PKR’s got proof Umno using foreigners for votes

PETALING JAYA: PKR leaders claimed today they have proof that Umno is abusing government powers to give citizenship or permanent residency (PR) status to foreign workers for them to vote.

The alleged proof was a copy of a leaked Hulu Selangor Umno division letter addressed to Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein requesting for PR status approval.

Copies of the letter were distributed to the press by the party’s women chief, Zuraida Kamaruddin, who claimed that there are some 2,000 foreign workers in the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat.

Barisan Nasional (BN) had recaptured the Hulu Selangor seat from PKR in a fiercely contested by-election last April. Its candidate, P Kamalanathan, defeated PKR’s Zaid Ibrahim with a convincing majority of 1,725 votes.

Zaid, who has since left PKR after a fallout with the party’s top leadership, claimed the result was rigged. The by-election became the turning point for BN which went on to win several more by-elections, including Batu Sapi in Sabah and Galas in PAS-held Kelantan.

The letter, dated March 23 this year, stated that the party has recognised “a list of potential individuals who could help ensure a BN victory in the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat for the 13th general election”.

It had the signature of the Hulu Selangor Umno division chief, Idris Abu Bakar.

The letter further stated that it had the list of names although copies of the list were not presented by Zuraida.

“They (on the list) are individuals who are free from any criminal conviction, drug offence or any dangerous or deviant ideology.

“They are students and genuine entrepreneurs with good careers, who can collectively build the nation towards prosperity… and, at the same time, ensure BN victory in every election, in particular the 13th general election,” added the letter.

Najib wants Selangor by hook or by crook

Umno president and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had made it clear his intention to recapture Selangor, the nation’s most advanced state, by any means.

“We must not allow our image to continue to be besmirched… because of the defeat.

“We must bounce back with renewed determination to redeem ourselves,” the Umno president was quoted as saying.

Najib is currently the Selangor Umno chief but has recently placed full responsibility of recapturing the state on his deputy, Noh Omar, who is also Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister.

Zuraida, who Ampang MP, said the letter was the strongest proof yet of Umno-BN’s blatant abuse of power to maintain its grip on Putrajaya.

“It (the letter) is proof that BN is willing to use any weapon possible to recapture Selangor from Pakatan (Rakyat),” she said.

Decades of Umno rule have forced the Selangor Pakatan government to deal with a state civil service whose loyality is split. Zuraida believes that Umno is exploiting this but will not succeed.

“We want to send a message to Najib that the civil service is not necessarily with them (Umno-BN). People will not be fooled by their politics of fear… We have our supporters,” she said.

A police report will be lodged against Idris and Hishammuddin, she added.