A Malaccan courtship for power and economy

SM Amin SM Amin Updated 7 years ago · Published on 17 Dec 2018 11:00AM · 10 Comments

FOR Malacca Bersatu, Rahim Thamby Chik is an important man.

Party sources said the former chief minister has the “economic brains” and influence to get at least three Umno assemblymen to cross over.

But, his possible entry into Bersatu has raised the ire of PKR and DAP, as well as the public.

Rahim, who was chief minister from 1982 to 1994, was accused of and charged with raping an underage girl in a scandal that sent DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng to jail. But, the rape charge was later dropped due to insufficient evidence.

He was also among the trio who publicly screened a sex tape allegedly involving Anwar Ibrahim in March 2011. They were later fined.

Nevertheless, the state Bersatu and Rahim have courted each other at three meetings over the past two months in a bid to boost the party’s ranks and bring down Umno’s numbers in the state legislature.

Bersatu now has two reps in the Malacca Legislative Assembly – the same number as Amanah – while PKR has three, DAP (8) and Umno (13). Amanah’s Adly Zahari is the current chief minister.

“He (Rahim) has experience and can help us develop Malacca,” a source told The Malaysian Insight.

“He can advise us on entrepreneurship, and is experienced owing to his position in Gabem,” he said, referring to the Malay economic group formed by the Umno Supreme Council.

The sources said Rahim made the first move to join Bersatu, led by his one-time political patron, Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“He wanted to join Bersatu and conveyed his desire at the first meeting, and we conveyed it to the party leadership,” said a source.

Bersatu comprises dissidents who left Umno after expressing dissatisfaction with then party president Najib Razak’s leadership. But, Rahim stuck with the Barisan Nasional lynchpin until after the May 9 general election, which saw the party suffering a huge loss.

The sources also said Rahim’s entry into Bersatu could be smoother than most people think.

“Rahim said he has made up with Lim Guan Eng and (Amanah president) Mohamad Sabu,” said a source familiar with the matter.

Both Lim and Mohamad could not be contacted to confirm this.

Lim was jailed 18 months for publishing details of Rahim’s sex scandal under the Sedition Act 1984 and Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

The Malaysian Insight has been made to understand that Rahim is trying to meet PKR president Anwar, and a deputy minister from the party is acting as the intermediary.

Apart from Rahim, two other former Umno stalwarts have joined Bersatu: former Malacca chief minister Adib Adam on September 16 and Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, who was accepted as a member last week.

Rahim has said he will persuade former chief ministers Mohd Ali Rustam and Idris Haron to follow him into Bersatu.

Bukit Katil Bersatu committee member Mohd Ruddin Abdul Ghani said Rahim’s entry into the party is a perception issue.

“Everyone makes mistakes, but Rahim was not charged in court. He was never jailed,” said the former Bukit Katil MP. – December 17, 2018.

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Comments

  • Ai, that sounds like, "I help you, you help me"

    Posted 7 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply

  • we voted to get rid of all this rascals and Tun bring them back. well done tun. we were hoping you have changed and help rebuilt the country...but unfortunately....

    Posted 7 years ago by . . · Reply

  • If Rahim Thambi is accepted into Amanah or Bersatu, it is the end of PH. Rakyat are not going to forget and PH has signed their own death warrants. Rahim Thambi is not even an MP and can't remember that both the ex MB are .What's the purpose and rationale behind it. Is PH lack of competent leaders especially PPBM as can be seen in their two states MBs performance.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Are they short sighted not to see the long term negative impact on Bersatu if Rahim is accepted. This also means Bersatu is willing to CONDONE all the previous actions by the Rahim!!

    Posted 7 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

  • Fret not netizens. He submitted application form only. By doing so, Bersatu will have official documents to vet his name and final approval is still pending. Don't jump the guns! Recently alotof frogs jumping over and submitting forms but approved or not we don't know. If kena rejected, I guess they'd not publish it. IMHO only.

    Posted 7 years ago by Ryan Li · Reply

  • Many Malay-Muslims especially those from UMNO, PAS, Muslim NGOs and now Bersatu and PKR, have no moral, no honor, no dignity in their lives. Animals are better than them.

    Posted 7 years ago by Jackal Way · Reply

  • Now we all know why Malay parties will end up corrupt and self-serving. To all right-minded people, Rahim Thamby Chik is sampah sarap and has good experience in raping underaged girls and being a munafik - slandering and spreading lies.

    Posted 7 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • What a dumshit CM Melaka talking u need rahim to help u develop Melaka what the pigshit are u talking u stupid cm Shame on U Asshole.

    Posted 7 years ago by Danial Abdullah · Reply

  • It smacks of "corruption". Take him in and he will get (or influence) three (3) UMNO reps to cross over!.

    Posted 7 years ago by Ravinder Singh · Reply

  • Why not bersatu malacca goes back to their mother UMNO....Its better to have the Rakyat make another decision in another By-Election than to allow these FROGs running their life...

    Posted 7 years ago by Jeffrey Ng · Reply