The news versionDatuk Chua Soi Lek’s decision to resign from his political posts is deemed as wise by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz.
“It is a wise decision not to prolong the issue and further involve the party and the Government into this matter,” he said after a meeting with Malaysian students in
Glasgow, Scotland on Wednesday (02 Jan. 08).
“He had admitted that it was him in the (sex) video and apologised for his mistake so there is nothing else the Government can do but to accept his resignation as the Health Minister,” he added.
He said since the general election is scheduled to be held sometime this year, there is no need for a by-election in Labis. It is also in accordance with the new Constitution which stated that a by-election is not necessary after three years in parliamentary term.
When asked about some speculation that Chua was framed by certain people who wanted to end his political career by circulating the VCDs to the public, Mohamed Nazri said it was a separate issue.
“He had admitted (to be in the video). There was no superimposed done on the video so he is not framed in that sense,” he said.
On Wednesday, Chua who is married to Datin Seri Wong Sek Hin, has tendered his resignation as Health Minister, MCA vice president, Johor MCA liaison chief, Batu Pahat MCA division chief and Labis MP.
Mohamed Nazri was in Glasgow as part of his annual visit to the United Kingdom to brief and hold dialogues with Malaysian students on current issues such as the Hindraf gathering in Malaysia. This was his first visit to Glasgow after six years. The last leg of his visit would be to Dublin, Galway and Cork in Ireland.
“Overseas students depend a lot on internet for their source of news especially if they wanted to know what happened back home. Sometimes they read alternative news which can be untrue or overly exaggerated,” he said.
He said it is important for him to be able to hold dialogue such as these, so students can ask their minister face to face.
“I don’t limit the questions. They can ask any questions they like. In fact, I prefer that they ask sensitive questions so they can get clear picture of what is happening in Malaysia right now,” he said.
About 100 Malaysian students studying in Glasgow University, Strathclyde University, Glasgow Caledonian University and Paisley University attended the briefing.
The Aku version will be updated later. So mengantuk...
Sambungan.
Aku ambil masa dekat 3 jam nak buat news story ni. Dah lama tak tulis berita, rasa macam skil tu dah semakin terhakis. Sebab tulis untuk kawan yang kerja kat paper gomen ni, tulisan aku pun jadi skema sama.
Pertama-tama aku minta maaf lah kat Pak Menteri. Masa kau masuk, aku tak berdiri pun tanda hormat. Sebab aku memang susah nak hormat orang. Apatah lagi orang kerajaan ye. Senang ginilah, aku memang kurang ajar.
Sebenarnya aku banyak mengantuk dari mendengar apa yang pak menteri cakap tu. Seperti biasalah perangai reporter aku kicked in. Bila dia cakap jer aku pun mulalah bengang. Dalam hati dok merungut-rungut, tak yah lah nak cover-cover. Dia cerita pasal Hindraf, dia cerita pasal media dan self-censorship. Bab lain ko nak tutup tu tutuplah, tapi bab media ni aku sensitif sangat-sangat. Orang semua tahu siapa control NSTP, Utusan, TV3 bla bla. Jadi sudah tentu ada self-censorship dorang yang tersendiri. Wartawan pun ada self-censorship sendiri. Tapi tak perlu censor habis-habisan. Kalau bangkai gajah yang begitu besar tu takkan kau nak tutup dengan daun maple kot? Kau bercerita pasal media freedom. Tapi freedom have to work hand in hand with responsibility. Betul. Aku setuju. Tapi kau harus rombak semula Printing Act dan Publishing Act di Malaysia. Selagi ada akta-akta macam ni, selagi itulah akan tiada freedom of speech di Malaysia. Sebab bila-bila masa saja syarikat akhbar boleh ditutup menggunakan 2 jenis akta ini.
Dia bercerita pasal tahanan ISA. Kenapa perlu ISA. Bagi aku dengan adanya ISA ia menunjukkan pihak berkuasa tidak competence. Tak tahu jalankan tugas masing-masing. Kalau orang sudah melakukan kesalahan, kau perlu dakwa dia di mahkamah, tapi kalau orang tak lakukan kesalahan, buat apa kau tahan dia guna ISA? Kau monitor saja perbuatan dia. Maknanya sebagai pelindung rakyat, kau MALAS jadi ambil langkah mudah, tahan dia bawah ISA untuk 2 tahun dan tambah lagi 2 tahun dan tambah lagi 2 tahun. Kemudian kau bercerita pasal kem tahanan di Kamunting yang macam hostel lagaknya. Kau dah tinggal kat situ? Kau dah rasa apa yang mereka rasa? Memang orang yang tak kuat iman atau semangat yang akan keluar lepas dua tahun.
Entahlah, memang aku rasa buang masa aje aku hadiri pertemuan bersama pak menteri semalam. Kalau dia benar-benar serius nak cerita pasal masalah rakyat marhaen di Malaysia, kau patut bawak semua menteri2 dan bercerita. Kalau kau seorang saja nak menjawab soalan-soalan yang merangkap bab pendidikan, pengangkutan, kewangan dan ekonomi, boleh ke? Kau patutnya bawak semua menteri kabinet sekali. Kurang-kurang dapatlah kau orang semua makan angin di UK.
Memanglah, kalau tak sebab aku nak bertanyakan soalan Chua tu, aku rasa aku takkan menghabiskan masa tidur atas kerusi keras.