Tuesday 17 March 2009

Ali Rustam barred from contesting party polls - Malaysiakini

Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam has been found guilty of breaching the party’s campaign rules and would not be allowed to contest the Umno deputy presidency next week, Malaysiakini reports.

This was announced by Umno Disciplinary Board chairman Tengku Tan Sri Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail at a press conference, here today.


The board, however, confirmed that the Malacca Chief Minister , who is also Umno vice president, is still a party member and can attend the Umno assembly as a delegate.

The board also found Khairy Jamaluddin, a candidate in the contest for the Umno Youth Chief, guilty of the same offence but gave him only a stern warning.

However, the board did not find Datuk Seri Mohamad Khir Toyo, who is also contesting for the Number One Umno Youth post, guilty of breaching party membership ethics.

Full Malaysiakini report below:

Ali Rustam barred from contesting
Mar 17, 09 11:29am

Umno deputy president aspirant Mohd Ali Rustam has been barred from contesting in the upcoming party polls.

The decision was revealed by the party's disciplinary committee chairperson Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail at a special press conference at the Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

The committee also issued a stern warning to Khairy Jamaluddin, who is standing for Umno Youth chief.

It, however, cleared another candidate, former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, of any wrongdoing.

In view of Mohd Ali being barred, the contest for the No. 2 slot will see a straight fight between favourite International Trade and Industry Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Rural Development Minister Muhammad Muhd Taib.

State Youth chief suspended

Over the past weeks, speculation has been rife that the Malacca chief minister's political ambitions would be dashed over his alleged involvement in money politics.

However, certain quarters claimed that Mohd Ali has been deliberately targetted since he was seen as being able to stage an upset.

During the press conference, Ahmad Rithauddeen announced the committee's investigations involving 29 party members.

According to him, 10 have been suspended for three years effective March 12 and four were issued with a warning.

Among those suspended is a state Umno Youth chief.

Ali's political secretary suspended

According to Ahmad Rithauddeen, action was taken against Mohd Ali after he was found liable for the acts of his agents.

He said that Mohd Ali's political secretary Saadun Basirun and two other agents were found guilty of being involved in money politics to buy votes.No other details were revealed and Saadun and the two other agents were suspended from the party for three years.

As for Khairy, he was also found liable for his agent's misbehaviour.

However, since his agent's offence was lesser in gravity than Saadun, Khairy was let off with just a warning.

Khir meanwhile was investigated for alleged money politics but he was cleared on any wrongdoing by the committee, said Ahmad Rithauddeen.

Ahmad Rithauddeen said that Mohd Ali was found guilty under 10.1 of the Umno Code of Ethics (above), which is the “presumption of guilt”. 10.1 is where is the agent is found guilty, and if there are factors stating that the principal is found to have knowledge and is involved in the issue, action can be taken on him under 10.1.

Rithauddeen further said that Mohd Ali’s agents are listed in the list under number four to six.

He also revealed that Mohd Ali was interviewed regarding the matter during the course of the investigation.

Rithauddeen also mentioned that Mohd Ali can appeal.

However, he refused to mention the timeframe for the appeal. He also refused to answer if a decision can be made before the date of the general assembly if Mohd Ali has made an appeal before the assembly starts.

Khairy: I respect the committee's decision

In an immediate reaction Khairy said that he respected the decision of the committee although "I am innocent".

"The important thing is that I have been just warned and I am allowed to contest. I am still going to contest," he told Malaysiakini when contacted.

He said that there was an agenda to stop him from contesting for the Umno Youth chief post.

"I know there is an agenda but I don't know by
whom and why they are doing this. I am maintaining my innocence," he added.

He said that he had presented his case to the committee and fully respected the decision.

Click here for offenders' list l 4 pages

9 comments:

Quantum Metal Consultant said...

"When Agus Salim asked Isa Samad, about money politics, the answer by Isa Samad was very telling.
As far as I am concerned there's no more money politics. That's why I was the only one caught out"

Kali ini giliran ikan besar, Ali Rustam dipersalahkan dan dihalang dari bertanding tetapi tidak digantung keahlian seperti Isa Samad.

Jawatankuasa disiplin lebih berkompromi dan memaafkan Ali Rustam berbanding dengan Isa Samad - sedangkan pada masa ini, UMNO sedang diperhatikan oleh seluruh dunia untuk melihat perubahan dalam penghapusan politik wang - nampaknya ia tidak berganjak malah terus mengundur ke belakang dengan keputusan yang dibuat oleh Jawatankuasa Disiplin hari ini.

Dengan penghukuman ke atas Ali Rustam, UMNO seolah oleh mengajak kita untuk menyatakan politik wang dalam UMNO sudah dihapuskan.

Anonymous said...

Khairy didapati salah tapi hanya diberi amaran?

Keputusan yang amat bodoh. Kenapa tak bandia dari bertanding saperti yang dikenakan ke atas Ali Rustam?

Mat Taib bersih? Lawak betul!

Anonymous said...

IMO the disciplinary board is not consistent and practised double standards.

Why was Isa Samad suspended for six years but no such penalties were imposed on those found guilty this time?

I think this is a political ploy to disqualify Ali Rustam from the race for the deputy presidency

red rooster said...

Salam,
who do u think is the 'director' of this phantomime??? kak ton, you're most welcome to read my posting.
Tq.

Anonymous said...

Does it make any difference who will win the Umno deputy President post between the two contenders, Muhyiddin or Mat Taib?

It is the same of the old (faces) and they are just as corrupt. The ONLY difference is: one of them is more corrupt than the other.

matt said...

The committee's investigations involving 29 party members...10 have been suspended for three years effective March 12 and four were issued with a warning.

Except for Rustam's pol. sec. Saadun, no other names were revealed/mentioned.

Whar about Norza Zakaria, who has been charged in court for money politics, and yet he said he'd still go for a seat in the party polls next week?

How ahh?

Anonymous said...

And why was Khairy let off scot free?

Is he less guilty than Ali Rustm when they both have been found guilty of the same offence?


And Toyo is clean? This is whole exercise is a joke.

What about other Umno leaders? Does that mean all of them are squeaky clean. This is another great joke!

Unbeleivable!

Anonymous said...

Well ..everyone is joking..

Anonymous said...

Dipetik dari blog Dato Kadir Jasin:-

Yang pasti memeranjatkan umum adalah perbezaan antara hukuman berat yang dijatuhkan ke atas Mohd Ali dengan hanya amaran yang dikenakan ke atas Khairy.

Khairy serta merta mengisytiharkan dirinya tidak bersalah tetapi senada dengan itu berkata dia menghormati keputusan lembaga itu.

Soalnya, bagaimanakah di suatu pihak dia berkata dia tidak bersalah sedangkan di pihak yang lain dia berkata dia menghormati keputusan Lembaga Disiplin yang mendapatinya bersalah?