DID ZAHID ORCHESTRATE "APPALLING SPEECH"? Look into your conscience, urges Nurul

KUALA LUMPUR - The silence from Umno leaders over the shocking speech made by Home Minister Zahid Hamidi in Malacca is deafening . Party insiders say their strategists are trying to find a way out for Zahid to "save face", simply because he cannot be allowed to fall.

One of Umno's 3 vice presidents, Zahid plays a key role in Prime Minister Najib Razak's behind-the-scenes power tussle with former premier Mahathir Mohamad.

"How many people get to be appointed Home Minister? By allowing him to replace Hishammuddin, Najib has sent a message to the party that he trusts and regards Zahid very highly. It cannot get clearer than this. So forget about getting Zahid sacked or even reprimanded, that just isn't on. This is Umno, we make the 'laws' in this country," a veteran Umno watcher told Malaysia Chronicle.

The Umno veteran was referring to the public outrage over Zahid's comments and the growing calls for him to be sacked from the Cabinet. Many Malaysian citizens as well as civil society leaders also want him to be investigated for his speech which they alleged was aimed to drive up Malay hatred for the Chinese and Indians.

The under-performing Hishammuddin Hussein, who was mentioned by the veteran, is Najib's cousin. Najib, who is also the Umno president, had swapped Hisham out of the Home Ministry into Defense, which had been Zahid's portfolio.

Repent and retract from such a dastardly position

That Zahid will be allowed to escape unscathed, without his explanation called for, is not really unexpected.

This despite the Bar Council being the latest to issue a written condemnation of his "appalling speech" and stating clearly that the Home Minister may have committed an offense under the Sedition Act.

"I urge the Home Minister to look deep within his conscience and retract his position. We are ready to engage with him on the matter of national security. If anything, I am just deeply saddened with his views which have not only tarnished him but has deep ramifications for all Malaysians," Opposition MP for Lembah Pantai Nurul Izzah told Malaysia Chronicle in a text message.

"I am speechless at what the Home Minister said in Malacca. It shows he has no understanding of, or respect for the rule of law. He is supporting police who are trigger happy. I am very disturbed by the shocking racism and racial profiling in his speech which portrayed Malays as victims of all crimes and non-Malays as the perpetrators," former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan told Malaysia Chronicle.

Huge wave of sympathy votes for Zahid anticipated

But despite the mountain of serious complaints, Prime Minister Najib Razak is unlikely to take any action that will jeopardize Zahid's chances in the Umno election slated for October 19, as to do so would be akin to Najib slapping his own face.

According to the Umno watcher, Zahid, Rural affairs minister Shafie Apdal and Hisham have already been "ordained" as the winners by the Najib camp.

Challengers Mukhriz, who is Mahathir's youngest son, former Malacca chief minister Ali Rustam and Felda chairman Isa Samad will not be able to make it, he added.

"Even the order in which they will win in terms of the number of votes they get is more or less figured out. It will be Zahid with the most votes, followed by Shafie and Hisham last. Mukhriz, Ali Rustam and Isa will miss the boat," said the Umno watcher.

"You see the Umno side keeping quiet now. They are waiting for the machine gunfire from the Opposition and the non-Malays to get hotter and then they will start to swing the sentiment back to Zahid. He will surely get a huge amount of sympathy votes for putting his neck on the line for the Malays. He will be Umno's hero. The Malays' hero. In fact, if you think about it, he would be smart to have orchestrated it - no?"

"Of the 3 incumbents, Zahid is now the shoo-in to win. For the challengers, their only hope is to get the Umno disciplinary board to suspend Zahid for campaigning at an outside event but I don't think they can get past Najib on that. The biggest casualty may be Mukhriz because he has been advancing very strongly. But how to beat Zahid now? However, Hisham is not yet safe, so there's some chance."

Appalling speech

In Zahid's 20-minute speech, he boasted to the audience that it was he who rammed through draconian amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act so that the government could protect the Malays from the non-Malays, whom he further alleged were the chief felons and criminals in the country.

Zahid revealed how he had sought the help of both the Speaker of Parliament and the Secretary to ensure the amendments were passed against the objections from the Opposition.

Zahid also shocked the nation when he appeared to condone the police shooting at suspects without warning. He said the majority of gangsters were Malaysians of Indian descent, that the victims were mostly Malays and there was therefore nothing wrong in arresting or shooting them.

He then remarked that a criminal group known as Tiga Line, which has been declared unlawful by his own Ministry, were in actual fact benevolent gangsters and encouraged them to continue with their activities.

Current Bar Council president Christopher Leong pointed out that the Home Minister had previously promised to produce data and statistics to Parliament and the public to justify his claim that the spike in serious crime was due to the repeal of the Internal Security Act 1960 and the Emergency (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance 1969.

"He has failed to provide an iota of evidence to support his contention. Instead it is reported that he resorted to collusion with the Inspector General of Police and the Minister in charge of parliamentary affairs in the push for the amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act 1959," Christopher said in a statement released to the press.

"This is extremely worrying and irresponsible conduct by the Home Minister. The Home Minister appears to have overstepped the line and possibly committed an offence under the Sedition Act. The statements by the Home Minister are shameful and have brought the Government and the country into disrepute."

Malaysia Chronicle