Ties between Umno's top leadership and the grassroots in Johor appears tense, with a division chief starting his speech with a scathing poem critical of the government.

Delegates at the Parit Sulong Umno division annual meeting cheered and laughed when their chief Zulkarnain Kamisan played a video of the poem " Kau ini bagaimana atau aku harus bagaimana " by Indonesian poet Gus Mus.

The poet among others criticised the government for robbing the people of their savings.

"A ku harus bagaimana?

Aku kau suruh membangun, aku membangun kau merusakkannya

Aku kau suruh menabung, aku menabung kau menghabiskannya

(What am I to do?

You tell me to develop, and I develop but you destroy it.

You tell me to save, and I save but you finish it.)",  read one part of the poem.

"What we hear in the poem is what we feel down here in the grassroots," Zulkarnain said, and delegates responded with a loud "Yes!"

Zulkarnain then continued his speech, in which he urged the government to address the issues of 1MDB, the goods and services tax, and rising cost of living.

He said these were what the people have to deal with, and warned that voters would punish the party if these issues were not addressed.

The Parit Sulong Umno division chief also warned Umno president Najib Abdul Razak not to look down on the grassroots.

"The president should know that it is the voice of the grassroots that determines Umno's leadership.

"Don't look down and betray the grassroots," he warned.

However Zulkarnain insisted that he still respected Najib's leadership.