Too Legit To Quit

Rafidah Aziz is stunned by Pak Lah’s decision to drop her from the Cabinet but states she won’t be quitting her post as Wanita Umno chief. ‘I’m staying,’ she says today.

Looks like we’re headed for a battle royale this Umno general assembly.

Pak Lah has also dropped Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis. Jamaluddin is the chap who caused outrage last year when he visited California and during a meal with some Malaysian tertiary students called one of them a ‘lower-class Indian’ and another an ‘upper-class Indian,’ remarking he was only able to help the ‘lower-class’ one. Jamaluddin had foolishly made the assumptions based on the complexions of the two Malaysians.

Queried yesterday why he dropped the Rafidah and Jamaluddin despite their strong victories in their respective parliamentary seats of Kuala Kangsar and Rompin, Pak Lah retorted it was his prerogative.

‘I don’t need to discuss it. I believe she should also make way for new people.’

Funny thing is Pak Lah has replaced Rafidah not with a ‘new person’ but with a veteran: Muhyuddin Yassin, who was Agriculture Minister before this.

Looks like Pak Lah is playing hardball this time.

He has also axed two chaps who went behind his back to get Mohamed Isa Sabu appointed the new Perlis Mentri Besar instead of incumbent Shahidan Kassim: Radzi Sheikh Ahmad and Azmi Khalid. Radzi was home affairs minister and Azmi the natural resources and environment minister.

Devastated, Radzi junked his job as Umno and Barisan Nasional secretary-general. Can’t work under such conditions, he complained. Former Tourism Minister Tengku Adnan Mansor quickly stepped into his shoes, the fast one.

The fallout of the reworked Cabinet also included two deputy ministers who refused their posts: Tengku Azlan Abu Bakar and Anifah Aman.

Previously, Anifah was deputy minister of plantation industries and commodities while Azlan was deputy transport minister. Time around, Anifah was appointed deputy transport minister while Azlan foreign minister.

It is understood both men were slighted by Pak Lah’s decision, regarding themselves senior enough to be given full ministerial posts.

Anifah, younger brother of Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, says he ‘wishes to make way for a younger man.’ Anifah is 54.

Gee, ministers are getting younger and younger these days.