41.   Earlier this month all nine Muar MCA councillors claimed Lokman had overstepped his authority by making several unilateral decisions without consulting MDMS councillors and standing committees.

42.   Eight members of the standing committee are in court.

43.   Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh told a regular briefing for reporters that neither Duyet nor any other standing committee members were under investigation.

44.   General Chi Haotian, the defense minister, may also make the Politburo, though not the standing committee.

45.   He said the meeting would probably be held in Singapore since it is the chairman of the ASEAN standing committee.

46.   He said the veteran members were aware the standing committee did not adopt a forced retirement policy when it compiled the membership for the next term.

47.   In the meantime, neither Li nor Qiao is expected to lose their seats on the standing committee of the Politburo, the apex of party power.

48.   It will be up to the standing committee of the Convention to accept the measures as enough to save the sturgeon or to impose the export ban.

49.   Kiet remains on the all-powerful standing committee of the Communist Party Politburo.

50.   Lokman, Ng claimed, had maintained that under the Act he could make certain decisions without consulting the councillors and standing committees.