UMNO Keeps Sacked Cabinet Members And Reemerges As 'One Big Family' Instead
With no one losing their party posts and members showing support to leader PM Najib Razak, UMNO is working on their victory for the 14th general elections.
By Nandini Balakrishnan — 10 Sep 2015, 05:18 PM
UMNO Supreme Council has graciously opted to not sack anyone from its party, proving that the party does not toe the line of mass speculations about its internal affairs
The first UMNO Supreme Council meeting to be held after the untimely cabinet reshuffle, saw the reunification of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his newly-minted Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi with the recently sacked ex-DPM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Despite mass speculations that former DPM Muhyiddin and ex-Rural and Development Minister, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal would be stripped off their party membership for their criticisms on the 1MDB scandals, Najib has retained their position as party leaders.
"No sacking," said Supreme Council member Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan when asked by reporters at the lobby of the party headquarters in Menara Dato Onn at the Putra World Trade Centre, after the meeting ended at about 6.30pm.
themalaysianinsider.com
In a surprising turn of events after he unceremoniously fired his long-serving ministers, Najib has stated that the ex-cabinet members are willing to work together towards strengthening UMNO
PM Najib Razak and UMNO deputy president at the UMNO Supreme Council meeting yesterday
Image via The Wall Street JournalHis statement after the meeting puts paid to earlier speculation that either Muhyiddin or Shafie or both would be given the boot or have severe action taken against them for their outspokenness on the 1MDB affair and against Najib himself.
malaysiakini.com
“I applaud Muhyiddin’s involvement as deputy president and he has stated his strong commitment to the party and the willingness to continue fighting to ensure Umno’s strength and success in the next general elections,” Najib told a press conference after the meeting, with his deputy sitting beside him.
“I would also like to thank Shafie, the vice-president who has stated the same commitment and he has also said his willingness to work for the party’s interest.”
yahoo.com
Despite the unfortunate events that befell him, Muhyiddin has remained a loyal member and supporter of UMNO
UMNO deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin received a warm welcome and crowd cheers at the UMNO Supreme Council meeting held yesterday.
Image via Straits TimesSpeaking to the media outside the party’s headquarters in Menara Dato Onn, Muhyiddin downplayed his exit and insisted that he is an Umno member through and through.
“Everything went well. I am a ‘totok’ Umno member,” Muhyiddin told reporters, using a colloquial Malay term meaning “true blue”.
Hundreds of Muhyiddin’s supporters clad in black chanted “Hidup Tan Sri” [Long live Muhyiddin] and “Hidup Umno Johor” [Long live Johor Umno] as he exited the party headquarters.
yahoo.com
Other prominent UMNO members took the opportunity to rekindle their party spirit, strengthen strained relationships among party members and resolve their issues at the meeting
Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan
Image via The Star OnlineUmno supreme council members said their meeting today went smoothly in the "spirit of solidarity of a big family".
Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who is also Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister and BN’s director of strategic communications said the meeting was held in a positive atmosphere with the overarching agendas being unity and moving forward.
"The president (Najib Abdul Razak) spoke for about 20 minutes and his speech was well-received.
"In the end, in the spirit of Umno as one big family, we settled problems in that spirit (family spirit)," he said when approached by reporters after the meeting at Menara Dato Onn at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
malaysiakini.com
In the midst of all the good cheer at the Supreme Council meeting, the recently sacked Langkawi rep Anina Saadudin chided Najib for using the back door entry for the meeting
Former Langkawi Wanita UMNO chief was recently sacked over her RM2.6 billion lawsuit against PM Najib Razak
Image via Free Malaysia TodayPrime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has no reason to fear Umno members because they are not his "wife", said former Langkawi Wanita Umno member Anina Saadudin.
"It is as though he is in fear [...] It is just like when he ran away from the Nothing2Hide forum. How can an Umno president be afraid of facing Umno members waiting for their leader at the front door?" she asked.
malaysiakini.com
In a departure from norm, Najib, who usually used the main entrance to enter and exit, was nowhere to be seen. He, however, chaired the meeting.
themalaysianinsider.com
Meanwhile, party members sung praises about the overall merry atmosphere at the supreme council meeting yesterday, 9 September
“It was a meeting that showed the big Umno family. The meeting was good, no voices were raised. Among the things brought up was unity and moving forward,” Sabah Umno representative Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan told reporters.
“Muhyiddin and Shafie have stated that they are behind Najib and they will work towards Umno’s victory in the next general elections,” Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi said.
“There was no discussion on taking action towards anyone. Everything, the whole meeting was orderly and calm,” Abdul Aziz added.
“Everything was fine, nothing happened. Umno is united,” Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz chimed in.
themalaymailonline.com
On the contrary, six weeks ago, when former DPM Muhyiddin decided to speak up against Najib and the 1MDB scandals surrounding him, a messy debacle erupted: