Tear Gas Spray Forces Dr Mahathir To Cancel Speech
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A taste of his own medicine?
Tear Gas Spray Forces Dr Mahathir To Cancel Speech
July 28, 2006 14:36 PM
http://www.bernama.com/
KOTA BAHARU, July 28 (Bernama) -- Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who arrived here this morning for a one-day visit to Kelantan was forced to cancel his speech to an awaiting crowd at the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport when an unknown person sprayed tear gas into his face.
He was seen coughing as he stood in a sun-roof four wheel-drive to begin his speech using a loudhailer at about 11am.
More than 1,000 people had gathered at the airport to wait for the arrival of the former premier.
Meanwhile, State Police Chief Datuk Zulkifli Abdullah said police had yet to identify the substance used in the tear gas and that no arrest had been made.
"Investigation will take some time," he told reporters.
Seeing that Dr Mahathir was coughing badly, a few of his assistants led him out of the four-wheel drive to another vehicle and left the airport.
Several journalists, cameramen and photographers from the local and foreign media who were nearby Dr Mahathir also complained of eye irritation after the incident.
Dr Mahathir's special officer, Sufi Yusoff, when contacted said, Dr Mahathir's health was not affected by the incident and that the former prime minister would continue with the programme on his visit as scheduled.
Among those present to greet Dr Mahathir at the airport were former Kelantan Menteri Besar Tan Sri Mohamed Yaacob, former Pasir Mas MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali and former New Straits Times Group Editor-in-Chief Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad.
Dr Mahathir, who then attended a luncheon at a hotel, would attend a programme organised by former Umno elected representatives later in the day before giving a speech at a dinner hosted by the Kelantan People's Action Council led by Ibrahim.
-- BERNAMA -
Dat shows his popularity huh?
Cheers.
C.K -
I'm also irked and wish to express my regret as well
Abdullah Irked By Tear Gas Incident
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- Expressing regret over the tear gas incident which befell Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Kota Baharu Friday, the prime minister ordered the police to conduct an immediate investigation and to take stern action against those responsible for the act.
"I regret and am very angry such an incident has happened," Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also Internal Security Minister told Bernama, noting that he was informed by the police on the incident.
"I have directed the Deputy Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan for the police to take immediate action to probe the incident and to take stern action against those who have committed the act," he said.
The former prime minister who arrived in Kota Baharu this morning for a one-day visit to Kelantan, was forced to cancel his speech to an awaiting crowd at the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport when an unknown person sprayed tear gas into his face.
Dr Mahathir was seen coughing as he stood in a sun-roof four wheel-drive to begin his speech using a loudhailer at about 11 am.
More than 1,000 people had gathered at the airport to wait for the arrival of the former premier.
Abdullah said those responsible for the incident should be severely punished.
He said the matter should be immediately resolved to avoid negative implications and misconception among the public.
The prime minister also feared that certain quarters would take advantage of the incident by disseminating rumours, especially through the Internet.
"As such, the police must be fast in tackling the issue by taking immediate and stern action," said Abdullah.
-- BERNAMA -
Originally posted by 84mmrr:
Who is this Ibrahim?
[b]A taste of his own medicine?
Tear Gas Spray Forces Dr Mahathir To Cancel Speech
July 28, 2006 14:36 PM
http://www.bernama.com/
KOTA BAHARU, July 28 (Bernama) -- Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who arrived here this morning for a one-day visit to Kelantan was forced to cancel his speech to an awaiting crowd at the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport when an unknown person sprayed tear gas into his face.
He was seen coughing as he stood in a sun-roof four wheel-drive to begin his speech using a loudhailer at about 11am.
More than 1,000 people had gathered at the airport to wait for the arrival of the former premier.
Meanwhile, State Police Chief Datuk Zulkifli Abdullah said police had yet to identify the substance used in the tear gas and that no arrest had been made.
"Investigation will take some time," he told reporters.
Seeing that Dr Mahathir was coughing badly, a few of his assistants led him out of the four-wheel drive to another vehicle and left the airport.
Several journalists, cameramen and photographers from the local and foreign media who were nearby Dr Mahathir also complained of eye irritation after the incident.
Dr Mahathir's special officer, Sufi Yusoff, when contacted said, Dr Mahathir's health was not affected by the incident and that the former prime minister would continue with the programme on his visit as scheduled.
Among those present to greet Dr Mahathir at the airport were former Kelantan Menteri Besar Tan Sri Mohamed Yaacob, former Pasir Mas MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali and former New Straits Times Group Editor-in-Chief Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad.
Dr Mahathir, who then attended a luncheon at a hotel, would attend a programme organised by former Umno elected representatives later in the day before giving a speech at a dinner hosted by the Kelantan People's Action Council led by Ibrahim.
-- BERNAMA
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Ibrahim was the former Umno strongman in Kelantan
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He talks too much for a retired politician...
Next time it may not be just tear gas... -
serves him right!
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Retribution.....
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ouch!
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So did he died?
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You know, some people are just weird
They done a lot of great things during their peak, only to ruin it all with lots of silly antics at retirement -
hope so.Originally posted by Manager433:So did he died? -
Lee Teng Hui is a good example....Originally posted by laurence82:You know, some people are just weird
They done a lot of great things during their peak, only to ruin it all with lots of silly antics at retirement -
How could this happen to a Prime Minister of a country who has just stepped down from high office ?
Where is the Security Detail for an ex-PM ?
Even Singapore's LKY and GCT still have their full set of personnels attending to their safety and security - after stepping down from the PM post and taking the backseat.
There should have been at least half the usual number of personnel that usually attend to an ex-PM security - compared to the numbers when he was an active PM. This wuld have at least allow the attacker to be apprehended even if they could not prevent the incident from happening. -
Somehow this reminds me of Zidane.Originally posted by laurence82:You know, some people are just weird
They done a lot of great things during their peak, only to ruin it all with lots of silly antics at retirement -
Karma:
>> What goes round, shall always comes around -
I guess he loss his speech paper so he got to use this trick.
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its horrible what they did to anwar, even if he is guilty.
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He talks too much for a 'ordinary citizen' no wonder people are pissed at him.