Mukhriz says ‘no’ to Osman Aroff
Malaysiakini
Oct  2, 2006
Beh Lih Yi

Former Kedah menteri besar Osman Aroff should not sit in the Umno disciplinary appeal panel to avoid a conflict of interest, said Umno Youth exco Mukhriz Mahathir today.

Mukhriz - who is the son of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad - said this when asked to comment on a complaint filed with the party’s disciplinary board last week on the alleged irregularities in the Sept 9 Kubang Pasu division contest. 

Osman was alleged to have campaigned against Mahathir who failed in his bid to be elected as a delegate to represent the division in November’s Umno general assembly in Kuala Lumpur. 

Mukhriz, who was successful in the same contest, said: “It won’t be enough that he (Osman) excludes himself from all deliberations on the matter because the fact that he is there (in the panel) will put pressure on his colleagues in the deliberation of the complaint.”

“I am saying it is insufficient for him (Osman) to just exclude himself but I think he should resign. As a member of the panel, (he) ought not to have campaigned against my dad because there is definitely a conflict of interest,” he stressed.

Complainants who are dissatisfied with the Umno disciplinary board can file an appeal with the panel, which will once again raise questions on Osman’s presence.

Fair and transparent

Meanwhile, Mukhriz said he hoped that the panel will conduct a fair and transparent investigation into the complaint lodged by five Umno members from the division.

As for the complainants, Mukhriz said he was not behind their action to lodge a complaint but he happened to “know” them.

The five claimed that the contest was tainted by money politics, outside interference and the involvement of civil servants and government agencies.

One of the complainants Umno Kampung Darat branch chief Ibrahim Ariffin complained that he was ‘quarantined’ for six days in the run-up to the polls to avoid contact with Mahathir.

However, division secretary Samsuddin Ahmad denied this, saying the five were strong supporters of Mukhriz.

“If Mahathir won, for sure they would not make such a complaint,” said Samsudin.

Mahathir came out ninth among the 15 candidates with 227 votes. Whereas Mukhriz took the fifth spot with 294 votes.

Mahathir, who helmed Umno and the country for 22 years, led the Kubang Pasu Umno division for more than three decades until his retirement in 2003.

The former premier had also complained that delegates received RM200 to vote against him and that a preferred candidates list was also distributed.

The Umno leadership has denied interfering in the contest.

After his defeat, Mahathir said he will not lodge a complaint with the disciplinary board as he had no faith in it.