Wednesday, October 22, 2008

THURSDAY-23 OCTOBER 2008- I WILL ONLY DEFENT SUPREME COUNCIL SEAT, SAYS MUSA

I will only defend Supreme Council seat, says Musa


KOTA KINABALU:


Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said he would only be defending his Umno Supreme Council seat, but could not stop any division from nominating him for the Party’s Vice-President post. On the Ranau Umno Division delegates nominating him for one of the three Vice-President posts at their meeting on Tuesday , Musa said: “Firstly, I wish to thank them for nominating me, but I’ve also told them that I would only be vying for a Supreme Council seat. “At the same time, I cannot stop them from nominating me,” he said when asked whether more divisions would be nominating him for the Vice-President post. Ranau Division Chief Datuk Masidi Manjun said on Tuesday that they decided to nominate Musa for the Vice-President (V-P) post instead of a Supreme Council seat as it was a popular request from the Division members and they unanimously agreed. Masidi said the Division felt that Musa was qualified for the V-P post, besides also nominating Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein for the post. On issues involving several divisional delegates’ meetings like the Batu Sapi, Putatan (Puteri Umno), Semporna (Youth) with conflicting statements given, Musa said the State Umno Liaison Committee would study the reports before investigating further and take appropriate action as provided by the Party constitution. “These Divisions are under investigations. If they have not flouted the rules, then their meetings are valid, otherwise they will have to meet again,” he said when met at the Sabah Petronas Aidilfitri open house here yesterday. On a number of branch heads summoned by the Committee to give their statements, Musa said the investigation was smooth and thorough as they did not want anybody to become victims as a result of the reports or the actions of certain people. “This is to ensure that whatever decision made by the Disciplinary Committee is a good decision,” he added. Asked whether those Divisions with problems would be able to hold their delegates’ meetings as there were only two weeks left for the divisional meetings to be completed, he said: “This will be considered. We will discuss it with the Umno headquarters.” At the open house, Musa also handed over 500 T-shirts from Petronas to Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka for the National Language and Literary Month as well as Raya ang pow to 113 poor students of SK Gayang and SK Kimanis. On the Opposition’s claim that the building of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport involved corruption, the Chief Minister said it was only aimed at inciting and creating turmoil in the country. “They have run out of ideas because that’s the only thing they know ... tell lies and incite people. They have not contributed constructively to the State and country.” DAP Padang Serai Member of Parliament N Gobalakrisnan had made the allegation when interjecting in Parliament the reply by Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin to a supplementary question from Datuk Mat Sirat Abu (BNBukit Katil) on the request by the Melaka Government to extend the Batu Berendam Airport runway. Lajim at that time was saying the Kota Kinabalu International Airport requited RM1.5 billion when Gobalakrisnan interjected, saying that “more than half of it is corruption money”. -Bernama