Opposition Told Not To Be Easily Influenced By Dr M




GEORGE TOWN, July 11 (Bernama) -- Penang UMNO today reminded the opposition pact not to be easily influenced by the games played by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Its chairman Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman said going by his previous record, the former prime minister was capable of making a ?U-turn? at any time.

"In 1969, he was sacked from UMNO under Tunku Abdul Rahman. He later left UMNO when it was under Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's leadership. He re-joined UMNO under Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and then he left it again.

"It is normal for Dr Mahathir to leave UMNO and re-join it later, he has done it three times. So, do not be surprised if in the future, he re-joins UMNO. It is very easy for him to make a ?U-turn? at any time and anywhere," he told a press conference after an Aidilfitri celebration jointly organised by Penang UMNO and JKPSB, an enforcement body for the Penang Bumiputera Development Council.

He said the statements made by Dr Mahathir of late were merely a show and hoped the people would not be easily influenced by him.

Meanwhile, on the issue of the re-election of DAP's office bearers as ordered by the Registrar of Societies, (RoS), Zainal Abidin said the DAP should stop blaming the RoS and hold its Central Executive Committee re-election immediately.

He said it was usual for the DAP, especially the Penang state government to blame other people in times of disaster, tragedy or anything negative.

"Whatever happens in Penang, they blame Barisan Nasional, UMNO and government agencies. It is synonymous with DAP. Anything that is not good, they blame others, and if it is good, they take the credit. So, stop blaming the RoS. It is a government agency with procedures and rulings which are within the law," he said.

Zainal Abidin said the RoS had never been biased and the same thing had happened to several UMNO branches which did not abide by the regulations.

"UMNO has 700 branches in Penang and 20,000 branches throughout the country. Each year, we submit the Form 9. If you don't send, they will give a warning letter. If we do not take action on the warning letter, they will invalidate the branch."

"UMNO has had this several times, there are many of our branches which have been de-registered for not submitting the Form 9. But UMNO does not fault the RoS. We blame ourselves and will appeal to reinstate the branch," he said.

-- BERNAMA