It looks like the much-anticipated UMNO uprising against corruption-tainted Prime Minister Najib Razak is gathering steam and may be unstoppable.
Hardly had the dust settled on shocking news that over 5,000 UMNO branches were planning to hold a mammoth rally to call for Najib’s resignation, not just an eruption of a rash of similar anti-Najib announcements.
Selangor UMNO members in particular are impatient to wait until next month to take part in the mega rally – ahead of the party’s annual assembly – and want to hold a ‘special meeting’ this Friday itself.
“In Selangor alone there are 22 divisions, at least 10 branches per division will be with us in this protest. Many heads of state branch of the collective agreement in the council,” Kampung Railway UMNO branch chairman Mohd Said Amidon was reported as telling Sinar Harian.
Over 200 UMNO branches are scheduled to attend and this will act as a ‘springboard’ for the December rally, added Mohd Said. He had held a press conference on Sunday along with 22 other UMNO branch leaders in Puchong to criticize the party’s top leadership.
“Do not misunderstand our actions as the party will worsen if we do not speak up. We do this because we love the party. We are not just members of UMNO, but UMNO people who are ready to face any action, we are not afraid,” said Mohd Said.
Paying the price of Muhyiddin’s sacking
Indeed, it requires substantial courage to go against the ‘all-powerful’ Najib, who took over the UMNO presidency and premiership of Malaysia in 2009.
Those who criticized his handling of the RM50 billion 1MDB corruption debacle have been sacked, including his Deputy Muhyiddin Yassin, Vice President Shafie Apdal and Attorney- General Gani Patail.
Apart from Johor, which is Muhyiddin’s home state, Najib’s critics in Selangor UMNO have so far been the most outspoken and this is surprising given that Najib had tasked himself with the special mission of regaining control of the state government from the Opposition.
“It suggests Najib’s political play and strategies including all the romancing with Hadi Awang and the PAS unity government are not what the Selangor people want.” a political source told Malaysia Chronicle.
“Selangor UMNO members are also among the most educated and advanced in the party and they are not satisfied with Najib’s explanations on 1MDB. Sacking Muhyiddin and Gani were bad moves that effectively confirms Najib’s guilt in the 1MDB scandal and it looks like he is now paying the price for that rash move.”
UMNO branches from 5 states – Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Johor, Perak and Sabah – had gathered on Saturday to openly state their stand against Najib and to announce the December rally to get Najib to step down as UMNO President and Malaysia’s Prime Minister.
According to Mohd Isa, who was spokesman for the Saturday meeting of 34 branch chairmen, the anti-Najib movement growing and they already had the support of almost 5,000 branch leaders, which is about a quarter of UMNO’s 22,000-odd branches throughout the country.
If the revolt does indeed continue, such a number is sufficient to rock UMNO and ensure that Najib is booted out.
“We think the leadership today does not bring profit to the people, but even make things worse. Therefore, we urge the Prime Minister to step down from his current position and provide an opportunity for other leaders to lead the country better,” said Mohd Said.
Other UMNO branch chiefs who attended the press conference with Mohd Said included Zahrul Hambali (Sri Tanjung), Hamidan Othman (Bandar Bukit Puchong), Mat Yusof Abd Latif (Puchong Indah I), Mohd Shukor Mustafa (Bandar Puteri) and Kamarudin Salim (Kg Tengah Baru).
They urged Najib to put the party’s interest and future ahead of his own, pointing to the general election which must be held by 2018.
“Do not forget it is us, the UMNO members, who put you at the top. Your position is not your option but in the hands of UMNO members. It is better for one person to sacrifice than for 30 million Malaysians to suffer,” warned Mohd Said. – Malaysia Chronicle
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