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So the rumour that KJ actually went to Anwar's house is true after all |
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Posted by admin
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Thursday, 05 June 2008 10:17 |
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Can you tell us the real story on how you joined Umno? In Malaysia, 99% of the rumors end up to be the truth. 1% unsure but also likely to be the truth.
There is a huge difference with what is being said about me meeting Umno leaders before the recent general election and the one before the 2004 election on my decision to join Umno. In 1999, after I was arrested under ISA (Internal Security Act), there were no efforts to pull me back into Umno. Later, there were attempts to get me to leave PKR and join Umno. I reject it at that time. My principle was that I will not make a deal while I am still in prison.
I was released in 2003 and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became prime minister. He is different from Dr Mahathir (Mohamad). Mahathir’s approach is to pressure where by the more you fight him, the more he will pressure you. But Abdullah’s approach is to pull. That is why during the 2004 election, there were attempts to pull me back to Umno.
I saw that as an opportunity then to deal for Anwar Ibrahim’s freedom, at least to allow him to seek medical treatment overseas. At that time, Anwar was in critical condition. After discussing with other party members, they felt that priority must be given to save Anwar’s life. So we decided to initiate discussions with Umno leaders.
Those I met included Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, Muhammad Muhd Taib (both former Selangor MBs) and Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin (former minister). This was carried out with Anwar’s knowledge. In my second meeting with Khir Toyo, Anwar told me to bring along PKR leaders to the discussion as witnesses - Kamarul Baharin Abbas, Abdul Rahman Osman and Johari Abdul. Four of us went to meet Khir Toyo and I led the discussions. This was all before the 2004 general election.
So we met at Khir Toyo’s house and our stand was any deal must start with freeing Anwar, at least to get him medical treatment. When Khir Toyo could not commit, we backed out. He told us to contest and join the party but we said no. We are not interested in what we will get. Our focus is clear.
Then we met with Aziz with 12 other people and the same thing happened. He could not commit so I ended the conversation there. Some friends carried on the negotiations and joined Umno but I can understand that those were tough days and they had financial problems. I could not stop them but we’re still friends. I see that as a form of betrayal.
After the 2004 election, Anwar’s health got worse. BN won big and Dr Wan Azizah (Wan Ismail) then asked me to work on getting Anwar out and to open negotiations. We tried all sorts of ways. I met with Rahmah Osman (former deputy minister) who was then close to Abdullah and who was sympathetic to us. We sent a group of people to see the Muslim muftis (clerics) and Umno leaders close to the PM but the message did not reach him.
One day, a foreign reporter told me, ‘if you want to get to the PM, you get Khairy (Jamaluddin)’. I didn’t know Khairy. I must put this on record since there are so many allegations about me and him. This was about May or June 2004. So I tried to find Khairy through contacts in London and in the end I got it and I met him. That’s where my relationship with Khairy started. READ MORE HERE
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