Dato Johari Baharom Rattled By News of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad's Support For Tengku Razaleigh In His Bid To Be President of UMNO

Dato Johari Baharom Rattled By News of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad's Support For Tengku Razaleigh In His Bid To Be President of UMNO

source : Matthias Chang

Following the SMS on the above news, I received an SMS from Dato Johari Baharom (former political secretary to the then prime minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and currently, Deputy Minister in the Badawi regime) demanding to know what right has Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to support Tengku Razaleigh for the post of party President when he is no longer a member of UMNO.

This is so typical of Johari Baharom – full of arrogance and totally out of touch with reality.

I replied immediately to his insolent demand by stating that any citizen of Malaysia has a right to express his views in support of any candidate vying to be the President of UMNO or for that matter any component party. After all, by convention, the President of UMNO is automatically the prime minister of Malaysia. Additionally, I reminded Johari Baharom that all past Presidents/Prime Ministers have stated categorically that they were leaders not only for the Malay community but for all Malaysians. This sentiment was also echoed by Badawi on becoming prime minister.

In turn, I demanded to know whether Johari Baharom is of the view that when UMNO members are deciding on the suitability of any candidate for President, the views of the rakyat are irrelevant and never taken into consideration.

He replied that “this is not the General Elections. This is an UMNO election and only delegates can vote and decide as to who should be the President.”

I replied immediately that notwithstanding the reality that only UMNO members can select their President, surely UMNO would have to consider that any leader vying for party President must be acceptable to all Malaysians. I also enquired from Johari Baharom whether I can quote him as saying that the views of the rakyat have no relevance in their deliberations.

There was no reply from Johari Baharom.

It is such arrogance that gave rise to the anger and disgust of the rakyat in their rejection of the Barisan Nasional in the recently concluded General Elections and the By-Election of Permatang Pauh. It is clear that Johari Baharom have yet to learn from the defeat suffered by UMNO and the Barisan Nasional.

Next, I received an SMS from the political secretary of the Menteri Besar of Pahang, Dato Shamsuddin Nawawi who, like Johari Baharom, was likewise rattled by the news and derided Tengku Razaleigh for the split in UMNO in 1987.

I replied that in 1996, UMNO under the leadership of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, in the spirit of Malay unity, welcomed back the members of Semangat 46 to UMNO. Additionally, Tun has also appointed several members of former Team B as ministers, including Badawi. Notwithstanding that Badawi was part of Team B that challenged Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Badawi was rehabilitated and chosen as his successor.

Such is the generosity of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

But Badawi has repaid Tun’s kindness and generosity with deceit and betrayal.

I then reminded this opportunist that on several occasions he had moaned and groaned and lamented that Badawi is a hopeless leader and is responsible for the present state of affairs in the country. Recently, he even complained that Barisan Nasional screwed up in its campaign to prevent Anwar Ibrahim from returning to Parliament as MP for Permatang Pauh.

Having expressed several times his disenchantment with the present leadership of UMNO and in most strident terms, why is this political secretary singing a different tune?

Having backed the wrong horse, he must have realised that his political future is in jeopardy. How pathetic!

Hopefully, when UMNO has got rid of such leaders, it will be able to regain its glory and rightful place.

Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has given a clarion call to unite and work for change – change in the leadership of UMNO. We must heed his call and take this opportunity to save our country from ruin and rid the Badawi regime once and for all!

God willing!

kzso - umno leaders who are bringing down umno : ydp pm, kj, johari baharom, nazri aziz, shahrir, zaid ibrahim, ghani othman, mb terengganu (can't recalled his name), azalina, hishamuddin, musa aman, anifah aman, tengku mansor .... the lists are looooooooooooong. get rid of them and umno will flourished again. for najib, control your wife rosmah!; muhyiddin, pls have balls and guts; ali rustam, pls quit; muhammad muhammad taib, your time is up;