Looks like Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin is caught in a vice trap, the fallout from the ever perennial UMNO internal tussle. When he expressed his intention to coopt a ‘slow-talk’ guru to mediate between the current and previous PMs, apparently he did obtain the OK from both, though the latter did qualify that while he’s OK with mediation he still wants some answers.
But from Malaysiakini reports, it would appear that DPM Najib hasn’t been too happy with Zainuddin’s initiative. In fact the UMNO camp is split between mediation and no mediation.
Zainuddin went into overtime spin and declared that the proposal for a mediator to patch up any differences – and oh boy, would there be some – between the 2 chief antagonists was his own personal initiative. I think he has been forced into this spin when he was hauled up by Najib.
He said his attempts had nothing to do with the party or government, and declared: “I have explained to Najib that my action to bring in a mediator is my private initiative. I did not receive the mandate from the party or government. So I must stress that my action should not be seen as an official stand of the party and government.”
However, Zainuddin remained tight lipped on the details of the meeting with Najib. He admitted “I don’t want to say anything - if he (Najib) understands, that is okay.”
Asked if that means UMNO has no intention of getting a mediator to mend ties between Abdullah and Mahathir, he said in a merajuk (sulking) tone: “I don’t know. Ask the party. I’m a nobody in the party.”
Poor bastard. He must have had a verbal hiding from Najib.
Now, why would Najib object if both the current and old PMs had OK-ed Zainuddin’s proposal?
Enoy the mud slinging shows ; there will be more to come. Hip hip hooray!
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