Daily Archives: May 20th, 2008

Ronald Kiandee Deputy Speaker Covers Up Azalina’s Lie

This is a very simple matter. Azim Ali PKR member for Gombak has documentary evidence to show Azalina Tourism Minister had cancelled tourism events in Pakatan Rakyat ruled states. You can see Azalina at her best in this blog. Now Azalina denies this. Ronald Kiandee for reasons best known to him was hedging and refused Azalina to be brought to the Parliamentary Disciplinary Board. He insisted the lie be clarified – possibly like white or black lie. When things became hot, he hid behind the privilege that anything decided by the speaker cannot be questioned.

Ronald, I am glad to note will make a better speaker than was Ramli our former speaker, no doubts about it.

Read this here in Malaysiakini.

Whither UMNO

Who are the protagonist in this tussle between Mahathir and Badawi, and what will happen to UMNO. There are 4 parties involved:

  • Mahathir who resigned from UMNO yesterday and who called on other members to follow suit until such times Badawi removes himself or is removed. His call was heeded by Sanusi Junid and the Merbok division of the party. Even Mukhriz, Mahathir’s son has not indicated his position and Malaysiakini says he will be making a statement later in the day.
  • Badawi, who insists on leading the party and government. Surprisingly at a meeting with all UMNO MPs this afternoon he only spoke for 5 minutes on Mahathir’s resignation. He appears confident and all MPs have reiterated their support for him.
  • Najib, though not at the meeting chaired by Badawi, he is in Egypt, is the 3rd protagonist by virtue of his position as the Deputy and the man Mahathir wants to succeed Badawi. From Egypt he says he will meet up with Mahathir and discuss the resignation.
  • UMNO itself. Will there be another new UMNO.

For over 2 years Mahathir has been criticising Badawi, saying the later is not competent, handing over the mantle to Badawi was a mistake, Badawi should resign and hand over the reigns to Najib etc. He is not happy with Badawi at all. But this sudden flurry to resign from UMNO and calling on others to follow him is something new. The rumour is it is all to do with the V.K.Lingam tape. Just a couple of days ago Mahathir was willing to go to court to reveal more damaging information on other judges as well. Has this has anything to do with the other news that the tape was leaked by Badawi and Najib to Anwar to pin down Mahathir. At the earlier days when the inquiry was in progress, there was no indication the people mentioned by V.K.Lingam would be hauled up at the way the inquiry was conducted in a flippant manner. At times the members of the inquiry were taking pains to stop cross-examining of witnesses and the public was of the opinion the inquiry was a waste of time and all would go free. Though Mahathir was willing to testify in court, did the information that Badawi and Najib were plotting against him make him change his mind and he wanted a quick solution to be found for Badawi by resigning from UMNO.

Secondly Gani Patel is to do the prosecution. He is an ally of Mahathir from the days of Anwar, maybe Mahathir feels the AG is now forced to act on the recommendations and Mahathir may suffer embarrassment. What Mahathir may intend to do was to being down Badawi and then with Najib hope that the AG will be in favour to say the evidence is not enough. Hard to say.

For the details of the afternoon meeting of Badawi with the UMNO MPs read Malaysiakini.

Quit UMNO Or Save UMNO

So the quitting landslide or avalanche has started. Merbok members have started the ball rolling. Where this is going to lead to is anybody’s guess. One thing intrigues me is that whether Merbok members had made any earlier decision that Badawi must go and whether this decision had been made known publicly. If no such decision has been made earlier the members are allowing their emotions to rule their decision rather than facts. This type of mob rule decisions is not good for UMNO and perhaps in time to come these dissidents may regret their decision. Mahathir cannot help them anymore and I hope they are aware of this.

My last post refers to decisions made at the spur of the moment, and if true, Mahathir made a mistake. Badawi still holds the cards, and he may have other ideas to overcome the problem. The problems of UMNO does not really reflect on issues, but personalities are involved and everyone wants to be a victor. But which party member is worried about a political party, it is the personal interests that takes centre stage.

Badawi has got to think fast and act, failing which saving UMNO will be a farce.

ALOR STAR: Some 300 members of the Jalan Badlishah Umno branch in Merbok are quitting en masse in solidarity with former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s decision to leave the party.

Branch chairman Mej (Rtd) Anuar Abdul Hamid said members in the Youth, Wanita and Puteri wings were also quitting.

Some 100 members of the branch had attended the event when Dr Mahathir suddenly announced his resignation yesterday and they were apparently so moved by his decision that they convinced the other branch members to follow suit.

“We will remain partyless until after Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi steps down. We are not joining any other party,” Anuar said.

He said they are quitting because they love the party and want to ensure its survival for the sake of future generations.

Several branch leaders from Kubang Pasu said they were planning to boycott the coming annual general meeting.

Former Kedah Mentri Besar Tan Sri Sanusi Junid said he had quit Umno “long ago”.

Jitra branch chief Norsaid Yusuf said Dr Mahathir’s decision was shocking.

“I hope he will reconsider his decision,” he said. Dr Mahathir is a member of the Jitra Umno branch.

In Penang, former party supreme council member Tan Sri Khalid Abdullah, a staunch Dr Mahathir ally, also said he would quit the party, adding that three division leaders in Kedah would follow suit.

Khalid, 83, said: ”We all love the party but this is the only way for us to pressure him (Abdullah) to step down.”

300 Merbok branch members take the cue from Dr Mahathir

Mahathir Resigns Being Challenged

Was the decision made at the spur of the moment or was it an earlier planned decision. From what happened here, Mahathir called for all UMNO members to resign, and when challenged by Ismail, whether Mahathir would do the same, Mahathir agreed to the challenge and resigned. If this is so, I see a desperate attempt by Mahathir to force the hand of Badawi, without worrying about the consequences that may be suffered by UMNO. Where is his love for UMNO. Is it all just a outward show.

ALOR STAR: The man who challenged Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to quit Umno is actually PAS member Ismail Wan Teh.

Ismail was wearing a non-governmental organisation’s hat when he asked Dr Mahathir if he would be willing to quit Umno as a sign of protest against Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s leadership.

Ismail, the Kedah Citizens’ Action Group deputy chairman, asked the question based on Dr Mahathir’s call to Umno members to resign en masse as a show of no-confidence in Abdullah.

Ismail asked if Dr Mahathir were willing to quit, as it would have a major impact on Umno.

Dr Mahathir who was probably not aware that Ismail was a PAS member, said it sounded like a challenge.

“I will leave Umno until Abdullah’s leadership is ended,” he said.

Dr Mahathir, who is Umno member number 000 0001, told a press conference later that he would rejoin Umno after Abdullah had stepped down.

Ismail contested and lost the Kota Siputeh state seat in Jerlun in the recent general election.

PAS man lit the ‘resignation’ fuse