Friday, June 27, 2008

Nizar’s claim in Gerik was underhanded, says Tajol Rosli - The Star

IPOH: Jun 26, 2008

The handing over of duties from Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali to Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin became a bone of contention for the former mentri besar.

Starting with the issue of being labelled a “very bad loser” who refused to salam (shake hands) with Nizar, Tajol Rosli said he had been made to look ”un-gentlemanly” after Barisan Nasional’s defeat.

He said Nizar had told the people of Gerik that he (Tajol Rosli) refused to hold a ceremony to hand over the duties of the mentri besar.

“Look, I have pictures of me shaking hands with Nizar,” said Tajol Rosli, holding up the photographs when debating the motion of thanks for the royal address at the 12th Perak state assembly yesterday.

“How can you then go to Gerik and say something different?” he asked.

Nizar replied that he had not had the privilege of having a ceremony for Tajol Rosli to officially hand over the duties to him as was done in Penang, Selangor and Kedah.

Tajol Rosli replied: “Have you ever called me on the phone to say that there is a need for that? You should also have the courtesy to call me.”

He pointed out that he had not entered his old office since Barisan fell because he did not want to be humiliated by the Pakatan Rakyat government.

“I don’t want all sorts of accusations to be hurled at me such as removing files. I don’t want to be humiliated and I will not let you humiliate me.

“Accusations have been hurled at us as if we were rogues of the highest order,” he said.

“After Barisan fell on the night of March 8, there were people who came to my official residence at 4am the next day, asking me to leave,” he added.

“There had been many occasions when I salam with (greet) you (Nizar) but maybe you don’t see me when I salam,” Tajol Rosli added.

Tajol Rosli ended his debate with the pledge that it was his duty to use just means to bring down the Pakatan government.

“We will work for the interest of the people but for Pakatan it is still a honeymoon period and they are still behaving like the Opposition,” he added.

Tajol Rosli also cited Pantai Remis assemblyman Nga Kor Ming and state DAP chief Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham as wanting to be called “heroes of the people”.

“We are waiting for the time when these two are no longer heroes,” he added.

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