Jul 31 2007
Kavyeas hits back
"I would never issue such threats. A threat is waving a keris and asking when you are going to draw blood," he said.
Kayveas said the seat allocation to the PPP would be discussed in September among the four main BN component parties - Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan. "PPP is not part of this and there are two parties that will not be happy if seats are given to PPP."
In Kelantan, he said, 5,000 Malays, including Umno members, have joined the party.
- Sure or not?
Terence Fernandez
PETALING JAYA (July 30, 2007): People's Progressive Party (PPP) president Datuk M. Kayveas today denied threatening to pull out of Barisan Nasional (BN) and issued veiled references against senior Umno leaders.
"I would never issue such threats. A threat is waving a keris and asking when you are going to draw blood," he said.
"I just said we would have to think about our future in the BN if we are not going anywhere. I don't think that is an ultimatum. Come on, we are in no position to give ultimatums to anyone."
He also took to task Umno vice-president and Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam for saying the PPP can join other political parties, which will just mean more seats for other BN member parties.
He said Malacca can "award 200 Datukships to people without positions or even addresses in Malaysia, but he (Ali) could not recommend one to our state chairman of 15 years who is a senator".
"He campaigned for Umno and Ali Rustam in the rain and sun. What did he get in return?"
Stressing that PPP's future presence in BN will be dictated by its members, Kayveas said: "While I would prefer the party to remain in the ruling coalition, I also cannot ignore the voices of our 500,000 party members.
"I'd rather work from within than from outside, but at the end of the day, if the majority of PPP members decide we have to rethink our strategy, and if we are strong enough to do so, then I will have to respect the voices of the majority."
Kayveas, who holds the PPP's sole seat as Taiping MP, said Sunday (yesterday)'s reports that he issued an ultimatum to the BN that PPP would leave the coalition if its demand for more seats and positions were not fulfilled, were untrue.
He said he did make the request for four parliamentary seats, 12 state seats, 79 local council seats and the position of Ipoh mayor at the party's 54th anniversary celebrations in Johor Baru on Friday (July 27).
"These are seats and positions that were already in PPP's hand before it joined the BN in 1972," he said.
"When you speak to party members, of course you need to tell them what they want to hear. They want to know where the party is headed and it is my responsibility to tell them but I never issued any ultimatum although I did voice my dissapointment at not being given due recognition."
Kayveas said the seat allocation to the PPP would be discussed in September among the four main BN component parties à Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan..
"PPP is not part of this and there are two parties that will not be happy if seats are given to PPP."
Kayveas, who is a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said he did not request a full ministership because it was inappropriate for him to do so as the position would ultimately go to him as party president.
Yesterday, Kayveas was taken to task by senior BN component party leaders, including Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, Ali Rustam, Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Perak mentri besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali, and MCA vice-president and Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.
Kayveas said: "Ali Rustam doesn't know history. It was our strength, not weakness that prompted (then prime minister) Tun Abdul Razak to invite us to join the coalition.
"PPP is worse off now after joining the BN. If we are outside, we could be a formidable opposition. This, again, is not a threat. I'm just stating facts."
Accusing Mohd Ali of not recognising the PPP's contributions, he said: "In 1996, he asked for the PPP's single senate allocation to be given to Umno. I acceded to his request, and when I asked for the seat to be returned, he refused. It was only through the prime minister's intervention that we got our senatorship back."
Kayveas also said the party is on an membership drive.
In Kelantan, he said, 5,000 Malays, including Umno members, have joined the party.
"Eventually, we want at least a 40% Malay membership in the PPP," he said.
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