August 11, 2012
Tamrin Ghafar joins PAS to pursue Tun Ghafar’s Vision
By Amin Iskandar
Assistant News Editor, The Malaysian Insider
Dato’ Tamrin Ghafar, the son of former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Ghafar Baba, will submit his membership form to PAS tonight, sources said, making him the second UMNO veteran to leave the ruling Barisan Nasional’s (BN) mainstay in a month.
Tamrin’s defection, coming on the heels of senior Sabah UMNO leader Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin’s resignation from his supreme council seat in the Malay party two weeks ago and pledging support to Pakartan Rakyat (PR), is seen as coup for the opposition in the run-up to the 13th general election due soon.
“Tamrin will hand over his membership form to PAS Deputy President, Mohamad Sabu. “Even before this, he has always been giving speeches with Abang Mat everywhere,” a PAS official who asked not to be named told The Malaysian Insider. He was referring to Mohamad, popularly known as Mat Sabu.
Tamrin was Batu Berendam MP in Malacca for nearly a decade, from 1986 to 1995. The constituency has been renamed Bukit Katil.
His father, the late Tun Ghafar, had been an UMNO strongman since the days 
of the Malaysia’s founding father and first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj. Ghafar had once been Malacca chief minister in the early days of the country’s independence.
But Tamrin, the second of Ghafar’s 11 children, has been batting for the PR pact in the last few years, alleging that UMNO has deviated from its original struggle under Prime Minister and Party President Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s leadership.
“UMNO has run away from original fight to prioritise the people.Under Najib, UMNO no longer defends the people but has taken away their rights,” he had previously said while on the stump with PR leaders in Kuala Lumpur.
For his open criticism of UMNO, Tamrin was given a show-cause letter by the party’s disciplinary board on July 26. PAS has been actively courting and winning over several former pro-establishment figures and top local artistes popular with the Malay community in recent days, in a bid to burnish its progressive Islamist credentials ahead of key polls that must be called by next April.
Malaysia’s longest-serving Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, had recently warned Najib against further estranging members of the ruling coalition, saying any defections could “result in BN losing the next election.”
Well done, Tamrin. It is time for you to make amends for your past and start doing the right thing in honour of Tun Ghafar, the late Deputy Prime Minister. We all know what Mahathir did to Tun Ghafar in favour of Anwar Ibrahim, who was later sacked by this same Mamak Kutty.
the octopussy can’t keep his eight filthy tentacles to himself and keeps messing around with the countrys future, pesky slimy creature. Tun Ghafar Baba was a household name once upon a time who was way above the niveau of our present politicians.
let us sincerely hope that our malay citizens would take note of this and rethink whom they want to vote in the GE13.
Tamrin Ghafar an UMNO veteran? Gimme break. He’s a has been, a notorious character during his time as MP as well as Chairman of MARA. His fame is because of the name Ghafar behind him. Otherwise he’s nothing. Not sure how much value he’ll bring to PAS.
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Orang Malaya,
Tamrin deserves a chance to redeem himself. I spoke to him quite often in the last few months. He is the protector of his father’s legacy. He feels that Mahathir was not fair and kind to Tun Ghafar and abandoned him in favour of Anwar Ibrahim who he removed unceremoniously in 1998. He can win Bukit Katil, Malacca if he is given a chance to be PAS candidate for GE-13.–Din Merican
baguslah si Tamrin dah peluk Pas, BN tak rugi apa pun, si Tamrin bukan kita tak tahu masa arwah bapanya hidup, banyak kena cover taik yg si Tamrin ni dah buat, antara kejatuhan bapanya adalah berpunca dari si Tamrin ni, banyaklah akan didedahkan nanti oleh org2 yg dah lama geram dgn si Tamrin nih.
I hope that khalid jaafar would make way for thamrin. Khalid can always stand in Hulu selangor to take back from mic
Hmm, i would tend to agree with orang malaya and azman re:Tamrin.
Tun Ghafar (God bless his soul), would not be pleased having him froggie over to the opposition. I always wondered how a father could tolerate an idiot son like him. Perhaps he’s seen the Light and mended his ways, but deep down i wonder..
This guy lined his own pockets when in public office and unzipped his pants to the womenfolk. You guys want to throw your support behind this type of guy? Unbelievable !! But I’m not surprised should the PAS leadership decide to field him as their candidate.
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Bean, you must remember he was operating in an UMNO culture, but it could be different in PAS. Furthermore, PAS might not give him a seat as he has yet to prove his loyalty to the party.–Din Merican
You’re damn right Aznan, This bugger has always been a liability and a mess when he was in power. He was discarded and never dedicated to any cause… Let’s see how he’ll manage in PAS…Has this party run out of formidable candidate to spearhead their thrust into Malacca??..And instead resort to frustrated bigot like this fella and mamak Kadir only looking for ‘pumpkins’ so they will continue to float…
Wow, clf! I didn’t know that you got froggie issues. What if he joins pkr, would you sing a different song? Better still condemn anwar Ibrahim, the king of frogs. Just as some bloggers do passionately. One starts with k
Hmmm .. PAS will live to regret allowing Tamrin into their fold. S.K. SakmongkalAK47 in a recent blog post stated that PAS leaders and members were rooted in principles unlike those in UMNO who are rooted in their corrupt ways and of course the pussy. Tamrin is unlikely to make this shift. INfact , he is incapable to doing so.
As the saying goes , Leopards seldom lose their spots . But in the case of disgruntled ex UMNO members , THEY NEVER LOSE THEIR SPOTS.
It is called ‘haemorrhaging”…. UMNO is bleeding to death.
This guy lined his own pockets when in public office and unzipped his pants to the womenfolk. – Mr Bean
Then was then… it is now. It is like when you were in UM back in those days busy trying to fit into Hyacinth Goddard’s panties after a panty raid into 3rd College … And you have changed now, and wouldn’t be THINIKING doing it now, right?
Likewise for this guy.
He was discarded and never dedicated to any cause… Let’s see how he’ll manage in PAS – barry
Perhaps he is a BORN-AGAIN Muslims.
After all, there are Born-Again Christians.
Why is that I never seem to hear about Born Again Hindus or Born Again Buddhists? My learned Buddhist friends told me if you are a Born Again Buddhist, you might a cat or a rat today.
Perhaps he’s seen the Light and mended his ways, but deep down i wonder..- CL Familiaris
He saw the Light… Halleluia…Alhamdullilah… He is a Born Again Muslim.
— Born Again Christians join an Evangelical church which speak in tongue.
— Born Again Muslims join PAS.
—Born Again Atheists join DAP. ( they are pure secular party_
—Born Again Agnostics join PKR (PKR was formed by former questionable characters from UMNO/MCA/MIC. They have no clear cut religion or principles)
Born Again Crooks join UMNO
Asalkan,
Just as I have asked clf the same question, will you condemn thamrin if he enters into pkr at the behest of anwar Ibrahim. One blogger branded anwar as a chameleon. Anwar will enter umno when the time is right. So say k.
Wah.., Frank’s in top form today.
Born again? Nah, this fella is predestined. Whether to hell for sins committed or heaven for sins omitted, i wouldn’t speculate.
As far as i know, the seismographs seem to be showing that the major religions including the agnostics and atheists are veering towards ‘Oppositionism’. The only blip seems to be that special (idolatry) religion called UMNOism, whose doctrine by their chief mullah seems to be: “Lu tolong Gua, Gua Mahakuasa tolong lu. Mahu ka tak?”
Tak mahu. Tak sama suka.