Bare All, Then Bar Then All

All barred: Mustafa

It was reported in Daily Express 24th July 2004 that, all State government officers are barred from political involvement, said State Secretary Datuk K. Y. Mustafa.

“Our policy is based on the General Orders Section D stating that no government officer is allowed to be involved in political activities. This is not something new and not only concerns Umno but other political parties as well,” he said.

Mustafa said he would be reminding all State government officers on this.

“I will announce this properly and then let them make a choice. If they want to do politics, we will ask them to retire or else stop (their) political activities. There is no compromise and no differentiation of grades (of who can and cannot), this is very clear,” he said.

Mustafa was asked about the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman asking him to investigate allegations by the Tenom Umno division that senior government officers were involved in the election campaign recently.

Datuk Rizalman Abdullah, who won the Tenom Umno division chief post, was reported as claiming that senior government officers had campaigned for his rival and in the process used government vehicles.

“That’s why if the allegations are true, all those things are not proper. We will investigate but it is not correct for me to name any person right nowÖ but it is under investigation,” said Mustafa.

Mustafa said he would announce the findings of the investigation but stressed that this was an ongoing process.

However, he acknowledged that it would also be a bit difficult to prove government officers were actively involved in politics because some might be present in the course of duty.

“Its a little bit difficult to identify but we will go into the details,” he said.

When Minority Dictates Terms For The Majority

Bernama reported that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said on 18 July 2004  that nominations by the Pekan Umno division for the party's top posts and seats in the Umno Supreme Council in the party election in September will attract the attention of Umno members.
 
As such, Najib, who is Umno vice-president carrying out the duties of the deputy president, said that delegates to the divisional meeting should be wise in making their nominations which must follow the trend nationwide.
 
"Let's not make nominations which are out of line and not according to the nationwide trend," he said when opening the Pekan divisional delegates' meeting here.
 
Najib, who is head of the Pekan division, said that the delegates' meeting of the division was now unlike before as the nominations would be referred to by the other Umno divisions."This is the difference for us (Pekan division) today compared with previously.
 
Recently, the (Pekan) Wanita Umno division made nominations which were a little out of line and not according to the trend nationwide," he said.
 
Najib was apparently referring to the meeting on July 10 of the Pekan Wanita Umno division which nominated former Cabinet minister Datuk Dr Siti Zaharah Sulaiman to re-contest the post of Wanita Umno head.
 
The Deputy Prime Minister also advised Umno members to strive to ensure unity in the party, loyalty to the party and outstanding service for the party as well as embrace the people-friendly culture.A total of 503 delegates from 125 branches attended the meeting.
 
When the so call leader trying to dictate terms for the delegates during a time when freedom should be given to them to decide their future, that shows how far democracy has been practice in UMNO (supposedly known as Under Mahathir No Opposition previously). That also reflects how much individual rights is respected.
 
When the head shamelessly call for bias nominations, do you think money politics could be curbed? Do you think nothing dirty would transpire behind the sceen?

You Slap Me, I Slap You Back

Saturday, June 29, 2002

Slapping Incident Mars Wanita AGM

A peaceful Wanita MCA annual general assembly ended on a sour note when Sabah State chairman Agnes Shim Tshin Nyuk was slapped over a dispute over the movement's list of office-bearers. The mother of Tenom branch Wanita head Lili Chin Chor Ngo slapped Shim when they were arguing over the appointment of the division head. Chin's mother, Lo Nyit Yin, called Shim "a liar" before slapping her.

The incident happened after the assembly was adjourned and a Press conference was quickly called to address the issue. MCA Wanita chairman Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said she was sad that the incident happened after a successful assembly. "We will set up a committee to investigate this incident immediately," She said adding that disciplinary action would be taken."

Wednesday, 24 July 2002

MCA Slapping Incident Probe To End Soon

The MCA disciplinary committee is expected to complete, by Aug 6, its investigations into the incident where a branch chairman slapped a State Wanita head. Disciplinary committee chairman Datuk Lim Ah Lek said it would propose to the presidential council on what action, if any, to be taken against Kampung Bahagia branch chairman Lo Nyet Yin.

"We will call up Madam Lo and Agnes Shim as witnesses among others. We want to give them a chance to defend themselves," he said after chairing the first disciplinary committee meeting at the party headquarters yesterday. Among those present were vice-president Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn, Youth head Datuk Ong Tee Keat and Wanita head Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen.

On June 28, after the Wanita general assembly, Lo reportedly approached Sabah Wanita chairman Agnes Shim and slapped her. Lo was said to be unhappy that her daughter Lily Chin was not appointed the MCA Tenom Wanita head.

Lim said the committee would also look into other cases, including an incident where disgruntled Muar division members burnt the party constitution. The other case is the rowdy behaviour of Selangor Youth members during its meeting in June. "We hope to dispose these cases soonest possible. The investigations were supposed to be held earlier but was postponed because of the Pendang and Anak Bukit by-elections," added Lim. Under the party constitution, the presidential council is empowered to act against errant members based on the recommendations of the discpinary committee. Appeals against the decision can be made through the central committee.

16 September 2002

Agnes Shim was made a Datuk and later appointed a senator. Many believe that the slap from Lo Nyet Yin has brought much luck for Agnes Shim. Even Agnes herself has quietly thanked Lo for the negative publicity she brought about and helped to make Agnes famous.

However, little does she know that when the hat is too big to put on, she was slapped by the party disciplinary board for sabotaging during the General Election.


Wednesday July 14, 2004

Sabah Wanita chief, 10 others, suspended by MCA council
BY FOONG PEK YEE

KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah Wanita MCA chairman Senator Datuk Agnes Shim has been suspended from the party for two years effective yesterday after she was found guilty of sabotaging an MCA candidate in the recent general election.

MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said Shim would not be able to hold any party post and could not contest in the party elections next year.

He said the suspension was decided by the MCA presidential council after Shim, in her 50's, was found guilty by the party disciplinary board of sabotaging the party’s candidate before and during the recent general election.

“MCA will leave it to the Government to decide on Shim’s senatorship,” he said after chairing a two-hour council meeting here yesterday.

Shim was among 11 members and grassroots leaders who were found guilty of indiscipline during the recent general election.

“The council’s decision is a signal to all party members and leaders that priority be given to the party and Barisan Nasional,” Ong said.

Ong said Klang division youth chairman Tiew Min Seng was also suspended for one year for sabotaging another MCA candidate before and during the general election.
The others who were suspended are Taman Hock An branch chairman Chong Swee Choy (one-year suspension), Tanjong Minyak branch chairman Tan Chwee Heng (two years) and Taman Salak South branch chairman Ong Cheng Hwa (one year).

The remaining six who were found guilty – two life members and four members – were expelled from the party, Ong said.

The life members were Bong Ah Kau and Tan Kim Pah while the members were Lim Teck Yu, Koo Kim Kiat, Siew Fook Chan and Tan Chee Chong.

Lim had acted as a seconder to a DAP candidate; Bong had published in a Chinese newspaper a congratulatory message in favour of a DAP candidate’s victory in the general election; and Koo had acted as a counting agent to DAP and PAS.

Siew had campaigned for a Keadilan candidate while Kim Pah and Chee Chong had campaigned for a DAP candidate.

Talk! Talk! Talk! No Action

It was reported by Bernama that Sabah Umno will ensure that all 25 divisions in the state will nominate only Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for the post of Umno president and deputy president respectively in the party elections in September.

Sabah Umno Liaison head Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the matter had been discussed and agreed upon unanimously at the liaison meeting on Friday.

It was also in line with the decision of the Umno Supreme Council (MT) that the two top posts were not contested.

"We will ensure that there will be no nominations for the top two posts other than the prime minister for the presidency and the deputy prime minister for the deputy presidency," he told reporters after launching books published by the Borneo Biodiversity and Ecosystem Conservation (BBEC), here Monday.

Musa, who is also Sabah Chief Minister, was commenting on press reports recently on Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's willingness to be nominated for any top post in the party.

Tengku Razaleigh was also reported to have called for the abolition of the nomination quota for all key posts in the party.

Musa said that so far he had not heard of any division in Sabah planning to nominate Tengku Razaleigh.

Musa also welcomed the decision of the Sabah Umno information chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail not to challenge former chief minister Datuk Osu Sukam for the post of Papar Umno division head.

He said the decision demonstrated the political maturity of leaders in the division who wanted to maintain solidarity among the members.

"This is a good sign and Sabah Umno has matured and wants to avoid splits in the Umno divisions," he added.

3 months after the 2004 General Election, after the state and federal cabinets been formed, politicians are still talking nonsense, none of which are important to the people of Sabah. All they all about are those that would bring them more publicity, more fame and more lime light.

Not long after elected representatives fighting over seats in the cabinet, now they are busy with the party election. Next they will talk about more personal positions and interests.

How about the interests of the people? None. When the top few tries to control the whole division elections and nominations, ignoring democratic practices, do you expect them to do any good to the state of Sabah?

The cycle of selfish politicians has repeated over and over again.

Talk and talk and talk .... there would be no visible action.