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Scuffle at Umno HQ, Najib ignores the press
Alyaa Alhadjri | Published on Today 12:30 am | Modified on Today 12:50 am
The event to mark Umno's 72nd anniversary at the party headquarters was a sombre affair with prayer recitations, which was later marred by a scuffle among Umno Youth members.
Party leader Najib Abdul Razak was at the
tahlil recitation ceremony from 7.30pm to 9pm, along with vice-presidents Hishammuddin Hussein and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Najib did not speak during the dinner event and retreated for a meeting. By 10.30pm, he left the building in a Mercedes Benz with the WQF11 number plate, refusing to talk to reporters.
At another end of the building, a group of Umno Youth members appeared to be squabbling.
A scuffle erupted after Seputeh Umno Youth division member Mohamad Taqiuddin Halim told reporters that all Umno leaders above the age of 60 should make way for younger leaders to bring in reforms.
"Representing Federal Territories Umno Youth, I would like to voice out that all top party leaders involved should be held accountable (for BN’s loss in the general election). I don't just point fingers at president Najib," said Taqiuddin, who was surrounded by about 10 supporters.
Taqiuddin also demanded that all Umno assets held by party leaders to be returned to the party.
'We need to know where we are heading'
"We need directions... We need to know where we are heading," said Taqiuddin who spoke for about five minutes and claimed to represent Federal Territories Umno Youth chief Razlan Rafii.
When contacted later, Razlan denied that Taqiuddin was representing him.
Asked to comment on speculation that Najib might flee the country, Taqiuddin said: "That's a perception. He says he's a Bugis warrior. I believe he is on the side of the truth."
As he walked away from the entrance to Menara Dato Onn, the group of about 30 Umno supporters heckled and chased the smaller group away.
Amidst the din, there were shouts that Taqiuddin had no right to make demands against Umno leaders at a time when they should show support for Najib.
"We are all supposed to be here to show that Umno is strong!" said one disgruntled supporter.
"We don't need members like you!" shouted another.
When met later, one of them said he does not know Taqiuddin and insisted that the majority of Umno Youth members were still behind Najib.
Umno Gombak branch Youth chief Syed Mohd Imran Syed Abdul Aziz claimed that no one knew Taqiuddin and questioned Razlan's absence tonight.
"Why can't Razlan make this statement himself? In Umno, we are not authorised to make statements without the party's consent," Syed Mohd Imran said.
Following the BN's defeat in GE14, Umno Youth members from at least six states - Penang, Johor, Terengganu, Kedah, FT, Selangor - have issued statements calling on Najib to resign as Umno president.
Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has urged party members to
call for reforms and stand with him.