Hold Your Horses, Mr Muhyiddin
As the shootout for Hulu Selangor draws near, the dirty campaign of UMNO has begun in full swing. Predictably, UMNO are not focusing on the issues of the rakyat. UMNO are focused on the only thing they know, and that is: to spread lies and misinformation.
By Zaid Ibrahim
According to The Deputy Prime Minister and his hired hands, one of the issues plaguing my candidacy is my disciplinary record, specifically of being suspended by UMNO for money politics. As a result of that, they conveniently use this to accuse me of everything under the sun: corrupt, greedy, wealthy, etc.
As always, the truth will set you free. It is perhaps something UMNO is unfamiliar with. Time and time again, they continue to underestimate the intelligence of the rakyat and try to confuse them with fiction, but the rakyat knows better.
I have defended myself from these accusations many times, but will do so again.
So here it is…
In 2001, I won the contest for the post of UMNO Division Chief for Kota Bharu. Took me three attempts and 10 years to do that but I did it.
That position left them with no choice but to field me as a candidate for March 2004 General Election. I won a hard fought contest for the Kota Bharu Parliamentary seat, although the 3 State Assembly seats in that parliamentary constituency was won by PAS. (Somewhat similar to the present situation in Hulu Selangor where the 3 State seats were won by BN in 2008, and now I am trying to win it again for PKR). I expected a more supportive reaction from UMNO considering the significance of the victory — it was the first time after 15 years of PAS rule, that BN at last won the Kota Bharu seat.
But it was not to be. They were ready to knife me again. By June 2004, there was again another contest for the UMNO Kota Bharu Division. Fortunately, I was able to retain the seat as Division Chief, uncontested.
But other positions in the party were up for grabs. During that contest , certain individuals issued complaints by way of signing false statutory declarations that I had given money to “my agent”, the late Datuk Zahari Wahab in exchange for votes, purportedly on my behalf.
On the 16th of October 2004, I was charged for money politics. I found this charge to be utterly ridiculous, because I won the seat uncontested. There was no opponent. So, how could I be charged for money politics, when there is no contest? But within UMNO, I guess anything is possible.
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