Mahathir’s vow to crackdown on corrupt UMNO leaders as unconvincing
as his tears
Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang
(Petaling Jaya, Sunday): At the 55th
UMNO anniversary celebrations, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr.
Mahathir Mohamad urged the party to support the punishment of corrupt members,
saying that he had had enopugh.
He said: I have urged, pleaded, cried. This time there is no more
urging, no more pleading, no more crying. I ask for your support
and the support of all UMNO members for the action which we will take against
those engaged in corruption.”
However, Mahathir’s vow to crackdown on corrupt UMNO leaders is as unconvincing
as his tears, for the following reasons:
-
Presiding over the 55th UMNO anniversary celebrations was none other than
Tan Sri Khalil Yaakob, UMNO Secretary-General, against whom a police report
for corruption when he was Pahang Mentri Besar had been lodged by the UMNO
Beserah state assemblyman Datuk Fauzi Abdul Rahman - which did not square
with Mahathir’s vow to crackdown on corrupt UMNO leaders. The least
Mahathir should do is to ask Khalil to step down as UMNO Secretary-General
and Information Minister until he is cleared by the Anti-Corruption
Agency.
-
Datuk Zainol Mat Isa, UMNO Baling division chief and one of the six UMNO
divisional and branch leaders suspended by UMNO disciplinary board for
money politics, is still the Kedah State Executive Councillor for Agriculture,
Rural Development and Community Development - with full backing by the
Kedah Mentri Besar, Datuk Seri Syed Razak Syed Zain despite Mahathir’s
public declaration that he wanted the country to be ruled only by
those who were clean and not involved in money politics.
-
The unpreparedness of UMNO to report the six suspended UMNO members
to the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) for corruption charges to be filed
against them to give real meaning to Mahathir’s statement that he
had had enough of corruption and money politics.
Is the next UMNO Supreme Council meeting prepared to show full seriousness
in the war against corrupt UMNO leaders by announcing the stepping down
of Khalil as UMNO Secretary-General and Information Minister and Zainol
as Kedah State Exco, as well as the reporting of the six suspended UMNO
members to ACA?
(13/5/2001)
*Lim Kit Siang - DAP National Chairman