BN information bureau chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan –media personnel dialogue at Pullman Hotel on Feb 17, 2012.
Ahmad, in his address, stated the 13th General Election (GE13) would be held before April 2013. It is a matter of timing. If parliament is not dissolved by April next year, it will automatically be dissolved upon the expiry of the current term.
He said the BN’s preparation is on the 5th gear. “Once parliament is dissolved, the election machinery will be reactivated. In the meantime, we have to go to the ground as regular as possible,” he said.
Ahmad stated that the current term of parliament will be in its fourth year on March 8, 2012 since after the GE12 and on April 3, 2012, Datuk Seri Najib will be celebrating his third anniversary as Prime Minister.
“The Prime Minister will consider calling for the general election only if the BN is confident of winning two-thirds majority in parliament. But we have to work hard to achieve that, and with the efforts that we have made, we are confident of winning the GE13,” he said.
Ahmad said based on past experience and history, the next general election would normally be held after four years from the date of the last general election.
“The elections have been held after four years and one month, four years and three months.
“But we hardly ever holding our general election on the fifth year,” he said.
On the issue of NFC Sdn Bhd, Ahmad admitted that it is a hot issue at the moment.
“Personally, I feel that there is no need for Datuk Shahrizat Abdul Jalil to resign as the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development and Umno Wanita chief.
“Datin Seri Dr Azizah Wan Ismail did not resign when her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was jailed before for sodomy.
“But why should Shahrizat resign when her husband has not been brought to court and that investigation into the NFC allegations has not completed yet,” Ahmad said.
He said the views expressed by Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Datuk Nazri Aziz on Shahrizat were their personal views and not that of Umno or the government.
In any case, he said DPM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has already stated that there is no need for her to quit her cabinet post and as Umno Wanita chief.
Ahmad said Shahrizat does not own shares in NFC and she is not involved in its management.
He, however, admitted that it is very difficult for the government and Umno leaders to answer the perceptions and allegations by the Opposition on Shahrizat.
“This is our big challenges facing us now. It is a different matter if the investigation on NFC has been completed and her husband charged and convicted in court,” he said.
On the Chinese voters, Ahmad said the Chinese community has always been supportive of the Barisan, with the exception of the 2008 general election.
“But we are confident that they will support the BN in the coming election.
“The Chinese community should know the benefits of supporting the Barisan because they want stability and peace.
“They know which party can ensure peace and stability in the country,” he said.
Ahmad said he personally feels that the Chinese are a rational community.
“They are basically the business community, hence they want political stability.
“We are sure that the Chinese are rational when it comes to the general election by supporting the Barisan.
“We consider all the communities as the determining factors in the election. The votes from each community are as important, and that no one community can decide the outcome of the election,” he said.
A reporter, with a mainstream paper, took to the mike and asked Ahmad for his comments on a statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala that Malaysia could become a bankrupt by 2019 if the government continues to give subsidies and that Jala’s statement seemed to be reinforced with the national debts ballooning to RM450 billion under Najib. The reporter also asked him to comment on claims that the government is not serious about wiping corruption. What see are only small fish, not the sharks, being charged in court.
Ahmad likened the questions to those which have raised by the Opposition.
He asserted that Jala’s statement was his personal opinion and not that of the federal government.
“Malaysia will not go bankrupt because 90 per cent of the debts are from domestic borrowings. If we borrow heavily from foreign sources, then we will be in deep trouble.
“Moreover, the country is only paying 5 to 6 per cent of its gross domestic products (GDP) to service the debts. We can go bankrupt if we have to use 30 to 40 per cent of the GDP to service the debts,” he explained.
He admitted that the government gives out huge amount of subsidies, both direct and indirect. The government gives direct subsidies on sugar and Ron95 petrol and indirect subsidies on education and infrastructures.
“It is not a problem for the government to continue with the subsidies because our incomes have increased. It is a different matter if our incomes have decreased while the total amount of subsidies has increased,” he explained.
Ahmad explained that the officers at the Finance Ministry were doing a good job in preparation the national budgets and financial planning for the country.
“They are hardly being transferred to elsewhere so they have much experience in the finance ministry,” he said.
On corruption, Ahmad denied that only small fish are brought to court.
“We can see that sharks like Ling Liong Sik, Khir Toyo and others, have been charged for alleged corruption,” he said.
An editor with a local newspaper asked Ahmad to comment on the formation of Barisan Nasional Club by five wakil rakyat, who have been sacked from SPDP, last year.
He said its formation must be approved by the BN leadership and that each component party of the Barisan Nasional must reach a consensus.
“If all the parties agree, then there is no problem. The final approval, however, is left to the top BN leadership.
“It is the same with individuals and friendly organisations who want to apply to be direct members.
“There is wisdom there for direct membership from friends of the Barisan,” he said.
A reporter with a mainstream paper stood up and said that the Opposition has have been hurling all kinds of allegations against the chief minister. He asked Ahmad whether the CM is a liability for BN in the urban centres in view of the fact that the BN lost heavily in the urban centres in the April 16,2011 state election?
Ahmad said he is very much aware of the allegations. Whether there are basis for the allegations, there must be proofs of corruption.
“I know the member for Bandar Kuching (Chong Chieng Jen) has been saying the allegations in parliament all this while.
“There must be proofs of corruption in court, otherwise, don’t accuse the chief minister.
“The MACC will not charge anyone in court without proofs. The MACC has not charged him (CM) in court, so there is no proof,” he said.
On whether Umno would come to Sarawak, Ahmad, who is also the Umno information chief, said:”For now, as the prime minister had stated before, Umno will not go to Sarawak.
“But I cannot predict what will happen in future, says 10 or 15 years from now,” he said.
Ends
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