Umno Lost GE14 Because of Top Leadership’s Scandals, Says Khairy

UMNO lost in the 14th general elections as the party was plagued with scandals among the top leadership, former Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said today.

The Rembau MP, who is running for the president’s post in the ongoing party elections, said younger voters in the party felt the top leadership had failed them.

“We have done the best. The Youth and Puteri wings have done well.

“But, when youth judge the party, they don’t just look at the Youth and Puteri, but from the top down as a whole. Whatever we do, we cannot change the people’s perspective.

“People had a problem with the scandals and leadership, which could not be borne (tampung) by anyone,” Khairy said in a live Facebook video today.

The former youth and sports minister said people were pleased with his performance as a minister, but decided to vote for Pakatan Harapan instead because of the scandals plaguing former prime minister Najib Razak.

“I read comments on my Facebook and social media – not that I want to praise myself – but a lot of people said that ‘we don’t have a problem with you KJ, you have done well.’

“‘We just cannot support Umno because of the scandals and the leadership.’ I have to be honest and say this.”

Khairy said it wasn’t just the youth who had rejected the Umno leadership, but Felda and the postal vote bank as well.

“Not only the youth but soldiers, Felda, and some police did not support us.

“Not because the ministers didn’t do their jobs, but because of much bigger issues.”

This is the second time Khairy has said Umno’s top leadership was the reason for the party’s and Barisan Nasional’s loss in the May 9 election.

In an interview with Channel News Asia after the polls, he said Umno had become detached from reality and was living in their own bubble.

"We became delusional; we got drunk on our own Kool-Aid and got carried away," he was quoted saying about allegations against former Umno president and prime minister Najib Razak over 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s scandals.

Khairy had been among the first to call for a complete revamp of Umno and change of leadership after losing federal power.

In the Facebook session today, he explained more about his manifesto, in which he pledged to decentralise power from the top, saying the party needed a new “bottom-up approach where we listen to the members”.

He said if he won the presidency, he would have townhall discussions with all 191 Umno divisions.

He also proposed a petition system where unhappy members could file complaints right away.

Khairy also said the leadership had to be transparent with its members about the party’s assets.

“I promise to realign Umno’s assets and work together with professionals so that returns are high. The returns will be funnelled back to Umno and the divisions.”

He added that a mobile app would be created to monitor performance of BN MPs in Parliament. – June 25, 2018.