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Opposition using BN as punching bag: DPM

Environmental
C O N V E R S AT I O N S

PENANG: Deputy Prime Minister Tan
sociologist Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the ploy by
Dr Lim Hin Fui the Opposition in using the Barisan
speaks of his Nasional (BN) and Umno as their target
and “punching bag” in the campaigns
experience with for the Penanti state by-election had
nutrition, lifestyle been expected as they had run out
changes and the of issues.
He said the opposition were re-
pursuit of health. sorting to personal attacks, slanders
and manipulation of facts concerning
Umno and the BN in their campaigns
because they could not come up with
development plans for the people of
Penanti.
He said the opposition, particularly
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), should
take the opportunity to focus on the
development agenda for the people
of Penanti instead of criticising the
government in their campaigns.
“As they have run out of issues,
the BN which is not even contesting
has been made the punching bag,
but I received feedback from the
Umno division and state that their
campaign was totally without focus,”
he told reporters after meeting with
the Penang Umno Liaison Committee,
here today.
Muhyiddin, who is also the Umno
deputy president, said the opposition
was telling the same old story on the
Perak issue, transparency, economy
and the BN’s refusal to contest in
Penanti in their campaigns but noth-
ing about their plans for the constitu-
ency.
He said this when asked to com-
ment on the criticisms hurled by the
opposition at the BN and Umno in
their series of campaigns to fish for
votes although it was clear that the
BN was not contesting in Penanti.
The by-election is being held fol-
lowing the resignation of incumbent
assemblyman for Penanti, Moham-
mad Fairus Khairuddin on April 16 to
pursue further studies.
Mohammad Fairus had also re-
signed as Deputy Chief Minister 1 and
as State Executive Councillor.
In the by-election, the PKR candi-
date, Mansor Othman, will face three
independent candidates namely,
former Penang Parti Keadilan Na-
sional (KeAdilan) Wanita head Aminah
Abdullah, company manager Nai Khan
Ari and motivational expert Kamarul
Ramizu Idris.

MASRY CHE ANI/ THESUN

MACC interviews
Aminah for
Fomca calls
for revamping
of system
five hours by Himanshu Bhatt she said were
Aminah (right)
hands over the
recording and
PKR mem- photographs to
» From Front Page newsdesk@thesundaily.com
bers, to the Noormah.
“The fare should be cheap and af- GEORGE TOWN: Independent Election Com-
fordable to encourage more people candidate for the Penanti state mission office
to use public transport thus reducing by-election Aminah Abdul- here yesterday. PKR members that she had also (Datuk Zahrain Mohamed
congestion on the road,” the letter lah was interviewed by the She was accompanied by her secretly recorded but had yet to Hashim) challenged me to show
Malaysian Anti-Corruption husband Mohd Rofi Osman. burn into CDs. proof.”
added.
Commission (MACC) for more She handed over the items Queried by reporters, Aminah Asked how PKR supreme
Fomca also called on the govern- admitted that she did not expect council member Cheah Kah
than five hours on Monday over to the EC’s chief administrative
ment to speed up the revamping there was bribery involved. Peng, whom she had called a
her claims that she was offered assistant in Penang, Noormah
of the mechanism to oversee the Shaari. In the recording, a person friend, would feel about being
cash and posts if she dropped
improvement in the public transpor- out of the contest. Aminah, the PKR Penang is heard asking her how much recorded secretly, she said:
tation system. Aminah, 56, said she met with Wanita chief from 1999 to 2007, she was spending for the by- “Kasihan dia (pity him) … when
“For a start the commercial state MACC director Latifah Md when she quit the party, had election and she said RM80,000. all this is over, I will call him to
licensing board should be reconsti- Yatim and other officers of the alleged on Monday that the The person then suggested that clarify.”
tuted with transport management commission from about 4.30pm men offered her the Penang she could be compensated if she Asked why they did not take
experts both from the government pulled out. a video of the meeting, Mohd
and private sector, consumer and
New policy to 10pm at the commission Municipal Council president’s
She said she did not think Rofi said: “We don’t have video.
office in Butterworth. post if she withdrew from the
NGOs representatives,” he said. He to solve “They told me to come in for by-election, or the post of deputy her secret recordings amounted This independent (Aminah) is
also wanted the board to be free from temple land a while but kept me there for a chief minister (I) if she contested to breach of trust. “Last time, at poor.”
political interference. long time,” she said. and won. PKR meetings, they also secretly Asked how she was able to
problem She also said the men offered recorded the discussions,” she fork out RM80,000 if she was
» 15 minutes to pay toll pg 6
Aminah said this to report-
ers after handing over a voice her RM80,000. said. poor, Aminah said she used her
Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Man-
recording and photographs of Aminah said there were “I didn’t want to expose this savings and former PKR mem-
sor yesterday experienced for himself
her meeting with two men, who two subsequent meetings with but the Penang PKR chairman bers also supported her.
the long wait that motorists had to
endure to pay toll on the highways
daily.
It took him almost 15 minutes
before he could pay the toll at the
Jalan Duta Toll Plaza in Kuala Lumpur
when he arrived at 8.45 am.
It was just a casual conversation, says Cheah
“It was not even during peak
hours. Imagine how long it would take by Bernard Chaeh the family as the engagement of one of her
to pay toll during the peak period. newsdesk@thesundaily.com friends and daughters in March.
On the average, it takes 20 minutes they were not Lim lamented that Aminah
before a road user can pay toll on SEBERANG PERAI: The two representing has exploited their relations for
the lane for cash payment at the toll PKR members involved in a any organisa- her personal gains. “I feel hurt,”
plaza,” he told reporters. secret recording made by tion. he said, adding that they would
Shaziman said the government Aminah Abdullah, an inde- He said leave the matter in the hands of
would study the most efficient meth- pendent candidate for the the record- the party’s lawyers.
od for toll collection, but encouraged Penanti state by-election, ing was Meanwhile, PKR elections
road users to use the Smart Tag and have categorically denied taken out of director Saifuddin Nasution said
Touch ‘n Go for now. making any offers to her. context, as the party has sent a legal notice
He said the average time taken Cheah Kah Peng and Peter they were to Aminah.
to pay toll by cash at the toll plaza Lim Eng Nam said they did conversing “The letter was sent to stop
was 20 seconds while the transac- not offer Aminah the post as “normal her from defaming the party for
tion using the Touch ‘n Go and Smart of deputy chief minister (I) friends, talk- her personal gains, in this case
Tag needed is only five and three or Penang Island Municipal ing about as an independent candidate in
seconds. Council (MPPP) president, and everything the by-election,” he said.
Shaziman also suggested car mak- had never tried to bribe her under the In the legal notice, Aminah
ers and distributors offer the Smart with money. sun”. is told to either withdraw the
Cheah (right) and
Tag facility as additional accessory to Cheah is a PKR supreme He said statement, apologise or pay
Lim at the press
car buyers. council member, and Lim the he and Lim damages.
conference.
On the implementation of the special assistant to Penang have been “From what we have heard,
gantry toll collection system, he said state executive councillor Law friends it is a conversation between
tests on the system were being car- Choo Kiang. a t with Animah and her family friends who met over a meal,”
ried out at Batu Tiga Shah Alam and “We were invited by Aminah the PKR operations since 1999 and maintained ties Saifuddin said of the recording.
the outcome would be presented to for lunch at her house. We just centre here yesterday. with them even after she left “It was a jovial occasion ...
the cabinet this year. The system does had a jovial, casual conversation “We did not know that she the party in 2007. Aminah seemed like she wanted
not require the vehicle to slow down with them (Aminah and her would turn a bona fide chit-chat They had been to Aminah’s to rejoin the party and wanted
or stop when making toll payment. husband Mohd Rofi Osman),” into an ugly thing.” house on several occasions, one of her friends to convey the
– Bernama Cheah told a press conference Cheah said they had visited including Hari Raya Puasa and message to our leaders.”