Zam: My book reveals true feelings after breakup with 'lover' Umno

Former Utusan Malaysia chief editor Zainuddin Maidin has likened Umno to a treacherous lover and said his latest book, which courted criticism from the party’s supporters, is a reflection of his true feelings after their “breakup.”

In a blog post, Zainuddin said critics of his book, “Pergi Mampuslah Umno,” were from a group who have lost their identity, failed to understand Umno’s history, and blinded to how the party have allegedly strayed from its true struggle.

“My relationship with Umno now is like the breakup of a true love. I felt like I was betrayed by a cheating lover.

“Even though I felt disappointed, broken-hearted, sad…it is difficult to forget a true love, which has been so deeply entrenched for so long. In my disappointment, it is still difficult to say goodbye,” he said.

Zainuddin revealed that there were Umno members who said the title of his book was too harsh, and accused him of being ungrateful to the party that once appointed him minister.

Unlike those who had forgotten Umno’s past, Zainuddin cited his personal experiences as a journalist and editor from the era of Onn Jaafar, the party’s first president, to the current leadership of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

“I have never seen or felt the rakyat lose confidence in their (past presidents’) leadership as I did in the era of Abdullah Badawi and Najib Tun Abdul Razak,” he said.

As an editor at Utusan Malaysia, Zainuddin said he could lay personal claim to saving BN in the 1990 General Election, amid an alleged conspiracy orchestrated by then Semangat 46 president Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

The former information minister said that during a BN election war room meeting prior to the election, he happened to chance upon an RTM news slot showing Tengku Razaleigh at a joint press conference with then Parti Bersatu Sabah president Joseph Pairin Kitingan.

Tengku Razaleigh was shown wearing traditional Sabahan headgear, which appeared to be adorned with a crucifix.

"I fully exploited this image and turned it into a pullout for Utusan Malaysia's Oct 19 edition, 250,000 copies of which were distributed nationwide.

"The photo was captioned, 'Oh Tuhan Jesus Christ selamatkan 46 Amin,” he said.

Zainuddin also pointed out how he was eventually removed from Utusan for having allegedly betrayed then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, but did not feel sad or angry, as he believed that he had carried out his responsibilities in a professional manner.

According to a summary on its cover, “Pergi Mampuslah Umno,” which is published by ZI, is a series of commentaries on issues that have "trapped Umno in the modern political arena - between its life or death."

The cover image shows an individual drowning in the ocean, surrounded by a silhouette of the Umno logo.- Mkini