Is Mansor Pakatan’s ‘sacrificial goat’?

Patsy Thomas, The Malaysian Times

Is Penang Deputy Chief Minister 1 Datuk Mansor Othman being abandoned by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) after the leaked tape fiasco? Is he PKR’s sacrificial goat?

Mansor who has been making headlines a month ago when minutes of a party meeting held in March were leaked and posted on a blog called “Gelagat Anwar” in June. In the alleged leak which was also aired on prime time news by TV3, Mansor was caught stating that Guan Eng was cocky and arrogant and that he was viewed as a tokong (deity).

He was also heard saying that DAP had wanted to ‘kill off’ PKR in the next general election and take control of Penang. He also said that DAP was sure of winning 19 (state seats) and that the party now wanted more to enable it to rule Penang on its own.

The Malaysian Times today contacted Datuk Reezal Merican UMNO Youth Information Chief to get his comment on this matter. According to him, the statement made by Mansor was a clear statement of the true character of Guan Eng.

“The testimonial of Guan Eng being a cocky and arrogant peron is not far from the truth. This was not said by any members from BN but from Mansor himself who is the Deputy Chief Minister. What could be clearer?” asked Reezal Merican.

He added that anything said behind closed door is the truth and that the people in Penang will now be able to see the coalition in its true form as a party without trust, accountability and competency.

Meanwhile, Umno Wanita Chairman Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil had said that Mansor had been practically abandoned and left to defend himself alone without the help of the party.

This action shows many that PKR is planning to completely hand over the state to DAP. Shahrizat had said that Anwar who had practically abandoned one of its member, Mansor, had seemed to be afraid of Guan Eng.

In pressing for an answer, the UMNO Wanita Chairman is calling for Anwar to explain his actions and why he was giving full authority to DAP and Guan Eng to rule the state unilaterally.

Is trouble brewing again in Penang? The trouble between PKR and DAP is becoming worse as state PKR Information Chief Johari Kassim called for the suspension of those who attended a meeting in which Penang Deputy Chief Minister 1 Datuk Mansor Othman had revealed his dissatisfaction towards the state’s Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Mansor was however determined to stay and ride out the storm which was coming towards him. Mansor had recently denied using certain words against Lim but had however agreed that he had described him as a ‘tokong’ because he was revered like a “deity” in Penang.

“It is a compliment. People in Penang look up to Lim like a tokong. That is how I meant it. My comment was taken out of context in the blog,” he said.

When asked the source of the leak, Mansor had admitted that the recording was leaked by someone within the party (PKR) itself who had attended the meeting. Apart from that he had also said that he had offered a reward for the return of the recording.

In commenting on the issue, DAP former Vice President, Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim had said that Mansor should remove himself from holding any post in the state government.

PKR’s Disciplinary Body has launched its own investigation into the alleged leak of the recording aired on TV3. The party’s Secretary General, Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said, that the party has yet to receive any report from the Disciplinary Body in regards to the issue.

“An internal investigation is being carried out. Should there be any element of sabotage or if it actually took place, we will not hesitate to take action. We are awaiting the report from the Disciplinary Body before any action could be taken,” said Tengku Aziz.

He also said that Mansor should take responsibility on the statement given rather than ‘beating around the bush’.

“A good leader should not be giving excuses. A leader should have the strength in stating the truth. Mansor should voluntarily recuse himself from his job within the Penang state Government for the sake of the community,” said Tunku Aziz.

In commenting on the investigation held by PKR’s Disciplinary Body, he said that such investigation was unnecessary as the recording had clearly shown who Mansor is.

“What is there to investigate? The recording is there… TV3 has aired it,” he said