A Kelantan Umno state assemblyperson has dubbed Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed's decision to quit the party as the right step.

"Mustapa's action may be right for him, because if we look at it in terms of his credibility and personality, maybe he assessed the situation correctly.

"Umno today has indeed been tainted with materialistic and worldly tendencies," Gual Ipoh assemblyperson Mohd Bakri Mustafa told Malaysiakini when contacted today.

"(Umno) does things in the name of the people, but they have other intentions. This is not the original struggle of Umno left behind by the late Tunku Abdul Rahman.

"So I think what Mustapa did was right. If we look at the Umno president (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi), the party is not confident with its own strengths and there have been no attempts to rehabilitate the party."

Bakri stressed, however, that he would not follow in Mustapa's footsteps, but intends to retire from politics altogether.

"I have the intention to quit, without consideration for my position and interests. I will wait and see. If possible, I want to retire."

Mustapa quit Umno last night after having spent 40 years in the party. Less than 24 hours later, former foreign minister Anifah Aman also followed suit.

'Focus on rebuilding party'

Bakri also took a swipe at the current Umno leadership, which he claimed have not been concentrating on rebuilding the party after its crushing election loss in May.

"We see Umno is counting on Dr Mahathir Mohamad to end his years, and on Pakatan Harapan breaking up.

"If Umno had stuck to its original struggle, it would have remained relevant to this day.

"Therefore, the leadership should rebuild Umno based on its own strengths – fix its weaknesses, not get too big-headed, or join up with other parties," said Bakri, whose own name was previously associated with rumours of Umno members jumping ship.

The lawmaker also termed Mustapa a good leader.

"All the while we have followed him, as he is a clean and good man, so why shouldn't we follow in the footsteps of an honest man?" he asked.

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