My statement yesterday asking who will be the first UMNO leader who dare to speak up what is in the minds of all Malaysians, in fact all patriotic UMNO members, that Datuk Seri Najib Razak must be expelled from UMNO/BN if UMNO/BN is to be exorcised of its two toxic Najib legacies, firstly, turning Malaysia into a global kleptocracy as a result or the monstrous 1MDB money-laundering scandal and secondly, unleashing the most vicious and divisive politics of race, religion, hate, fear and lies in Malaysian history was not directed at Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

The statement was in fact issued several hours before Tengku Razaleigh made the announcement in his 2pm media conference at his residence in Kuala Lumpur yesterday confirming his UMNO presidential bid at the end of the month.

It is a question directed at every UMNO leader and member, particularly those who had served under Datuk Seri Najib Razak, whether as his Minister, Mentri Besar, Member of Parliament, State Executive councillor or State Assembly representative, UMNO leader or member – as to their role and responsibility to UMNO/BN and the nation in the years when Malaysia suffered the infamy, ignominy and iniquity as a global kleptocracy.

Early this month, UMNO Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin admitted that ignoring the 1MDB scandal caused UMNO’s downfall in the 14GE.

He said UMNIO was paying for its failure to “bell the cat” and for “drinking our own Kool-Aid” and was in danger of irrelevance if its three million party members resisted structural changes.

More than five weeks have passed since UMNO/BN’s “catastrophic” defeat in the 14GE, but Najib and the entire UMNO leadership and rank-and-file are still in deep denial, as up to now, there is only one other UMNO official who had admitted that the 1MDB scandal was UMNO’s fatal affliction in the 14GE.

UMNO boasts of 3.6 million members and over 21,000 branches, and brags of being the single biggest party with 54 MPs although it lost in 54 other parliamentary constituencies.

But the silence from the 54 UMNO MPs and the 3.6 million UMNO members on the 1MDB scandal is most deafening worldwide, and UMNO’s ability to exorcise itself of the 1MDB scandal and its toxic and anti-national politics of race, religion, hate, fear and lies will decide whether UMNO can ever regain public trust and credibility.

Has the UMNO leaders and members forgotten Najib’s toxic, vicious and incendiary speeches at previous UMNO General Assemblies, for instance, his three Big Lies at the December 2016 UMNO General Assembly, viz:

1. That the 14th General Election will be a contest between UMNO and DAP;

2. That the DAP is anti-Malay or anti-Islam.

3. The “nightmares” Malay will suffer if UMNO loses power in the next general election.

There are wags who say that DAP is now aiming to dominate UMNO with the proposal over Najib’s expulsion from UMNO.

Najib and the UMNO leaders must understand that right from the beginning of our formation 52 years ago, DAP was committed to the principles and vision of a Malaysian party, led by Malaysians and serving the interests of all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region.

This was why in the very first general election contested by DAP in 1969, two Malay State Assemblymen were elected, and down the decades, there had bden DAP Malay Members of Parliament, both in Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara, State Executive Councillors and State Assembly representatives as well.

It is not Malays, but UMNO, who will have “nightmares” as UMNO has lost power in the 14GE.

Although Najib had been toppled as Prime Minister and UMNO evicted from Federal Government in Putrajaya and in seven states, namely Penang, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Johore, the Malays in Malaysia will continue to exercise political power in the country as there is no way they will lose their political power.

This is guaranteed by three demographic realities in the country – the racial composition of the population, the racial make-up of the electorate and the composition of the electoral constituencies.

But most important of all, a Pakatan Harapan Federal Government and State Governments will compete with UMNO to have a better record in upholding the fundamental features of the Malaysian Constitution and look after the rights and interests of all Malaysians, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kadazans, Orang Asli because a Pakatan Harapan Federal and State governments do not want to be a one-term government but be able to continue to get the mandate of the electorate in subsequent polls to govern Malaysia.

This means that a Pakatan Harapan government will have to prove to be a better government than UMNO/BN in looking after the rights and interests of all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region!

Meanwhile, Malaysians, in fact, the world, are waiting for answer to the question: Who in UMNO are going to “bell the cat” of Najib’s 1MDB and toxic politics legacies?

Najib and UMNO leaders’ recent escapades has vindicated the observation of my political secretary, Syahredzan Johan that they are oblivious to the 14GE electoral verdict and have shown no remorse whatsoever for their past wrongs and betrayals to the nation.

(Media Statement in Penang on Sunday, 17th June 2018)