JOHOR BARU: Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob should use proper channels within the party to voice out his views, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
Mohamed Khaled, who is also a party vice-president, said the former prime minister should use the channels within the party to express his thoughts about the present government’s administration instead of going to the media.
“If we want to answer all of his allegations, we can do so, but I do not think that going through the media is the right place for it,” he told reporters after launching a community sewing centre in Bandar Seri Alam here yesterday.
Mohamed Khaled said that Umno, which is part of the unity government, was not just a “yes man” to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s administration.
Decisions made by the present government were carried out through consensus after undergoing rounds of discussion, said Mohamed Khaled, who is Higher Education Minister.
“What we have now is a unity government. So, whatever is achieved would depend on discussions and joint mutual agreement between the parties.”
Thus, he said, it was untrue that they were “yes men”, as all the decisions made by the government were through joint discussions.
Ismail Sabri told Star Media Group’s Malay-language news portal Majoriti in an interview last week that he was prepared to face the risks of speaking out against actions that he believed were against Umno’s constitution and core principles.
He explained that his openness to speak out is a necessity to ensure the party continues to progress as an open and diverse platform for all its members.
“If everyone does not want to talk, ideas in the party cannot be shared. After all, party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had previously said that he celebrated differences of opinion with the party,” said Ismail Sabri.
“My opinion may be different from his. If he believes it’s wrong, he doesn’t have to take it, but if it’s positive for the party, he can choose to take it,” he added.
On another matter, Mohamed Khaled said the Higher Education Ministry wants the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to expedite its investigation into allegations of leakages related to the RM157mil in losses suffered by Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Holdings.
This is to enable the ministry to take further steps to resolve the matter once the investigation is completed.
According to reports, UiTM Holdings recorded the losses over a period of four years.
