Najib, Jamal among Umno's 'blacklisted' 15

SM Amin SM Amin Updated 7 years ago · Published on 18 Aug 2018 7:00AM · 9 Comments

An Umno source says former president Najib Razak can still contribute to the party, but not at the front line. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 18, 2018.

FORMER president Najib Razak and Sungai Besar chief Jamal Md Yunos are among 15 Umno leaders asked to “take a break” while the party recovers following its 14th general election defeat.

The 15 names were brought up during a recent party retreat in Janda Baik, and the proposal received support from a majority of members, an Umno insider told The Malaysian Insight.

“Najib and Jamal topped the list. It is not about denying their contributions to the party.

“But, it is because they are not well liked by the people, following the opposition’s (government’s) character assassination (against them).

“They can still contribute to the party, but not at the front line. They should rest first. Otherwise, it would be hard for the party to regain support.”

However, he declined to reveal the other 13 “blacklisted” by Umno.

Najib, who is Pekan MP, skipped the retreat as he was due to attend court on August 10.

The former prime minister has been charged with three counts of money laundering, three counts of criminal breach of trust and one count of misusing his position.

Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos has been charged with two counts of trespassing on two gambling premises and one count of escaping police custody at the Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 18, 2018.

Jamal, too, was absent from the retreat.

The Red Shirts leader was recently charged with two counts of trespassing on two gambling premises in Taman Kosas, Kuala Lumpur, two years ago, and with escaping police custody at the Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital on May 25.

During the two-day retreat, attended by Umno’s central leaders, wing leaders, division chiefs and MPs, the party discussed its role as the new opposition, and what it could offer the people.

It also discussed proposals to get rid of the tradition of appointing its president as prime minister should the party win in future general elections – or as opposition leader, if otherwise.

“Power needs to be returned to the president and Supreme Council to check the prime minister or opposition leader,” said the source.

“We have seen what happened during (Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad), Pak Lah (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) and Najib’s time when they were Umno president and prime minister.

“When trouble happened, the party got dragged into it, too. Nobody could reprimand (them).”

However, the party leadership did not make a final decision on the matter at the retreat.

The source said Umno is also vetting members after discovering that some had openly supported Pakatan Harapan in GE14.

“Branch chiefs are identifying the members involved. They will submit the list to state liaison committees.” – August 18, 2018.

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Comments

  • If this was true, UMNO has a chance to revive, may be not immediate to previous glory but at least, for the interim , a worthy opposition. Worthy party that the rakyat can rely on in airing grievances. From there it can rebuild and rebrand and re- establish., and eventually to give Harapan a good fight for Putrajaya.

    Posted 7 years ago by Chris Kwan · Reply

  • Weak minds..

    Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • The entire Umno cadre, should take a break from Malaysian politics. Give the rakyat a chance to breath after 61 years of wasteful governance

    Posted 7 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply

  • Umno people are still referring to the govt as opposition. Their divine right to rule mindset hasn't changed.

    Posted 7 years ago by Léon Moch · Reply

  • kJ is the best bet for UMNO to make a comeback, judging from his public statements which sound logical and realistic in Umnos situation now.

    Posted 7 years ago by Roger Tan · Reply

  • What is the point of blacklisting 15 people when hundreds and hundreds of the biggest crooks are still left in that corrupt party. Better to disband and retire. The entire country will be grateful.

    Posted 7 years ago by Simple Sulaiman · Reply

  • Go and read your Quran and let Allah speaks his truth and reveal his takdir plus your big sins

    Posted 7 years ago by TJ Lee · Reply

  • Cut off from the seemingly endless flow of 'dedak' Umno can only fall back on playing the race & religion card to the max, to a fast dwindling audience, as people are getting savvy at the speed of light (through optic fiber exchange of info & news). In another couple of years, only a tiny aging rural minority will remain under their dark spell.

    Posted 7 years ago by Antares Maitreya · Reply

  • UMNO don't have any change if there's no change in the warlords. Those outdated warlords must go. Else it's the same old rhetoric of race and religion thing for on and on and on and on...as if that is only what their struggle is all about. THAT'S WHY MALAYSIA IS PROGRESSING SLOW compare to those ASIAN tigers 20 years ago.

    Posted 7 years ago by Will Be Humble · Reply