Hisham: Rakyat will decide whether Shahrizat a liability

Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussin leaves it to the people to decide on whether they consider Wanita chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil as a liability or not.

Hishammuddin (right in photo) said at the end of the day the public would have to decide the fate of Umno (in this matter).

“It’s not those people who talk about whether it is a liability or not (who will decide). We will know in the next general election,” he said.

“That is what we are talking about in the first place. As at the end of the day the rakyat is the one who is going to decide on the matter,” he said.

To questions over the police statement yesterday that no element of criminal breach of trust (CBT) had allegedly been found over the National Feedlot Corporation, Hishammuddin, who is also the Home Minister, said the case is not yet over.

He also said the matter will continue as it does not mean that since the CBT element is not there, it (the case) is over.

“The matter will still continue (on the investigations of possibility of other elements) and we have responsibilities to carry out.

“It is difficult to comment as it is still under investigation and the police are under my care,” he said.

Hishammuddin said it would be irresponsible for him to make comments further than that.

Yesterday deputy inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said police preliminary findings have failed to unearth any element of breach of trust or irregularity in the handling of funds by the NFC and its purchase of luxury condominiums.

Hishammuddin said the investigation was still on-going and gave an assurance that the process would be conducted with transparency, without protecting anyone.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has been the target of the opposition who claimed that her husband, Mohamad Salleh Ismail, who is the NFC’s executive chairperson, had abused the RM250 million government soft loan.

Shahrizat has maintained that she has nothing to do with the company and refused to answer any of the opposition’s allegations.

However, Umno delegates found it hard to defend her at the grassroots level and urged her to come forward with an explanation.

Winnable candidates and warlords

To questions on whether Umno was afraid of the influence of its traditional warlords as delegates continue to harp on the issue of winnable candidates during debates, Hishammuddin said what is important is that the delegates had given their mandate to the Umno president to decide on who the party thinks should contest.

“As the president’s motion was approved today, it would not be a dispute any more as delegates have left it to Datuk Seri Najib (Abdul Razak) to decide who are the winnable candidates,” he said.

“Those in the hall just now had given the mandate, whether they realise it or not I don’t know. They have given the mandate now to the president to decide.”

He said the issue now is no longer winnable candidates for Umno, but also BN, or whether the existing formula can be used again.

He said that is why the issue is not only centred on winnable candidates for Umno as it relies also on winnable seats.

“It does not mean a place where Umno traditionally contests will remain with Umno, or Gerakan would remain with Gerakan,” he said.

“What is important is that we want a winnable seat or electable seat. Secondly, a winnable candidate is not only an Umno candidate, as we are a bigger party (with BN) and we want a winnable candidate for BN,” he said.

Whatever it is, he said, Umno has got its act together today.

“The president has got his mandate from the delegates and we want to move forward with that,” he said.

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