KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 — Outspoken Barisan Nasional MP Datuk Mohamad Aziz is sticking to his guns that Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat should leave the Cabinet and will not apologise for making that call.
The Sri Gading MP told Parliament last week that Koh was an underperforming minister while pointing out that Ong did not even have the confidence of his own party anymore. But Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has defended both ministers over the weekend.
“I won’t take back what I said, I did not do anything wrong with my statement. People tell me to ask for forgiveness. For what? (Are you saying that) Umno and Malay leaders are only qualified to apologise?" the Umno supreme council member told reporters at the Parliament lobby.
“No way man! I won’t apologise because I have done nothing wrong,” he added, speaking about his comments against Koh, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, and Ong, who is Transport Minister.
In defending Koh and Ong, Najib pointed out that Cabinet appointments were his prerogative as prime minister.
Mohamad explained that he never questioned the prerogative of the prime minister to appoint ministers but the performance of the ministers.
“I am only evaluating a minister which was appointed by the prime minister. I never questioned the appointment or power of the prime minister but should we block the people’s evaluation?
"How can the people evaluate? You should do your job properly then only will the people will give you a positive evaluation,” he said.
Koh’s Gerakan has seen its profile and influence drop drastically after the party lost control of Penang to DAP in Election 2008.
Koh also lost in his bid for a parliamentary seat and only became a minister after Najib had him appointed a senator.
But there is a growing perception, especially among government backbenchers, that Koh has not been performing in his job as Najib’s key man overseeing the government’s key performance indicators (KPI).
Ong has also found himself in a major predicament after losing a no-confidence vote at the recent MCA EGM. He is also engaged in a public fight with his own central committee.
Due to Gerakan and MCA’s dismal performance in Election 2008, and coupled with the parties' inability to regain support from Chinese voters for BN, Umno divisional leaders have been pressuring Najib to open up more ministerial positions to the BN lynchpin at the expense of the two non-Malay component parties.
Najib has so far resisted the temptation to drop the quota of ministers allocated to component parties under BN’s power sharing formula.
Mohamad stressed that he does not have any personal conflict with the two ministers.
“I care about MCA and Gerakan as an important component party in Barisan Nasional but what I questioned is not his party but his leadership,” he said.
He also said that he is willing to face any disciplinary action by Umno.
“People who fight for a cause, like me, are not scared of anything. If I am wrong then punish me but if I am not wrong then I will defend my actions. What I said is supported by my millions of fans in the whole country. I also have fans, I have fans like a film star lah,” he said.
In between the Parliament sitting today, Mohamad with Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin met with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for 30 minutes to discuss their views.
The two federal lawmakers told reporters that Muhyiddin had accepted their explanation.
“For the moment, disciplinary action will not be taken. He (Muhyiddin) asked us to concentrate more on social issues affecting the people,” Bung said.
Bung also confirmed that they will be meeting with the prime minister soon.
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