6 theSun | TUESDAY OCTOBER 28 2008

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Public debate not for quarrelling: Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth
vice-chief Khairy Jamaluddin
said yesterday the public debate
he proposed to those who had
qualified to contest for the
movement’s chief post was to
provide an avenue for them to
explain their vision.
Stressing that the debate was
not for quarrelling, Khairy, the
second candidate to have qualified
to contest the post, said it would
be conducted in a responsible and
orderly manner.
“The debate will be gentlemanly
conducted ... just tell me the place,
time and date and I’ll be there,” he
told reporters at the MIC Deepavali
open house at the Putra World
Trade Centre.
He thanked former Selangor
mentri besar Datuk Seri Dr
Mohamad Khir Toyo, the third
candidate to have qualified to
contest for the post, for agreeing to
the debate.
Khairy, however, declined
to comment on the refusal of
another candidate, Datuk Mukhriz
Mahathir, to be drawn into the
debate.
Mukhriz is the first candidate
to have qualified to contest for the
post and currently has the most
nominations.
When asked of his chances
at the party polls, Khairy said
he believed his chances remain
bright.
“The chances are okay ... let’s
see what happen. I look forward to
The debate will
be gentlemanly
conducted ... just tell
me the place, time and
date and I’ll be there”
campaigning hard,” he said.
In Jeli, Umno supreme council
member Datuk Mustapa Mohamed
said the time had not arrived to
hold an open debate as a way to
elect party leaders.
He said the party currently
needed to consider various aspects,
including the risk, when holding
an open debate as suggested by
several Umno leaders.
“Speaking up is already there
but to me, Ummo has not fully
matured. We have not reached
that stage yet. If we want to hold
debates, we must be ready to face
the risk.”
Mustapa, who retained the post
of Jeli Umno head uncontested,
told reporters this after opening the
division’s delegates conference in
Bukit Bunga Umno Complex here
yesterday.
He said if an open debate was
to be held, his concern was that
the grassroots members would
only elect good orators rather than
really credible candidates who can
work for the party.
“It’s important for us to make
the correct choice, not because he
is a good orator.
“If debates were held, our
concern is members, charmed
by his eloquence, will elect the
candidate even though he cannot
do work,” the agriculture and
agro-based Industry minister said.
– Bernama

briefs
ACA wraps up prison project probe
KUCHING: The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) has
completed its investigation into the Kuching prison
complex project which took about 10 years to be fully
completed.
Former Sarawak ACA director Mohamad Yusoff
Akope said the investigation papers were submitted to
the public prosecutor’s office for decision on whether
legal proceedings would be initiated for any wrongdo-
ing which caused the delay.
“We completed the investigation a month ago,” said
Yusoff, who is now director of community education
division in the ACA headquarters in Putrajaya.
Asked whether there was a strong case for prosecu-
tion, he said it was the public prosecutor’s prerogative
to decide. – Bernama
Samy ends ‘boycott of services’
SUNGAI SIPUT: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu
said yesterday he has ended the “boycott” of his services to
the residents of Sungai Siput since he lost the parliamentary
seat to Parti Sosialis Malaysia Dr D. Jeyakumar in the March
8 general election.
From next month onwards, he will make weekly visits
to Sungai Siput either on Saturdays or Sundays to help
the residents resolve their personal problems and other
government-related matters. Also in his agenda are visits
to estates and rural areas every fortnight.
He was speaking to reporters after handing over Deep-
avali hampers to underprivileged Indians in the Sungai Siput
area last Friday evening.
On another matter, he said MIC has recruited retired
personnel from the National Registration Department to help
the 30,000 Indians who were born in the country to get their
birth certificates and qualify for citizenship.
17 deaths on Day 3 of Ops Sikap
KUALA LUMPUR: Seventeen deaths were recorded on
the third day of Ops Sikap XVII on Sunday, bringing the
overall death toll to 48 since the operation begun on
Oct 24 in conjunction with the Deepavali celebration.
Bukit Aman Traffic Chief SAC II Abd Aziz Yusof said
in a statement yesterday that motorcyclists and pillion
riders made up almost half of the dead while six were
car drivers and their passengers. A pedestrian and a
cyclist were also killed on Sunday.
He said that of the 3,010 accidents reported nation-
wide, three fatal accidents occurred on highways, four
on federal roads, four on state roads, five on municipal
roads and one on other roads.
A total of 17,645 summonses were issued for vari-
ous traffic offences. – Bernama
‘MCA not against anti-ISA petition’
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong
says the party does not oppose the Opposition’s petition
against the Internal Security Act (ISA).
“We have our own way of resolving matters. That is why
we did not sign the petition drafted by the Opposition parties,”
he said yesterday. “They (Opposition) have their way of doing
things. We have ours and the right forum is the cabinet.”
Responding to DAP veteran and Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit
Siang’s statement condemning MCA and Gerakan MPs
for refusing to support the anti-ISA petition to debate the
matter in Parliament, Wee also denied that the cabinet was
in favour of maintaining the ISA.
“No, I am not saying that (cabinet is in favour of the ISA).
I said that the view of MCA in our recent annual general
assembly is that it is high time to review the ISA,” he said.
“You must also know the process. The process in any
enactment is that the Bill must get the endorsement of
cabinet before it is sent to Parliament.”
It’s still only Najib for Umno top post
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak
remains as the only nominee for the Umno
president post for the party’s polls in March
next year.
As of 6pm yesterday, the divisions that had
held their delegates meetings yesterday all
nominated the deputy prime minister for it,
bringing his total nominations to 102 so far.
Only 89 divisions more have to hold their meet-
ings, which must be completed by Nov 9.
Najib received his latest nominations from
Jeli, Maran, Kota Tinggi and Penampang.
For the No. 2 post, front runner Trade and In-
dustry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddn Yassin picked
up two more nominations yesterday from Jeli
and Maran, bringing his total so far to 65 and
his challenger Rural and Regional Development
Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib
also had the same number, from Kota Tinggi
and Penampang, which make his total 15.
Another challenger, Malacca Chief Minister
Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam has received 22
nominations.
The five candidates who have qualified
to contest the vice-president post – Datuk
Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Datuk Seri Dr
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Seri Mohamed
Khaled Nordin, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal
and Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar – remain the
favourites.
Hishammuddin received three more
nominations yesterday from Jeli, Maran and
Penampang to make his total 85, Zahid also
received nominations from the same three
divisions for a total of 62, Mohamed Khaled
one from Jeli (50), Mohd Shafie also one from
Jeli (45) and Syed Hamid two from Kota Tinggi
and Penampang (22).
Of the others in the fray, Tan Sri Mohd Isa
Abdul Samad has collected eight nominations,
Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim (eight), Datuk Seri
Shahidan Kassim (six), Tan Sri Rahim Thamby
Chik (six), Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (three),
Datuk Seri Musa Aman (two), Tan Sri Annuar
Musa (one) and Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam
(one).
Wanita Umno vice president Datuk Seri
Shahrizat Abdul Jalil continued to get nomina-
tions for the wing’s No. 1 post with the Kuala
Pilah division choosing her for it yesterday.
Shahrizat, who has not stated whether she
will go for the post, is eligible to do so as her
total nominations of 56 so far has exceeded
the 39 required.
The incumbent, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz has
garnered 94 nominations so far.
Kuala Pilah Wanita Umno also nominated
Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim for the No. 2 post in the
wing, which brought her total to 41.
Of the other leaders nominated for it, Shahri-
Umno polls
should be
held more
often: Tajol
IPOH: The triennial Umno elec-
tions should be amended to
annually for branch, biennially for
division and triennially for the su-
preme council to control money
politics.
Perak Umno chairman Datuk
Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali said yes-
terday by having more regular
elections, candidates would
have to depend on their ability
and interaction with members at
grassroots level for support.
“This will help reduce claims
of money politics. Not all are
involved, only a few are doing it.
The general election must also
not get in the way of elections
at branch, division and supreme
council level,” he told reporters
at the Deepavali open house by
Perak MIC chairman Datuk G.
Rajoo here.
Umno vice-president Datuk
Seri Mohd Ali Rustam had also
made a similar proposal aimed
at reactivating members at the
grassroots.
Tajol Rosli dismissed talks
that the sudden increase in Perak
nominations for deputy president
candidate Mohd Ali was because
delegates were disappointed that
Pagoh did not nominate Datuk
Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for
vice-president. – Bernama
zat has received 92 nominations, Pengerang
Umno head Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said
(10), Johor Wanita chief Datuk Halimah Sadique
(two), Wanita exuctive council member Datuk
Dr Norraesah Mohamad (one) and Deputy
Natural Resources and Environment Minister
Datuk Maznah Mazlan (one ).
As for the top post in Umno Youth, its
deputy head Khairy Jamaluddin received an-
other nomination yesterday from Kepala Batas
making his total 45 so far.
Jerlun MP and Umno Youth executive
committee (exco) member Datuk Mukhriz
Dr Mahathir still remains in the lead with 66
nominations while former Selangor Mentri
Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo has
obtained 47 nominations.
A total of 159 of the 191 youth divisions
have held their delegates meetings. For the
No. 2 post in the movement, Muar MP Razali
Ibrahim still remains in the lead with 79 nomi-
nations while his challenger Umno Youth exco
member Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican
has 66.
Of the others, Kota Kinabalu Umno Youth
head Bahrul Razha Chuprat has three while
Marzuki Yahaya, Megat Firdaus Megat Junid,
Faizal Abdullah, who are the Umno Youth heads
of Bagan, Subang and Kapar respectively and
Khairy have one each. – Bernama