Every day Isa Samad remains as Federal Territories Minister after UMNO Supreme Council decision last Friday  is  another day of shocking leadership paralysis of the Abdullah premiership

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Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Parliament, Tuesday): Every day Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad remains as Federal Territories Minister after UMNO Supreme Council decision last Friday definitively finding him guilty of money politics and corruption and suspending him as UMNO member for three years  is  another day of shocking leadership paralysis of the Abdullah premiership.

Though bowing to the inevitable in accepting the UMNO Supreme Council decision, Isa derided the halving of his original six-year party suspension by the UMNO Disciplinary Board by describing the decision �amusing�.

Although declaring that �If they want me to resign, I will resign�, Isa has turned his resignation from the Cabinet into a political farce and critical  test of the credibility and commitment of the Abdullah leadership when Isa said:�I will try to clear as much backlog before I resign�. Will Isa take one week or two weeks to resign?

There is no sense of regret, remorse or contrition but only contempt and open defiance for the money politics Isa had been found guilty.  Even more serious, Isa has created the impression that he is a Cabinet Minister as of right � when his Cabinet tenure should be  at the pleasure of the Prime Minister who has the sole prerogative to decide on the Cabinet position of anyone � when he said he  would resign as Federal Territories Minister at his own pleasure  after he had disposed of �unfinished business� in the Ministry.

The paralysis of leadership and authority on the part of the Prime Minister  highlighted by Isa�s resignation farce  from the Cabinet  can only further weaken Abdullah�s hand in the Cabinet and UMNO and damage  his public image, as Abdullah is being portrayed as a good man who wants to get rid of corruption and power abuses but who does not have the political will  or gumption to carry out his wishes.

It is already four days late but Abdullah should not tarry any longer and make clear to Isa that he should have resigned the instant the UMNO Supreme Council dismissed his appeal last Friday and that Isa does not have the luxury or right to continue one second longer as Cabinet Minister � and terminate Isa�s Cabinet position with instant effect.

Isa�s position as MP is also anomalous and unacceptable. Whatever his excuses, Isa must resign as MP without any more political farce to hang on to political elective office  when the time for him to relinquish these posts have come.

On the controversy over the Department of Parliament, the Minister in the Prime Minister�s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has accepted my invitation to attend the �Save Parliament� Roundtable to be held at Parliament Commtitee Room One tomorrow at 11.30 am

In view of the shortness of time, it is not possible to contact all NGOs and Malaysians concerned about the doctrine of the separation of powers as a fundamental basis for the Malaysian form of  parliamentary government and the principle  of parliamentary independence and autonomy. 

All interested NGOs, professional organizations and individuals who are interested in attending the All-party, all-NGO and all-MPs �Save Parliament� Roundtable tomorrow are invited to self-invite themselves to the conference.  They should come to Parliament  by 11.30 am tomorrow and can contact any DAP MP or official, including Lau Weng San 016-2543695 in the office of the Parliamentary Opposition Leader.

(11/10/2005)