SHAH ALAM, March 27 — A former Umno branch leader told Umno members today that they need not be afraid of Lim Kit Siang any more, saying that the DAP veteran is fighting for Malaysia.

Gabungan Ketua Cawangan Malaysia (GKCM) chairman Kamarul Azman Habibur Rahman, who was formerly Taman TKK branch chief from the Umno Teluk Kemang division, praised Lim for working together with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the Save Malaysia movement.

“YB Lim, I take my hats off to you. We are the new breed in Umno. The Malays need not be afraid of Lim Kit Siang.

“Malays are now capable of thinking. We shouldn’t be afraid,” Kamarul Azman said during his speech at the Kongres Rakyat 2016 forum at the Shah Alam Convention Centre here.

Kamarul Azman also lauded the opposition for not taking advantage of the political situation.

“If I was opposition, I would keep quiet and let Umno rot, but instead they are here to stop Najib. This showed they prioritise people than their own agenda,” he said, referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Kamarul Azman also said he had received a letter from Umno secretary general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor informing him that he has been expelled from the Malay ruling party.

“I don’t have respect for you,” he said. “You don’t have the right to expel me from Umno”.

New Straits Times Online reported Tengku Adnan as warning Umno members earlier today against participating at the Kongres Rakyat 2016 forum here that will feature Dr Mahathir, as well as other speakers from Barisan Nasional (BN), the opposition, and civil society.

Umno leaders have criticised former party president Dr Mahathir, who has since left the party, for working with their political rivals in the DAP, the second biggest party in Parliament.