THE Penang state government's planned mosque elections for the 2012-2013 term have been postponed indefinitely under the order of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin. Read here.

The postponement came soon after Penang Islamic Religious Council president Ellias Zakaria met with the King on June 17. State Religious Affairs, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Abdul Malik Kassim had earlier said that the state government was willing to go to court over the matter after being challenged by several groups. Read here.

Among the first to approve of the King's decision is Penang Umno. “An election will only create tension as there will be losers and their families might not go to the mosque anymore because they would feel that they are not well liked." Read here.

Minister of Information Communication and Culture Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim called on Penang Malays to reevaluate its mosque election system to avoid "political interference". Read here.

Other news

• Germany to fund €7.5M international rice project: An international consortium of 22 research institutions from Germany, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, the UK, Bulgaria and Spain are to participate in a new research project called LEGATO, which will be launched on June 14, 2011, in Penang, Malaysia. Read here.
• Slower second and third quarters outlook for electronics: Penang-based companies producing automated-equipment and precision engineering components for the electronics and semiconductor sector expect slower second and third quarters. Read here.
• 100% environmental friendly: Housewife Lu Bao-zhen is one of very few people who manage to fulfill 10 green initiatives to become “green citizens”, a programme introduced by the Penang state government. Read here.
• Penang’s top cop falls into a manhole: State police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Ayub Yaakob has been warded at the Penang Hospital after he fell into a manhole at the hospital. Read here.
• Ministry monitors fish price hikes in Penang: The enforcement division of Penang Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry is monitoring the prices of fish in the state after they were reported to have seen a steep rise. Read here. 

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