‘EXTERNAL PLOT TO DESTROY UMNO’
Party claims there is a plan to pit its leaders against each other
THE Umno strategic communications unit has alleged that there was an “external plot” to pit its leaders against each other in its June 30 election.
It claimed that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang were meddling in Umno’s affairs to destroy the party.
“What is his (Lim’s) intention of being so concerned about Umno’s survival? After all, Umno is the enemy, and he should just leave it alone and fight the party like a gentleman. There is no need for him and Dr Mahathir to offer advice on how Umno should be shaped,” it said yesterday.
Umno has trained its guns on Lim after he issued a statement asking who would be the first Umno leader who dared speak up and expel Datuk Seri Najib Razak from the party.
Umno Information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa has lashed out at Lim, telling the DAP adviser to “keep his mouth shut” and not to interfere in Umno’s affairs.
Umno said Lim’s attack on its strategic communications unit went against Pakatan Harapan’s pledge that the government was open to criticism.
It said Lim’s attack on the unit’s role was a reflection of his arrogance.
“He is used to people bowing only to him. Claims that this unit is under Najib’s control is baseless as the contributors are made up of a variety of individuals, including those from the party’s social media circles.”
The statement said there was no need to “expose” those behind the unit as there were many people contributing to it.
“If Lim is that interested to know who is behind the unit, then he must also answer who is behind the ‘Red Bean Army’, and who is financing them.
“However, Umno is not interested in all this. All we can make clear is that this unit is similar to DAP’s Rocket newsletter or Pas’ Harakah.”
The unit said Lim’s motives in meddling in the party affairs, especially in the run-up to its election, were dubious as he had questioned the no-contest rule in the party when he was in opposite camps with Dr Mahathir.