UMNO'S NEW LIFEGUARD?

Ummi Hafilda Ali trained her machine gun at his brother Azmin Ali as well as Anwar Ibrahim, saying she wants to save the country from Anwar. Among her claims were that Anwar fathered an illegitimate child with Shamsidar, the wife of her brother Azmin Ali.

Now this is not a fresh allegation but was subject of a court case where the author of 50 Reasons Why Anwar Cannot be PM in which the author of the book Khalid Jafri was found guilty of publishing false information under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984. In the trial, DNA tests proved that Shamsidar and Azmin were the biological parents of the child and not Anwar. So based on this, is Ummi telling the truth? You judge.

After a 13 year hiatus, Ummi Hafilda Ali has resurfaced to launch a fresh assault on her nemesis Anwar Ibrahim and her brother Azmin Ali during a press conference today.

Backed by eight 'supporters' who jeered whenever journalists posed tough questions to her, Ummi Hafilda was a picture of calm as she delivered a flurry of fresh and renewed allegations against the duo during the one-hour long session.

Chief among her allegations were aimed at Azmin's wife Shamsidar Taharin.

Among others, Ummi Hafilda claimed that Shamsidar was appointed to a high ranking post in a bank through dubious means by Anwar when he was finance minister.

“I will submit such evidence to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) soon. You will all be informed of this.

"I am also prepared to swear and take an oath on the Quran on this just as what Mohd Saiful (Bukhari Azlan) did,” she said, referring to the alleged complainant in Anwar's ongoing second sodomy trial.

Ummi Hafilda also repeated allegations that Anwar and Shamsidar had an illegitimate child.

“You can compare the picture of this daughter with Azmin's other children,” she said.

This allegation was first raised in Khalid Jafri's book 50 Reasons Why Anwar Cannot be PM in 1998. In 2005, he was found guilty under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 for publishing false information.

During the course of the trial, it was determined that DNA tests showed that Azmin and Shamsidar was the biological parents of the child in question.

Azmin soured family ties

Ummi Hafilda also accused Azmin of souring family ties by distancing himself.

“Before Azmin and Shamsidar went for the haj pilgrimage last year, they met mother. Mother had advised them to repent. I heard Shamsidar saying they will.

“However, despite all the allegations (it was) I that have been described as an outcast in the family. This is not true as I am close with the family but it is Azmin who chose to distance himself,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ummi Hafilda also attempted to paint Azmin as a one-time loyalist of former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“When Azmin was 25, he would follow Mahathir anywhere. Mahathir had even visited and shortly tended Azmin when he lost his kidney. Yet, Azmin had turned against Mahathir later,” she said while showing three pictures of Azmin with Mahathir.

Training her guns on Anwar, Ummi Hafilda described him as a hypocrite who had enriched himself and his cronies.

She alleged that through Azmin, Anwar had attempted to offer her RM30 million to retract her allegations related to the first sodomy trial.

"I declined the offer as I know Anwar's true character and I am a patriot. You can also ask KS Nallakarupan," she said, referring to Anwar's former tennis buddy turned enemy.

To a question, Ummi Hafilda denied claims that she was being sponsored by former Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin, Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and former Malacca Chief Minister Rahim Tamby Chik.

“There is no truth to such claims. I did not receive anything from Umno or (Prime Minister) Najib (Abdul Razak),” she said.

'Anwar is afraid of me'

To another question, Ummi Hafilda said that she will campaign for Umno and BN if she receives an invitation to do so.

“If anyone is willing to invite me, I will go. Some may say Anwar is a great orator but I know he is afraid of me,” she said.

She said that during the 2008 general elections, she stayed out of the fray and this led to Anwar campaigning "arrogantly".

“You see Anwar spreading lies and because of this the opposition won five states. If I go around the country campaigning that will be the end of Anwar because I know his secrets,” she said.

Ummi Hafilda said she did not help former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the election campagin as he had attacked Mahathir and introduced questionable policies.