For Umno, Najib now a bit of a hot potato

Should Najib Abdul Razak have joined BN's campaign in Sungai Kandis?

At least one Umno leader - Titiwangsa division chief Johari Abdul Ghani - has disagreed, on grounds that the former premier was facing corruption charges and that this would taint the party.

When two key Umno bigwigs were approached at the parliament lobby on this today, both refused to be drawn into the debate.

Former Perlis Umno head Shahidan Kassim said it should be up to Umno president to decide who should be part of by-election campaigns.

"I was not told whether I should (be there) or not. I just attended.

"I agree that the president should decide who should (be campaigning) and such," said Shahidan, also at the parliament lobby.

Passes buck to Lokman

When Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was approached with Shahidan's suggestion, the latter distanced himself from Najib's role in BN's Sungai Kandis by-election campaign.

Zahid said Najib had been part of the campaign on invitation by BN candidate Lokman Noor Adam.

"I have checked and it was the candidate himself who arranged for (Najib’s) presence.

"Surely the candidate had good intentions and in that situation, regardless of differing views, we should have an open mind and open arms," he said.

He also likened Johari's comments to "kicking someone when he's down". 

Johari, a former Umno supreme council member and second finance minister, said BN should not have allowed Najib to be part of the campaign due to his ongoing corruption trials because it would cause the coalition disrepute.

Najib is currently facing seven corruption charges involving the alleged transfer of RM42 million from government-owned SRC International Sdn Bhd to his bank accounts.

He added that Najib's era was "history" and that if Umno still clung on to its legacy, then the party would be history as well.

Najib was one of the most prominent BN figure in the Sungai Kandis campaign.

Eventually, Lokman, a known Najib confidante, lost the by-election by garnering only 38 percent of the votes cast. PKR's Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni emerged victorious during the poll. -Mkini