UMNO supreme council member Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan has called on fellow party members, especially the youth wing, to stand firm behind their president and not be influenced by the allegations from various parties.
He said loyalty to party leadership and the willingness of its members to come forward to defend their leaders when needed had been the key to the lasting dominance of UMNO, which has always been and is still the strongest political party in the country.
The Kota Belud member of parliament also stressed there has been not a single proof produced by any quarters to back their many accusations against UMNO president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“Many are questioning the Prime Minister (leadership) but there has been no proof whatsoever to show that the PM had stolen the people’s money. When there is no proof, when it is only a ploy by foreign elements, I think it is not wise (to doubt the PM),”he said.
Rahman, who is also Urban Well-Being, Local Government and Housing Minister and Barisan Nasional Strategic Communication Director, said this to reporters when asked to comment on news reports saying that Najib values loyalty more than intelligence among his party members.
Najib, in his speech at the Seremban Umno division meeting early this month, had said that he would evaluate people based on their loyalty.
“There are a lot of smart people around but to find those who are loyal is rare. But by loyalty, I don’t mean blind loyalty. We have to work together in order to make our party strong,”he said.
Rahman, who was met after the opening of Tuaran Umno Division Delegates Meeting here yesterday, said history showed that the party had no problem changing its leaders, but more importantly its members also had no problem in showing their loyalty when they were needed to.
“Our leaders come and go but what we want is that when loyalty to party leadership is required, we can get it from our leaders and members, and this is the formula why Umno is the strongest party in Malaysia.
“If we are not loyal to the party, that party would certainly not last very long… however, the loyalty we ask is loyalty within reason,” he said.
He said UMNO had remained relevant because its leaders, particularly the younger generations from the Youth and other wings, have always been eager to defend the party and cautious against any foreign elements trying to undermine the party’s unity.
“I am proud to be known as among the leaders that came from the Pemuda (Youth). In Pemuda, we were taught to defend the party and its leadership … we knew that Pemuda must come forward to defend the president and the party,” he said.
On Saturday, UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said he was not worried about losing his Cabinet position for criticizing the transfers of two Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigators as he believed in speaking up for what was right.
He said the independence of the anti-graft agency should be protected and added that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself had said that he did not want “yes men” in the government leadership.
“I am not worried because I believe we must hold fast to what we believe in, which is to protect our institutions and to speak without fear,”Khairy, who is also Youth and Sports Minister, said after officiating the Klang division Umno Youth, Women and Puteri wings’ meetings.
Previously, Khairy had said that MACC should be allowed to conduct its duty in probing alleged corruption without being intimidated, and was quoted by the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers’ Club website as saying that the transfers were “strange and disappointing.”-10/8/2015
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