THEY joined Umno during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s presidency, seeing how the country’s longest serving prime minister flexed his muscles against his critics by using government resources to ensure he remained in power. 

But when Dr Mahathir left Umno for the second time in February 2016, these Umno grassroots leaders remained faithful to the party, getting behind current Umno president and Prime Minister Najib Razak who is facing scathing attacks by many quarters following the failure of 1MDB. 

And now, these Umno members are ready to turn on Dr Mahathir, who will officially lead the opposition pact, Pakatan Harapan, into the 14th general election following his selection as PH chairman, partnering his one-time deputy, Anwar Ibrahim. 

“God willing, Najib will win in the next general election. Dr Mahathir is outdated. He is like an old engine that wants upgrading. He wants to bring his old style of leadership. It will not work with young people,” Mohd Affendy, information chief for Setia Alam branch told The Malaysian Insight. 

The 40-year-old also dismissed Dr Mahathir’s influence, saying Malaysians, especially the younger generation, wanted new leadership. 

“I joined Umno since Anwar Ibrahim was still part of Umno. I came from Permatang Pauh. 

“The rakyat can see the difference between Najib’s leadership, what he has done compared to what Dr Mahathir did. Among things that Dr Mahathir focused on was developing Putrajaya and other developments, while Najib does a lot for the people like BR1M,” he said referring to the cash handout policy introduced by Najib.  

Vice-chief for Seksyen 17 Umno Youth branch, Rashid Mohd, said Najib will not be affected as the attacks against him by Dr Mahathir were only driven by hopes of personal gain and that of his children.

“If there had been social media during his time, he would have received the same attacks. But Dr Mahathir blocked everything, unlike Najib now. During Dr Mahathir’s time, we could not say anything. 

Rashid added that he was confident Umno would win again in the next general election as people could see Dr Mahathir’s flip-flop stance in politics. 

“He is taking advantage of other people for his own benefit, he is not strong,” he said, adding that the opposition was being used by Dr Mahathir. 

Gombak Utara Umno division head Zakaria Saidi Mara, who joined Umno in 1959, said they still respected Dr Mahathir as a “negarawan” (statesman), but the level of respect had dropped following his many U-turns in politics. 

“Last time he taught us this and that and now he has made a U-turn. “Cikgu sudah lupa dia punya seni silat” as a former Umno member described it.

Dr M no longer influential

Zakaria said he doesn’t think Dr Mahathir can influence a lot of people in GE14. 

“He had guided us for 22 years and then he made a U-turn. As an Umno member, I’m confident we will win the next general election. Whether we win with two-thirds majority, that I can’t say. He is just digging his own grave.”

Gombak Umno member Abdul Jabbar Kasim, 81, said e found it strange that Dr Mahathir had joined the opposition when he had been an Umno member for the longest time. 

“I have to admit that Dr Mahathir has done a lot for the country during his tenure but I believe now he will destroy Malaysia with his alliances.”

Like fellow Umno colleagues, Jabbar also believed that Dr Mahathir would not make much of an impact in GE14.

“He is doing this for personal reasons. It looks like he has his own agenda.

“We still hold steadfast and have believed in Umno all these years, because it has been championing the cause of the Malays,” he said. 

Cheras Umno division chief Syed Ali Alhabshee, who headed the Umno Youth pro tem committee in 1994, advised Dr Mahathir to rethink his actions of wanting to destroy Umno due to dissatisfaction with the current leadership. 

“The people can see how he climbed the political ladder, Umno has done so much for him. He doesn’t have to burn everyone when he is only mad at one person. 

“Umno is a party for the Malays, he cannot do something like this, he needs to think back. He used to teach us a lot but today, he is showing how to destroy minds,” he said. 

Youth chief of Jalan Loke Yew Umno branch, Suhaimi Abas, said Dr Mahathir owed so much to Umno as the party was the reason he managed to become a leader. 

“Umno people gave the opportunity to him, so he should have done the same to Najib,” the 43-year-old said. 

Sri Tanjung branch Youth chief Nurul Izham Nurul Anuar said Dr Mahathir was using the same rhetoric as other leaders who had left Umno. 

“Once they leave the party, they are no longer Umno leaders. They are just bringing the same agenda,” he said.  – July 15, 2017.