________________
Media Statement
by Ronnie Liu
___________________

(Petaling Jaya, Wednesday) : We were very disappointed that except for "Raja Zakaria", all the lawbreakers in the Klang Municipality (MPK) were sworn in as new councilors yesterday amidst public protest. The son and daughter in law of Zakaria were also sworn-in together with a long list of tainted politicians representing Umno, MIC and MCA .

This is a reflection of arrogance of politics of the highest order on the part of Umno and Barisan Nasional parties like MIC and MCA under the Selangor Menteri Besar Khir Toyo.

How could the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abduallah Ahmad Badawi  allows the Selangor MB to appoint this bunch of lawbreakers to continue as lawmakers? Are you admitting to the Malaysians that there were no more clean and upright candidates in Klang to fill up the vacancies? What kind of integrity, transparency and delivery system he was talking about all this while? Or is he too afraid to offend these "corrupt-to-the-core politicians" for fearing of losing support in the party?

A very bad precedence has been set in Klang now. When lawbreakers were allowed to become lawmakers and "leadership by example" fails so badly under the Umno administration in this country, would the Menteri Besar and Prime Minister still expect the ordinary citizens to follow the laws?

DAP Selangor deputy chairman Khoo Chee Pock, state committee member Peter Tan and other DAP members went to the MPK yesterday to stage a protest against the swearing-in ceremony today. They told me that many ordinary folks in Klang are now extremely upset by the blatant act of political arrogance on the part of the BN Government.

Instead of stepping down, the "Raja Zakaria" has openly said that he wants to stand again in Pelabuhan Kelang as the BN candidate. We are wondering why a person who had given a bad image to his Muslim brothers and sisters still has the cheek to stay on in politics. The voters in Pelabuhan Kelang would have an opportunity to teach him a lesson should that happen.

Judging from what has taken place in Klang today, Malaysians should not be too surprise to see that these lawbreakers be elected by their respective party as candidates in the coming general elections to be held next year.

(25/11/2006)