Speech by Lim Kit Siang at the
2,000-People Puchong DAP dinner at 14ms Puchong, Selangor on Sunday, 5th October 2008:
Declaration by five Umno leaders of their
decision or interest to contest for the Umno Deputy President’s post
very eloquent testimony that Abdullah has ceased to exist in their
political radar well before the Oct 9 announcement
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has still
four days to go before Oct. 9 to announce his Hamlet decision of “To Do
Or Not To Do” – “To Defend Or Not To Defend the Umno President (and
Prime Minister’s) Post”.
However, the declaration by five Umno leaders, led by the Minister in
the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and
the Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam, of their decision or
interest to contest for the Umno Deputy President’s post before it falls
vacant is very eloquent testimony that Abdullah has ceased to exist in
their political radar well before his Oct. 9 announcement.
Clearly, Abdullah has already been ousted from the mainstream Umno
currents and relegated to the periphery of Umno politics although he is
still incumbent Umno President and Prime Minister. How fast the powerful
have fallen!
But will Abdullah drop a bombshell of a surprise in his “before Oct. 9”
announcement – as former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad seems
to think, when he said today that he does not believe that Abdullah
intends to announce his departure before the start of Umno divisional
meetings on Oct 9.
Mahathir said: "He likes to change his position, so as long as he does
not make the announcement I will not believe it."
The bet however is on Abdullah throwing in the towel as a result of the
immense pressures by the Umno leaders for him to scuttle his mid-June
2010 power transition plan.
I believe Abdullah will have to announce his intentions by Wednesday,
which is probably the last Cabinet meeting which he could preside with
dignity and authority – unless he is prepared to demonstrate that he
will under no circumstances be a “lameduck” Prime Minister, whether
defends the post of Umno President or not.
*
Lim
Kit Siang, DAP
Parliamentary leader & MP for Ipoh Timor
http://dapmalaysia.org