Thank Harapan for helping cleanse 'rotten' Umno, PKR leader hits back

• UPDATED 12.44PM | Added Johor Amanah Youth and DAP’s Dr Boo Cheng Hau’s statements.

A PKR leader has hit back at Nur Jazlan Mohamed, who suggested that Pakatan Harapan apologise for the accusations levelled against Umno in the past.

According to Razeef Rakimin, it is Umno who should be grateful to Harapan for helping it shed its “arrogance and corruption”. 

“Umno was rotten to the core and this was admitted by several of its leaders. But since joining hands with Harapan, Umno is slowly being cleansed of its hubris and distancing itself from corruption and abuse of power,” said the PKR deputy information chief on Facebook.

Razeef (above) was responding to the Umno supreme council member, who said Harapan “desperately needs” his party to remain in power.

Jazlan, who was commenting on BN’s victory in last Saturday’s Mahkota by-election in Johor, said no party can claim to be the “backbone” of the coalition government.

“Harapan must realise, and perhaps should apologise to Umno for all the slander, allegations and perceptions they created decades ago that caused Umno to be viewed negatively by voters,” he added.

Jazlan also cautioned against “arrogance”, stating that it could rupture cooperation among the parties, which is vital for the coalition government in facing the next general election.

“Specifically, Harapan must accept the fact that they can no longer continue with the old sentiment, particularly towards Umno,” he said.

Don’t let it get to your head

However, Razeef said Umno should not let its triumph in the Mahkota polls get to its head because it would not have happened without Harapan’s assistance.

He pointed out that Harapan had worked hard to ensure that its supporters came out to vote for the Umno candidate.

“This is the attitude of certain Umno leaders, which has still not eroded - arrogance. Thumping their chest after winning a few seats,” he added.

In the contest for Mahkota, BN’s Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah from Umno Youth defeated Perikatan Nasional’s Mohd Haizan Jaafar in a straight fight.

He retained the seat for Umno with a majority of 20,648 votes, or about four times what it achieved at the state election in 2022.

‘Nonsensical, arrogant’

Echoing Razeef’s sentiments, Johor Amanah Youth chief Mohd Taqiuddin Cheman described Jazlan’s remark as nonsensical and arrogant - reflective of the Umno leader’s limited understanding of the political dynamics.

“Why should Harapan apologise when some of the accusations levelled were proven to be true like the 1MDB scandal?” he asked in a statement today.

Taqiuddin reminded Jazlan that much of the bad perception Umno suffers from was self-inflicted, with young voters and the middle class getting weary of the party holding on to old-school politics – premised on corruption, cronyism and abuse of power.

The Amanah leader also chided Jazlan for saying that Harapan depended on Umno to remain in power, calling it a one-sided view.

He stated that while the cooperation was vital for the coalition government’s stability, the pact actually gave Umno a lifeline following its resounding defeat in the last general election.

“Umno is also reaping benefits from this pact, like Harapan.

“However, if there is a party that should humble itself and show sincerity in this cooperation, it should be Umno, which is working with Harapan to remain relevant,” Taqiuddin added.

‘Surgeon’ Harapan saved ‘diabetic’ Umno

Johor DAP state committee member Dr Boo Cheng Hau also joined in the chorus saying that BN should be grateful to Harapan and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for not only reviving the nation’s ailing economy but saving Umno from further decline.

He urged Umno to take responsibility for mismanaging the country during its long tenure in leading the administration in the past.

“Umno should be apologising to all Malaysians,” he said in a statement.

Describing the nation’s problems as “a severely ill diabetic patient with gangrenous toes that need amputation to salvage his life”, Boo said Anwar’s reforms were akin to a much-needed “painful amputation during surgery”.

“And that has not only saved the country but also Umno.

“So, it is for the ‘diabetic patient’, which is Umno and BN, to thank Harapan, the ‘surgeon’ who saved his life,” he added.

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