The Penang Umno Youth wing has been urged to request Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to appoint the party as head of Barisan Nasional, since it was the only party which managed to win seats in the last general election.

Despite the political tsunami of 2008, Umno managed to win 11 seats in the Penang state legislative assembly.

Currently, Gerakan - which failed to capture any seats in the state assembly - is holding the chairpersonship of the BN working committee in Penang, and its head is the party’s state chief, Dr Teng Hock Nan.

NONE But instead of championing the rights of the Malays, state Umno Youth chief Shaik Hussein Mydin had assumed the position of “hero” for the Indian community, said a local-based NGO, which claims to be neutral and independent.

Penang Malay Congress secretary Mohd Noor Mohd Abdul Kader ( left ) said Shaik Hussein had recently  raised the issue of the delay by DAP’s disciplinary board in taking action on Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy.

“The manner in which he did it appeared as if the Indian community in Penang does not have its own leaders,” he said.

“Shaik Hussein should be more concerned about how to reclaim the support of the Malays towards Umno by asking Najib to allow the party to head the BN here,” added Mohd Noor, a lawyer by profession.

Bankrupt of political issues?

Mohd Noor was referring to the Umno leader’s recent statement in Free Malaysia Today , where the latter said that the true colours of DAP are now emerging following the internal dispute between state DAP Indian leaders.

NONE Shaik Hussein ( right ) said allegations of “cronism and corruption” are made among themselves shamelessly under the full glare of the public.

He added that it was not Umno making the allegations but DAP’s own members, and the party is making a “mockery of their Competency, Accountability and Transparency (CAT) principles”.

Shaik Hussein had also questioned why Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has allowed his comrades to squabble among themselves publicly.

Mohd Noor said the NGO was worried that Penang Umno had become bankrupt of political issues other than trying to turn the Malays against the state government.

“Don’t worry about other people's problems, the Malays are in more need of aid,” he told Shaik Hussein.

“If Umno is now unable to care for the Malays, it is best to allow NGOs like the congress to do its role to help uplift the status of the community,” he quipped.

He urged Shaik Hussein to resign from his post as state Umno Youth chief since he had failed to do his job defending the Malays but has instead spoke up for DAP Indian leaders.