JAKARTA: More women and first-timers have won seats in Parliament compared to previous elections but a number of analysts say some got elected based on connections rather than their calibre.

After the full results of the April 9 parliamentary elections were released over the weekend, groups such as the University of Indonesia's Centre for Political Research (Puskapol) estimated that women won about 15 per cent or 84 of the 560 Parliament seats. In the 2004 election, women made up around 11.5 per cent of the 550-seat House, with 63 seats.

KUALA LUMPUR: Perak plunged deeper into political limbo yesterday after the Kuala Lumpur High Court, in a shock decision, declared that Nizar Jamaluddin of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) was the rightful menteri besar.

Datuk Seri Nizar immediately declared he would request an audience with the state's ruler, Sultan Azlan Shah, to dissolve the state assembly and pave the way for a fresh election in which the PR is heavily tipped to win.

SKUDAI (JOHOR): Malaysian police had closed in on him and were shouting to him to surrender, but Mas Selamat Kastari refused to give up.

He clambered up to the second floor of the kampung house he was hiding in and tried to flee.