Rais Yatim: Dr Mahathir formed new party for him and his son
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Tan Sri Rais Yatim said it was illogical for Dr Mahathir to claim that Pejuang was meant to champion the interests of the Malay-Bumiputera community when the later established Bersatu expressly for that purpose in 2016 Picture by Shafwan Zaidon |
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 — Bersatu leader Tan Sri Rais Yatim alleged in an interview that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad created the new Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) party to provide a platform for his and his son, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir’s political careers.
The former minister told Utusan Malaysia it was illogical for Dr Mahathir to claim that Pejuang was meant to champion the interests of the Malay-Bumiputera community when the later established Bersatu expressly for that purpose in 2016.
There were also at least three parties already vying to represent the Malay community, he added.
Rais then said he believed the former Bersatu chairman also created Pejuang with a particular angle in mind.
“It isn’t yet clear what the angle is. But what is clear is that he said he would likely be the chairman while his son is the president.
“This, to me, is the purpose of the party to Tun Mahathir,” Rais said in the interview.
The former minister also expressed surprise at Dr Mahathir’s decision, recalling that the latter previously said Bersatu would be the final sanctuary for the Malay community.
When asked if Pejuang and those leaving Bersatu to back Dr Mahathir would add pressure to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration, Rais said this was undeniable.
However, he said Dr Mahathir’s attacks could be neutralised by turning the focus back on the former prime minister, chiefly by making him explain his actions that led to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government.
The Malay community should demand Dr Mahathir explain why he resigned as the PM and as the chairman of the party he founded, and why whatever he was planning had not been possible in Bersatu, Rais said.
“But what I want to ask is, what did Tun do for 22 months (when PH had been in power)? Aside from promising to give (the PM’s position) to Anwar Ibrahim, which became an on-and-off situation.
“To my count, Tun promised 11 times, then withdrew all those promises to Anwar Ibrahim. Then he said the Malays were lazy. The impact of this is very terrifying.”
Dr Mahathir announced the Pejuang party on August 7, after the High Court rejected his lawsuit against Muhyiddin and Bersatu for revoking his and the memberships of six other lawmakers.
Dr Mahathir formed Bersatu in 2016 after he left Umno following a failed campaign to have the Malay nationalist party remove Datuk Seri Najib Razak as the prime minister.
He lost control of Bersatu during the February political crisis triggered by his unforced resignation as the prime minister and was unsuccessful in his campaign to be reappointed as the head of a “unity government” encompassing all of Malaysia’s major political parties.
The former minister told Utusan Malaysia it was illogical for Dr Mahathir to claim that Pejuang was meant to champion the interests of the Malay-Bumiputera community when the later established Bersatu expressly for that purpose in 2016.
There were also at least three parties already vying to represent the Malay community, he added.
Rais then said he believed the former Bersatu chairman also created Pejuang with a particular angle in mind.
“It isn’t yet clear what the angle is. But what is clear is that he said he would likely be the chairman while his son is the president.
“This, to me, is the purpose of the party to Tun Mahathir,” Rais said in the interview.
The former minister also expressed surprise at Dr Mahathir’s decision, recalling that the latter previously said Bersatu would be the final sanctuary for the Malay community.
When asked if Pejuang and those leaving Bersatu to back Dr Mahathir would add pressure to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration, Rais said this was undeniable.
However, he said Dr Mahathir’s attacks could be neutralised by turning the focus back on the former prime minister, chiefly by making him explain his actions that led to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government.
The Malay community should demand Dr Mahathir explain why he resigned as the PM and as the chairman of the party he founded, and why whatever he was planning had not been possible in Bersatu, Rais said.
“But what I want to ask is, what did Tun do for 22 months (when PH had been in power)? Aside from promising to give (the PM’s position) to Anwar Ibrahim, which became an on-and-off situation.
“To my count, Tun promised 11 times, then withdrew all those promises to Anwar Ibrahim. Then he said the Malays were lazy. The impact of this is very terrifying.”
Dr Mahathir announced the Pejuang party on August 7, after the High Court rejected his lawsuit against Muhyiddin and Bersatu for revoking his and the memberships of six other lawmakers.
Dr Mahathir formed Bersatu in 2016 after he left Umno following a failed campaign to have the Malay nationalist party remove Datuk Seri Najib Razak as the prime minister.
He lost control of Bersatu during the February political crisis triggered by his unforced resignation as the prime minister and was unsuccessful in his campaign to be reappointed as the head of a “unity government” encompassing all of Malaysia’s major political parties.
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kaytee notes:
While Rais Yatim is NOT my fave person, it's good to hear him say all the above, especially Mahathir's treacherous ding dong promiseSSS to Anwar.
Abu Sahid was so furious that ... (read Malay Mail extracts below, wakakaka)
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MM Online (16 Jan 2020) Maju Holdings chief says govt rollback on PLUS sale ‘stupid’, accuses Khazanah boss of lying KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — Maju Holdings executive chairman Tan Sri Abu Sahid Mohamed has lambasted the government’s decision to keep PLUS Malaysia Bhd’s highway concessions, calling it a “stupid” move. He also accused Khazanah Nasional Berhad managing director, Shahril Ridza Redzuan, of lying about his company’s buy-over bid. News portal Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported the tycoon, who was one of the hopeful bidders keen in the PLUS takeover, making the scathing attacks against the government and Shahril today, and questioning as to why the decision was not relayed to him, despite his company being invited to make an offer for the buy-over. “I don’t even know why they don’t want to sell. They didn’t tell me why they don’t want to sell. “They must remember I was invited to quote, to bid. Not like other people who just entered without invitation. “Why did Shahril say that? He is a liar. How can they say I was not invited and they knew nothing about us bidding? We wrote to them, we were the first to write to them,” FMT quoted Abu Sahid saying. Shahril reportedly said that Khazanah had never issued invitations calling for bidders for the PLUS buy-over. When contacted response towards Abu Sahid’s accusation, Shahril reportedly maintained his stand on the matter, FMT reported. “We have never issued any invitation to bid for the asset. They were all unsolicited offers,” he was quoted saying. Abu Sahid had also accused Khazanah of “stealing money”, and urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to step in and probe Shahril. He reportedly said that his company’s cost of resurfacing highways was only one-third of Khazanah’s cost. “They are paying RM58 per metre square for resurfacing the road. I am paying RM18,” Abu Sahid said. Earlier today, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that the federal government is not accepting private offers to take over PLUS’ highway concessions. He said the Cabinet has decided that the country’s biggest highway concessionaire will remain with its current owners, Khazanah and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), also known by its Malay initials as KWSP. He added that toll rates however, would need to be reduced by 18 per cent. He said that while traffic may increase, the ringgit’s purchasing power is not very strong, therefore toll earnings are not as much as publicly perceived. “We are fixing it based on the present rate and it will be flat minus 18 per cent. “Although the traffic may grow, the earnings may not be as great as the original concession,” Dr Mahathir said. |
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In July last year, Bernama reported Works Minister Baru Bian saying that the ministry received an official offer from Maju Holdings to take over PLUS.
He said that the ministry was studying the offer before bringing it up to the Cabinet.
“No company other than Maju Holdings has made an official offer. The matter is still with the ministry and has not been brought to the Cabinet yet,” he told reporters after opening the Highway Concession Conference 2019 in Penang.
Baru was asked to comment on media reports that Maju Holdings had submitted a fresh offer to take over PLUS.
Maju Holdings had reportedly made a RM36 billion offer in 2017 to take over PLUS.
thats the impact when u dun appoint a malay scholar with senatorship, thats conman mistake.
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