A 'Mystery Man' Behind It

KIMANIS Umno Divisional Head, Datuk Anifah Aman said a group that has been campaigning for him to be replaced as the Barisan Nasional candidate for the parliamentary constituency in the coming 13th General Election is doing the bidding of a 'Tuan' (master).

Without revealing whether this 'mystery man' is an Umno member or Federal or State Minister, he said the group is doing the bidding of this 'Tuan' by conducting protests in villages to get the grassroots to support their cause.

"This group is the same that used a slogan 'Orang Kitani' (Our Brunei/Malay People) in past elections.

"However, the other races were offended and thus, this group changed the slogan to 'Orang Tempatan' (local people) in order to get the support and backing of other races living in the Kimanis area.

"This group has a 'Tuan' (master) and they are doing his bidding. This is common when the General Election is nearing," he said.

To a question, he said he had often met this group and sometimes they made unreasonable demands and applications for personal interest, which he could not fulfill.

"Therefore, when these people do not get what they want, they purposely protest to get the grassroots' support to replace me (Anifah) with an excuse that I am not a local from Kimanis area."

Anifah, who is also Foreign Minister, spoke after presenting People's Aid 1Malaysia (BR1M) cash vouchers to recipients under Phase 3 and 4 at a multipurpose hall in Bongawan township here.

A total of 4,245 recipients from Bongawan received the BR1M cash vouchers under the four phases involving a total payment of RM2.122 million. Also present were Papar district officer Iman Ali, his assistant William Ahlan, special officer to Anifah, Datuk Awang Sahak Ag Salleh, Bongawan People's Development Leader Zainal Matali representing Bongawan Assemblyman Datuk Karim Bujang and other officials.



was reported that the group, calling themselves 'Leadership Transformation Movement', felt Anifah had been the MP for Kimanis for too long and it was time to replace him.

Anifah said the Kimanis communities know these people and some residents were not surprised to see they were formerly members of many political parties, candidates for opposition parties as well as independent candidates.

"This group of people are in Umno for two reasons, some of them have repented and realised that they had made a mistake for supporting the opposition parties (in the past elections) and they wished to re-join Umno.

"So, we accepted and even helped them until several have become members of the main committee of the Kimanis Umno division here. They are doing the protest when the general election is coming which I find a normal thing to happen," Anifah said.

He said Prime Minister-cum-Umno President Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak has stated that the top leadership will make the best decision when it comes to candidacy.

"Unfortunately, the action of this group reflected as if the top leadership is not wise in making its decision.

"Thus, they are looking for ways and excuses by saying they are not against the party but they just do not want an outsider as the BN candidate for Kimanis seat.

"Nonetheless, I am ready to face all of this and whoever is the BN candidate in the area (Kimanis), we will work hard to ensure the coalition wins big here and in Kimanis," Anifah said. (DE)

-Sabahkini