Two MPs moot confidence motion for Muhyiddin Yassin, 25 against
There are motions of confidence from two government MPs in support of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in the Dewan Rakyat.
Meanwhile, 25 opposition lawmakers have filed motions against the prime minister, according to a draft of the order paper for the Nov 2 sitting of Parliament.
Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil explained that this was subject to change.
“Parliament will send a copy of all the questions and motions we submitted (to the MPs).
The two motions of confidence supporting Muhyiddin are from Shahidan Kassim (BN-Arau) and Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh (PAS-Pasir Puteh).
The motions of no-confidence were filed by Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Ind-Langkawi) and four lawmakers aligned to him, seven MPs from Warisan, Amanah (11), PKR (1), and DAP (1).
Amanah’s Khalid Samad (Shah Alam) and Hanipa Maidin (Sepang) each had two motions of no-confidence to their name in the draft.
Amiruddin Hamzah
The first motion of no confidence, according to the current order, is from Mahathir’s ally Amiruddin Hamzah (Ind-Kubang Pasu) at number 18, followed by Zawawi’s confidence motion.
At present, it is unlikely that the House will debate any of these motions.
Under the Standing Orders, government business is given priority to be debated in the House first – meaning bills for new laws and amendments from the administration go first.
In the current draft, the Lower House is set to first debate amendments to the Cooperatives Act, followed by a bill to form an Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC), and amendments to the Poisons Act.
A bill to debate and pass Budget 2021 is expected to be added later, and Putrajaya may add or withdraw other bills as well.
The Budget debate is scheduled to take place from Nov 9 to Dec 10.
There were reportedly plans to vote down the supply bill as an alternative to a no-confidence motion.
Muhyiddin’s critics claim that this was why he sought an emergency declaration.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong rejected the call for an emergency, and he also advised the MPs to support Budget 2021 and to ensure it passed without hindrance.
Prior to the episode surrounding the move for an emergency, Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah had written to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun, pushing for the no-confidence motion to be debated.
The speaker, in a letter responding to Tengku Razaleigh, argued that any non-government business could only leap over government business if it receives the backing from a minister.
However, according to a video of Azhar that has now gone viral on social media, he had, in 2015, argued that by parliamentary convention, a motion of no confidence must be heard first, even though there is no legal provision for this.
Big, bustling cities teeming with life and bright lights make fantastic places to visit, but small lesser-known villages often make even better ones. That being said, below is our list of the most beautiful villages around the world.
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1. Popeye Village, Malta
In an interesting twist, one of the most beautiful villages around the world is a vamped up ’80s movie set. Abandoned not long after the filming of the 1980 musical Popeye which featured the late comedian Robin Williams, Popeye Village is now home to quaint, colorful clusters of wooden buildings, a company of actors and an array of fun activities to do. Watch shows, go on boat rides, explore the village, visit museums or go wine tasting while the kids romp at the playhouses.
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2. Hallstatt, Austria
Nestled between Hallstätter See and the Dachstein mountains is Hallstatt, Austria’s oldest and perhaps its most photographed village. This stunning European town features beautiful old churches, a subterranean salt lake, a museum with 7,000 year old artifacts and a glass-like lake set against the breath-taking backdrop of soaring mountains.
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3. Simiane La Rotonde, France
Located in the stunning south of France and surrounded by olive groves and lavender fields, this hilltop village is one of the most beautiful towns in the world. Explore the charming village, pass along narrow cobblestone streets and stone houses, admire the centuries old architecture, attend talks on aromatherapy, tour the medieval castle and enjoy the scents and colors from the numerous flowers in the nearby Abbey of Valsaintes garden.
4. Cinque Terre, Italy
Cinque Terre means ‘Five Lands’ in English and is the collective name given to five different fishing villages that each boast stunning coastal and mountain trails as well as beautiful, classic architecture. Cinque Terre offers timeless appeal and a feel of authentic Italy with its rugged coastlines and romantic town area.
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5. Ortahisar, Turkey
Despite its central location Ortahisar has managed to remain largely traditional and mostly slow-paced. Even as surrounding towns increasingly become more and more touristic, Ortahisar remains rustic and charming. Have a drink and a meal in an underground cave bar, marvel at Ortahisar’s looming 78 meter high castle carved from stone and learn more about the underground cave storage where citrus fruits are stashed until they ripen.
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6. Oia, Greece
Oia is a traditional village with beautiful blue domed churches, sun-bathed verandas, a number of art galleries, and maze of small shops, almost all with panoramic views of the port Ammoudi and of the Santorini volcano. Oia is without a doubt one of the most beautiful towns in the world.
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7. Shirakawa-go, Japan
Situated at the foot of Mt. Haku-san is the quiet mountain village of Shirakawa-go. Shirakawa-go is picturesque with its rolling rice fields and river, and it also boasts traditional thatched roof farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old, and the among the last of its kind in Japan. Engage with locals, learn the traditional art of dying and weaving and learn how to make delicious soba noodles while you’re there.
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8. Ait Ben-Haddou, Morocco
Ait-Ben-Haddou is a traditional southern Morocco earthen village made from clay bricks. The village lies in a valley near the the Atlas Mountains, thirty-two miles from the bustling film capital of Morocco. Historically, traders traversed the Sahara Trade Route and passed through the town carrying spices and gold on their way elsewhere. As the use of this established trade route faded, many Kasbahs (fortresses) in Ait-Ben-Haddou were abandoned and have since become preserved relics.
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9. Cua Van, Vietnam
Charming and enchanting, Ha Long Bay is famous for its natural beauty. Cua Van is just one of the fishing villages along Ha Long Bay but is believed to be its most popular spot. Situated on an emerald green bay surrounded by mountains is the serene Cua Van, home to beautiful and exotic marine life, caves and grottoes perfect for exploring, and a vibrant village culture.
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10. Alberobello, Italy
Alberobello is a quiet Italian town most famous for its whimsical 14th century style beehive-shaped houses. These stone buildings are made from local limestone and topped with conical roofs, often white-tipped as if dusted by snow and decorated with painted symbols believed to bear religious or superstitious significance. There are also a handful of small museums and opportunities for purchasing and trying local foods. Alberobello is a great little village for a day trip.
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11. Júzcar, Spain
Nestled in the hills of Andalusia is Júzcar, a quiet town in Spain previously known as a ‘pueblo blanco’ for its whitewashed walls. In 2011, Sony struck an agreement with the village’s leaders to have the town painted blue and dubbed ‘The Smurf Village’ as part of promotion for its then upcoming Smurfs movie. Since then Júzcar’s walls have all remained bright and cheery Smurf blue even as village life there remains largely the same, and Júzcar is still a sedate quaint little village.
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12. Reine, Norway
With an estimated population of 300 villagers, Reine is one of those small towns that no one knows about. Perfectly situated at the mouth of Reinefjord, near the insanely beautiful Loften peaks is the quiet, picturesque fishing village Reine. Go to Reine to enjoy the famed, stunning northern lights and stay and enjoy life in the laidback rural fishing village. Stay in a rorbu (a converted, old fisherman’s cottage), go whale watching and fishing as the locals do or camp out under the stars, go biking, kayaking or bird watching and truly connect with nature.
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13. Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia
The idyllic, thriving metropolis town of Sidi Bou Said is located atop a steep cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Twenty kilometers or so from the capital city Tunis, Sidi Bou Said is a favored getaway destination for locals and tourists alike. Stroll along cobblestone streets lined with small shops and stalls, explore winding lanes, soak in the stunning panoramic view of the Mediterranean Sea, visit the Ennejma Ezzahra palace which pays homage to Neo-Moorish architecture, and enjoy the brilliant contrast of the town’s blue-painted doors and trellises with the stark white of their Grecian buildings.
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14. Ping’an Village, China
Ping’an Village rests atop the peak of Longsheng County’s famous Longji rice terraces, 1200 meters above sea-level. Ping’an is a small community of rice farmers where old traditions and local culture are apparent and thriving. Scenic narrow mountain roads leading to the peak offer a splendid view of the amazingly vast rice fields whose different terrace levels are nicknamed by locals according to their varying shapes.
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15. Wengen, Switzerland
Wengen was once primarily an alpine farming community but has since become a resort town teeming with tourists eager to ski the snow-covered slopes in the Winter and hike trails in the Summer. Despite the influx of tourists the mountain village has retained it’s homestyle, postcard vibe with its timber houses, well dispersed holiday chalets, soaring mountains and magnificent landscape.
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16. Burano, Italy
Burano, the little island of lace, is ranked as one of the most colorful cities in the world. With colors that pop, Burano brings an almost tropical vibe to the Northern Venetian Lagoon.This small island and its single city features emerald green water channels, charming houses, a 17th century bell tower and the lacemaking expertise that brought Leonardo da Vinci to the island in the 1400s.
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17. Bibury, England
Easily one of the most beautiful small towns in Europe, is Bibury, a little town in Gloucestershire Cotswolds. Bibury consists of stone buildings all strung out along the banks of the River Coln, and is most famous for Arlington Row, a picturesque row of weavers’ cottages believed to date back to the 14th or 16th century before its conversion in the 17th century. Arlington Row overlooks a meadow and river and is featured in the UK passport.
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18. Colmar, France
Nestled among vineyards, Colmar is a beautiful microcosm of Alsatian life. Colmar boasts traditional houses, canals, famous wines, superb Middle Age architecture and stunning lights. In Colmar, 1100 computer-driven fiber optic lights of different colors and intensities illuminate the town at night on Fridays, Saturdays and every evening during major events and important local festivals.
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19. Fenghuang Ancient Town, China
Situated at the foot of a mountain and along the banks of Tuojiang River is Fenghuang, an old town built in 1704 which offers a look at China prior to modernization. Named for the phoenix-shaped shadow the looming mountain casts on the town, this old town is hailed as one of the best and most picturesque in all of China.
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20. Palangan, Iran
Palangan is a little-known rural Iranian village with an estimated population exceeding 1000 inhabitants. Tucked away in the valley with the Tangi Var River flowing through it, houses are etched out on the sloping valley sides in a terraced manner with roofs of houses doubling as verandas or yards for the houses above them. Locals embrace their cultural heritage through folk dance and song, and commonly enjoy country life by picnicking on the river’s banks, taking shade under nearby trees and playing simple games together.
Alexander Erdbeer / shutterstock.com
21. Gásadalur Village, Faroe Islands
Lush, rolling green fields, a dramatically steep cliffside, a panoramic view of the neighbouring island of Mykines, as well as the famed rushing Mulafossur Waterfall characterize the pastoral village of Gásadalur, located in western Vagar in the Faroe Islands. Up until 2003 the scenic pastoral village was virtually unknown and unreachable. In 2002 the village population was less than 20, but with the creation of tunnel road for cars and vehicles in 2004 Gásadalur Village has seen an increase in population and in tourist visits.
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22. Larung Gar, Tibet
At the eastern end of the vast Tibetan Plateau is the landmark monastery town Larung Gar, the largest Tibetan Buddhist institute in the world. This cultural, historical and religious site’s inhabitants and buildings currently face threat of forced migration and demolition, and unless the international community acts quickly this beautiful Tibetan village will soon be no more.
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23. Hobbiton, New Zealand
Hobbiton, New Zealand is the movie set town featured in The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit. Though the initial plan was to construct temporary sets to be knocked down once filming wrapped, a permanent set was eventually established and remains today. Tour the unbelievably charming set town – grassy green fields, hobbit holes and all.
Pavel Svoboda Photography / shutterstock.com
24. Qasigiannguit, Greenland
Qasigiannguit, Greenland is something of a forgotten paradise and another one of those small towns that no one knows about. Beautifully situated in the Disko Bay, surrounded by high and steep mountains rising to about 450 meters, Qasigiannguit is named ‘Spotted Seals’ for the marine life in the bay. The open land and high mountains around Qasigiannguit are a challenging hike but offer a worthwhile view of the bay.
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25. Staithes, England
Spectacularly set along the North Yorkshire coastline is the pretty fishing village of Staithes. Colorful little cottages line the natural harbor and larger houses with multiple levels and varying colors stretch across the stunning clay cliffs overlooking the sea. Staithes’ winding streets, natural harbor and impressive cliffs make the town a beautiful place to visit.
Reconnect with nature, immerse yourself in centuries of history and learn intriguing local customs in any of the most beautiful towns in the world, all while taking in authentic rustic, romantic small town vibes first hand.
KUALA LUMPUR: The cash and items seized from the six residences linked to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak amounted to between RM900mil and RM1.1bil, say the police.
Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Seri Amar Singh told a press conference that it took police from May 21 to June 25 to ascertain the value of the cash and items seized.
He said that more than 12,000 pieces of jewellery – comprising 2,200 rings, 1,400 necklaces, 2,100 bracelets, 2,800 pairs of earrings,1,600 brooches and 14 tiaras were seized.
The most expensive item was a necklace that had a value of at least RM6mil, he told a press conference here on Wednesday (June 27).
He also said there were 423 watches worth RM78mil and 234 sunglasses worth RM374,000 seized.
Police also seized 567 handbags made up of 37 luxury brands, with an estimated value of RM51.3mil, said Comm Amar.
He added that this was the biggest seizure in Malaysian history.
The raids on the residences linked to the former premier were part of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) investigation.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/06/27/amar-singh-pc-1mdb/#qtPX1IlveziIQZeX.99
A civil servant senior retirees' Umno club has been rebranded, with the ‘Umno’ taken out of its name.
Committee member Ibrahim Shah Abu Shah said the club is now simply called the Malaysian Government Senior Retirees' Club.
The decision was made in order to offer support to the government of the day, Ibrahim Shah told Malaysiakini.
"In yesterday's club general assembly, it was decided that the word ‘Umno’ will be removed from the club's name, as well as its constitution, as a form of undivided support for the government of the day.
"This means that the club supports the government of the day, Pakatan Harapan.
"Last time, it was BN, and today, we support Dr Mahathir Mohamad's government. Full stop," he stressed.
Ibrahim Shah said this when asked to confirm the existence of a letter from the club urging government retirees to support BN candidates in last month's general election.
He issued no denial, and said it was merely to support the BN government then.
'All civil servants support the gov't of the day'
According to Ibrahim Shah, all civil servants, either serving or retired, practiced the concept of supporting the government of the day, which includes armed forces and police personnel.
Hence, what the club did in asking for BN support was right, he reasoned.
"So when Mahathir's government was formed, all civil servants will support it. Only then the country will move forward," he added.
Ibrahim Shah, who is also a senator, had in March this year said that Malaysia will “disintegrate” within two years if Harapan took over the administration of the country.
He said that he was confident of this eventuality as a political observer, and his reading of Harapan's election manifesto – which he claimed did not proffer a national vision, but was focused on "personal matters."
