Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad is in Manchester, United Kingdom today. He will be speaking to Malaysian students, organized by UMNO Club Manchester.
The hall was filled to the brim with over 200 students, from all over the United Kingdom to hear him in person, especially after making scathing remarks asking PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to accept accountability for BN’s humiliating defeat in 5 + 1 states and reduced majority in the remaining states and resign, on 9 March 2008. It was the day after Malaysia concluded its 12th General Elections.
Yesterday, he was invited to appear on BBC Hardtalk, hosted by Stephen Sackur. The program will be made available in BBC World (Astro Ch. 512) on Monday, 21 April 2008 at 4.30pm (Malaysian time).
More information about Tun Dr. Mahathir’s speech in Manchester later. RTM and TV3 were said to want to interview him, after this event. It is expected that he will make a remark on PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s decision to give ejected Lord President Tun Mohamed Salleh Abas and five Supreme Court Judges ex-gratia payment for their untimely dismissal in August 1988.
*Updated on Sunday, 20 April 2008 1.30am
Tun Dr. Mahathir said, he is having second thoughts about Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak because the latter is ‘bowing’ down to PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Abdullah and not seen as “having the guts to stand against”, even on issues like the payment of ex-gratia to Tun Salleh and the five dismissed Judges.
The ex-gratia payment demostrated that the Government has no stand and do not abide by their own convention, but is able to be influenced by people representing minority interests, such as the Bar Council. Hence the ability do “Flip-Flop” decisions such as the abrupt cancellation of the Scenic Bridge project, the reinstatement of the double tracking railroad system (which was canceled, two weeks after asuming Premiership in 2003), the dismissal of the ‘Hindraf 31’ originally charged for attempted murder on a Policeman on duty and how the handling of the appointment of Menteri Besar of Terengganu.
He also explained that it was not him who sacked Tun Salleh and it was done in accordance with the law and provisions of the Constitution.
When asked on the sacking of Anwar Ibrahim from Government and UMNO in September 1998, he admitted it wasn’t personal and the victims who have been sodomised by Anwar admitted and complained personally to him.
Someone asked about the Constitutional provisions to limit the power of the Prime Minister, he elaborated the necessity of the concept on “Presidential Advisers” and give example that PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Abdullah is now getting advice and over reliance on information and decision making process from his immediate family.
When answering about him being labelled as “Ultra Malay” in 1969, especially post ’13 May 1969 racial riots’, he explained that what he did was ultimately for Malaysia. He was raised issues which were very pertinent about the Malays then, who were gravely underdeveloped. There was a serious need to develop the Malays, especially economically and a balance between the different ethnic groups was very necessary, as harmony was an important ingredient for the nation to move forward.
He also talked about blogging as the new age media and how blogging should be handled by the Government with ‘engagement’ and not ‘alienation’ and denial. Blogs, he explained is how the rakyat voice the feelings and opinion.
*Updated Monday, 21 April 2008 730am
The Star report on this event in Manchester:
Monday April 21, 2008
Dr M: Najib should not be PM
By CHOI TUCK WO
MANCHESTER: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he had second thoughts about Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak becoming Prime Minister as Najib had failed to speak up about the real reasons behind Barisan Nasional’s losses in the general election.
The former prime minister claimed that Najib was not “brave enough” to directly say anything that was not liked by his boss.
“We see that he is a penakut (coward). He is always saying, ‘yes sir, yes sir, saya sokong, saya sokong (I support, I support).”
He said, when the prime minister blamed Barisan’s losses on sabotage, Najib merely agreed to it.
Dr Mahathir cited another instance when Najib gave his full support for Malaysia to build a bridge to Singapore despite the republic’s disagreement. But Najib suddenly changed his mind when Abdullah decided against the project, he added.
“I believe he should rightly explain the real reasons for Barisan’s losses in the election,” he said when asked on the reason for his change of mind about Najib after giving a talk on “Malay, Malaysian and Malaysia: Challenges Ahead” at the University of Manchester on Saturday.
Dr Mahathir had earlier this month withdrawn his support for Najib to be prime minister but did not give his reason for doing so.
“I’m not so confident (about him taking over as prime minister). Even so, it all depends on Umno to appoint the person to be prime minister.
“Najib will have to face competition from others such as (Tan Sri) Muhyiddin Yassin, (Datuk Seri Dr) Rais Yatim, you never know.”
He, however, said if Abdullah were to step down now, it would pave the way for a smooth transition as Najib would succeed him in accordance with Umno tradition.
Dr Mahathir also felt that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would not be the sole candidate for Prime Minister if Pakatan Rakyat were to win in the next general election.
He believed there were other candidates as well, saying PAS was eyeing the post while (DAP’s Lim) Guan Eng could be premier too.
“Anwar thinks he will be prime minister. It’s not that they loved him but it’s a marriage of convenience,” he added.
On the plan to set up a judicial appointments commission and the goodwill ex-gratia payments to six senior judges, Dr Mahathir claimed it was a political move to boost the government’s popularity.
He said there was no reason for the compensation because everything was done in accordance with the law.
“If they can show me the removal of (former Lord President) Tun Salleh Abas was against procedures prescribed by the law, please let me know,” he said.
The "thirteen million plus Ringgit" guy rambles.... 
Apa motif kumpulan “UMNO 11” mengaku tidak berniat haramkan UMNO, sekarang?
Hari ini, salah seorang dari kumpulan “UMNO 11”, gerombolan 11 orang ahli UMNO yang telah mengheret UMNO ke Mahkamah sehingga mengakibatkan Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Dato’ Harun Mahmood Hashim mengharamkan UMNO pada 4 Februari 1988 membuat kenyataan bahawa bukan niat mereka UMNO diharamkan.
Sebaliknya, mereka meminta Perhimpunan Agung UMNO (PAU) April 1987 diisytiharkan tidak sah dan pemilihan yang menyaksikan Presiden UMNO Dato’ Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad mengalahkan pencabarnya Mantan Naib Presiden UMNO Tengku Tan Sri Razaleigh Hamzah dengan undi tipis 43 undi. Naib Presiden UMNO En. Abdul Ghaffar Baba mengalahkan penyandang Timbalan Presiden UMNO Dato’ Musa Hitam.
Laporan Bernama.com:
April 19, 2008 22:46 PM
“Umno 11” Did Not Seek To Declare Party Unlawful Claim
KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (Bernama) — The so- called “Umno 11” group Saturday claimed that it did not seek to have Umno declared unlawful in 1988 as it had been so accused by certain quarters.
One of its members, Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman, who claimed to represent the group, said all 11 of them only sought to have the party conduct its elections again because several delegates to the April 1987 general assembly came from unregistered branches of the party.
He spoke at a news conference to clarify a newspaper report that the group’s claim was granted by then High Court judge Datuk Harun Hashim and the outcome was the declaration of Umno as unlawful because it had unregistered branches.
Abdul Rahim said the group took the matter to court because its appeal within Umno following the party elections was not entertained.
He claimed that the newspaper was factually wrong when it reported that “Umno 11” had sought to have Umno declared unlawful after the court found that the party had some unregistered branches.
“That statement is wrong because the fact is that it was a request by the Umno group including myself that we, Umno members, seek a court declaration that the general assembly was null and void. There was nothing in our petition to have Umno declared unlawful or anything associated with banning Umno.
“For 20 years or two decades, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the Umno secretary-general then Tan Sri Sanusi Junid and others had accused us Umno 11 as those responsible for having Umno declared unlawful,” he said.
Abdul Rahim said that today the occasion presented itself for them to clarify the matter because in the past they did not get the chance to refute the statements made by Dr Mahathir and then Umno secretary-general who continuously accused Umno 11 of being responsible for having Umno declared unlawful.
“My friends and I felt pressured when the first judgement of the judge was not in our favour, meaning we did not get what we had sought. We asked for a declaration for the general assembly to be held again. That’s all,” he said.
He said the group filed the petition to have the results of the 1987 Umno elections declared null and void after learning there were several unregistered branches with illegal members and several of these illegal members represented divisions and had attended the general assembly as delegates.
“These are matters presented in arguments which are called agreed facts. All quarters agreed that there were matters which need not be discussed, meaning that we accepted these in totality — the illegal branches, illegal members, illegal delegates and illegal delegates who lied about their age,” he said.
Abdul Rahim said that following the declaration of Umno as unlawful, the group appealed to the then Supreme Court to revoke or change the decision because they had only wanted the general assembly to be held again.
He told the news conference that the group felt that today’s explanation had to be made to rectify the assumption that they were traitors of Umno.
— BERNAMA
Kumpulan “UMNO 11” ini kini tampil kehadapan setelah 20 tahun, kunun kunun mengaku bahawa niat mereka sebenarnya tidak mengheret UMNO sehingga diharamkan.
Penasihat undang undang kumpulan “UMNO 11” ini pada masa itu ialah Dato’ Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, seorang Mantan Timbalan Menteri dan penyokong kuat Mantan Timbalan Presiden UMNO dan Timbalan Perdana Menteri Dato’ Musa Hitam dan “Team B”. Seorang lagi ialah peguam Dato’ Marina Yusuf.
Mesyuarat pertama kumpulan ini telah diadakan dikediaman Mantan Menteri Pertahanan Dato’ Abdullah Ahmad Badawi di Bukit Bandaraya. Abdullah pada masa itu ialah Naib Presiden UMNO dan juga seorang penyokong kuat Musa dan “Team B”. Abdullah telah dipecat dari jawatan Kabinet setelah tamat pemilihan PAU April 1987, walaupun berjaya mempertahankan jawatan Naib Presiden.
Hari ini, Abdullah merupakan Presiden UMNO dan Perdana Menteri Malaysia manakala Radzi pula baru sahaja meletakan jawatan sebagai Setiausaha Agung UMNO dan BN, selepas BN mengalami kekalahan di 5 + 1 buah negeri dalam Pilihanraya Umum ke XII (PRU 12) pada 8 Mac 2008.
Antara isu isu yang tidak pernah ditimbulkan secara terbuka ialah salah seorang berkaitan rapat dengan ahli kumpulan “UMNO 11” ini ada memohon 10,000 ekar tanah balak di Pahang dan kerusi Pengarah dalam PKNP, yang tidak dilayan oleh Menteri Besar Pahang ketika itu, Dato’ Khalil Yaacob.
Perkara penglibatan kumpulan “UMNO 11” ini mungkin sengaja ditimbulkan pada masa ini (‘kebetulan’ selepas 20 tahun?) ialah sebagai ‘gangguan’ (distraction) dan ‘alih pandang’ (diversion) kepada desakan yang dimulakan Mantan Presiden UMNO Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad agar Presiden UMNO dan Perdana Menteri Malaysia PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan ianya semakin intensif. Begitu juga keputusan memberikan pembayaran ex-gratia kepada Ketua Hakim Negara yang dipecat pada Ogos 1988, Tun Mohamed Salleh Abas dan lima Hakim Mahkamah Agung lain dua malam lepas.
- Commentary
on April 19, 2008 at 23:36 Comments (12)