AHEAD OF HIS DEBUT IN PAKATAN’S JELEBU CERAMAH, RAIS REVEALS HOW HE TOLD NAJIB TO STOP MAKING UMNO A LAUGHING STOCK

8.30pm: Titi, Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan –Rais Yatim is expected to make his first appearance in campaigning for Pakatan Harapan here in half an hour.

Rais was former Jelebu MP (1974-1978, 1982-1990, 1999-2013), and once held the position of Negeri Sembilan menteri besar.

About 800 audience members, mostly Chinese, have already gathered in Pekan Titi, a Hakka-majority Chinese village, awaiting Rais’s arrival.

A number of Harapan leaders, including Jelebu candidate Mustafar Ab Kadir(Amanah), DAP state chief and Seremban incumbent MP Anthony Loke, Bahau candidate Teo Kok Siong, are also present.

Rais: I told Najib to not make Umno a laughing stock

State caretaker menteri besar Mohamad Hasan is also expected to visit Klawang, a state seat under Jelebu, tomorrow.

Special advisor to the government Rais Yatim revealed today that he had recently contacted Umno president Najib Abdul Razak with advice for the party to reform its administration and avoid becoming a laughing stock.

While he did not reveal the exact details of their communication, Rais told reporters that he had contacted Najib after being alerted through news reports of his purported sacking from the party.

“I have contacted the party’s president to state that it would be best for Umno to reform its administration so it would not become a laughing stock.

“This is particularly with regards to its foundation and legal requirements,” he said when met after a book launch at Silverfish Books in Bangsar.

Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor was reported telling the media yesterday that he issued a directive to terminate the memberships of heavyweight party veterans Rais, Daim Zainuddin and Rafidah Aziz on Friday.

This follows his warning when commenting on Rafidah appearing on Harapan’s ceramah stage, that party veterans found campaigning for the opposition would face the sack.

However later in the afternoon, Tengku Adnan was reported as backtracking on his earlier claim that Rais had been sacked.

Commenting further, Rais also noted that Umno was now perceived by certain quarters as being “careless” in adhering to provisions under its own constitution.

“Aside from that, disciplinary actions taken against an individual were also vague in nature.

“This cannot be done,” he stressed.

The Umno veteran of over 40 years also reiteratedthat he had no hard feelings if he were to be sacked from the party.

Asked whether he would join Rafidah and Daim to campaign on Harapan’s platform, Rais also hinted that he was open to the idea and could make his first appearance tonight in Wangsa Maju.

MKINI