By Pauline Puah
SEPANG: Forty-one Barisan Nasional (BN) backbenchers left for Taiwan yesterday on a agriculture and industrial technology study trip, while another eight are expected to join them today.
The group led by BN Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) deputy chairman Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin departed from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport here on two flights at 1.45pm and 2.20pm.
Bung Mokhtar, who is Kinabatangan member of parliament (MP), said out of the 41 MPs, nine were from Sabah, 10 from Sarawak and the other 22 from the peninsula. He said another eight BN backbenchers led by BNBBC chairman Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing would leave for Taiwan today.
Bung Mokhtar (seated, centre) checking the names of BN MPs at the KLIA yesterday before 41 of them departed for Taiwan on a study trip. Photo by Suhaimi Yusuf
Bung Mokhtar reiterated that the trip had nothing to do with the opposition front’s claim that it already had a sufficient number of BN MPs to cross over on Sept 16 to form a new government.
He said the 10-day self-sponsored trip, which includes visiting three factories in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung, was planned three months ago but only confirmed two days back.
Interestingly, the backbenchers when met in the airport, appeared in the dark about their itinerary. Some of them also did not know when exactly they would be retuning to Malaysia.
However, they also brushed aside speculation that the trip was prompted by the Sept 16 crossover deadline mooted by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“The question of crossing over does not arise. If one wants to cross over, even if we are there, we can still cross over. Anwar is dreaming that we will be crossing over,” said Batu Pahat Umno MP Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi.
He said the backbenchers would take this opportunity to discuss strategies which they could use when the Dewan Rakyat reconvened on Oct 13. Dewan Rakyat has been adjourned for the fasting month and Hari Raya.
Other MPs spotted at the airport included Datuk Ismail Kassim (Arau-Umno), Datuk Abu Bakar Taib (Langkawi-Umno), Datuk Lee Chee Leong (Kampar-MCA), Chua Tee Yong (Labis-MCA), Liang Teck Meng (Simpang Renggam-Gerakan), Datuk Halimah Mohd Sadique (Tenggara-Umno), Tan Ah Eng (Gelang Patah-MCA), Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh (Putatan-Upko), Datuk Edmund Chong Ket Wah (Batu Sapi-PBS) and Nancy Shukri (Batang Sadong-PBB).
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