No UMNO Youth leaders intend to leave party following DOJ exposure - KJ
Rahimah Abdullah
July 25, 2016 22:29 MYT
July 25, 2016 22:29 MYT
Khairy with other UMNO Youth leaders at the media conference in PWTC today. - Astro AWANI/Rahimah Abdullah
UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar today stressed that the party has no intention to exit from Barisan Nasional following the lawsuits filed by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) linked to scandal-riddled 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
He was optimistic that all divisions under the wing understood the judiciary process linked to the 1MDB debacle.
"So far, we have yet to hear anything about the other divisions in the various States intending to do so because everyone seemed to understand the judiciary process has to be executed in order for us to determine the authenticity of the allegations. To date, nothing has been proven," said Khairy at a press conference after he chaired the UMNO Youth meeting at Menara Dato' Onn at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here.
He said the DOJ investigation was based on a civil case and must be heard in court. However, he stressed that the allegations hurled towards 1MDB were yet to be proven.
"We hope for the court process to be carried out so that we can determine the authenticity of the claims made. As of now, nothing has been proven. The allegations were made based on investigation. So, this matter needs to be brought to court," Khairy explained.
He also echoed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's call for those implicated in the DOJ civil suit to claim responsibility for their actions.
"This is so that there will be no more speculations after the case is tried in court."
Previously, an online portal had reported that several of UMNO's top leaders would turn and join the Opposition in retaliation of the DOJ's civil suit against 1MDB.
The report had cited a former senior editor of a local English daily as saying that these leaders had already begun talks with ex-premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
But Cheras UMNO division chairman Datuk Seri Syed Ali Alhabshee had rubbished the report, saying the allegations were cooked up by the Opposition who were desperate for the people's support.