UMNO is now only Najib’s party, says Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party now belongs only to Prime Minister Najib Razak, as those who criticise him are sacked or silenced, said former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad yesterday in his latest attack on his successor.

Dr Mahathir said this was evident in the recent move to let the party’s Youth, Wanita (Women) and Puteri (Young Women) wings’ annual meetings next week be officiated by their chiefs and not the party’s Deputy President Muhyiddin Yassin. This in effect bars Mr Muhyiddin, who was removed by Mr Najib from the Cabinet earlier this year, from speaking to party members at the events.

“Anyone who criticises UMNO or the President, (gets the) sack. So this is not like UMNO’s party but Datuk Seri Najib’s,” Dr Mahathir told a press conference at an international Islamic forum in Kuala Lumpur.

Those recently expelled from Malaysia’s largest political party include Gopeng Wanita UMNO division chief Hamidah Osman, Langkawi member Anina Saadudin and earlier this year, former Batu Kawan leader Khairuddin Abu Hassan. All had criticised Mr Najib openly over his handling of state investment firm 1MDB, which has racked up more than RM42 billion (S$14 billion) in debt, as well as allegations that RM2.6 billion was transferred from 1MDB-linked entities to Mr Najib’s personal bank accounts in 2013.

Mr Najib has said the funds in the accounts, which have now been closed, were political donations from the Middle East, rather than public money, a conclusion reached by the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission.

In July, days after Mr Muhyiddin publicly called on Mr Najib to explain the scandal engulfing 1MDB, the Malaysian Prime Minister abruptly removed Mr Muhyiddin and another Minister, Shafie Apdal, from Cabinet. This has sparked unhappiness among UMNO grassroots in several states, including Johor and Penang. Mr Muhyiddin and Mr Shafie remain as Deputy President and Vice-President of UMNO respectively.

Dr Mahathir has been a staunch critic of Mr Najib and has repeatedly asked his successor to step down over the latter’s alleged “failure” to govern.

Yesterday, Dr Mahathir said that when he was the UMNO president, there was ample room for those who disagreed with him in the party. “If we had a crisis in UMNO then, no one was prevented from speaking. The one who contested against me was not prevented from campaigning,” he said in response to a question from the media on whether there was any similarity in UMNO now and the party elections in the late 1980s, when there were two factions. “Now, I am not allowed to meet UMNO members, cannot speak with UMNO ministers and cannot speak to people within UMNO.”

On the action by several branch leaders calling for Mr Najib to step down recently, he said it occurred because the division chiefs no longer represented the grassroots voice.

“We find the division chiefs have become mute,” he said. “When the mute cannot speak, the one with a voice will speak. But now members cannot speak, that person or this person also can’t speak, what democracy is this?”

“If he (Muhyiddin) wants to speak (at the party’s general assembly), I hope the speaker will give him a chance. If not, we should not be talking about democracy. If our speeches are only full of praise for Datuk Seri Najib, this party is no longer UMNO.”

The UMNO assembly will begin with the Wanita, Youth and Puteri assemblies on Dec 8 and 9, followed by the parent body’s meeting from Dec 10 to 12. Mr Najib will deliver his presidential address on the first day of the main assembly. agencies