costs."
Danny Boyle. But in the leadup to Sunday's Oscars, the Fox Searchlight Pictures, the 20th Century
movie's success around the globe was overshadowed by Film Fox studio behind the film, paid for visas, travel
objections in India to its name which some Indians find and accommodation for nine children to fly to
offensive, its depiction of the lives of impoverished Indians, Los Angeles for the Oscars.
and the treatment of the cast.There was an outcry after
pictures emerged of the child stars living in squalor despite
“These two children have brought laurels to the
the $15 million movie earning about $100 million since its
North American release last November. country, and we have been told that they live in slums,
which cannot even be classified as housing,"
NEWS...
NEWS GALAXY,26 FEBUARY2009

Obama tells Canada he favors free trade

RAJA PETRA SEEKS REVIEW OF
DECISION ON JUDGE'S RECUSAL
OTTAWA – On his maiden voyage outside U.S. borders as president, Barack
Obama sought to reassure free-trading Canadians that his country is not PUTRAJAYA, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Today
cultivating a protectionist streak as its economy tanks and hemorrhages jobs. editor Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin has sought a
"I want to grow trade and not contract it," Obama declared Thursday during a review of Tuesday's Federal Court decision in refusing
quick visit to court warmer relations with America's snowy northern neighbor. to recuse Justice Datuk Augustine Paul from hearing
the Home Minister's appeal against his release from
The president stuck to his pledge to eventually seek changes in the 1994 North American Free Trade detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Agreement to increase enforcement of labor and environmental standards. But he said he intends to do so in He filed the motion under Rule 137 of the Federal
a way "that is not disruptive to the extraordinarily important trade relationships that exist between the United Court Rules 1995 through Messrs Mathews Hun
States and Canada." Kandiah at the Federal Court Registry here at 4pm
His host, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said he might be willing to negotiate but not by "opening today.
the whole NAFTA and unraveling what is a very complex agreement." Canada is the United States' largest On Tuesday, a panel of two judges -- Datuk Nik
trading partner and with $1.5 billion in trade between the two nations, they have the largest trading Hashim Nik Ab Rahman and Datuk Zulkefli Ahmad
relationship in the world. Makinuddin -- ruled that Raja Petra's application to
Harper sounded a similar warning on a "Buy American" clause that Congress added to the $787 billion recuse justice Paul was without any merit.
economic stimulus package that Obama signed this week. "We expect the United States to adhere to its Lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar who acted for Raja Petra
international obligations," Harper said. "I can't emphasize how important it is that we do that." had argued in court then that the application for
Obama's seven-hour visit north of the border was marked by throngs of Obama-happy crowds and an eager recusal could not be heard by two judges since Section
welcome from Harper. The Conservative leader had been close to former President George W. Bush, 74 of the Courts of Judicature Act requires the sitting of
personally and on policy. But he made clear with a few subtle jabs backward that he was casting his and his three Federal Court judges.
country's lot now with the vastly more popular Obama. In his new motion, Raja Petra also sought another
"As we all know, one of President Obama's big missions is to continue world leadership by the United States panel of judges -- excluding justices Nik Hashim, Paul
of America, but in a way that is more collaborative," Harper said, an apparent reference to Bush's go-it-alone and Zulkefli -- to hear the review application and his
diplomatic style. appeal which was scheduled to be heard on Monday
He added: "We now have a partner on the North American continent that will provide leadership to the world be adjourned pending the determination of the motion.
on the climate change issue. And I think that's an important development." Raja Petra, 58, was arrested under the ISA on Sept 12,
Obama also delighted the Canadian public. Many spent hours on buses to come to the snowy capital in 2008 and later sent to the Kamunting detention camp
hopes of just a glimpse, and a large crowd outside Parliament erupted in a deafening cheer at the sight of in Taiping, Perak. On Nov 7, High Court Judge Datuk
only a brief wave from Obama. Likewise, he made shopkeepers happy with an impromptu stop at an indoor Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad granted him a writ of
market to pick up pastries and souvenirs for his daughters. habeas corpus after holding that the detention under
Obama returned the feelings of good will. Section 8 of the Act did not come within the scope of
"I love this country and think that we could not have a better friend and ally," he said at Harper's side inside that section.
Gothic Parliament Hill. He later slipped slightly as he walked to his plane and joked that the weather reminded
him of his home in Chicago. -- BERNAMA

___
Associated Press writers Rob Gillies and Ben Feller contributed to this report.
NEWS... NEWS GALAXY,26 FEBUARY2009

Malaysian Government Faces GROUP CONFRONTS KARPAL

Critical By-Elections
In the House, Karpal Singh raised the matter
immediately.
He said he was blocked by about 15 Umno men who
acted like gangsters and who told him to apologise or
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26, 2009 (AFP) - Malaysia's
else he could not go into the House.
coalition government faces two critical by-elections in
“(How) Can such a thing happen in Parliament?” he
April, which the opposition Friday said would be a
exclaimed.
"referendum" on Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak's
Karpal Singh said that he called the (in-house) police
leadership.
for help but no one came to his aid except for his party
The Election Commission said the votes, one in Perak
members.
state for a seat in the national parliament and the
Face of fury: Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong), the “What protection as a Speaker will you give us?” he
other for the state assembly in Kedah, would be held
son of Karpal Singh (DAP - Bukit Gelugor), being asked.
on April 7.
restrained by security personnel as he confronts Umno Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia replied that such
Analysts have also said the polls will be seen as a
Youth members who had gone to Parliament House threats were not condoned in Parliament and that he
referendum on the Barisan Nasional coalition, which
and surrounded his father, demanding an apology for would ask the police and the relevant Minister in the
wrested control of Perak after the opposition alliance
Karpal Singh's accusations against the wing a day Prime Minister’s Department to investigate
was hit by four defections.
earlier. - Pix by AZMAN Chong asked whether investigations could be carried
"It will be an opportunity for the people to make a
out immediately since the guards were still at the
judgement. It will definitely be a referendum on Najib's
entrance.
leadership as he was the architect in the illegal power
A GROUP of 22 men claiming to be Selangor Umno During the debate on Wednesday, Karpal Singh had
grab," Lim Kit Siang, parliamentary leader of the
Youth members confronted DAP chairman Karpal uttered the word celaka against Umno Youth and also
Democratic Action Party, told AFP
Singh just outside the Parliament tower block yester- pointed the finger at the wing for the “bullets and
Najib, who is also the finance minister, is expected to
day. threatening letter” he had received in Penang.
become prime minister after the March end annual
In the 2.45pm incident, the men surrounded the Bukit The confrontation was the latest in a “series of threats”
gathering of the United Malays National Organisation
Gelugor MP, shouting and demanding that he retract levelled against the outspoken MP, who had riled
(UMNO), which leads the Barisan Nasional.
the word celaka which he had used in reference to some quarters for his statement that the Sultan of
Lim later criticised the Election Commission for fixing
Umno Youth during his debate speech on Wednes- Perak could be taken to court for his role in the Perak
the by-elections after the UMNO meeting, saying it
day. crisis.
serves "UMNO interests".
"The Election Commission should reconsider to fix Unlike other MPs, Karpal Singh – who is wheelchair-
earlier by-election dates to demonstrate that it is not bound – uses the ramp at the tower block to enter the
beholden to any political party's dictates" he said. Parliament building.