UPDATED
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has refuted the idea that Umno bullies its partners in the Barisan Nasional.
“People say Umno is a party that likes to bully. I actually have no idea how to bully people,” the BN chairman said when opening the 55th MCA General Assembly today.
“This is the strategy used by the opposition to destabilise BN. The issue of Umno bullying components does not start from component parties.
“There is no such thing as bullying. Ask these people in the front,” the Umno president said referring to the MCA leaders on stage.
“If that is our way, a lot of components would have left. You think Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting or Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon want to be bullied?” he said, referring to the MCA and Gerakan presidents respectively.
“Ong is not a weak leader. He is strong and effective. Do not have the impression after he retires that he was a weak leader,” he added.
The prime minister also accused Hindraf of being a group that sought to discredit the MIC and its president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.
“That is their work, to give rise to dissatisfaction with our leaders.”
At a press conference later, Abdullah refused to elaborate on whether he was referring to an opposition influence behind Hindraf, merely stating that a decision has been made and the group should no longer exist as it is illegal.
Abdullah also said that the suggestion by MCA Youth to create a second deputy chairman post in the coalition would have to be brought up at the BN convention early next year.
He insisted, however, that the current practice is still a good one as it has not caused any division in the coalition after 50 years.
“This is a big issue, and must be brought to the convention, not just a supreme council meeting,” he said.
He also said that at this point no amendments to the Internal Security Act were being discussed and refuted any element of abuse of power in the use of the legislation.
“Other countries have similar Acts and some have created such an Act in recent times,” he said, citing nations such as the United States and Britain as examples.
Due to step down as Umno president in March, Abdullah said that at the moment he is concentrating on the three legislations he has promised to push through by then — the setting up of a Judicial Appointments Commission, an independent anti-corruption body and a Special Complaints Commission on enforcement agencies.
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If this goes on, it will lose big time in the next election.
I am afraid for Malaysia.