Who is Noh Omar, asks Azmin as SIS issue hots up

Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali today avoided questions related to the controversy surrounding the state religious authority's edict on Sisters In Islam (SIS), and Umno's claim that he is a "show-off" for trying to resolve the matter.

"Who? (Datuk Seri) Noh Omar? Is he still around?

"I think you better ask (Tun) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) who Noh Omar really is," he said when asked to comment on the Selangor Umno liaison chief claim that he was trying to "show off" for suggesting SIS to meet with Mais to resolve the issue.

Mais had on July 17 gazetted the Religious Fatwa on Liberalism and Pluralism Ideologies and declared the non-governmental organisation as subscribing to the deviant ideologies of liberalism and pluralism.

Noh pointed out that there was no need for Mais to meet with SIS as the NGO had filed a judicial review over the fatwa.

Azmin, who was atttending Unisel's convocation ceremony in Bestari Jaya today refuses to acknowledge Noh's remark just as he had done to former MB Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim’s special officer Faekah Husin early last month for attacking his administration.

"Faekah? Who is Faekah? I do not know," he had said then after Faekah questioned PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's position as the state's economic adviser.

Noh recently came under fire when Dr Mahathir suggested that Selangor Umno be dissolved and restructured following disappointing results in the 2008 and 2013 general elections.

He had asked Dr Mahathir to provide specifics on the period when people started seeing Umno as a corrupt party and clarification whether the former premier was targeting him.

“If he's referring to me, I have never lost. My majority is increasing. So who is he referring to specifically?" Noh asked.

In the 13th general election last year, Selangor BN suffered its worst defeat, winning only five parliamentary seats – Sabak Bernam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Tanjong Karang and Sungai Besar – and eight state seats – Sungai Air Tawar, Sungai Panjang, Semenyih, Dengkil, Jeram, Bukit Malawati, Sungai Burong and Permatang.

In another development, Azmin announced the allocation of RM10 million per year to help students from poor families.

He said the state will also introduce a Special Daily Allowances Fund with RM12 million in allocation, to aid those waiting for their National Higher Education Fund Corporation loan.

"All this will be explained further in the upcoming state budget. We have a huge reserve. So don't worry too much about it," he said, adding that education will be a key policy of his administration. – November 8, 2014.

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