PUTRAJAYA, Sept 24 ― Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah’s presence at a roundtable discussion of a new opposition pact “tarnished” Umno’s image, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said today to explain a show-cause letter to the former supreme council member.
The Umno secretary-general said his party was facing a “war of perception” and Saifuddin's appearance at the PKR-organised event was damaging to Umno.
“The letter was issued because his appearance at the meeting was being spun around as an Umno member and former deputy minister.
“It is a war of perception. Don't attend something that will tarnish or bring a bad perception to the party,” he told reporters after a Hari Raya Aidil Adha function today.
The federal territories minister added that Saifuddin's appearance at the roundtable meeting was “inappropriate”, saying he avoided events that could tarnish Umno despite also heading an NGO just as Saifuddin does.
“I have sent letter on the day itself that he attended. It is a show cause letter because he was there. If he doesn't answer in 14 days, I will send letter to disciplinary board to take action,” Tengku Adnan said.
Saifuddin unexpectedly arrived at the roundtable session on the possible successor to the defunct Pakatan Rakyat pact, which was also attended by the top leaders of PKR, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara.
Following the meeting, Saifuddin made veiled remarks on Twitter to say that creating an “imperfect” new leadership would be better than having no leadership in place, amid a credibility crisis faced by the current one.
It is unclear, however, whose leadership he was criticising specifically.
Saifuddin yesterday declined to comment on receiving the show-cause letter.
Saifuddin, who is currently the chief executive officer of the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM), was present at the meeting as the head of Akademi Belia.
