Threats made by Umno figures to abandon the government will eventually decrease in impact if such warnings are not acted upon, said former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli.
Commenting on remarks issued by several Umno representatives following the High Court’s rejection of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s bid for home detention, Rafizi said it is only natural for Umno leaders to express their disappointment over the court’s decision.
“Some (Umno members) are so angry that they have threatened to withdraw support from the unity government, if I understand what was meant by the Umno Youth chief (Dr Akmal Saleh),” Rafizi said in a social media post today.
“Umno has a right to take political action (and) has the option to withdraw from the government… but, if threats to leave are made repeatedly and yet no one actually leaves, over time, such threats will lose their effects.”
Recounting his own experience, the former economy minister said he dislikes making threats, preferring instead to set “red lines” early on and act once such lines have been crossed.
Umno’s actions following the court’s decision today, Rafizi said, will demonstrate to its supporters how much emphasis the BN linchpin places on issues associated with Najib, a former Umno president.
“No need to threaten, no need to mobilise supporters - if the red line is crossed, then resign. That is how the Umno leadership will be watched by the public: is (Najib’s) pardon a red line?
“If threats to leave the government are made, but in the end no one leaves, then it means the issue of (Najib’s) pardon is not a red line,” Rafizi asserted.
The PKR elections earlier this year saw Rafizi losing his bid to retain the party’s deputy presidency. He then tendered his resignation as economy minister, citing a loss of the party’s mandate to translate the people’s agenda.
Umno holds 27 parliamentary seats in Dewan Rakyat, with MCA contributing two, while MIC has one. Within the Pakatan Harapan coalition, DAP oversees 40 seats, followed by PKR’s 31 lawmakers.
Umno’s fire and fury
In a series of posts on Facebook today, Akmal had called for Umno’s exit from the government, fanned racial sentiments, and appeared to imply political machinations behind today’s court ruling.
In the comments replying to Akmal’s posts, netizens prodded the Merlimau assemblyperson and other Umno leaders to exert pressure on party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over the verdict, or for Umno to withdraw support from the Madani coalition.
Tensions also flared over DAP MP Yeo Bee Yin’s one-liner comment applauding the court’s decision, with Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki suggesting that it may be time for the Malay nationalist party to reassess relationships with its government allies.
Zahid, who is also the BN chairperson, had issued a terse and cryptic message on social media - “Jangan menyimbah minyak pada api yang sedang marak (don’t pour fuel on a raging fire).”
Yeo, who is also DAP’s national publicity secretary, had responded to the court ruling by briefly saying in a Facebook post: “Another reason to celebrate this year-end.”
Najib, 72, has been in prison since August 2022 after the Federal Court upheld his conviction in the SRC International case.
A day after Christmas, Najib will learn his fate over his 1MDB-related case involving RM2.3 billion, in which judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah is scheduled to deliver his verdict at 9am at the Palace of Justice, Putrajaya. - Mkini
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