Umno can bring out 3mil members for demo

The prime minister says Umno can match Bersih in numbers for the July 9 illegal demonstration but it would not do so.

SIPITANG (Sabah): Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said today Umno can mobilise its three million members to match those planning to take part in the July 9 illegal rally in Kuala Lumpur.

But, he said, the party would not do so because that was not the responsible way of finding solutions.

“We (Umno) have three million members, not taking into account the members of the other (BN) component parties. We can assemble three million people, but is that a responsible way of doing things?” he said when addressing about 15,000 people who had turned up in conjunction with his visit to this coastal town, some 150km south of Kota Kinabalu.

He also said the use of force, such as through street demonstrations, is not the way problems are resolved in Malaysia.

He added that elections were held regularly when they were due and everyone could participate and campaign to woo the voters.

Najib, who is Barisan Nasional chairman and Umno president, said the BN government was a responsible government which did not like the use of force because “that’s not the way we resolve problems in Malaysia”.

During elections, anyone could campaign and talk to their heart’s content, said the prime minister who had earlier visited the interior district of Tenom, also in the southwest of Sabah.

Referring to the July 9 rally, Najib said: “They (the organisers) are talking of ‘Bersih’. It is yet to be ascertained if they are ‘bersih’ (clean). They (the opposition) have many problems.”

Najib said Malaysia was unlike certain countries where the administration garnered 95% of the votes in elections, raising suspicion about the outcome of the polls.

“Nothing like that ever happens in Malaysia. We win with the people’s support. I am not prepared to be the prime minister through deceit. I want to be the prime minister because the people like us (the BN), trust us and are comfortable with the BN,” he said.

He said that based on the people’s trust in the BN, the government would strive hard and earnestly for the people.


Clear roadmap

Najib said Malaysia was on the threshold of transformation into a more progressive and prosperous country with a clear roadmap just waiting to be implemented.

“But should this be sacrificed purely to satisfy the desire of certain quarters who want to be the prime minister, to take control of Putrajaya?” he asked.

Najib cautioned that street demonstrations such as that planned for July 9 could lead to disaster in the wink of an eye, more so when certain quarters fanned the emotions of the people.

With instigators fanning the emotions of the people during rallies, “our families, our friends” would become the victims, he said.

Mob psychology was such that even gentle people could turn violent all of a sudden and pose a threat to lives and property, he added.

Najib also stressed that it was important for the people to appreciate the 1Malaysia concept so that it did not remain a mere slogan but was translated into values which shaped the people’s thinking and attitude.
He said he realised that the harmony in Sabah was the best example of the 1Malaysia concept, enabling the people of various communities to live peacefully without any barriers.

At the event, the prime minister announced a RM30-million allocation for the reconstruction of the Sipitang district police headquarters and a RM2.7-million allocation to repair the roof of the Sipitang Esplanade which gets damaged often due to strong winds.

Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman and several BN component party elected representatives were also present.
- Bernama