Don’t conspire with foreigners, says Salleh

Minister says involvement of foreign money is proven in determining Malaysia’s political landscape

KUALA LUMPUR: Only Malaysians should determine the country’s political landscape, said communications and multimedia minister Salleh Said Keruak today as Umno leaders warned of a “conspiracy” to “topple the government”.

Salleh said: “We are a government elected by the people. Any changes, if any, must be done during the general election as the election is the time for us to compete in politics. Both sides will present their policies and the people can determine which party should rule.”

“What is wrong is when we are involved in attempts to topple the government undemocratically where we conspire with certain quarters especially now that the involvement of foreign money is proven in determining Malaysia’s political landscape,” he added, according to Astro Awani.

Salleh cited the Sarawak Report blog as an example of foreign-owned media which tried to manipulate facts with what he called tampered documents.

Sarawak Report has carried an extensive series of reports providing details of dubious financial dealings by the government investment arm 1Malaysia Development Bhd, which is now under investigation by the government and Parliament.

Among Salleh’s first act as minister was to order a block on access to Sarawak Report. The minister, a recent appointee to the Cabinet, is a staunch supporter of Najib Razak.

He backed a claim by recently-appointed deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Saturday that there was a “plot” to “topple” the government.

Salleh said there must be a basis to such a claim as the deputy prime minister himself had spoken about it.

However Zahid’s remarks, at an Umno event, referred to attempts by an Umno leader to secure declarations from Barisan Nasional and opposition MPs to back a motion of no confidence in the prime minister.

His claims of a “plot to topple the government” have been dismissed by other politicians including Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who said a confidence motion in Parliament was nothing unusual. “Only the military can topple a government,” he had said in response to Ahmad Zahid’s claim.

Salleh said the only place for the people to make their choices was at the general election. “The people have given the mandate to the Barisan Nasional to rule so we should be given the trust to continue carrying out our policies,” he said.