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From: The Straits Times
Date: 05 May 1999
Time: 00:19:58
The move to infiltrate the party was part of efforts by the US to weaken Malaysia's unity, minister claims
MALACCA -- Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Abdul Hamid Othman has accused the United States of attempting to recruit 12 Malaysians as Central Intelligence Agency spies to infiltrate Umno.
The move to infiltrate the party at the grassroots level was part of efforts by the US to disrupt the unity in the country, he said.
Umno should be careful of such elements as the colonial powers in the past used the same method to weaken a country, he said.
"This was practised by the Dutch when they wanted to colonise Indonesia. The Americans did this to weaken the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Japan and also the Congress Party of India.
"Now they are doing the same thing to Malaysia as they recognise that to weaken the country and its leadership, they have to do so by appointing agents who can infiltrate Umno at the grassroots level," he said.
He warned that it would be difficult to spot such agents as they might practise "our way and follow us, but they are aligned to the West".
Datuk Abdul Hamid, who is also an Umno Supreme Council member, said the US was doing this to influence the economy and affairs of Malaysia, especially as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad was critical of American policies.
He was speaking to reporters after launching the Selandar Umno delegates' conference on Sunday.
The minister said the strength of Islam and Umno depended on the unity of its members, who would have to work for stability.
He also warned of certain elements -- namely university lecturers, writers, missionaries and those from non-governmental organisations whom he said were out to poison the minds of the younger generation by twisting the facts about Islam and calling for Western-style democracy and freedom.
"These people could be religious scholars who have stayed abroad for so long and adopted the Western ideals of freedom, human rights and democracy, and they may have poisoned the minds of our younger generation.
"We have to accept the fact that such ideals are not suitable here as we have our own ways and, therefore, we can't totally adopt their style," he said.
In Johor Baru, National Front secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Rahmat said that the coalition was aware of a conspiracy by opposition parties to enlist foreign help to discredit and bring down Dr Mahathir.
The opposition, he said, had taken its cause overseas and was lobbying for support from foreign powers.
"These people have no nationalistic goals, but their entire...struggle is aimed at bringing down individuals in the government," he said. New Straits Times