Bumiputera Malaysia

Bumiputera Malaysia

By a Malaysian for his country

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Abdullah's conspiracy in UMNO

The Umno Supreme Council led by Umno President and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi met on 28 September 2006. On the agenda was what to do with Umno member Zaharin Yasin, who is alleged to have breached party rules and discipline by criticising Abdullah in the Sang Kelambai blog that he owned.

Earlier, the Umno Disciplinary Board had met and decided that his 'crime' is not serious enough to warrant sacking. A reprimand and warning would suffice. This was the Disciplinary Board’s decision that was brought to the Supreme Council, but before the Deputy President (and Deputy Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak could even finish reading out the Board’s report, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi interrupted him and proposed that Zaharin be sacked from the party.

Half the Umno Supreme Council members did not even realise what was going on. Some were chatting and joking. Others were on their phones or sending SMSes. All they heard was some members saying, "Setuju!" (agree!).

Setuju with the sacking of Zaharin? When was this decision taken? Nope, it was not discussed or debated. Datuk Seri Najib attempted to read the report, but before he could read even halfway through, Abdullah butted in and proposed that Zaharin be sacked. One member said "setuju" and half of the Supreme Council echoed the Prime Minister. The other half looked at each other with puzzled looks on their faces.


Umno Youth Chief Hishamuddin Hussein brandished the keris at the Umno AGM

Umno members were allowed to criticise a lot of things before Abdullah became Prime Minister. They can criticise the Malays. They can criticise the Sultans and call them pirates and robbers (even though the Sedition Act 1948 is there). Umno Deputy President Najib has threatened to bathe a keris (dagger) with Chinese blood. They can criticise Islam. They can even criticise the Quran and Allah by declaring that Islamic laws as outdated and stupid in this modern day and age. But they must never criticise Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

This is worse than criticising Allah. And for that, Zaharin has to go. The credibility and independence of Umno’s Disciplinary Board is over. The party president can now just brush aside and ignore its decisions. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is now the one-man Disciplinary Board in Umno.