UMNO should take legal action against those who won on the party’s ticket in the 14th general election and then subsequently quit the party, said Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

The Youth wing chief said strong action was needed to show that those who had won with Umno should not be allowed to get away scot-free with defecting.

“Strong action, including legal action, should be taken against those who used the party’s machinery and money but in the end, betrayed the party,” said Asyraf during his keynote speech at the opening of the Youth congress this morning.

Similarly, Wanita chief Noraini Ahmad also urge the party’s leadership to sue MPs and assemblymen who won on Barisan Nasional and Umno tickets in GE14 but quit after the polls.

“They should return the seats after quitting the party,” said Noraini during her keynote address for the Women’s wing.

“Although this does not break any civil laws, they break a social contract when they hop parties and betray the trust given to them by voters,” said Noraini.

Asyraf, meanwhile, placed the blame for Umno’s negative public perception on those who had recently left the party.

“How can a party that helped the country achieve independence and uplifts the position of Islam be so ugly? Those who should be faulted are the ones who were trusted by Umno but have betrayed the party by quitting.”

Five MPs and 13 assemblymen, including former ministers Mustapa Mohamed and Anifah Aman, have left the party since it lost federal power in May.

Some have since joined Pakatan Harapan component parties or government-friendly parties while others have gone independent. – September 29, 2018.