KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — Former non-executive chairman of Prasarana Malaysia Berhad, Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman is mulling legal action against his critics, who he accused of painting him badly and tarnishing his reputation, following remarks he made after a two-train collision last month.
A public campaign calling for his sacking from the government-linked company (GLC) was also launched, after his disastrous handling of a press conference on May 27 to address the collision on the LRT Kelana Jaya line at KLCC that injured over 200 passengers, including six in critical condition.
An online petition calling for his sacking at that time garnered over 100,000 signatures and was declared victorious after he was subsequently sacked from the company by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
Malay daily Sinar Harian reported Tajuddin saying that reports about the incident in news portals had tarnished his image, painting him as a leader who was insensitive towards the plight of the victims of the accident.
He said that the reports purportedly did not take into account the entire true situation and was more controversial in nature as if with a concerted agenda to sully his image as a leader.
“I have been humiliated all over Malaysia as an unqualified, insensitive, racist figure, who does not follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) to the extent where some were willing to petition for (my) resignation.
“Everything was criticism in nature and some even took advantage by reporting to the police.
“It’s not fair to me, one day I will identify who is really (criticising) and take action according to the law,” he was quoted saying after handing out aid at Chenderong Balai, today.
He said that at the beginning of the press conference following the crash, he had already expressed his sadness and disappointment over the incident, adding that Prasarana too had held immediate discussions to help the victims involved by footing hospital treatment bills and providing special aid to those who had lost their income owing to the incident.
“So those who said (I am) not concerned, I challenge them to rewatch the video throughout the press conference and prove that I was insensitive. Is it because I joked a little and said that the two trains kissed each other, it was then taken to say that I am not concerned and sensitive?
“Those who know Tajuddin know how I am, but those who do not know me play up stories as if there is a political agenda to sully my image,” he was reported saying.
The two LRT trains, one manned, the other autonomous, collided at about 8.45pm in a tunnel between the KLCC and Kampung Baru LRT stations. The impact jolted 213 passengers in the autonomous train out of their seats, crashing into each other before falling.
Pictures and videos of the aftermath with injured people grimacing in pain and covered in blood quickly made their way on social media and were widely shared.
He also reiterated that his sacking from Prasarana was not a ‘big issue for himself’, adding that he has already faced similar situations before when he was sacked from Umno in 1995 and detained under the now defunct Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960, IN 1987.
“So, I have no problem with the matter and do not harbour revenge either, as my motto is courage because of the truth and let time decide that truth, he added.
