Umno's purge ended four years of internal conflict – Razlan

Umno's move to suspend and sack several of its leaders yesterday has ended an “internal conflict" that has persisted for more than four years.

Umno supreme council member Razlan Rafii said efforts to regain the people's trust must start immediately by putting an end to all internal problems.

"For four years, we got caught up with entertaining the antics of our own leaders, with constant undisciplined statements that exposed differing views and opinions.

"People will not be confident if we (Umno) do not display unity," Razlan (above) told Malaysiakini.

"What we are doing today, in my opinion, we must have a five-year plan to regain the people's confidence," he said.

Last night, the Umno supreme council sacked former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and supreme council member Noh Omar, aside from suspending four other leaders.

Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said the two leaders were sacked for going against the party's discipline during the 15th general election.

Among those slapped with a six-year suspension include Sembrong MP and former vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein, as well as deputy youth chief Shahril Hamdan Suffian.

Asked whether Umno's internal purge that took out some big names will have an impact on the party's survival, Razlan said there is no one bigger than Umno and it is a collective responsibility of all members to defend the party's name.

"All the big names have a duty... a duty to themselves and the party. If we make a popular statement that does not benefit the party, that is irresponsible.

"Those big names should have given their statements more thought...KJ (Khairy) said the party has deviated, and so when he made such a statement, did he think about its impact on the party?

"Impact from the statement by that 'big name' is that people saw the party as being in chaos," said Razlan.

Prior to the meeting, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had hinted that he would proceed with a "clean-up operation" against alleged party saboteurs, as promised to delegates at the party's annual general meeting.

COMMENT | Umno’s Friday night purge

Loke: Won't jump the gun on accepting KJ, sacked Umno leaders

COMMENT | Anwar is Zahid’s biggest collateral damage

Puad: Hishammuddin tried to get BN MPs to support Muhyiddin

Quelling dissent easiest way to stay in power, Annuar Musa says

KJ sacked for Umno 'gone astray' GE15 speech - party source

KJ sacked, Hishammuddin suspended

Umno axes Noh Omar: He opts for sacking instead of 6 year suspension