19 May 2012

Meet butt-strutting Ali, who paid RM1 mil for Datukship...

Who is the leader of the group of middle aged men whose vulgar protest in front of Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan's house last Tuesday drew condemnations?


MAN IN THE MIDDLE ... Ali Baharom (middle), seen here with Putera MIC leader and MP for Hulu Selangor, P Kamalanathan (left), at a presentation ceremony

While the group leader, Mohd. Ali Baharom, shot to infamy with what is now known as the 'butt protest', a little known fact is that in 2006, Ali had paid a whopping RM250,000 in order to be called a 'Datuk'.

Five years later, he told UMNO mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia

But Ali also followed the age-old belief that 'sharing is caring'.

“I also bought a 'Datuk' title for another friend for the same amount, the total cost including the cost of entertainment for the agent came to around RM1 million," said Ali in the report published in January last year. He added that he believed the honorific on his name would brighten his future in business.

On Tuesday, Ali, who is president of a little-known group called Malay Army Veterans Association, appeared with his followers carrying explicit posters condemning Ambiga and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, and stood with their rears facing Ambiga's home in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.


Recalling the incident, Ambiga told news portal Malaysiakini that she served her taunters with soft drinks, only to be told by Ali that as Malay Muslims, they would only drink 'air suam' (warm water).

While Ali's attempt to tie religion and race with his taste for the country's cheapest drink on the menu may have surprised Malaysians, his action has attracted condemnations.

"When UMNO displays such dirty behaviour, innocent Muslims had to carry the shame. Now when even UMNO's non-Muslim friends criticised their antics, do the think that other Muslims are not embarassed?" asked PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar in his reaction. 


UMNO Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin and Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon have also both criticised the antics of anti-Ambiga protesters at the residential neighbourhood.

Ali has meanwhile defended his act, claiming it prompted Bersih not to call for the fourth rally for electoral reforms.- harakahdaily




 Hero senaman punggung mengaku beli 'datuk'

Siapakah sebenarnya tokoh di belakang 'senaman punggung' di depan rumah Datuk S Ambiga kini menarik perhatian ramai kerana beliau juga mengeluarkan fatwa air '100 plus' haram untuk orang Islam.

"Kami orang Islam tak minum air ni, kami minum air suam sahaja," kata Mohd. Ali Baharom kepada Ambiga.

Beliau mengetuai sekumpulan bekas tentera membuat senaman 'punggung' di depan rumah pemimpin Bersih itu baru-baru ini.


Jawapan itu diberikan Ali ketika menjawab tawaran air tin '100 Plus' oleh Ambiga selepas kesemua mereka kelihatan letih membuat senaman itu di depan rumahnya.

Rupanya, Mohd. Ali (gambar) jugalah salah seorang yang membeli gelaran 'datuk' untuk dipakainya sebelum ini.

Pengakuan ini dibuat beliau dalam akhbar Umno, Utusan Malaysia pada 12 Januari 2011 lalu.

Dalam berita itu, Presiden Persatuan Veteran Tentera Melayu (PVTM), (Datuk) Mohd. Ali Baharom itu memohon maaf kepada semua pihak yang mengenalinya dengan gelaran ‘Datuk’ sebelum ini kerana ia sebenarnya palsu dan tidak diperakukan.

Menurutnya, kesilapan itu perlu diakui dan diperbetulkan segera memandangkan beliau kini bergiat aktif dalam kerja-kerja kebajikan dan tidak mahu ia disalah anggap pada masa depan.

“Hari ini saya mahu membersihkan nama saya dengan memohon maaf secara terbuka kepada semua pihak termasuk media kerana menggunakan gelaran ‘Datuk’ yang telah saya ‘beli’ pada 2006 dengan RM250,000.

“Selain untuk saya sendiri, saya juga membelikan gelaran ‘Datuk’ buat seorang lagi kawan dengan harga sama dan kos keseluruhan termasuk menyediakan hiburan kepada penjual adalah sekitar RM1 juta,” katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia.


Mohd. Ali memakai gelaran itu yang kononnya dianugerahkan oleh institusi diraja dari sebuah negeri di bahagian utara Semenanjung pada 2006 menerusi seorang ejen dan ahli kerabat institusi itu.

(Mohd. Ali [tengah] ketika dalam satu majlis bersama anggota Parlimen Hulu Selangor, P Kamalanathan)

Mohd. Ali memimpin 15 rakan-rakannya membuat senaman punggung dengan cara menonggengkan punggung mereka ke rumah Datuk Ambiga kerana membantah penglibatannya dalam Bersih.

Bagi Mohd. Ali, Ambiga tidak menghormati Perdana Menteri ketika menganjurkan perhimpunan Bersih yang dihadiri oleh lebih 250,000 orang yang kebanyakannya anak muda itu.-harakahdaily



cheers.

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