PETALING JAYA: Two women have become the “sideshow” since former prime minister Najib Tun Razak was charged in court on Wednesday (July 4).
Local actress Ellie Suriaty Omar, believed to be one of the instigators of loud chants of “Hidup Melayu” during the press conference by Attorney General Tommy Thomas within the court complex.
She was warned by police not to cause provocations along with other Najib supporters.
Several netizens criticised her for her behaviour, but Ellie brushed off the negative comments, saying: “It is their view.”
Another woman in the spotlight was new Wanita Umno chief Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad who resigned from her position as Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade) chairman.
In a tweet on Wednesday night, Matrade announced Dr Noraini’s resignation.
“We would like to inform that YB Dato’ Dr Noraini Ahmad, the MP of Parit Sulong, has resigned as Matrade’s chairman on 15 May 2018 after serving Matrade for 5 years,” it tweeted.
The three-term Parit Sulong MP has held the position of Matrade chairman since 2013, replacing Datuk Mah Siew Keong who was chairman from 2010.
Dr Noraini was previously deputy Human Resources minister from March 2008 to 2009.
Before being elected as Wanita Umno chief in the recent party polls, she was the head of Puteri Umno from 2004 to 2008.
In 2016, Dr Noraini was the first Malaysian to be elected as chairman of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians.
As for Ellie, she told Kosmo that she started chanting because she wanted Attorney General Tommy Thomas to speak Malay, not English.
Tommy, who is acting as public prosecutor, made the request to judge Zainal Abidin at the Sessions Court on Wednesday (July 4) after the charges were read out in Malay.
The planned media conference by Thomas had to be cancelled when supporters of Najib turned rowdy after they started chanting “Bahasa Malaysia”, “Melayu” and “Hidup Melayu”.
The crowd shouted to drown out Thomas’ voice as he was speaking to media, until he had to be escorted away. Thomas was taken aback by the behaviour of Najib’s supporters, saying he “never expected” the commotion.
