Umno men in Cabinet may become party outcasts

[superadmin]

PETALING JAYA: An Umno grassroots leader has warned colleagues serving in the Cabinet that they risk being ostracised by their own party as Covid-19 takes its toll on the economy and people’s livelihoods.

“The anger is there for everyone to see,” he said. “Many Umno grassroots members are worried that the party will suffer from its association with the present administration.

“After the Umno general assembly, there were already calls for our ministers to quit the Cabinet but they stayed on.”

The leader, who ranks high in the Umno hierarchy, spoke to FMT on condition that his name is withheld.

He said the ministers should “at least go all out to fight for the right policies and measures” if they felt they had a duty to remain in the Cabinet because of the Covid-19 situation.

He said they were putting Umno at risk by ignoring calls coming from experts and “even Umno leaders” for a strict and short lockdown and for the reopening of Parliament and numerous other suggestions that could help the government address the pandemic effectively.

Umno leaders in the Cabinet should “reflect and start speaking up” if they harboured dreams of leadership positions ahead of the party polls, he added.

Three names are being bandied about for the contest for the Umno presidency in this year’s party polls. They are Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan, foreign minister Hishammuddin Hussein and defence minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.


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