Najib: I won't join anti-Israel procession

By Teoh El Sen - Free Malaysia Today,

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak today said that he would not be joining a procession and "round-table" conference on Friday organised by the opposition to protest the Israeli assault on the Gaza-bound aid ships on international waters.
Pakatan Rakyat had earlier challenged Najib to join the conference with all the other political parties in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur, to support the protest against the Israeli attack. [read here]
"No, we will debate this in Parliament on Monday. We will be tabling a motion to strongly condemn the violent Israeli attack on the humanitarian convey and the violation of fundamental human rights,” said Najib.
He said this was to show that the Malaysian Parliament representing 28 million people, including the opposition, has taken a strong stand against Israel.
Najib was speaking to reporters after a walkabout at the Seapark police station in SS2 this afternoon.
On Monday, nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed when Israeli navy commandos raided one of the six ships on a humanitarian mission to ferry some 10,000 tonnes of medicines, food supplies and construction material to the blockaded Gaza Strip. Dozens were injured, including seven Israeli soldiers in the morning attack.
Ministers picked on ability
On the minor Cabinet reshuffle, Najib said that the people appointed were picked based on ability.
"Based on ability, age is not a matter. As you know, I was Pahang menteri besar when I was 29 and deputy minister (of energy, telecommunications and post) by the age of 25, " said Najib, who was asked why Chua Tee Yong was picked and not Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and others who are more senior. (Tee Yong is deputy agriculture and agro-based industries minister.)
"Tee Yong is well qualified. I went through the list. It does not matter if his father is the [MCA] president, as long as he can perform as a member of the Cabinet. And I have confidence in the new deputy ministers," he added. [read here]
Najib said there were many responsibilities that need to be looked into, and with the new appointments, he hopes the work could be performed well.
"They [new Cabinent members] must be wholly dedicated and support government policies and initiatives and strengthen the confidence of the people," he said.
People feel safer
On today's event, Najib said he was at SS2 to observe the situation and operations of a police station.
He said that the overall crime rate in the country had dropped by 15.1% in the first three months of this year compared with last year, adding that the street crime index had also decreased by 39.6% during the same period.
"This is part of the NKRA [National Key Result Areas] effort where we have redeployed some 7,402 administrative duty policemen to go on crime-prevention rounds," said Najib, adding that 4,729 civilians will replace the police personnel.
He added that based on public feedback, the people now feel safer and have greater confidence in the police force.
During the walkabout, Najib was accompanied by Home Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Minister in the Prime Minister's Deparment Koh Tsu Koon, chief secretary to the government Sidek Hassan, and Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan.