Zaid’s Bid for Kota Bharu Parliamentary Seat and UMNO’s ‘Sponsorship of KITA’

It has come to my attention that during a press conference which I held in my office about a week ago pertaining to Zaid’s request for PAS to allow him contest the Kota Bharu Parliamentary seat; I was reported to have made the accusation, amongst others, that KITA is sponsored by UMNO. This has led to Zaid attacking my statement in his blog.

Given the situation, I have to clarify that I did not make such an allegation but instead stated the following:

1. I support Takiyuddin’s statement that if Zaid is to contest the seat then it will be a three cornered fight. I did not support Takiyuddin to be the PAS candidate for the Kota Bharu seat. There is no reference whatsoever to any infighting within PAS Kelantan in my statement and I am unaware of any.
2. In such a situation, Zaid will be seen as an opponent as he would be contesting against a PAS candidate. I never stated Zaid to be an enemy of PR per se; but that he would be an opponent should he decide to contest for the Kota Bharu seat against our candidate.
3. When asked what would be my stand if it was proposed that Zaid contest as a PAS candidate for the seat? I said that he would have to clarify his stand vis-à-vis PAS and PR first and that in the final analysis it would be up to PAS Kelantan as to whether it would be a viable and acceptable proposal. I did not propose for him to contest as a PAS candidate as alleged.
4. I had highlighted that although Zaid’s personal stand was somewhat less antagonistic to PR, his deputies, of whom Zamil and Tan Bee Heng were specifically mentioned, were very clearly anti PR. This therefore made KITA’s stand towards PR somewhat questionable to say the least.
5. With respect to support and funding from UMNO, what was said was that there are currently many individuals and organizations acting as fronts for UMNO. Zamil, while in KITA and until today, is one such individual.
6. Amongst organizations, Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM), led by Azwanndin, is clearly an UMNO front organization. Azwanndin has been constantly attacking Anwar Ibrahim although he speaks from the platform of an NGO. The special treatment which he receives includes being able to make an admission of having been trained in the art of demonstrations for over throwing governments by foreign countries. Such an admission by anyone else would obviously warrant a police investigation.

The above sums up the points presented in the press conference with respect to the above issue.

As for Zaid’s opinion of me, as expressed in his blog, that is his prerogative. However it is also quite clear that he must believe PAS to be a party of ‘idiots’ if he feels that PAS should give him leeway to contest in Kota Bharu just because he wants to.

WaLlahu 'Alam
KHALID SAMAD