Umno is treating me like a pariah, says Dr M

Umno is treating me like a pariah, says Dr M

ALOR STAR: From being a former prime minister and Umno president to a pariah, this is how Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad described his situation nowadays.

Dr Mahathir, who once ruled the party and the nation for 22 years, said he was insulted that the party was now trying to gag him.

And he was upset at what he deemed a new party culture whereby those who wished to speak up were censored and heaped with insults.

"This seems to be the new party culture. They prevent members from speaking up and only those who support them get to speak.

"I am the former party president yet they don’t want me to talk to the members. I can’t even meet them. Universities are barred from inviting me and newspapers are prevented from reporting about me.

"I am becoming a pariah in the party," he said at the Sultan Abdul Halim airport here.

When asked about Kubang Pasu Umno Youth, which passed a resolution calling for his biggest critic — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Aziz to be sacked from the party and Cabinet — Dr Mahathir said he did not care either way what happened to Nazri.

Dr Mahathir who recently announced his plans to become a delegate at the party’s general assembly in November, said he would raise a number of issues if given a chance to speak at the event.

However, he said there were plans to stifle him. "I know they will cut me out. Even if I am selected as a delegate, I may not get a chance to speak as the Menteri Besar (Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid) may not choose me."(NST)

WORD HISTORY:
The word pariah, which can be used for anyone who is a social outcast, independent of social position, recalls a much more rigid social system, which made only certain people pariahs. The caste system of India placed pariahs, also known as Untouchables, very low in society. The word pariah, which we have extended in meaning, came into English from Tamil paaiyar, the plural of paaiyan, the caste name, which literally means "(hereditary) drummer" and comes from the word paai, the name of a drum used at certain festivals. The word is first recorded in English in 1613. Its use in English and its extension in meaning probably owe much to the long period of British rule in India.

An article appeared in the Harakah Daily: "Pemimpin Umno bawa budaya kurang ajar, jadikan saya pariah, panggil saya iblis"

ALOR STAR, 28 Ogos (Hrkh) - Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad menyifatkan pemimpin-pemimpin Umno membawa budaya kurang ajar, menjadikan beliau pariah dalam parti itu serta memanggil beliau beruk dan iblis.

Ketika mengulas usul yang diluluskan Pemuda Umno Bahagian Kubang Pasu supaya Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Dato' Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz dipecat daripada Umno kerana lantang mengkritik beliau, Dr. Mahathir berkata: "Cara Nazri mengkritik saya bukan budaya Umno, itu budaya kurang ajar. Ada yang panggil saya beruk, ada panggil iblis, ini budaya Umno yang baru."

Bagaimanapun, beliau tidak peduli sama ada Umno akan memecat Nazri atau tidak.

Dr Mahathir juga menyifatkan perbuatan sesetengah pihak yang cuba menyekat beliau bertanding sebagai perwakilan Umno bahagian Kubang Pasu ke perhimpunan agung parti itu sebagai penghinaan terhadapnya.

Bertanding perwakilan bahagian

Beliau menyifatkan tindakan menghalangnya itu lebih pelik daripada hasratnya, sebagai bekas Presiden Umno, mahu bertanding menjadi perwakilan bahagian itu pada 9 September ini.

"Yang itu (sekatan) lebih pelik, lebih menghina saya bahkan jadikan saya pariah dalam Umno. Saya bekas Presiden jadi pariah dalam Umno," katanya semasa ditemui pemberita di Lapangan Terbang Sultan Abdul Halim, Kepala Batas, di sini.

Beliau yang tiba dari Perak bagi lawatan peribadi di Kedah, mengulas kenyataan beberapa pemimpin Umno mengenai pertandingan beliau di Umno Bahagian Kubang Pasu, dengan ada di antaranya menyifatkan hasrat beliau itu sebagai pelik.

Tidak ada mana-mana bekas Presiden Umno mengambil bahagian sebagai perwakilan dalam perhimpunan agung parti itu.

Menurut Dr Mahathir, walaupun menang pada pemilihan untuk menjadi perwakilan Kubang Pasu itu sekalipun, beliau melihat masih ada halangan untuk bercakap pada perhimpunan agung Umno November nanti.

Beliau menjangkakan, Menteri Besar Kedah, Dato' Seri Mahdzir Khalid, selaku Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Umno Negeri sudah tentu tidak memilihnya mewakili Kedah berucap pada perhimpunan agung nanti.

Menteri Besar Kedah penyokong kuat Abdullah

Mahdzir, yang pernah menjadi Setiausaha Politik Perdana Menteri, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi terkenal sebagai penyokong kuat Abdullah dan antara pemimpin Umno yang dikatakan pernah mencadangkan tindakan yang maksimum diambil ke atas Dr Mahathir.

"Sekalipun saya dipilih oleh Badan Perhubungan Umno Kedah untuk berucap pada Perhimpunan Agung Umno, tentu saya diberi masa yang pendek, mungkin sekadar lima minit. Dengan masa banyak itu, tidak boleh berkata apalah," katanya.

Wakil setiap negeri yang akan berucap membahaskan usul pada Perhimpunan Agung Umno ditentukan Badan Perhubungan Umno Negeri.

Dr Mahathir enggan memberitahu isu-isu yang akan beliau bangkitkan sekiranya terpilih menjadi perwakilan dan dibenarkan berucap.

Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, Malaysiakini melaporkan, Nazri menyifatkan tindakan Pemuda Umno Bahagian Kubang Pasu, Kedah meluluskan usul meminta beliau dipecat dari parti itu dan jawatannya dalam kabinet sebagai sesuatu yang 'bodoh' dan 'keliru'.

Usul minta Mahathir henti kritik

Beliau yang juga anggota Majlis Tertinggi Umno berkata Pemuda Umno bahagian tersebut sepatutnya meluluskan usul meminta Dr Mahathir menghentikan tindakan mengkritik kerajaan dan Perdana Menteri.

Bercakap kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Mesyuarat Perwakilan Pemuda dan Puteri Umno Bahagian Gelang Patah, Nazri berkata, perlembagaan Umno tidak menyatakan bersikap kurang ajar terhadap bekas pemimpin merupakan suatu kesalahan yang boleh dibuang parti.

Persidangan perwakilan Pemuda Umno Kubang Pasu telah meluluskan usul memecat beliau daripada mengganggotai Umno dan jawatan kabinetnya berikutan kenyataannya yang disifatkan biadap terhadap Dr Mahathir.

Menurut Nazri, pada mulanya beliau tidak mahu bercakap kepada media tentang isu kritikan Dr Mahathir terhadap Abdullah dan kerajaan sebagaimana yang diarahkan oleh Kebinet tetapi kini terpaksa mengubah pendirian kerana tindakan Pemuda Umno Bahagian Kubang Pasu itu.

Katanya, beliau diberitahu bahawa apa yang sebenarnya berlaku adalah pemuda Umno bahagian Kubang Pasu tidak meluluskan usul memintanya dipecat tetapi sebaliknya beberapa wakil pemuda bahagian meminta beliau dipecat semasa ucapan penangguhan mesyuarat itu.

Nazri berkata beliau akan mendapatkan pengesahan lanjut daripada Ketua Umno Bahagian Kubang Pasu, Dato' Johari Baharum mengenai usul pecat itu.

Nilai diri sendiri

Terdahulu dalam ucapannya, Nazri menasihatkan Pemuda Umno Kubang Pasu agar menilai diri mereka sendiri sebelum bertindak mencadangkan beliau dipecat daripada parti itu.

Beliau juga berkata, walaupun digelar sebagai kurang ajar kerana kelantangannya mengkritik Dr Mahathir tetapi menegaskan akan meneruskan apa yang dibuatnya kerana tidak melihat sebarang kesalahan di dalam mempertahankan Abdullah dan kerajaan.

Tindakan Nazri itu juga direstui oleh pemimpin Umno yang menyifatkannya tidak salah kerana beliau mempertahankan Perdana Menteri mengikut 'cara sendiri'.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, Nazri tidak akan dikenakan sebarang tindakan kerana Umno tidak semestinya mengambil tindakan disiplin kepada anggotanya hanya berdasarkan usul yang dikemukakan pada mesyuarat perwakilan.

"Nazri bertindak setelah beliau merasakan perlu berbuat demikian kerana 'terasa' dengan kritikan yang agak tajam. Pada pendapat saya, tidak ada keperluan untuk diambil apa-apa tindakan terhadap Nazri," katanya kepada media selepas merasmikan mesyuarat Perwakilan Umno Bahagian Kelana Jaya.

Sementara itu di Kuala Selangor, Ketua Pemuda Umno, Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein berkata usul itu tidak mencerminkan kedudukan sebenar Pemuda Umno yang kini kuat dan maju.

Beliau yang juga Menteri Pelajaran berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Mesyuarat Perwakilan Bahagian Umno Kuala Selangor hari ini. - lanh


Thr Star : Mahathir: I’m being stopped from meeting old friends

ALOR STAR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he was stopped by certain quarters from meeting Umno members including his old friends in the party.

The former Umno president claimed that he also could not meet academics who wanted to interview him while the newspapers were not allowed to write what he said.

“I am a former Umno president but have become a pariah in Umno,” he told newsmen here yesterday when asked on questions raised over his decision to contest the post of division delegate to the party general assembly in November.

He said that some Umno supreme council members said his decision was inappropriate for a former party president.

Asked what issues he would raise during the assembly, Dr Mahathir said he would find interesting issues to speak on.

“Even if I was chosen as a delegate, I might not be allowed to talk. If I get the chance maybe for five minutes, which is too short for me to say anything.”

Umno election committee member Tan Sri Khalid Abdullah asked why so many Umno leaders were feeling threatened by Dr Mahathir.

“Tun is resorting to the only avenue, the general assembly, to address party members. He has been denied the opportunity to meet up with Umno members or speak to them in the past few months,” he said.Dr Mahathir and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali are here for the wedding of his grandnephew Mohamad Nahiz Rahmat.

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UMNO Youth playing racial issue - Hishammuddin blasts MCA Youth, Khairy Jamaluddin 'It never crossed my mind to apologise'

Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein issued this warning as he lambasted the MCA Youth for calling on his deputy Khairy Jamaluddin to apologise for his remarks that Barisan Nasional component parties would take advantage of a weak Umno.

"We will join ranks and meet any challenge head-on for the sake of the party and Umno Youth."

Hishammuddin said he was angry that MCA Youth was still harping on the issue despite the existence of channels where such issues could be raised and discussed.

"Khairy had said he was misunderstood and that the matter would be raised at the BN Youth meeting. What more does MCA Youth want?"

Speaking at the Umno Kuala Selangor delegates' meeting yesterday, he said the issue of an apology should not be raised as it would inflame the grassroots.

He said an apology was also not necessary as Khairy was misunderstood.

"But if the misunderstanding had caused some confusion, then there is nothing wrong to apologise for the confusion."

He said he had received many text messages from Umno Youth members expressing their anger over the demand for Khairy to apologise.

He said BN Youth leaders should not get emotional, including questioning the issues of Malay rights raised at Umno meetings.

Hishammuddin, who is BN Youth chief, said he would call for a meeting of BN Youth to settle the row.


Mean time. Deputy Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin yesterday said he would not apologise for his remarks on Umno and Barisan Nasional, which offended certain parties.

He said the statement was made to unite and strengthen Umno and BN component parties.

"It has never crossed my mind to apologise to those who are hurt by what I said in Kedah last week. For me, if we truly fight for our race, one should not apologise.

"I have no intention of offending any BN component party. We are always sensitive to other people’s feelings but we have a role to protect the dignity of the Malays," he said at the Selayang Umno Youth delegates’ meeting here yesterday.

Khairy said this in response to calls from several MCA Youth and Wanita delegates asking him to apologise for his alleged remarks that the Chinese would capitalise on a weak Umno.

Later, Khairy reiterated his statement was to remind the Malays to safeguard Umno so that it would remain strong.

He said if Umno were weak, certain quarters would capitalise on this and it would weaken BN, too.

"I want to see a strong Umno and a strong BN but it has been misunderstood and taken out of context. It has led to an unhealthy polemic, thus I decline to comment further."

Khairy said he had explained the issue to MCA deputy Youth chief Ling Hee Leong.

The star Monday August 28, 2006 reported 'Khairy thanks MCA for its strong support'

Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin expressed gratitude to MCA for supporting Umno and wishing to see a strong and united party.

“I want to thank MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting because he said MCA stood firm behind Umno,” he told reporters after opening the Selayang Umno Youth delegates meeting yesterday.

When asked about his remark that Barisan Nasional component parties would take advantage of a weak Umno, Khairy said his statement had been misunderstood.

“My message was that if Umno was not strong, there might be certain parties who might take advantage of it. This had been shown in history.

“The statement had been misunderstood and twisted based on some parties' interests,” he said.

When asked if he would apologise, he said it did not occur to him to apologise to whichever party because what he had done was right for his party.

Malaysia's ethnic Chinese party pledged its support for the dominant UMNO Sunday after the ruling coalition was rocked by a row triggered by the prime minister's controversial son-in-law.

Khairy Jamaluddin, 30, a businessman and ambitious emerging politician, has already been forced to deny that he is the power behind the throne in the face of concerns about his influence over Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

In the latest upset, Khairy caused uproar in the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) by saying that if the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) became weak other parties could seize the opportunity to make demands.

Meantime, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said yesterday.'Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin should explain to the Chinese community his reported remarks that the community would take advantage of Umno's internal problems to make demands' Sun2surf : Khairy should explain remarks.

"It is a thing that Khairy himself needs to respond to and explain," he told reporters after officiating at the 1st Putrajaya National Watercolour Competition 2006 at the National Art Gallery....(more)




Malaysia Ahmad Badawi Mahathir Khairy MCA UMNO Pariah Hishammuddin