Malays can’t live with shame, says Umno veteran

Sanusi Junid denounces treatment of Sabbaruddin Chik.

PETALING JAYA: Umno veteran Sanusi Junid has denounced last year’s sacking of Sabbaruddin Chik from Bank Rakyat, saying it wasn’t in keeping with the Malay ethos.

Speaking at the recent launching of a book written by political analyst Shahbudin Husin, he said Sabbaruddin, as a former secretary-general of Umno, did not deserve the treatment he got from Hasan Malek, the Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism.

“Not one of Umno’s 21 former secretaries-general has ever been shamed the way Sabbaruddin was,” he said.

According to Shahbudin’s book, Sabbaruddin was not officially dismissed, but was left waiting indefinitely for Hasan to confirm the renewal of his appointment as chairman of the bank.

Sanusi said preservation from shame was an essential element of Malay culture.

“It was shame, not nationalistic fervour, that provoked the Malays to oppose the Malayan Union,” he said. “The British wanted to reduce the status of sultans to that of village chiefs.”

He disclosed that it was also shame that made him withdraw his support for ex-premier Abdullah Badawi. He said his support for Abdullah started waning after the 2008 general election, in which BN suffered heavy losses. “And when Abdullah, during a visit to Penang, embraced Lim Guan Eng, our divorce was confirmed. It was such a shameless act.”

He said shame was also the reason for PAS’ withdrawal from Barisan Nasional in 1977. “PAS was ashamed over several things Umno had done, including its declaration of a state of emergency in Kelantan.”