‘He has left party, so be it’

PARIT: Umno can do without those who have left the party, said its president, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, here yesterday.

In taking an apparent jab at Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who said he would never return to Umno, Najib said the party only wanted those who were loyal.

“He has left the party, so be it. We want people who are loyal to Umno,” he said when officiating Parit Umno division delegates’ meeting here.

“How can someone who has retired determine our future? And, how can we choose a party with a flower (PPBM’s logo) that only has one parliamentary seat (Pagoh)?

“We can have different views and argue as we are not on the same page all the time, but do not ever destroy our parti keramat (sacred party). Our party is the only one that we can depend on.”

In his speech, Najib who is also prime minister and Barisan Nasional chairman, said in the coming general election, the people could vote for a coalition led by Umno, or an alternative coalition led by DAP.

The statement by Dr Mahathir, posted on his Facebook page two days ago, was in marked contrast to his statement in February last year when he said he was an Umno man at heart.

Dr Mahathir had quit Umno on Feb 29 last year for a second time. He had first quit the party in May 2008 after criticising his successor, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s style of administration.

Dr Mahathir was recently made Pakatan Harapan protem chairman, working alongside his former enemy, jailed leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Anwar was deputy prime minister and heir apparent to Dr Mahathir in the 1990s until he was kicked out of the government and Umno following allegations of corruption and sexual misconduct.