Ismail Sabri: Past Umno presidents committed wrongs, too

Dr Mahathir Mohamad was no saint either, hinted an Umno supreme council member when he claimed that the party’s past presidents were not infallible.

Unlike prophets, Ismail Sabri Yaakob said these leaders had also erred.

“Umno leaders are not like prophets who were maksum (infallible). All Umno presidents had committed wrongs (kesalahan),” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

However, the rural and regional development minister stressed that Umno could be strengthened by remaining loyal to leaders and solving the internal problems.

“We have always stayed loyal to the party president, that has been Umno’s principle,” he said.

Ismail Sabri was responding to Mahathir’s open letter that Umno could be defeated in the next polls if Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak remained at the helm.

Meanwhile, the Bera MP also pointed out how loyalty to leaders is the Islamic way.

“In Islam we are taught to be loyal to Allah, prophets and leaders. We have used this principle in Umno all this while,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said when there are quarters who question the current leadership, the party’s grassroots members will likewise do the same which will only lead to a split in the party.

“If we start to go against the leadership, then branches will do the same and in the end Umno will split.

“Umno will ultimately lose when we encourage disunity in the party,” he said.

Ismail Sabri believes it is only a small number of members who are against Najib while the majority are in full support of him.

“When we encourage people to condemn leaders and such, don’t forget that those who do so may be but a few, while those who defend him are in the majority,” he said. -Mkini