Even 'neutered goats' will retaliate if cornered, warns Kadir

Given the restrictions imposed and if adhered to, a veteran newsman said delegates attending the Umno general assembly would be nothing more than a herd of “neutered goats”.

However, A Kadir Jasin warned that even such goats, when cornered or intimidated, would retaliate.

“So will there be those, who could not be neutered, raise issues which have been banned during the debate?” he asked in a blog post today.

The former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief was referring to controversies such as the 1MDB scandal and the RM2.6 billion political donation allegedly found in the Umno president’s bank account.

Kadir also alleged that due to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s crushing fear, the assembly has become the most controlled meet in party’s history.

“Over the past months, he (Najib) used the political channels - legislative and executive - to hold on to power and stifle revolt.

“In the political arena, he expelled foes in Umno such as dropping (deputy president) Muhyiddin Yassin and (vice-president) Mohd Shafie Apdal from the cabinet.

“He used administrative powers to fire and transfer civil servants suspected of not supporting him. But he fears his own party members...,” he said.

Kadir said if the Umno delegates have been “neutered” or their “nests filled with golden eggs”, this year’s AGM which began today until Nov 12, would be reduced to a single agenda of supporting the president.

“And the Umno leadership will be a group of hypocrites without conscience or principles,” he added.

The veteran newsman, who is known to be close to former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has often been critical of Najib and his administration.

The prime minister, on the other hand, has denied any wrongdoing and blamed the allegations against him on a conspiracy to topple him from power. -Mkini