Rebukes necessary to keep govt strong, says Umno man

 

There will be no stability if the unity government is weak, said Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi.

KUALA LUMPUR: The unity government should be rebuked and reproofed when the need arises to ensure that it remains strong, says an Umno leader.

Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi maintained that Umno must keep to its stand on pertinent issues.

“If there are things that go beyond the limit, where there are incompetent ministers who are not good at managing (their ministries), don’t tell me we should let it go?

“They need to be reprimanded to ensure that the unity government is strong,” he told reporters after the launch of the general assembly of Umno’s Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings tonight.

Puad reiterated that Umno wanted to defend the unity government and ensure it remains intact, adding that this was what the King wanted.

“If this government is weak, there will be no stability,” he said.

Earlier, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan said any criticisms against the party, although insightful, should be conveyed through internal channels.

In calling on the wings’ members to unite for the party’s sake, Mohamad said personal ambitions and vendettas should be put aside or Umno would be destroyed.

But Puad believed that Mohamad was not restricting party members from criticising Umno leaders. “He’s not calling for our freedom to be restricted,” he said.

Puad, who is also Rengit assemblyman, had criticised Rafizi Ramli over the PKR deputy president’s performance as economy minister.

He was reminded by Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki not to attack other parties or leaders in the unity government, saying it was akin to “shooting ourselves in the foot”.

But Puad stood firm in his criticism of Rafizi, saying he had the right to criticise ministers who did not perform in the interest of strengthening the government.

Fighting for Malays a never-ending endeavour

Meanwhile, fellow Umno Supreme Council member Ahmad Maslan brushed off Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s “Malay Proclamation”, saying Umno has long championed the Malay people and Islam.

The Pontian MP added: “It’s a never-ending endeavour, it’s not a new effort.”

Earlier, Mohamad called for the party to hold a “Malay Congress”, gathering the best thinkers among the Malays to come up with a “modern and progressive” Malay blueprint.

Ahmad was asked if this “Malay Congress” was to counter Mahathir’s “Malay Proclamation”, which has obtained the backing of PAS and several Bersatu leaders.

The “Malay Proclamation” is Mahathir’s latest initiative to “unite the community”.

It lists 12 key problems that it claims are being faced by the Malays, and also seeks to unite the community, no matter which political party they belong to. - FMT