NAJIB Razak’s conviction does not mean Umno is free of blame for the things he did during his tenure as prime minister, said Pejuang’s Mukhriz Mahathir.

He said Umno should remember questions were raised during the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal while Najib and the lynchpin Barisan Nasional (BN) were in office.

“Umno cannot be excused as Najib committed the offences when he was prime minister and party president,” said Mukhriz during a ceramah in Felda Trolak Utara last night while campaigning in the Slim by-election last night.

Last month, Najib was convicted for corruption and sentenced to 12 years in jail. and fined RM210 million for receiving RM42 million from 1MDB’s former subsidiary SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Mukhriz, who is former Kedah menteri besar, said Najib is now suggesting to the younger generation there is no shame in what he has done with the “Malu Apa Bosku” campaign.

“Nowadays, we see children going around wearing the ‘Malu, apa bosku’ t-shirts. But is there really no shame in what he did?” asked Mukhriz.

During his ceramah, Mukhriz was explaining to the Felda voters the rationale behind former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s new party – Pejuang.

One of its ideals, he said, is to show the world that the Malays are capable of administering a multiracial country.

“And one that is free from corruption.”

Mukhriz said Dr Mahathir did not accept the offer of becoming prime minister under the current Perikatan Nasional administration as it would be betraying the voters who put Pakatan Harapan in government.

Other who spoke at last night’s ceramah were former education minister Maszlee Malik, senator Yaakob Sapari and Selangor’s Taman Templer assemblyman Mohd Sany Hamzan.

Though Pejuang is yet to be registered as a party, it has endorsed independent Amir Khusyairi Mohamad Tanusi, 38 to stand in the Slim by-election.

Amir will face BN’s Mohd Zaidi Aziz, 43, and another independent, S. Sentharasekaran, 44.

Balloting for the by-election is on August 29.

The Slim state seat was left vacant following the death of its four-term assemblyman from BN Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib, who died of a heart attack on July 1. – August 22, 2020.