MEDIA RELEASE
PAS PRESIDENT/MALAYSIA OPPOSITION LEADER
YB. DATO' FADZIL MOHD. NOOR
19 JANUARY 2000
PAK LAH SHOULD STEP DOWN
PAS would like to call upon the Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to return home immediately from his holidays abroad to face the growing discerning situation in the country.
At the same time PAS would also like to call Dr Mahathir to relinquish Abdullah from the Deputy Premier's post, or for Abdullah to resign honourably from his government position upon Dr Mahathir's return.
Our call is not without substance. The "Mr Nice Guy" disastrous handling of several internal affairs in the absence of the Prime Minister this past week has given rise to public worries over the actual charisma and capability of the PM's heir-apparent.
1) The blatant and undemocratic arrests and court charges of opposition leaders and party workers,
2) the distasteful and undiplomatic reactions he made against comments by foreign leaders and organisations on these arrests,
3) the action against Harakah and other opposition media, something seen as insulting the intellect of the people
4) malicious comments he made with regards to the arrests.
5) the failure to hold the weekly Cabinet meeting in Dr M's absence,
6) the apparent conflict of statements between the Health and the Agriculture Ministers on the issue of safety of imported fruits which has caused confusion and unduly worries among the people,
7) his continued misplaced comments on PAS Trengganu government's recent decisions on low-cost housing ceiling price and the termination of several of previous government's political appointments.
8) his inability to control the behaviour of UMNO leaders who are creating political instability in their quest for party positions prior to the UMNO elHusinhections.
9) and the use of UMNO's supreme counil platform to decide on government matters....
are but examples of the potential misappointment of Abdullah for the country's most important political job.
Before it becomes worst, stepping down can be the most honourable thing for Abdullah to do, lest people will make a mockery of his "Mr Nice Guy" tag as proclaimed by the BN
DATO’ FADZIL MOHD. NOOR
