BN lawmakers reject former prime minister’s call to quit the coalition.

TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s obsession with toppling Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration is opening the door of opportunity to the opposition led by his arch-rival Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Dr Mahathir’s naked call for defiance and rebellion against Abdullah has emboldened the opposition, which is now openly wooing the very Barisan Nasional MPs being encouraged by the former premier to quit the coalition.

But the BN lawmakers are rebuffing Dr Mahathir’s call, most of them saying this would only pave the way for the Opposition to gain control.

Ironically, Dr Mahathir seems to be playing into the hands of Anwar, his former deputy whom he sacked, and whom was subsequently jailed, in 1998.

“I do intend to topple the government, we have the numbers,” Anwar said in Singapore yesterday.

“I’m looking forward to early elections, hopefully before September.

“We will move the moment we are sure we can contest and a vote of no-confidence against the PM in Parliament is our best option.” Dr Mahathir yesterday urged BN MPs to quit the coalition, become independents and force the collapse of the government.

“The new government can only be set up if agreed to by all BN MPs who have left the coalition because they have the power to decide whether BN or Pakatan (Rakyat) can be the majority in Parliament.

If BN replaces Datuk Seri Abdullah with someone brave, the group which has left BN can then support the BN and the BN can form the government again,” he argued in a posting on his blog.

But Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said: “Answering Dr Mahathir’s call will only result in the opposition forming the next government. I find it all very strange.

“By becoming independents, MPs would be betraying the people who voted them into Parliament on a BN ticket.

“This is about running the country and respecting the mandate given to BN to govern…”

Article source:

The New Straits Times

Sabah Umno deputy chief Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal.

KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah Umno deputy chief Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal has come out strongly to condemn political crossovers as immoral.

“Crossing over is not impossible. But what (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim is doing is immoral.

“It’s the basic fundamental of democracy - the people’s right to chose - that he’s trying to wipe out. People have given their mandate.

“We don’t buy over their people. We can afford to, but we don’t,” Shafie said.

Shafie’s condemnation was echoed by Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek who slammed politicians who tried to persuade members of opposing parties to switch sides, labelling them as “political prostitutes”.

“It is the peak of immorality and is similar to prostitution. Leaders who try to plead for crossovers are political prostitutes,” he said after visiting New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad at Balai Berita yesterday.

Shabery said only those who were addicted to prostitution would use such methods to achieve political satisfaction.

He said he had heard the views of party members, including those from Sabah.

“Nobody said they wanted to jump parties.”

He said Sabah MPs had issues they wanted to bring up in Parliament.

“Although their views have a certain sting, they were well received by other members and the government will pay attention,” he said.

“Just because they have a strong stand on certain issues, it does not mean they are going to leave the party,” said Shabery.

He agreed. “They (Sabah MPs) are raising concerns of the people on the ground.

“You can’t conclude that they want to cross over just because they raise them.

“But I won’t say that they won’t (cross over). But my advice is they should not do that.

“How can we be sure that it will be a better world if we jump over? Is there any guarantee we’ll be treated better just by promising us 20 per cent oil royalty?”

When asked about promises made by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to provide water and electricity supplies besides increasing development in Sabah, Shafie said: “When Anwar held the position of deputy prime minister and finance minister, he gave the same promises but failed to deliver or improve the situation in Balung or my constituency.”

Shafie said BN members had pride and were not “cheap politicians”.

“Our leaders are not swayed by money or status.”

On rumours of offers of up to RM30 million being offered for BN reps to cross over, Shafie said: “That is immoral on the part of the person offering it and on the part of whoever has the intention of accepting it.

“It means they are looking at RM30 million and not the people’s needs. That is not worthy of a person who was elected.

“If an MP no longer believes in the party he or she stood for, then switch parties in the next election but don’t hop because someone is paying you to.

“Not being responsible in this case amounts to treachery.”

On whether he could vouch for the loyalty of Umno MPs in Sabah, Shafie said: “So far, I believe in them, unless they’re lying.

On the strong statements by Sabah MPs about crossovers, including that there was “no harm” in doing so, Shafie maintained that they were only raising concerns of the people on the ground.

Asked to comment on Kimanis MP Datuk Anifah Aman’s comments that there was no harm in crossing over, and Datuk Seri Ghapur Salleh’s warning of the tsunami hitting Sabah next, he said: “It’s not a question of betrayal but a question of the trust the people have given you.

“When I stood as a BN candidate, I convinced voters that BN is the right platform to fight for development, and the people voted for it.

“Voters believed that BN can deliver, but when what is promised is not delivered… It’s just a reflection of sentiments on the ground.”

On Sabah Progressive Party president Datuk Yong Teck Lee’s statement that something must be done before September or BN faced the risk of crossovers, he said this reflected the views from the ground.

“Come to Sabah and listen to the ordinary folk. They’re asking for more development.”

Questioned why the talk revolved around crossovers if the complaints were about development, Shafie said: “Because Anwar is the one raising it, the one trying to woo BN MPs over.”

Article source:

The New Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR: The VK Lingam video clip shown to the Royal Commission of Inquiry is only some 20% to 30% of what was recorded that night at the prominent lawyer’s house in December 2001.

Somewhere in China, there is a disk containing the complete recording of what Loh Gwo Burne videotaped, separated into segments named VK1, VK2 and others. Most of what was made public was from the first segment of VK1.

»Eventually, when I find it, I will give it to the relevant authorities if required« LOH GWO BURNE

“I downloaded the video from my private computer into several hard disks and compact discs. When I went to work in China in 2004, I took it along,” Loh told The Star.

“The disk is still there. The rest of the videos contain, among other things, other telephone conversations between Lingam and the other person on the phone, as well as conversations Lingam had with my father.

“What has been made public is only about 20%-30% of what I filmed,” Loh said.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry recently identified former Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim as the person on the other side of the call with Lingam in the video.

The Kelana Jaya MP said he had not viewed the videos that he had left in China for some time and therefore could not be precisely sure of what else they contain.

However, from memory, Loh, 34, said he remembered that Lingam had mentioned about how he had manipulated cases to his advantage by using certain lawyers against certain judges to make sure the judgments would be in his favour.

Loh said he made three copies from the videotape. One copy was in China, the other he could not remember where he had kept it and the third was given to the late lawyer Manjit Singh.

Asked what he wanted to do with the copy in China, Loh replied: “Nothing at the moment. Eventually, when I find it, I will give it to the relevant authorities if required.”

He maintained that his family did not know how PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had gotten hold of a copy. Loh believed Anwar had somehow been able to obtain the copy that Loh had given Manjit Singh.

“Maybe after Manjit Singh died, someone went through his things, found the CD and, somehow, it ended in Anwar’s hands,” said Loh.

Asked why he gave a copy to Manjit Singh, Loh said that at that time in 2001 both Manjit Singh and Lingam were acting for his family over some legal matters.

“Manjit Singh had been displeased with Lingam over some payment issues. I passed the CD to him because at that point we were also not happy with the services provided by Lingam because there were many postponements to my family’s case,” said Loh,

But, Loh is not an accidental hero either.

That night in December 2001, he started his camera to film a bowl or vase in Lingam’s house because he was bored to be kept waiting by the lawyer “who was forever on the phone.”

“But when Lingam started asking someone on the other line not to worry, that he would be chief justice soon, I knew I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to document something that may one day help prove something is seriously wrong with the judiciary,” said Loh.

After what he heard that night, Loh said he was so disturbed that he decided there was no more freedom in the courts and chose not to take his Bar exams.

Instead, he went to work for the family business and travelled to China and Indonesia.

“After passing the CD to Manjit Singh, I did not think much of it for years, until (the issue) exploded,” said Loh.

Article source:

TheStar News

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has asked the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government to take the threat made by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim seriously in that Pakatan Rakyat will form the next federal government in the near future as it had convinced more than 30 BN Members of Parliament to cross over to the opposition front or Pakatan Rakyat.N has 140 MPs in the Dewan Rakyat and Pakatan Rakyat 82 out of a total of 222 MPs.

“Well, I think it is a possibility that you can’t dismiss lightly. Now, these politicians are interested in how much they get, they are not interested really in serving the nation.

“People who feel that they did not get what they wanted presently and they are offered positions, the urge to cross over especially when there is no inherent loyalty to the party.

“I feel very strong (about it), it can really happen. I first wanted to dismiss this possiblity but on studying the situation I feel that there is great danger.

“Now, these politicians are interested in how much they get, they are not interested really in serving the nation.

“Of course, if this government loses power, it will not be in a position to dole out all kinds of goodies because at that time the clout is gone,” he told reporters after delivering a keynote address on “National Sovereignty” at the 7th Perdana Discourse Series at the Perdana Leadership Foundation, here.

Asked if this was his greatest fear, he replied that if the cross-over were to take place, then Malaysia would experience “a lot of conflicts”.

“We see the response of the Malays, for example. They have come up with a list of demands for this and that in response to the demands made by the others. They think that the solution is to abandon this concept of democracy, that they should go back to the feudal style of government.

“There is already talk among them…I don’t know how serious it is but the fact that it is being actually voiced (out) is very disturbing,” Dr Mahathir said.

To another question on where the Opposition would obtain the 30 MPs, the former Prime Minister pointed towards Sabah and Sarawak.

“If we take Umno, MCA and MIC, they have their roots here (in the peninsula) but not in Sabah and Sarawak. Although you have Umno in Sabah, it is transplanted from here to there. They are used to smaller parties. So can we be sure that they will remain strongly loyal to Umno? I don’t think so,” he added.

He said even in the peninsula, there could be MPs who could cross over since they knew that they could be in the new opposition-led government.

Dr Mahathir said this crossing over would not a problem if BN had won by a two-thirds majority in Parliament as even if a BN MP were to cross over, he or she would not be able to gain much since the MP would still be with the Opposition.

“But now if they crossed over, they could be joining another government, they will not lose, in fact they can make money,” said the 83-year-old former leader.

He felt that Pakatan Rakyat was a force to be reckoned with not because it was strong or the people loved the Opposition but because “the feeling of disappointment.”

“(Penang Chief Minister Lim) Guan Eng, for example, is quite smart. He is not antagonising the people, instead he is winning their respect.

“You see in the last election, BN voters and supporters voted for Opposition, thinking that this will send a message to the BN. Apparently the message is not properly read and if the governments headed by the Opposition show good governance, (are) concerned about the people, not greedy, not corrupt, then when the next election comes those who voted for them will continue voting the Opposition,” he said.

Article Source:

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/Frontpage/20080507140911/Article/index_html

PENANG: The Chinese community has been advised not to be hoodwinked by PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s promises.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said Anwar had caused “severe” damage to the community through his many unfair policies when he was Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister.

“He was responsible for putting non-Chinese educated administrators in Chinese schools and he was also against relocating Chinese schools or increasing the number of Chinese schools,” he said at a luncheon with state MCA committee members yesterday.

“But now he is portraying a totally different image. He can promise you the world since he is no longer in power and even the DAP and PAS are placing high hopes on him to bring changes.”

He also criticised PAS for trying to implement the hudud law and hit out at DAP for forming a collaboration with the Islamist party in the five Pakatan Rakyat-led state governments.

“Their collaboration with PAS has raised concerns among non-Muslims who have always been fearful of PAS’ plans to set up an Islamic state,” he said.

Article Source:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/5/nation/21152199&sec=nation