'UMNO crisis must be addressed by party leaders' - Bung Mokhtar

UMNO"s Kinabatangan MP, Datuk Bung Mokhtar has called for the crisis plaguing UMNO to be addressed by the party’s leaders.

“At the by-election, we see how UMNO has been slammed from all corners of the party. The latest criticism takes the cake … and that is the open criticisms by the former leader of UMNO, Tun Dr Mahathir who has inevitably caused ripples within the party itself,” said Bung, who is the chairman Felcra Berhad at a programme titled, ‘Program Santai Sepetang’ held here, today.

He was commenting on the series of ‘attacks’ faced by the party including that from its former president, Dr Mahathir who had questioned a multiple of issues including the newly-implemented Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the debt-stricken 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

“Let UMNO leaders address the crisis. At the grass root level, we must give our undivided support, that’s the task of the people at the lower level should do. If they start making decisions, top leadership doesn’t mean anything anymore,” said Bung.

The rakyat, he stressed should give their full confidence to the government in its move to implement the GST. Bung said he believed that the complexities faced by all quarters will be resolved in the next six months.

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When prodded about Dr Mahathir’s open criticisms, Bung metaphorically said it is just a father giving advice to his son – in a stern manner.

“We must take it as a lesson … it (is) just like a father advising his son. (Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Najib Razak has not said (anything) which shows his level of respect for a veteran politician like Dr Mahathir,” said Bung.

Bung also condemned the act of a group of protesters during the anti-GST rally held in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

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According to Bung, the rally is aimed at opposing to the implementation of the GST but some of them had taken the rally ‘a notch higher’ by their act of vandalism.