An opposition leader has called on Prime
Minister Najib Abdul Razak to step in and clear the mess created by his
home minister over alleged kingpin Paul Phua.
"Malaysia's reputation has been sullied enough by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)," said DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang in a statement today.
If the prime minister fails to act, the veteran politician said Najib would be no different from "Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burns".
Lim was far from convinced by Zahid's explanation yesterday on the reason for penning the letter regarding Phua, the Malaysian facing illegal gambling charges in Las Vegas, USA.
"Zahid is being brazen and blatant in demanding that everybody act as gullible fools to accept his version that his infamous letter to the FBI was merely intended to clarify that Phua was not a member of the 14K triad 'in Malaysia' and nothing more," he said.
The Gelang Patah MP also cast aspersions on the minister's claim that the cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday was "satisfied with his explanation on the matter".
"I do not believe that our cabinet ministers suffer from comprehension problems or they will not have risen to their present pinnacle of political power in government.
"For reasons best known to themselves, they prefer to appear to be gullible fools, but this is no compliment on their political purpose and integrity that they could be cowed into obediently accepting Zahid's outrageous explanation, knowing in their heart of hearts that Zahid was not speaking the truth," he said.
OSA even to gov't?
Lim doubted that there would be a single minister who would be prepared to state openly and publicly that he or she truly believes the home minister's version.
He said Zahid should not expect Malaysians to react in the same manner as his cabinet colleagues.
"Zahid
must not take Malaysia as a nation of fools even if he can achieve a
cabinet of fools with ministers obediently accepting his outrageous
take," he added.
Lim also questioned if Zahid had informed the cabinet regarding the nature of the "national security projects" that the minister had told the FBI Phua was assisting the government in.
"If not, how could the ministers accept Zahid's explanation?
"If yes, every minister is now not only collectively but personally responsible for Zahid's infamous letter.
"This must also be the first time in the nation's history where the home minister is using the Official Secrets Act (OSA) to keep secret, not only from the public, but the police and inspector-general of police, the nature of the 'national security projects'," he added.
‘Past home ministers must clarify’
Lim also noted that Zahid had made a startling revelation to justify his actions, claiming that previous home ministers before him had also written such clarification letters.
He therefore urged those who have held the post before to speak up and set the record straight.
"Is this true, that previous home ministers also unilaterally wrote to the FBI, without the knowledge of the police or the IGP at the time, contradicting police reports to the FBI, as well as without the knowledge or clearance from the Foreign Ministry?
"If this was the case, then the ministers of the past had been even more indisciplined, wild and arbitrary than the Malaysian public had ever dared to imagine," he added.
Lim said what was most significant about Zahid's press conference yesterday was that the minister ended it abruptly before the media could ask any questions for clarification.
"It is a powerful testimony that Zahid himself knew that he was defending the indefensible, and he did not want to expose himself to the multitude of questions of the waiting reporters," he said.
"Malaysia's reputation has been sullied enough by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)," said DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang in a statement today.
If the prime minister fails to act, the veteran politician said Najib would be no different from "Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burns".
Lim was far from convinced by Zahid's explanation yesterday on the reason for penning the letter regarding Phua, the Malaysian facing illegal gambling charges in Las Vegas, USA."Zahid is being brazen and blatant in demanding that everybody act as gullible fools to accept his version that his infamous letter to the FBI was merely intended to clarify that Phua was not a member of the 14K triad 'in Malaysia' and nothing more," he said.
The Gelang Patah MP also cast aspersions on the minister's claim that the cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday was "satisfied with his explanation on the matter".
"I do not believe that our cabinet ministers suffer from comprehension problems or they will not have risen to their present pinnacle of political power in government.
"For reasons best known to themselves, they prefer to appear to be gullible fools, but this is no compliment on their political purpose and integrity that they could be cowed into obediently accepting Zahid's outrageous explanation, knowing in their heart of hearts that Zahid was not speaking the truth," he said.
OSA even to gov't?
Lim doubted that there would be a single minister who would be prepared to state openly and publicly that he or she truly believes the home minister's version.
He said Zahid should not expect Malaysians to react in the same manner as his cabinet colleagues.
"Zahid
must not take Malaysia as a nation of fools even if he can achieve a
cabinet of fools with ministers obediently accepting his outrageous
take," he added.Lim also questioned if Zahid had informed the cabinet regarding the nature of the "national security projects" that the minister had told the FBI Phua was assisting the government in.
"If not, how could the ministers accept Zahid's explanation?
"If yes, every minister is now not only collectively but personally responsible for Zahid's infamous letter.
"This must also be the first time in the nation's history where the home minister is using the Official Secrets Act (OSA) to keep secret, not only from the public, but the police and inspector-general of police, the nature of the 'national security projects'," he added.
‘Past home ministers must clarify’
Lim also noted that Zahid had made a startling revelation to justify his actions, claiming that previous home ministers before him had also written such clarification letters.
He therefore urged those who have held the post before to speak up and set the record straight."Is this true, that previous home ministers also unilaterally wrote to the FBI, without the knowledge of the police or the IGP at the time, contradicting police reports to the FBI, as well as without the knowledge or clearance from the Foreign Ministry?
"If this was the case, then the ministers of the past had been even more indisciplined, wild and arbitrary than the Malaysian public had ever dared to imagine," he added.
Lim said what was most significant about Zahid's press conference yesterday was that the minister ended it abruptly before the media could ask any questions for clarification.
"It is a powerful testimony that Zahid himself knew that he was defending the indefensible, and he did not want to expose himself to the multitude of questions of the waiting reporters," he said.
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