Azalina bukan wanitakah?

Episod-episod yang berlaku selepas pilihan raya umum ke-12, 8 Mac lalu banyak menimbulkan kejutan rakyat. Memang benar tanggapan bahawa kita dilanda tsunami politik. Bagaimanapun, kita harus bersyukur kerana rakyat pada keseluruhannya menunjukkan kematangan yang tinggi sungguhpun tsunami politik yang berlaku benar-benar mengubah tapografi politik tanah air.

Sungguhpun terdapat usaha sesetengah pihak khususnya para penyokong parti pembangkang di Pulau Pinang, Perak dan Selangor yang cuba mengocak sentimen kaum; namun ianya tidak mendapat sambutan dan majoriti rakyat masih boleh berfikiran waras.

Sepatutnya kita perlu memberi peluang kepada parti-parti yang berjaya dalam pilihan raya lalu untuk membentuk kerajaan dan membuat perancangan untuk melaksanakan janji-janji manifesto masing-masing. Usahlah kerana dibuai sentimen yang tebal kita melakukan perkara-perkara yang boleh mengocak keharmonian dan perpaduan kaum.

Dalam banyak-banyak episod pasca pilihan raya ini, saya amat tertarik dengan kemelut yang berlaku dalam Wanita Umno berhubung isu perlantikan anggota kabinet.

Umum mengetahui bahawa Ketua Wanita Umno, Dato' Seri Rafidah Aziz digugurkan daripada kabinet. Timbalan Ketuanya, Dato' Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil khabarnya dilantik sebagai penasihat bertaraf menteri kepada Perdana Menteri hanya setelah 50 pemimpin sayap Umno itu memberontak tidak puas hati.

Kebanyakan pemimpin Wanita Umno yang ditemuramah kecewa kerana 'tidak seorangpun' wakil sayap Umno itu dilantik menganggotai kabinet.

Apa yang menghairankan saya, bekas Ketua Puteri Umno, Dato' Azalina Othman Said telah pun disenaraikan sebagai Menteri Pelancongan menggantikan rakan karib peguam kontroversi VK Lingam, Dato' Tengku Adnan Mansor.

Azalina pernah disebut-sebut bakal mencabar Rafidah bagi jawatan Ketua Wanita Umno dan hasratnya itu disokong secara terbuka oleh Ketua Umno Bahagian Cheras. Pastinya Azalina sudah menganggotai Wanita Umno, jika tidak mustahil namanya disebut-sebut sebagai pencabar Rafidah. Jadi mengapa pula Azalina tidak diiktiraf Wanita Umno sebagai mewakili organisasi mereka sungguh pun beliau tidak memegang apa-apa jawatan dalam parti. Bukankah Azalina Othman Said itu perempuan?

IMBASANBERITA LAMA YANG BERKATAN

Rumours intensify over possible challenge for Puteri Umno chief post
Nash Rahman May 16, 02 11:38am
Malaysiakini.com
The Umno Supreme Council’s decision last Friday to accord the post of vice-president to the person at the helm of the Puteri Umno wing has intensified rumours of a possible challenge to current chief Azalina Othman during the wing’s upcoming election.

Puteri Umno will hold its inaugural election in October after the Special Umno General Assembly next month approves the wing’s constitution.

Talks is circulating that Azalina would be challenged by one of the wing’s six former exco members who relinquished their posts due to differences with the former.
The six are known as the ‘Enam jahanam’ (the wicked six) among Azalina’s supporters.
The Puteri Umno chief, a lawyer turned politician, was embroiled in controversy recently when a tabloid, Perdana Sari, alleged that she was a lesbian and had used the wing’s money to buy her lover a luxury car.

Though coverage of the issue has dwindled in the mainstream media, two pro-Umno websites — Kelab Maya Umno and Selangordaily.com — are still providing extensive reports on the matter.
Both websites which have clearly expressed their support for the leader have been publishing various articles in a bid to clear her name.
Duo interrogated

Among them is the transcript from an alleged meeting between Azalina’s faction and two former exco members, Rohaya Atan and Erma Fatima.
Selangordaily.com reported that the duo were “interrogated” over their “involvement” in a plot to tarnish Azalina’s reputation.

The report said Rohaya had insisted that she would only talk to Azalina personally, or deputy Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi or Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Both Rohaya and Erma were said to have earlier received a SMS message from Azalina asking them to meet her.

According to the transcript the duo were later told by a person identified only as Roy that Azalina could not attend and had instructed the others known as Ros, Orkid, Duri and Shila, to proceed with the meeting.

They tried to coax the duo into listing out their dislikes concerning Azalina and even offered to arrange a meeting with Mahathir and Abdullah.

Azalina’s aides also reportedly told the duo that the Puteri Umno chief is willing to step down if they could provide proof about her allegations.
Providing ammunition
The transcript further added that Erma was accused of providing Perdana Sari with the ammunition to attack Azalina.

Erma, a popular actress, was also alleged to have asked another tabloid to publish stories following the suspension of Perdana Sari’s publishing permit. Erma denied the charges.
The Home Affairs Ministry said the suspension was not related to Azalina’s story but to certain explicit photographs published in its latest edition.