Syed Saddiq gets in-house bashing over stand against cronyism

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 1 Jan 2019 8:32PM · 14 Comments

Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman finds himself the target of vitriol from his party colleagues for calling out the Federal Territories chief who had asked for party leaders to be preferred when government contracts are awarded. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, January 1, 2019.

THE Bersatu Youth chief has caught flak from party leaders for opposing the vice-president’s call for more government contracts for loyalists.

Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has become the target of what appears to be in-house bashing in leaked communications, where he is accused of being “disrespectful”, over his stand against cronyism.

“Syed Saddiq must pay for his sin of embarrassing Bersatu and apologise openly to Federal Territories Bersatu and division chiefs. I vow to mobilise (resources) nationwide to reject Saddiq, God willing,” said one division chief.

During his winding-up address at the Bersatu AGM on Sunday, the party vice-president  Abdul Rashid Ab Rahman Rashid had called for the Federal Development Department (JPP) to be reinstated for the benefit of the party division and branch chiefs.

Rashid, who chairs the federal government’s election reform committee, said the leaders would then be able to secure more project contracts, with the funds going back to their respective communities.

Syed Syaddiq in a speech afterwards had warned Rashid, who is the Federal Territories division head, that he was asking for a visit from anti-corruption officials by making such a demand.

An angry division leader said in the leaked communication that he “felt like getting up at the time and giving the insolent kid a slap”.

Others hinted ominously of retribution for his “insolence”.

“Armada has gone overboard in its insolence in challenging the division chiefs. Armada does not know who they are challenging,” said a division chief, calling the Youth wing by its official name.

Those who had spoken up in Syed Saddiq’s defence were also denounced.

“Syed Saddiq has failed to educate them. I would like to see how Armada can mobilise without resources,” a division chief said.

Bandar Tun Razak division chief Mohd Shahni Ismail, who goes by the moniker Bantura Sani on Facebook, also told off Syed Saddiq in a series of posts, including for picking AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes over a party member to fill the chair of the Malaysia Stadium Corporation.

“Qualified Bersatu leaders cannot be appointed chairman because they often ask for contracts,” he said sarcastically

He said Bersatu was a “hardcore Malay party” that made no apology for being Malay or defending the Malay community.

“If Syed Saddiq has other ideas, then he should join PKR,” he said. 

Bersatu chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is the prime minister, had earlier said Putrajaya would not heed the party vice-president Rashid’s call for contract privileges.

Dr Mahathir said the new administration would never return to the ways of the Barisan Nasional regime, which had abused its power via the JPP to award government contracts to unqualified cronies at the expense of the rakyat.

“That is his view and he has the right to voice it. However, it does not mean that the party will follow his views.

“The current government will never resort to the practice of our predecessor, which gave (contracts for government) projects to their friends. – January 1, 2019. 

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Comments

  • OMG, the hungry wolves are howling.

    Posted 5 years ago by Awang Bilis · Reply

  • It appears that everyone of them e.g. division leader, Mohd Shahni and his likes are part of Bersatu solely for one reason and that is to get a piece of lucrative contracts!
    My God, and I thought this was a sincere party! It is a party breeding cronies. They all are there for their piece of cake.. hidden agenda!
    Dr M, please eradicate the disease before it is allowed to spread..

    Posted 5 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

  • Syed Saddiq, through Armada/Bersatu Youth, is obviously the best antidote for the diseased divisional heads... take to SPRM if you know contracts are awarded to any divisional head or related persons..

    Posted 5 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

  • The DNAs of one race from UMNO and now Bersatu are the same, corrupted to hell.

    Posted 5 years ago by Jackal Way · Reply

  • If this is Bersatu's attitude, i.e., same with Umno, then those who put them in power will vote them out next.

    Posted 5 years ago by Léon Moch · Reply

  • Stand up for your beliefs
    No more cronyism

    Posted 5 years ago by Lan Lan · Reply

  • Syed Saddiqs' only sin seems to be standing up for awarding Federal contracts fairly and transparently This particular division chief, in rejecting Saddiq, prepended with "God willing seems to sincerely believe it is his divine right to be given lucrative contracts because he is a Malay Muslim from Bersatu. If so, how is Bersatu different from UMNO?

    Posted 5 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply

  • The rise of Umno 2 is now evident.....stay strong SS....dont even let these clowns to turn Bersatu into another Umno..

    Posted 5 years ago by Wei Kuan Tan · Reply

  • Looks like the viruses target the immune system first, in order to give this new party political AIDS.

    Posted 5 years ago by Robert Cheok · Reply

  • Rashid is an ARSE.. typical hypocrite.. I stand by Armada.. Is not bcoz of disrespect.. If can't take democracy freedom of speech then we r all doom as b4..contract kepala bapak kau..

    Posted 5 years ago by Anniah Marc · Reply

  • I hope the whole of Armada stand behind Syed and support him to the end of this cause.

    Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • The Armada can set up a new party and i will join. Bersatu reeks of old umno goons

    Posted 5 years ago by Pakatan Bodoh · Reply

  • We dont respect and dont need to respect cronyism and bastardry of old umno in bersatu

    Posted 5 years ago by Pakatan Bodoh · Reply

  • Get rid of feudal mentality that the lower ranking or younger persons cannot make valid criticisms against the old guards who should be "respected like lords",whether they are right or wrong. It is this mentality that saw UMNO lower rungs keeping silent while their "lord" robbed the nation. Well, they were happy to get some crumbs and keep their ears,mouths and eyes shut.

    Posted 5 years ago by Ravinder Singh · Reply