Friday, May 25, 2007

Quit Rembau Umno Youth, Khairy told


Khairy Jamaluddin is being urged to step down as Negeri Sembilan’s Rembau Umno Youth division chief for allegedly caving into pressure from ‘outsiders’.
According to Rembau exco member Azman Mat Shah, Khairy failed to stand up for his division’s choice of delegates to the party’s upcoming annual general meeting (AGM).
He alleged that Khairy, who is also Umno Youth deputy chief, acquiesced to pressure from Abdul Ghani Hassan - the brother of Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hassan.
Abdul Ghani had allegedly over-ridden the Rembau Umno Youth division’s choice of delegates to the AGM which was made on May 13.
In their place, he added, Abdul Ghani had ‘appointed’ his own preferred delegates.
Azman said instead of upholding the independence of the Umno Youth wing and challenging the interference, Khairy had purportedly given his backing to Abdul Ghani.
“If Khairy cannot uphold our independence from outsiders (to the wing) such as Abdul Ghani, how can we expect him to stand up to opposition parties or challenges from foreign powers?” he said when contacted.
“In such a case, Khairy is not qualified to lead even this division of Rembau,” he added.
Contacted later, Abdul Ghani dismissed the allegations.
“Allegations are allegations, which anybody can make. There is no interference. No such thing. We’re all Umno members,” he said when contacted.
“I’ve known Azman for some time now. Let’s just say that all’s not quite right with that boy,” he added without elaborating.
Khairy, who is also Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s son-in-law, could not be reached for comments.
Meanwhile, Azman said following Khairy’s failure to respond to numerous attempts to talk to him on the matter, the Seliau Youth branch - which Azman heads - has drafted a resolution calling for Khairy to step down.
He said the resolution will be presented to Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussien on Monday.
According to Azman, two other Youth branches in Rembau will be making identical resolutions and submitting them soon to the movement’s leadership.
Questioning Khairy’s standing and authority, Azman said he had not earned his stripes to throw his weight around in such a manner.
“There is no benchmark that Khairy has set in Rembau that he can boast of. The only thing he has done is his efforts for the Halal Hub industry.
“He may be the prime minister’s son-in-law and the deputy chief of the movement, but that doesn’t mean he can do this. Umno Youth is not for the son or son-in-law of anyone to treat the movement as he sees fit,” he added.
Azman said he is aware of the risks involved in openly criticising Khairy.
“If this causes my political death, so be it. But it has to be said that we are disappointed in the way he has cast us aside.
“There are many more issues we have with Khairy but we will raise these later when the time is right,” he added.

tunku : i don't think kj acquiesced to pressure from Abdul Ghani Hassan. It's the other way round.it's all about kj's choice.still i salute azman mat shah for voicing out as nowadays there's no opposing voice coming out from umno leaders may it be at branch,division or state. everyone is thinking about their own "pocket".

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