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Media Statement (2)        
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Parliament, Wednesday): UMNO Youth Chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has denied that his statement on what Gerakan Youth Deputy Chief S. Paranjothy said was a threat.

Hishammudin said he was not threatening anyone nor being emotional when he said that UMNO Youth and Barisan Nasional would sever relationship with Gerakan if the Gerakan Acting President Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon could not give a satisfactory explanation and response on Paranjothy’s statement for saying two things:

• that the 30,000 Indians who took part in the Hindraf demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on November 25 did so to express their frustration and anger because the community had been “marginalized, oppressed and ignored”.

• Blaming UMNO leaders, particularly the UMNO Youth Leader Hishammuddin and Deputy UMNO Youth Leader Khairy Jamaluddin for racial posturing and inciting racial sentiments among Malays to gain political mileage – citing as examples the keris-wielding episodes against the former and the public castigation of the Indian news vendors by the latter when the UMNO presidential address of Prime Minister and UMNO President, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was not carried in the press the next day as the UMNO General Assembly fell on Deepavali, with the next day an annual press holiday.

Hishamuddin’s denial that his statement on Paranjothy was a threat raises the question what would be Tsu Koon’s reaction if the UMNO Youth had issued his “threat”.

Hishammuddin was however denying the undeniable as everyone, except him, would have recognized that he had issued an ultimatum and a threat.

Tsu Koon had issued a plaintive complaint that Hishammuddin should not make statements” that can mar relationship between component parties within Barisan” when he should have berated Hishammuddin for his arrogance and presumption in threatening that the Barisan Nasional would sever relationship with Gerakan as if all the 14 Barisan Nasional component parties and their leaders, including the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, have no minds of their own and were all at the UMNO Youth leader’s beck and call!

In being forced to take disciplinary action against Paranjothy, Tsu Koon should have protested against Barisan Nasional double-standards where UMNO and UMNO Youth leaders enjoy immunity from disciplinary action for criticizing, insulting and even threatening leaders of other Barisan Nasional component parties while ultimatums are issued by UMNO and UMNO Youth leaders against leaders of other Barisan Nasional component parties if they are criticized by the other Barisan Nasional component parties.

The least Tsu Koon should have done when referring Paranjothy to the Disciplinary Committee is to lodge a strong protest against the strong-armed tactics and double standards of Hishammuddin, as well as validating Paranjothy’s sentiments about the long-standing marginalization of the Malaysian Indians leading to the Nov. 25 Hindraf demonstration by 30,000 Indians as being most pertinent and legitimate.

Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said yesterday that the people should give little importance to the remarks by Paranjothy because there were more people with a rational mind in the Barisan Nasional component parties who could make themselves heard above him.

But Hishammuddin clearly does not agree for he had said in Maran that UMNO Youth will answer all allegations made by Paranjothy against UMNO and its leaders as Paranjothy’s accusations were serious and aimed at UMNO Youth leaders, including Khairy Jamaluddin and himself.

Tsu Koon should requisition for a Barisan Nasional Supreme Council meeting to demand that UMNO and UMNO Youth leaders stop bullying and intimidating the leaders from the other Barisan Nasional component parties and a review why the Barisan Nasional has deviated so far from its original concept as a coalition of equals to one which is ruled by an over-dominant UMNO and 13 other voiceless and powerless component parties.
 

(26/12/2007)