DIVISION HOPES NAJIB’S NAME IS CLEARED
Bandar Tun Razak Umno frustrated over seizure of luxury items
BANDAR Tun Razak Umno will not forgive former party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak if he is found guilty of the corruption allegations levelled at him.
Datuk Rizalman Mokhtar, who was seeking a new mandate as division chief, said he was not rushing to conclusions.
“I am neither (accepting) nor dismissing the allegations.
“But Bandar Tun Razak Umno will not forgive him if these allegations are found to be true and he is found guilty in a court of law after he gets a fair trial.
“Still, all of us are holding out hope that he is in the right and his name will be cleared,” he said after launching the Bandar Tun Razak Umno division delegates’ meeting to select the party’s top brass.
Rizalman said he and the grassroots were “especially frustrated” following the police’s declaration that items seized from homes linked to Najib in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) probe were valued at RM1.1 billion.
“We thought the opposition was slandering him. It didn’t occur to us that there wouldn’t be smoke without fire.
“But now, we are frustrated,” he said.
Rizalman said Najib’s status as a thoroughbred Umno leader, who was backed by the division, was hanging in the balance.
“Barisan Nasional lost its power as the ruling party and Umno is in this position because of these doubts. We are being cursed and ridiculed.
“But if the allegations are untrue, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has to apologise to Umno for the humiliation we have faced.”
Rizalman called on Umno members to embrace their new roles as opposition leaders.
“We have to do what PKR vicepresident Rafizi Ramli did. He admitted that his role was that of an instigator.
“We, too, have to do it for the people’s sake.
“Umno and BN cannot waste time. We have to hit the ground running and play a credible role without living in denial. We need to rejuvenate the party and provide a check-and-balance for the people.”