Abg Johari: It’s Umno’s internal problem

KUCHING: The resignation of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad from Umno is an internal problem within that party, said PBB deputy president Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.

Thus, Sarawakians should not be dragged into the problem, he pointed out.

“Let them solve (the problem) themselves. It has nothing to do with us. What is important is the country must be stable,” he told reporters when asked to comment on the issue after officiating at Housing Development Corporation’s Chinese New Year open house here yesterday.

Dr Mahathir, 90, on Monday announced that he had again left Umno as he was unhappy with the party.

He had previously left Umno on May 19, 2008 as he was reported to have lost confidence in the leadership of then Prime Minister Datuk Seri (now Tun) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

He rejoined Umno on April 4, 2009 when Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak assumed the national and party leadership.

When asked if Dr Mahathir’s departure from Umno would have any effect on the coming state election, Abang Johari responded: “Politically, we are a bit independent because we have our own parties.”

While acknowledging that all the past prime ministers had contributed to Sarawak in one way or another, he said Najib had outshone the others.

“To be fair, he has visited us a lot and done a lot for Sarawak such as approving and assisting us on the construction of bridges, Pan Borneo Highway and also housing.”

Abang Johari recalled that when he was the minister in charge of the Penan Affairs, Najib was the one who helped him with the Penan One- Stop Centre as the Defence Minister.

“Besides that, when he was the Education Minister, he was the one who introduced the build and design concept for the construction of a school in Lambir. I was the minister looking after education in the state during that time.”