UMNO AGM The twin absence of former Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad and recently sacked deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin from the ongoing Umno AGM did not seem to have any impact on delegates and observers.

Indeed, some even say that what has befallen the two individuals is divine providence.

Ahmad Shibee Shaharudin (photo), 67, an Umno member since 1989, said that what happened is the act of Allah and got nothing to do with present party president Najib Abdul Razak.

“They (Mahathir and Muhyiddin) must remember, whatever happened Allah holds the ultimate power. Like Muhyiddin, it is not the president that sacked him (from the party), but it was Allah that did so.

“The president doesn’t have power. It is Allah that decide men’s fate. We must be sincere in the struggle for personal interests. Allah arranged everything, not the president or anyone else. Allah arranges all,” he told Malaysiakini.

For Sembrong Umno Puteri delegate Monaliza Misni (photo), 36, she believed that while there is a discernible difference during the AGM this year without some familiar faces who had left the party, what is important is for those that remain to continue the party’s struggle.

She added that Umno’s existence is not for members to be loyal to only one leader but to fight for the party’s goals.

“To be honest, yes there is something that felt different, but however it is, we must return to the party’s struggle, because leaders come and go, but the party’s struggle must go on.

“Umno was not born for us to just be loyal to one leader. When there are those that left, we return to the party’s struggle,” she said.

Umno’s 70th AGM this year is the first AGM without Muhyiddin, Mahathir and former vice-presidents Shafie Apdal and Mukhriz Mahathir.

Muhyiddin and Mukhriz were sacked from Umno for espousing criticisms of Najib and questioning about the scandal surrounding government investment arm 1MDB, while Shafie left the party on his own accord.

But this is not the first time for Mahathir, who once was the PM for 22 years, for he had once left the party on May 19, 2008 to protest the leadership of then-PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, whom he claimed was weak.

‘Jamal doesn't represent party’

Meanwhile when asked about the recent spate of incidents involving Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos and his red-shirts as well as others involving Umno members, many chided Jamal for being too emotional, but insist that he and his followers do not represent the party as a whole.

For Ahmad Shibee, as a party veteran, he advised Jamal to be less emotional or risk being seen as unpalatable.

Thus, he hoped that the younger generation of Umno members will not be too emotional and remember the dignified struggle of the ones who came before them.

“They are too emotional. Emotions which they can’t control. When they do something they do not think of its consequence. Good or bad, I cannot condone what they do,” said the Umno veteran, who is from Batu Pahat Umno division from Johor.

While Monaliza, who has been in Umno for 15 years, said that what Jamal and his crew did does not depict the true face of Umno.

“Maybe he was emotional. We cannot lump all Umno leaders together. We (Umno) do not practice the politics of hate.

“Of course I do not agree with violence as it is not Umno culture. Whatever the case, it (Jamal’s conduct) does not represent Umno as a violent party,” said Monaliza.

Penampang Umno Youth secretary-general Shah Iskandar from Sabah said that the actions of the red-shirts or other seemingly violent Umno members, do not paint the picture of what Umno is.

Rather, he argued that what occurred is that by coincidence the movement or action is led by an Umno division chief.

“The actions taken are not party policy, like in Komtar (Pulau Pinang), it was not planned by the party but by an NGO. Coincidentally, the NGO was led by a division chief.

“If we evaluate the incident from the standpoint of violence, there were no injuries sustained.

"Though it may seem rough, but in reality what we are seeing is just perception. Which means that maybe the individual was provoked.

“Clapping with one hand will not cause any sound. For example if we demonstrate, without provocations, no ruckus will occur,” he explained.