Nizar is a DAP stooge as alleged

Andrew Ong & Gabrielle Chong | Mar 31, 09 3:11pm

MCPX exclusive Much controversy surrounded Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin during his 11-month tenure as Perak menteri besar over his relationship with the DAP. During that period, UMNO had repeatedly questioned Mohd Nizar’s authority given that predominantly Chinese DAP had 18 seats in the state assembly and held six of the 10 executive council (exco) posts. This left only three Malay exco members - PAS’ Mohd Zainuddin Yusof and PKR’s Jamaluddin Radzi and Osman Jailu (left). In early February, however, the PKR duo quit their party to become Independents, which contributed to the collapse of the Pakatan Rakyat-led state government. Under the circumstances, Umno leaders had repeatedly labelled Mohd Nizar a “DAP puppet”, and as being under the control of cabinet members Ngeh Khoo Ham and Nga Kor Ming. “Right or wrong, that is a perception which I cannot run away from,” Mohd Nizar told Malaysiakini in an interview at his Ipoh home last Wednesday. He said this perception stemmed from his numerous public appearances with DAP leaders, for example at the press conference following the weekly exco meeting. Mohd Nizar claimed that Jamaluddin and Osman were chain-smokers and would disappear after the meetings, leaving him and Zainuddin as the sole Malay representatives. “By right, Jamaluddin (left) and Osman should be there because there is a press conference. So (that left Zainuddin and me) with non-Malay exco members. “So, what can I do? It is a perception, I know. But if I do not want my DAP exco members to be there, then I am left alone, which is even more absurd! “I cannot erase that, can I? I cannot tell Ngeh and Nga, ‘Look you can just sit aside and I will force these three guys (Malay exco members) to be there’. That is not reflective of the real situation”. Ngeh-Nga factor Cousins Ngeh and Nga are Perak DAP’s most powerful figures. This led to allegations by Umno leaders, particularly former menteri besar Tajol Rosli, that they were the de facto Perak menteri besar. Mohd Nizar, however, attributed his close relationship with the duo as due to their years of experience as state legislators. He said he even regards Ngeh, the elder of the two, as his “trusted deputy”. “Ngeh has been in the House for the last three sessions. He has a lot of experience and is a very senior lawyer. "It would be absurd of me and would look stupid of me as a professional not to tap into his resources and experience… Why should I be stupid enough to leave them aside just because they are non-Malays?” he asked. However, Mohd Nizar said he expects Umno to use the ‘Ngeh-Nga factor’ to the hilt, adding that this is an irrational move for a party that is leading the federal government toward a multiracial Malaysia. “(Ngeh and Nga’s) only sin is that they are brothers [sic]. Why should we penalise them for that? If Nga’s name is ‘Teoh’ and Ngeh’s name is ‘Chong’, I don’t think they (detractors) would have this perception, would they?”