KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — Tariq Ismail, the grandson of the late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, said he plans to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.
In an interview with news portal Free Malaysia Today, he said he did not have faith in how Umno was being run presently.
“It’s about change and progress. It’s about leading by example,” Tariq was quoted as telling the portal.
“I decided to join Bersatu not because I am angry, jealous or upset with Umno. I just don’t believe in the way the party is managed now.”
He likened Umno to a government-linked company, saying its members were only in politics for the money.
Tariq added that trying to create change from within Umno have proven to be futile, with progressives in the party being persecuted.
“As long as they remain in power, they’ll never change. They have become so arrogant. Besides, countless other people such as (former deputy prime ministers) Musa Hitam, Anwar Ibrahim and Muhyiddin Yassin, have tried to change Umno from within,” he said.
“It doesn’t work and no matter what, the progressives in Umno stick out like a sore thumb and would be ‘killed’.”
Parti Pribumi was formed early last month with former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as its protem chairman and and former Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as its protem president.
The party has yet to be formalised by the Registrar of Societies.
