UMNO wants an early general election so that it can save corrupt Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders from being charged in court, Lim Kit Siang said today. 

“Umno leadership wants immediate GE15 not for the sake of Umno, Malays, Malaysians or the nation but to save Umno and BN court clusters from being charged in court,” the Iskandar Puteri MP said in a statement. 

He said this was clear from Umno president and BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s speech at the MIC Congress on Monday. 

In his speech, Zahid, who is facing a criminal trial, had said that if BN failed to win power in the next general election, there would be a waiting list of BN leaders who would be dragged to court by the new Pakatan Harapan government. 

He mentioned the names of Umno deputy president Mohamad Hassan, BN treasurer Hishammuddin Hussein, MCA president Wee Ka Siong, MIC president S.A. Vigneswaran, and MIC deputy president M Saravanan as those on the waiting list to be charged. 

“(And) their silence since Monday is deafening. 

“Zahid may know more than the ordinary people, but it is up to the leaders mentioned by Zahid to defend themselves from Zahid’s remarks,” said the DAP veteran. 

Lim also mocked BN’s election manifesto, saying that it should be just to free Umno and BN court clusters from being charged in court and sent to jail. 

After PH won the last general election, several Umno leaders were charged in court for corruption and abuse of power. This list included former prime minister Najib Razak and Zahid. 

Najib is already undergoing a 12-year jail term for one case while facing several others, while Zahid has been acquitted in one case but continues to face another trial. 

These Umno leaders who were charged in court are labelled the “Umno court cluster”. 

Zahid had been pushing for an early GE, which many in the opposition saw as his way out to escape trial if Umno came back to power. 

On Monday, just hours after Zahid’s speech at the MIC Congress, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the dissolution of the parliament to make way for GE15. 

The Elections Commission will meet on October 20 to set dates for nomination and polling. – October 12, 2022.