Umno's own silence over 1MDB led to defeat, says Syed Ali

INTERVIEW | Everyone in Umno is to blame for the party's defeat in the watershed 14th general election for blindly supporting former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak over the 1MDB scandal, says Cheras Umno chief Syed Ali Alhabshee. 

In a recent interview with Malaysiakini, the 56-year-old said Umno leaders and grassroots should have instead backed rebels Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Muhyiddin Yassin and Mukhriz Mahathir when they demanded answers on 1MDB, which led to them being sacked or having to leave Umno. 

"Everybody was responsible. We are to be blamed because none of us spoke up like Mahathir, Muhyiddin or Mukhriz.

"We never talked about 1MDB and we never told the former premier that we thought something was wrong in 1MDB.

"We were too scared to speak up, (so) we claimed Najib was correct and these three leaders were out to sabotage him. We just went along with the flow," he said. 

According to Syed Ali, who is also the Federal Territories Umno secretary, this was partly due to the fear of Umno leaders that they would lose their government positions, just like how Muhyiddin.

He said he still vividly remembered how Muhyiddin was terminated as deputy premier after speaking openly about 1MDB's transgressions at Cheras Umno's annual assembly on July 26, 2015. 

Syed Ali already "half believed" Muhyiddin then, he said, but decided not to rock the boat because he wanted to remain in goverment. 

He recalled that he had visited Muhyiddin the day after he was axed, but even this had drawn flak from Umno leaders. 

"I kept quiet after that. I am responsible (for the defeat of BN and Umno) too," he lamented. 

Najib, who resigned as Umno president and BN chairperson on May 12, is now being probed by the police under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 over 1MDB.

The MACC has summoned him twice to record his statement for its own probe into the scandal.

Last month, Umno Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin said he regretted not telling Najib about how party grassroots had rejected Umno following the purging of Muhyiddin and former vice-president Mohd Shafie Apdal for raising questions on 1MDB.

Former deputy home minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed had also come out to say that Najib's failure to address allegations of corruption made against him was the cause of the May 9 defeat. 

Joining the chorus was former second finance minister Johari Abdul Ghani, who noted that Umno was arrogant to think that voters would forever feel indebted to BN.

'No more funds'

While acknowledging the Najib factor in the shocking election results which propelled Pakatan Harapan to federal power, Syed Ali said it was now too late to lay blame. 

"It is too late to lay blame. In fact, this is not the time to blame (anyone). We ourself made mistakes by not talking and instead just following... we have to stop this practice," he said. 

"We have to work together to regain the support of the people and show them that we can change. And we have to change," he stressed. 

Syed Ali noted that some of his party colleagues have now dumped Umno for Bersatu, but saw a silver lining in these defections.

He said he had often told Umno members who supported Pakatan Harapan in the May 9 polls and those who felt attracted to Bersatu to leave Umno. 

This included the deputy presidents in the Cheras and Kepong divisions as well as leaders in Perak, he revealed.

"Those that stick with us are genuine Umno members dedicated to the cause of the party," he said, adding these members and leaders were the jewels of the party.

During the interview, Syed Ali also confirmed that Umno had stopped allocating funds to its divisions nationwide. 

He said he had called the party secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and confirmed the latter's letter dated May 22 to that effect.  

"I am okay with it because I am used to being (financially) independent. If I were to do a party programme, I will find (the sponsors) myself. 

"Previously, the party headquarters could channel some funds to support you, but now, it can no longer do so," he said. 

For Cheras, he said its financial situation was still manageable, as they needed only a few thousand ringgit for their building's rental and wages for staff. 

Nevertheless, Syed Ali said he may downsize the scale of the division's future events to save costs.  -Mkini