Malaysiakini.com a liar

Taib Breaks Silence Over Australian Visit And Health Condition

KUCHING, July 16 (Bernama) -- Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who had been reported as "seriously ill" and undergoing treatment in Australia by an online news portal last week, finally broke his silence on the matter today.
Looking jovial and cheerful when approached by reporters, Taib joked with the group and asked them to judge for themselves his health condition and even sportingly took off his cap to show his forehead.
Asked about the Malaysiakini story, Taib, who returned to Kuching from Brunei shortly after midnight, said he would not comment on it.
"I don't want to comment. Do you trust your eyes or do you trust the propaganda of some political parties?," he told the reporters after a officiating a tree-planting ceremony in conjunction with the construction of a new building for Cats FM, a private radio station here owned by Sarawak-based Kristal Harta Sdn Bhd.
Asked on his visit to Australia, Taib explained that he went there on the invitation of South Australia Governor Marjorie Jackson-Nelson to attend a farewell reception.
He said that he could not turn down the invitation due to the long-standing relationship between the state and South Australia.
Taib said that after his official visit to Australia ended, he went to attend Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's 61st birthday celebration in Bandar Seri Begawan before flying back to Kuching.
On Thursday, Malaysiakini reported that Taib was seriously ill to the extent that an acting chief minister would be appointed while he received medical treatment overseas.
The report also stated that some Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) leaders had rushed to Australia to visit him, further adding fuel to the rumours.
On Saturday, PBB deputy president Datuk Seri Abang Johari Tun Openg confirmed that Taib had held a meeting with them in Australia and that he was "well and fine".

earlier reported in malaysiakini.com

Taib ill, acting CM to be appointed?
Tony Thien
Jul 12, 07 1:50pm

Is Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud seriously ill? And will an acting chief minister be appointed while he is receiving medical treatment overseas?
These are the questions being asked in Sarawak over the past 24 hours on Taib, a strongman who has helmed the state for more than a quarter of a century.
Top leaders from Taib’s ruling party PBB have rushed to Australia to meet the chief minister amid rumours that he is about to announce his succession plan and that an acting chief minister is to be appointed soon.
Malay PBB leaders, including deputy president Abang Johari and senior vice-president Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and State Assembly speaker Awang Asfia Awang Nassar, have left for Australia earlier this week.
Also in the same delegation is state assemblyperson for Tanjung Datu, Adenan Satem, a man once considered the frontrunner to take over from Taib.
Taib, who celebrated his 71st birthday in May, is reported to be in Adelaide where he is said to have been invited to attend a farewell reception for South Australia governor Marjorie Jackson-Nelson, who is retiring at the end of the month.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu has also left Kuching for Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday night, and he is reportedly on his way to Australia to meet Taib.
Taib has been chief minister for the resource-rich state since 1981 after taking over from his uncle, Abdul Rahman Yakub.
‘Taib is sick’
Sources close to both Taib and Rahman family members said that “Taib is sick”.
The chief minister had underwent an operation last year to remove a suspected cancerous colon in Singapore
While in recent months he was often seen in public, lately he has disappeared from the scene.
“It looks like there are signs that an acting chief minister may be appointed soon,” sources said.
Many Sarawakians, however, are still unaware of that most of their top leaders are currently overseas. Calls to many of key PBB politicians have gone unanswered.
Even former senior PBB leaders, who have got wind of what might be brewing in Australia, do not know exactly what is happening.
“One thing is for certain - something is happening. Either Taib is seriously ill suffering from a relapse or that for some reasons he has decided the time may have come for him to step down,” a former senior PBB leader told malaysiakini today.
There are also rumours that Taib's relations with top federal leaders have not been at its best, and that there are signs that Kuala Lumpur is putting pressure on him to quit and hand over power to a new and younger leader.
A former Taib political aide told malaysiakini that “Taib may merajuk (upset) over certain matters with federal leaders.”
Important announcement soon
There is little secret that Taib has been clearly agitated by the increasing activities of a local group led by Malay businessman Affendi Jeman to promote Umno in Sarawak - the only state where Umno does not have a foothold.
PBB leaders have stopped short of condemning such a move, other than to say as far as they are concerned, the move has not received the blessings of top Umno leaders.
In the Sarawak Umno promoters' office in Matang Jaya, just outside of Kuching, Effendi has a photograph on his desk showing him and certain top Umno leaders during their campaigning at recent by-elections in Peninsular Malaysia.
The Sarawak Umno promoters group has sent their people to help the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition in the campaigning.
Umno flags are flying in many Malay and Dayak kampungs throughout Sarawak where more than 100 protem branches have been set up.
“Container loads of Umno flags, which are printed in China, have been shipped to Sarawak,” said a source.
Local newspapers have not reported on the current happening in PBB or the flurry of visits to Australia by top PBB leaders and ministers.
But many local editors are aware that something is brewing and they are expecting an important announcement soon.

tunku : well it's a clear thing that malaysiakini.com is not a credible source of news, the lies a lot. by right as a so called alternative (internet)news agency and always called themselves as not bias it has proven that the don't walk the talk. they just listen to some rumours and make news out of it. it's a very shameful act.by the way i'm not taib supporter but what is right, is right.