Dr M''s response to Musa's "Thorn in the Flesh"

Thursday, May 22, 2008

"Duri dalam daging"

Saya telah ikuti laporan berkenaan keputusan saya keluar dari UMNO yang disiarkan RTM 1, 8 malam, 19 hb Mei. Komen oleh dua pemimpin UMNO amat menggelikan hati saya.

Tun Musa Hitam dakwa saya adalah ‘duri dalam daging yang sekarang sudah dikeluarkan.’

Tun, apakah Tun lupa Tun jadi duri dalam daging UMNO tahun 1986 - 87 dahulu? Semasa Tun jadi Timbalan Perdana Menteri [di lantik oleh saya]. Tun telah letak jawatan Timbalan Perdana Menteri dan Timbalan Presiden UMNO kerana hendak saya berhenti daripada jadi Perdana Menteri dan diganti oleh Tun. Atas rayuan ahli Majlis Tertinggi, Tun kembali sebagai Timbalan Presiden UMNO. Rupa-rupanya Tun masih punyai niat untuk jatuhkan saya.

Oleh itu Tun menghasut Tengku Razaleigh yang menjadi musuh ketat Tun supaya lawan saya. Demikianlah bencinya Tun kepada saya sehingga sanggup terima musuh ketat Tun bertanding Presiden, dan Tun jadi Timbalannya; Tun sebelum itu rayu supaya saya sokong Tun untuk rebut jawatan Timbalan Presiden dalam pertandingan lawan Tengku Razaleigh.

Akhirnya pecahlah UMNO dan muncullah parti serpihan Semangat 46. Tetapi dengan bijaknya Tun tidak menyertainya. Tun selamat dan dilantik oleh saya sebagai perutusan bertaraf Menteri ke Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu. Tengku Razaleigh terkeluar daripada UMNO Baru dan menjadi mangsa perancangan Tun. Syabas Tun. Saya tak tahu sekarang Tun ahli UMNO atau tidak.

Satu lagi pemimpin UMNO ialah Shahrir Samad yang lupa bagaimana dia keluar UMNO, jadi calon bebas dan lawan dengan UMNO, dalam Pilihanraya Kecil dengan simbol kunci.

Siapakah kamu yang nak kritik tindakan saya? Jika tidak kerana kakak Tun Musa sebagai Ketua Wanita Johor Bahru datang pagi-pagi ke rumah saya untuk merayu supaya Dato dibenar kembali ke pangkuan UMNO, Dato akan jadi duri dalam daging UMNO lebih lama. Walaupun Dato maki hamun saya semasa pilihanraya kecil saya bersetuju Dato masuk balik UMNO.

Saya ucap tahniah kerana Dato dapat sekali lagi jadi Menteri. Jagalah harga barang baik-baik. Tak usahlah komen tentang diri saya.

Tepuk dulang paku serpih.
Katakan orang awak yang lebih.

English text: Mahathir fires back at Musa and Shahrir here.

What Pak Lah and Umno leaders say...

Abdullah shocked but will not step down under pressure...

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he will not bow to pressure from former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to resign as prime minister and Umno president.

He said he was “shocked and surprised” over Dr Mahathir’s sudden decision to quit Umno, calling the move a drastic action.

He also said the resignation and call to other members to quit would not shatter the party as Umno had over three million members.

“Maybe some will leave but I believe most of them still love Umno. I don’t know what Umno members are going to do but I would like to believe that the members will not leave,” he said.

He urged Umno members to be taat setia (loyal) to the party and stay strong to continue the party’s struggle just like when it was first founded, adding that Umno’s existence was due to member loyalty.

“I, as an Umno member, from the beginning until now, have never left the party and I will continue to fight for the party.

“Umno has contributed much to the country and the people of all races, and we want Umno to continue the struggle,” he said after meeting party vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam here yesterday.

Abdullah hoped that Umno members would think carefully before making any decision.
He believed that the majority of party members would stay true to Umno. More here

Najib: I’m willing to meet Dr M

SHARM EL-SHEIKH (Egypt): Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is willing to talk to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad over his sudden resignation from the party.

Expressing shock and sadness over the former Prime Minister's announcement, Najib said he had met Dr Mahathir previously and that he was prepared to meet him again to discuss the decision.

Reading from a prepared statement, Najib said that Dr Mahathir was a respected leader and his contributions to the party and nation were invaluable.

Najib also said that he had contacted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on the matter soon after news of the decision reached him here.

Asked if Dr Mahathir’sdecision would prompt other Umno leaders to follow suit, Najib replied: “Wallah hu’alam (Only God knows). I don’t know.” More here...

Ku Li: I’ll stay to fight Abdullah

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah says he will remain in Umno to challenge Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for the party presidency and also to clean up the party.

The Gua Musang MP also said he would never form a pact with the Opposition to set up a new government even if Umno was battered by internal conflict.

“I have my own party. Why must I quit the party? I will remain in the party to challenge the president (Abdullah) and will fight to clean up the party,” he said. Continue here.

Mahathir’s decision a blessing, says Musa

Tun Musa Hitam says Dr Mahathir's decision to quit Umno is upsetting but it may actually be a blessing in disguise because a "thorn in the flesh" has been removed from the party. Continue here.

Read also Umno leaders shocked at move here.

Musa: More freedom now

A Malaysian leadership where freedom prevails – both in speech and in expression.

This is how former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Musa Hitam has described the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Taking a shot at his former boss, he said Malaysians were now enjoying more freedom of expression and speech compared to the era of Abdullah's predecessor.

"This was unknown during the leadership tenure of my best friend,” he said in an obvious referrence to former Prime MinisterTun Dr Mahathir Mohamad

On demonstrations, he said: "We can even have demonstrations without permits...(and) the people have less fear.

Oh really? You too Tun? Also mudah lupa or buat-buat lupa? Then what about this, this and this?

Continue reading below:

Musa said that nowadays the media could even expose the mistakes and failings of the Government.

“The freedom given by the government is mostly enjoyed by us, the middle class. Nowadays, we can even have demonstrations without permits ... (and) the people have less to fear.

“This was unknown during the leadership tenure of my best friend,” noted Musa, at the Universiti Malaya Alumni Day 2008 Malaysian Development Vision Forum yesterday.

While it was true the authorities had used water cannons and tear gas to disperse illegally-assembled crowds, he said even developed nations used such tactics on such demonstrators.

On blogging by detractors and the opposition, Musa welcomed it as a form of digital democracy as it allowed them to vent their anger, without going to the streets and causing harm or public disturbances.

“However, I must remind the middle class to be more rational and less emotional about certain issues, and take a more balanced perspective.

“As the middle class, we should not be reactive to issues but be more proactive by studying, listening, being open minded and do researching,” he said, adding that the people should mingle with one another to achieve greater understanding. – Bernama