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Clarification – Guang Ming report of 49 BN MPs on Taiwan junket are given RM500,000 each and that I knew of the “mysterious sponsor” incorrect and misleading

This is to clarify that the Guang Ming Daily front page report today quoting me as saying that the 49 BN MPs on Taiwan junket are given RM500,000 each and that I knew of the “mysterious sponsor” but it is not the time to reveal his identity is incorrect and misleading.

When answering the Guang Ming reporter who telephoned me on Tuesday, I had said that the BN MPs’ junket to Taiwan, allegedly for agricultural study tour but clearly to foil Anwar Ibrahim’s “916” plan, sparked a lot of talk and rumours in the country.

I mentioned that among the rumours was that the BN MPs would be given RM500,000 each. In reply to the question by the Guang Ming reporter whether I knew the person paying the money to the BN MPs, I said that a name was mentioned in the rumours but it would not be right for me to mention him.

I did not say that the BN MPs in the Taiwan junket had been paid RM500,000 each or that I knew who was the person who paid them.

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Power transfer at national level – matter of time

Kenyataan Akhbar
PAKATAN RAKYAT

11 September 2008
Peralihan Kuasa Tetap Akan Berlaku Kerana BN Telah Gagal

Kepimpinan Pakatan Rakyat yang bertemu hari ini yakin proses pembentukan kerajaan baru yang berlandasan Agenda Reformasi sedang berjalan secara lancar. Kami percaya kerajaan Barisan Nasional akan diganti dalam masa terdekat.

Pakatan Rakyat yakin mendapat bilangan ahli Parlimen yang mencukupi untuk mempunyai majoriti dalam Parlimen yang membolehkan penubuhan kerajaan baru. Bagaimanapun tarikh sebenar penubuhan kerajaan mungkin terpaksa dilewatkan dari 16 September sebagaimana rancangan awal akibat beberapa ahli Parlimen telah dipaksa ke Taiwan.

Umum mengetahui negara kini masih dicengkam permasalahan politik, ekonomi dan sosial yang getir. Akibat kehilangan keyakinan rakyat terhadap kepimpinan UMNO dan BN, timbul percubaan mengalih pandangan kepada isu perkauman sempit.

Masalah perkauman yang diapi-apikan berterusan sehingga kini menunjukkan formula BN yang dihantui kebejatan rasuah dan korupsi gagal mentadbir negara ini. Api perkauman yang cuba dibakar akan mengancam kestabilan negara dan kebajikan rakyat. Kepimpinan BN yang semakin lemah juga menyaksikan parti tersebut semakin berpecah dan semakin hilang arah.

Melihat kepada perkembangan semasa inilah ramai Ahli Parlimen BN telah hilang kepercayaan terhadap kepimpinan BN dan memutuskan untuk bersama dengan Pakatan Rakyat. Pakatan Rakyat menegaskan bahawa kami tidak pernah dan tidak perlu membeli atau menyogok Ahli Parlimen berkenaan untuk menyertai kami. Mereka didorong oleh kesedaran sendiri serta memberikan komitmen menyokong agenda perubahan. Continue reading “Power transfer at national level – matter of time”

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Ahmad Ismail’s 3-year Umno suspension – “water off a duck’s back”

The Umno Supreme Council’s three-year suspension of Umno Bukit Bendera Umno division chairman Datuk Ahmad Ismail of his Umno membership for his provocative, inflammatory and racist reference of the Malaysian Chinese as “penumpang” is too little, too late and too ineffective.

For Ahmad, the Umno Supreme Council decision is just like “water off a duck’s back”.

All these three attributes of the Umno Supreme Council decision being “too little, too late, too ineffective” were instantly evident from the immediate press conference held by Ahmad after the Umno Supreme Council decision yesterday, viz:

• Firstly, Ahmad remained defiant and unremorseful for his provocative, inflammatory and racist statement maintaining that he would not apologise although he accepted the Umno Supreme Council’s decision on him;

• Secondly, Ahmad declared that his “suspension” would not stop him from being active in the party, albeit unofficially, as he cannot hold posts defined in the party constitution, adding: “If my division is smart enough and creates a new post, such as division advisor, I can still be advisor.”

• Thirdly, he announced immediate plan to tour the country and explain to Umno divisions about the matter, and declared: “I promise one thing – I will make a comeback to Umno.”

• Fourthly, Ahmad’s defiance and total lack of remorse is not just individual bravado but clearly had powerful UMNO backing as indicated by the fact that he held his immediate press conference at the Umno headquarters at PWTC, Kuala Lumpur which was attended by the Umno Secretary-General Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor. Continue reading “Ahmad Ismail’s 3-year Umno suspension – “water off a duck’s back””