Fairus Resigns As Deputy Chief Minister

PENANG, March 21 (Bernama) -- Penanti Assemblyman Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin tendered his resignation as Penang Deputy Chief Minister I and state executive councillor today.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, in confirming this, said the resignation letter was faxed to his office this morning.
"We have accepted his resignation after a discussion with (PKR de facto leader) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and (state PKR liaison committee chairman) Datuk Zahrain Mohamed Hashim," he told reporters here today.
However, Lim who is also DAP secretary-general, declined to comment on the reasons behind Fairus' resignation.
He said the state government accepted Fairus' resignation as a deputy chief minister and state Entrepreneurial, Cooperative Development, Information and Community Relations Committee chairman.
"I believe Fairus has his own reasons for resigning, but he will still remain with PKR as Penanti assemblyman," Lim said.
When asked who would replace Fairus, Lim said: "the position at the moment will be vacant until Fairus' resignation takes effect on April 8."
He added that Fairus would be on leave until April 8.
There had been speculation that Fairus was asked to vacate his government posts by last Thursday, but party leaders had dismissed it as mere rumours.
Yesterday, Lim had said that Fairus had taken leave for the rest of the week and should be back by Monday unless he planned to extend his leave.

tunku : pkr never ending scandals.full of dirt and lead by a moron.guan eng proven to be the biggest liar and he lies well.

Nik Aziz tells Hadi: I'm still captain

PAS has been sailing in troubled waters of late and this has prompted its spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat to remind the party president Abdul Hadi Awang that he is still captain of the ship.
In view of this, the Kelantan menteri besar called on his 'first mate' to consult him before making any decision on forming a unity government with Barisan Nasional.
Nik Aziz said he did not want "too many captains in one ship" and conflicting statements to be made as this could cause confusion among PAS members and affect the party's credibility.
He also reiterated his stand that he was against the idea (unity government) which received the endorsement of the top PAS leadership at its muktamar (general assembly) in Ipoh last year, but was open to discussion with Hadi on the matter.
"I as the mursyidul am (spiritual advisor) is like the captain, if the anchor man wants to see me for something I cannot refuse... if the oarsman wants to see me, I must also entertain him," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
"If Hadi wants to see me about it, I would be more than willing to meet him," he said.
Nik Aziz was asked if he was willing to meet party leaders who are for the unity government to discuss the issue.
Ibrahim Ali backs Hadi
Meanwhile, Pasir MAS MP Ibrahim Ali said he backed Hadi's call for a unity government, saying it was needed as the Malays had become increasingly disunited.
"I see Hadi (left) also gives a lot of attention to Muslim unity... it (unity government) is in the interest of race, religion and country," he told reporters.
He added that PAS leaders should convince Nik Aziz that the unity government was the best option for the Malays in the present circumstances.
On another matter, he said the Bar Council had ulterior motives in calling for the abolishment of the Sedition Act.
"The laws are made by Parliament and it is not for the Bar Council to question their legality," he said.

tunku : if you want to talk about unity, don't call nik aziz or discuss with him. he likes to have war and fight all the time. that is his way of Islamic teaching.he is not the person that one can seek for true advice or discussion.If you want to talk about how to kill off umno,talk bad about umno, look for him, he'll be at his best at telling bad things about others.pas should ask nik aziz to retire.

Najib to be sworn in as PM on 3rd April 2009 ?

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is expected to step down on April 2, five days after he is to quit as Umno leader at the party’s general assembly.
It is learnt that Abdullah will inform the cabinet at its weekly meeting this afternoon that the transfer of power is on, and that he would go to the palace on April 3 to meet the Agong.
Subsequently, incoming Umno president Najib Abdul Razak is expected to be sworn in as the country’s sixth prime minister on the same day.


tunku :why is the hush hush till now, hope by this afternoon they will announce it ASAP.

Muhyiddin Urges Delegates To Choose Wisely

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has called on the delegates to the Umno General Assembly next week to choose their leaders wisely and not be influenced by wild allegations and lies.
"The important thing is to take Umno forward. Umno must be strong and we should not be weakened by attempts to discredit the party," he told Bernama after attending a recording for the Bernama TV interview programme, "Hello Malaysia", at Wisma Bernama here.
He strongly denied allegations linking him with any conspiracy to bring down Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, a candidate for the Umno deputy presidency.
"Why should I have anything to do with it? I'm just a small man who would have no influence on the Umno Disciplinary Board," he said.
He also said that it was not proper to link the board's decisions to any conspiracy because doing so would be tantamount to questioning the board's credibility.
On Tuesday, the Umno Disciplinary Board barred Mohd Ali, who is Melaka Chief Minister, from contesting in the upcoming party polls after finding him guilty of breaching party ethics.
Asked on the possibility of supporters of Mohd Ali shifting their support to Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib, the other candidate for the deputy presidency's post, Muhyiddin said he hoped that the delegates would vote based on a leader's track record.
"I hope the delegates will be wise, rational and fair in choosing their leaders," said Muhyiddin.
With Mohd Ali barred from contesting, the tussle for the deputy presidency will now be between Muhyiddin and Muhammad.

tunku : if umno want to survive, the delegates should vote for muhyiddin instead of muhd taib.if umno wish to sign the death warrant, then the delegates should vote for muhd taib.the choice is theirs and my choice is MUHYIDDIN.

Dr M To Deliver Address At Gaza Forum In London

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will deliver a keynote address at the Forum and Exhibition on Gaza Genocide: Palestine Solution in London on March 31.
A joint effort by the foreign ministry and Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalise War, the event will be officiated by the minister, Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
"There is not enough in press reports to show what is happening (in Gaza). Thus, we feel we should make a special effort to expose the events in Gaza, through this forum," Dr Mahathir told a media briefing on the event Thursday.
Influential speakers who have agreed to share their thoughts in the event are Cynthia McKinney (ex-candidate for the United States presidency), Sir Gerald Kaufman (British elected representative who is against the Gaza genocide) and Rabbi Cohen (a prominent rabbi who is vocally against Israel's policy).
Others include Lauren Booth (a human rights activist) and Tony Benn (former British cabinet minister).
Meanwhile, Dr Rais who was also at the briefing, said this was one way to educate the world that the issue of Gaza should not be forgotten.
According to a statement issued by the ministry, the forum would be followed by a panel discussion chaired by Dr Rais on finding a permanent solution to the conflict.

photo courtesy of bro jinggo

Call Not To Appoint Najib PM Illogical - Tun Dr Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Thursday it is illogical to call on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong not to appoint Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as the prime minister.
Commenting on the call by Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, urging the Yang di-Pertuan Agong not to appoint Najib as the prime minister, Dr Mahathir said, "He can say what he likes but he is just one person."
"Whether the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will listen to the opinion of one person will be up to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong," he said. “If I am the king, I wouldn’t want to even listen to this person. (He is) too stupid. Who does he want to be prime minister then? Dia nak Pak Lah balik? (He wants current prime minister Abdullah Ahamad Badawi back?),” quipped Mahathir. He further accused Zaid of financing a PAS candidate to contest against a BN candidate when he was in Perth and when he was still an Umno member. “So how can he be appointed a minister, I don’t know,” he said and added that Zaid is “a character that would jump 10 times a day like a frog.” “Would the king actually listen to a frog?” he asked.
He was speaking at a news conference to announce the "Forum and Exhibition on Gaza Genocide: Palestine Solution" here.
Zaid, the former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, claimed that Najib's appointment would divide the people.
Dr Mahathir said: "The person who made this suggestion is not someone who is regarded highly or someone who is rational. If I were the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, I wouldn't even want to read about this. It's too stupid. Who does he want to be?"
Asked whether he would fully support Najib's appointment as the prime minister, Dr Mahathir said, "I will give a full backing to Datuk Najib on condition that he must not appoint any of the corrupt leaders to his cabinet."
He also commented on perception that Najib was corrupt.
"I'm not talking about what people believe. A lot of people believe about something but there is no legal stand taken on whether Najib is corrupt or not."
Asked on his choice for the Umno deputy president's post, Dr Mahathir said, it would be Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the International Trade and Industry Minister. "I think what is left is somebody who is... well, could not read English and therefore he did something wrong in Australia. So my choice is Muhyiddin," he said.
The contest for the deputy presidency is now between Muhyiddin and Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib.
A third candidate, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam was barred from contesting after the party's disciplinary board found him guilty of breaching party ethics.
Dr Mahathir also commented on the statement by Mohd Ali that he (Dr Mahathir) had a hand in the recent decision taken by the disciplinary board. Dr Mahathir said: "I wish I had but I'm not a member of Umno. If I had been involved, I would have thrown him out from the very beginning but I'm not involved. I have to very reluctantly wait for the decision by the board and I'm not completely happy with it."
He said that Mohd Ali should be treated the same way former Umno vice-president Tan Sri Mohamed Isa Abdul Samad was treated in 2005. "Isa was thrown out because he was involved in money politics but he also lost his position as a minister. But here, we have a very strange decision. "He was found to be corrupt but he can remain as the Chief Minister (of Melaka). Now we have a person who is confirmed corrupt but the party accepted him as the chief minister. "If you pass judgment, you must be consistent. It must apply to everybody in the same way and in the same amount.
"You cannot say, well, he killed that person so he should be hanged. And then he killed another person but this other person is not important, so let him go," he said.
The former Umno president also spoke on the possibility of a "motion of confidence" be tabled in Parliament to have Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi remained as the prime minister.
"It's a possibility; it's not against the law. The law provides that to be the prime minister, you must have the support of the majority in Parliament but it does not say from which party.
"According to the constitution, the person who shall be made the prime minister is a person who has the majority support in Parliament. If you appoint somebody who has no majority support, he will be out," he said.
Dr Mahathir said that there was nothing in the Federal Constitution which stated that the Umno president must be the prime minister.
"There is no provision. That is only our arrangement," he said, adding that legally, the current prime minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi could continue serving his term until the next general election if he wanted to.
"But of course he may face a vote of no confidence in Parliament... he has a good chance of winning with the support of opposition members but he will become the prime minister of the opposition," he said.
Dr Mahathir said opposition members also had votes in Parliament and if they, together with some members of the Barisan Nasional, were to vote for Abdullah, "then he will be the PM (prime minister)."

Limbang, other border issues to be resolved: Rais

KUALA LUMPUR: Various border issues including Limbang will be resolved once re-demarcation works are completed, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
He said although the word “Limbang” was not mentioned during discussion at the Letters of Exchange ceremony between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, on Monday, the district issue will be regarded as resolved after the physical works are carried out.
“(Disputes on land borders will be resolved) once the physical works of re-demarcation are completed in accordance with the principles of the five agreements,” he told reporters at a press conference in the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations here Thursday.
Two out of the five agreements, signed between 1920 and 1939, directly mentioned the Limbang district in the documents.
Dr Rais was responding to articles in the Brunei press that questioned the status of Limbang.
The reports quoted Brunei’s Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Datuk Seri Lim Jock Seng as denying that Limbang was discussed during the meeting between the Sultan and Abdullah.
“I hope this issue won’t be politicised despite their local media raising issues,” he said.
He added that both parties would have to wait between 12 and 18 months for the re-dermarcation works to be completed by the technical committee.

tunku : next time pak lah should think before he speaks...but i guess that was his last statement about limbang as pm.hope the future leader will learn something from this.do not simply make any statement without considering the actual facts.he should say that limbang issue will be resolved not brunai has dropped their claim against limbang when it is still pending with the re-demarcation works.

Muhyiddin slams Zaid, defends Najib

Sacked Umno leader Zaid Ibrahim's call on the King not to appoint Najib Abdul Razak as the next prime minister was 'irresponsible and malicious', said Umno deputy aspirant Muhyiddin Yassin today.
He said the statement was clearly aimed at creating unease among Umno members in particular and Malaysians in general.
Speaking at an event in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, Zaid said Najib's appointment as prime minister would divide the people.
Muhyiddin, who is also international trade and industry minister, said Zaid's statement was not helpful in uniting the people. It also showed his opportunistic character.
"I strongly deny Zaid's claim that the country is in crisis over the appointment of the prime minister.
"The Umno leadership transition is progressing well and it has been proven that Najib has the confidence of Umno divisions to be the new party president," he said in a statement, according to Bernama.
Muhyiddin also said it was clearly stated in Article 43(2) of the Federal Constitution that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall first appoint a member of the Dewan Rakyat, who is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the House, as the prime minister to preside over the cabinet.
"The Barisan Nasional is the party that commands the majority in the Dewan Rakyat, with Umno having the most seats among the BN component parties," he said.
Don't fall for his propaganda
Muhyiddin said Najib's appointment as the prime minister would unite the people.
"I would like to remind the people and Umno members not to fall for Zaid's propaganda which is clearly ill-intent, irresponsible and putting self interest above that of the country," he said.
Meanwhile, Umno supreme council member Mohd Shafie Apdal described Zaid's statement as devoid of logic as it had been the practice to appoint the Umno president as prime minister.
He said the power transfer between Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib was progressing smoothly.

tunku : glad that muhyiddin responded on this matter. zaid is opportunistic character.he knows that he is not a cent worth this side so the best thing to do now is to get supports and be popular with the other side. with his comments some of the opposition supporters has voiced that zaid should be made anwar's deputy.that is what zaid is aiming now. i repeat what muhyiddin said,the people and Umno members not to fall for Zaid's propaganda which is clearly ill-intent, irresponsible and putting self interest above that of the country.it's all about personal and again the gabbage will always be taken by the opposition as their new icon although the gabbage was hit many times when he was with the government or umno.

Claims On Limbang Not Discussed, Says Brunei Foreign Minister

MIRI, March 19 (Bernama) -- Brunei's Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Datuk Seri Lim Jock Seng has denied that claims on Limbang were discussed during the meeting between Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Speaking at the Brunei legislative council meeting on Tuesday, he said the discussion that led to the signing of the Letters of Exchange (LoE) in Bandar Seri Begawan on Monday was on the demarcation of land boundaries on the whole.
"Certain press reports yesterday (Monday) claimed that Brunei has dropped claims over Limbang. In fact, the claim on Limbang was never discussed," he was reported as saying by Brunei's local daily, Borneo Bulletin, Wednesday.
He said a joint press statement was issued after the meeting which mentioned that the demarcation of the land boundaries between the two countries would be resolved on the basis of five existing historical agreements between the Government of Brunei and the State of Sarawak, and, as appropriate, the watershed principle.
"After that, a working group comprising general surveyors of the two countries will follow with the technical aspect to solve the land border issue," Lim added.
Abdullah, at a news conference with Malaysian journalists after the signing of the LoE on Monday, said that Brunei had officially dropped its long-standing territorial claim over Limbang, Sarawak's northern-most division.
He said the matter was part of the historic LoE inked between him and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah at Istana Nurul Iman in Bandar Seri Begawan.
"It has been stated in the LoE that Brunei has dropped the issue and this means that Limbang is part of Malaysia," he was quoted as saying.
Limbang, located on the banks of Sungai Limbang between the two halves of Brunei and covering an area of 3,978 sq km with a population of more than 40,000, was annexed by James Brooke, the first Rajah of Sarawak, in 1890 as the fifth division of Sarawak.

tunku : i am sure pak lah dozed off during the meeting.what a shame.who is telling the truth?

Nik Aziz against Hadi’s proposal of unity govt

KOTA BARU: Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat criticised the idea of a Barisan Nasional PAS unity government as mooted by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.
Nik Aziz saw Abdul Hadi’s proposal as going against the party’s muktamar decision in August last year to reject the idea of a unity government with Barisan, Bernama reported.
Speaking to reporters after welcoming the visits of some Taiwanese investors at his office (Kota Darulnaim) yesterday, Nik Aziz said he disagreed with Abdul Hadi and would continue to support the party’s August decision.
Following the suggestion for a unity government by Abdul Hadi, Umno vice president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had asked PAS to outline in detail what it had in mind.
Last week, PAS Youth voiced its support for the move saying it was timely.
However, the DAP has demanded that the PAS president explain what he meant by a unity government to PKR and the DAP, PAS’ allies in the Opposition pact.
Nik Aziz added that he would only change his stand if the entire PAS central committee were to agree to a unity government.
He said opposed Abdul Hadi’s proposal because it might not bring any good to the party.

tunku : this so called murshidul has always been opposing to the unity with umno.i don't know why he hates umno so much till he don't want to have any unity with them.at least hadi awang is willing but he is not. is this the teaching of Islam or nik aziz's interpretation of Islam ?

Najib Did Not Shine As DPM, Says Dr M

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Najib Razak did not shine as Deputy Prime Minister.
In a Reuters report published by The Straits Times Wednesday (17 Mar), Dr M said, “A lot of people are uncertain. Having watched Najib's performance as deputy (prime minister), he did not shine,' Dr Mahathir said a week before the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the main party in the ruling coalition, holds internal polls.
Najib is standing unopposed to be Umno president, a post that traditionally carries with it the premiership, but there are tough battles for the deputy presidency and other top posts.
Najib can do well, but we will have to see, because when I asked Abdullah to appoint him as deputy I had a lot of hope for him, but he did not perform the way I expected,' Dr Mahathir said.
Dr Mahathir, however, did praise Mr Najib's action as finance minister in putting together an RM60 billion package of spending to try to offset the looming recession, contrasting it with Mr Abdullah's performance as the previous finance minister.

tunku : well under pak lah, najib was more trying to protect his seat and playing it safe. now the time has come for najib to shine and prove himself that he is a capable PM. As finance minister some how he has shown his credibility and now we would like to see his performance as PM.But the biggest question now is WHEN? till now no dates.

No political conspiracy in Umno Disciplinary Board

The Umno Disciplinary Board today emphasised that there was no favouritism or political conspiracy involved in the decision against several party members found guilty of breaching party ethics.
Its chairman, Tengku Tan Sri Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail, said the board took a serious view of the public perception on the matter because there were allegations that the decision made was inaccurate or involved political conspiracy.
"I wish to clarify that all decisions made were based on evidence available on the cases being heard, statements obtained during investigation and the hearing, not based on wild allegations or hearsay," he said in a statement here.
He said although the Disciplinary Board was not a court of law, elements of natural justice and punishment based on facts and testimonies had always been upheld by its members in arriving at a decision.
"As such, the question of favouritism or political conspiracy does not arise as alleged by certain quarters," he said.
Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen said members of the Umno Disciplinary Board comprised retired politicians with no vested interest in party positions.
"They brook no interference from higher political power. The Board has done and will do its job without fear or favour," he said.
He also said the Board did not have the power like the police or the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and could not force witnesses to come forward to give evidence.
That was why certain cases sometimes could not be settled quickly and if a particular case was decided upon hastily without enough evidence, the Disciplinary Board would face criticisms from Umno members and the public.
"In fact, the people are always second-guessing us. We are damned if we do, and damned if we don't," he added.

tunku : we acknowledged that the board had done a good job but why khairy only given a warning when the charges are the same as ali rustam's ? there is certainly pressure from above.

It could be a dozen fighting for Bkt Selambau

ALOR SETAR: The Bukit Selambau by-election could turn out to be a 12-cornered fight judging from the number of people voicing their intention to contest.
Kedah Election Commission director Zainal Abidin Zakaria said the number of candidates wanting to contest was unusually high.
“So far seven independent candidates have paid deposits (RM5,000 each for candidacy and RM3,000 each for election materials).”
The independent candidates who have taken their nomination forms are former Kedah PPP Wanita chief L. Sarala, 34; businessman T. Chandrarajan, 40; contractor R. Loganathan, 43; and businessman Tan Hock Huat, 46.
Others are businessman Zaharan Abdullah, 39; retired army personnel Mohd Fadzli Wahab, 38, and Major (rtd) Anuar Abdul Hamid, 58.
Three other independent candidates who have expressed their interest but have yet to take their nomination forms are former PKR Zon Mawar chief Mohamad Radzuan Mat Isa, 52; former Malaysia Indian Muslim Congress adviser Datuk Thasleem Mohd Ibrahim, 59; and businessman M. Vaneson, 34.
Barisan Nasional is fielding S. Ganesan, while Pakatan Rakyat is expected to announce its candidate on March 28, a day before nomination day.
The Bukit Selambau seat fell left vacant following the resignation of PKR’s V. Arumugam on Feb 8.
Of the 35,140 voters here, about 50% are non-Malays.
Polling is fixed on April 7.

tunku : the more the merrier.at least EC can make more money this time at Bukit Selambau.I wish the Bukit Selambau's voters will be wise enough to vote for someone who will serve them not to be there just for fun.

'Najib does not owe me any favours': Muhyiddin

With key rival Mohd Ali Rustam now out of the Umno deputy presidency race, the coast is almost clear for Muhyiddin Yassin to claim the much-coveted post at the Umno polls next week.
Yesterday, president-to-be Najib Abdul Razak dropped broad hints that he would prefer Muhyiddin as his second-in-command.
Najib said he was more inclined to pick someone who displays “integrity and ability” instead of “loyalty”.
"If someone is loyal to the boss but does not have any integrity and ability, then the boss can fall because of him," he said.
That has sent a clear signal that Najib is rooting for International Trade and Industry Minister Muhyiddin as his No. 2.
But Muhyiddin stressed that he did not intend to do Najib a favour when he had called for outgoing Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to quit earlier than the deadline of 2010.
This is the second part of the interview with Malaysiakini.

You pushed for an early transfer of power. Why were you willing to put your neck on the chopping block?

I’m not too sure when I did that, I wasn’t thinking about my neck being on the chopping block. I said it because I think it was a very important issue that needed to be addressed - this question of leadership or the lack of it. Sorry to say, that involved the prime minister’s position. I feared that we would be sliding faster if there was no radical move to change the status quo. And I think this (the weakening of Umno) is continuing - there are studies (that) show that we are not gaining ground. I believed the first and foremost thing that had to be done was to address this issue (power transition), and I knew it was not easy. I thought about the matter for many days before I came out with the plan. I started engaging Najib to talk about it and I asked him, ‘What do we do now? Are we just going to accept this fact or do we initiate something?’ I believed I had to do something and when I did, it was done wholeheartedly and with sincerity because the country needed a change, and of course, the party as well. So I spoke out.

Before you spoke out, you met with former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Many made the assumption that there was collusion between you two.

There was no collusion. It was not just about me and Mahathir, but many other people (who) shared this sort of sentiment. A lot of people wrote through their blogs about the situation so I was just expressing the broad sentiments of the grassroots. I think it’s something that we had to do as a matter of national interest and we had to speak up. I know we have to face the (consequences) of speaking up. I did not do it out of disrespect towards the prime minister. I have always had high regard for him. It was not done with ill intentions. It was done for the interest of everybody. It was done because it was something that we needed to do. I believe that when you (speak) the truth, it can be very painful, but at least the response was good.

Your relations with PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi have suffered as a result. Did you meet him and try to explain why you did what you did?

I do acknowledge this. (Our ties) have been good for a long while, but not as good now as one would imagine. For obvious reasons, he felt slighted. Of course, he felt disappointed when I spoke out in that manner but I think there is always a need for sacrifice. If you’re there to just say nice things so that the boss would be happy with you, I don’t think I’d be the doing the right thing. So I have to bear the (consequences of) what I said. It (relationship with Abdullah, left) is not as amicable as some would imagine but I think it takes time (to heal). I think he understands, many people understand as well. I always would want to establish good rapport with everybody, with the boss in particular. I have been good friends with him for a long time but I’ve got matters that I feel the need to (express).

By speaking out for an early transition, you have helped a few people in Umno. Najib would feel that he owes you...

I don’t think it is proper to put it in such a manner as to say that he owes me because of what I did. I do not think that it’s fair, and I do not seek repayment or reciprocity in terms of treatment. While some people think along those lines, I think it is something of importance when I said there is a need for change. And I thought of who should be the likely person to take over the leadership, and for me, it’s none other than the deputy president of Umno. I do not think it is because of something that I have done that Najib is where he is today. I don’t think that is fair and I want to correct that. He doesn’t owe me anything. I did it for the sake of the party, and for the sake of the country. Najib himself must have engaged with the prime minister on why there is a need to have a change in leadership to save the situation. Both of them have their own contributions, to make this thing (transition) possible. It’s not just me. I voiced what I had to voice. I share the broad sentiments of the grassroots and at the end of the day, they (Najib and Abdullah) are the ones making the decision and I can’t be involved in that, so nobody owes me anything. I don’t think it’s fair to say someone has to repay me for what I did.

Umno is losing ground among Malays. How will you address that decline?

When we talk about reforms, about the sort of changes that you have to go through, we need to talk about Umno first. I spoke at length about the need for radical change - it has to be done, the sooner, the better. First, we need to look at the party itself. Second, we have to look at the members. We have some three million members, it’s a big party so to make changes with that sort of size is not easy but you have to start somewhere. I believe you have to start (with) the leaders and my idea is to reinstate the confidence of the Malays towards the party because the people are saying that Umno is not what it used to be, that it no longer fights for the Malay cause. The perception issue is something that we need to address so my point is that we need to go back to the very basic core, which is to create a better understanding of what Umno fights for, not just for the Malays, but also for others - the need to be fair to other races and to fight not only for the cause of the Malays but for the rest of the country as well. Then, of course, we need to create better understanding among the younger generation of Umno members, which has not been done for a number of years. We lack courses and seminars so there is this lack of real understanding about what they are fighting for, so much so they start to be self-serving, they become greedy. They have no grasp of reality and his, coupled with some misrepresentation of being corrupt and arrogant, (has led to) that impression (sinking) into the minds of many Malaysians. So there is a need to correct that. There is also a need to look into the organisation itself. How Umno has performed for many years shows there is a need to (keep up with) with changing times and changing expectations. Structural reforms are needed within Umno. We talk about democracy, we must go back to the very basics - elections in the party, no quota system that has created this so-called corrupt practices, money politics among members... Of course, the role that Umno plays vis-a-vis the other BN parties, the impression among the component party leadership is that Umno is the big brother. Some say we are bullies, that we take them by the nose, which I think is not correct, but the impression seems to have some bearing on the minds of the component parties. They want to be equal partners, they want to be seen as playing an equal role and while Umno is the bigger party, they want us to be more accommodating. So we don’t have to just look at Umno per se but to look at the BN structure as a well. I want to promote the idea of a new BN. Maybe after 30 years, we should have new terminology, like ‘National Alliance’. This is just an idea but it should be more than just the name, the content is also important. In order to look into the content, you have to look into the various things, for example, the distribution of economic opportunities vis-a-vis other races, the New Economic Policy, issues of justice, religion and so on. There are certain aspects of the (federal) constitution and policies that we have adopted in the government that might need, not to say rethinking, but revisiting. In the context of younger Malaysians, they must be made to become relevant. We (Umno and BN) need to be relevant but we cannot do so without adapting to whatever is happening around (us).

These will be discussed at the upcoming BN convention...?

Yes, I think they would want to revisit all this and we hope that we will have a lot more time than just a day or two for the convention. There can be pre-convention discussions about this new understanding that needs to be developed within BN parties. Of course, there is the need to look again at some of those (ideas) that we have agreed on by the founding fathers of BN but need to be re-examined in the present situation (to) create shared responsibility in implementing economic well being, social well being, cultural aspects...

Umno is in a dilemma. It’s going to be hard for Umno to retain Malay support and at the same time win back non-Malay support.

It’s not just Umno per se. Umno has its problems but so do the other component parties, so we need to create that new understanding. Just take the example of economic issues. This lack of understanding of what the government is doing - that it only caters to some sections of the Malays and at the expense of the Chinese and Indians... I think those things would have to be addressed and I think if we can tackle those problems, then there is hope for us to regain the confidence of the public.

There are people who say that Umno will find it very hard to reform itself until and unless it loses power.

Well, I do not want to think along those lines. I think there is still hope. There are problems but there is still the possibility that we can address the situation. Of course, again as I said, it depends on what the leaders and the members do to deal with such a situation because if you don’t change, the people will change you. That is what I have been trying to say from the very beginning, to instill in them the fear - if you don’t change and not to adjust to the demands of the new Malaysian thinking and mindset, hen you’ll be cast into oblivion. I said it months ago, we don’t want to be cast into the dustbin of history where the people forget us. But I don’t think Umno only changes when it loses power.

But what about Umno members?

This is not a job for one person or just the president, but a job for everybody. So there could be a massive exercise that goes right down to the branches to instill some discipline in them. You buck up or you lose power, you do something quick or you’ll be forgotten, that sort of thing. They did not realise how serious the situation is. But you have to ask if they really want to serve the country...their community and ...their race. People are now thinking differently, so what do you do about it? Do you want to hold on power or do you want to lose power? And I will tell them about the coming general election. Why? Because if you don’t do it (change), then in two or three years that might be the end of us. So, that sort of statement will put fear in them. You have to say that if you want to continue to be supported by the people, then you have to acknowledge the problem and what you need to do is to change quickly. This is the hardest part, the hardest task.

What’s your prognosis for the three upcoming by-elections?

For Bukit Gantang - I was there to launch an event at Changkat Jering, which is under the Bukit Gantang constituency - my assessment is that there are other bigger issues which might sink into the minds of the voters - the Perak political situation. And there is this also the very racist approach - that in Perak, a Malay government has toppled a Chinese government, and I don’t think it’s correct. So we have a big task here. It takes time to explain the situation, I think the Malay voters are quite okay, only the Chinese and Indian (voters) who will feel sort of unhappy about the situation. Whether the Malay voters come out in full force to give support to the BN candidate, that’s something we’re trying to work out. Of course, we’re also trying to talk to the Chinese. We have them (MCA and Gerakan) go down and talk to the Chinese to explain the situation, that there bigger issues than the Perak issue, such as national issues. So there is a good chance of winning, but of course, hard work. I’m not too sure about Bukit Selambau, it’s a 50-50 situation. In terms of Batang Ai, it very much a Sarawak matter. The issues that need to addressed in Sarawak are the NCR (native customary rights to land), the state leadership. But I do hope that these issues will be addressed by the Sarawak government and they traditionally have worked quite well there. Hopefully, we can retain the seat.

On the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks with the US, what exactly are the stumbling blocks?

The contentious issues in the Malaysia-US FTA negotiations are the inclusion of government procurement and competition policy. The US want government procurement to be in the FTA... The inclusion would limit our capabilities in implementing measures or policies towards achieving the NDP (National Development Policy) objectives. The chapter on competition policy proposed by the US has a broad definition which covers government policies related to government-linked companies. We are willing to have a chapter which only covers basic principles and technical assistance or capacity-building elements. The US needs to be more flexible in its approach before both sides can reach any agreement on this issue. The US also wants to link labour and environmental domestic laws and regulations with its dispute settlement policy, which is to say it wants us to observe all five core conventions in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) linked to dispute settlement provisions. We cannot agree to this as we have yet to ratify the core ILO conventions on freedom of association, elimination of compulsory forced labour and elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. On the environment, US wants enforcement of environmental laws to be subjected to dispute settlement provisions proposed by them, whereas we can only agree to consultation and non-punitive provisions. We also want a different approach to the liberalisation of the services sector. The US wants an approach which calls for liberalisation of most sectors up-front, whereas we are prepared to adopt a progressive approach.

tunku : this is the man with dpm material. hope the delegates with give all their votes to him.

Najib Under Attack

Zaid urges King not to name Najib as new premier

Sacked Umno veteran Zaid Ibrahim today called on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to make the correct choice - by not appointing Najib Abdul Razak as the country's next prime minister.
"These are difficult times. Malaysia needs a leader who will unite the country in the face of adversity. Divided we are weak.
"I am loath to say it but for the reasons that I have set out, I am compelled to say that Najib will most certainly divide us and in doing so, will nudge us closer to the edge," he said.
Speaking at the Royal Rotary Club of Kuala Lumpur's weekly luncheon meeting, the former law minister said there are still well qualified Umno parliamentarians who could be appointed as prime minister.
"For King and country, I urge his majesty to take into consideration the prerequisites to the appointment and the concerns of the rakyat.
"There is no constitutional obligation on his majesty to appoint the president of Umno as the prime minister," he added in his speech titled 'If Truth be Told'.
Najib is slated to assume the prime minister's position later this month when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi steps down.
Save for the dawn of Merdeka, Zaid said, never in the history of this country has the choice of prime minister been so crucial.
Malaysia, he noted, is in crisis. "We are facing tremendous economic challenges with unavoidably harsh socio-political consequences. Our much undermined democracy is once again being assailed by those who would prefer a more autocratic form of governance."
"Our public institutions are hollowed out caricatures, unable to distinguish vested party interests from national ones, unable to offer the man in the street refuge from the powerful and connected.
"Our social fabric that took us from colony to an independent nation and on through the obstacles of nation building has reached a point where it sometimes feel like we are hanging on by a thread. This is the Malaysia we live in," he said.
'Ill-fated' decision
Zaid also described Abdullah’s impending resignation as an 'ill-fated' decision.
"I say ill-fated not because he has been a great prime minister and we would lose irreplaceable leadership, that is regrettably not the case as all things said and done Abdullah could have done much more for Malaysia.
"Rather, I say that his resignation is ill-fated because his departure will expose the country to forces which may take us down the road of perdition faster than ever," he said.
"Much has been said of Pak Lah (Abdullah) being a weak leader. However, what his critics have not adequately addressed are the consequences of replacing him as prime minister with the anticipated incoming president of Umno.
"It is an undeniable truth that the average Malaysian is anxious about the anticipated transition. Many would prefer it did not happen," he added.
According to Zaid, there are two reasons why this is so.
The first, he said, has to do with the reasoning underlying Umno's demand for the transition itself.
"The second has to do with Najib personally," he added.
Zaid, who was appointed to the cabinet by Abdullah after the March 8 polls, quit last year when he openly disagreed with the government's decision to detain three people under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
The former Kota Bharu MP was later sacked from Umno after he was seen to be present at several opposition functions.

tunku : that is why pak lah has not set the date of transition. he is trying his best to cling on by using his hatchet men to do the task for him. zaid is one of them. what zaid want to say that pak lah is the best pm that malaysia had because with his leadership umno has been the weakest and this is good for them.why would najib divide us? tell as the facts and not fairy tales. as a lawyer use some brain.we know that you and another son of ibrahim(the moron) are working together to attack najib. these people are so scared of najib being the pm as they know their mission will not be accomplish.

Ali Rustam's Supporters Meet Abdullah

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Bernama) -- About 150 supporters of Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam met with Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Tuesday night to review the Umno Disciplinary Board'S decision which barred the Melaka Chief Minister from contesting the Umno deputy presidency.
The supporters, who came from several states including Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory, Perak and Penang, gathered at the Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Subang at about 9 pm to wait for the Prime Minister who arrived from a visit to Indonesia at about 10.45 pm.
Batu Gajah Umno division head Datuk Mohd Yusoff Kassim, when met by the media here tonight, said they had met Abdullah and had expressed their hopes that the party president would review the decision to prohibit Mohd Ali from contesting the deputy presidency in the Umbno election next week.
"We appealed to the Prime Minister to reconsider the decision to prohibit Mohd Ali from contesting and he had given a positive response," he said.
Mohd Yusoff said that at the meeting which lasted almost 20 minutes, Abdullah promised to consider the matter and meet with Mohd Ali tomorrow.
Late this afternoon, Umno Disciplinary Board chairman Tan Sri Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail announced that Mohd Ali was barred from contesting after he was found to have committed an offence under Article 10.1 of the Umno Members Code of Ethics for being involved in money politics.
The board also found Khairy Jamaluddin, a candidate for the post of Umno Youth head, guilty of a similar offence but he was only given a warning.
The board, however, cleared former Selangor menteri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo, who is also a candidate for the Umno Youth head post, of breaching the Umno Members Code of Ethics.

tunku : the board found him guilty so what's there to review the decision. we hope the umno MT meeting today will think rationally and put the party interest first before any individual.you put a wrong person, the party will suffer.as for ali rustam's supporters, support him at malacca. no doubt he has been doing good job at malacca but he is not the dpm material.let him stay as malacca cm and maybe najib can appoint him later as MT member.

Najib committed to openness and transparency

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said today that he will be committed to an administration based on the principle of openness, transparency and telling the people the truth when he takes over the helm of the country.
The deputy prime minister said if the government spoke the truth to the people, then it would gain their confidence.
"A government must instill trust and confidence in the people so that they have confidence in the government. We have to be transparent, tell the truth to the people," he said in reply to a question from the floor at the "National Integrity Agenda Conference: Evaluation and Direction" at the Integrity Institute of Malaysia here.
Najib said efforts to eradicate corruption and mould a society that is clean, with greater integrity and that upholds moral values should be a cause that must be acculturated.
He said negative traits such as greed and self-interest which fomented corrupt activities and abuse of power should be discarded.
He said that in the aspect of government procurement, if a major portion of the procurement was based on open tender or at least restricted tender, it would help fight corruption. "Maybe this will not be popular among certain quarters. Maybe the lobbyists may not like it. But I believe the people like it and will support the government more," he said.
Najib said much of the procurement now was based on open bidding.
"I will also encourage electronic procurement (e-procurement). We are moving in that direction," he said when replying to another question from the floor.
Najib said that in the aspect of appointments or transfer of officers suchas chief executive officers (CEOs), the important elements applicable according to priority were integrity, ability and acceptability.
Najib said the national integrity movement should be encouraged and supported by all levels of society for mutual benefit.
On a question related to Umno, Najib, who is Umno deputy president, said he has a plan to bring reform to the principal party of the government and that he will make an announcement on that soon. "The perception of Umno is that many people see the party as being arrogant and having unhealthy practices. We have to clean up Umno," he said.
On the National Integrity Plan report which was launched today, Najib said that based on the report, the government could take pride that several achievements had been made in certain aspects.
Nevertheless, he said, it was evident that much remained to be done with regard to the people's perception of corruption, a moral society and a society of greater integrity.

tunku : everyone is banking on najib to do the most awaited reform both in umno and in the government.he has to prove it.from april 2009 till 2011/2012 will be his test.he must get back people's confidence.we can't wait for the cleaning process in umno and government.

Bad Habit Of The Opposition

Opposition Members Withdraw From Parliament Probe Panel

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Bernama) -- The three opposition members have withdrawn from the special committee set up by the Dewan Rakyat to investigate the Feb 26 incident where Karpal Singh was allegedly prevented from entering Parliament House by a number of people, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.
Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur), R. Sivarasa (PKR-Subang) and Datuk Kamaruddin Jaffar (PAS-Tumpat) did not attend the committee's second meeting today and have withdrawn from the panel, he told reporters at the Parliament lobby. The committee first met on March 11.
The committee is chaired by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia. Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Dr Ronald Kiandee is the deputy chairman.
The other members of the panel are Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (BN-Bintulu), Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn (BN-Alor Gajah) and Datuk Nancy Shukri (BN-Batang Sadong).
Nazri said he hoped that opposition Members of Parliament would not dispute any decision adopted by the committee.
"We invited them to attend but they chose not to participate (in the meeting). That's their decision. We cannot force them. Whatever decision the committee adopts will be brought to the Dewan Rakyat," he said.
He also said that the number of members of the committee was adequate and the vacancies left by the opposition members would not be taken up by MPs from the Barisan Nasional (BN).
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim cited "inconsistency" of the committee in conducting its investigation into Karpal Singh's complaint as the main reason for the withdrawal of the opposition committee members.
"We decided to support the move by the Bukit Gelugor MP (Karpal Singh) and other MPs in not cooperating with the committee because of its inconsistency," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.
Anwar also said the withdrawal of the opposition committee members was also because of their disagreement with the suspension of Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) from the Dewan Rakyat for one year without having been given a chance to defend himself.
Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah), Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), Fong Kui Lun (DAP-Bukit Bintang) and N.Gobalakrishnan (PKR-Padang Serai) have withdrawn as witnesses who were to have appeared before the committee. Karpal Singh has also declined to come before the committee.
Meanwhile, Dr Kiandee said three people gave their testimony before the committee today. They were Karpal Singh's special assistant Michael Cornelius and two parliament security guards Nurul Shida Kamarudin and Rahmah Idrus.
He said the meeting went ahead as there was sufficient quorum.
"We have not arrived at a decision. There is another meeting tomorrow. We will decide whether to call witnesses or make a decision," he said.

tunku : when the government don't invite them, they says that there is no transparency , justice bla bla bla and when the government invites them to sit together in the panel, the says no consistency bla bla bla. what moron and pathethic type of opposition we have in malaysia. they are wasting time.don't bother to include them next time till they behave properly.karpal also declined to cooperate and come before the committee so it is best for the committee to stop the probe and to hell with karpal.

Announcing Date For Take Over Will Avoid Speculation - MP

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Bernama) -- An independent Member of Parliament wants Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to announce the actual date for the handing over of the Prime Minister's post to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, to avoid rumours and speculation.
Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Bebas-Pasir Mas) said due to the uncertainty of the issue various questions and speculations has kept the people guessing and had also weakened the share market.
"Although the date is said to be in March, a lot of questions remain unanswered while the media had been speculating various probabilities.
"I believe it had also attributed to a volatile situation in the Bursa Saham Kuala Lumpur (BSKL) although the global economic crisis had been blamed," said Ibrahim while debating on the Supplementary Supply Bill 2009 at the Dewan Rakyat here Tuesday.

tunku : ibrahim ali is right.by now they should announce the transition date.it is near end march.i don't understand why they are keeping it a secret till now.what is their intention? we are going through economy crisis and this speculation is giving more bad effect to our economy.hope they will announce it asap.

UMNO Firm In Eliminating Money Politics - Abdullah

JAKARTA, March 17 (Bernama) - Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that the decision taken by the Umno Disciplinary Board in suspending several of Umno members for involvement in money politics Tuesday showed that the party was firm in eliminating the scourge.
"The Umno Disciplinary Board has made its decision. Umno is certainly firm in tackling money politics," he told reporters here when asked to comment on the decision of the board which included barring Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam from contesting the post of Umno deputy president in the party election next week.
At the press conference with Malaysian journalists at the conclusion of his two-day working visit here for the annual consultation with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the Malaysian Prime Minister said he had informed Susilo of the measures to be taken by Malaysia if the economic crisis persisted.
"I explained that the retrenchment of workers is something that cannot be avoided and will happen. The question is to what extent and the number of people to be retrenched," he said.
He pointed out that the Malaysian government would do its utmost to avoid mass retrenchments but if this could not be avoided, the foreign workers, including those from Indonesia, would have to go first.
Abdullah said, however, Malaysia would first of all inform Indonesia so that the country, which provides the most number of foreign workers to Malaysia, could make the necessary preparation to face the situation.
"Another thing, we (Malaysia) will cooperate to enable Indonesian nationals residing in Malaysia to cast their ballots during the election in Indonesia," he said.
He said the Indonesian nationals would be allowed to vote at the locations which had been identified and the process would be supervised by the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia.
At the annual consultation which entered its sixth year, Malaysia and Indonesia had agreed to push the private sector to regenerate the economy of both countries, and Indonesia had expressed its willingness to accept Malaysian investments in its new projects.
He said if the investment cooperation involved the power industry which was being given priority by both countries, Petronas would be asked to consider the ventures besides cooperating in alternative sources of energy.
The Malaysian Prime Minister said the outcome of the overall consultation was most positive with numerous areements reached especially with the acceptance of the various programmes recommended by the Eminent Persons Groups of both countries.
Abdullah, who was accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, returned home tonight.



tunku : umno is firm in eliminating money politics but not to the son in-law of it's president.ali rustam was found guilty under section 10.1 in umno ethics and so does kj but only ali rustam is barred from contesting and kj is just given warning.where is the logic.tengku deen said that ali rustam charges is like stabbing a person 10 times to death and kj 's like stabbing one time but still to death.the main point here is killing someone,no matter how many time he stabs.don't tell me when you kill someone with one stab you are given a stern warning only.where's the logic in this.so next time anyone who want to involve in money politics make sure to give just once as you will only given a warning.what is there in the warning.he still can contest and do whatever he wants to. we hope the delegates will reject candidates who are found guilty with money politics.if umno votes for kj and others with money politics charges as their youth chief /MT then it is so obvious that umno will be full of dirt especially it is lead by peoplee who are found guilty for money politics.

Ali Rustam banned from Umno polls, Khairy allowed to contest

KUALA LUMPUR: The Umno disciplinary board has found Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam guilty of breaking party election rules.
The board's chairman Tengku Tan Sri Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail said at the party headquarters here on Tuesday that Mohd Ali will now be banned from contesting the Umno deputy presidency.
He also said that incumbent Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaludin had also been found guilty of breaking election rules. Khairy, will however, be allowed to contest the wing's top post.
Former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, meanwhile, has been cleared of any wrongdoing.
Talk had been rife over the past few days that Mohd Ali, 59, who was said to be doing well in the contest for the Umno No. 2 post, was being investigated by the board.
The speculation raised the political temperature as the party election campaign entered its final lap, with just days left before more than 2,000 delegates chose the new party line-up.
The Umno general assembly will begin at the PWTC here on Tuesday.
The Umno deputy presidency will now be a two-man contest - between Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib.

tunku : wonder how kj only got warning, poor ali rustam.

Muhyiddin: Najib needs a strong deputy

Although reportedly no longer the frontrunner in the race for Umno’s second most powerful job, Muhyiddin Yassin is “keeping his fingers crossed” that he will emerge triumphant on the night of March 26.
At 61, Muhyiddin’s strongest suit against his two rivals - Mohd Ali Rustam and Muhammad Muhd Taib - is his experience, having served as Johor menteri besar for 13 years and as a cabinet member for close to 14 years.
Turning around BN, Umno



This is the first of a two-part interview with Muhyiddin by Malaysiakini.


With two weeks to go, how’s your campaign for Umno deputy president going?

Muhyiddin: Normally you would have one or two months (of campaigning) before the general assembly but this time it’s six months, so it’s a long haul. Consequently, it’s very tedious in terms of the time you have to spend to meet with the delegates and all the division heads. But I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I’m meeting many people, and of course, at the same time take the opportunity to explain current issues. While the party election process is important, the bigger issue is of course the interests of the nation, which I think are more important. When they start to evaluate (Umno) leadership, this should be the basis of how they should vote.

How are you different from the other two candidates - Mohd Ali Rustam and Muhammad Muhd Taib?

I am one of the more senior members of the party. I explain to them (the delegates) my track record in terms of service to the government in various ministries, (and) the positions that I have taken since I became member of Umno supreme council and as vice-president. I have been highlighting the experience I have gone through in managing the government and the party, so I am trying to impress upon the delegates that this should be the criteria in choosing a leader. I think my experience, both at local and international level, would be very useful (insofar) as putting someone as No. 2 in the party as well as in the government. These are the ingredients that you need. Well, I have to sell myself as a product. I think I have good qualities. But of course, while that is so, it’s not just about saying what you are, who you are and what you have been doing all this while... They also want you to be closer to them, shake more hands, look at them in the eye, pat their backs more often...

Kiss babies...

Yes, kiss babies and all that, sort of a public relations thing which is important in Umno but I don’t think that should be the overriding principle. At a time when we are facing serious problems, like what Umno is facing today, it’s best to have a strong team of leadership. Of course, they use the analogy that you can’t have two lions on the same mountain - that we have a strong leader with (Deputy Prime Minister and Umno deputy president) Najib Abdul Razak , you cannot have another strong leader who would later mount a challenge (against him), but I explain to them (the delegates) that this is wrong. If you say so, it means you are saying ‘elect a not-so-strong leader’ or ‘elect a person who is weak’. I don’t think that’s what Umno wants, or that’s what the country wants. The country, at times like this, needs strong leadership.

But looking at Umno’s history, it’s in Najib’s interest to have a relatively weaker deputy rather than someone who could pose a threat to him.

I don’t think so. I think in many of my engagements with Najib, in the power transition plan that we worked out, he expressed that we are facing a complex situation - the need to turn around Umno and BN. These are important issues as well as tackling other problems of the day, like economic issues. This require more than just what I would (call) normal experience. You have to have the capabilities and the capacity to manage the situation and you need a team of people. You cannot do it alone, and I don’t think Najib would be thinking of the possibility of someone contesting against or going against him. I don’t think this is what he has in mind. He is pragmatic as a leader. He knows what are the important issues of the day and he will need a strong deputy who will be able to assist him, with experience, someone who has gone through the ups and downs in the government, something which I have been doing. Those should be, I believe, matters of interest to him as a prime minister.

Last week (Kelantan Umno chief) Anuar Musa said there was a meeting between Najib and all the party state chiefs to look for a compromise for the No. 2 position. Is it true?

I don’t know. I don’t have that sort of privileged information. There could have been (a meeting) but I have no knowledge as to what transpired. There were some news on that in fact, but I’m not privy to it. I’m not too sure if there are follow-ups to some of the proposals mooted by some people who say (that) under the present circumstances, with these sort of uncertainties, there is a need to work out some formula or a compromise.

But would you rather have a compromise candidate for the No. 2 spot?

Well, I could be prejudicial in saying that there should be a compromise but then I cannot be the one to be ‘compromised’ as what Ali Rustam (left) had said. He said, “Okay, if it’s not me then the other guys should go too.” To me, this is not a compromise. If it is me, I would say, yes, if there is a broad thinking among leaders at the top to say in the present circumstances you should sit down (to discuss), and this has always been the way Umno manages itself. Why don’t we sit down and talk? If we could reach a consensus that is bearable to all parties and not at the expense of the party, then why not? That should be the principle and it should not be self-serving - we should be looking at the broad interest of the party, so as far as I am concerned, it does not matter. If you asked me if it would be better to have some form of solution - not that it is against democracy, but under the circumstances we face - a formula or compromise that can be acceptable to all, I’m okay with it.

But it would be seen that Umno is so fragile that it is unable to have any kind of contest for No. 1 or 2 all these years and this is yet another case...

It is a matter of tradition, an understanding that we would want to avoid contests at the top for reasons of history because it (party split) happened before, and it took years and years before it can heal...

But this is recent history...

Yes, that was recent but now of course the situation is not feasible as far as Umno is concerned. It depends on the leaders themselves, whether or not they want to go through it or they want to find some amicable solution to the problem.

Apart from seniority and experience, what else would you tell the delegates about being fit for the No. 2 post?

I think they should look at my track record. I do not mince my words. I speak with clarity, my intentions for certain things, like what I did for the power transition plan. But more than that, I impress upon them (the delegates), even to create a feeling of fear that Umno cannot to continue to slide. We’ve realised in the post-mortem how Umno fared in the last elections, where we stand vis-a-vis the people’s support and not just the Malays but non-Malays as well. I explained to them the role Umno had played before as the premier party in BN and what is happening today. I explained to them the wider picture on why is there a need to reform and bring back (the core principles). We need action and I am a man of action. I mean things and I do it, and we need to be fast. I instilled in them the urgency (that) this (reform) needs to be done now. In fact, we have not done so, even after the elections, so now you need some sort of leadership (that can bring in reforms) and I believe I can offer these (qualities). These are the things they have to think about carefully - it’s not just merely an Umno issue, it is also in the interest of the Malaysian people. Never in the history of the party elections have the people at large, both non-Malays and Malays, (taken) so much interest in Umno - like who is going to be the president or the deputy because they are going to be the leaders of the country. People want to know how the leadership will handle the economy (and) politics, and whether or not they have trust in the person who will hold such positions. I told them, with all the surveys that I have done, Muhyiddin is the person who can help. You can’t say I have to be very modest about it, and this is true. I have been getting a lot of support from people outside who care about the state of things and they tell me that I must be there to help the leadership.

You garnered the highest nominations (for vice-presidency) but if you look at history, in the 1997 Umno polls, it did not translate into votes. What do you think of your chances?

It’s fairly good. I’ve gone through this exercise many times so this is not the first - in the supreme council race, vice-presidency race - four or five times. Of course, this is the first time I am running for deputy presidency. I understand the thinking of the delegates and of course, I know the nominations are not as important but they do come from the divisions without any coaxing. It is a natural response for them to say that - because of what I have done, because they know me and because of the role I played in terms of the transition plan - they acknowledge I have the capability of doing something (and so) they nominated me. The numbers are encouraging. But of course, it changed after a few weeks because of certain, as usual, unseen hands moving around. I do hope that they acknowledge the situation Umno is in at the moment, and that they choose the right leader. Of course, you’ll say, ‘Who’s the right leader?’ I’m the right person, because I can serve, I can perform, and it (leadership) should be based on that criteria.

You don’t have a personal blog. Why is that?

I’m a bit too busy at the moment, but I know I have a lot of fans who are bloggers themselves who blog and write things about me. Not all are good, but it’s okay. When I feel like I have the time maybe I can start blogging and engage the people directly.

Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail has given the impression that money politics is intractable. He has even suggested abolishing the Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings.

Sometimes it’s just an impression, sometimes it’s the truth. What Tengku (right) did say is in exasperation, in disappointment because he chairs the disciplinary board and I think he has been receiving a lot of complaints involving everybody inside there, so obviously it is something that is not good for the party. It’s something we should want to avoid and I’m also one of the strongest proponent for taking action against money politics. I was instrumental in having this special AGM to table a resolution to fight money politics. I think there must be a process of political education to tell people ‘just stop it, don’t do that’. It will not only hurt a few but the whole party. This is something that the party will have to continue to address. It’s not something that you can solve in one day - this corruption thing - that’s why it is an on-going exercise to create awareness (and) institute actions to reduce it. It is a fight that Umno has to take up.

Umno is a political party based on patronage politics. People expect government contracts so it’s going to be quite difficult to just tell them ‘don’t do it’…

Yes, it’s not easy but we have to institute some very serious form of discipline. I know even in an open society, an anti-corruption commission has to be formed to deal with this scourge. But in Umno, we have not plunged to that stage yet. We don’t want it to become a cancer within the party that will put you in a difficult situation in the future. So yes, it is not easy, but that’s why I suggested that the (disciplinary) board must be reinforced in terms of (human resources) and capacity to deal with the situation. Fast decisions must be made to institute action against those who are involved in money politics. But also very important is the process of creating awareness and educating Umno members about how serious the consequences are, especially since Umno is part of the government. The image that we have is not good, so we have to do this - it’s a fight that we have to continue.

You were part of Anwar Ibrahim’s Wawasan team in the 1993 Umno polls (along with Najib and Muhammad). How do you see his threat to take over the government?

Well, Sept 16 did not happen. So it was one big bluff, and of course he is still aspiring to continue to do that, maybe with less intent than before because he sees that people do not believe in what he is saying any more. You can’t hoodwink the people with this sort of thing. But if he is really a person of democracy, then he should believe in democracy - that this (BN) government is legal and it is properly and duly put into position of power to govern this country. You have to wait for four or five years - there will be another election - and see whether or not you have the support of the people to govern. Now that you have been given a chance to govern those states that are no more under BN - prove it. You see what has happened to Perak? Anwar’s trick (backfired) on him. It is not our doing, it’s not the BN’s doing, it is something that they (Pakatan Rakyat) did, and they got caught in the situation. The people who have been put into power must govern and people who have not been entrusted should not disturb the government, and have to perform their duty as an honourable opposition. So all this talk about toppling and coaxing BN members to cross over, I don’t think that it is good. It creates instability and Anwar is the biggest culprit in this political instability, I’m sorry to say that. He is my friend but I don’t think that he is doing this (the) right (way). We just have to stop it. People are asking about why are we talking so much about politics. Politics seem to override the main issue of the day, which is governance (and the) economic situation that we are facing. I am sorry to say (this) but we were not given that chance (to rule). Malaysiakini was also part of it (laughs), so-called culprit. I’m sorry - that’s a joke. That’s it, so I think Anwar will just have to accept that whether it is a two-thirds majority or a simple majority, it is a majority for the (federal) government. You have to give the government the chance to rule.

But the same argument can be levelled against BN, that BN is creating instability in Perak.

We’re not. The fact that we are now back in government is not (because) we have created instability. It is they (Pakatan) who created instability to the extent that their own members distrusted them and left and then became Independents (who) support the BN. So it is not our doing, we don’t scheme those things. They should ask why those PKR guys left and (did) not support them. Obviously because they are disgusted and very disappointed. They (Pakatan) have not proven themselves as a viable government and I think the people know about it. We haven’t been fair to the people. The people who put you in power, they want you to serve, but you are not serving, you are politicking, so I don’t think it’s fair to the people. We have lost one year already since the last election, and people ask ‘what have you done’. Because of what is happening, the people are blaming the BN. People are blaming everybody. The PKR has been blamed, the DAP government has been blamed, the BN government, of course, has been blamed. I think everybody is at fault - we should put some sense back into the minds of every politician, to serve the people - that is more important than serving your own (interests).

tunku : Muhyiddin for Deputy President and Deputy Prime Minister.

Karpal charged with sedition

Bukit Gelugor member of parliament Karpal Singh was charged with sedition in Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court this morning in relation to his threat to sue the Perak ruler over the political crisis in the state.
The prosecution claimed that Karpal had committed the offence on Feb 6, from 12 noon to 12.30pm, at his legal office in Jalan Pudu Ulu in Kuala Lumpur.
Karpal pleaded not guilty before judge Mohamad Sekeri Mamat. He was released on a RM2,000 bail with one surety.
He was charged under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act and faces a maximum jail sentence of three years or a RM5,000 fine or both if found guilty.
Subsequent offences are punishable with a maximum jail sentence of five years. Karpal was represented by 13 lawyers, including himself and his four children.
The prosecution was done by deputy public prosecutors Kamaruddin Md Said and Mond Hanafiah Zakaria.
The prosecution also applied to the court to transfer the case to the High Court, to which Karpal also agreed.
Karpal earlier arrived at the court at about 9.15am with his family members. The court started its session at 10.24am.
Also present to give support were fellow DAP leaders including Lim Kit Siang and Teresa Kok. PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim was also present.
Speaking to reporters before entering the court, Karpal said he was not worried of being charged with sedition.
"I have been in politics for 40 years and I have been in courts before. It is part of our job as members of parliament to speak without fear or favour," he said.
He added that whatever he had said in regards to his intention to sue Raja Azlan Shah was done in line with legal principles.

tunku : of course karpal is not worried. he is a seasoned lawyer which know how to make a lie becomes truth.that is his expertise.he has been doing that since 40-50 years ago.anyway, we hope the prosecution team will be a good one this time.i want that 'singh is king' behind bar.if he is freed then it will be a precedent for other people out there.