By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — Known as a staunch defender of Malay rights and a serial party defector, Datuk Ibrahim Ali has denied he was rejoining Umno soon but is willing to help the party defend the community’s rights.
The Pasir Mas MP today thanked Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for saying the party was open to him and that the party’s supreme council would seriously consider his application.
“At the moment, I am of the opinion that there is not yet a need for me to join Umno. Even though I am very thankful when the deputy prime minister and deputy president of Umno said if I applied that my application would be considered,” Ibrahim told reporters in Parliament.
Ibrahim won his seat in Election 2008 on a PAS ticket but stressed that he was an independent. Of late, he has been ticking off PAS spiritual leader, Kelantan mentri besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat and has been seen attending Barisan Nasional pre-council meetings in Parliament.
Ibrahim, who was once a deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in Tun Dr Mahathir’s administration, stressed that he was willing to help Umno in its struggle to safeguard the interests of Bumiputeras.
“Umno has become stronger under the leadership of new president Datuk Seri Najib Razak and deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin but I am still willing to help and any give any form of cooperation for the interest of the people and country.
“And if Umno ever becomes weak and if there is a need to help then I would certainly consider joining when the time comes,” he explained.
He added that many Umno members were also asking for his cooperation.
“Umno is now really open and can be criticised. Party leaders have said that constructive criticisms can be accepted. Before this, I have said that I am willing to work with anybody including PAS and when I advised PAS and it seems that they could not accept it until they urged me to resign,” he said.
Ibrahim pointed out that the main reason he does not want to join Umno was because he doesn’t want to be slandered.
“I made this choice because I do not want to be accused. I don’t want people accusing that I join Umno because the party is now strong or I join Umno for personal interests,” he said, stressing his independence in Parliament.
Ibrahim, who contested against Barisan Nasional in a 2005 by-election, said he ran on a PAS ticket because the Islamist party was weak and had asked for his help in Kelantan, which PAS has ruled Kelantan since 1990.
“They invited me to cooperate with them so I agreed but any form of relationship between me and PAS ended after the general election. I never joined PAS,” he said.
Ibrahim earlier said he may consider joining Umno following the leadership change in the party but Kelantan Umno Youth warned against accepting the former Pasir Mas Umno division leader due to his past record.
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