RSS Feed (xml)
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is prepared to fly to Taiwan, if the need be, to meet the 49 Barisan Nasional (BN) members of parliament who are on a study tour there.
He said he had been in communication with the group of MPs and if they wanted to meet him, he would be in the island nation for further talks.
The group, headed by BN Backbenchers Club deputy chairman Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin, is scheduled to return on Sept 17.
“The Sept 16 (the day Anwar plans to form a new Federal Government) is a reality.
“I had discussions with all Pakatan Rakyat leaders and we deliberated on the matter at length… and of course, we are facing some technical problem after the 49 MPs were shipped out of the country,” he said.
Anwar was speaking to reporters, following a court proceeding where he faced a sodomy charge at the Sessions Court here.
On former UMNO president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s decision to return to the party, Anwar said: “To hasten the ship to sink as soon as possible.”
On a statement by Armed Forces chief General Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal who urged the government to take stern action against those who stir up racial sentiments in the country, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor said it should be given serious attention.
“I welcome the wise statement (of Abdul Aziz) and appeal to all races to keep their emotions in check and not be used as a tool by anyone to achieve their political agenda,” added Anwar.
BERNAMA
MP: Handphones And Passports Not Confiscated
TAIPEI: A BN MP interviewed by Sin Chew Daily’s correspondent in Taiwan refuted the claim that the passports and handphones of MPs currently on a study tour in Taiwan are being confiscated so that they are out of reach by Pakatan Rakyat.
MCA’s MP for Gelang Patah Tan Ah Heng showed her passport and handphone to our correspondent in Taipei, saying, “They’re all here! All those are rumours. Taiwan has a very good agricultural sector, and we are here to learn about their agriculture.”
Some of the MPs and their assistants bought a copy of the local United Daily News, and were greeted by the headline on page 4: “Shunning Mutiny! 49 Malaysian MPs From Ruling Coalition Sent Off To Taiwan Ahead Of Confidence Vote.”
Gerakan’s MP for Simpang Renggam Liang Teck Meng said, “No kidnapping. No party-hopping. All these are part of their psychological warfare.”
On whether Anwar was in touch with them, Liang said no.
“Will you go back early?”
“No. We want to properly study the agriculture here.”
Hotel Packed With Reporters
Some of the MPs saw the transit paper Upaper (a complimentary paper published by the UDN Group) in the hand of Sin Chew Daly’s correspondent in Taipei, which carried the news of Malaysian MPs’ trip to Taiwan on its front page. Some of the MPs saw the news translated by Upaper from foreign newswire, which said Malaysian MPs were sent off en masse to prevent “kidnapping,” and dismissed the report as “ridiculous.”
BN Backbenchers Club executive secretary Huan Cheng Guan said he came from Penang, and knew that Taiwan was very successful in its agricultural development. So he joined the study tour with other MPs to learn more about it. He was sending SMS messages from Sheraton Hotel, proving that his handphone had not been confiscated.
MP for Sarikei Ding Kuong Hiing said he loved Taiwan’s dragon fruit and hoped to learn more about its agriculture. He said an arrangement had been made to meet Wang Jin-pyng, president of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan.
Last Minute Arrangement
Personnel in Taiwan said the delegation had originally planned to set off for Yilan at 8.00 a.m., but as they arrived very late and slept late on Monday, the trip was postponed until 10.00 a.m.
The staff at Shangrila Leisure Farm in Yilan county have been instructed not to disclose anything on the Malaysian MPs’ itineraries.
Yilan County Agricultural Department personnel said they received the fax from Taiwan’s foreign ministry as late as 8 September, in which they were requested to make arrangements for the Malaysian MPs to visit agricultural facilities in the county.
At 4.30 p.m. Tuesday, Yilan county chief Lu Kuo-Hua and personnel from the county office will entertain the visiting Malaysian MPs.
The Malaysian MPs will put up a night in Yilan Tuesday, and proceed to the southern port city of Kaohsiung by high speed train Wednesday, and then visit the Pingtung Technological University.
“Kidnapped”
The Malaysian MPs have remained in very low profile during their visit. They put up at Sheraton Taipei on the first night, and enjoyed the seafood dinner arranged for them in the hotel. With rich experiences in hosting Muslim guests, Sheraton Taipei provided halal dinner for the MPs, while kiblat signs are clearly marked in their rooms.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry emphasised that all the itineraries had been arranged by Malaysia, and the ministry only helped make some arrangements on administrative items.
Official: Not Arranged By Taiwan Foreign Ministry
Yu said, as he was told, the trip would focus on the agricultural development in Taiwan.
He emphasised that this was not an official trip, and the Malaysian MPs would not be accompanied by any representative from the foreign ministry. The delegation also would not pay a courtesy visit to the foreign ministry, he added.
(Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily
No comments:
Post a Comment