Saifuddin tarnished Umno’s image, says Tengku Adnan

Former deputy minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (left) and PAS lawmaker Datuk Mahfuz Omar were present at the unveiling of new opposition pact – Pakatan Harapan – on Tuesday. The Umno member has now been served with a show-cause letter. – The Malaysian Insider pic, September 24, 2015.

Former deputy minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, who attended a meeting of opposition parties on Tuesday, has tarnished the image of Umno, of which he is a member, a leader of the ruling Malay party said.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said Saifuddin may have attended the meeting in his private capacity and not as a party member, but this still raised questions as to his motives.

“There is a perception spreading now, because he was a former deputy minister and an Umno member,” Tengku Adnan told reporters in Putrajaya today.

He said Saifuddin’s presence at the meeting, where new opposition pact Pakatan Harapan was unveiled, had created a negative perception.

Saifuddin, known for his moderate stance in contrast to some other Umno leaders and for his collaboration with civil society groups, is chief executive officer of non-governmental organisation Global Movement of Moderates. He had attended the meeting in his capacity as head of the Youth Academy (Akedemi Belia).

He has been issued a show-cause letter by Umno.

Tengku Adnan, who is also federal territories minister and secretary-general of ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN), said the matter would be brought to the Umno disciplinary board if Saifuddin failed to respond to the letter in 14 days.

"If he doesn't respond, I will submit a paper to the disciplinary board to call him in for questioning as well as to face action," he said.

However, he declined to comment on whether Saifuddin would be sacked from Umno.

"There are various forms of action that can be taken. This is not like Anina Saaduddin's case and Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan's case, where the action in response to their actions is very clear," he said.

Tengku Adnan was referring to former Langkawi Umno member, Anina, who was recently sacked from the party after filing a suit against prime minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak to account for a RM2.6 billion political donation placed in his personal bank accounts.

Khairuddin was sacked after being declared a bankrupt. He had also lodged police reports against state investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), which Najib oversees as finance minister and chairman of its advisory board.

Khairuddin is currently in preventive detention for allegedly attempting to "sabotage" the state after lodging several reports in various countries against 1MDB, which is under scrutiny for its debt of RM42 billion and allegedly dubious deals which are said to have siphoned money off to associates close to Najib.

Tengku Adnan also said Umno members should abide by party ethics and that Saifuddin's actions were akin to going behind the party's back.

He said if Saifuddin's argument was that he had been present in his capacity as a non-governmental organisation member, the same reasoning could be used to justify Umno leaders' presence at the controversial "red shirts" rally last week.

"This is the reason why I didn't join the 'red shirts' rally. I had to be sensitive. I am BN secretary-general and I could have joined, but I didn't.

"It would not be appropriate. I am also a member of NGOs, many Umno members are also NGO members.

"We have to think as members. Don't do things that muddy the situation," Tengku Adnan said.

- TMI