Ahmad Maslan says fresh election needed because PN govt is cruel to Umno

January 6, 2021

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said a fresh election is needed because the current government was “cruel” to the party and its members.

In a recorded dialogue session posted on Umno online, he said the current government has inherited the “injustices” that were left behind from the previous (Pakatan Harapan) government.

“This is unacceptable,” he said, citing court cases involving Umno leaders that were from the time of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Tun is longer there, I don’t know where (former attorney-general) Tan Sri Tommy Thomas is, or (former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner) Latheefa Koya. Why do we need to proceed with these cases?”

Stressing that it was important for politicians to hold government positions to enable lawmakers to help people, he also questioned why leaders in Umno were not given positions in the government despite being the biggest component party in Perikatan Nasional, together with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and Pas.

“We want positions so that we can help people. Through positions and (the relevant) ministries (where we hold positions) we can help the people.”

Ahmad is one of several Umno member facing charges, mainly of corruption. In July, he failed in his bid to have charges of money laundering and giving false statements to the MACC quashed.

He is facing a charge of involvement in money laundering by not declaring to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) RM2 million he received from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak via a cheque dated Nov 27, 2013, in his tax filing for the year.

He also faces another charge of giving false statements to the MACC when it was recorded under Section 32 of Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.

Among other notable Umno figures facing charges are former PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak and current party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, with the former having already been convicted of several charges, though he is in the process of appealing the conviction.