UMNO has suspended its Bukit Bendera division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail of his membership rights and stripped him of his posts for three years for making remarks which were deemed offensive by the Chinese community.
Ahmad Ismail says he accepts his three-year suspension from the party but promises to make a comeback. Ahmad Ismail stripped him of all his posts and membership rights.
This means the Bukit Bendera division chief will not be able to contest and vote in party elections nor attend the Umno annual assembly for that period. The decision is effective immediately.
MalaysiaKini reported that Ahmad Ismail's three-year suspension from Umno over his racist outburst drew mixed reactions from several politicians across the northern region. Some said Ahmad Ismail should have sacked him while others said the issue was blown out of proportion.
Responses to Ahmad Ismail's punishment:
TETRAIGRAT: The punishment meted out to Ahmad Ismail is really a camouflage of the highest order. This man almost threw the country into racial chaos but all the Umno supreme council can do is suspend him a mere three years. This guy will appeal so don’t be surprised if the suspension is reduced to three months.
Mustafa Ahmad: It took the Umno supreme council 3 hours to find Ahmad guilty for insulting the Chinese and refusing to forward an apology. But he is unfazed by the decision of his party boss and I bet my last dollar he won’t take his punishment like a gentleman.
Garry Khoo: Ahmad Ismail should join Pakatan Rakyat since he is so dissatisfied with Umno leaders as well Gerakan.
Kumar14: Ahmad Ismail suspended from Umno for three years? What for? For his racist remarks, unrepentant behaviour or the hooliganism demonstrated by his supporters? Will a three-year suspension ‘cure’ him of his racist beliefs? He has made it very clear that it will not.
Justice4allraces: Ahmad Ismail’s suspension could be considered fair for those who think a
three-year suspension would make him think twice of his actions. However, I beg to differ. A three-year suspension is actually not enough.
Steve: After 51 year of independence, this Umno man still has the British ghost taunting him. It clearly show how out of place he is in this century. I wonder if he and Umno will ever change with time.
Proud but Concerned Malaysian: Ahmad Ismail has been described a renegade who has refused to apologise for his racial slurs. In the light of this, I must ask MCA and Gerakan, why are you still part of BN?
From MalaysiaKini:
* Renegade leader unfazed by decision
* Ahmad suspended for 3 years
--------------
From TheStar
Ahmad Ismail suspended and stripped of his posts for three years
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has suspended its Bukit Bendera division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail of his membership rights and stripped him of his posts for three years for making remarks which were deemed offensive by the Chinese community.
The decision was made at a specially convened supreme council meeting yesterday.
Other developments yesterday were:
> Barisan Nasional component parties immediately welcomed the decision, saying that Umno had recognised the coalition’s feelings;
> Ahmad urged calm among the Malays and Umno members but refused to retract the controversial remarks which were made while campaigning for the Permatang Pauh by-election;
> The Cabinet which met yesterday saw that race relations in the country was showing “not so good signs” and the Government would keep a close watch on the situation;
> The police will not hesitate to take stern action against anyone inciting racial tension, said Deputy Inspector-General Tan Sri Ismail Omar.
-------------------------------------
From TheStar
Ahmad accepts punishment but stays defiant
KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail says he accepts his three-year suspension from the party but promises to make a comeback.
However, he refused to apologise or retract his contentious statement and called on Umno members and Malays to stay calm, adding that it was “a lesson for the Malays to be united”.
Speaking at a press conference convened by Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor after the supreme council announced his suspension yesterday, Ahmad described the decision as “God’s will”.
“In politics there are leaders and fighters. As a fighter, there are sacrifices and risks. If you are afraid of the ocean waves, don’t build your house on the beach.
“Being struck by waves is normal but this time it was a tsunami (that hit me).
“But I have a long time, three years, to build a stronger house. I will build it on the same site. I will stay on with Umno, my party,” he said, drawing applause from his supporters who accompanied him.
On the decision, Ahmad noted that it was not an easy one for party president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to make.
He said he could still serve Umno in other ways.
“If the division is smart enough to create a new post, like an adviser, I can become an adviser.
“It does not end there and I can even become executive secretary,” said Ahmad.
-------------------------------------
From TheStar
Ahmad cannot contest or vote
By SHAHANAAZ HABIB, ZULKIFLI ABD RAHMAN and JANE RITIKOS
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has suspended Datuk Ahmad Ismail from the party for three years and stripped him of all his posts and membership rights.
This means the Bukit Bendera division chief will not be able to contest and vote in party elections nor attend the Umno annual assembly for that period. The decision is effective immediately.
Umno president Datuk Seri Abullah Ahmad Badawi announced the decision yesterday after a special party supreme council meeting held to discuss Ahmad’s case.
Moment of truth: Abdullah and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak attending a press conference after the special Umno supreme council meeting Wednesday.
The action was taken in accordance with Section 20(9) of the party constitution.
“Many Umno supreme council members gave their views and we are of the opinion that Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s comments and action have caused worry, protest and anger among Barisan Nasional which is serious thing and so we have made this decision,” he said.
At the Permatang Pauh by-election, Ahmad caused a furore when he allegedly said the Chinese in the country were immigrants and squatters and did not deserve equal rights.
He refused to apologise or retract his statement.
After a press conference on Monday, Ahmad’s supporters tore up a poster of Gerakan acting president and Penang state Barisan chairman Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, resulting in Penang Gerakan severing ties with Penang Umno.
When announcing the decision to suspend Ahmad, Abdullah said the Umno supreme council also wanted the other Barisan component parties to act sternly and take disciplinary action against their members if they commit similar offences.
“All components parties must be firm. If any of their members make comments which whip up racial sentiment and cause anger among the races and jeopardise ties among the parties, they must take disciplinary action,” he said.
Abdullah said Ahmad had the right to appeal against the supreme council decision,
Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said later the decision to suspend Ahmad was unanimously made by the council.
----------------------------
From TheStar
Other BN parties must act against errant members
KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional component parties should take appropriate action against their respective members if they go against party lines and raise sensitive issues, said its Youth chairman Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
He said yesterday’s decision by Umno to suspend Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail should also mean Barisan component parties show consistency by taking action against their own members when they stoked ill-feelings among the people.
Hishammuddin referred to an earlier incident involving Gerakan, where its Youth vice-chief S. Paranjothy created unpleasantness last year when he had reportedly said on the Internet that the Indian community were treated like fourth-class citizens.
Hishammuddin said he called for Umno to break off ties with Gerakan due to the statement at the time.
He added that acting Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon had asked him to not push for action to be taken against Paranjothy because of the impending general election in March.
“Now when the same situation has happened (in Ahmad’s case), the concerned party should see Umno’s decision as a sign that when we criticise someone, what comes around will come around,” he told reporters after an Umno supreme council meeting.
Hishammuddin said Huan Cheng Guan faced a dilemma on whether to resign as Penang Barisan Nasional Youth chief because the state Gerakan had broken off ties with the state Umno.
He added that Huan felt it was not realistic for him to continue holding the post but his loyalty to Barisan was not affected.
Hishammuddin said the party would organise sessions to explain to the Umno grassroots especially Bukit Bendera Umno members on the reasons for the action taken against Ahmad.
malaysia ~ If you like this informative post, please subscribe to my full RSS Feed
0 comments:
Post a Comment