UMNO Youth vs UMNO President

Plagued every day by loan sharks, a mother today cast off her gambler son.

"I have no link to him any more. Please stop harassing me and go after him," said Chong Au Yen, 60, looking defeated and tired.

The woman, from Jinjang Utara here, is the third parent this year to disown a child for gambling debts before Datuk Michael Chong, head of the MCA’s complaints bureau.

Mother disowning son? Why? Because the son misbehave!

But what about son disowning the father?

UMNO President and Prime Minister recently announced that a permanent independent panel to monitor the conduct of the police force will be set up as soon as possible.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that one of the main functions of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission would be to review public complaints involving police actions. The special panel is being set up as recommended by the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operations and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police.

"I cannot say whether we are for or against (the formation of the police commission) until later. We feel it is vital to listen to the police themselves," UMNO Youth President Hishammuddin said.

Asked about Umno Youth’s stand on the nude-squat issue and the Kajang police action to shave the heads of 11 men detained for a gambling offence, Hishammuddin said:

"Such actions cannot be condoned and let us not use incidents like these to tarnish an institution that we have built since Independence."

Viewing the stand of UMNO Youth whose Deputy President is Khairy Jamaluddin, the son-in-law of Abdullah Badawi, one cannot discard the observation that the stand was a direct slap in the face of the Prime Minister and of the Father-in-law.

The stand of Youth President and Deputy President should be convergent by doctrine unless otherwise stated.

Hishamuddin said an independent commission in itself would not solve all problems affecting the force. "Whether it is going to resolve all the allegations (against the police) has yet to be seen but the morale, discipline and commitment of the whole force is at stake," he said, adding there were existing mechanisms for checks and balances in the police force.

Umno Youth wants to meet the police top brass before deciding whether to support the proposed formation of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission.

Hishammuddin said the movement would gather feedback on the constraints and problems faced by the force before making their recommendations. Based on the findings, he said, Umno Youth would then offer its views to the Prime Minister.

"I think people (including the Prime Minister; I suppose) have forgotten the role played by the police in ensuring the peace and stability we are all enjoying today," Hishammuddin said. In Hishamuddin's view, it was easy to play up issues without considering the situations faced by those carrying out their responsibilities. (hei Hisham, you mean the PM do not take this point into consideration when he decided to set up the commission?).

Would Khairy please stand up?