Umno's by hook or by crook

'Umno soliciting citizenship to boost vote bank'

Selangor PKR today produced a document to back a claim that Umno is trying to get citizenship for some 2,000 permanent residents in Hulu Selangor, to bolster its vote bank for the next general election.

Selangor deputy chairperson Zuraida Kamaruddin (left in photo) showed reporters a letter to 'prove' her claim, and called the move Umno's abuse of government process.


The letter, dated March 23, and signed by Hulu Selangor Umno division chief Mohamed Idris Abu Bakar, was addressed to Home Minister and Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein.

"It is with pleasure that we inform you that we have identified and verified a list of individuals who are potential voters who can help the BN win in Hulu Selangor in the 13th general election,” reads the letter.

"They are students, entrepreneurs and the gainfully employed, all of whom are expected to contribute to the development of the country while also assisting the BN to win in the election, especially the 13th general election.

"As such, we hope that (you) can grant early approval so we can process the applications smoothly," Idris said in the letter (right).

The letter was printed with an Umno letterhead purportedly belonging to the party's Hulu Selangor division and was sent to the Home Ministry in Putrajaya.

Civil servants 'no longer compliant' 

According to Zuraida, a concerned civil servant passed her the letter last Friday.

"We will lodge police reports about this tomorrow in Hulu Selangor, one against Idris as the Hulu Selangor Umno division chief and another against Hishammuddin," she said.

"It appears that there is a syndicate doing this, and it is no longer a secret. He has even gone to an employment agency."

Zuraida, who is PKR Wanita head, claimed that most of those listed in Idris' request are Indonesians. The list of applicants, however, was not shown to the media.

She said the fact that it was a civil servant who had raised the matter serves as a message to the BN government.

"We want to send the message that civil servants no longer support them. They (the civil servants) no longer succumb to the politics of intimidation and fear.

"The rakyat knows not to protect things that are not proper and this information was given to us on that basis."

Mohamed Idris could not be reached for comments despite several attempts by Malaysiakini.

When contacted, Hulu Selangor parliamentarian P Kamalanathan could not issue a response on the matter as he was occupied in another engagement.

By Aidila Razak (Malaysiakini)