PETALING JAYA: An Umno division leader has questioned the party’s decision to put Najib Razak front and centre during campaigning for the recently concluded Sungai Kandis by-election.
Noting that the former prime minister is being tried for abuse of power and criminal breach of trust linked to former 1MDB subsidiary SRC International, Titiwangsa division chief Johari Abdul Ghani said it might be wiser to “rest” Najib in the coming by-elections.
The Seri Setia and Balakong by-elections will be held on Sept 8.
“We need to bear in mind that Umno was not campaigning for its members, but the voters in Sungai Kandis where perception can determine whether a candidate wins or loses,” the former second finance minister said in a statement.
He said there was no need for Umno to follow DAP’s example.
“We need to set our own benchmark to show that the party’s benchmark is higher than that of DAP’s.”
Johari also criticised the pact between PAS and Umno, saying it did not help in winning more votes.
He said that in the May 9 polls, Umno won 11,518 votes in Sungai Kandis, despite being involved in a four-cornered fight.
Yet, in the recent by-election, it only managed 9,583 votes.
“We can spin it any way we want to feel better, but the truth of the matter is we lost, and we obtained lower votes after cooperating with PAS.”
Johari went on to say that Umno should remain a national party and one which not only looked out for the interest of Malays but all races.
He said there were speeches made by Umno leaders which had offended the non-Malays.
“They can take pride in winning in their respective constituencies, but their statements which offended the non-Malays led to many of their comrades in Umno and BN paying the price in urban areas in the last general election.”
FOR UMNO, NAJIB NOW A BIT OF A HOT POTATO
Should former premier Najib Abdul Razak have joined BN’s campaign for the Sungai Kandis by-election?
At least one Umno leader – Titiwangsa division chief Johari Abdul Ghani – does not think so. This is because he felt that Najib’s corruption charges could taint Umno’s image.
When two Umno bigwigs were approached at the parliament lobby on this today, both refused to be drawn into the debate.
Former Perlis Umno head Shahidan Kassim said it should be up to the Umno president to decide who should be part of by-election campaigns.
“I was not told whether I should (be there) or not. I just attended.
“I agree that the president should decide who should (be campaigning) and such,” he said.
Zahid passes the buck to Lokman
When Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was approached with Shahidan’s suggestion, the latter distanced himself from Najib’s role in the Sungai Kandis campaign.
He said BN candidate Lokman Noor Adam had invited Najib to campaign for him.
“I have checked and it was the candidate himself who arranged for (Najib’s) presence.
“Surely the candidate had good intentions and in that situation, regardless of differing views, we should have an open mind and open arms,” he added.
He also likened Johari’s comments to “kicking someone when he’s down.”
Najib is currently facing seven corruption and money-laundering charges involving the alleged transfer of RM42 million from the government-owned SRC International Sdn Bhd to his bank accounts.
He added that Najib’s era was “history” and that if Umno still clung on to his legacy, then the party would be history as well.
Najib was one of the most prominent BN figure in the Sungai Kandis campaign.
Eventually, Lokman, a known Najib confidante, lost the by-election by garnering only 38 percent of the votes cast. PKR’s Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni emerged victorious.
– M’kini
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