KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — Umno cannot remain silent when the party no longer prioritises the Malay struggle but is used to defend certain groups instead in the name of loyalty, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said today.
Khaled also said Umno cannot keep quiet if corruption becomes part of the culture or if trust is betrayed, after Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin from Johor was dropped unceremoniously as deputy prime minister in a Cabinet reshuffle last week.
“Umno cannot just be mute when the party no longer prioritises the fight of the Malays, but is used instead to defend certain groups in the name of loyalty to the party or in the name of party discipline of being loyal to leaders,” Khaled said on his Facebook page.
“It’s time that Umno moved forward a few steps. More proactive and more dominant,” he added.
He also said in a Facebook comment that Umno did not belong to leaders, but that “it belongs to us all. Party positions do not go up and down.”
Johor Umno leaders had previously told Malay Mail Online that Muhyiddin’s removal was not well-received as the Muar-born still commanded a sizeable grassroots support in his home state, which also happens to be the birthplace of Malay nationalist party Umno.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak axed last week Muhyiddin and Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal from Cabinet, both of whom had been openly critical of the government’s handling of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad controversy.
In his announcement of the Cabinet reshuffle, Najib said he tolerated criticism and dissent, but that Cabinet members should not publicly air their differences that would affect public opinion against the government.
