Rizalman lodges report over possible assault

Tenom: Umno Tenom chief Datuk Rizalman Abdullah has lodged a police report alleging that one of his political enemies had hired someone to beat him up.

According to him, he was having a drink with friends at a hotel in Kota Kinabalu when he saw an acquaintance from Libaran, Sandakan, entering the premise at 2.30pm on the said day. He said just as he was leaving the hotel, his friend from Libaran came over and told him that a certain "Datuk" had allegedly requested him to look for thugs to beat him up. At this juncture, Rizalman said he asked whether he was willing to make a police report, to which his friend readily agreed.

He then brought him to the police station in Karamunsing to make the report.
"I made the police report so that police can carry out an investigation and take action," he said. His friend, in his statement, said a Datuk stopped him in front of a hotel at Jalan Gaya at 8.45pm on Dec. 6.

He claimed that the Datuk offered him RM5,000 if he agreed to beat up Rizalman. He further claimed that the Datuk gave him an "advance payment" of RM300. However, he did not carry out the instruction by the Datuk but informed Rizalman of the alleged plan when he met the latter at the hotel the following day. "I made the report as a reminder that should Rizalman be beaten up by people I do not want to be blamed," he said.

Meanwhile, Rizalman said he lodged a report with the Anti Corruption Agency (ACA) on Dec. 5 that a party leader had allegedly prevented more than 100 delegates from attending the Tenom Umno delegates meeting scheduled for Dec. 6 by bringing them to Kota Kinabalu and Tuaran, instead. He claimed he has proof that the delegates were coerced and sweet-talked to abandon the party meeting.

Tenom Umno had yet to convene its annual delegates meeting due to some glitches. On the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Rizalman had announced that there would be no contest for the posts of division chief, deputy chief and vice chief. However, contrary to Rizalman's claim, division leaders said they had received nominations to contest.

Daily Express: 09/12/2008.