Khaled: Umno reform 'impossible' if Najib gets involved

It will be impossible for Umno to rise up from its defeat if it keeps reminiscing about the past and allows "man under trial" Najib Abdul Razak to get involved in party affairs, said its vice-president Mohamed Khaled Nordin today.

In a statement, the former Johor menteri besar said it is time that Umno realised that it is Najib who is on trial and not Umno.

"The current realities facing Umno demands party members to reflect on the narratives we used to subscribe to and defend, as well as accept the fact that the rakyat has spoken and rejected us.

“We are no longer the government and we no longer have the privilege to say confidently that there are some Malays who are still behind our back.

"Those who deny the said reality might say that we still hold on to 46 percent of Malay votes. Yes, that might be true but we must also look at the demographics of these Malays and what are their values.

“We must cater to all Malays, urban, semi-urban and above all, Malaysians as a whole," said Khaled.

He then backed the sentiment voiced by former second finance minister Johari Abdul Ghani recently that Umno must go back to the very philosophy and foundation it was built on - to uphold Malay interests and not look down on other races in its quest for power.

Johari (photo), who is also the Titiwangsa Umno chief, had also said that it was a mistaketo let Najib campaign for BN in the recent Sungai Kandis by-election as the former premier is tainted with corruption allegations and that in turn reflected on Umno.

Johari's remarks had courted backlash from Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who asked him to "not step on Najib when he's down" as well as from the Titiwangsa Umno Youth chief who accused Johari of being ungrateful towards Najib.

'Not a feudal kingdom'

According to Khaled, the response to Johari's remark is a mirror of what Umno used to be and still is, to a certain extent.

"The feudal values are still dominant in Umno until it has hindered our progress to reform and move for the better. There is no sense of 'shame' in the feudal landscape.

"People were not held accountable because of the favours he or she gave out when he or she was in power. This narrative must go and be replaced by the real feeling of 'shame' against wrongdoings and injustice," said Khaled.

Umno politicians, Khaled added, needed to be educated to understand the post-modern predicament faced by the Malays and Malaysians in general.

"But such endeavour is long, tiring, and taxing. It will be made impossible if Umno still lives in its own labyrinth, reminiscing about the past and allows a man who is under a legal trial to be significantly involved in the party.

"Yes, we should treat him with honour and respect, but we should move on from what has passed. It is Najib who is on trial, not Umno," said Khaled.

Umno cannot commit to a reform if its leaders are still in a state of denial over the injustice and corruption of the past, he noted.

"Where do we go from here? I do not have a definitive answer to that. But Umno shall rise back from the ashes, gain the trust of everyday Malaysians, and chart a new narrative for Malay nationalism."

Khaled is the second senior Umno leader who has sought to distance the party from Najib.

Earlier today, Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa said Najib was a "baggage" that the party could ill-afford to bear at this point of time. -Mkini