Digest on Malaysian News

TERENGGANU MB CRISIS
Ahmad Said remains defiant, will start work as MB tomorrow
By : T. N. Alagesh

KEMAMAN, Mon:

Terengganu Mentri Besar-designate Datuk Ahmad Said remains defiant against calls that he went against the Umno leadership by accepting his appointment to the post. Claims that he had been sacked from the party and he was not in a position to accept the appointment, was “debateable”, he said.

"It is not so easy to sack someone from the party," he said at this family home in Telok Kalong, Kijal here today. "I have never rebelled against Umno, and in fact have been serving the party since my father's time. There should not be any question about me being a penderhaka (rebel) except maybe the confusion of what had transpired. I also know the rules and regulations of the party and had never back stabbed anyone to be appointed to this post."

Ahmad was speaking to reporters after he arrived here following an audience with the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin in Kuala Lumpur earlier in the day. Over 1,000 people gathered at the entrance of the Kemaman town to greet Ahmad and his convoy of supporters, who had made their way here after a stopover in Kuantan. Ahmad had during the stopover visited his mother, Wok Ali, 90, who is now warded at the Kuantan Medical Centre for an illness.

However, Ahmad appealed to Umno leadership to rethink its stand against his appointment. "I hope the Prime Minister and his deputy could have another look at the issue as we all actually do not really want these upheavals. All that had transpired was not due to what I want. There was nothing I can do as it is all due to the will of Allah, and we have to accept it as it is."

Ahmad, who received his letter of appointment as Menteri Besar from the Regency Advisory Council on Sunday, was reported to have been sacked by Umno for going against the wishes of the party leadership which wanted State Liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh to be reappointed as MB.

However, Ahmad insisted that his decision to accept the post was backed by the majority of Umno members in Terengganu.

"As far as I am concerned, there should not be any problem when it comes to support among the people of Terengganu. You can just go to any district in the State and ask them...I am sure the majority do support my appointment."

Ahmad said he will proceed with his duties as warranted by his appointment and will deal with any issues regarding to his appointment "one at a time".
“Now it is my responsibility to manage the affairs of the state,” he said. “I will be in my office tomorrow to report for duty as the new Menteri Besar of Terengganu."

However, Ahmad declined to comment on the threat by 22 Umno assemblymen that they will resign if he proceeds to assume his post.

"I do not want to say anything about that for now,” he said. “All I can say is that, not all of them had protested when it was made known that I was being appointed to the post but they seems to have changed their stand later due to certain circumstances. I will talk about the whole matter in length later."

Ahmad said among his first task was to reunite Umno members in Terengganu, believing that with his years of experience in the party, members will eventually support him.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/Frontpage/20080324214147/Article/index_html (Mar 24, 2008)


MD Says:

Unconfirmed rumor says BN under the current leadership has been siphoning off huge amount of royalty money from Petronas via Idris Jusoh. Petronas is suppose to give the royalty money to the state government in return for right to tap the oil and gas resources from Terengganu soil.

Terengganu, despite rich in natural resources such as petroleum and gas has become a poorer state under the BN's rule.

This probably contribute to the decision of Sultan of Terengganu to give the heavy responsibility to a cleaner guy, Ahmad Said. The PM by all mean will insist on Idris Jusoh to continue his second term as the Mentri Besar (Chief Minister) of Terengganu so that Idris will help to continue diverting the royalty money to UMNO coffers.

Once Ahmad Said established his role as the Mentri Besar of Terengganu, UMNO funding will be affected. That would left the UMNO coffers running dry and without cash, PM would have hard time feeding his honchos and sidekicks.