WILL the latest revelation that police had seized of RM1.1 billion of goods linked to former prime minister Najib Razak cause Umno and its partners in Barisan Nasional to admit the real reason for their defeat in the general election, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said today.

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said recent statements by Umno leaders showed that they were “not ready to admit” the “real mistakes” that had caused the downfall of Umno and BN .

The Iskandar Puteri MP said this was reflected in Umno presidential candidate Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s remarks that Umno’s standing was unaffected by the continuing investigations into the former party president and his wife Rosmah Mansor, including the RM1 billion police haul as they “had nothing to do with the party”..

“Would Malaysians or the 3.6 million Umno members agree that the police seizure of RM1.1 billion of items, inclusive of cash, watches, handbags and jewellery at Pavilion Residences (properties which are) linked to Najib has nothing to do with Umno?” he said in a statement today.

Umno is holding elections tomorrow to elect new leadership. As the polls com hot on the heels of its electoral disaster, party members will be looking to have leaders who will be able to guide them in efforts to rebuild the party and regain public trust.

Five are gunning for the presidency, with acting president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, former Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Tengku Razaleigh as the frontrunners.

Umno won 54 parliamentary seats in the general election last month, but lost two earlier this week with the resignations of two MPs in Perak. The BN lynchpin party now represents 23.4% of the 222-member Parliament, although it remains to the single party with the most seats in the House. 
Pakatan Harapan’s PKR has 50 seats.

BN component parties MCA and MIC contribute only three more seats to make up the coalition’s 55 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, following the exits of former component parties in Sabah and Sarawak.

Another BN component Gerakan won lost all of the seats it contested. Last Saturday, the party announced its departure from BN, its partner of more than 40 years.

“Have Umno, MCA, Gerakan and other BN component parties learnt the lessons from their electoral disaster in GE14?” Lim asked.

“This does not seem to be the case from the speeches and statements of the leaders.”

He said although Tengku Razaleigh and Khairy had talked about apologising and admitting their mistakes, including to the grassroots, nobody would address the RM1.1 billion haul involving their former party president.

Zahid was reported to have declined to comment, saying the probe was the investigators’ business.

Khairy spouted a similar line, saying nobody should pre-empt the police investigation by issuing statements of condemnation and criticism, adding Najib had to answer for the seized items. www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/57378

Lim, who is the DAP Parliamentary leader, noted Zahid’s claims earlier this week that the new ruling coalition would implode and Umno would soon return to power, without even the need for a general election.

To that, Tengku Razaleigh reportedly said “Let’s pray that it happens”.

The 15th general election is due by 2023. 

“Both Zahid and Razaleigh are entitled to their fantasies although both should realise that PH parties are committed to make the government a success not only at the national level, but also in the states PH governs –  not just for one term, but in the subsequent general elections as well,” Lim said.

The veteran MP said PH must fulfil the people’s high hopes for a renewal of the promise of the “Malaysian Dream”, a concept of first prime minister  Tunku Abdul Rahman. – June 29, 2018.