Datuk Mohamed Nazri "open war" on Dr Mahathir; “be a man, leave UMNO; Don’t quarrel.. be angry with a 31-year-old; Don’t burn the country”
Malaysiakini headline in blue and inserted Datuk Seri Abdullah as seen in parliament replying to a disappointed Lim Kit Siang MP during Parliamentary question-time on
the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC)
The government of Datuk Seri Abdullah has through his Minister (in his private capacity) in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz returned the first salvo against Dr Mahathir for his scathing attacks last Saturday. The Minister chided the former premier and ask him to be a “man” and leave UMNO to continue his attacks. He also took the opportunity to defend the son-in-law of PM Abdullah. Is there any vested interests to do so.? It is in order for everyone in Umno politics be rubbing shoulders or associated with Khairy for obvious obious reasons.
A pertinent point raised by Nazri is “to follow the leader but when we support …PM Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, he is angry” Dr M is now NOT practicing what he preached while he was in power.
Read on for Bernama report filed under
Dr Mahathir Should Leave Umno, Says Nazri .
(Note a number of things are left out for obvious reason as Bernama is the official News Agency of the Government)
Declaring an "open war" on Dr Mahathir, Nazri said it was easier for him "to fight whatever allegations made by the former prime minister against the government if the latter is no longer in the party".
"Now I'm still hesitant to oppose him because I still think of him as a former prime minister and former Umno president," Nazri told a news conference at the Parliament lobby here.
The news conference was held to answer Dr Mahathir's latest criticisms made at a dialogue with the Malaysia Today portal, here last Saturday, which was also attended by many opposition leaders.
Nazri said it had never crossed Umno's mind to sack Dr Mahathir from the party.
"I believe that the rumours that Umno would sack the former prime minister originated from him (Dr Mahathir) because he realised that his criticism of the government is a big offence.
"I think he realises that what he has done is a big sin and is waiting to be sacked. We in Umno have never thought of sacking him. I guess he who tastes the chilli will feel the heat," he said.
Nazri also said that he was surprised that the former prime minister was prepared to stoop to sit with the opposition members who had once branded him as a "Pharoah".
He claimed that Dr Mahathir had reneged on all his promises to the government of the day and forgotten the advice that he had given other Umno leaders before retiring.
"He had said that 'the Malays forget easily' but now we can see who has forgotten his promise, the Malays or him?
"This is what really bewilders me. Previously he asked (us) to follow the leader but when we support the government led by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, he is angry," he said.
Nazri also criticised Dr Mahathir for trying to raise the issue of Abdullah's son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, who is the Umno Youth vice-head.
The followings quotes are NOT included in the Bernama’s version
“If he continue to remain in the party, he would be like the opposition. It’s better for him to be a ‘jantan’ (man) and leave the party,”
“An 81-year old man wants to quarrel with a 31-year-old young man. Better to pick someone his own size.”
“Because you’re angry with a young politician, you want burn the country,” said Nazri, who declared it is now an open war with Mahathir.
"I cannot read him. I do not understand this man any more."
The following is a more detailed excerpts from MSIAKINI
Below are excerpts from Nazri's comments at the press conference:
I want to respond to him (Mahathir) on what he raised last Saturday. I do this in view of Tun Mahathir's comment that he wants to use his rights as an ordinary citizen (to speak up). But he has been a prime minister for 22 years - he is not an ordinary person. People will listen to what he said. My worry is if the cabinet does not reply, people may perceive what he said as the truth. So I think my responsibility is to reply to what he had said.
First, I want to say is PM (Abdullah) won't answer him (Mahathir) because the PM is a orang timur (traditional thinking) who stresses on good behaviour. He will not lower himself to answer accusations made by Tun against him. Moreover, the way the current PM runs the country is that he gives responsibility to relevant ministers and companies, so if there is any
queries, it will be up to the relevant party to answer. If Proton (is answerable), then Proton will answer. It is different from Tun's dictatorial tendency who wants to answer all, but the PM practises a liberal policy.
Issues on Proton have been answered by Proton and that has been reported. On the (scrapping of the) bridge to Singapore, (Ahmad) Fuzi Abdul Razak (Foreign Ministry's ambassador-at-large), who was involved in the negotiation from the beginning to the end, has given the answer. We ministers only make the final decision but these people were involved in the (negotiation) process.
The PM will not pick a fight with his former boss. A clash between the PM and ex-PM is not good for the country. What is done by the PM now is good. Don't expect any answer from him, because he will let the professionals involved to reply.
I also want to clarify - as I was shocked - because we have never discussed to sack Tun, nobody has spoken about this. But I think he has realised that what he has done to Umno, his own party, is unforgivable. When he was Umno president, he would not have tolerated this. I think he realised his mistake, (it is) a big sin to the party. Thus, he waiting to be sacked from the party.
We never discussed about sacking him, we are democratic. He 'yang makan chili rasa pedas'. He has committed a big sin to the party so he felt he should be expelled from the party. This is his feeling. If he wants to leave party, we won't stop him. If he remains in the party, he is acting like the opposition. It's better for him to be a jantan (real man) and leave the party, become the opposition. Then it's also easier for me to attack him. Now if I want to fight with him, I will hesitate because he is the ex-PM.
I was shocked how he could share a platform with those who try to destroy Umno. I saw the picture (of Mahathir) with (PAS leaders) Husam Musa, Nasharuddin Mat Isa, Kamaruddin Jaffar and Mahfuz Omar - those who called him 'firaun' (pharaoh) previously. He sat in one group with them. He has stooped so low to be with those people who called him firaun. He had said that Malays easily forget, but who is forgetting now? Malays or him?
I remember he was the one who advised us to love the party, (to) don't support him personally but support him as the PM or party president. I followed his advice last time and I supported him as he was then Umno president but now we support Pak Lah because he is the current president. Last time, we were advised to follow the president but now he is angry
because we followed the president.
He is now angry with Najib (Abdul Razak, Abdullah's deputy) because Najib say 'yes' to what PM says. What is his advice then? I am shocked with his attitude today which really reflects someone who is insincere, who does not love the party. When he said those things, he was more interested in himself. I am very disappointed with him and disillusioned with what is
happening today.
I want to remind him that ministers today are not a chorus, like what he said we are just forming the chorus line. When he was PM, I disagreed with him, it shows I got guts. I am not a chorus man, I am a lead singer. It is his right to go around and speak up. I heard he is going to Kelantan later, but he must be reminded that we will follow him and respond. We won't just
let him speak and give the wrong impression to people. We will follow him - I will follow him.
He breached all his promises. He lied. He promised us not to interfere (in government affairs) unconditionally. He never said, "I promise not to interfere unless something I disagree with crops up and then I will speak up". He never said that. He is lying. I know because he said it in front of me, in front of the cabinet but now he has breached the promise.
The question over Singapore... I heard he told other people that he wanted to know where is the agreement stating that the Causeway is joint ownership (hak bersama). That Causeway is older than Malaysia and Singapore, it has existed 80 years ago, so there is no need for agreement. Even kids know we make use of it together and that we have joint rights to the Causeway. We can't say when we don't want to use the Causeway then we dismantle it. Don't
be playful, asking for the agreement. Don't give stupid reasons. That is childish. Tun Mahathir is ex-PM, surely, we don't expect such a childish question from him.
I think it is unfair for him to directly attack against the PM's son-in-law. Last time people also talked about nepotism in his administration but we respected him, we didn't raise that issue - not like what he did today. It is totally disrespectful to the PM when he singled out (Abdullah's)
son-in-law.
It is impossible for Khairy (Jamaluddin) as the deputy Umno Youth chief to influence me as a minister on the half-bridge project. Impossible... I am not as stupid as that. Dr Mahathir thinks he is the only smart person in the country today. No, that is not certain yet. More people are smarter than him, only that he has better luck.
I raise this issue because the PM will not answer him. The PM is a gentleman, he is a decent man but someone who attacks his successor and his former colleagues is not a decent person. We will continue to attack him, if I can do this when he was PM, what more now when he is not the PM. What is there to be afraid of?
Here are Nazri's responses to questions from journalists at the press conference.
Question: Does your stand represent the cabinet's stand?
Nazri: It doesn't matter because to me, I take this responsibility as minister in charge of Parliament and the PM's Department minister (to answer) because I don't want my PM and DPM to reply, so as a minister from Umno, I take it upon myself to respond to all these allegations.
* Have you broken rank?
I have not broken rank, I am making a statement.
* Dr Mahathir said he does not want explanations alone. He wants the government to right the wrongs.
Wrong from whose point of views?
* He said the government, or Pak Lah, has broken promises made to him.
There is no such thing. When Tun left office, we didn't know what was the promise, he didn't even mention it. But I don't think an outgoing PM is sincere if he imposes condition on his successor on what to do. I don't think that is right. If there are certain things which he wants to continue to accomplish, he should stay, nobody ask him to leave. We even offered him to be senior minister but he didn't want it. I don't know what is the promise. As far as I am concerned, I am not privy to that.
* That's why he said he wanted Pak Lah to answer because you are not privy
to that.
If it's privy then it should remain privy. Why should he talk publicly about an issue we don't know? He should call Pak Lah and ask Pak Lah what happened. Why should he go to the public? He is wrong to make public what is privy. It is unfair to Pak Lah because the public do not know what has been promised and they will cast aspersion on Pak Lah unfairly.
* Tun said he will pursue till the end of the earth (for answers).
I will also pursue. I am 30 years younger than him. If he thinks he is energetic, can do that, then I can also do that. It will be shameful for me not to go after him.
* If the public is casting aspersions on Pak Lah, won't that affect the country's image?
Ask him. The opposition is not causing us problem but Tun is causing us problem, the opposition is very low and down at the moment but he is giving all to the opposition.
Ask him, don't ask me, we are not the one creating all these problems, it was him. Ask him what he wants. Ask him what he said all these years about the party such as love the party, etc, whether he meant what he said. We might as well don't need to have (opposition leaders) Lim Kit Siang or Abdul Hadi Awang. think he (Mahathir) is the biggest opposition to us now, behaving in that way. He is mixing with people who dislike Umno. We are going to fight back.
* Are you saying that Umno will not sack Tun but is inviting him to leave the party himself?
We don't even talk about sacking him, he is the one who picks this idea from the air. Dia makan chili rasa pedas. He knows this is a big sin. If he wants to leave, then leave, I don't think Umno members will cry and ask him to stay, because now he is already behaving like that, so better be opposition and fight us openly. But I disagree on sacking him because we are now more democratic than him.
* There was a total media blackout on Tun's statement on Saturday.
Who said blackout? That is up to the discretion of the newspapers. Sometime I speak for an hour, the newspapers didn't publish. Previously during his time also like that. Last time he didn't like malaysiakini, Malaysia Today, barred (them) from entering Parliament. The liberal one is actually Pak Lah because malaysiakini can enter Parliament now, no problem.
It's the media choice. If the media made a choice not to print what he said because this is all old songs that he sings, they think there is no news value, it's entirely up to them. It's wrong for him to say there is media blackout. If he takes on (New Straits Times group deputy chair) Kalimullah (Hassan) then if Kalimullah says the New Straits Times don't print, don't blame it on the government because he was the one who picked the fight with Kalimullah, (and) picked the fight with the press
Is Khairy a minister today? He is trying to insult my ability to say that I
take instruction from the deputy Umno Youth chief?
* What about the senior minister offer?
We talked about it in the cabinet because some ministers felt that we still need him to be around, but he said he don't want it.
I think he has done so much damages to us. I don't think he loves Umno, I don't think he loves the country. He went back on all his words. That's why I am disillusioned and disappointed. I can't accept the fact that just because he is angry with one young individual, he is prepared to burn the whole party. He is not a rookie politician, he is a seasoned politician.
* So what do you hope for...
No, no, no, I don't hope for anything. Now is open war, so we go to war lah. His style is like that, my style also. He declared war on us. For two, three months we kept quiet, we restrained ourselves, respecting him for what he has done for the country, but he sees that as a weakness on our part and he continues to attack us, calling me and my colleagues 'half-past-six'. I think he is 'half-past-six', he didn't stick to his promises.
* So how is this open war going to affect the current administration?
Never mind, he asked for it. We kept quiet because we hope things will cool down and he realised his mistake, then we explain to him or let him call us or reprimand us but he did not. Instead, he went to a forum and mixed with people who were against him. When he said forget about Islam Hadhari (mooted by Abdullah), it is a new belief, let's go back to the original Islam - that is a cheap stunt to attract support from PAS leaders present there... very, very cheap, unbecoming because he is not naive and stupid to know that we didn't introduce a new religion, but it's the approach.
* Will the government be distracted...
No, we will focus on what we want to do like the PM said, the Ninth Malaysia Plan and to realise the election manifesto.
* You said (Mahathir is angry) because of one young person then he wants to burn the party. Are you referring to Khairy?
Khairy lah. I understand from the report I read and I watch the CD - we all know he was talking about Khairy. He is an ex-PM for 22 years, (he) wants to have an argument with a young deputy Umno Youth chief? He should be culturing our youths, guide them, what for a 81-year-old man quarreling with a 31-year-old deputy Umno Youth chief? Ridiculous, he has stooped so low. He should pick someone his own size.
* What do you think of Khairy?
Nothing wrong about him. It is natural and normal when someone who is young gets a high profile position, won Umno Youth deputy chief uncontested, surely he invites criticism. You think if he is not deputy chief, he is not Pak Lah's son-in-law, people will be bothered about him? People won't. Of course there are many things said about him but it may not be true. Even if it's true that he does business, what's wrong? Mahathir's sons also do business when he was PM, who doesn't know about that?
* The business community is not happy with not many economic activities under the current administration.
This is not because of the administration but it's the world or regional economy. Probably this is the accumulation of what happened before the year Pak Lah becomes PM... why (Mahathir) talk like that when he is no longer PM? If the bridge was so easy to be built, why couldn't it be done during his time as PM? People know there is problem, that's why he can't build even when he had power. Why don't he declare war with Singapore when he was PM? He is an angry man - young man like me being angry is normal - but an angry old man is way out. Older man should be wise.
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The folowing brief account is from
http://www.biznewsdb.com/english/newspage/newspage.asp?
ID=60626101&file1=6&bulan=06&kw=wwqq
Malaysia Min Urges Mahathir To Leave Party(Update 1)Updated : 26-06-2006
Media : Dow Jones (Updates with details, quotes, background)
KUALA LUMPUR (AP)--A government minister on Monday urged former leader Mahathir Mohamad to be a man and quit the ruling party if he can't stop criticizing his successor's administration.
"We cannot take this lying down. Out of respect for him (Mahathir) we have kept quite and not responded. He saw it as our weakness. I don't think we can take it lying down," Nazri Aziz, the minister in charge of law, told The Associated Press.
Nazri's retaliation heightened the festering political row between Mahathir and his hand-picked successor, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Mahathir's recent attacks on Abdullah have raised the specter of a divided ruling party, which has formed the bedrock of Malaysia's stability since independence in 1957.
Nazri stressed he was speaking in his personal capacity, and did not consult Abdullah or the ruling United Malays National Organization party before going public with his anti-Mahathir comments.
Nazri's comments to the AP, which expanded on a news conference he gave earlier Monday, reflected the growing frustration among many UMNO members with Mahathir, who has a larger than life presence in the country and is venerated by most Malaysians.
But in the last few weeks, Mahathir has emerged as an unofficial one-man opposition, accusing Abdullah of stabbing him in the back and mismanaging the administration.
"If he continues to remain in the party, he would be like the opposition. It's better for him to be a jantan (man) and leave the party," said Nazri.
"It will be very good for the party. He might as well go out of the party and joins an opposition. Much better for us."
Mahathir 80, appears to have been angered by several decisions taken by Abdullah's administration that reversed policies made during his 22-year rule, including the scrapping of several large infrastructure projects.
Chief among them was Abdullah abandoning a plan to build a new bridge to Singapore, a project close to Mahathir's heart.
In his latest salvo, Mahathir suggested on Saturday that Abdullah's advisers including his young son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin were running the country.
Nazri said Mahathir was breaking his promise not to interfere with the government after retirement.
"I think he is going back on all his words and promises," said Nazri. "He chose to hit us in the open. He is really not interested in the problem (afflicting the country). He is interested in attacking the P.M. especially."
Nazri said the UMNO has no intention of sacking Mahathir from the party, but it would be best if the former leader left voluntarily.
Nazri, who is known to be more outspoken than his colleagues, said Mahathir never tolerated any criticism when he was in power. Anybody who criticized him was sacked from UMNO.
Nazri said Mahathir may be losing the goodwill of Malaysians and party members who had wept openly when he announced his decision to retire in October 2003.
"I don't think anybody will cry if he leaves the party today," said Nazri. "I cannot read him. I do not understand this man any more."
And a further read from Reuters
available from
ANALYSIS - Malaysia's new opposition voice - ex-PM Mahathir; Sunday June 25, 1:23 PM
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - For the first time in a decade, Malaysia has a feisty and effective opposition -- in the form of ex-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Mahathir, disgruntled with government policies since he left office in late 2003, has mounted a withering attack on his hand-chosen successor's administration in the past two months.
At 80 years of age, his stinging criticism of everything from failed state projects to implementation of auto policy has wrought results that opposition parties can only dream of.
After years of mainly turning a deaf ear to the official opposition, the government has suddenly been goaded into action, defending policies and issuing explanations of cabinet decisions.
All because Mahathir feels betrayed and wants answers.
"We welcome any prominent personalities questioning the government," one opposition leader, Lim Guan Eng, said on Sunday, when asked if the opposition felt it had a new ally in Mahathir.
"If he is genuine ... definitely we would welcome it and even allow him to lead the opposition, but the problem is that he is only focusing on his own interests," said Lim, secretary-general of the main opposition Democratic Action Party.
Mahathir is no friend of any Malaysian opposition party and says his attacks on his successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, do not mean he has withdrawn support from the ruling coalition.
Mahathir's criticism focuses on issues close to his heart but not the opposition's -- a planned bridge to Singapore, which was scrapped against his wishes in April, and the recent sale of state-controlled car-maker Proton's motorcycle unit.
But even people in government circles concede that he has begun to raise doubts in the minds of government supporters.
"We do not want to make use of him or manipulate him, but it's nothing wrong for Malaysian citizens to share his opinion," a senior official of Islamist opposition party PAS, Husam Musa, was quoted as saying by Channel NewsAsia on Saturday.
EARLY ELECTION?
There is no mistaking the air of anticipation his outbursts have caused among opposition politicians like Lim, who was jailed for his political activities during Mahathir's reign but now sees an opportunity in the fuss his old foe has caused.
"We even expect general elections to be held next year. If the problems with Mahathir persist it will be difficult for Badawi to rule and he will need a fresh mandate," Lim said by phone from a protest picket in the old port town of Malacca.
Mahathir, whose face launched hundreds of front pages during his 22 years in power, has complained that his criticisms do not get a proper airing now that he is out of office. But he still creates more headlines and headaches than the opposition.
That is because he continues to command grass-roots support within the main ruling party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which has dominated government since independence in 1957 and can make or break a prime minister.
Mahathir is not the force he once was -- his outbursts are proof of his lack of influence over government policy, say Mahathir's critics -- but he knows where the government's skeletons are buried and age does not seem to have mellowed him.
"Now I don't know who is in power," Mahathir told about 500 people on Saturday at a public debate, goading the prime minister to respond directly and questioning his leadership.
For now Abdullah keeps above the fray, using his ministers to rebut Mahathir's criticisms and to patiently explain cabinet decisions. An aide to Abdullah declined to comment on Mahathir's latest outburst, and time appears to favour the prime minister.
The next election is not due until 2009, party polls are not due until 2007 and the only real challenger for the leadership, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, has vowed loyalty to Abdullah.
But in reality, say political analysts, the clock is ticking and an early election is likely, if only because another potent opposition force will be unleashed before long: Mahathir's former deputy, Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar, who caused a much bigger stir in Malaysian politics before he was jailed in 1999, is free and a ban on him standing for election or party office is due to lapse in April 2008.
See the lastest posting at
http://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2006/06/war-continues-dr-mahathir-nazri.html
and Also chance encountered by Info Minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin "I sincerely poured out my feelings and that of Umno grassroot members and the people over the unhealthy development. But I found that Dr Mahathir had made up his mind"
posted by multidimid at 10:46 PM
2 Comments:
Politic ... everyone got their own hidden agenda, including Nazri!
i feel sad when looking at all these sandiwara, they have important thing to complete than berlakon..
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