MY FEARS

BY CHEDET

1) Lim Kit Siang is reported to have said that I am working hard to ensure the Opposition will not win because I am afraid when the Opposition Government is in place, it will act against all my “misdeeds” when I was Prime Minister.

2) No doubt he is inspired by what happened to Gadaffi and Mubarak. He would love to see me dragged to the courts and sentenced to death or to at least a life sentence. Maybe like Gadaffi I would be murdered.

3) He is right. I am afraid. I am afraid of the kind of abuse of power that has already been shown by one of Pakatan’s great leader who got a senior police officer to frighten Dr Ristina and Ummi Hafilda into withdrawing Ummi’s letter to me.

4) I am afraid of the fabrication of charges so as to put me behind bars. That I am innocent would be irrelevant. What is important is Kit Siang’s satisfaction at seeing me behind bars and more.

5) Other than this I am not afraid. I had always been careful not to abuse the power I had as PM because I was mindful of having to step down and lose power at some stage. If I had abused power my detractors would gleefully expose me and strive to put me behind bars.

6) In fact this has been tried.

7) Since retiring I have been questioned by the police and the AG’s office several times. I was also made to appear before a tribunal to be questioned by all and sundry, including representatives of the Bar Council.

So far nothing could be pinned on me.

9) The anti-corruption people can even now investigate whether I have ever received illegal gratifications, whether I have detained or thrown people into jail for personal reasons, whether I benefitted personally from any of the projects carried out during my time.

10) I have not taken anything that is not mine. In fact all gifts given to me, many very valuable, have been given to the Government including a score of expensive cars. They can be seen in Langkawi or at the old PM’s house in KL. I must admit that I ate some of the fruits given me to prevent them from going bad.

11) I had not allowed my children to do business with the Government or to be candidates in elections though they have been offered several times when I was PM and President of Umno. Only after I stepped down did I allow Mukhriz to contest.

12) Whatever money I now have is from savings during 29 years in the Government. My salaries were not big. But the Government took care of my housing, water and electricity, my travels. I don’t even spend much on food as I get invitations to functions like weddings etc.

13) I was therefore able to save my pay and allowances.

14) Except for Mirzan, my children did not get any scholarships. I believe Mirzan paid back what he owed MARA. He had the scholarship before I became a Minister, in fact when I was expelled from UMNO.

15) I have bought or been given no shares except for 200 Malayan Tobacco shares I bought long before I joined the Government. Other shares are the Unit Trusts issued by PNB and State Governments which I was obliged to buy. I own shares in MICO pharmacy in Alor Star which I set up when I was a private practitioner.

16) I am not interested in getting rich or living a life of luxury. What I have now is far more than I had hoped for when I was dreaming as a student. I am grateful to Allah for what I have and for sparing me to live this long.

17) I am ready to go when my time comes. I am conscious that all that I have will not accompany me to the grave.

18) But for as long as I can I will work hard to prevent evil people and crooks from destroying this country that I love.

SEMALAM DI MALAYA

Aku pulang

Dari rantau

Bertahun-tahun di negeri orang

Oh Malaya

Oh dimana

Kawan dulu

Kawan dulu yang sama berjuang

Oh Malaya

Inilah kisahku semalam di Malaya

Kini rasa sunyi aduhai nasib apalah daya

Aku hanya seorang pengembara

Yang hina

Kekasih hatiku pun telah pula hilang

Hilang tak berpesan

Aduhai sayang apalah daya

Cinta hampa hidupku pun merana

Mana dia