MURID SEKOLAH DIARAH MENYAMAR PERWAKILAN CAWANGAN

Berikut ialah sedutan petikan berita dari Malaysiakini online mengenai perbuatan menjadikan murid-murid sekolah sebagai perwakilan cawangan UMNO seperti yang berlaku di UMNO Bahagian Tanah Merah pada Tahun 2004. Lebih 80 murid Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Hamzah, Machang , Kelantan yang menginap di asrama telah dibawa ke Tanah Merah tanpa pengetahuan dan kebenaran ibubapa/keluarga mereka. Mereka telah dibawa berkumpul di Sekolah Menengah Dato Mahmud Paduka Raja 2, Tanah Merah sebelum diagih-agihkan ke cawangan-cawangan tertentu di Bahagian Tanah Merah. Apabila dibawa pulang ke asrama sekolah kesemua murid berkenaan gagal memasuki asrama kerana pintu pagar telah dikunci. Terpaksalah kesemua murid tersebut merempat di rumah kawan-kawan mereka. Individu gila kuasa yang melakukan perbuatan ini yang pada waktu itu menawarkan diri untuk bertanding jawatan Ketua UMNO Bahagian Tanah Merah telah diidapati bersalah dengan kesalahan politik wang dan dijatuhkan hukuman gantung keahlian oleh Lembaga Displin UMNO. Namun pegawai Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri Kelantan serta Pengetua yang terlibat secara langsung dalam mengurus murid-murid sekolah tersebut tidak pernah dikenakan apa-apa tindakan sehubungan perbuatan menjerumuskan murid-murid sekolah dalam kancah politik kepartian UMNO. Kementerian Pelajaran diminta menjelaskan mengapa pegawai terbabit "dibebaskan" atau "diberikan perlindungan" walaupun kesalahan yang dilakukan amat besar kerana sehingga sekarang ke semua pegawai yang terlibat tidak dikenakan sebarang tindakan. Malah pegawai yang berkaitan terus pula menikmati kenaikan pangkat yang dikhabarkan akan menjawat jawatan Pengarah Pelajaran Negeri Kelantan tidak lama lagi. Ikutilah lapuran berikut:-

Kelantan school reports to ministry on Umno scam
Claudia Theophilus Jul 29, 04 7:27pm
A report, prepared by Kelantan SMK Hamzah1 principal Norzilan Ab Ghani, on allegations that Upper Six students of her school had voted in Umno’s branch meetings, has been submitted to the Kelantan Education Department and the Education Ministry.
She confirmed that a report has been sent but declined to go into details when contacted today.
“They (top education officials) already know about it because I’ve sent them the report. But I cannot comment on this, so please ask them for the details,” Norzilan said, politely declining to take further questions.
The semi-residential school in Machang is currently embroiled in allegations that 100 of its students - all 19 years old - had voted at a number of Umno branch meetings early this month. They were also accused of being involved in the party’s money politics.
The protest action committee, led by Umno-linked Belia 4B chairperson Bahari Mohamad Nor and Pertubuhan Belia Berwawasan president Amran Abdul Rahman, lodged a police report on July 25 over the incident.
Yesterday, they filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam).
In addition to the secondary students, the protest action committee also alleged that about 50 University Teknologi Malaysia (UiTM) students at the Machang campus, as well as their identity cards, were abused in the scam.
The Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 bars students from participating in any political activity.
Paid RM20-RM50
The secondary and UiTM students, who were earlier taken to the branches as observers, were reportedly voted at the meetings held between June 27 and 29.
The students claimed they were paid between RM20 and RM50 each to attend the Umno branch meetings as members and to vote for potential candidates vying for the Tanah Merah Umno division chief post.
The secondary school students were given ICs belonging to those UiTM students who were unable to attend the branch meetings. They were supposed to attend as observers, which formed part of their field trip into the world of politics.
Citing written acknowledgments by the sixth formers, the committee said they were duped into taking the one-way trip after being told that they will be attending a motivational seminar in Tanah Merah.
Kelantan Education director Shafii Ismail, Education Director-General Abdul Rafie Mahat nor his deputy Kusaini Hasbullah could be reached for comments today.
Meanwhile, when contacted today, UiTM deputy vice chancellor (student affairs) Prof Nasuddin Othman directed all queries on the matter to the director of the Machang campus Prof Hussin @ Mohamed Abdul Rahman.
“We have complete trust in (Prof) Hussin to handle the matter,” he said.
However, Hussin was not available for comment as he was away attending a meeting.
Deceived by challenger
Challenger Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz, the Tanah Merah Umno Youth chief and national Youth exco member, is attempting to oust incumbent Hashim Safin.
Following a complaint filed by Hashim with Kelantan Umno and the party’s disciplinary committee in mid-July, the Tanah Merah Umno division meeting, which was earlier scheduled for July 20, has been suspended indefinitely.
According to the protest committee, the students were deceived by Ikmal Hisham, into disguising as members to overwhelm the incumbent.
Hashim obtained 33 nominations while Ikmal Hisham garnered 73 after all the branches within the Tanah Merah division concluded their meetings.
Attempts to contact Ikmal Hisham for comments proved futile.