Saturday, March 21, 2009

Factional rifts in Umno worsens

Looks like the factional rifts in Umno had worsens following the recent decision made by the party’s disciplinary committee to disqualify potential deputy presidential candidate Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam from contesting in the party polls.

But the Umno disciplinary committee decides to allow the Federal Territory youth chief Datuk Norza Zakaria to contest in the party polls instead. Datuk Norza was recently charged in the court for money politics and corruptions in the party.

It seems that the Umno disciplinary committee is behaving one-sided, barring Ali Rustam from contesting in the polls because he is guilty of money politics and corruptions in the party and allowing Norza to contest but he is also guilty of money politics and corruption.

The situation here is Ali Rustam is being probed by the Umno disciplinary committee while Norza is being investigated by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC). What has been decided by the Umno disciplinary committee is being upheld, while what has been investigated by MACC was not recognized by Umno, reasoning that Norza has not been found guilty yet by the court and the proceedings are ongoing.

So, MACC should also charge Ali Rustam in this case or Ali Rustam should voluntarily surrender to the MACC so he could be investigated like what had Norza being treated with.

The differences of treatment carried out by the Umno disciplinary committee had been clearly seen as a factional rift in the party had intensified. Party president-elect Datuk Najib Razak will take office soon and he wanted to see his men on his line-up. That is why he needed to purge as many rivals as he could in order for him to consolidate his grip in both party and the government.

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