Amanah to address long list of issues

In a meeting tomorrow, the NGO's top brass will look into the various issues which have surfaced, including the talk that Ku Li has been offered the opposition leader's post.

KOTA BARU: The newly formed NGO led by political icon Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah will be meeting tommorrow to address various emerging issues including the proposal for the Kelantan prince to become opposition leader.

Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah) central committee member Wan Saiful Wan Jan said various allegations, suggestions and issues have emerged, particularly through online chatter since the NGO was formed about two weeks back.

It is imperative that the organisation members sit down together and discuss the matter including the allegations that Ku Li (Tengku Razaleigh) was offered to become the opposition leader, he said.

Some of the allegations are outright displeasing and unfair to Amanah and Ku Li is expected to effectively address it, Wan Saiful said.

He claimed that some political quarters are unhappy that the veteran Umno personality has branched out on his own to form an NGO.

Both sides, Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat are waiting intently to see Ku Li’s next move but they may be sadly mistaken.

“Ku Li was always seen as a political leader so some cannot stomach to see him as an NGO activist. However, Amanah is strictly an NGO set-up, whose core issue is championing issues and reducing the level of the apparent polarisation pace in the country,” said Wan Saiful.

The formula applied here, he added, is reviving the country’s original struggles for nationhood as espoused by the founding father, Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Opposition leader’s post

Recently, Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Mohd Hashim raised alarm bells in both BN and Pakatan when he blogged an entry that Ku Li was already offered the opposition leader’s post.

There were also allegations that the offer was made by PAS spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

Insiders within Ku Li’s camp said the Kelantan royalty member has for now refused to be dragged into any Pakatan or BN issues, preferring to focus more on Amanah’s struggles.

There were no formal discussions between Pakatan and him about taking over the opposition leader’s post, they added.

However, it remains to be seen in the future what Ku Li will do, as ultimately what is driving him, is a desire to serve the country and to act in the nation’s best interests, they claimed.

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail confirmed that at the Pakatan top leadership council, there was no discussion about Ku Li being offered the position.

It is just a ploy within BN to try to split-up Pakatan, he said.

He said Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim is now at a stronger position as the people are fed up that he was subjected to various attempts to smear his reputation from sodomy to sex videos allegations.