Mahathir: Umno has become all about Najib

When party founder Onn Jaafar suggested something that the party couldn't accept, he had to leave.

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno was no longer about bangsa, agama, negara (race, religion, country), lamented former party President and former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in his latest blog posting. “Umno has now become all about the party President.”

“When Onn bin Jaafar, who founded Umno, made some suggestions that was not accepted by the party, he left on his own accord.”

Najib, charged Mahathir, was doing whatever he wanted with the party and there’s a high probability that it will, as a result, lose in the next General Election, just as it lost Selangor, Penang and other states. “Umno will become the Opposition in Parliament after GE14.”

“Being in the Opposition, Umno won’t be able to do anything for bangsa, agama and negara.”

Mahathir added that the small group now gathering around Najib will lose everything when Umno is defeated in GE14. “They won’t be able to enjoy the benefits that they have now with the Barisan Nasional (BN) in power.”

However, if Najib leaves now, there’s every possibility that Umno can be revived and can go on to win GE14, continued Mahathir. “The race, religion and nation will be safe.”

“The nation will progress again and everyone will enjoy the benefits.”

Mahathir added that he had to take to his blog to send out his message to the people as Umno leaders and members were not allowed to meet with him. “This proves that wrongdoing continues to the extent of abusing not only the party but the government machinery to attack critics.”

The former party chief urged the grassroots to think carefully about where they were heading with the party and not support the undeserving blindly for immediate short-term personal benefits. “The Malays would be despised if their fate turns ugly as a result of greed and they forget what their political struggle was all about.”

“All that we have achieved so far will be destroyed. The Opposition, when it forms the government, will capitalize on Umno’s weaknesses.”

Mahathir reiterated his message that Umno leaders and members, especially the grassroots, must usher Najib out of the party if they wanted it to be safe and have a fighting chance in GE14. “The sooner that Najib goes, the better. Don’t wait until GE14 to get him out.”

Mahathir also delved into the Najib administration sidelining the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) through Pemandu, the appointment of foreign consultants, borrowing in billions which were all invested outside the country, forking out high salaries to NGOs, and the twin mega scandals, 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion political “donation” controversy.