PROJECT DEFERRED: (Dec 12) Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the controversial RM14.5bil double-track railway project must be postponed because other development projects are more important to the Government. Health, education, agriculture and socio-economic projects under the 8th Malaysian Plan needed greater attention, he said. He also cited prudent management and affordability as the main reasons for postponing the project, which was to be the most costly project ever carried out by the country.
LIST OUT: (Dec 9) 85,000 Malaysians born in 1986 have been selected for the inaugural national service programme. However, the designated training location and time of intake would not be immediately made known to candidates because they would be divided into three batches to undergo the programme in stages next year.