Bad day for BN

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 — Away from the intense by-election campaign in Permatang Pauh, it was a bad Sunday for Barisan Nasional.

Today alone, a component party mulled the idea or pulling out of the coalition, a fomer division leader brought along 1,500 members to join the opposition and yet another Umno branch claimed money politics and intimidation.

Perak Gerakan wants the party to leave BN, claiming its leaders - Umno chiefs - are only interested in one particular community.

The state committee, claiming that 80 per cent of delegates supported the motion, is expected to bring the matter up at the Gerakan annual meeting this October.

Perak Gerakan chief Datuk Chang Ko Youn, who was re-elected as state chief at the party conference here, said the delegates were unhappy with certain politicians playing up race and religious issues.

"This is not good for the country, We cannot accept this. Gerakan practises a non-racial and non-religious approach," the Gerakan national vice-president told The Star.

In Klang, former MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's blue-eyed boy Alex Thiagarasan today joined DAP with his supporters. Samy Vellu sacked the former Klang MIC division chief last month.

"I am proud to have joined the DAP and will continue to serve the local community. I invite people who need my services to see me at the service centre in Jalan Teluk Pulai here," he said.

Following his report with the police and the Anti-Corruption Agency against Samy Vellu over alleged abuse of funds, he was sacked on July 7.

Samy Vellu, who filed a RM10 million suit against Thiagarasan, also obtained an injunction against him from repeating the allegation.

In Kota Baru, an Umno branch chief lodged a report with the ACA, claiming that some people were intimidating members and using money to prevent de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim from being nominated as Kota Baru division chief.

Zaid, who was the division head until his suspension, is reclaiming his position against acting chief Datuk Mohd Fatmi Salleh.

According to Bernama, after 80 per cent of the 116 branches held their meetings, Zaid who had obtained 19 nominations needs another five to qualify for contest. Fatmi has passed the quota.

-TMI