GE15: Azman won't apologise over 'Kerajaan Zina' speech
MOHD ISKANDAR OTHMAN29 Nov 2022 05:22pm
Azman (right) while campaining at Kampung Nesa on Tuesday.
Azman said this after being called up for questioning by the police over a statement in which he is alleged to have used the word "Kerajaan Zina" (Government of Adultery) in describing the unity government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was appointed to the post last Thursday by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah upon consultation with the Council of Malay Rulers.
Pakatan Harapan and Umno leaders lambasted Azman over his speech, stating his choice of words had insulted the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which resulted in several police reports being lodged over the matter.
Azman confirmed that he had been questioned and had his statements recorded at the Kulim Hi-Tech Police Station at midnight on Monday.
Asserting that his statements had been misunderstood, Azman said that certain parties claimed that he was insulting the King.
“My statement did not refer to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, instead what I said was about Umno’s principles and what was resolved in the Umno General Assembly 2021 where the party had decided not to work with Anwar and DAP. However, Umno leaders went against this and made Umno members below them angry.
"When there is no longer any favour from members and their leaders go against party rules, what can I say? It is quite harsh,” he said to the media after campaigning in Kampung Nesa here on Tuesday.
Azman stressed that he will not be making an apology, as was prompted by some before, because his statement was only referring to Umno leaders who went against the resolution and the party’s principles.
On Monday, Pakatan Harapan candidate Dr Mohamad Sofee Razak called for Azman to apologise to the King for characterising the unity government as a ‘zina’(adultery) government.
Mohamad Sofee said that Azman’s statement was extreme because the proposal to create a unity government came from the King himself.
“The King himself wanted to create a unity government that involved all parties but it has been labelled this way by the PN candidate,” he said.
