'Umno leaders can't be selectively progressive'

VIDEO l 4:00 mins

INTERVIEW Often seen as the voice of reason within Umno, Saifuddin Abdullah insists that party leaders cannot afford to be selectively progressive in today's political environment.

"If you want to be progressive, you just have to be progressive," Saifuddin said during an interview with Malaysiakini.

"You cannot be progressive when facing a certain audience and then change your tone with another audience," added the former Temerloh MP, who also lost out in his effort to be re-elected to the Umno supreme council in last month's party elections.

Without referring to anyone in particular, Saifuddin said politicians could no longer get away with extremist statements, made even years ago, and reminded politicians that "nothing can remain within closed doors" in the age of the Internet.

"There is no such thing as ‘closed doors' today. What you say, in real time, can still be tweeted or people will post it on Facebook," he said.

"I know of a leader who said something years ago when he was an Umno Youth leader, and I've met so many people who still remember what he said, all these years later. Malaysians sometimes don't forget so easily," he added.

Recently, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi made several controversial remarks during a government-organised meeting involving Umno delegates in Malacca, and he later threatened journalists not to report the matter, claiming that it was a "closed-door meeting".

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who recently retained his post in the party, was one of a few Umno leaders who appeared to pander to right-wing sentiments before the 2008 general election, but he has since then been portraying himself as a progressive in the party.

However, Saifuddin refused to draw comparisons with his loss for a seat in the Umno supreme council contest with Khairy's victory.

"You can't really compare. We are in different leagues altogether. He was a strong incumbent candidate and people expected him to win," he said.

Money politics still alive

Saifuddin, who also surprisingly lost his bid to retain his position as Temerloh Umno division deputy chief, said money politics was still a problem in Umno and suggested that it was what partly caused his defeat in the division.

"The new delegates system has two objectives. One is to democratise the party, and the second to eliminate money politics. With the first one, I think, we did very well, excellent.

"But with the second one (money politics), I think we have failed to address the problem."

He said even Dr Mahathir Mohamad had alluded to money politics, and while some might claim that Mahathir was only saying so because his son Mukhriz lost in his bid for an Umno vice-presidency, Saifuddin said the former premier did have a point.

"I think Mahathir is being sincere in this regard. He is a seasoned politician in Umno," he said.

Saifuddin's loss in the Umno elections, coupled with his defeat in Temerloh in the country's 13th general election on May 5, has left him without a position in Umno and in the government.

No intention to switch sides

But appearing to be back to his old cheerful self, Saifuddin said he hasn't given up on politics, and at the same time, professed his undivided loyalty to the party.

"I won't jump ship. I'm not that type of person. I still believe in the BN struggle," he said.

Saifuddin joined Umno in 1986 because he wanted to be a part of BN, and argued that opening up direct membership to BN would help the ruling coalition connect better with Malaysians.

"I am someone who is loyal to an organisation, as long as I believe that it can still do something right," he said.

"I still believe that BN can improve itself. Just because there are some elements that have opposite views to my thinking doesn't mean I have to jump ship."

Saifuddin admitted that Umno president Najib Razak was under great pressure from right-wing Umno leaders and he made his pledge that he would continue to help the prime minister in his transformation programme.

This interview was jointly conducted by Ram Anand and Lee Way Loon.

THE SAIFUDDIN INTERVIEW

Part 1: Umno veered right after GE13, admits Saifuddin

Part 2: 'Umno leaders can't be selectively progressive'

Part 3: 'Rural and semi-urban areas no longer BN vote banks'