Najib: ‘Umno 3.0’ leaders will be punished in party polls for going against grassroots by supporting Bersatu

KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today questioned why a group of leaders in Umno dubbed “Umno 3.0” wants to support Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) when its clearly against the wishes of party grassroots.

He said “Umno 3.0” leaders’ move to support PPBM will only see them being punished badly in party polls.

“What is their intention to support a party (PPBM) that stole tens of Umno’s parliamentary and state seats, including in Sabah through ‘frogs’, froze Umno’s accounts and even tried to get Umno deregistered?

“Why do they want to support a party that has clearly failed in managing the country’s economy and the Covid-19 situation?

“Why support a party that continues to give nonsense excuses as to why Parliament can’t reconvene?” he asked in a Facebook posting this evening.

Najib said he can’t understand why the leaders would throw their support behind PPBM, which wants to destroy Umno.

Several online media had earlier today reported that there had been speculation that there are plans to get rid of Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Najib with a new “Umno 3.0” leadership.

The news reports suggested that “Umno 3.0” would work with PPBM and PAS and will call for Zahid to step down.

According to the news reports, “Umno 3.0” will back Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the prime minister after the next general election (GE15) and will go all-out to win rural “true-blue” support as the biggest Malay party in the country.

Najib said why would certain Umno leaders want him removed as he is no longer the party president and is not even in Umno’s supreme council.

“I might not even get to defend my position as Pekan division chief if the Perikatan Nasional led government’s plan to make me a bankrupt succeeds,” he said.

Najib also recalled how PAS had some leaders who were overthrown in its party polls in 2015 as a result of going against the wishes of grassroots members.

It was reported two days ago that the IRB had filed a notice of bankruptcy against Najib at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

According to the notice, Najib has to pay RM1.69 billion with interest of five per cent a year between July 22, 2020 and February 4, 2021, amounting to RM45.9 million from the date of the order of the summary judgment as well as costs of RM15, 000.

This brings the accumulated sum being demanded by the IRB to RM1.73 billion.

IRB had also in the notice said if Najib does not comply with the requests stated in the notice, a bankruptcy proceeding could be instituted against him.

Najib had said that he will be filing a stay order against the bankruptcy notice.