UMNO Firm In Eliminating Money Politics - Abdullah

JAKARTA, March 17 (Bernama) - Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that the decision taken by the Umno Disciplinary Board in suspending several of Umno members for involvement in money politics Tuesday showed that the party was firm in eliminating the scourge.
"The Umno Disciplinary Board has made its decision. Umno is certainly firm in tackling money politics," he told reporters here when asked to comment on the decision of the board which included barring Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam from contesting the post of Umno deputy president in the party election next week.
At the press conference with Malaysian journalists at the conclusion of his two-day working visit here for the annual consultation with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the Malaysian Prime Minister said he had informed Susilo of the measures to be taken by Malaysia if the economic crisis persisted.
"I explained that the retrenchment of workers is something that cannot be avoided and will happen. The question is to what extent and the number of people to be retrenched," he said.
He pointed out that the Malaysian government would do its utmost to avoid mass retrenchments but if this could not be avoided, the foreign workers, including those from Indonesia, would have to go first.
Abdullah said, however, Malaysia would first of all inform Indonesia so that the country, which provides the most number of foreign workers to Malaysia, could make the necessary preparation to face the situation.
"Another thing, we (Malaysia) will cooperate to enable Indonesian nationals residing in Malaysia to cast their ballots during the election in Indonesia," he said.
He said the Indonesian nationals would be allowed to vote at the locations which had been identified and the process would be supervised by the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia.
At the annual consultation which entered its sixth year, Malaysia and Indonesia had agreed to push the private sector to regenerate the economy of both countries, and Indonesia had expressed its willingness to accept Malaysian investments in its new projects.
He said if the investment cooperation involved the power industry which was being given priority by both countries, Petronas would be asked to consider the ventures besides cooperating in alternative sources of energy.
The Malaysian Prime Minister said the outcome of the overall consultation was most positive with numerous areements reached especially with the acceptance of the various programmes recommended by the Eminent Persons Groups of both countries.
Abdullah, who was accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, returned home tonight.



tunku : umno is firm in eliminating money politics but not to the son in-law of it's president.ali rustam was found guilty under section 10.1 in umno ethics and so does kj but only ali rustam is barred from contesting and kj is just given warning.where is the logic.tengku deen said that ali rustam charges is like stabbing a person 10 times to death and kj 's like stabbing one time but still to death.the main point here is killing someone,no matter how many time he stabs.don't tell me when you kill someone with one stab you are given a stern warning only.where's the logic in this.so next time anyone who want to involve in money politics make sure to give just once as you will only given a warning.what is there in the warning.he still can contest and do whatever he wants to. we hope the delegates will reject candidates who are found guilty with money politics.if umno votes for kj and others with money politics charges as their youth chief /MT then it is so obvious that umno will be full of dirt especially it is lead by peoplee who are found guilty for money politics.