KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 — The leaders of 148 Umno divisions — more than three quarters the ruling party’s 191 divisions — banded together today to unveil a declaration of their own aimed at countering the one launched last week by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Like Dr Mahathir’s March 4 document, their declaration centered on Umno president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak but unlike the former, the Umno men want their leader kept at the helm of the federal administration.
“We Umno division leaders take the stand to unite and pledge full and undivided support to Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak as Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman and fully support and defend Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak as prime minister of Malaysia, to continue leading the country,” said Batu Gajah Umno chief Datuk Mohd Yusof Kassim when reading out the six-point declaration unveiled at the party’s national headquarters here.
Mohd Yusof, who represented the group, said all 148 backers of the declaration had turned up today to show their support, including division leaders from Sabah.
Dressed mostly in the party’s signature red color, the group shouted “Hidup Umno!” “Hidup BN!” “Hidup Najib!” after the declaration was read out.
In the declaration, the Umno division chiefs voiced their disappointment when condemning Dr Mahathir for allegedly colluding with federal opposition parties DAP, PKR, Parti Amanah Negara and for heading the “Citizens’ Declaration” initiative aimed at removing Najib from the prime minister’s seat.
The division leaders singled out DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang as the opposition politician they accused Dr Mahathir of working with.
In the same declaration, they condemned the Umno leaders who they alleged had conspired with the opposition to topple Najib as prime minister, specifically naming Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.
They demanded for strict disciplinary action by Umno’s supreme council and disciplinary board against party members who had signed the “Citizens’ Declaration”.
They also urged the federal government and the police to “act firmly and block all roadshows and illegal gatherings that would be organised by anyone especially the opposition, for the purpose of poisoning and inciting the thoughts of the people; street demonstrations and any efforts to undemocratically remove Malaysia’s prime minister.”
They demanded that Putrajaya terminate government posts or government-linked companies’ (GLC) posts held by present or past Barisan Nasional leaders that were found to have breached Malaysia’s parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy system, disrespected the Federal Constitution or the rule of law.
Later, Mohd Yusof said those not invited for today’s solidarity gathering are Umno division chiefs who also hold positions in the party Supreme Council, or who are ministers or deputy ministers.
“More than two-thirds majority (came). Even in Parliament, two-thirds majority is more than enough,” he said, explaining that there were more leaders who were unable to make it today.
Subang Umno division chief Datuk Zein Isma Ismail said that the majority of the party’s division chiefs support of the pro-Najib declaration, and that only three are against it, namely Muhyiddin (Pagoh), Mukhriz (Jerlun), Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal (Semporna).
He claimed that the Kelana Jaya Umno chief who was a former aide to Muhyiddin and the Silam Umno chief who is Shafie’s brother were both present to support Najib’s leadership.
