‘I did not plan to bring anyone’

Muhammad denies spin doctor’s story

SHAH ALAM: Former Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib (pic) has denied claims that he was supposed to bring along with him eight PKR assemblymen when he rejoined Umno recently.

He said the story must have been fabricated by some spin doctor for unknown reasons.

“I went there alone, without planning to bring anyone, to rejoin Umno to serve the Malay community,” Muhammad told a press conference at his home in Section 7 here yesterday.

He called for the press conference to apologise for being away from Umno for a while as well as to urge the Malays to ensure political control do not fall into the hands of others.

Muhammad left Umno to join PAS in 2011 only to leave the Islamist party to join PKR in 2013.

He said it was important for the Malays to continue holding political power because those living in the rural areas still needed help.

Muhammad said some Malays needed help because they were slow in taking advantage of the country’s economic growth compared with the other communities.

“We must return to the old social composition where the Malays hold political power, the Chinese are involved in business and the Indians are professionals like doctors, lawyers and engineers,” he said. Muhammad reminded the Malays that the Opposition would not be able to fully protect their interests.

He said when he attended PKR meetings, he realised that the interests of the Malays were never discussed due to the presence of many leaders from other races.

However, added Muhammad, although Malay interests must be prioritised, people of other races must also be given positions if they were qualified to hold them.

He gave the protest by certain quarters over the appointment of Datuk Seri Subromaniam Tholasy as the Customs Department director-general as an example and said the senior civil servant deserved the promotion.