UMNO branch chiefs launch movement forcing Najib to quit

KUALA LUMPUR — A group of UMNO branch leaders have launched a movement to force Mr Najib Razak to resign as party president, less than a fortnight ahead of the party’s annual general assembly.

Dubbing the movement “Gabungan Ketua Cawangan Malaysia” or “Coalition of Branch Chiefs Malaysia” (GKCM), the UMNO leaders are demanding Mr Najib’s resignation to resolve the party’s problems.

“We would like to repeat, the party president has done many things that have burdened the people, and we want him to step down.

“Otherwise, we, the whole country, will force him to step down,” Railway branch chief Said Amidon told a press conference after a programme in Puchong, Selangor, last night (Nov 27).

Mr Amidon, one of the group’s spokesmen, said UMNO branches across the country were working together to pressure the president to quit his party post.

“We would like to inform you the leaders of all branches across the country are joining the movement, it is getting bigger,” said the Puchong Umno division grassroots leader.

GKCM said hundreds of UMNO branches have thrown their weight behind the cause, but declined to identify them for safety reasons.

UMNO Taman TKK branch chief Kamarul Azman Habibur Rahman, another spokesman, said the movement aimed restore the dignity of the country’s biggest Malay ruling party.

“It is now up to the branch chiefs and grassroots to save UMNO,” said Mr Kamarul, reading from a media statement with some 20 other branch chiefs.

He also denied that the group opposing Mr Najib were sponsored or hired by other quarters.

“We are not the mastermind and there is no mastermind behind us.”

When launching the movement, Mr Kamarul also read out a declaration from GKCM.

“First, the UMNO president must step down. Second, there should be no sacking of UMNO members who criticise or condemn leaders to improve them. Third, the UMNO elections must go on,” said Mr Kamarul.

Previously, several UMNO branch leaders declared they had lost trust in Mr Najib in the wake of a number of issues surrounding 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and the RM2.6 billion (S$860 million) deposited into his personal accounts.

As UMNO gears up for its annual general assembly, the Supreme Council earlier this week announced that one of Mr Najib’s critics, deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin, would not be officiating the wings’ meetings.

The decision to break away from a long-standing tradition prompted Mr Muhyiddin to declare he would not be silenced.

Mr Muhyiddin was dropped from the Cabinet in late July, following his criticism of 1MDB, the prime minister’s brainchild.

Meanwhile, UMNO secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said earlier this week the general assembly would be off-limits to the media to prevent “spinning”, but later retracted the decision. MALAYSIAN INSIDER