Thesun 2009-03-23 Page06 Penang To Name New Deputy Cm After April 8

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theSun

| MONDAY MARCH 23 2009

news without borders

Fairus: I am a victim of a conspiracy MOHAMMAD Fairus Khairuddin, who resigned as Penang deputy chief minister on Saturday, said he is a victim of a conspiracy within Parti Keadilan Rakyat and would strike back when he had gathered enough evidence against its plotters. After his resignation on Saturday, he revealed to Nanyang Siang Pau the identity of “the main conspirator” and said he was gathering evidence. Fairus, whose whereabouts remain a mystery, denied allegations that the Mercedes Benz and BMW he owns were bought with cash. He told the paper on Thursday that when he had enough evidence, he would appear in public to clear his name, name the conspirators and return to Penang to launch a counterattack. Fairus said that although the people who had conspired against him are heavyweights in the Penang PKR, some grassroots and colleagues were rallying behind him. The Penanti assemblyman, who also told the daily in a text message on Saturday night that he was “not locked up somewhere”, said he would not appear in public for now for fear the

Press Digest by Kong See Hoh

[email protected]

incident would be turned into an issue by the Barisan Nasional in the coming by-elections. “I cannot come out. This is not the time to make clarifications, the BN will turn it into an election issue,” he said by phone. Fairus said that although he had been misunderstood and false accusations made against him, he was willing to make sacrifices for the party and the various races in the state. There had been allegations earlier that Fairus was being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission over illegal quarrying activities in the state. He said his decision to step down was not an admission of guilt, but an arrangement that would best please the “public”. “I have said that I will put the interest of the party and people above all else. I have no choice, resigning will be the best solution.”

Bukit Gantang: Yardstick of change pg 8

Penang to name new deputy CM after April 8

by Himanshu Bhatt [email protected]

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government will name the state’s new deputy chief minister (I) to succeed outgoing Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin after April 8. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said yesterday this was the date

Dong Zong chief denies gift of RM2 million house DONG ZONG (United Chinese School Committees Association) president Dr Yap Sin Tian, who intends to defend his post in the association’s elections in June, has refuted an allegation that he received a RM2 million house as a gift from a political party. He showed documents to the media on Saturday to prove his innocence, Oriental Daily News reported yesterday. The documents related to the purchase of a RM683,000 house on Old Klang Road in 2002, a RM450,000 loan from Citibank in 2004, the sale of an old house in Kepong for RM340,000 in 2005, and the sale of a factory he jointly owned with his brother for RM860,000 last year. Speaking after launching New Era College’s 3+0 arts and design honorary degree programme in collaboration with a British university, Yap said the allegation was an attempt to sully his character in the run-up to the Selangor

and Kuala Lumpur Dong Lian Hui (Chinese school committees association) elections in which he is defending the top post. He said he was willing to show the documents to prove that the house he occupies on Old Klang Road was not given to him by a political party as alleged. Rumour also has it that he spent RM1 million to renovate the house. “Maybe, I should open my house to the public,” Yap said. He also showed his CV as proof that he had no link to any political party. However, Yap’s detractors, including a former Dong Zong leader who did not wish to be identified, said the documents alone were not enough to clear their suspicions about him. They want more proof and suggested that he follow the example of Selangor state executive council members and declare his assets.

Fairus had specified for his resignation as deputy chief minister and state executive councillor to become effective, in a recently tendered letter. He will be on leave until then. (Incidentally, the three by-elections in Bukit Selambau, Bukit Gantang and Batang Ai are on April 7). Lim said Fairus had given the reason for his resignation in his letter, but declined to elaborate, preferring that Fairus provide a public explanation himself. “Give him space to give his reason at the right time,” Lim said after officiating at the opening of a seminar entitled “Thoughts of Umar Abdul Aziz’’ organised by the state government at Komtar here. Also present was Penang state executive councillor Abdul Malik Abul Kassim, who is also the Parti Keadilan Rakyat assemblyman for Batu Maung. Abdul Malik, who is widely tipped to assume the deputy chief minister’s post, declined to comment on Fairus’ resignation and the possibility of his appointment as his successor. Fairus’ resignation, which Lim announced on

Saturday, ended months of speculation on his fate after he was publicly reprimanded by PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in September for apparently slacking in his duties to his constituents in Penanti. Fairus has since been embroiled in several controversies, including having to give up his post as Football Association of Penang president, after members criticised him for poor leadership. Lim also stressed that the state Pakatan Rakyat leadership would not hesitate to act should there be evidence of wrongdoing by Fairus or any other party member. “If there is proof, we will act,” he said, responding to speculations that Fairus is one of two PKR leaders allegedly having dubious links with commercial quarrying activities in the state. “We have asked the complainant to report any evidence to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. The state government will cooperate. “We will not prevent anyone from making a report,” Lim said, stressing that Fairus is in the country. On Fairus reportedly saying he was innocent and a victim of an internal party conspiracy, Lim said queries on the matter should be addressed to Anwar.

PKR not free of problems, says Abdullah KUWAIT CITY: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the resignation of Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin as Penang deputy chief minister showed Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is not free of problems. The prime minister and Umno president said despite this, the party seemed more interested in harping on what is happening in Umno and the Barisan Nasional. “It’s not that they don’t have problems. Plenty, but they prefer to talk

about us so that we won’t talk about them. “It makes us busy defending ourselves to the point we forget to talk about them. This is their political game,” he told Malaysian journalists covering his official visit to Kuwait yesterday. Abdullah said: “They also have problems, not all their members are very good people. Some are no good, it happens in all political parties in reality.”

Abdullah was also asked on a news report yesterday which said Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers had interviewed Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said on Friday and had also “visited” her home. Abdullah said: “Datuk Azalina herself had said she would give her full cooperation to the MACC over any issue that may concern her. This is exactly what she is doing. It’s okay.” – Bernama