Ex-DAP chief boos Abdul Rahim’s appointment

PETALING JAYA: A former state DAP chairman has joined PKR’s Nurul Izzah Anwar in criticising the appointment of Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor as the special envoy for mediating southern Thailand peace talks.

Former Johor DAP chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau said Abdul Rahim’s appointment reflected the government’s failure in setting a standard of integrity for public officers and representatives.

He added it also showed the government’s weak determination to forge institutional reforms.

Dr Boo said a new Malaysia should be portrayed as a nation of great humanity, and any envoy and public officers who represent the country must have integrity.

“I urge DAP secretary-general and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng to raise the matter with the Cabinet for ‘an in-depth soul searching by the present Cabinet members with regard to where the new standard for Malaysian public officers’ integrity shall lie’.

“All Cabinet members are urged to collectively reject the appointment of Abdul Rahim to represent Malaysia in an international peace talk to prevent Malaysia’s positive image as a nation determined for better changes from deteriorating,” he said in the statement.

Dr Boo pointed out that Abdul Rahim, a former inspector-general of police, was jailed for two months for assaulting Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at Bukit Aman in 1998.

He added that when the infamous “Black Eye Incident” was committed, Abdul Rahim was holding the highest position in the police force and he failed to be “a role model to other police officers and instead, stood at the lowest level”.

“It was a case of public interest where the highest-ranking police officer assaulted a defenceless man while in police custody. And in this case, Anwar was handcuffed and blindfolded when he was assaulted,” he said.

On Monday, Nurul Izzah, in a tweet, strongly objected to the appointment of Abdul Rahim as southern Thailand peace talk mediator.