Elect Leaders The Old Ways To Prevent Money Politics - Mat Taib

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- Umno deputy presidential candidate Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib has suggested that the party return to the old ways of electing leaders to prevent money politics.

"Let's do away with the practice which encourages money politics. For instance the quota system... it encourages money politics," he said when asked to comment on a statement by deputy Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that the party would take additional measures to check money politics.

Speaking to reporters after opening the 2008 International Contemporary Art Exhibition here, Muhammad said, it was important that the party address the problem.

On reports that former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad would reveal names of those involved in money politics, Muhammad said, it would be up to the party's disciplinary board to decide.

A total of 910 artworks from Malaysia, Canada, Indonesia, South Korea, Philippines, Mauritius, France and Singapore are on display at the four-day exhibition, starting today, at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre.

-- BERNAMA

MCA LEADERS: Yes, Dr Chua is forgiven but let's get real

By : LT COL (R) MOHD IDRIS HASSAN, Kuala Lumpur

I REFER to the letter from Bulbir Singh of Seremban on the purportedly unfair treatment dished out to Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek by Malaysian Chinese Association president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat ("A time to be forgiving" -- NST, Nov 19).

I wish to point out a contradiction in Bulbir's argument.

First, he concedes that "what the MCA president has done is his business and prerogative as party chief". Then he goes on to say the party president should be forgiving, implying that Dr Chua be given a meatier role in the MCA.

An extension of his argument is that since MCA members have by and large forgiven Dr Chua by electing him to the No. 2 post, all should be forgiven and he should be given a clean slate to start anew.

The MCA today is at one of its lowest ebbs since its formation and it is going to be a Herculean task for Ong to assemble a formidable team to lift it out of the doldrums. Having a deputy with a tainted past is certainly not going to help.
One has to remember that the MCA is a component party of the Barisan Nasional. Whatever it says and does will have a bearing at national level.

Is the BN, or in particular the prime minister, prepared to have a minister who is morally tainted to be in his cabinet? In the most unlikely circumstances, if the answer is "yes", he will constantly be the butt of jokes, rendering him ineffective and an embarrassment to his party.

To the writer's question: "Is there no word like forgiveness in our dictionary?"

Of course there is, but the reality on the ground has to take priority over everything else.

BN leaders had little to say to Pak Lah

By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider

They came, they heard, they left.

There was no debate, and neither were there pleas for Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi to stay back when the Prime Minister met Barisan Nasional (BN) supreme council leaders to day to announce his impending departure next March.

"After briefing us, he sought our opinion but all component leaders respected his decision,"

Gerakan vice-president Datuk Chang Ko Youn said, pointing out that it was not so much a discussion but a briefing.

No component leader present had anything to add or amend to Abdullah's plan to make way for his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Razak to stand for president in the March 2009 Umno elections.

People's Progressive Party president Datuk Dr. M. Kayveas said that after Abdullah had briefed them, Najib then addressed the council and told them "we have to function as one Malaysia."

As far as his party was concerned, Kayveas said "we have no problems working with anybody."

He admitted that in fact, the transition plan did not really require input from the other BN leaders as "traditionally it is a party matter for Umno to decide" and concurred that the meeting was simply to brief them on Umno's leadership plans.

The supreme council meeting had initially come about due to calls by component leaders for the matter to be brought up at a coalition meeting as the president of Umno is also by default, chairman or the ruling BN coalition and hence, prime minister.

Nik Aziz Agrees To Meet Muslim Leaders

KOTA BAHARU, June 16 (Bernama) -- PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat has agreed to meet other Muslim leaders to discuss problems affecting Muslims and the Malays.

"We (PAS) had asked for such a meeting a long time ago but Umno was not interested. Talk of such a meeting surfaced after the opposition won five states in the (March 8) general election," he told reporters after laying the foundation stone for the Maahad Muhammadi religious school hostel and launching of the Tabung Haji Club here Monday.

Perlis Mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin recently proposed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Nik Aziz meet to discuss problems facing Muslims in the country.

Dr Mohd Asri said the meeting was necessary as Muslims were confused and worried by what was happening in the country.

He, however, asked that the meeting be held on the premise of honesty and without taking party interests into account.

The Kelantan Menteri Besar said such a meeting was timely as any delay would worsen the situation.

He also donated RM3,000 to the Maahad Muhammadi school.

-- BERNAMA